THUNDER BAY CAMPUS — CEREMONY #1

Friday Afternoon (May 30, 2014)

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Today, we are celebrating Lakehead University’s 50th convocation.

Turning 50 is a momentous occasion – a time to reflect on who we are and what we have accomplished.

Over the last half century, our students have infused this school with a youthful spirit.

And as we reach this new milestone, Lakehead is being energized by a multiplicity of ideas and cultures.

Our students converge on Thunder Bay from Northwestern Ontario, the GTA, the east coast, the west coast, and all points in between.

They come from every conceivable background, each carrying their unique aspirations.

Over 1,200 come from the original peoples of this land.

Many of them are the children or grandchildren of immigrants who sought a better life. And, increasingly, those who choose Lakehead arrive from other countries.

I count myself among them.

I was born in Canada but raised in Mexico, the home of my mother’s family. Spanish was my first language 

When I returned to Canada at the age of 16, it was a huge culture shock.

I lived the immigrant experience of most new Canadians:  I missed the comforting landmarks of my childhood, the familiar food, and the easy laughter of my relatives.

What got me through this?

The support of my family and the creation of a second family – one woven together of fellow students, friends, educators, and mentors.

I began to realize that having an international perspective was an incredible asset; one that enriched me and gave me the skills to adapt to changing situations.

This is why Lakehead has embarked upon a strategy to reach out to the world.

We recognize that global collaboration is essential to Canada’s well-being and to the future of our children. After all,  40% of our Gross Domestic Product depends upon exports.

Students appreciate our small class sizes, one-on-one interaction with professors, and emphasis on independent thinking because they understand that this will lay the foundation for a promising career.

In fact, Lakehead was declared the number one university in Ontario for research intensity, and number two in Canada, for universities of our size in the annual ranking of Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities.

Lakehead University’s research reputation is one of the reasons why the number of international students has skyrocketed from 100 students when I arrived, to almost 500 students from 46 nations. And within three years, international students will make up 10% of our student population, or 1,000 students.

Our English Language Program is helping international students transition to university studies in a safe environment where outdoor adventure and cosmopolitan culture exist side by side.

And earlier this year, Lakehead signed a historic agreement with three Mexican Indigenous universities that will enable students and faculty to flow back and forth between Canada and Mexico and engage in exceptional academic programming and research.

We have dramatically expanded our number of exchange programs. Lakehead students now have the chance to study in Italy, Korea, Singapore, Australia, Finland, Sweden, and many other countries. We did this because we want all Lakehead students to be citizens of the world, to allow our common humanity to connect us.

Two graduating Nursing students, Savannah Kranjc and Trevor Campbell, have taken this philosophy to heart. 

They both travelled to New Zealand’s Auckland City Hospital this winter – Trevor to do an emergency department placement, and Savannah to do a cardiothoracic unit placement.

When we asked Savannah about her experience, she spoke of how caring for patients from different cultures and ethnicities helped her view nursing from a different perspective – that she learned the value of asking questions and collaborating.

Savannah and Trevor’s willingness to take a risk and embrace the unconventional is characteristic of Lakehead students, whether they are from Brazil or Brampton, Sioux Lookout or Saudi Arabia. They, and the many other Nursing students who have done international placements, have been strengthened by their overseas training.

Lakehead faculty members, like Health Sciences professor Helle Moller, have also adopted this outward-looking attitude.

Helle, who is Danish, has worked as a nurse and an anthropologist in Denmark and Nunavut, and she’s a Lakehead researcher with diverse interests. Two of her recent team projects include seeking new ways to prevent cervical cancer among Northwestern Ontario First Nations women through better screening techniques,

And the publication of a book celebrating the joys and challenges of nurses in Greenland.

Of course, when we think of health research, we also think of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, a school that has been synonymous with innovation since its birth almost 10 years ago.

NOSM graduates are changing how medicine is practised in our country. They are passionate about the health of people in the north and in all communities facing health care shortages.

And the world is paying attention.

In January, NOSM hosted a conference that drew policy-makers, educators, and health professionals from northern European countries including Iceland, Norway, Scotland, and Ireland. They came to study Canada’s strategies to recruit health professionals to rural and remote areas.

The conference is just one of the Northern Ontario school of Medicine’s latest achievements.

Less than a year ago, NOSM was also honoured with a prestigious ASPIRE award for international excellence in medical education.

Two of the people responsible for these successes are with us, today: NOSM’s former Consulting Dean, Dr. Arnie Aberman, who we are delighted to present with an honorary Doctor of Science, and NOSM Founding Dean, Dr. Roger Strasser.

Roger and Arnie worked closely together to help create a school that emphasized social accountability and that broke the rules about how students should learn. 

I’ll leave the final words of this speech to nursing student Savannah Kranjc, because I think she expressed not only the best way to acquire an exceptional education, but also how to approach life, when she said, “Step out of your comfort zone. Share ideas as well as listen to others’ ideas. You may be surprised at what you can learn. And don’t be afraid to get a little messy – it will help you grow and build character.”

I wish each of the graduands in this auditorium the courage to live fearlessly and with integrity, even when life gets a little messy.

Congratulations to you all!