The latest issue of the CERAH Newsletter is here!
Stay up to date with what’s happening at the Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health (CERAH), including upcoming events and learning opportunities, recent activities, research, and other updates from our team.
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Lakehead University is receiving over $900,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) to support 12 projects that address timely social challenges.
“These SSHRC-funded projects will help advance our understanding of individuals and the environments in which they learn and grow,” says Vice-President, Research and Innovation Dr. Langis Roy. “With SSHRC’s support, Lakehead’s researchers are driving meaningful, evidence-based change that will improve lives and strengthen our communities.”
With the overwhelming popularity of social media, young adults are increasingly turning online to deal with life’s challenges. Dr. Aislin Mushquash, clinical psychologist and Lakehead University Research Chair in Youth Mental Health, and PhD student Jaidyn Charlton are receiving a SSHRC Insight Grant of $118,872 to uncover how, when, and why young adults use social media as a coping mechanism for stress and negative emotions.
“While social media can offer avenues for community and digital support, over-reliance can backfire and intensify feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anxiety,” Dr. Mushquash says.
With co-investigator, Dr. James Kim, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, Dr. Mushquash and Jaidyn will track 300 young adults (ages 18-29) over 14 day-periods using “daily diary” surveys of their stress/mood, coping, and social media use.
Data will allow the team to pinpoint the social media platforms and features that young adults turn to when stressed. This information will help the research team assess whether digital escape helps or hurts participants’ daily moods, stress levels, and offline coping skills. The team will then interview 25 participants to learn more about their social media use and coping habits from their perspectives.
Findings from this study will help foster healthier social media habits among young adults and enable support systems— including caregivers, clinicians, and educators— to better guide those struggling with stress or problematic social media use.
Following the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read report (2022), Ontario classrooms are undergoing a major shift toward structured literacy instruction with a focus on developing stronger foundational literacy skills for primary students (K-3). To evaluate how teachers are navigating this transition, a new study led by Dr. Meridith Lovell-Johnston from the Faculty of Education will analyze how schools are bridging the gap between new government policy and everyday teaching.
“Reading is a fundamental human right, yet current instruction is not meeting the needs of all students, especially those with reading disabilities,” Dr. Lovell-Johnston says.
Supported by a SSHRC Insight Grant of $324,891, Dr. Lovell-Johnston, along with education professors Dr. Tanya Kaefer, Dr. Sonia Mastrangelo, and Dr. Hanna Wickstrom, will track Ontario kindergarten and grade one teachers for four years through annual educator surveys, interviews, and lesson observations. The study’s findings will reveal how teachers understand and are implementing these new methods for teaching reading. This data will help shape future educational policy and curriculum, improve teacher training, and inform literacy intervention strategies.
By ensuring classroom instruction aligns with proven research, this project aims to provide evidence-based guidance for educators and policymakers so that every child in Ontario can successfully learn to read.
In 2025-26, Lakehead University received over $2.8 million in assistance from the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs of research, including the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, research facilities, and research security.
Lakehead received a total of $911,168 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The following Lakehead researchers have received grants:
Partnership Engage Grant (one-year grant)
Dr. Kristin Burnett, Department of Indigenous Learning, “Canada's Affordability Crises: Food Insecurity, Access to Personal Identification and Ontario's Fee Waiver Program”, $25,000.
Partners:
Roots Community Food Centre
Collaborators:
Thomas (Chris) Sanders, Lakehead University
Dr. Leisa Desmoulins, Faculty of Education, “Infusing Indigenous ways of knowing and being into classrooms”, $25,000.
Partner(s):
Simcoe County District School Board
Collaborators:
Ruth Beatty, Lakehead University
Knowledge Synthesis Grant (one-year grant)
Dr. Idevania Costa, School of Nursing, “The Arts Transformed: A Scoping Review of Digital Storytelling as a Tool to Illuminate Lived Experiences and Amplify Voices of Equity-deserving Populations”, $29,990.
Partner(s):
Wounds Canada
Collaborators:
Catherine Phillips, Lakehead University
Melissa Twance, Lakehead University
Pilar Camargo Plazas, Queen’s University
Manuela de Mendonca Figueiredo Coelho, Universidade Federal do Ceara
Mariam Botros, Wounds Canada
Michael Lang, University of Calgary
Christina Godfrey, Queen’s University
Amanda Ross-White, Queen’s University
Dr. Sandra Jeppesen, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, “AI and the Arts: Affective Responses to Technology Beyond Anxiety?”, $30,000.
Collaborators:
Miranda Campbell, Toronto Metropolitan University
Neven Lochhead, Lakehead University
Insight Grants (two-year grant)
Dr. Aislin R. Mushquash, Department of Psychology, “Into the virtual world: A multimethod investigation of coping via social media among emerging adults”, $118,872.
Collaborators:
James Kim, Lakehead University
Dr. Meridith Lovell-Johnston, Faculty of Education, “Educators' Understanding and Implementation of the Foundational Early Literacy Skills”, $324,891.
Collaborators:
Tanya Kaefer, Lakehead University
Sonia Mastrangelo, Lakehead University
Hanna Wickstrom, Lakehead University
Insight Development Grants (one-to-two-year grants)
Dr. Kristin Burnett, Department of Indigenous Learning, “’Both therapeutic and Preventative’: Anishinaabe Youth and YWCA Canada's Summer Camps and School Clubs in Northern Ontario after WWII,” $43,573.
Dr. Mehdi Arzandeh, Faculty of Business Administration, “Novel measures of distribution and dispersion of liquidity in the LOB of futures markets,” $83,249.
Dr. Kathryn Walton, Department of English, “Uncovering Medieval Children's Literature in Middle English Manuscripts,” $34,593.
Destination Horizon Grants (one-year grant)
Dr. ShiKui Wu, Faculty of Business Administration, “Smart Region: Models, Technologies and Applications”, $15,000.
Collaborators:
Hui Zhang, Lakehead University
Muditha Heenkenda, Lakehead University
Diane Ahrens, Deggendorf Institute of Technology
Thomas Meier, Deggendorf Institute of Technology
Connection Grants (one-year grant)
Dr. Kathryn (Amanda) Maranzan, Department of Psychology, “Trained in Canada – Bridging knowledge and practice to transform professional psychology education and training”, $25,000.
Partners:
Canadian Psychological Association
Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs
Collaborators:
Sara Hagstrom, St. Joseph’s Care Group
Emma Climie, University of Calgary
Aid to Scholarly Journals (three-year grant)
Dr. Charles Levkoe, Department of Health Sciences, “Canadian Food Studies”, $156,000.
"A very close friend of mine died when I was in high school," Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller says.
"I realized then that we didn't know enough about dying, death, loss, and grief."
Today, Dr. Kortes-Miller is a social work professor and researcher focused on palliative and end-of-life care, including Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) process.
"The legalization of MAiD in 2016 is one of the things that's diminished the stigma around death and dying," she says.
Dr. Kortes-Miller earned a Master of Social Work and a PhD in Educational Studies from Lakehead University. She is also the author of the book Talking About Death Won't Kill You and recently served as director of Lakehead's Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health (CERAH).
She notes that Canadians have been in support of assisted dying for over 50 years.
"A 1974 Gallup poll found majority support, and by the end of that decade, two-thirds of Canadians were in favour. This consensus has endured through successive governments and decades of political hesitation."
According to an early 2026 poll conducted by the Dying with Dignity Canada organization, 85 per cent of Canadians support the Supreme Court's Carter decision, which struck down the prohibition on assisted dying.
These polls coincide with key findings Dr. Kortes-Miller has uncovered as the principal investigator of the SSHRC-funded research project: "Disrupting Death: An examination of Canadian experiences with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)."
"Research participants repeatedly told us that the decision to access MAiD is often about control and autonomy, that the suffering behind a request for MAiD is rarely only physical, and that knowing that MAiD is available can itself be a comfort."
Dr. Kortes-Miller was a social worker with the St. Joseph's Care Group Hospice Unit in Thunder Bay. "I found that people who are dying need the opportunity to say, 'I love you, I miss you, and I'm sorry,' and to have people say those things to them," she says. "None of them ever said 'I wish I had worked longer.'"
As part of the research project, a podcast and digital stories have been created to provide forums for people to share their MAiD experiences.
Dr. Kortes-Miller's co-investigators—Dr. Arne Stinchcombe from the University of Ottawa, Dr. Kimberley Wilson from the University of Guelph, and Lakehead University researcher Dr. Kerri-Lyn Durant—have been invaluable in carrying out this multifaceted research.
Critical to the research team has been highlighting the diversity of people who access MAiD because they come from all walks of life and circumstances.
They're also talking to informal caregivers, physicians, nurse practitioners, and advocates to provide a more complete picture of Canadians' MAiD experiences.
Dying doesn't occur in a vacuum," Dr. Kortes-Miller says. "Caregivers are experiencing grief, too."
Although assisted dying is a complex and highly charged topic, Dr. Kortes-Miller was struck by the repeated themes that kept emerging from her discussions with the study participants.
"People described MAiD as a way to keep some say over when and how they die, at a point when illness has taken control of so much of the rest of their lives. Autonomy and control are crucial," she says.
_Father%20%26%20Daughter%20Looking%20at%20Photo%20Album_(Photo%20Credit_Centre%20for%20Ageing%20Better).jpg "Father & Daughter Looking at a Photo Album")
Dr. Kortes-Miller wants Canadians to know that palliative care and MAiD are available to them as they face the end of their lives. "Family members and friends have told us that even if they don't agree with MAiD, they want their loved ones to have the death they want." (Photo Credit: Centre for Ageing Better)
A second recurring theme was that physical suffering is rarely the only consideration for people requesting MAiD.
"People point to lost independence, the erosion of identity and dignity, no longer being able to do the things that matter to them, having to depend on others, fear of continual decline, and being a burden to the people closest to them."
Lastly, many study participants find comfort in knowing that MAiD is available, but how the process is handled matters. "Delays, unclear information, disjointed coordination, and worry about losing eligibility can deepen distress. That is why open, clear communication and guidance throughout the MAiD process is important," Dr. Kortes-Miller says.
Canadians have been able to share their voices through the research project's Disrupting Death podcast.
"It provides insight into MAiD and encourages conversations about death," Dr. Kortes-Miller says. "We want people to think about what's important to them at the end of their lives and what matters to their loved ones.
Since its launch in 2023, the podcast has released 44 episodes. Guests range from Senator Pamela Wallin to a mother helping her young children come to terms with the death of their father.
_Doctor%20with%20Patient%20(Unsplash_Nappy).jpg "Doctor with Patient")
In the fall of 2026, Dr. Kortes-Miller's research team will launch a national survey of health-care providers who support people accessing MAiD—including pharmacists, administrators, and nurse practitioners. "We're investigating attitudes and needs around MAiD care," she says. "We'd also like to hear from conscientious objectors." (Photo Credit: Unsplash/Nappy)
The researchers also hope to dispel misconceptions about MAiD that can be triggered by sensationalized news stories.
Dr. Kortes-Miller points to MAiD's strict eligibility criteria. "Applicants have to demonstrate that their physical suffering can't be solved by medical or other means."
Additionally, there are strong safeguards in place—every medically assisted death is reviewed by a team headed by the chief coroner of Ontario.
"No one, including people who access MAiD, wants to die. But if someone's quality of life deteriorates dramatically and there's no chance of recovery, they often seek a medically assisted death."
Another important component of the Disrupting Death project are 12 digital stories produced by the research team.
Each story features either a person planning to pursue MAiD or a friend or family member who supported someone throughout the MAiD process.
"The digital stories are representative of people's experiences with MAiD and offer ways to understand and think about death," Dr. Kortes-Miller says.
One of these storytellers is Diane Sims—a journalist, accessibility advocate, and Member of the Order of Canada—who used MAiD in May 2026.
"She reached out to us because she was dealing with multiple sclerosis, and she wanted MAiD
if her pain became too unbearable," Dr. Kortes-Miller says.
Diane's story highlights that for most people the best way to talk about death is to keep talking.
_Kimberly%20Robinson%20Photo.jpg "Kimberly Robinson")
"Every time I watch a Disrupting Death digital story, I see something different," Dr. Kortes-Miller says. "We Didn't Waver" created by Kimberly Robinson is just one example. Kimberly reveals how health-care providers can have a positive or negative impact on people at the end of their lives and their family members.
"It's not a one-and-done conversation—our needs and views change throughout our lives," Dr. Kortes-Miller says. "Our study participants frequently tell us that they want their end-of-life plans known in advance to give their loved ones peace of mind.
These conversations must occur at the social policy and health-care service levels, too."
By adopting this approach, more Canadians are likely to have 'good deaths' instead of deaths where caregivers and health-care professionals are scrambling to make decisions while medical crises are happening.
"My goal is to give people true choice and control at the end of their lives and to improve our health-care system to better support them," Dr. Kortes-Miller says.
Lakehead gratefully acknowledges the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for providing the five-year Insight Research Grant to make "Disrupting Death: An examination of Canadian experiences with medical assistance in dying (MAiD)," possible.
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.
Lakehead University is strengthening its role as a catalyst for innovation and regional economic development with the appointment of Chris Adams as the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR).
A serial entrepreneur, Chris will mentor faculty, staff, students, and partner organizations across Lakehead’s campuses and locations in Thunder Bay, Orillia, and Barrie. He will help translate research and ideas into viable, scalable businesses that drive local job creation and sustainable growth.
“The appointment of Chris Adams signals a bold new chapter for Lakehead as an engine of economic and community prosperity,” says Dr. Langis Roy, Vice-President of Research and Innovation. “His proven expertise in commercialization and growth strategy will empower our researchers and students to turn bold ideas into thriving enterprises.”
As EIR, Chris will collaborate with the Office of Innovation, Partnerships, and Economic Development, the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and Ingenuity, Lakehead’s business incubator. He will provide hands-on guidance on intellectual property, commercialization pathways, funding, partnerships, and scaling. In addition to one-on-one mentorship, he will deliver workshops and launch the “Innovation in Action” series of panel discussions featuring Lakehead researchers and industry leaders.
Chris will also champion intrapreneurship—encouraging innovative thinking and novel solutions within existing organizations, including inside the university itself.
“The future belongs to those who build it strategically,” Chris says. “I’m excited to help Lakehead fully embrace its entrepreneurial potential—not only innovating in the lab, but transforming ideas into impact across programs, services, and the broader Lakehead communities around each campus.”
As Founder and Managing Director of Adams Hamilton, a Barrie-based growth strategy and consulting firm, Chris brings over two decades of technical and commercial leadership. He has co-founded and successfully exited multiple companies, including gShift Labs (a marketing analytics platform), Hot Banana Software (a web content management system), the digital agency CGK, and recently the reIGNITE conference. He has supported patent submissions in areas ranging from predictive environmental controls to web optimization and search engine technologies. Chris has been recognized with the City of Barrie Mayor’s Shift Disturber Innovation Award and the Georgian College Community Partner Award for his contributions to regional economic development. He has deep roots in Barrie and Simcoe County.
This appointment builds on Lakehead University’s 2023 designation as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), reinforcing its commitment to economic engagement across Northern and Central Ontario.
Dr. Margaret Isabel Hall, an accomplished legal scholar, educator and academic leader, will join Lakehead University as the new Dean of the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law.
Dr. Hall comes to Lakehead from Simon Fraser University (SFU) in British Columbia, where she is a Professor in the School of Criminology, holds the Professorship in Applied Legal Studies, and serves as Director of the Master of Arts in Applied Legal Studies program. She is also Special Advisor for Legal Studies to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
“I am delighted to be joining Lakehead University, the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law community, and the broader community of Thunder Bay,” says Dr. Hall. “The warm welcome I have already received has been remarkable, and I have been very impressed with the Faculty of Law’s commitment to excellence and innovation in legal education.”
Dr. Hall brings extensive experience in legal education, academic leadership and law reform. She also brings firsthand experience helping to build a law school and describes herself as a “builder” — an approach that has shaped much of her academic career.
Before joining SFU in 2019, Dr. Hall was an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, where she was one of six founding full-time faculty members. During her time there, she contributed to the development of the new law school through teaching and service across areas including curriculum, faculty appointments, clinical programming and experiential learning.
Dr. Hall has also worked extensively in law reform, including as a staff lawyer with the British Columbia Law Institute and as the founding Director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law.
Her current research spans tort law, health law, medical assistance in dying, wills and incapacity planning, mental capacity, vulnerability and legal theories of states of mind. She is a co-author of Canadian Tort Law and The Law of Nuisance in Canada and has an extensive record of research, publication and academic collaboration in Canada and internationally.
“Dr. Hall brings a strong record as an educator, scholar and academic leader, along with the valuable experience of having helped build a law school from its earliest days,” explains Dr. Gillian Balfour, Provost and Vice-President (Academic). “ She understands the importance of community and the distinctive role a law school can play in the region it serves. I look forward to working with her as the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law continues to build on its strengths and its commitment to Northern Ontario.”
Dr. Hall’s experience and interests align closely with the law faculty’s distinctive approach to legal education. The Faculty’s curriculum is grounded in three mandate areas: Aboriginal and Indigenous Law, Environmental and Natural Resources Law, and Sole/Small Town Practice. Indigenous law and justice are integral to the Faculty’s teaching, learning and research, and she sees opportunities to build on the work already underway in collaboration with Indigenous communities and organizations.
“The Bora Laskin Faculty of Law stands out among Canadian law schools for its commitment to Indigenous law and justice, and I am grateful for the opportunity to build on the excellent work of former Deans and faculty in collaboration with local First Nations communities and Indigenous organizations,” Dr. Hall says. “Developing support for Indigenous law students and for interdisciplinary research in collaboration with local communities and organizations are key areas of interest.”
Dr. Hall also sees the Faculty’s strong connections with the communities it serves as an important part of its identity and future.
“The special strength of a smaller law school located outside of a large metropolitan area is the opportunity to develop a strong community within the law school, and between the law school, the local legal community, alumni and the broader community,” she says. “That sense of community supports student success in law school and beyond, and helps foster an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. I look forward to learning from faculty and students and working together to nurture that spirit within a strong and supportive academic community.”
Dr. Hall holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History from the University of British Columbia (UBC), a Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University, and a Master of Laws and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from UBC.
Dr. Hall will begin her appointment as Dean of the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law on January 1, 2027. Dr. Elizabeth Birmingham will continue to serve as Interim Dean until Dr. Hall assumes the role.
Environmental sustainability student Mateo Velasco Alva isn't standing on the sidelines when it comes to protecting the planet.
He's been involved with the youth branch of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) since he was a teen and has participated in Model United Nations conferences since middle school.
Mateo is beginning his fourth year in Lakehead's Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science program in Environmental Sustainability. "I'm from Mexico City where there isn't a lot of nature, so when I got to Canada I decided to do a truly Canadian outdoors activity," he says. "I did tree planting for two summers in northern Ontario."
These experiences have instilled in Mateo a determination to become a diplomat and to use his advocacy skills to help overcome the climate crisis.
"Seeing the ravages caused by extreme weather has been mind boggling," he says. "The saddest part is that the poorest countries are the most vulnerable.
We need to work together so that all people can thrive. We also need to acknowledge that humans aren't the only living creatures we share our world with."
Mateo recently had the chance to practice statesmanship at the very highest level through the Global Model United Nationsers (GlobalMUNers).
"I co-organized the 2026 GlobalMUNers New York City (GMNYC2026) summit held at the UN's ECOSOC Building."
Global MUNers is a non-profit organization that arranges student debates around the world to engage young people in civil society and to give them the tools to create real change.
Mateo was given this challenge after being chosen as the GMNYC2026 President of the UNEA Committee.
He and Vice-President Inés Belkhodja spent months planning the conference before welcoming over 2,000 student delegates to the headquarters of the United Nations.
"They came from middle schools, high schools, and universities from across the globe, including North Africa, Europe, North America, and the Caribbean," he says.
One of the highlights of Mateo's UN trip was a visit to the headquarters of the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations. "We had a discussion with Germany's official representative and got to experience what a real diplomat does. It was great!" Above, Mateo with GMNYC2026 Vice-President Inés Belkhodja.
The summit's opening ceremony was held at the UN General Assembly.
"I never imagined that I would be at the United Nations headquarters, so it felt like a mission accomplished," Mateo says.
Keynote speeches were delivered by two of Mateo's heroes—UN Secretary-General António Guterres and GlobalMUNers Director-General Pilar Sandoval.
But this was just the start of a whirlwind week.
The student delegates participated in two working sessions per day. These sessions focused on GMNYC2026's selected debate topics: plastic pollution and climate change.
"I moderated the debates and the vice-president took notes and answered questions," he says.
The GMNYC2026 organizers also gave students the opportunity to address an impending real-world crisis—Greenland's melting ice sheets.
"The disappearing ice sheets are leading to rising sea levels," Mateo says, "and since 60 per cent of the world's population lives in coastal regions, it will become a massive humanitarian crisis.
When we introduced the crisis, the delegates were very shocked to learn about it," he adds.
Above, Mateo with fellow students who helped run GMNYC2026. "I got to make new friends and new international connections," he says. "The best part of it is that I'll be going to another GlobalMUNers session in the Dominican Republic this September."
Students were asked to debate solutions and to draft an international non-binding agreement outlining these solutions.
"The UNEA doesn't have the power to compel governments to adhere to their conventions, so all UNEA agreements are non-binding," Mateo explains. "Countries have to want to adopt them."
Last year, Mateo further enhanced his foreign affairs skills as an intern with the Organization of the American States (OAS) in Washington, DC. Above, Mateo in the UN General Assembly Hall.
This made the students' job even more challenging. When it came time to ratify the agreement, delegates had to vote along the lines that their countries vote at actual UN summits, forcing them to get creative.
"They knew the United States and Russia would be unlikely to accept an environmental agreement, so it was presented to them as a military crisis," Mateo says. "Both countries have strategically important military bases in Greenland and melting ice will affect their operation."
Solutions outlined in the agreement ranged from land reclamation projects to the establishment of atmospheric weather stations that would provide data needed to develop mitigation plans.
Mateo's leadership role with the GlobalMUNers has strengthened his decision to follow a diplomatic career path.
"Seeing all those young people gave me hope and the belief that younger generations can solve the problems created by older generations."
Lakehead University is launching a new $2-million fundraising goal to expand the reach and impact of its Achievement Program, with a significant commitment from the Alumni Association of Lakehead University helping kick-start the campaign.
The campaign builds on more than $1 million raised over the past five years and will support the program's continued growth across Northwestern Ontario and future expansion into Simcoe County. The Alumni Association is building early momentum with a $64,517 commitment.
"As Lakehead alumni, we know firsthand how education can change the direction of someone's life," said Alumni Association President Paul Popo-Ola. "We want young people to know that Lakehead can be a place for them, too. Supporting the Achievement Program is an investment in those students and in the communities they will one day help lead and strengthen."
The Achievement Program provides long-term support for equity-deserving youth who face barriers to postsecondary education. Beginning in Grade 4 and continuing through Grade 12, students participate in programming in their schools, on Lakehead's campus, and in the community, building confidence, developing skills, and becoming familiar with the opportunities available through postsecondary education.
“The Achievement Program reflects what we believe deeply at Lakehead University: that education should be within reach for every young person,” said Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor. “By building relationships with students from an early age, we can help them discover what is possible, build confidence, and help them see themselves as belonging at university. We want to create those opportunities for even more young people.”
In 2025-26, the program reached 500 students from 45 schools across six school boards in Northwestern Ontario. Eight Achievement Program graduates have attended Lakehead University since 2020. Three more participants are expected to begin their studies at Lakehead this September.
Through the Achievement Program, young people engage in recreational programming, hands-on learning, mentorship, cultural programming, leadership development, and opportunities to experience university life.
“One of the strengths of the Achievement Program is that we start building those connections early through sport and recreation, and stay with students throughout their journey," said Amanda Stefanile, Achievement Program Manager. "For many of our students, their first experience at Lakehead happens in athletics, years before they are thinking about applying to university. They get to explore the campus, meet new friends, and discover what they're capable of. Our hope is that over time, our campus becomes a very familiar space where they can picture themselves going to school."
Friday's celebration allowed donors to engage directly with students taking part in the Achievement Program's summer camp, seeing the impact of their support firsthand. As the program enters its next stage, Lakehead's goal is not simply to reach more students, but to continue building relationships with young people and their families over time and provide meaningful pathways into postsecondary education.
“When we talk about raising the next $2 million, we’re really talking about what those dollars will make possible for the next generation of students,” said Michael den Haan, Vice-President, University Advancement. “Every gift to the Achievement Program helps create opportunities for young people to discover what is possible for their future and to know there is a community behind them as they pursue it.”
“Reaching this first milestone was possible because people believed in this program and decided to give. We are incredibly grateful for that support, and we’re excited to build on that generosity as we begin this next chapter.”
(Barrie, ON) – Today, the City of Barrie and Lakehead University celebrated the completion of the Lakehead University Barrie STEM Hub in the heart of downtown Barrie’s vibrant waterfront. Bringing a university presence to the city represents a transformative investment in talent, education, and economic growth in Barrie.
The Barrie STEM Hub is a multi-site facility with two locations: 24 Maple Avenue (the former Barrie Transit Terminal) and 5 Ross Street. These facilities have been transformed into more than 26,000 square feet of lab and classroom space, offering vibrant spaces designed to deliver hands-on education in engineering, mechatronics, and computer science at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The dual-location model will support both student experience and business collaboration.
As enrolment grows over time, the STEM Hub is expected to bring upwards of 800 students, researchers, and employees into the downtown over the next several years. The STEM Hub will enable students to learn locally for in-demand careers, supply industry with skilled talent, and generate economic benefits for the city with more demand for goods, services, dining, and entertainment.
With small class sizes, mentorship opportunities, and strong connections to local industry, the STEM Hub will empower students to explore, innovate, and launch successful careers in STEM fields.
Lakehead University will welcome the inaugural Barrie STEM Hub class on September 8, 2026.
For more information about the Barrie STEM Hub, visit barrie.ca/STEMHub or lakeheadu.ca/barrie.
“Today is truly a game-changer for our city. The opening of the Lakehead University Barrie STEM Hub is a major investment in our future and an important step in advancing Barrie’s emerging education district. With hundreds of students now studying downtown, we are bringing more people, more activity and more opportunity to the heart of our city. I look forward to seeing the incredible impact the Lakehead University Barrie STEM Hub will have on our community.”
- Alex Nuttall, Mayor of the City of Barrie
“With the opening of the Barrie STEM Hub, we’re establishing the first university campus in Barrie–a history-making moment for the City of Barrie and for Lakehead University. At its heart, the STEM Hub is about creating opportunities for students. It’s about building stronger connections between education and industry and ensuring that talented young people have the opportunity to learn, stay, build careers and contribute to the communities around them. An immeasurable amount of work has gone into preparing the Barrie STEM Hub to welcome our first cohort of students in just a few weeks, and today, we’re incredibly proud to officially open the doors to this exciting new chapter.”
- Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University
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The Achievement Program has received $47,000 in total gift contributions from Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. This critical support is directly removing financial and physical barriers for youth across Northern Ontario–outfitting elementary students with new athletic footwear and funding essential summer camp experiences both on campus and in regional communities.
The Achievement Program addresses a deep, systemic need in Northern Ontario by combining mentorship, physical activity, academic exposure, and financial support. For many youth, physical activity is the first gateway to feeling confident on a university campus. By providing appropriate footwear, this allows students to participate in active learning and sport throughout the school year.
To solve this challenge, Jumpstart provided a $27,000 gift in November 2025 specifically designated to purchase brand-new running shoes for all 350 elementary-aged Achievement Program students. With the help of corporate family support from Sportchek, and working closely with superintendents and principals across six partner school boards, Amanda Stefanile, Achievement Program Manager, and Morgan Hill, Achievement Program Liaison Officer, were able to coordinate sizing, tracking and distribution of the shoes to students at their schools.
Shawnda Norlock, Superintendent of Education, Keewatin-Patricia District School Board explains, “Having proper footwear is essential for active learning. For many of our Achievement Program students, new, properly fitting shoes will directly remove a barrier to participation, supporting their physical wellness and overall equity within the school environment.”
The impact was felt immediately by families and children across the region:
“Chi-miigwetch for investing in our youth and for the care and compassion you show families in our community. Your support is felt and deeply appreciated.” - Achievement Program Parent
“Thank you Jumpstart for the opportunity of getting and being a part of getting new shoes. YAY!” - Jaxxon, Achievement Program Student
“My child is hard on his shoes and is growing quickly, this is one less thing to worry about!” - Achievement Program Parent
Building on this momentum, Jumpstart contributed an additional $20,000 gift in April 2026 to directly fund summer camp programming. Summer programming plays a central role in keeping students engaged year-round:
Canadian Tire Jumpstart funds cover essential operational costs, including meals, staffing, and free transportation for participants.
The Achievement Program primarily serves Indigenous (approximately 70%) and equity-deserving youth from Northwestern Ontario who face geographic challenges, financial pressures, and limited opportunities for recreational activities. Enrolled starting in grade 4, students remain in the program through grade 12, accruing financial support toward their university education by fulfilling annual school, community, and campus requirements.
Current Reach: 500 youth across 47 schools and six school boards (expanding to 600 participants by 2026/27).
High School Graduation Rate: 95% of Achievement Program participants have graduated from high school since 2011 compared with a 2023 regional graduation rate of 63% for First Nations youth and 91% for non-Indigenous youth.
Post-Secondary Pathways: 65% of Achievement Program graduates are pursuing post-secondary education at Lakehead University or other colleges and universities, and the remaining 35% are employed or seeking other opportunities.
Cycle of Leadership: approximately 50% of enrolled/graduated students are employed as staff within the Achievement Program, giving back to the next generation.
By graduation, participants can earn up to their entire first year of tuition at Lakehead University. In 2025, the program celebrated its first two university graduates. Through sustained donor support from partners like Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, Lakehead continues to prove that with the right access, equipment, and encouragement, the path to higher education is achievable for every student.
On Friday, Aug. 21, Achievement Program participants, donors, and community supporters will come together to celebrate the impact of the program and the opportunities it creates for youth. Through hands-on activities, personal stories, and shared experiences, guests will see firsthand how the program is helping participants build confidence, develop new skills, and envision a brighter future. The celebration will also mark an exciting new chapter for the Achievement Program, including a major gift announcement and the launch of a renewed fundraising effort to sustain and expand its impact for years to come.
We are deeply grateful to the donors who have helped make the Achievement Program’s impact possible. As the program grows, so does the need for its support. With continued and additional investment, we can provide essential opportunities and supports to students and their families throughout the school year and summer- helping them stay connected, active, engaged, and inspired year-round.
If you would like to give in support of the Achievement Program, you can visit: https://ec.lakeheadu.ca/giving/fund-project
