PhD Student Mohit Dudeja Receives Lakehead Leader Recognition Program Awards

The Lakehead Leader Recognition Program was established to acknowledge exceptional students who have made valuable contributions within the university and beyond. Mohit Dudeja (PhD student and Contract Lecturer) has received an award for their demonstrated leadership in the Program categories of Academic Excellence, Innovation, and Community Engagement. As a result of receiving recognition as a Lakehead Leader in these three categories, Mohit was also named a ‘Lakehead Luminary’ for their work.

Mohit was nominated by their doctoral supervisor, Dr. Gerald Walton (Professor, Faculty of Education) and selected by a review committee. Their nomination letter outlined details of how Mohit met the criteria for the Program awards, and included the following paragraph:

“Since beginning the doctoral program in 2021, [Mohit has] consistently demonstrated academic excellence, completing their PhD coursework a term earlier than their peers with an outstanding score, demonstrating a strong work ethic and time management. They received prestigious, competitive awards in 2023 such as the doctoral fellowship of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Their research on the experiences of queer international students in small Canadian cities is both important and timely, addressing current issues in social justice education. They actively engage in community service and leadership, fostering inclusivity through initiatives such as peer support groups at Lakehead and founding the Mendlife Foundation in India, among others. Their innovative thinking is evident in such initiatives as the Queer Graduate Studies Circle and their creative response to the housing crisis in Thunder Bay.”

Below: Mohit (left), pictured with Dr. Rhonda Koster (Deputy Provost and Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning).