Alumni Spotlight

Dinosaur Days

Thursday, September 10, 2020 /

As the Coronavirus emptied out the streets in the Finnish city of Espoo, sidewalk life became less vibrant. But that changed in one neighbourhood in the city of nearly 300,000 when a red, six-foot-tall T-Rex dinosaur arrived on the scene.

Lakehead graduate managing Hamilton’s COVID-19 hotline

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 /

Michael Bush (HBCom’08, MSMgt’09) is currently managing the Public Health COVID-19 hotline for the City of Hamilton. Prior to COVID-19 arriving in Canada, Michael was in charge of inventory management, storage and handling practices, and data management for the City of Hamilton vaccine program.

School Days: What happens when your homeroom is in your living room?

Tuesday, May 5, 2020 /

Gino Russo (BSc’00/BEd’01) faced a huge challenge when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Northwestern Ontario. The information technology consultant teacher had to shift the entire Lakehead Public Schools system to remote learning at the drop of a hat.

Channelling Yoga’s Healing Power

Tuesday, April 21, 2020 / Thunder Bay, Orillia

Doing downward dogs and warrior poses in sweltering 38-degree heat might sound alarming – but alumna Debbie Zweep (BAdmin'94) wants to assure anyone who is curious not to worry. She is the co-owner of Modo Yoga Thunder Bay, located in Lakehead University’s C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse.

Gia Spiropoulos Rules The Court

Monday, March 2, 2020 /

Gia Spiropoulos is a natural born leader and a serious threat on the basketball court. “My dad got me hooked on the sport,” explains the Lakehead Orillia graduate student from Belleville, Ontario. “When I was a kid, we used to play together.”

Mind Over Mountains

Monday, February 3, 2020 /

Every morning following a sunrise run, Jill Wheatley (BEd.'99) cycled to work along picturesque farm roads – expertly dodging cattle, sheep, tractors, and impatient commuters – on her way to work at an international high school in Bavaria. She was a health and sport science teacher with an adventurous streak. Since leaving Canada in 2001, she had been to more than 60 countries and had extended work stints in Singapore, Russia, Switzerland, and Germany.

Man in Motion

Monday, January 6, 2020 /

Christopher Britt doesn’t consider himself a daredevil, but he jumps at the chance to go heli-skiing on in the mountains bordering Canada and Alaska and surfing in Bali. “My brain is always on, so skiing and surfing – or putting on my goalie gear – are meditative and peaceful for me,” he says. “Risk leads to increased focus.”

Giving Kids Someone to Lean On

Monday, November 4, 2019 /

Being a kid isn't easy, and when everyday struggles are combined with challenging situations, a child's self-esteem can plummet. Matthew Chater, (BA’08, Psychology/BEd’08) the President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, believes that having a mentor can help turn things around for young people.

An Ironman with a Giant Heart

Monday, October 7, 2019 /

One winter, former Thunder Bay deejay Brent Hawley (BA’01) packed up his belongings, sold off most of his real estate holdings, and moved to Hawaii. After two decades in Northwestern Ontario, Brent had landed a job as a media management consultant for the largest group of radio stations in the Hawaiian Islands – the Pacific Media Group (PMG) in Kailua-Kona.