This Alum Excels at Putting her Social Justice Degree to Work

"For me, public transportation is social justice in action because it meets a basic community need," Sandy Falcon says.

"Public transportation was the only way I could get to school when I was a kid growing up in a low-income neighbourhood in Toronto. Later, I used buses to commute to work, buy groceries, and take my kids to the doctor."

As a Lakehead undergraduate student, Sandy did a placement with Dress for Success, a non-profit that supports unemployed women trying to enter the workforce by providing business clothing and mentoring. Sandy also investigated the feasibility of starting a similar non-profit for unemployed men as part of a project with the MITACS research organization.

Today, Sandy is a graduate of Lakehead's Master of Social Justice Studies program and the Town of Collingwood's community transportation co-ordinator.

Her Lakehead degree gave her the tools to achieve her childhood dream of helping others.

A Transformative Social Justice Degree Comes to Orillia

Sandy went back to school as a mature student and a mother of four because she felt compelled to create positive change in her community.

After earning a Law Clerk diploma at Georgian College, she enrolled at Lakehead Orillia where she majored in criminology.

Sandy Falcon (BA'20/HBASc'20/MA'22) takes a moment to celebrate her graduation from Lakehead's Master of Social Justice Studies program in 2022.

In 2020, Sandy was getting ready to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Honours Bachelor of Science degree when she heard some exciting news.

Lakehead was considering making its Master of Social Justice Studies program available on the Orillia campus.

"They decided to pilot an online version of the program with just five students," Sandy says.

"They asked me if I wanted to join. I said, 'Sign me up.'"

It's a decision she hasn't regretted.

"I had so many different opportunities while I was doing my social justice degree.

As part of my practicum stream, I was able to start Unknown Neighbours—a non-profit that gave vulnerable migrant workers in Canada access to legal, social, and health services," she says.

"All the social justice courses I took were amazing, the program in its entirety was amazing," Sandy adds.

"Every single professor I studied with was extremely knowledgeable and supportive."

Sandy ran the Unknown Neighbours non-profit from 2020 to 2023, using COVID pandemic funding to assist Mexican and Jamaican agricultural workers. "Dr. Douglas West, a wonderful Lakehead political science professor, helped me with the funding application and the administration of Unknown Neighbours."

Sandy also underwent life-changing personal and academic growth, especially when she learned about the theory of intersectionality. It's a concept that explains how aspects of an individual's identity—like their race, class, and gender—can lead them to be treated in discriminatory or privileged ways.

"Intersectionality made so much sense to me as a woman, as an immigrant, as a BIPOC person, and as a person with a disability," she says.

"I thought, 'Oh this is who I am, it all makes sense now.'"

Why a Bus is Much More than a Vehicle

After Sandy completed her Master of Social Justice Studies, she was hired by the Simcoe-Muskoka branch of the Red Cross.

"I wanted to work for them because they're the largest humanitarian organization in the world and I wanted to help everybody that I could."

She initially oversaw their Community Connector program for seniors before becoming the assistant manager of community health and wellness programs such as Meals on Wheels, Friendly Visiting, and transportation services.

In 2024, she launched the next phase of her career as the Town of Collingwood's community transportation co-ordinator.

"Public transportation is a lifeline that makes it possible for people to go about their everyday activities," Sandy says. Photo Credit: Town of Collingwood

This role offered a new way to provide essential services and make life more equitable for Collingwood residents.

Her first order of business was to become a passenger on every single bus route to discover how to make the city easier for everyone to navigate.

"I try to experience things firsthand. It strikes me as odd to design and make decisions about a service when you've never used it."

Sandy also ensures that buses remain accessible to people with visual, hearing, and mobility challenges.

She attributes much of the success she's had helping her fellow citizens to her social justice degree.

"Social justice will give you the knowledge and understanding to see the world through a completely different lens."

Are you interested in fostering social justice and laying the foundation for a meaningful career with non-profits, governments, or community partners? Then click here to learn more about Lakehead Orillia's Master of Social Justice Studies degree.

This Lakehead Instructor Helps Students Advocate for a Better World

"I love teaching because it enables me to transform learning into a creative, political, and collective experience," says Faculty of Education instructor Mohit Dudeja.

The PhD candidate, researcher, educator, activist and psychotherapist won a Lakehead University Teaching Innovation Award in November 2025.

Mohit accepts his Teaching Innovation Award from Provost and VP Academic Dr. Gillian Balfour and Lakehead President Dr. Gillian Siddall.

The award celebrates Mohit's broader teaching accomplishments in the Department of Graduate Studies and Research in Education, as well as his inventive approach to the Activism in Education graduate course.

"It felt really amazing to win because Activism in Education is one of the best courses I've developed and taught," says Mohit, who moved to Canada from Delhi, India, to continue his studies.

Shaking Things Up

Mohit's ability to connect with his students is at the core of his methods.

"Everything I do, including my research and my teaching, comes from my own lived experiences," he says.

"As a child—and even as an undergrad and postgrad student in India—studying was a burden because it was boring and full of pressure. So, when I got an opportunity to teach, I thought, 'I want to make it fun.'"

"I have been a fighter from an early age, and the battles I have lived through shape how I teach," Mohit Dudeja says.

In the Activism in Education course—where all students come from outside Canada—Mohit deliberately designed learning experiences that extended beyond lectures and traditional assessments.

He blended theoretical concepts with practical experience by integrating arts, outdoor experiential learning, multimedia, and imaginative activities.

The goal was to give students a creative platform to examine topics such as gender equality, racism, and discrimination in Canada.

As a culminating project, Mohit proposed an ambitious idea: a collaboratively written and performed theatrical production that would bring students' analyses to life.

"I invited the students to create a script for a dramatic performance. Every one of them agreed. They were really excited to embark on an unconventional learning adventure."

An Award-Winning Performance

Mohit's students chose to put on a play exploring how Canada's changing immigration policies are affecting the lives of international students.

Education professor Dr. Gerald Walton nominated Mohit for the Teaching Innovation Award after sitting in on a dress rehearsal.

Above, students perform the last scene of the Activism in Education play. Their compelling performances brought the audience to its feet. "Knowing that my teaching helped students feel represented, validated, and less alone is something I carry with me and remain proud of," Mohit says.

Dr. Walton was impressed by both the performances he saw and the solutions the play proposed—solutions that can be implemented in classrooms, schools, and communities.

The production was performed in Lakehead's Bora Laskin Auditorium on November 21, 2025.

"When the play ended, the room echoed with claps," Mohit says.

"Many of us, including me, were in tears. Students had just seen their struggles and unspoken truths reflected back at them.

International students who weren't enrolled in the course came up to me and said, 'Thank you for highlighting the harsh realities that we live every day.'"

An Impassioned Advocate

Mohit's commitment to activism extends to helping people battling mental health challenges.

It was an area he became interested in when he faced his own mental health challenges.
His experiences spurred him to join Lakehead groups and community projects and volunteer with Thunder Bay Counselling.

Since then, he's helped countless students.

He has also served as president of the Lakehead University Graduate Students' Association. In that role, he pushed for inclusive initiatives such as a queer graduate student circle and a peer support program, as well as a listening and sharing circle at the Student Health and Wellness Centre.

Mohit with his Activism in Education students.

"In the future, I see myself running a nonprofit and working for queer, BIPOC, and international student communities here in Canada and in India."

But Mohit has another, more immediate, dream.

"I come from a very humble background," he says. "I didn't have the resources to build something on my own. Becoming a tenure-track professor feels like the next step in continuing this work, and doing it sustainably."

This Conservationist and Freediver Documents Life in the Atlantic

"Lake Superior was definitely a big pull for me," says Teigan Labor of her decision to come to Lakehead University.

This recent grad (HBOR/BSc'24) is now the communications manager of the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-NS).

Above, Teigan canoeing in Norway during the semester she spent at Nord University. "Northern Norway was a fantastic place to go as someone studying outdoor recreation and natural sciences because of the stunning landscape and the culture of friluftsliv, which translates to 'open-air life.'"

Choosing the university surrounded by boreal forest and a vast lake proved to be a good move for Teigan, who grew up exploring the wild waters and shores of Nova Scotia.

She was also encouraged by a glowing endorsement from her dad, Peter Labor.

He graduated from Lakehead in 1989 with Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation and Bachelor of Science degrees, and went on to become the Government of Nova Scotia's director of protected areas and ecosystems.

"Growing up, my dad told me a lot of stories about Lakehead, especially his outdoor rec adventures—like joining the Mackenzie Expedition canoe trip across Canada," Teigan says.

"I saw how his time at Lakehead led him to an environmentally focused career and shaped him into someone I looked up to."

"I chose Lakehead for its community-oriented mindset—smaller classes, knowing your profs—and the opportunity to do a double degree in Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism and Natural Sciences," Teigan says. "This was unique from the other universities I was considering."

A Sailing Adventure and Studying Among Norway's Glaciers

Teigan packed a lot of living into her time at Lakehead.

She began a month-long stint as an environmental educator in 2022 after attending a campus presentation by Sea Change Expeditions, an educational organization.

This entailed living aboard a 40-foot sailboat on Lake Superior and sailing to schools around the lake. She talked to kids about issues affecting the lake, like climate change, microplastics, and invasive species.

While sailing around Lake Superior in 2022, Teigan recorded water-clarity data as well as spoke to schoolchildren. "The schools we stopped at included Knife River and others on the North shore," she says. "We also stopped in Houghton, Michigan and Washburn, Wisconsin."

In her final year at Lakehead, she spent a semester at Nord University in Bodø, Norway, as part of Lakehead's North2North exchange program. "It was really eye opening, and one of the best decisions I made as a student," she says.

"I got to climb a glacier and learn how glaciers are being impacted by global warming—while standing RIGHT THERE in person."

The Pull of the Magnificent Atlantic Ocean

As an undergrad, Teigan worked as a summer student with CPAWS-NS, which works to conserve Canada's natural ecosystems.

She springboarded into a full-time role as CPAWS communications manager (she also does videography work for the organization) right after graduating from Lakehead.

Teigan during a conservation freedive among eelgrass. "Eelgrass meadows provide shelter and nursery habitats for juvenile fish, and other marine species," she says. "They also store and sequester carbon, reduce coastal erosion, and much more." Photo Credit: CPAWS-NS/Teigan Labor

Her path to this position was helped by her activities both in and out of class.

She was the Lakehead Outdoor Recreation Parks & Tourism Student Society information coordinator and a videographer of outdoor rec-related content used in Lakehead's digital recruitment campaigns.

"Outdoor rec is just such an incredible program because you get a lot of different perspectives, including a really strong Indigenous-led perspective," she notes.

"I got a strong grasp of the leadership and group dynamics side of outdoor rec, such as guiding people in the outdoors, and learning how to assess risk and liability for participants."

Another bonus was earning certifications for diverse skills as part of her coursework.

On a Mission to Conserve Nova Scotia's Unique Marine Life

Today, Teigan has a career that gives her a sense of meaning and purpose.

"There are islands all up and down the coast of Nova Scotia, so one of the coolest projects I've been working on lately is a documentary about those islands and their remarkable biodiversity," she says.

Part of her efforts include conservation freediving, which allows her to document marine environments with underwater photos and videos.

Teigan on a CPAWS conservation freedive at Sandy Cove, Terence Bay, in Nova Scotia. "We don't use the snorkel that much because we spend most of our time diving deeper than the surface!" Photo Credit: CPAWS-NS/Teigan Labor

"Conservation freediving looks a lot like spearfishing, but we replace the spear with a camera and strap a slate to our arms so that we can take down observations." Unlike scuba diving, freedivers don't use oxygen tanks.

Her department focuses on science communication to bring the public and communities into conversations. The goal is to inspire people to care about conservation and to talk to their policymakers about protecting the environment.

"I believe as humans we have a responsibility to take care of nature," Teigan says.

"I grew up canoeing, hiking, and playing in Nova Scotia's parks, protected areas, and coastlines. I want future generations to have the same opportunity."

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.

The community is invited to learn from the next generation of scholars at this year's Graduate Student Conference, the Rita Nicholas Undergraduate Research Conference, and the 2nd Annual Business Research Showcase. These presentations celebrate emerging researchers at Lakehead University and give students the opportunity to share their research with peers and the public. The conferences take place on Monday, Feb. 23 and Wednesday, Feb. 25 in The Agora.

Thunder Bay, Ont. - Lakehead University is hosting its annual Research & Innovation Week from February 21 to 27, celebrating 60 years of faculty and student-led research with the theme of “Shaping the EvoLUtion: Our Next-Gen Transformative Research”.

There are various talks and activities happening throughout the week that will be of interest for all ages.

“We want people to see and experience how Lakehead University is making an impact in their community,” explained Dr. Langis Roy, Vice-President Research and Innovation. “Every project, experiment, and study completed by our students and faculty leads to a real-world impact–locally or globally.”

This year holds special significance for Dr. Roy. “I’m thrilled to participate in my first Research & Innovation Week to show our community how people here at Lakehead are solving important societal challenges by bridging our traditional areas of research with future-focused technologies like AI. It’s an honour to highlight the vital work of our faculty, students, and partners.”

It all starts on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Intercity Shopping Centre. In partnership with Science North, Lakehead presents Science Carnival where families can explore the exciting world of research, including science, technology, engineering, health, and social sciences, through hands-on activities, interactive booths, and live entertainment. The fun runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Then, on Monday, Feb. 23 at 12 p.m., Lakehead welcomes Dr. Atif Shamim, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and tech entrepreneur at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, for the keynote talk, “Printing the Future.” Dr. Shamim’s presentation will explore not only how eco-friendly advances in printable electronics are changing the way we design and use technology in everyday life, but also how this field could be transformative for Thunder Bay’s regional economic development. Registration is required for this talk.

On Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m., Dr. Pauline Sameshima, Faculty of Education, will host a guided tour of Lakehead’s new juried and featured art in the Centre of Advanced Studies in Engineering and Sciences (CASES). Select artists will be present to discuss how the arts can engage, provoke, and share research. The public is also invited to view other exhibition gallery spaces in Lakehead International and the Bora Laskin Education Building.

You’ll be able to learn from the next generation of scholars at the Graduate Student Conference on Monday, Feb. 23, and the Rita Nicholas Undergraduate Research Conference and 2nd Annual Business Research Showcase on Wednesday, Feb. 25 in the Agora.

On Thursday, Feb. 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the CASES Atrium, distinguished researcher and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, Dr. Chris Mushquash, will lead a discussion on how Indigenous community-based research in mental health and addiction can support improvements to systems and services. To attend virtually, please register.

The week will close on Friday, Feb. 27 with a CityStudio guided tour of the Centennial Botanical Conservancy from 1 to 3 p.m. A collaborative partnership with the City of Thunder Bay supported the renewal of the shared civic space.

Everyone is invited to campus for these and many other engaging presentations, inspiring speakers, and interactive workshops. For a full list of events, visit www.lakeheadu.ca/ri.

As a child, Dr. Juho-Antti Junno devoured encyclopedias, gravitating toward stories of exploration, history and especially human evolution. 

“An early memory I have is of visiting the local library and asking the staff to show me books about expeditions and voyages” he recalls.

Now an associate professor at the University of Oulu in Finland, Dr. Junno’s work sits at the crossroads of bioarchaeology, anatomy, forensic medicine, and primatology.

He is also the recently appointed Chair in Finnish Studies at Lakehead’s Thunder Bay campus.

Investigating the Mysterious Assassination of a King

His research philosophy is guided less by rigid plans than by curiosity. 

“I get excited about new research ideas quite easily,” Dr. Junno says. “So, if someone is suggesting, ‘Hey, we should do this.’ Or “can you help with this project” I’m like, ‘Okay, let’s do it.’”

This openness has allowed Dr. Junno’s work to cross disciplinary boundaries and uncover unexpected connections.

His recent foray into forensic pathology—a combination of archaeological and biological anthropology studies combined with experimental forensic medicine—was sparked by a conversation with a medical student and frequent research collaborator.

“I come from generations of farmers and hunters, so I’m quite familiar with ballistics, but I’d never utilized this background in academia,” he explains.

One of their most recent collaborations was an experimental study on the political assassination of King Charles XII of Sweden during the Siege of Fredriksten in 1718.

Using a synthetic skull phantom, a 19.5 mm musket ball, 10 gauge shotgun, a replica of an old cannon and some modern day radiological imaging, the team recreated the head injuries suffered by the king to determine if he’d been killed by enemy fire or his own men.

Bridging Science and Storytelling

Since his early 20s, Dr. Junno has travelled the world—from Arnhem Land, Northern Territory in Australia to Zimbabwe—writing and connecting with people about his two favourite subjects: hunting and farming.

In fact, his writing can be found in major Finnish magazines such as Käytännön Maamies and Metsästys & Kalastus.

“The easiest way to learn about a topic is to do research, in this case not academic research, but by speaking to people, and let them share their knowledge” he says.

“In a couple of hours you will know almost everything about a specific topic especially if you’re talking to farmers who’re always eager to discuss their work and are proud of what they do.”

From Finland to Thunder Bay

Dr. Junno brings that same perspective to Thunder Bay and his role as the 13th Chair in Finnish Studies at Lakehead.

Like most Finns, he has ties with the Finnish-Canadian community. The farmhouse where he’s currently living was built in the late 19th century by a Finnish man who had worked in copper mines in the Great Lakes region, and several of Dr. Junno’s neighbours have emigrated to Canada and visit their former homeland in the summertime.

His interest in Finnish heritage and rural culture drew Dr. Junno to this region, where he plans to study agricultural history, hunting traditions, and the ways Finnish settlers reshaped the landscape.

“I’m interested to visit old Finnish homesteads, areas that Finnish farmers transformed from forest to agricultural land, and talk to people who still remember those early times or at least stories of them,” he explains. “For example, I would like to gain understanding how Finnish hunting traditions were affected when they came to Thunder Bay—did they maintain what they were doing back home or did they adapt to Canadian hunting culture?”

The Chair in Finnish Studies conducts research, develops partnerships, and lectures at the undergraduate level. The chair also gives public lectures and presentations and undertakes research contributing to the intellectual life of Lakehead University and the Finnish community in northwestern Ontario. 

Dr. Junno will hold the endowed chairship until May 2026.

Step Aboard a Golden Airship

If students hate to miss your classes, that's a sign you're doing well as a professor.

And if a student compares missing a class to "abandoning a once-in-a-lifetime voyage aboard a golden airship," that's a sign that your professor is Dr. Kathryn Walton.

With that kind of praise, it's fitting that she received her second Lakehead Contribution to Teaching Award in November 2025 (she was granted her first award in 2021).

One student described Dr. Walton as "Lakehead Orillia's very own English-focused Ms. Frizzle. She's just missing the anthropomorphic chameleon and the magic bus."

This is a very special honour because it is students who nominate instructors for these awards, and it's their votes that determine who wins.

Dr. Walton, a professor in the English department at Lakehead Orillia, teaches sought-after courses in medieval literature, children's literature, and the history of English literature.

Literary magic, in particular, is one of her specializations. She's currently working on a book called Literary Magic in Medieval England to be published by the academic press Boydell & Brewer.

"That wonder, that excitement and engagement with the unreal and the supernatural in medieval literature has definitely influenced today's contemporary literature," she says.

Adventures into the Unknown

A lifelong lover of reading, Dr. Walton says her interest in the link between medieval literature and children's literature was sparked during her undergraduate studies.

"I was just absolutely fascinated by the way in which contemporary literary works have deep roots in the medieval era."

Heroes, quests, journeys, and magic that are common hallmarks of both forms of literature. Pseudo-medieval worlds—think Narnia, Middle Earth, and Hogwarts—abound in children's literature.

Above is the Lincoln's Inn MS 150 manuscript created c. 1400. It features a mix of religious and romance texts from the medieval period. Dr. Walton discusses this book in her class Literary Magic in Medieval England.

In the Middle Ages, many literary works were conveyed orally, rather than written, so they're constructed in a way that appeals to the ear. Children's literature is similar, she points out.

But children's literature is unique in that it offers compelling and brilliantly written stories that are also easy to understand.

"That's incredibly powerful," Dr. Walton says. "Most people can remember books that they read as kids much better than they can remember anything they've read as an adult."

Old Languages Bring Literature to Life

Dr. Walton accepts her 2025 Contribution to Teaching Award. Left to right: Social Sciences and Humanities Dean Dr. Glenda Bonifacio, Dr. Kathyn Walton, Lakehead Orillia Principal Dr. Linda Rodenburg, and Social Sciences and Humanities Dean Dr. Jennifer Jarman.

A mastery of Middle English, Old English, and Latin is essential for any expert in medieval literature. Of the three, Middle English is the closest to modern English.

"I tell my students to squint and ignore the extra vowels," she laughs.

Being proficient in these languages allows Dr. Walton to bring more insight to her classes.

"Reading texts in the original language is invaluable. It helps readers appreciate a specific poetic structure that doesn't come through in translation, and grasp the culture of the time through archaic words."

Freke, for instance, means "knight."

What's it like to be Peter Pan or Alice in Wonderland?

Getting students fired up about diverse forms of literature drives Dr. Walton's teaching approach.

"I give students a lot of space to talk about what they're interested in and what they find good or bad about whatever we're reading," she explains.

"Then I give them the historical context to understand the text and to inspire them to make new connections—to themselves and to the material."

"In contemporary literature, magic is often splashy, with fireworks and explosions while in medieval literature, magic is more subtle but infused with a sense of wonder," Dr. Walton says. Right, a 13th-century illustration of Merlin dictating his prophecies to his scribe, Blaise.

Ingenious assignments further enrich students' comprehension.

For example, she'll ask students to transcribe a character from children's literature, such as Peter Pan, into contemporary realist fiction to show how the character would operate in the modern world.

"This allows them to use their brains in a different way because to write a character, you really have to know them."

Or, students may try their hand at writing a sonnet, sixteenth-century style, to truly come to grips with this form of poetry.

Dr. Walton's imaginative and immersive teaching continues to win her new fans, as well as Contribution to Teaching Awards.

"It's always extremely rewarding to know that students value my teaching and the experiences that they have in my classroom," she says.

If you'd like to dive into medieval or children's literature, Dr. Walton recommends: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, the Legendborn series by Tracy Deonn, The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, and the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Bianca Zussino has received a McCall MacBain Regional Award—joining a select group of high-achieving university students from across the country.

"This honour shows me that anyone can be a leader if you do something you're passionate about," she says.

This year, Bianca ranked among the top 90 of more than 700 Canadian applicants for the McCall MacBain Regional Award. "I hope to further explore the intersection of clinical medicine, research, and patient-centred care," she says.

The award recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.

Bianca is in her fourth year of Lakehead's Honours Bachelor of Science program, where she majors in biology and neuroscience. Her goal is to become a doctor.

She's thrilled to have won the $5,000 award and will use it to help fund her graduate studies. Bianca is particularly interested in gastroenterology, which treats conditions of the stomach, intestines, and esophagus.

She was drawn to this field by a healthcare crisis she faced.

A Life Turned Upside Down

"When I was in grade 9, with no warning, I began experiencing extreme nausea and vomiting," Bianca says.

Doctors were baffled by her condition and a proper diagnosis was hampered by the lack of specialists in Thunder Bay.

"I never thought of myself as a leader as a kid," Bianca says. "I wasn't very outgoing, but the more I began volunteering in the community, the more confident I became." Left, Bianca helps prepare a meal at the Dew Drop Inn soup kitchen.

The next four years were a nightmare for Bianca. She was in and out of hospital, suffering from medical crises.

At one point, she was airlifted to a London hospital where she had a catheter inserted into a vein near her heart to get enough nutrition into her body.

Eventually, it was discovered that Bianca's stomach wasn't emptying properly. Only surgery in the United States helped alleviate her condition.

"My parents and I had to do a lot of advocacy to get treatment," she says.

Reaching a Crossroads

After Bianca recovered from her illness, she made a resolution.

She would become a neurogastroenterology specialist and researcher based in Thunder Bay, so that other northwestern Ontarians wouldn't have to suffer the way she had.

Bianca started contacting medical institutions to see if she could join their research teams.

She's now been a neurogastroenterology research intern with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital for two years.

Through her collaboration with Massachusetts General and Harvard, Bianca has written five research articles released in publications such as The American Journal of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

"Working with Harvard has been incredible," Bianca says.

"I spent the first eight weeks of my internship shadowing physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. I was able to see how clinical decisions are made and observe endoscopic procedures."

She's also been busy conducting gut motility disorder research with the team in Boston, and some of her work has been published in medical research journals.

Back home, Bianca has been fostering healthcare research in northwestern Ontario.

She belongs to the Compass North Clinic—run by the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University and Lakehead students—and recently became their LU branch research lead.

Friend to the Young and the Elderly Alike

Bianca's contributions to her community go well beyond research.

She coordinates the Thunder Bay chapter of Let's Talk Science, which inspires youngsters to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Bianca manages a team of about 50 educators and volunteers as the Thunder Bay Let's Talk Science coordinator. "We send volunteers into local schools to give presentations and do fun STEM activities." Above, Bianca speaks to local elementary students.

As a patient family advisor at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Bianca shares patient perspectives on health care and advocates for change. While at St. Joseph's Care Group, she volunteers with their Elder Life Program.

"When my great-grandmother was a patient at St. Joseph's, I saw people who didn't have many visitors, and it broke my heart," she says.

This spurred Bianca to begin visiting seniors every week to provide support.

"I've gained as much as I've given—I've had the privilege of learning about their lives and the challenges they've overcome."

Bianca's volunteer work with the Children's Aid Society, as both a math tutor and a baby cuddler, is also close to her heart.

"Most of the babies I cuddle are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They've been through a lot in their short lives, so it's wonderful to be able to comfort them."

Congratulations on your McCall MacBain Regional Award, Bianca! We're proud to have such an inspirational healthcare advocate in our community.

The McCall MacBain Scholarships are the result of a landmark $200 million gift in 2019, then the largest single donation in Canadian history, by John and Marcy McCall MacBain. More information about the McCall MacBain Scholarships can be found at mccallmacbainscholars.org.

Meet One of the Applicants to Lakehead's New Social Justice Program

As a kid, my parents would tell me, "You always stand up for the underdog," Abbygayle Welch says.

Her natural compassion has only grown stronger over the years.

Abbygayle received an entrance scholarship to Lakehead and has been on the Dean's List for four years in a row. Above, her parents watch Abbygayle sign a contract to join the Lakehead's varsity women's soccer team.

"Social justice is really important to me because it helps people who don't have a voice get the resources they need," Abbygayle explains.

This spring, she will graduate from Lakehead Orillia with an Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science in Criminology.

"Studying criminology has allowed me to better understand society and the true consequences of crime, including the toll it takes on both victims and offenders."

Saying No to Inequality

Abbygayle is already thinking about how she can continue on her path of fostering a world where everybody thrives.

She recently applied to Lakehead's Master of Social Justice Studies (MA in SocJ) program, which has just been launched on the Orillia campus.

It was first established on the Thunder Bay campus in 2016.

"The program attracts great students who care about people and the planet," says Social Justice Studies Student Advisor Dr. Kevin Brooks.

"It gives them a transformative education by teaching them to analyze disparities and take action to change them."

Abbygayle is considering going to law school after completing a master's degree so that she can improve the justice system at the policy level.

The broad interdisciplinary framework of Lakehead's Master of Social Justice Studies degree sets it apart from those offered by other universities.

It gives graduates the tools to advocate, organize, research, and lead in complex social justice spaces. And Master of Social Justice Studies alumni have gone on to make an impact in the health, education, social services, legal, technology, and environmental sectors.

It's also a very flexible degree since a significant number of the classes are available online.

This means that it works for everyone—whether it's a well-established career professional wanting to expand their competencies or a student, like Abby, who's just graduating from university.

Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere

Abbygayle's determination to help others took on a new focus in high school.

"I became passionate about social justice after my grade 11 law class teacher showed us a documentary about Archie Williams."

Williams is an American man who was falsely imprisoned for 37 years. It was only through the work of a nonprofit called the Innocence Project that he was finally freed.

"The trauma he endured really stuck with me," she says. "Archie's story changed what I wanted to do with my life."

Abbygayle's grandmother emigrated from Hungary and worked for a lawyer in Oshawa. "She would've liked to become a lawyer herself," Abby says. "I want to help her live her dream through me." Above, Abbygayle and her grandparents celebrate the Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario award she won in 2022.

Her interest in the challenges faced by the incarcerated has persisted.

For her Lakehead honours thesis, Abbygayle is assessing two Orillia justice services that provide support to individuals who are involved with the law.

It's part of a larger research project being conducted by her faculty supervisor, Interdisciplinary Studies Professor Dr. Debra Mackinnon.

"We want to pinpoint the gaps in these justice services and propose strategies to help them improve," Abbygayle says.

A Role Model to Look Up To

Abbygayle (above) was recruited to play on Lakehead's varsity soccer team. "I toured the Orillia campus and fell in love. It was such a vibrant space and I knew that I wanted to be at a university that's close to nature."

Since high school, Abbygayle has spent her summers working for Their Opportunity.

It's a sports charity that delivers and subsidizes children's sports programs, such as basketball and soccer camps, in underserved communities.

"I love being involved in sports and working with kids," she says.

She's a perfect fit for Their Opportunity—Abbygayle has played soccer since she was four years old and is a member of the Lakehead women's varsity soccer team.

Being involved with a sports charity has allowed her to actively engage in social justice.

"I will always remember the mom who came up to me to let me know what a good role model I've been to her daughter," Abbygayle says.

"Seeing what a difference it makes to kids when they have someone on their side has shown me what we can achieve when we work together."

Are you interested in fostering social justice and laying the foundation for a meaningful career with non-profits, governments, or community partners? Then click here to learn more about Lakehead Orillia's Master of Social Justice Studies degree.

Check out our February E-Blast! Find news updates, education offerings, and resources all in one place: https://conta.cc/4k5FOug