Lakehead plants trees to honour Gilbert, Fedderson
City of Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke, former Orillia mayor Ron Stevens, and Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans are pictured with Dr. Kim Fedderson (second from left) at the tree planted in his honour on the Orillia campus.
October 29, 2020 – Orillia, Ont.
Lakehead University has celebrated the tremendous legacies of Orillia campus pioneers, Dr. Fred Gilbert and Dr. Kim Fedderson, with the planting of two trees to honour their legacy in leadership.
Gilbert held the post of President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University from 1998 to 2010, during which time Gilbert led the establishment of the Lakehead Orillia campus.
Fedderson distinguished himself as the founding Dean and Vice-Provost of the Lakehead Orillia campus in 2007, and then in 2015, he was appointed the first Principal of the campus.
“Great leaders know how to build strong teams. Great leaders also know how to stay the course, especially when confronted by extreme adversity,” said Orillia campus principal, Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans.
“I’m deeply honoured by the planting of this commemorative tree, especially since my scientific background is ecology,” Gilbert said. “The tree will also recognize the contributions of the University’s board and executive, and many others in the community who were instrumental in establishing Lakehead Orillia.”
“It wasn’t that long ago that we planted the first tree on campus in honour and acknowledgment of this community’s dream of building a university in the County of Simcoe,” said Fedderson. “It’s unprecedented for a community to come together to build a university for its children and its future.”
“Thanks to Dr. Fred Gilbert and Dr. Kim Fedderson, Lakehead Orillia has been welcoming and supporting thousands of students from all over the County of Simcoe and beyond since 2006,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Moira McPherson. “The positive impact of our Orillia campus and its many students and alumni on this region is significant."
“We are so pleased to honour each of these two leaders with the planting of a tree on this beautiful campus,” added McPherson. “We look forward to nurturing these trees as they grow and flourish alongside Lakehead Orillia.”
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Media: For further information or to arrange an interview, contact Jaclyn Bucik, Media, Communications & Marketing Associate, at 705-330-4010 ext. 2014 or jbucik@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. In 2020, Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings, once again, included Lakehead University among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities, while Research Infosource named Lakehead 'Research University of the Year' in its category for the fifth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.
