His Leadership is Building Bridges and Fostering Hope in the North

Lakehead student Jared Visitor has had many transformative moments in his life.

One of them was interviewing the trailblazing Indigenous leader, The Honourable Murray Sinclair.

The interview took place just months before the former Senator and Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada passed away in November 2024.

It was part of Jared's work with The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, which aims to foster reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Chanie Wenjack was only twelve years old when he escaped from residential school in 1966 and died trying to walk 600 km back to his family. This tragedy sparked an investigation into Canada's residential school system.

"Working with youth has set me on a good path and the right direction," Jared says. Above, Jared teaches experimental archaeology to high school students in the Outland Youth Employment Program.

Jared came away from his encounter with The Honourable Murray Sinclair with a deeper knowledge of himself.

"He gifted me with advice and new perspectives to consider," Jared says. "During our conversation, he told me that my spirit name, Rainbow, may mean that my role in life is to bring people together. He said that each colour of the rainbow is distinct and unique, but that these colours merge at the ends."

A Winding Journey

Jared, a member of Sachigo Lake First Nation and a great-nephew of Chanie Wenjack, grew up in Moose Factory, Ontario, and Thunder Bay before his family moved to Pickle Lake, Ontario.

Education is not just desks and fluorescent lights. Learning happens everywhere—in the forest, in your backyard, and with your friends.

It was in Pickle Lake, at the age of 15, that Jared was hired to work for a Ministry of Natural Resources fire base, getting supplies ready for firefighters. When he was 18, Jared became a firefighter himself.

"I thought that firefighting was a waste of time in terms of figuring out my career path, but it taught me a lot," Jared says.

Jared has given back to the community in many ways, including volunteering with The New Hope Youth Centre and Urban Abbey. "When I work with youth, I always try to help them figure out what makes them feel alive. For me, that's music."

In the firefighting off-season, Jared began working one-on-one with special education students.

"I had a job as the custodian at the Moose Factory Academy of Christian Education, but I began filling in as an education assistant because they were short-staffed."

The experience made Jared realize that education was his calling. Working as an education assistant at Joy Ottereyes Rainbow Memorial School in Quebec only confirmed this insight.

For Jared, education is deeply intertwined with Truth and Reconciliation.

"We have to reconcile with ourselves, our families, and our communities," he says. "Once you reconcile these relationships, then you can begin reconciling between different peoples—education is integral to this process."

A Leader on the Rise

Jared enrolled in Lakehead's Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Education concurrent program in 2021.

On campus, he found work as a Department of Anthropology lab assistant and as a mentor with the Niijii Indigenous Mentorship Program. Niijii provides educational programming to Indigenous youth throughout northwestern Ontario and gives them the confidence to consider postsecondary education.

"My parents' instilled their love of education in me," Jared says. "As a kid, I remember riding the bus with my mom to Lakehead's Thunder Bay campus where she was studying for her education degree."

Jared is now Niijii's outreach coordinator, something that surprises him. "I used to be very shy and walled off, but young people helped heal me. That's why I want to see them fly as much as I can."

Part of helping them fly has meant shifting his career goals. "I planned to be a teacher and then a special education coordinator. Now, I want to change the minds of people who dictate what education is.

Education is not just desks and fluorescent lights. Learning happens everywhere—in the forest, in your backyard, and with your friends."

Click here to watch Jared's 2024 interview with the Honourable Murray Sinclair.

The Research and Innovation Bulletin is distributed weekly every Tuesday by the Office of Research Services and includes information on research funding opportunities, events and workshops and updates from our funding partners.

Check out the latest version of our Bulletin, by clicking here.

OVERVIEW:

• Dr. Chris Southcott studies the social, environmental, and economic challenges confronting Arctic and northern communities
• His groundbreaking research over the last 40 years has helped give people in the north greater control over natural resource development in their traditional territories
• Dr. Southcott was recently named a Chair of Resources and Sustainable Communities at the University of the Arctic

Dr. Chris Southcott Helps Northerners Build Futures on their Terms

In May 2025, Sociology Professor Dr. Chris Southcott made a two-day journey to Inuvik in the Northwest Territories. "I flew from Thunder Bay to Toronto, Vancouver, Whitehorse, and Old Crow to get there," he says.

He's visited the Arctic countless times as part of his trailblazing research work.

Dr. Southcott visits the Arctic about twice a year. "The hardest parts are the eight plane trips it takes to get there and travelling by snowmobile in the cold, but the warmth of the communities definitely makes up for any discomfort."

"My two largest projects covered all of the Far North, from Labrador to the Yukon," Dr. Southcott says. This involved collaborating with communities and researchers across the Circumpolar North, including Greenland, Norway, Russia, Finland, and Alaska.

Throughout his 40-year career, Dr. Southcott has emerged as an international leader in promoting sustainable natural resource development that benefits communities in northern Canada and the Arctic.

His northern research initiatives have secured major grants and advanced the university's research agenda. Dr. Southcott's contributions, and those of researchers across our faculties, have helped build Lakehead into a top-ranked Canadian research university.

In the late 1980s, Dr. Southcott was approached by Indigenous organizations in northern Ontario, including Dennis Cromarty, an Indigenous activist and former Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN).

"They were very worried about the lack of control they had over resource development happening in their communities," Dr. Southcott says. "They wanted me to provide information about impacts and alternative ways of approaching resource extraction that solved challenges shared by northern communities."

"Lakehead was just becoming a research university when I arrived in 1986," Dr. Chris Southcott says. "It adopted a research agenda focused on northern Ontario—in the north for the north." Above, Dr. Southcott and his children near Iqaluit.

Dr. Southcott founded the Social Economy Research Network for Northern Canada in 2006 to look at how community-based organizations in the north could deal with issues linked to resource-extraction industries and other economic drivers in the region.

People in the Far North Seek a Fairer Future

From 2011 to 2019, Dr. Southcott and his research team explored the social, environmental, and economic matters confronting Arctic communities in Canada and the circumpolar world.

This is a crucial issue as global demand for minerals, oil, and gas soars, and a warming climate enables Arctic resources to be extracted on a previously unimaginable scale.

Northern communities, many of them Indigenous, are caught in the crosshairs of this push. Historically, these communities have been almost entirely excluded from both the profits and the jobs that natural resources industries bring to regions. These operations have also damaged the fragile Arctic environment that Indigenous people depend upon for survival.

Inuit communities have modern comprehensive land-claim agreements that give them significant control over resource development, but they still have an uphill battle when it comes to securing fair resource development. "Mining companies come armed with teams of lawyers and experts," Dr. Southcott says.

To overcome these challenges, Dr. Southcott established an international research network called Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic (ReSDA).

ReSDA was funded by a $2.5 million grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). At the time, it was the largest social science grant for northern research in Canada.

"Our mandate was to develop strategies, policies, and tools to keep a larger share of resource development benefits in the Arctic while protecting the environment."

A Unique University Focused on the Circumpolar North

Dr. Southcott's expertise was most recently recognized in 2025 when he was made a Chair of Resources and Sustainable Communities at the University of the Arctic (UArctic).

"My role is to foster research that contributes to the long-term sustainability of people in the north and to advise organizations on circumpolar matters."

He's been closely connected with UArctic since its beginning. "Lakehead hosted the first international meeting of circumpolar universities in 1988, which later grew into the University of the Arctic," Dr. Southcott says.

The University of the Arctic is an international network of 200 universities, colleges, research institutes, organizations, and community partners. In 2012, Dr. Southcott (l) hosted Prince Albert II of Monaco (r) on a visit to the Eastern Canadian Arctic as part of University of the Arctic's Knowledge and Dialogue initiative.

He's currently doing research with the University of Laval, in partnership with the Inuit Circumpolar Council of Canada, investigating whether inequalities increase when mines open up. On his last trip to Inuvik, he presented his findings to local organizations working on issues such as poverty, housing, and substance use problems.

"Carrying out research that northern communities think is useful—and that helps them make informed decisions—is what I'm most proud of having achieved over the last 40 years," Dr. Southcott says.

The support of the Department of Sociology and Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities has made Dr. Southcott's work possible. He has also received funding for his research from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), The Government of Canada's New Frontiers in Research Fund, Employment and Social Development Canada, and the National Science Foundation of the United States.

OVERVIEW:

• Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum recently launched the inaugural Canada-Mexico Action Plan 2025-2028
• The plan singles out the importance of a Lakehead University initiative—the Canada–Mexico Roundtable on Indigenous and Intercultural Higher Education
• Lakehead University is playing a key role in promoting mobility, inclusivity, and well-being between our two countries

University Initiative is Highlighted in New International Agreement

Lakehead University is being applauded for its role in fostering cooperation between Canada and Mexico in a time of economic and political uncertainty.

During Prime Minister Mark Carney's September 18 visit to Mexico, he and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum launched the inaugural Canada-Mexico Action Plan 2025-2028 to strengthen ties between the two nations.

The plan singles out the importance of a Lakehead University initiative—the Canada–Mexico Roundtable on Indigenous and Intercultural Higher Education—as one of the ways to promote mobility, inclusivity, and well-being.

The 2024 Canada–Mexico Roundtable on Indigenous and Intercultural Higher Education (above) was held at the Xalapa Campus of the Veracruzana University in Mexico.

"I was contacted by the Canadian embassy in Mexico about Lakehead University's roundtables while the Canada-Mexico Action Plan was being finalized," says Pierre Sved, Lakehead's international relations manager for Latin America. "They wanted to highlight the roundtables as a model of success."

Canada-Mexico Roundtables on Indigenous/Intercultural Higher Education

Lakehead University is a leader in Indigenous postsecondary education with one of the largest Indigenous student populations of any Canadian university.

In 2012, Lakehead reached beyond its borders to establish the Canada-Mexico Roundtables on Indigenous/Intercultural Higher Education. The purpose was to connect Mexican intercultural universities with Canadian universities and colleges that support Indigenous education.

Intercultural universities are schools located in remote, mostly mountainous, areas of Mexico where the majority of students are Indigenous. The State of Puebla's intercultural university, for instance, is a five-hour drive from its capital city.

Indigenous Initiatives Vice-Provost Denise Baxter and Lakehead students Maya Oversby and Summer Lavellee visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes cultural centre in Mexico City in 2024. Lakehead is grateful for the support Canada-Mexico Roundtables receive from Canada's embassy in Mexico and Global Affairs Canada.

"We wanted to connect the heads of these postsecondary institutions to discuss shared challenges and solutions," Sved says. "Common issues faced by Indigenous Peoples in Canada and Mexico include discrimination and barriers to higher education, jobs, and health care."

The roundtables were created by Lakehead's sixth president and vice-chancellor, Dr. Brian Stevenson, together with the University of Lethbridge, Vancouver Island University, and the Mexican Education Ministry (SEP).

The Power of Working Together

Roundtables happen annually but were interrupted for several years by COVID. They are organized around specific themes chosen by the host school. Past themes have included Indigenous entrepreneurship, human rights, and maternal health for Indigenous Peoples.

Encouraging student and faculty mobility is one of the driving forces of the roundtables.

"Throughout the years, Indigenous students at Lakehead University have participated in outward mobility opportunities, visiting Intercultural universities in Mexico," says Indigenous Initiatives Vice-Provost Denise Baxter.

Cultural activities help students better understand each other’s perspectives and heritage. Above, Summer Lavellee, Indigenous Initiatives Vice-Provost Denise Baxter, and Maya Oversby attend Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico.

"The opportunity to meet with other Indigenous students and faculty members to engage in rich intercultural learning opportunities has been impactful. We have also been fortunate to host faculty and Indigenous students on our campus and in our region to engage in learning, sharing, and collaboration on future projects," explains Indigenous Initiatives Vice-Provost Baxter.

Today, over 500 Indigenous students from Mexico have studied in Canada as part of the roundtables. This includes 120 students who came to Lakehead, primarily for its language programs, while more than 10 Indigenous Lakehead students have travelled to Mexico. "Many of the students have told me that this was a life-changing experience," Sved says.

Equally important to the roundtables is forging joint research collaborations to solve social, environmental, and economic problems.

Lakehead Garners International Praise

"The influence of the roundtables has spread internationally, building connections in countries such as Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, and New Zealand," says Lakehead Vice-Provost International Dr. Aamir Taiyeb.

Above, Lakehead student Summer Lavellee, Mexican student Maria de Lourdes Ayala Mata, Marcos Juarez Martinez, Mexican student Adriana Eloisa Perez Esquivel, and Lakehead Indigenous Initiatives Administrative and Programs Officer Stacey Pawluk visit the Thunder Bay marina in June 2025.

The roundtables' transformative impact was recognized in the Canada-Mexico Action Plan 2025–2028, which states:

"The Canada-Mexico Roundtable on Indigenous Higher Education will serve as a key platform for deepening academic partnerships, advancing research collaboration, and strengthening institutional linkages in support of Indigenous post-secondary education."

Through these roundtables, Lakehead will continue to strengthen partnerships, advance Indigenous education, and celebrate the diversity of Indigenous peoples and cultures that enrich its campuses and communities.

As Prime Minister Carney said when he announced the new bilateral plan, "today, we're beginning a new era of elevated cooperation."

The University of Manitoba will host the next Canada–Mexico Roundtable on Indigenous and Intercultural Higher Education in June 2026.

Your monthly dose of Lakehead pride, impact, and connection has arrived!

In this issue:

• Meet Sidney Howlett, tackling climate change with school boards
• See the bold new strategic plan shaping Lakehead’s future
• Read about Camryn Williams’ lifelong dream come true
• Learn how Canada Life’s $100,000 gift supports Indigenous learning

Read it here: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/alumni/news/e-zine

Share with fellow alumni, students, and friends — let’s stay connected and inspired! 

The Ingenuity Ascend Accelerator provides up to $5,000 in non-repayable funding to help students and recent alumni (6 months) develop their early-stage business ideas — including those that contribute to the bioeconomy.

Bioeconomy startups focus on using renewable biological resources to create sustainable solutions in sectors like energy, agriculture, food, forestry, and waste reduction. If your idea helps the planet and builds a better future, Ascend can help bring it to life.

Examples of student-friendly bioeconomy startup ideas:

• Sustainable packaging made from mushroom mycelium or agricultural waste
• Natural bio-based cleaning products using local plant ingredients
• Precision agriculture tools that reduce fertilizer use with AI or drone tech
• Alternative protein ventures (e.g., mushroom-based meat or insect farms)
• Eco-friendly textile innovations using hemp, flax, or food waste fibres
• Reclaimed wood products with carbon-tracking certification
• Circular economy apps that connect farms with organic waste processors

Whether your goal is environmental impact or clean tech innovation, Ascend is here to support your bio-based business journey.

Applications are open until Dec. 2, 2025.

Apply here: https://forms.gle/dSVmV8awYR5m34Qp6

Content Warning: This story contains discussion of sexual violence.

OVERVIEW:

• Social Work Professor Dr. Jodie Murphy's research is aimed at improving the treatment of sexual assault survivors in the aftermath of assaults
• Dr. Murphy is one of the authors of the recent research paper, "Not Without Judgment," which explores how sociocultural barriers prevent survivors in northwestern Ontario from accessing sexual assault evidence kits (SAEKs)
• A new five-year study is being launched to investigate the handling of sexual assault evidence kits across Ontario to understand how kits are being used and to address gaps in the health care and criminal justice systems

Sexual Assault Survivors Face Bias and Barriers to Accessing Care

Dr. Jodie Murphy's research team is helping sexual assault survivors receive better medical care and fairer treatment from the Canadian criminal justice system.

A social work professor, Dr. Murphy, and her research team began researching sexual violence in 2020 after being approached by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

"They asked me to investigate high rates of 'unfounded sexual assaults,' hoping to better understand and address this serious issue," Dr. Murphy says.

"Sexual assault can happen to anyone, but if survivors don't fit the criteria of a perfect victim, their credibility is often questioned."

Dr. Murphy's initial contact with the OPP led to research with police organizations across Canada, as well as sexual assault survivors, to gain insight from both survivors and police regarding what happens in unfounded sexual assault cases.

Her research team includes Lakehead School of Nursing Professor Dr. Karen McQueen, Lakehead sessional lecturer and nurse Ainsley Miller, and Lakehead Women's Studies Professor Dr. Lori Chambers.

What is Unfounded Sexual Assault?

A sexual assault is deemed unfounded when a police investigation determines that a sexual assault allegation is false or baseless, and that the survivor is not being truthful.

"A large number of survivors, however, told us that their cases hadn't been fully investigated, yet they were still dismissed as unfounded. When this happens, there's no justice or recourse for survivors," Dr. Murphy says.

Dr. Jodie Murphy completed bachelor's and master's social work degrees at Lakehead. She returned to Lakehead in 2015 when she was hired as a professor with the School of Social Work. "It feels like I've come full circle." Photo Credit: Dan Garrity Media

Survivors also frequently reported that the police investigation felt like a secondary victimization. In fact, Dr. Murphy's research with survivors found that police officers often believe in rape myths, resulting in sexual assaults being improperly investigated.

"Many officers, and the general public, still think that rapes are committed by strangers in dark alleys, but in most cases, assaults are committed in private spaces by someone the survivor knows," Dr. Murphy says.

"Sexual assault can happen to anyone, but if survivors don't fit the criteria of a perfect victim, their credibility is often questioned."

The team's research with police officers found that "many police officers wanted better sexual assault training and were passionate about fixing issues in the system," Dr. Murphy says. Organizational constraints in police organizations often create barriers to sexual assault investigations.

Not Without Judgment

Dr. Murphy is one of the authors of the newly released research paper, "Not Without Judgment," which looks at sociocultural barriers that prevent sexual assault victims in rural and remote northwestern Ontario from accessing sexual assault evidence kits (SAEKs).

Dr. Murphy worked with McGill Master of Science student Sydney Timmermans (the study's lead author) and McGill Family Medicine Research Director Dr. Kathleen Rice on this project.

"We investigated the kind of sexual-assault care that victims received when they went to hospital emergency rooms," Dr. Murphy explains.

People who've been sexually assaulted once are more likely to be assaulted again, especially if they're vulnerable. "Survivors have also told us that they start to lose the ability to see red flags because of the trauma," Dr. Murphy says. Photo Credit: Pixabay from Pexels

The study found that hospital staff often weren't properly trained in administering SAEKs, which are used to collect DNA and forensic evidence to help prove assaults.

These intrusive examinations can take up to three hours to complete, but they're crucial because they can lead to sexual assault convictions. In addition, convicted offenders' DNA is entered into a national crime database, which helps identify serial offenders and prevent future assaults.

Inexperience in administering SAEKs was compounded by biases held by some healthcare professionals.

"The study found that Indigenous women were more likely to be disbelieved and denied access to SAEKs than non-Indigenous women," Dr. Murphy says. "Survivors who were intoxicated when they came to the emergency room and survivors who hadn't contacted the police were also less likely to receive a SAEK."

Major New Study into Sexual Assault Evidence Kits

Dr. Murphy and her research team are now embarking on a groundbreaking five-year study looking at how sexual assault evidence kits are used across Ontario.

"There's very little Canadian evidence about SAEKs," Dr. Murphy says.

There's a network of Ontario sexual assault centres skilled in collecting sexual assault evidence kits. Many smaller and remote communities, however, don't have these centres, forcing survivors to go to emergency rooms to have testing done. Photo Credit: Pexels/Chokniti Khongchum

She and her research team will look at the processes and decisions of nurses, doctors, police, and prosecutors, who handle SAEKs.

They'll examine how kits are collected, processed, and used, as well as how healthcare and criminal justice professionals communicate with each other about these kits.

"Our research will identify gaps in systems so that survivors healing from the trauma of sexual assault can find justice," Dr. Murphy says.

Dr. Jodie Murphy's research is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

As Lakehead celebrates its 60th anniversary, the university continues to lead in student awards, student-to-faculty ratios, scholarships, and research excellence.

Lakehead University maintained its position as Ontario’s top primarily undergraduate university in the 2026 Maclean’s University Rankings. 

The university continues to be recognized for its exceptional education, research excellence, and outstanding student outcomes. Among Ontario universities in the primarily undergraduate category, Lakehead ranked first in student awards and student-to-faculty ratio, second in scholarships and bursaries, and third in total research dollars.

"Lakehead has always been a place where students achieve their full potential through transformative, world-class education," said Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor. "Our rising rankings and the success of our graduates reflect the quality and impact of the learning experiences we offer. Equally important, we provide unique pathways and supports for students from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that everyone with potential has the opportunity to thrive. This recognition in Maclean's celebrates the dedication of our faculty, staff, and partners in creating an environment where excellence and inclusion go hand in hand."

As Lakehead marks its 60th anniversary, students continue to benefit from hands-on learning and collaborative research experiences that contribute to strong retention, high graduation rates, and employment outcomes that exceed the provincial average.

The annual Maclean’s rankings categorize Canada’s universities into three groups — primarily undergraduate, comprehensive, and medical/doctoral — and Lakehead stands out in its primarily undergraduate category, shining a light on its deep commitment to student success.

“This recognition also reflects the strength and scope of the research happening across Lakehead,” said Dr. Siddall. “Our researchers and students are tackling issues that matter — from sustainability and health to social equity and innovation — work that continues to raise the university’s national and global profile.” 

According to the Ontario University Graduate Survey (OUGS 2021), 93 per cent of Lakehead graduates find employment within six months of graduation. Within two years, that figure rises to 96 per cent, and 93 per cent report working in roles directly related to the skills gained through their undergraduate studies. These results demonstrate how Lakehead’s distinctive educational approach helps graduates transition successfully into the workforce.

Lakehead’s growing reputation for excellence continues to gain international attention. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, released last week, Lakehead placed second in Ontario and second in Canada among primarily undergraduate universities. Together, the Maclean’s and Times Higher Education results reaffirm Lakehead’s position as one of Canada’s top primarily undergraduate universities.

Building on six decades of innovation and community engagement, Lakehead continues to shape the next generation of changemakers who will strengthen the north, Canada, and the world. Prospective students can learn more by joining one of our upcoming fall recruitment events, such as the Orillia Open House on Nov. 8, 2025, or the Explore the North VIP Experience in Thunder Bay on Nov. 14, 2025. Details are available at lakeheadu.ca/admissions/events

The Research and Innovation Bulletin is distributed weekly every Tuesday by the Office of Research Services and includes information on research funding opportunities, events and workshops and updates from our funding partners.

Check out the latest version of our Bulletin, by clicking here.

Important Dates

• Application close: December 2,2025
• Interviews to be held during the Week of December 8, 2025
• Program starts: January 26, 2025 (8-10 week duration)
• Application Link: https://forms.gle/ZXUNtZdzFhf5aMRw7

The Ingenuity Ascend Accelerator is a 10-week business development program designed for entrepreneurial-minded Lakehead University students and recent alumni. Whether you're in the idea stage or working on an early-stage startup, Ascend helps you transition from concept to viable business.

Each cohort accepts up to four business ideas, and selected ventures are eligible to receive up to $5,000 in funding to support business development activities.

The program is designed to:

• Support the launch and growth of student-led ventures
• Offer hands-on business training and mentorship
• Provide a collaborative, resource-rich environment

What We Offer:

• Weekly mentorship and milestone meetings
• Business workshops covering marketing, IP, revenue models, business structure, and more
• Access to Ingenuity's Makerspace, Media Room, and co-working space
• Connections to community partners and local entrepreneurs

What to Expect as a Participant

Throughout the 10-week program, early-stage companies can expect to:

• Participate in networking events
• Attend business development workshops
• Connect with experienced entrepreneurial mentors
• Join milestone meetings with Ingenuity staff to track progress
• Access up to $5,000 in non-repayable funding (restrictions apply)

Eligibility Requirements:

• At least one founder must be a current Lakehead student or alumni (within one year post-graduation)
• Must be willing to commit to the program for 10 weeks
• Must participate in all workshops, events, and pitch competitions
• Must have decision-making authority for the venture
• Must meet the legal requirements to start and run a business in Canada

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does it cost anything to join the program?
A: No. The Ascend Accelerator is completely free for eligible Lakehead students and recent graduates.

Q: Do I need to have a business already running to apply?
A: No. We welcome applications from all stages, including early idea development.

Q: What is the time commitment like?
A: The program includes one milestone meeting per week (up to 1 hour), plus several scheduled workshops. Ingenuity works with participants to find mutually agreeable times that respect academic and work obligations.

Q: Is this program only for business students?
A: Not at all! Ingenuity supports students from all academic backgrounds.

Q: Does Ingenuity take equity in my company?
A: No. Ingenuity does not take equity or royalties from any participant.

Q: Who can I contact for more information?
A: Please reach out to info.ingenuity@lakeheadu.ca for all general inquiries.

Apply today and take the next step in turning your idea into a business!