Honours Bachelor of Arts & Science in Criminology
Orillia, ON

I chose Lakehead for several different reasons. The wide variety of scholarship and bursary opportunities that Lakehead offers makes it well worth the price of admission. Though Lakehead is a smaller university, I’ve found that the student council (LUSU) has done an awesome job in bringing large-scale university events to our smaller-scale student body. Most classes fall between 40-120 students, which has allowed me to engage in classroom discussion quite easily and at other times, seclude myself. The smaller class size offered here at Lakehead has made it really easy to connect with professors and other students. This feature has enabled me to do very well throughout my first 3 years. 

In the criminology program specifically, Dr. Curtis Fogel makes himself readily available at all times to students with any questions regarding academics and future employment. His efforts, along with many other professors at Lakehead bring a much-needed level of comfort to the education.

Additionally, Lakehead is one of the few new universities in Ontario. This offers nothing but benefits as all the technology used and facilities are brand new. Furthermore the classes are interesting and applicable for future endeavors since the new programs offer relevant and revised material. This combined with a growing and diverse student base has made my stay at Lakehead more than enjoyable.

If you want an education that is manageable yet challenging, allows you to interact with and seek advice from your professors, as well as get involved socially and athletically, Lakehead is the university for you! It’s been the perfect university to prepare me for my future. 

Mathematics  Thunder Bay, Ontario

 Being a student at Lakehead has provided me with countless opportunities. The Department of Mathematical Sciences has a world-class faculty that deliver quality education while truly caring about their students. Perseverance and hard work are required for the courses but it all pays off greatly; the critical thinking skills I gained from being a math student are incredibly valuable and have made me a better thinker.

I love tutoring the math I've learned at the LUMAC - good for refreshing concepts and meeting people! Being a LEADer at Orientation each year has also been a rewarding role as I engaged new students and shared my love for this school. Outside of classes you can find me weightlifting at the Fieldhouse, playing guitar and hanging out with friends.

Lakehead has offered me so much and has definitely set me in a positive direction for my future! I'm now studying Medicine at the University of Ottawa.

"As a Cree woman from Long Lake #58 First Nation, it is important to share with you that the Native Access Program was a critical stepping stone to my academic successes. These successes include an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Education degree, and a Master of Arts degree. Lakehead University provided me with an excellent academic foundation, one I continue to be grateful for, as I continue my academic journey as a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa.

If you are considering a bright future for yourself and your family, I absolutely recommend both the Native Access Program and Lakehead University. Meegwetch!”

Master of Education, Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Science (General)
Thunder Bay, ON

I chose Lakehead University because it is geographically situated in one of the most beautiful landscapes in Canada and offers a variety of programs that connect Northern Ontario to the rest of the world.

Lakehead gave me the necessary skills and opportunities to grow in my career as an educator for the past 15 years.  Teaching is a vocation for me and as a life long-learner, I came back to Lakehead to complete my Masters under the direction of Dr. Connie Russell with a focus on Environmental Education.  My current work involves finding ways to get adolescents to connect with nature and spend ‘time in place’.  I believe this is important in developing children into adults that may advocate for the environment. 

During my Masters, I was really inspired by the variety of professors and what each of them had to offer. The unique program offered me intellectually stimulating experiences in the classroom as well as opportunities to create and test outdoor education modules, which I continue to use in my role as a teacher. 

HBSc Anthropology/Biology
Winnipeg, MB

I chose to transfer to Lakehead after my first year for the small, cozy community and the dedicated profs. The profs know me by name and they're all extremely supportive. They go out of their way to help you become involved in their research regardless of what year you are or how much experience you've had. They really do make the program. My advice to future students: Don't feel that you're limited to the program you've chosen-if you'd like to give music or anthropology or computer science a try, go for it. University is a time for you to really get to know yourself, discover your passions, and follow in dreams you never knew you had.

Outside class, I work as a field and lab tech for a local archaeological dig, as the news editor for the Argus, and as a writer for the SPARK Newsletter and the Chronicle Journal. I've also served as the President of the Lakehead Volunteer Association and the Vice President of the Anthropology Association. Last summer, I had the opportunity to study in Ireland after taking the ancient DNA internship offered at the Paleo-Lab. Finally, I love soccer and play in the rec league. I also like The Study, it is a nice cozy cafe with an awesome staff. You can study, play pool, or catch a show in the evening. Great lattes :)

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science -Thunder Bay, ON - Conrad was recognized as a 2014 Global Change maker by the Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC). Syed Serajul Islam, a Lakhead Political Science professor who Koczorowski names as a formative influence, recalls his student as being a standout from the beginning.

Conrad Koczorowski is a long time Thunder Bay resident and Lakehead University Graduate (BA, 2008). He participated in a six-month internship helping to improve the health of mothers and children in Uganda. By the time he left for Africa in June 2013, he’d already logged hundreds of hours volunteering in the pediatric department at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and built a reputation not only for his sharp intellect but for his commitment to putting those smarts to work in practical settings. After his internship, the 29-year-old’s reputation grew even further—upon his return he was known as a 2014 Global Change maker by the Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC). For those around him, the trajectory is not too much of a stretch. Syed Serajul Islam, a professor who Koczorowski names as a formative influence, recalls his student as being a standout from the beginning. “He’s just brilliant, one of the top students I have taught in my entire career at Lakehead,” says Islam, who is chair of Lakehead’s political science department and now based in Orillia.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Koczorowski’s mom Evi is also impressed. “Of course I am very proud of what he has accomplished, and glad that he is doing what he wants to do,” she says. She also notes that his engagement has deep roots. “He’s always liked to help others. Ever since he was a very little boy he was very social, he liked to talk with other people,” she recalls. A friend from Koczorowski’s undergraduate days, Jean Paul de Roover, echoes that impression. “He’s incredibly likeable, friendly, and outgoing,” says de Roover. He echoes Evi’s pride. “I’m incredibly proud of him, the fact he’s doing something so important overseas. It’s very selfless—that’s how Conrad operates.”

When asked to describe his own journey, Koczorowski reveals a reflective side. “It’s hard to draw a straight line from grade school to Uganda,” he muses. He identifies his rural upbringing as the origin for his awareness of community health and accessibility issues, credits his mother’s volunteer work as inspiration for his own efforts, and recalls the significance of a job at Thunder Bay’s Fort William Historical Park. “In addition to increasing my confidence, that position gave me a taste of coordination roles, and problem-solving skills I still rely on,” says Koczorowski.

Koczorowski soon realized that his passion lay in working at the ground level. “I was one year into my doctoral program at the University of Toronto, and I came to the realization that I wanted to stop living in the literature, and start to practically applying what I had learned over the years. I wanted to feel that hands-on feeling that I had when I was working at Fort William or at the hospital. 

It was at that point that he heard about the International Youth Internship program. This is an opportunity funded by the former Canadian International Development Agency (now Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada), which allows young professionals and recent graduates to take on support roles in development organizations. Koczorowski applied and was accepted. After that, things moved quickly: just four weeks later, he found himself in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, starting his six months as a monitoring and evaluation officer.

Koczorowski mentions his mentor, “Morrish placed a lot of trust in me and let me take lead in a lot of the projects, which was a great experience because while he was available for questions I was able to take a leadership role,”.

 While his academic and volunteer experience meant he had a good professional skill set, Koczorowski was a little more outside his comfort zone culturally since he’d never been much further than Europe internationally. In describing the differences and similarities between Africa and Canada, Koczorowski is quick to focus on the latter, noting that he found a lot of common ground in talking about music and sports, particularly soccer.  He says that Kampala often felt much like a big North American city, albeit one with the sort of bustle that gave the impression of a constant street festival.

Another commonality was the fact that English is the country’s second language, although there was a bit of a learning curve when it came to slight differences in meanings. “There’s a slang lexicon,” explains Koczorowski. “For example, if someone asks you how you are, you don’t say ‘good’ or ‘well,’ you say ‘fine’. There are pre-determined greetings.” He also says the sense of humour can be very rhetorical, with many of the locals using the word ‘what’ at the end of their sentences to engage the conversation. “So someone could say ‘The streets are very packed today because of what?’ And I would wait because I thought it was rhetorical, but you’re supposed to respond, to say ‘because of the festival.’ Even in large meetings, the head of the organization would say ‘what?’ and the whole organization would shout out the answer.” While the style took some getting used to for a polite Canadian, before long Koczorowski says he was using it in his own presentations. 

Koczorowski describes the “culture shock” he felt as happening in two phases: first the logistics or practicalities like the slang or the bustle of the big city with its constant stream of motorcycle taxis (called Boda-bodas) whizzing by. “Then there’s a secondary culture shock after three months as you start to become closer with people,” says Koczorowski. “You notice differences in your interpretations because you grew up in different places, with differences in schooling and media.” Koczorowski says one difference he appreciated was the directness of the conversations he would have in Uganda. He said the style also allowed him to feel comfortable asking lots of questions himself. 

Amref Health Africa Executive Director, Anne-Marie Kamanye says she not only observed in Koczorowski many of the skills useful to development workers, but also many of the changes. “People who have tended to work for international organizations overseas come back with a different perspective,” she observes. “They come back with practical experience, an open mind, more cultural sensitivity.” She says she was also impressed with Koczorowski’s ability to adapt from the start, particularly coming from Thunder Bay, a relatively smaller centre when compared with Kampala’s population of 1.2 million. “It’s important not to let fear of the unknown stop you from experiencing what could end up being a wonderful, life-changing experience. That’s one thing Conrad taught me,” she recalls of meeting him at first and then again well into his internship. “It’s easy, being from small town Canada, to just say ‘no, I’m sorry, I’d rather stay home,’ but he was open. He said, ‘let me go and try it.’ When I went back four months later, I said, ‘Conrad, you look like you’ve been here for years.’”

Beyond making good friends with whom he’s still in touch via email and Facebook, Koczorowski’s experience in Uganda also sensitized him to how little Canadians know about the country and continent.  “Western news sources often focus on the negative. When they talk about health the focus is more on shortcomings and there’s no emphasis on innovation. But if you’re travelling in east Africa, tourism is booming.  It’s a very beautiful country, very friendly, and contrary to general myth, it’s quite safe to travel there.”

 His experience has affirmed his interest in a career in health care. In the near future, that means taking off again for an eight-month fellowship in Tanzania with the Aga Khan Foundation beginning in July 2014, where he will be work on a project to address health and gender issues in rural primary schools. Later on, he could also see himself continuing to work on rural health access either abroad or in Canada, or even applying to medical school.

He’s also inspired by his recent recognition as OCIC Global Changemaker to keep encouraging other young people to follow their own passions. “It’s such a heavy title but it’s an opportunity to be a role model for young Canadians, to show how you can take something local and put it to use internationally.

Honours Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and History) - Thunder Bay - As my hometown university, I knew Lakehead was a great school even before I attended, and my four years at Lakehead reinforced my opinion. My professors knew me by name, and were always willing to meet with me to talk about assignments, concepts we had learned in class, or my plans for the future.

The time I spent at Lakehead prepared me to work in both of my academic fields during my undergraduate studies, become engaged in historical research for Gillies Township and working with the Ontario Justice Education Network on justice education projects in Thunder Bay. Lakehead also prepared me to pursue a career in law once my undergraduate was completed, and thanks to the excellent preparation I received at Lakehead I was accepted to a number of law schools, and was able to have a say in what region of the country in which I would pursue my legal education. 

I also had the opportunity to enjoy participating in sports at my time at Lakehead as a member of the men’s club soccer team. Not only did it offer me an opportunity to represent my university and get some much needed recreation during my studies, but it was also a great way to meet people from outside of Thunder Bay on the team that had chosen to attend Lakehead.  

Political Science - Toronto, Ontario - “Studying an area that I enjoy has influenced me to be more focused and critical in my education. I have enjoyed the challenges Lakehead has thrown at me, and will be forever changed positively from my experiences at Lakehead University."

"I knew Lakehead was for me after some research into Thunder Bay. Lakehead was the only University that interested me in both politics and the North and issues that affect those living in the vast region of Northern Ontario.

This past summer I had the valuable experience to work as a policy analyst for the Environment Monitoring and Reporting Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Environment. I was not only able to increase my network but was able to discuss topics that intrigued me because of my background in political science, law, sociology and women’s studies. The skills I have practiced in the workplace are directly related to my classes.

Today, I am much different from when I first entered university; professors or the demanding workload does not intimidate me. Studying an area that I enjoy has influenced me to be more focused and critical in my education. I have enjoyed the challenges Lakehead has thrown at me, and will be forever changed positively from my experiences at Lakehead University."

HBA Political Science Graduate - Dunnville, Ontario - "The Political Science program at Lakehead offered everything from Canadian Public Policy, to modern political thought. But the real advantage - the one-on-one nature of the department. If you want that one-on-one difference, as well as the vast variety of classes, and finally getting an experience, Poli Sci is for you.”

Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science - Orillia, ON - “Lakehead is a place for you to seize the opportunity for personal growth by building relationships within the community, among your peers and with your professors. If you just want a degree, go anywhere. If you want to work to invest in yourself and your future, come to Lakehead.” 

Lakehead offered the opportunity to study at a university institution close to both my family and workplace. The depth of study offered by the university was a pleasant surprise that keeps me invested in both the institution and my own academic success.

The opportunity for personal relationships with the professors at Lakehead has opened doors that would otherwise have remained entirely closed to me. The willingness of the staff to work with the student body to grow the community through supporting student initiatives makes Lakehead Orillia an institution, which offers opportunities for students to actualize their ideas.

Lakehead is a University for people who are serious about their academic success. You could get your education handed to you at any University, but Lakehead is a place for you to seize the opportunity for personal growth by building relationships within the community, among your peers and with your professors. If you just want a degree, go anywhere. If you want to work to invest in yourself and your future, come to Lakehead.