The poetry collection Holding HIV: Poems of HOPE has been named a Nonfiction: Cross-Genre Finalist in the 2026 International Book Awards. Hosted by the American Book Fest, the International Book Awards are a major literary contest that annually evaluates thousands of entries from mainstream and independent authors worldwide.

Authored by Dr. Pauline Sameshima (Professor, Faculty of Education), Emily Turner (Master of Education graduate), and Dazié Grego-Sykes (California-based poet, performer, and multidisciplinary artist), the collection brings together the voices of 27 community members in San Francisco who are living with or affected by HIV. 

Developed through the HOPE Research Collaboratory’s Community Arts Integrated Research program, the collection is rooted in participants’ narratives from an HIV cure research study that intentionally bridged scientific inquiry with creative expression.

Participants engaged in hands-on artistic processes, including sculpting clay “holders” in response to the “Block-Lock-Stop” epigenetic strategy, and reflecting on what excites them about a potential HIV cure as well as fears it raises. These discussions were then translated into poetry, capturing both deeply personal testimony and broader social realities, including concerns tied to recent reductions in U.S. federal HIV funding.

This marks the book’s additional recognition, following its 2025 finalist placement in the Literary Global Book Awards in four categories: Nonfiction – LGBTQ;  Nonfiction – Social Change;  Nonfiction – Best Cover Design; and Poetry – Nonfiction.

Endorsements of the recently published book highlight its significance. Dr. Patricia Defechereux (Community Engagement Coordinator of the HOPE Martin Delaney Collaboratory) wrote: “This is an amazing book! Dive in! Listen to the collective voice that weaves together humanity, anger, community, a sense of belonging, a deep lasting resilience, and above all, love.”

Paul Edmonds (The City of Hope Patient, cured of HIV through a stem cell transplant) wrote: “I am blown away by this powerful collection of poems—raw, honest, and unapologetic reflections from the San Francisco HIV community. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand the complexities of the HIV journey.”

Dr. Mohit Dudeja (Contract Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Thunder Bay) is a collaborator and project lead on a national research team that has been awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Engage Grant. The one-year project will examine the experiences of racialized 2S/LGBTQIA+ international students in Canada and develop strategies to strengthen institutional supports for this student population.

The project brings together researchers and national partners from across Canada, working in partnership with the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and supported by the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies at York University. The research team includes Principal Investigator Dr. Jean Michel Montsion (York University); Co-investigators Dr. Kumari Beck (Education, Simon Fraser University), Dr. Ajay Parasram (History and International Development, Dalhousie University), and Dr. Roberta Soares (Education, University of Ottawa); and Collaborators Dr. Mohit Dudeja (Education, Lakehead University); Vedanth Govi (Anthropology, York University); and Rachel Poko (International Development, Independent scholar).  

The project will draw on findings from the 2025 CBIE International Student Survey and a series of stakeholder roundtables to identify the challenges faced by racialized 2SLGBTQIA+ international students. In Fall 2026, the research team will host a series of online public panels across Canada to discuss the survey findings and to engage higher education professionals, community organizations, student leaders, and other community members in discussions to understand the experiences of racialized queer and trans international students, and how institutions can better support this group of students as they navigate postsecondary education and life in Canada.

Although Canada is widely recognized as a welcoming destination for international students, many continue to encounter barriers that affect their sense of belonging, access to services, and overall well-being. Existing support systems often focus on providing either queer/trans-friendly services or ethnocultural community supports, leaving a gap for students whose experiences intersect across multiple identities in relation to racialization, ethnicity, gender identity and sexuality.

The project will produce practical resources to inform future policy and practice, as the research team will create a training workshop and policy brief for policymakers and higher education administrators interested in learning how to best support this group and foster more equitable and inclusive learning environments.

As the project lead, Dr. Dudeja will contribute to all stages of the research project, including the design of consultations, the selection of speakers, the analysis of regional roundtable findings and the development of project outputs.  

written by Sakshi and Manisha

For Sakshi, Mohit, and Manisha, graduating from Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education is not only an academic achievement. It is the continuation of a family story shaped by struggle, courage, sacrifice, and an unshakable belief in the power of education.

The three siblings were born in the slum communities of Delhi, India, into a financially marginalized family where daily survival often came before dreaming. Their father never had the opportunity to attend school. Their mother had to drop out of elementary school because she was a girl. In a family where formal education had been denied across generations, Sakshi, Mohit, and Manisha became the first generation ever to attend university.

“We could never imagine being where we are today, let alone seeing Mohit getting his doctorate and us getting our master’s degrees in Canada,” said Sakshi and Manisha.

Today, the three siblings share a remarkable connection: all three have graduated from Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education. Sakshi, the eldest, completed her Master of Education. Mohit completed his PhD specializing in Sociocultural and Political Contexts of Education. Manisha, the youngest, completed her Master of Education through the thesis route.

Their journey to Lakehead is a story of individual achievement, but even more deeply, it is a story of collective survival.

“We are a close-knit family and the biggest support for each other,” said Sakshi. “None of us could reach the point we are at today without each other.”

Mohit's Path

For Mohit, the road to education began early and without a map.

“I started working at the age of 14 and never stopped working since,” he said. “I had no guidance related to education and schooling, but I knew that the answer to my family’s and my struggles lay in education.”

That search eventually brought him to Lakehead University in July 2022.

"I came to Canada alone in July 2022 to begin my PhD. What began as excitement soon became loneliness, culture shock, and depression, and there were moments when the dream I had carried with me felt unbearably heavy. What helped me emerge from that darkness were exceptionally supportive people in our faculty and most specifically, my PhD supervisor, Dr. Gerald Walton, who not only pushed me forward during my most difficult days, but also became a constant source of motivation, care, and encouragement. From there, I began to find my location for healing in community and activism," said Mohit.

At Lakehead, Mohit became involved with Pride Central through the Lakehead University Student Union, served as Coordinator of the Multicultural Centre, and later became President of the Lakehead University Graduate Students’ Association. His advocacy grew into a broader commitment to international students, queer and trans students, and others navigating isolation, housing challenges, mental health concerns, and the transition to life in a new country.

That activism became inseparable from his scholarship. His doctoral research, titled “Canada-Here”: A Narrative Inquiry Into Queer International Students’ Experiences in Small-City Ontario, reflects his commitment to studying belonging, migration, gender, sexuality, and higher education. His academic and community work has been recognized through numerous honours, including Lakehead University’s President’s Award, the Teaching Innovation Award, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the OCUFA Henry Mandelbaum Graduate Fellowship, and Lakehead Leader Awards for three years in a row.

He is now teaching in the Faculty of Education as a lecturer while preparing for the next stage of his academic career.

Sakshi: Building a New Life

Mohit’s Lakehead journey did not end with his own degree. In many ways, it opened a door for his sisters.

Sakshi arrived in Thunder Bay in May 2024 with her husband and daughter to pursue her Master of Education. Many international students arrive in Canada alone and face uncertainty around housing, belonging, employment, and community. Sakshi said Mohit had already created a foundation for her family.

“It is only because of my brother that I could come to Canada, study at Lakehead, and achieve so much more,” she said. “We had a home ready to welcome us right on arrival.”

Before coming to Canada, Sakshi had been working as an Administrative Manager. Upon arriving in Canada, she began learning about Indigenous histories, cultures, and lived realities, learning that she described as powerful and humbling.

While balancing graduate studies, motherhood, part-time work, and family responsibilities, she served in leadership roles, participated in committee discussions, and gained insight into university governance, collaboration, and community engagement. She is now working as an administrative assistant with a Thunder Bay-based organization and has also started her own business providing products and services to local businesses in the city.

Manisha: Following the Path

Manisha’s path to Lakehead was shaped by curiosity, hesitation, and eventually, love for the place she would come to call home.

Before arriving in Canada, she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Delhi, followed by a Master of Arts in History. While studying history, she also worked as a Business Development Manager before deciding whether to fully commit to an academic path.

“I was not sure if I wanted to move to Canada,” Manisha said. “My brother Mohit invited me in June 2024 as a visitor to experience it first, and I fell in love with Thunder Bay. I am forever grateful to my brother for carving this path for me.”

As the youngest sibling, Manisha sees her journey as one made possible by the care and sacrifices of Sakshi and Mohit.

“I am the youngest, and my siblings always cared for me in such a way that I never had to face the challenges they did,” she said.

At Lakehead, Manisha completed the Master of Education thesis program. She arrived with the intention of eventually pursuing a doctorate in education, a goal that remains central to her future. She credits Lakehead with strengthening her as a researcher and especially acknowledges her thesis supervisor, Dr. Lori Chambers, whose mentorship, patience, and feedback helped her complete her thesis successfully.

“The best thing Lakehead gave me was Dr. Chambers’ guidance,” Manisha said. “Her patience and regular feedback helped me grow as a researcher and strengthen my research.”

A Shared Achievement

Across their three journeys, Sakshi, Mohit, and Manisha represent different dimensions of education: education as survival, education as research, education as activism, education as family responsibility, and education as a pathway to dignity.

What began in Delhi, in a family where dreams were often constrained by daily survival, has now reached Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education in Thunder Bay. One sibling earned a PhD. Two earned master’s degrees. All three found, in education, a language for transformation.

For Sakshi, Mohit, and Manisha, Lakehead became more than a university. It became a place where a family’s long journey through struggle, migration, scholarship, and love could be recognized as something powerful: a shared achievement, a collective graduation, and a reminder that education can change the future of an entire family.

“What was especially an honour for us was that our mother witnessed us graduate on the same day, all together.”  

Convocation was an especially memorable occasion for the Filipetti family this month, as all four members of the family crossed the stage as graduates of Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education!

For Mike and Julie Filipetti, this milestone represented the culmination of decades-long careers in education and their continued commitment to lifelong learning. For their daughters, Maddy and Abby, it marked the beginning of their own journeys as certified teachers.

Mike Filipetti, currently the Intermediate/Senior Division Coordinator in the Faculty of Education (Thunder Bay campus) earned his Master of Education degree. A Lakehead alumnus, Mike previously graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Education (Junior/Intermediate). Throughout his career, he has served students and communities across Northern Ontario and the North, teaching in Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Eabametoong First Nation, the Algoma District School Board, Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, and Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board. He has worked in Special Education and was a school principal before joining Lakehead University.

Julie Filipetti also earned a Master of Education degree, and she is also an alumna of the Faculty, having graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Education (Junior/Intermediate). Her career has included teaching positions in Kingfisher Lake First Nation, Eabametoong First Nation, the Algoma District School Board, Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, Lakehead Public Schools, and Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board. For more than 20 years, she has served as a Special Education teacher and Special Education Lead at St. Ignatius High School. Along the way, she coached basketball and volleyball and contributed to numerous school initiatives. Julie, who is now retiring, looks forward to traveling and pursuing hobbies in the years ahead.

The celebration was made even more special by the achievements of the couple’s daughters.

Maddy Filipetti graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in French and a Bachelor of Education (Primary/Junior). Currently an Occasional Teacher with Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, Maddy also operates an independent photography business. She is excited to continue occasional teaching in the fall.

Abby Filipetti earned an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology along with a Bachelor of Education (Intermediate/Senior, Biology/Chemistry). She currently works as an Occasional Teacher with both Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board and Lakehead Public Schools. This summer, Abby is serving as Director of Superior Science, Lakehead University’s summer science camp, and is looking forward to occasional teaching in the fall.

While earning a degree is a significant accomplishment on its own, celebrating four graduations from the same family at the same convocation is a rare achievement. Congratulations to the Filipetti family!

Pictured below, left to right: Maddy, Mike, Julie, and Abby.

Dr. Ellen Field (Associate Professor in Education, Orillia) has been serving as lead consultant on the development of Canada’s National Framework for Environmental Learning (NFEL), a federal initiative supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Framework is intended to help strengthen environmental, biodiversity, and climate change learning across Canadian education systems.

“The National Framework for Environmental Learning responds to a growing recognition that young people are inheriting a world shaped by climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and rapid environmental change,” said Ellen. 

“While environmental and climate change education is expanding across Canada, opportunities remain uneven between provinces, territories, school systems, and communities. The Framework is intended to support a more coordinated and future-oriented approach to environmental learning nationwide.” 

Ellen’s work on the project occurred in two phases. Phase 1 involved conducting a landscape review examining environmental education policies related to climate, biodiversity, and pollution and initiatives across sub-national, national, and international jurisdictions. The review explored how environmental learning is being integrated into education systems globally and identified promising practices, policy gaps, and emerging trends.

Phase 2 focused on the collaborative development of learning principles, learning outcomes, and indicators for environmental learning in Canada. At a national forum in March in Toronto, this work was presented to educators, researchers, youth, Indigenous leaders, non-profit organizations, government representatives, and community partners from across the country. From this consultation, participants’ input is being integrated into the Framework, which emphasizes holistic, place-based, justice-oriented, and action-focused approaches to learning that support not only environmental knowledge, but also critical thinking, resilience, civic engagement, and learner agency.

Building National Collaboration and Future Action 

As part of this work, Ellen brought internationally recognized education and climate policy expert Dr. Christina Kwauk, co-founder and chief researcher at Unbounded Associates, on to the project to support the development of the indicator framework. The indicators are intended to help education systems and organizations monitor progress toward strengthening environmental learning across areas such as educator capacity, learning spaces, green skills, governance and community engagement.

One of the most significant outcomes of the project has been the emergence of a growing national coalition committed to advancing environmental learning in Canada. The ongoing development and mobilization of the National Framework is now being coordinated through the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication (EECOM) in collaboration with a coalition of non-government organizations and partners across the country.

Ellen will continue this work this July when she presents on the National Framework for Environmental Learning at the Canadian School Boards Association Congress in Whistler, BC, along with Executive Director Colin Harris from Take Me Outside. The presentation will focus on the Framework’s learning principles, outcomes, and indicators, as well as opportunities for school boards to support environmental and climate learning within Canadian education systems.

Below: The Advisory Committee for the National Framework for Environmental Learning, including Ellen Field and Will Burton (Education PhD candidate).

The May 2026 issue of Education Exchange, the Faculty of Education’s newsletter, is now available. This issue features a Message from the Dean Wayne Melville; Dr. Sonia Mastrangelo’s lecture from the President’s Public Lecture Series, “Self-Regulation and its Role in our Mental Health and Well-Being," faculty news and awards, student and alumni spotlights, a recap of the World Indigenous Peoples' Conference on Education, and more.

Dr. Meridith Lovell-Johnston (Associate Professor and Chair of Graduate Studies, Orillia) has received the 2026 Orillia Matters Community Builders Education Award, in recognition of her longstanding commitment to student success and her leadership in building pathways in education.

The annual award honours an individual who has significantly contributed to the advancement of education in the Orillia community.

Since joining Lakehead University in 2015, Meridith has consistently worked to empower students, helping them feel capable, confident, and equipped to succeed in their communities.  With a research focus on literacy and language arts, she is dedicated to removing barriers and supporting learners at every stage of their academic journey.

“I have taught in classes where I had Grade 12 students who couldn’t read, and I was told that there was nothing we could do about that,” she said. “So, I make sure that I let my students know that, as teachers, there is definitely something we can do about that.”

Her approach to education emphasizes real-world learning, including partnerships with local school boards that place teacher candidates in classrooms. In one initiative, students conducted reading, writing, and math assessments with children in Grades 2–6, gaining hands-on experience while supporting schools.

Meridith has also played a key role in expanding access to Lakehead’s Master’s and PhD programs, opening doors for many first-generation post-secondary students.

Colleagues, in their nomination letters, describe her as a dedicated mentor and leader whose influence extends far beyond the classroom and into the community.

Meridith says she is honoured to receive the recognition and values the opportunity to make a difference in students’ lives.

Below: Dr. Meridith Lovell-Johnston receives award from Orillia councillor Ralph Cipolla.

Congratulations to BEd teacher candidate Jessica Nelson, recipient of the Ontario Modern Language Teachers’ Association (OMLTA) Helen G. Mitchell Award.

Presented annually, this award recognizes one graduating student from each Faculty of Education in Ontario who best demonstrates the qualities of an outstanding French as a Second Language teacher.

Jessica was nominated by James Steele, Contract Lecturer in the Faculty of Education (pictured with Jessica, left), in recognition of her exceptional performance in the BEd program, including her work in Curriculum & Instruction: French as a Second Language (I/S), Part 1. She was also recognized for her ability to apply effective second-language teaching methodologies that support student success during her practicum placements.

For Jessica, the award represents both a personal milestone and the beginning of her professional journey.

“Winning the Helen G. Mitchell Award is an incredible honour. As a graduate of the French Immersion program, my passion for the French language has been a part of my life since the beginning of my education and has continued to grow throughout my studies. This recognition is especially meaningful to me as I begin my journey into the teaching profession. I look forward to bringing and sharing that passion in my future classroom, helping my students develop a genuine appreciation for the language and culture. This is a responsibility I am proud to carry forward,” she says.

Jessica attended the OMLTA award ceremony in Toronto in March and will graduate in June.

Congratulations, Jessica!

As part of Lakehead University’s Research and Innovation Week in February, Anishinaabe scholar, Contract Lecturer, and MEd graduate Vicki Monague delivered an impactful presentation on Anishinaabe star knowledge and her work on the Anishinaabe Celestial Sphere project.

Vicki explains that for Anishinaabe peoples, the stars and constellations carry an entire system of knowledge. They connect people to ancestors and the spirit world while also serving as a calendar, navigation system, and guide for seasonal activities, ceremonies, and storytelling.

“As Anishinaabe people, we love the stars,” she said. “But the night sky isn’t just about constellations. It’s a living system of knowledge that guides all of our relationships with the natural world.”

The Anishinaabe Celestial Sphere Project

Developed at McMaster University, the Anishinaabe Celestial Sphere program began with a meta-analysis examining the written record of Anishinaabe star knowledge. From that research emerged an Ojibwe star knowledge show presented in a portable planetarium, where students can explore the night sky while learning about Indigenous star knowledge.

The program brings together Anishinaabe gikendaasowin (knowledge) and Western astronomy through a “two-eyed seeing” approach, while aligning with Ontario’s Grades 4–12 science and technology curriculum expectations.

Part of Vicki’s work involves updating the Stellarium software to include Anishinaabe planetary names and constellations. These include clan constellations such as Makwa (the bear, which includes stars from the Big Dipper) and Maang (the Loon, which includes the North Star).

Anishinaabe Natural Law Written in the Stars

“Anishinaabe people are sky beings,” Vicki explains. “Our creation story tells us that we came from the sky.”

Bagone-giizhig, the seven-star cluster known in Western astronomy as the Pleiades and sometimes described as the “hole in the sky,” represents an opening between the Earth and star world, reminding Anishinaabe people of their celestial origins.

Indigenous star knowledge also carries practical teachings that connect to Anishinaabe natural law, guiding people to live in respectful relationship with the land, water, animals, and one another, as well as informing ceremonial practices. For example, the constellation often called the “sweat lodge” in Anishinaabe star knowledge (known in Western astronomy as Corona Borealis) forms a circular pattern that reflects the structure of a sweat lodge. Its seven stars, visible at certain times of the year, are associated with the Seven Grandfather Teachings and serve as a reminder of the responsibilities and protocols involved in holding a sweat lodge ceremony.

There is a deep history and continuity to these teachings, Vicki explains: “People have been here for thousands of years, and our star teachings are older and longer than any established religion or mythology upon the earth.”

By weaving together language revitalization, cultural knowledge, and scientific learning, the Anishinaabe Celestial Sphere program highlights the stars as guides for understanding balance, responsibility, and our relationships with the world around us.

Pictured below: Vicki Monague and the portable planetarium.