May 28, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University has chosen three students to speak as the Voices from the Class at this year’s convocation ceremonies at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1. 

Masoud Manzouri will speak on Friday, May 31 at 2 pm.

Manzouri’s speech will be about why “going beyond expectations is the key to becoming exceptional and unconventional.”

He said he enjoyed his experiences at Lakehead University.

"Lakehead is a unique and inclusive campus, which offers enormous opportunities to not only improve your academic and research skills, but also to get involved in student life to build your personal, social, and professional skills."

This year he received the Lakehead Leader Award for promoting diversity and inclusion at Lakehead University and in Thunder Bay. He said he is also the first graduate student to serve as president of the Lakehead University Student Union.

He also won the WUSC Campus Award for Event of the Year for Outstanding Leadership and Planning at the 2019 International Forum in Ottawa, for organizing Drams for Justice with Emmanuel Jal, a free event where a former child soldier sang and spoke to students about optimism in the face of adversity.

Manzouri, an international student from Iran, will receive his Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and then will be serving students as the LUSU president.

Madison Sameshima will speak on Saturday, June 1 at 9:30 am.

“My speech will be about how we’ve grown academically, professionally, and as people during our time at Lakehead,” Sameshima said.

“In addition to acquiring a comprehensive foundation of knowledge in our discipline, we have had many opportunities for experiential learning and opportunities to learn more about ourselves. These skills and lessons will be just as valuable for our futures.”

She said her experiences at Lakehead were “incredibly rewarding” and that she was able to get to know her professors and peers and “learn in a supportive environment.”

“I gained work experience through the Work Study Program, Co-op, and the RBC Work Integrated Learning Program. I also have so much fun working in the community alongside so many dedicated students in the Shelter House volunteering group and Enactus Lakehead. All these experiences have made me more confident to graduate and enter the workforce.”

Sameshima was on the Enactus Lakehead team last year and then became president. Through both years, she worked with a dedicated team of students on financial literacy projects.

“This year we attended the Regional Competition in Toronto and the National Exposition in Vancouver and placed for the first time in both competitions. Working with this amazing team on these community projects was incredibly rewarding and allowed me to learn many skills in addition to my degree.”

She will receive her Honours Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Human Resources and a minor in Marketing. She will receive the President’s Award for her achievements and contributions to Lakehead University.

Sameshima will study abroad this summer at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and complete an internship at an international start-up in China. She will return to Lakehead in September to complete the Master of Science in Management Program.

Vanessa Ervin will speak at 2 pm on Saturday, June 1.

“I know convocation can be a very pivotal moment in our lives, so I want to help my classmates see how much they have accomplished, to be incredibly proud and excited for convocation, and help them realize what they are capable of,” she said.

“I also want to thank everyone who has helped us throughout our time at Lakehead, and to thank Lakehead for making us into the people that we are today.”

Ervin said she knew Lakehead was the right place for her from day one. 

“The first day I arrived at Lakehead there were people at the entrance waving welcoming signs, cheering us on, and helping us move in.

“It was an amazing day, and I met so many friendly and welcoming people. This was when I knew I was moving into a place that I would consider my home and family. I look back on my first day, and all the moments in between, and see how many priceless memories I have made at Lakehead.”

Ervin said she enjoyed participating in many of the opportunities during her time at Lakehead, and she always strived to get the most out of her time at Lakehead. She was on the executive board within Lakehead’s first and only sorority, Alpha Pi Phi, Kappa. She was also the Vice-President for Lakehead’s Visual Arts Network (LUSU Club), and she studied at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore during the summer of 2018.

She was also selected to co-curate at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery for the By Request: Collective Curation of the Permanent Collection and she receivedthe Department of Visual Arts award for her art at Lakehead’s Annual Juried Show, among other awards for her art.

Ervin will receive an Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in Women’s Studies.

This fall she will continue her education at the University Of Ottawa in pursuit of a Master of Women’s Studies.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

May 23, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University researchers are receiving $361,325 from the federal New Frontiers in Research fund for two research projects. New Frontiers in Research is a new, highly competitive tri-agency program designed to support groundbreaking interdisciplinary research.

These research projects will explore the connection between personal identification access and public health and will define and look at the impact of socially accountable medical education.

Dr. Chris Sanders, Assistant Professor in Sociology, in partnership with Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic, is receiving $196,500 to spend two years exploring the impact of lack of access to personal identification like birth certificates on First Nations communities’ ability to access health care.

Lack of personal identification has significant consequences for an individual’s ability to access health services and stay healthy throughout their lifespan. This study will consider the breadth of the problem of having no personal identification, and the impact of missing personal identification on Indigenous communities.

Dr. Sanders will work with co-applicants Dr. Kristin Burnett, Associate Professor, Indigenous Learning at Lakehead University, and Dr. Kelly Skinner, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo, to address barriers to accessing personal identification and develop a toolkit to help organizations and communities in the region develop personal identification clinics.

Dr. Erin Cameron, Assistant Professor, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, is receiving $164,825 to spend two years examining how socially accountable medical education fosters transformation in rural health care systems.

The project seeks to explore social accountability in the context of medical education and investigate how students, faculty, and community understand and embrace social accountability. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is leading the project in collaboration with international, national, and local collaborators.

“The New Frontiers Exploration program is a bold initiative that provides funding for early career researchers with interdisciplinary projects,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“We are very proud that our faculty have been successful in this opportunity and thank the Government of Canada for its continued investment in transformative research,” he added. 

Funding from New Frontiers also generates support from the federal Research Support Fund to offset the indirect costs of research incurred by universities.

In 2018/19, Lakehead University will receive nearly $2 million in assistance from the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs of research, which includes costs for supporting the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, and research facilities.

New Frontiers in Research Funding Recipients

Total: $361,325

Projects:

“The Transformative Potential of Socially Accountable Education: Understanding Global and Local Perspectives”

Applicants:

• Dr. Erin Cameron, Assistant Professor, Northern Ontario School of Medicine
• Dr. Penny Moody-Corbett, Associate Dean, Research and Senior Associate Dean, Northern Ontario School of Medicine
• Dr. Roger Strasser, Professor of Rural Health, Dean and CEO, Northern Ontario School of Medicine
• Dr. Hoi Cheu, Associate Professor, Modern Languages and Literatures, Laurentian University

Collaborators:

• Dr. Jill Allison, Assistant Professor of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland
• Dr. Amy Clithero-Eridon, Senior Lecturer, Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (USA)
• Dr. Torres Wolley, James Cook University, College of Medicine and Dentistry (Australia)
• Dr. Joseph LeBlanc, Director, Indigenous Affairs, Northern Ontario School of Medicine
• Danielle Barbeau-Rodrigue, Director, Francophone Affairs, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

“Personal Identification and Social Determinants of Health: Invisibility as a Barrier to Services among First Nations in Northern Ontario”

Applicants:

• Dr. Chris Sanders, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Lakehead University
• Dr. Kristin Burnett, Associate Professor, Indigenous Learning, Lakehead University
• Dr. Kelly Skinner, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo

Community Partner:

• Kinna-awaya Legal Clinic

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Dr. Andrew Dean, Lakehead's Vice-President, Research and Innovation, signed the funding agreement on Friday, March 1 on behalf of the CALAREO Consortium while Christine Macdonald, Mitac's Director, Business Development and Team Lead, looks on.

March 1, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University has signed a funding agreement that will increase student mobility between Canada and countries in Latin America.

The funding agreement, which is for three years, creates a special Mitacs Globalink Research Award for members of the Canada and Latin America Research & Exchange Opportunities (CALAREO) Consortium.

CALAREO consists of Lakehead University, Vancouver Island University, University of Lethbridge, Carleton University, École de technologie supérieure, and Memorial University of Newfoundland. The CALAREO Secretariat is hosted at Lakehead University, who signed the agreement on behalf of the consortium.

The Mitacs-CALAREO Globalink Research Award program will fund short-term research projects for advanced undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students, as well as post-doctoral fellows, lasting three to six months.

Under the agreement, up to 25 Canadian students per year will receive $6,000 for a research internship in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, or Mexico. As many as 20 students per year from CALAREO partner countries will also receive $6,000 for a research internship at one of the universities listed above.

The agreement represents a funding commitment of $810,000 for student research over three years.

“Lakehead University is very pleased to be signing this agreement for internship funding with Mitacs on behalf of the CALAREO Consortium,” said Dr. Andrew Dean, Lakehead University’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“The Globalink Research award program is a highly innovative program at Mitacs and provides excellent opportunities for students to expand their horizons through exciting international research opportunities. Having a dedicated number of awards for the CALAREO institutions will greatly increase our opportunities for exchange with research institutions in Latin America,” he added.

“The CALAREO Consortium creates opportunity for research exchange between six Canadian universities and several Latin American countries,” said Dr. Alejandro Adem, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director, Mitacs.

“Within this agreement, Mitacs’s Globalink program enables bilateral research exchange and student mobility with unique, global research networks. As Mitacs celebrates its 20th anniversary, I am very proud of the development of this new innovation ecosystem,” Adem added.

“We are excited by the possibilities for research partnerships that the signing of the funding agreement brings and look forward to working through the detail as individual arrangements proceed,” said Dr. Neil Bose, Vice-President, Research, Memorial University of Newfoundland, a member of CALAREO.

“Carleton University has been a part of CALAREO since its inception and we are very excited by this new development,” said Dr. Karen Schwartz, Interim Associate Vice-President, Research and International, and International Liaison Officer at Carleton University, a member of CALAREO.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

The Canada and Latin America Research & Exchange Opportunities (CALAREO) Consortium was formed in 2018, to support faculty and student mobility with Latin America, including exchange programs, scholarships and research collaboration. Visit calareo.ca.

Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit organization that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for 20 years. Working with 60 universities, 4,000 companies, and both federal and provincial governments, we build partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada. Visit mitacs.ca

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit lakeheadu.ca.

April 2, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

You are invited to Meeting the Challenge of Populism at Home and Abroad, a presentation by Ben Rowswell on Thursday, April 4 at 7:30 pm at Lakehead University in ATAC 1010.

Rowswell has 25 years of experience as a practitioner of international relations and is a pioneer in the practice of digital diplomacy. In his last position as Ambassador to Venezuela, he experienced the destructive power of modern populism.

He has held other positions including serving with the United Nations in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993, as Canada’s first diplomatic envoy to Baghdad, Iraq, after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and as the head of the NATO Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar at the height of Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan.

Rowswell has also advised top levels of government on international strategy in the Privy Council Office during the tenures of Jean Chrétien and Stephen Harper, and at the Washington DC Center for Strategic and International Studies from 2003 to 2004.

This discussion is free and open to the public. Contact Dr. Michel Beaulieu at ThunderBay@thecic.org for more information.  

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

The team consists of, from left, Quinn Dombroskie, Lisa Chiarelli, Madison Sameshima, Kyle Neabel, Silas Young, and Adrienne Belanger-Barnes.

May 17, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

From May 7 to 9, Enactus Lakehead competed at the Enactus Canada National Exposition in Vancouver along with 68 other Canadian universities and colleges.

Enactus Lakehead presented two projects (Making Cents! and Getting Financially Lit!) in a dynamic 17 minute presentation and won runner-up in their league in the opening round.

Enactus is a global non-profit organization where students, communities and business leaders utilize entrepreneurship to address economic, social, and environmental needs. Through Enactus, student leaders around the world create social enterprises that address the United Nations 19 Sustainable Development Goals.

In March, Enactus Lakehead also won runner up in the CWB Financial Education Challenge in their league at the regional competition in Toronto. This is their second year of competing and the first time they have placed at the National Exposition.

Enactus Lakehead presented two projects:

• Making Cents!, which addresses the closing of brick-and-mortar banks in Northwestern Ontario by running online banking workshops in senior centres in Northern Ontario communities such as Terrace Bay and Schreiber. Enactus Lakehead has entered a working relationship with the national credit union Alterna Savings to expand this project.
• Getting Financially Lit!, which addresses knowledge gaps in budgeting and long-term savings for Indigenous youth who fly in from northern communities to attend Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, a private First Nations high school in Thunder Bay.

Enactus Lakehead is proud to say that the team has completed and surpassed all three of its strategic goals for the 2018/2019 year. These goals were to (1) increase the number of dedicated Enactus members from 3 to 10, (2) partner with a community organization, and (3) create an award-winning project. They met and exceeded all three goals.

Following Enactus Lakehead’s incredible growth, the team will continue to work on improving Making Cents! and Getting Financially Lit! next year in order to make them sustainable.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

May 16, 2019 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.

Lakehead University is one of only 15 organizations from across Canada awarded a new grant that will help promote equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) at the University.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) received 51 applications for the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Institutional Capacity-Building Grant, which will provide $384,700 to Lakehead University over the next two years.  

This funding will support Lakehead University in advancing its EDI agenda as well as beginning to adopt and implement the Dimensions: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Canada pilot program launched by the Government of Canada on Thursday, May 9. Inspired by the United Kingdom’s internationally-recognized Athena SWAN program, the program promotes equity, diversity and inclusion in research.

“We are honoured to be selected as an award recipient of the EDI Institutional Capacity-Building Grant,” said Dr. David Barnett, Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

“This grant affirms the great strides our leaders have been championing and aligns with our current Strategic and Academic Plan priorities in providing an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment at both Lakehead Thunder Bay and Lakehead Orillia,” he said.

Adam Shaen, Associate Vice-President of Human Resources, said the grant would enable Lakehead to deliver on its commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion outlined in the University’s draft Institutional EDI Action Plan.

“Specifically, this award will support our work in launching our new five-year Action Plan, recruiting and supporting a diverse workforce, creating an equitable and inclusive University environment, and committing to continuous improvement informed by evidence-based practices,” Shaen said.

The Government of Canada created the Dimensions EDI Charter and pilot program to address underrepresented groups in academic research – specifically Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized minorities, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ2+ community – and all areas of research in post-secondary institutions.

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, announced the new Dimensions pilot program last week with an EDI Charter that will help universities make the research community as diverse as Canada.

“This truly is a critical and transformational step for Canadian post-secondary institutions,” said Minister Duncan during the launch. “We know that when we bring together diverse points of view, our health, environment, communities and economy can thrive.”

“Lakehead University is pleased to fully endorse the Dimensions Charter,” said Lakehead University President Dr. Moira McPherson. “Both the Charter and pilot program are aligned with Lakehead University’s plans to develop and implement an institution-wide Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan.” 

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

May 3, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

The 65th annual Institute on Lake Superior Geology Conference will be held in Terrace Bay, Ont. from Tuesday, May 7 to Friday, May 10. 

Approximately 125 geologists from across North America will converge on Terrace Bay to participate in several technical sessions and have the opportunity to attend field trips highlighting the geology of the north shore of Lake Superior, including past-producing mines and quarries, and the meteorite impact site preserved on the Slate Islands. 

Four field trips will take place prior to the conference and four after.

Technical sessions will be on Wednesday, May 8 and Thursday, May 9 and will include talks and poster presentations on a diverse range of topics, including mining, early life on earth and geoarchaeology.   

The Institute on Lake Superior Geology was formed in 1955 as a non-profit, professional society in order to provide a forum for the exchange of geological ideas and scientific data and promoting a better understanding of the geology of the Lake Superior region. The major activity of the Institute is an annual meeting with geological field trips and technical presentations.

This year’s meeting will be in Michael King Hall at the Cultural Centre in Terrace Bay.

Dr. Peter Hollings and staff from the Department of Geology at Lakehead University, along with colleagues from the Ontario Geological Survey and the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, have assumed key roles in organizing this meeting and leading field trips.

The Department of Geology is pleased to promote this event, as the institute's activities and this meeting highlight the research activities of Lakehead University faculty and students.

More information can be found by visiting lakesuperiorgeology.org.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

May 6, 2019 – Orillia, ON

On Saturday, June 8, one of Canada’s most distinguished and internationally recognized contemporary artists, Charles Pachter, will receive an honorary doctorate in fine arts during Lakehead University’s Orillia Campus convocation ceremonies.

This year’s ceremonies will take place at Rotary Place, celebrating the graduation of some 400 students.

“This year’s honorary degree recipient is being acknowledged for the tremendous impact he has made on society through the arts,” said Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead University’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “We are pleased to recognize Charles’ contributions to Lakehead University and the cultural fabric of Canada.”

Lakehead Orillia will also recognize Anishinaabe Elder and storyteller Mark Douglas with the Civitas Award.

“Mark has made significant contributions to Indigenous education at Lakehead University, ensuring that Indigenous peoples and their perspectives assume a rightful place in education teacher training in Ontario,” said Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans, Principal, Orillia Campus.  

Approximately 400 students will graduate during the Orillia Campus ceremony on Saturday, June 8, and 1,800 students will graduate at the Thunder Bay Campus convocation ceremonies on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1.

If you are eligible to graduate and planning to attend convocation, please RSVP using MyInfo – under RSVP-Spring Convocation.

If you want to help make convocation special for Lakehead graduates by volunteering, please email Enrolment Services by Friday, May 17 at convocation@lakeheadu.ca, indicating the date and length of time you are available.

Charles Pachter

Honorary Degree – Doctor of Fine Arts

Charles Pachter is one of Canada’s most distinguished and internationally recognized contemporary artists.

A painter, printmaker, sculptor, designer, historian, and lecturer, Pachter has his work hanging in public and private collections throughout Canada, and internationally. His images of the Queen, moose, and maple leaf flag are considered icons of Canadian contemporary art. 

Pachter studied French literature at the Sorbonne in Paris, painting and graphics at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, and art history at the University of Toronto. 

Pachter’s paintings hang in the Portrait Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Embassy in Washington, Canada House in London, the Parliament Buildings, the Embassy of France, and in the Prime Minister’s residence in Ottawa.

In Canada, Pachter has been decorated with the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario, and is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals. He is also a Chevalier of France’s Order of Arts and Letters.

Mark Douglas

Biidaanakwad (Cloud approaching)

Maang Dooodem (loon)

2019 Civitas Award

Mark Douglas is Anishinaabe from Rama First Nation and Golden Lake. A Storyteller, Mark has dedicated his life to building bridges between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities within the County of Simcoe.

Mark has held many positions in his varied career. He has been a police officer, a welfare officer, and an addictions counsellor. He was the Executive Director of the Ogemawahj Tribal Council, where he helped ensure that Indigenous art and culture were part of the building of Casino Rama. He has lectured for Georgian College, and worked for the Ontario government within the Native Community Branch.

Through these experiences, Mark learned to grow and understand different perspectives. He learned how to help others achieve their goals and assist them in seeing their potential. He has put these skills to work within the community to support youth, and encourage social interaction and cultural teaching.

Mark has had a formidable impact on Lakehead University through his story telling, knowledge keeping, knowledge sharing, activism and leadership. For over 11 years, he has distilled his learnings, visions and dreams into teachings and delivered them to students, staff and faculty in meaningful ways.

A father, grandfather, uncle and husband of 47 years, Mark enjoys spending his time contributing to community through story-telling, interacting with Elders and community members, and assisting with repatriating cultural protocols. Otherwise, you can find him driving around checking out local coffee shops and enjoying what they have to offer.

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Media contact:  Jaclyn Bucik, Marketing & Communications Associate, 705-330-4008, ext. 2014, or jbucik@lakeheadu.ca

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Six proud students were the first to complete the new Maternal-infant Support Worker program offered in Sioux Lookout.

April 16, 2019, Thunder Bay, Ont.

Six proud students were the first to complete the new Maternal-infant Support Worker (MiSW) program offered in Sioux Lookout. On April 5, they accepted their certificates at the Sioux Lookout Men Ya Win Health Centre. 

The MiSW program is a certificate program that resulted from a collaboration between the Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre, Confederation College and the Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research at Lakehead University. The aim of the program is to improve the care of mothers and infants living in remote First Nations by providing enhanced skills to community health representatives in those communities. The support and partnership of the community health centres has also been a vital piece of the program’s success.

Dolly Nymark from Mishkeegogamang First Nation was part of that inaugural class and she is looking forward to putting what she has learned into helping new mothers and their babies. “This program helps fill the gap in prenatal education in northern communities,” she said. “I especially want to help first time moms learn about what to expect. I think this program is a great idea and I think every community should have a maternal-infant support worker to give help where it’s needed.”

The program prepares graduates to work with expectant mothers, their infants and their families with traditional and western teachings blended throughout. Maternal-infant Support Workers apply a wholistic approach – which considers the mind, body and spirit – to assessing needs and a client-centred focus. As part of a healthcare team, they will incorporate Indigenous cultural beliefs, values and practices.

The key role of the Maternal-infant Support Worker is providing a focus on health promotion and illness prevention strategies and participating in community wellness programs. MiSW’s are able to provide a range of prenatal and postnatal resources in addition to supporting expecting mothers, fathers and extended family. The support worker will also perform home visits that allow for more effective communication strategies and problem solving. Home visits allow the worker to engage with the extended family reflecting the cultural and multi-generational nature of many Indigenous families.

All organizations involved would like to congratulate the inaugural class of Summer Barkman, Kitchenumaykoosib Inniwug First Nation; Julie Kenequanash, Weagamow Lake First Nation; Priscilla King, Kingfisher Lake First Nation; Carmel Meekis, Sandy Lake First Nation; Dolly Nymark, Mishkeegogamang First Nation; and Edna Winter, Kingfisher Lake First Nation.

The next cohort of students has recently started training in Sioux Lookout and will begin working with mothers in their home communities in August 2019.

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Confederation College has been serving the citizens of northwestern Ontario since 1967 meeting the educational needs of students in a catchment area of some 550,000 square kilometres. Along with its main campus in Thunder Bay, Confederation College has eight regional sites located in Dryden, Fort Frances, Geraldton, Kenora, Marathon, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake and Wawa. 

Confederation College delivers exceptional education and training to an average of 6,500 combined full- and part-time students per year and currently has a total of 850 full- and part-time employees. Confederation’s regional economic impact and contribution is valued at $643.4 million annually.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

For more information, please contact:

CONFEDERATION COLLEGE:

Vince Ponka, Media & Communications Officer

Ph: (807) 475-6137, Cell: (807) 620-0043, E-mail: vponka@confederationcollege.ca

LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY:

Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate

Ph: (807) 343-8177 E-mail: mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca

Vince Palace

April 8, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont. 

On Monday, April 15 at 7 pm in ATAC 1001 at Lakehead University, scientists will explain how they are rolling out the second stage of groundbreaking new research into the impact of oil spills on lakes and shorelines.

The scientists are conducting this research just six hours west of Thunder Bay at IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA), the world's freshwater laboratory.

Vince Palace, IISD-ELA’s head research scientist, will present the research and explain why we can always understand more about the impact of pipeline spills on bodies of fresh water. He will also explain how IISD-ELA is carrying out the research and what safety precautions they are taking.

Then they want to hear from you by taking questions, comments and concerns from any member of the public who attends. The presentation is open to all who wish to attend.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

IISD Experimental Lakes Area is the world’s freshwater laboratory. A series of 58 lakes and their watersheds in northwestern Ontario, Canada, IISD-ELA is the only place in the world where scientists can research on and manipulate real lakes to build a more accurate and complete picture of what human activity is doing to freshwater lakes. The findings from its 50 years of ground-breaking research have rewritten environmental policy around the world—from mitigating algal blooms to reducing how much mercury gets into our waterways—and aim to keep fresh water clean around the world for generations to come. Visit www.iisd.org/ela.