Bachelor of Education (Consecutive)
Mississauga, ON

I chose Lakehead University and its Bachelor of Education program for its small class sizes and its reputation for having current and extremely qualified faculty members.  I can say from first hand experience that the faculty at Lakehead transformed my understanding of what it means to learn in an academic environment. The level of student directed learning and free choice was evident in my Educational Psychology class.  All students were free to follow the inquiry model and learn about the education profession in their own way, with gentle guidance from qualified and supportive faculty members.  After completing my second practicum through Lakehead, I feel qualified, prepared, and confident to go out into the workforce and treat my future students with the compassion and kindness that I received from the faculty at Lakehead.  I am proud to say that I am a 2015 Lakehead graduate, and I can’t wait to put my newly acquired skills to the test! 

Medicine (NOSM)
North Bay, ON

"I chose the MD program at Lakehead University because the focus on clinical learning makes NOSM stand out from other medical schools. NOSM's unique social accountability mandate allows students the special opportunity to learn in rural and remote regions of Northern Ontario, and work alongside very talented and resourceful physicians and health care professionals. Having a small class means that the student community is very close-knit, and I've gotten to know all my classmates and professors. Thunder Bay is surrounded by wilderness, and outside of the classroom, I enjoy running, biking, kayaking, and snowboarding!"

Biology
Thunder Bay

"I am currently entering my third year of the Biology Program. This is a great program for students who love science and the living world. Taking the math and chemistry courses have helped me understand fundamental principles that are used in Biology. It has shown me just how much the science majors are interconnected. Most Biology courses have a Laboratory component, which is a great hands-on learning experience.

Lakehead’s Association of Biology Students, or LABS, is a group for anyone who is enrolled in a Science program or who is interested in Biology! This group has various events going on throughout the year that students can attend.

Upon graduation, there are numerous things I can do. I have the opportunity to pursue my Master’s Degree at Lakehead or another university as well as become a research assistant. By having a general Biology degree, my career options are endless. I feel confident that I will find a career after completion of my Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Biology."

HBASc/BEd - Orillia Campus

Smaller class sizes means more professor attention and a closer-knit community. When you know your professors and they know you it makes your time here at university much less stressful.

Program: HBMus
Hometown: Dorion, ON

I chose Lakehead because it is a relatively small school that provides wonderful instructors, about whom I heard a lot of great things prior to my graduation from high school. In studying music, I spent a lot of time with my piano instructor, Dr. Evgueni Tchougounov. His passion and experience have really inspired me, and I am so thankful for his willingness to share his expertise. In the short time that I have been studying here, I have been given vast amounts of experience and knowledge in fields such as music history, theory, musicianship, and more. The class sizes are relatively small at Lakehead, which allowed me to get to know my classmates and professors in a very personal way. I was also given the special opportunity to enter into an international music competition. My performance was judged far better than I expected, and the result was that I got to go to New York City and perform in front of an audience in Carnegie Hall. It was an incredible experience, and one that really helped give me a taste for the future that I am pursuing. I am so glad that I chose Lakehead. I can’t imagine being anywhere else!

Recently, I was given the opportunity to student in Cremona, Italy. While there, I participated in the Cremona International Music Academy, an organization that allowed me to study with piano professors from some of the world’s best music schools, as well as collaborate with talented students from around the world. Following the festival, I won third prize in the Cremona International Piano Competition, which featured many exceptional performers from Hong Kong, Canada, Netherlands, the United States and Russia (to name a few).

Science Without Borders, Math
São Carlos, Brazil

I chose Canada because I had wanted to learn English, and Canada always seemed to be an excellent country to live in. I chose Lakehead University because I had looked for an excellent department of Mathematics with a focus on pure Mathematics, and Lakehead seemed a great one to choose.

Since I arrived in Canada, I have made many excellent memories. However, my favorite memory is my last graduation ceremony, when my great teacher Mitch gave me the certificate of level 5, and she said that I was the student who had most improved English skills at level 5. That memory is the most important I have, because I struggled in the last semester. Not only was it the most difficult level in the ELP Program, but also I had been in level 2 the year before. I have both studied and worked so hardtop succeed. Receiving this, made me happy to know that all my work was recognized, and I will keep this with me forever. 

Although I have completed the highest level in the ELP Program, I know I still have so much to learn about English. However, since coming to Canada, and starting to learn another Language, “A new world has been opened to me”. Because of this, I can discover other cultures, meet people, and make many precious friends. In addition, nowadays, having knowledge about other languages, mainly English is something very necessary, for instance to get a great job. I plan to keep studying Mathematics once in Brazil, and English is required to do this. Finally, I want to come back to Canada to get a Masters here, so my English will again be required.

 I have loved Mathematics my whole life, but a little while ago I was in a bad moment of my life, and I did not want to study or do anything else. Then, one of my best friends invited me to return to student’s life, and to study with him to try going to University. I thought that that would be a chance to change my life, to prepare myself and to be able get a great job.

The main way that Lakehead is helping me is teaching me English. When I came to Canada, I almost did not know anything about English; so I can say that everything I know I have learned during my time here.

As a poor student, I had faced a huge amount of problems. The majority was about money, such as working as bricklayer assistant during the day, studying at night, staying at the university during all the day because I did not have money to pay for a bus to go home. At night, there was a free bus. Some days I stayed at the university from the morning until night without eating anything because the University was on strike, and at home, we did not have enough food that I could bring to University.

The most surprising thing I have learned during my time here was how huge the cultural differences among people can be, and it has been interesting to live together with people from other countries.

I plan to keep studying, learning, and improving as not only a Mathematician, but also a person. I intend to keep learning always about Mathematics, and I want become a Professor helping people to see how beautiful Mathematics is. 

Coming to Canada was one of the best things I could have ever imagined. It changed my life. I have met amazing people during my time here, some of those people I will remember for the rest of my life. To conclude I would like to say thank for everybody who has helped me during all this time here in Canada.

Civil Engineering
Nairobi, Kenya

"I was born in Nairobi, Kenya and spent most of my childhood there. My immediate family and I came to Canada when I was almost 11 years of age. After attaining my OSSD diploma with the appropriate OAC level credits, I went to George Brown College graduating 3 years later as an Engineering Technologist. I came to Lakehead because of the Engineering transition program, but I stayed because of the close interaction with Profs. Upon coming to Lakehead University I found that Mathematical Skills were important and an "integral" part of becoming an engineer. I proceeded to get a BSc. Math degree and then came back into the engineering department to finish what I'd started.

My best advice to future students is to stay on top of your assignments and manage your time well. When I study it is in the Library or the NOSM Library. When not working I enjoy watching movies, playing chess, and hanging out with my friends at my favourite spot on campus - the Study coffeehouse! If you are looking to accomplish something; come on up, and Lakehead University will help you find your way!"