Meet the 2026 Robert Poulin Memorial Award Winner
Kinesiology Grad Madeline Fabiano Excels at Uplifting Others
Madeline Fabiano (HBK'23/MSc'25) is part of a generation of young people who've faced more than their fair share of struggles.
She was only a few months into her university studies when COVID hit, forcing everyone into lockdown.
This crisis affected students mentally, socially, and academically.
Madeline, though, rose above the pandemic's daunting challenges. She not only thrived, but she helped her fellow students thrive, too.
"I wanted to create supportive environments where people feel empowered and to foster a more inclusive, health-focused campus," she says.
"My goal was to address real student needs and promote a lasting culture of wellness."
Above, Madeline (right) and her father Enzo (left) at her 2023 undergraduate convocation ceremony.
Her diverse contributions have earned her the 2026 Robert Poulin Memorial Award for Outstanding Citizenship.
"Receiving the award is a wonderful culmination of my academic, research, and volunteer work at Lakehead," says Madeline, who has earned undergraduate and master's degrees in kinesiology.
"It's an honour to leave with such a meaningful award."
The Healing Power of Connection
To help students have the best university experience possible, Madeline joined several organizations—including the Kinesiology Association of Lakehead University (KALU) and Lakehead's Student Wellness Advisory Team (SWAT).
"I promoted awareness of campus services and connected students with critical resources, such as counselling," she says.
Madeline’s approach to kinesiology is focused on the benefits of physical activity. “Even carving out 10 minutes makes a huge difference,” she says.
Later, during her master's degree, Madeline joined the Lakehead chapter of the Cam's Kids Foundation, which assists youth dealing with mental health issues.
"My focus was on promoting exercise and healthy coping strategies and disseminating this knowledge through campus activities and social media."
Madeline's outreach efforts went far beyond campus.
She found time to volunteer with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre's Hospital Elderly Life Program and WE-Can patient assistant program.
Serving as a Camp Quality companion to children with cancer was another incredibly rewarding endeavour.
Get Up and Move
Madeline was drawn to kinesiology—the study of the body in motion—because physical activity has been central to her life.
"I did dance, gymnastics, soccer, and swimming as a young child because my parents wanted to introduce me to a broad range of activities," she says. "When I got older, I concentrated on competitive cross-country skiing and running."
Above, Madeline stands in front of the School of Kinesiology with the coveted Chalice of Knowledge. "You can only drink from it after you've defended your master's thesis!" she explains. This passion for athletics carried over into her university research.
Madeline zoned in on an overlooked aspect of the pandemic—the loss of opportunities for exercise and physical activity.
"After the lockdown ended, I noticed there weren't many young women in the gym," she says.
"They wanted to be more active, but because they hadn't had access to athletic facilities during COVID, they didn't learn the skills needed to feel confident in the gym."
"I had a lot of people in my corner at Lakehead—including my thesis supervisor Dr. Erin Pearson—who contributed heavily to my successes," Madeline says. Above, Madeline and Dr. Pearson (pictured right) at Lakehead's 2024 Research and Innovation Awards Ceremony after Madeline won the People's Choice Award and came first place in Lakehead's Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition. She later came third in the 3MT® provincial finals.
Madeline's undergraduate thesis studied these barriers to exercise and provided the foundation for her master's thesis—the development of the SHINE (Supporting Her In Navigating Exercise) program.
SHINE used peer support to enhance women's exercise behaviours and comfort level in the gym.
"Each student exercised once a week with a kinesiology student who acted as their mentor," Madeline explains. "It really improved their confidence and activity level."
Don't Let Fear Hold You Back
"I had countless opportunities at Lakehead," Madeline says, "from representing the university at a national undergraduate kinesiology research conference to competing in the provincial Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) graduate competition.
My Lakehead professors have been my cheerleaders for the past six years." 
For her PhD research, Madeline will create exercise interventions aimed at reducing perimenopausal symptoms among inactive women. "There's not much research on perimenopause," she says. Above, Madeline gives a presentation at McGill University.
Since successfully defending her master's thesis in August 2025, she has been enrolled in McGill University's kinesiology PhD program. "My dream is to continue conducting health research as a university professor," she says.
Madeline urges Lakehead students to be unafraid of pursuing opportunities that come their way.
"My dad always tells me to have courage, he says, 'Be a lion.' It's advice that inspires me to take chances."
The Robert Poulin Memorial Award for Outstanding Citizenship is presented to a full-time undergraduate or graduate student on the Thunder Bay campus for their contributions to the welfare of Lakehead through their student activities.
Madeline's research was made possible by several scholarships and grants: a Canada Graduate Research Scholarship awarded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, an Ontario Graduate Scholarship, an Applied Health Research Scholarship from St. Joseph's Care Group, and funding provided by a Lakehead faculty member, through a Lakehead Faculty Research Grant, in support of Madeline's master's research.