Student
Successes | Alumni
Accomplishments | Faculty
Profile | Faculty &
Staff News
Congratulations Graduates!
All
of us in the Department of History would like congratulate each of our
2013-14 graduates! Some of you will form part of the inaugural Law
class, many of you are going
to graduate school, while others are beginning your careers as teachers
and embarking upon other professions. Each of you has left a
lasting
impression on the department!
Over the next couple of months history faculty will be
busy in archives in Canada, Europe, the United States, and India (to
name a few) finishing off research and/or beginning new projects.
However, the end of an academic year is also time of reflection for
departments and programs. At the same time that final marks are being
submitted, the faculty in the Department of History have begun to look
towards the next year, organizing course timetables,
examining/developing/revising courses, and talking about what has
occurred, what needs to be recognized, and how things can be enhanced
in
the coming year.
Remarkable Achievements
Two students, in particular, stand out this spring as representative of
the types of accomplishments students in our program continually make.
Kimberly Shirley (HBA History) will be awarded the inaugural Dean's
Scholar Award for the Department of History at Convocation on 1 June.
Established this year, the award is presented to the student with the
highest standing in each undergraduate academic department.
First year student Hannah Pilon (HBA/BEd) began her summer
by participating in the Liberation
Cycle Tour.
She was selected as one of 50 students -- both Dutch and Canadian - to
tour during late April and early May some of the most important Second
World War locations. Starting in Normandy (Juno Beach) Hannah visited
Ypres, Vimy Ridge, the Ardennes, Nijmegen (Waal Bridge)
and Arnhem (John Frost Bridge), and Zutphen/Warnsveld (Russell Jackson
story). She ended her tour in Markelo on Queen's Day where the Minster
of Defence visted the group and announced they were all
Ambassadors of
Freedom. You can read more about Hannah's incredible experience by clicking here.
Recreating a Sense of Community
Central to the success of any history department and integral to
the student experience are those events that create a sense of
community. Some, such as the newly reconstituted Lakehead History Society,
are student-led initiatives that were organized to act as a resource
for those who want to meet other like-minded students and for those who
want to ask an upper year student questions about the history programs
and courses offered at Lakehead. Over the last year, a number of
successful events were held and the next year promises even more
activity.
At the graduate level, our students this fall will be relinking with
the Canadian Historical Association Graduate Students'
Committee.
In September, students will elect an individual who will act as the
liaison between students and the department, and the national
committee. We will also be continuing our successful monthly graduate
"coffee club." Organized by Ronald Harpelle, Graduate Coordinator, it
provides graduate
students, faculty, and our community partners a chance to get together
at least once a month to make acquaintance and socialize.
This past year also saw the department reinstitute its Speaker Series.
Working often with
community partners, we hosted/co-sponsored ten events this past year
between September and April. The best attended were those in
recognition of Black History Month that featured a visit to Thunder Bay
by Robert King. Working with the new Faculty of Law, Office of
Research, AFCASA, the Thunder Bay Public Library, the Canadian
International Council, and the Lakehead University Alumni Association,
we were able to arrange for King to visit Thunder Bay and speak about
his personal and
political journey through the Louisiana corrections system. An
interview he
gave with CBC Radio One before his
presentation and book signing can be heard by clicking here.
The
upcoming year will build upon last year's success. The department has
entered into a sponsoring partnership with a number of organizations
such as the Thunder Bay Branch of the Canadian International Council
and Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society. Each month, faculty within
the department will also be presenting their current and/or recent work
in a series of Brown Bag Lunch sessions. We anticipate that at least
three speakers/events will be held each month this year.
Changes to History Programs and New Courses
The 2013-14 academic year is also shaping up to be an exciting one in
terms of curriculum and programming. Many
of you are aware that there have been significant changes to the
department over the past year. All programs in
Ontario are
mandated by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities
to undergo periodic external reviews (about every seven years). It is
this
process that ensures that the degree in history you receive from
Lakehead is the same in quality as those from all other universities in
the province. Following our most recent
review, the department has been working hard
to operationalize a number of curriculum and course changes. As you
have learned in your courses, history is not static but an
ever-evolving discipline and the changes being undertaken reflect this.
Ever wonder what the purpose of a course was? Or
how the department decides which courses should be at which year level?
Beginning in 2013, the department has been following our new Year
Level Course Definitions (click to here to read).
These new definitions resulted in a host of course and program
changes. The most significant is that History 3820: Historiography will
no longer be a mandatory course. Instead, students in any of the
programs leading to an Honours degree in History will now take during
the
third year of the program three FCEs in history at the third year level
(rather than two FCEs and History 3820). For those students who have
already taken 3820, it will count towards one of the three FCEs at the
third-year needed.
Changes to our curriculum have also resulted in the creation of a whole
new series of courses to
be offered. This upcoming year, almost two-thirds of the courses being
offered will be a first for the department. These include those unique
to
Lakehead such as "The Americas to 1870," "Introduction to Museum and
Heritage Studies," and "Introduction to Archival Studies." Registration
for Fall/Winter 2013-14 will commence on 15 June. In the meantime, a
list of courses to be offered next year can be found online by clicking here.
Finally, I have enjoyed meeting many of you over the
past year. Our next newsletter will be sent in mid-August. Until then,
all members of the department would like to wish you all a safe and
happy summer.
Michel S. Beaulieu, PhD
Chair and Associate Professor
Student Successes:
An Ambassador of Freedom - First
year student Hannah Pilon (HBA/BEd) loves studying history. Not
satisfied with merely reading about the Canadian contributions during
the Second World War, she began her summer by participating in the
Liberation Cycle Tour. Selected as one of 50 students - both Dutch and
Canadian - to participate in this experience, she spent late April and
early May touring some of the most important Second World War
locations. Click here to read more about Hannah's experience.
Graduate Student Award
Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society Research Award -
Master's student Jaimi Penney is the inaugural recipient of the Thunder
Bay Historical Museum Society's Ken Dawson Research Trust Bursary. Click here to read more.
Lakehead
Historical Society's first annual "Archive Crawl" a success -
The stigma generally attached to the average student of history is that
there are limited opportunities following graduation. Many students
believe that their majors leave them with little choice other than
teaching or writing about historical topics. Click here to read more.
Alumni
Accomplishments:
Former MA Student's first book published
- Charles Nathon
Hatton (MA 2007) has had an eventful year. He recently graduated from
the University of Waterloo with a PhD in History and he is also the
author
of a brand new book entitled Rugged
Game: Community, Culture, and Wrestling at the Lakehead to 1933.
Click to read more.
History Alumni Nominated for Publication Awards
- Five
alumni of the department were nominated for the Thunder Bay
Historical Museum Society's 2013 Publication Awards. Every two years,
these awards are given for the best recent publications that deal with
aspects of Northwestern Ontario's history. Click here to read more.
Where are they now?
- Whitney Wood (HBA 2009 / MA 2010) is currently working on a
PhD under Cindy Comacchio at Wilfird Laurier University. Thanks
in large part to a SSHRC foreign study supplement she spent the last
semester as a visiting research student at Birkbeck, University of
London under Joanna Bourke who is one of the leading historians
studying pain. More information about Whitney's research can be found
by clicking here.
- Steven High (MA 1994) is a Professor and Canada Research
Chair in Public History at Concordia University. Click here to read more about Dr. High.
- Paul James Stortz (BA 1982) is an Associate Professor, University of
Calgary. Click here to read more about Dr. Stortz.
Alumni Spotlight: For more about the
activities of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University, click
here.
Faculty
Research Profile
Ronald N. Harpelle's work was recently featured in the Thunder
Bay Chronicle Journal as
part of Research and Innovation Week. Click here to read
more about his current
research.
Faculty
& Staff News:
Peter Raffo Awarded City of Thunder Bay's
Heritage Award - Peter Raffo has been awarded the City of
Thunder Bay's 2012 Heritage Award for his contributions to arts and
culture. Click here to read more.
New Article Exploring the Use of Images in
Participatory Research with Indigenous Communities - Michel S.
Beaulieu is the co-author of an new study published in the journal Action Research
that discusses the application of a new methodology termed
‘photohistory’ in participatory research with Indigenous Communities. Click here to
read the article.
Film Shown at Vancouver
International Women in Film Festival - Ronald N. Harpelle's
film Under the Red Star will
be shown at the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival on
Sunday, March 10, followed by a panel discussion. Under the Red Star
tells several stories, including one about Sanna Kannasto, an early
20th-century feminist from Thunder Bay. The film is based on research
by Michel S. Beaulieu and the late Varpu Lindstrom of York University. Click here to read
more about Vancouver International Women in Film Festival.
History Professor Contributes to New Book
on the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment - Major David Ratz has
written an introduction and lent his editorial skills to the book Letters to Leah, a memoir relating
about the Second World War
experiences of Lake Superior Regiment (motor) veteran Michael Fedak. Click here to read more.
New Book Explores Communities and the
Forest Industry in a Global Perspective - Ronald
N. Harpelle and Michel S. Beaulieu have edited a new collection
examining the impact of global forces on the industrial centres of the
boreal forest region with a reflection on the new forest industries in
the Global South. Click here to read more.
New Book Discusses Language and Power - A
new book co-edited by Ronald N. Harpelle focuses on the role or place
of English, French and Spanish in present and future relations within
and among Canada, the United States and Mexico. Click here to read more.
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Some Important Dates:
Convocation - 1,2, 8 June
Registration Begins - 15
June
Fall Orientation - September
Start of Fall Term - 9
September
Thanksgiving - 14 October
End of Fall Term - 2
December
Fall Exams - 5 to 17
December
Start of Winter Term - 6
January
Student Corner:
"I
have things I can bring to the table that other students can't because
of my experiences and how I've been taught to approach things, work
with the community, and make comparisons."
~ Jaimi Penney, HBA/MA
Click here to read Jaimi's full story.
Lecture Series / Events of Interest:
17 May -
Presentation
"Unequal Exchanges: The Realities of International
Nurse Migration" ~ Dr. Salimah Valiani
21 September - Conference
2013 Meeting of the North Shore Historical Assembly
Check http://history.lakeheadu.ca
for more information about department events.
Useful Departmental Links:
Undergraduate Program Information
Graduate Program Information
Faculty Information
History Essay Guide
The Student Success Centre
The Student Success Centre combines the former services of academic
advising, orientation, academic support and career and co-operative
services into one central location. Click
here to find our more.
Your Graduate Coodinator... why you should speak with him..
The Graduate Coordinator is the first point of contact for graduate
students and the Office of Graduate Studies. Dr. Ronald Harpelle can be
reached at harpelle@lakeheadu.ca
Your Chair... and why you should speak with him..
One of the main roles of the Chair of the Department is
to help you with questions regarding courses, the program, and the
university. He is also here to address any concerns you may have. Dr.
Beaulieu's office is located in Ryan Building 3013. His email address
is michel.beaulieu@lakeheadu.ca He can also be reached by phone at
(807) 343-8341.
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