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Student Successes | Alumni Accomplishments | Faculty & Staff News | LHS News

Congratulations Graduates!

The Department of History would like to congratulate each of our 2014 graduates. The experience they gained in dealing with the challenges of university life will serve them well when meeting the challenges ahead. For the third straight year, a graduate of our programs has received one of Lakehead University's highest awards. Congratulations to Luana Buckle the 2014 Dean's Medal winner. We wish all of our graduates well in the future and hope that you keep in touch.

The Winter Term was busy for the department. We celebrated both Black History and International Women's Day with on-campus presentations, virtual exhibitions, and film screenings. Over 30 events on- and off-campus were organized or sponsored by the department this term, including a very well-attended formal organized by the History Society at the end of the semester. We have already renewed our sponsorship of the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society's lecture series forthcoming in 2014-15 and will continue to support lectures hosted by the Canadian International Council’s local branch.

The Department is pleased to announce that Pallavi Das, Valerie Hebert, and Michael Stevenson have all been awarded tenure and been promoted to the rank of Associate Professors of History. Congratulations to them on this significant achievement and for all their hard work and efforts in the field of history and on behalf of the department!

Over the summer months our faculty members will be busy conducting research and preparing for the Fall Term. Returning students will be greeted by instructors who have had a chance to focus on research, and you can count on them to be eager to share new insights in the courses they teach. The department is also working with the presidents of the History Society on orientation week activities. Our late August E-Newsletter will have complete details, as will our Facebook page and Department Website.

Registration has begun and the department is excited to be offering a number of new courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. This is the third straight year we have expanded the geographic and thematic coverage of our courses at the second, third, and fourth year level. Our curriculum has been guided by both what you need for a history degree and to ensure that what you learn is relevant for today's society. Simply, to understand current events in the world, it is imperative that you understand the past.

Michel S. Beaulieu will be returning on the 1 of July from his sabbatical and resuming his duties as Chair of the Department. I have enjoyed getting to know many of you over the past term. Both myself and everyone in the department wishes each of you all the best during the summer and we look forward to seeing you in fall! In the meantime, check the department's webpage frequently and, if you have not already, follow us on our Facebook Page for all the latest and up-to-date information and news.

Ronald N. Harpelle, Ph.D
Acting-Chair and Professor



A few bits of information to help you with registration:

Information about how to register, can be found at: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/academics/registration

Complete course offerings for 2014-15 can be found at https://www.lakeheadu.ca/academics/departments/history/courses

First Year Students:
Keep in mind that the content of each section of the Department's first year course, HIST 1100: The Making of the Modern World, varies between instructors. You can read about each section by clicking here.

Second through Fourth Year Students:
The Department will be offering a number of new and exciting Special Topics courses at the second, third, and fourth year levels. For course descriptions click here.

Fourth Year Students:
Remember that fourth-year seminars are capped at 16 students and enrolment is based on a first-come basis. All fourth year students will be able to register for enough courses, but if you wait too long you may not get the ones you want. While all courses have wait-listing, you should still register for the amount you need right away.

 

Lakehead History Society News:
The History Society has had a great year with getting fellow students involved. The History Socials continued to grow, as we saw new faces each week with faculty and students from all year levels. The highlight in our winter term was the Year End History Dinner at the Outpost. Between graduates, undergraduates, faculty and guests, all 40 tickets were sold and the dinner was a success! On behalf of the History Society, co-presidents Ashley English and Catelyn Kittmer would like to thank everyone for their involvement and support. We are excited for another eventful year with growing involvement and new events. Congratulations to the representatives of the 2014/15 History Society.

Co-Presidents: Ashley English and Catelyn Kittmer
Vice President: Laurin Haak
Secretary: Morgan Black
Treasurer: Joel Kennedy
4th Year Rep: Jillian Berry
3rd Year Rep: Brett Starrs
2nd Year Rep: Jordan Tait

More information about the LHS (including how to get onto their Facebook page) can be found at https://www.lakeheadu.ca/academics/departments/history/history-society


Student Successes:

History Student Awarded Dean's Medal - Congratulations to Luana Buckle (HBA 2014) who received the Dean's Medal at convocation. This award is presented each year to the highest-ranking student in all of the Social Sciences and Humanities. Each recipient receives a Lakehead University scholar pin, a certificate of achievement, and is acknowledged as part of the convocation ceremony. Luana is also the recipient of the Dean's Scholar Award, given to the graduating student with the highest standing in history. This is the third-straight year that history program graduates have received some of the most prestigious awards from the faculty and the university at Convocation.

Graduate Student Presents at Leading Conference - MA student Sean Murray recently presented his paper “Fisheries of the North West: An Essential Fur Trade Provision” at the 2014 biennial Rupert’s Land Colloquium held in Edmonton, Alberta. The colloquium is one of the country's most significant meetings of scholars working on Aboriginal and fur trade history.

History Student Makes the Most of Her Education - With hard work, passion and perseverance, Kimberly Shirley has proven that encouragement and accessible classes can go a long way toward getting an education at Lakehead University. Click here to read more about Kimberly's story.

Orillia History Specialization Student Connects Historical Research to Real-Life Experience - Holly Wiggins’ great-grandfather, a butcher from a small town in England, joined the armed forces during the Second World War, leaving behind his young wife and two children under the age of five. His family would not hear from him again, until he was on a ship sailing back to Liverpool following his liberation from a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Click here to read more about Holly's story.

Department Graduate Award Recipients Announced - The Department of History is pleased to announce the recipients of this year's graduate awards. We would like to express our gratitude to all of the donors who have made these awards possible and extend our congratulations to our award winning students. Support for our students helps them to achieve their educational goals and contributes to the stability and success of our programs. Click here for the complete list of receipients.


Alumni Accomplishments and News:

Graduate Receives Outstanding Young Alumni Award - Eric McGoey (BA 2002) is one of the 2014 recipients of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University’s (AALU) Outstanding Young Alumni Award. The award is presented by the AALU in recognition of a graduate from the last ten years who is 35 years of age or younger, and who has achieved significant accomplishments since graduation, either in his/her profession, sport or community service. Click here to read more.

New Book by Former Student - A new book by Steven High (MA 1994) has been published by the University of British Columbia Press. Oral History at the Crossroads: Sharing Life Stories of Survival and Displacement tells the story of the Montreal Life Stories project, a community-university research alliance that recorded the remembered experiences of survivors of mass violence now living in Montreal. Like the project itself, this book reconfigures the conventional relationship between those who have sought refuge and rebuilt their lives in Montreal and those who seek to record, understand, and transmit these life stories. For more information about the book click here.

Former Graduate Student Leads Students in Unique Field School at Grassy Narrows - This spring alumnus Ryan Duplassie (MA 2008) is leading a two-week University of Manitoba program that situates students in an Anishinaabe context where they will develop an understanding of their place as Treaty people by engaging the environmental and cultural politics of the Anishinaabe community of Grassy Narrows First Nation. It is an intensive and rigorous program of study that brings together discussion of key contemporary scholarly and historical texts in conjunction with a challenging experiential learning component.

Alumnus Leads Highschool Students on First World War European Battlefield Tour - Coinciding  with the anniversary of the start the First World War, alumnus David Battistel (BA 1996) lead Thunder Bay high school students on a trip to visit Ypres, Juno Beach, Dieppe, and Vimy Ridge during March Break. Click here to read more.

Where are they now?
Sean Speer (HBA 2005) is Associate Director of the Fraser Institute’s Centre for Fiscal Studies. He previously served in different roles for the federal government including senior economic advisor to the Prime Minister and director of policy to the Minister of Finance. He has been cited by The Hill Times as one of the most influential people in government and by Embassy Magazine as one of the top-80 people influencing Canadian foreign policy. He also served as a researcher for Brian Lee Crowley’s best-selling book Fearful Symmetry: The Fall and Rise of Canada’s Founding Values. Sean holds an MA in History from Carleton University and has studied as a PhD candidate in history at Queen’s University.

Devon Stillwell (MA 2008, HBA 2007) recently completed her PhD in History at McMaster University and is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins' Institute for the History of Medicine. Her work on the history of Eugenics has also recently been published in the Bulletin of the History of Medicine.

Alumni Association: For more about the activities of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University, click here.


Faculty & Staff News:

Faculty Member Takes Part in Forestry Workshop in Sweden - Michel S. Beaulieu was invited to take part in the International Workshop on Forest Policy - Pathways to Sustainability held in June at the The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry. He presented aspects of his ongoing work on the history of sustainabilty and management of Ontario's forests.

Professional Associate Presents to Council of Nova Scotia Archives - Sara Janes recently presented a paper entitled "Outreach for Them or Outreach for Us" at the conference of the Council of Nova Scotia Archives. Sara will once again this year be teaching our fourth year seminar "Introduction to Archival Science." To read the full text of her presentation click here.

Getting to Know Your Profs - Orillia faculty member Valerie Hebert is featured in the latest addition of the "Getting to Know" video series. Click here to watch the video.

New Article Published on Bertrand Russell - Check out the most recent issue of Russell: The Journal of Bertrand Russell Studies for a new article by Michael Stevenson. “’In Solitude I Brood on War’: Bertrand Russell’s 1939 American Lecture Tour” analyzes Russell’s evolving attitude about pacifism in the face of the growing Nazi threat and provides an annotated transcription of letters Russell wrote during his three week speaking tour of the United States in April 1939. Click here to read more.

History on the Front Line: Bridging Experience and the Classroom - While many students and faculty were studying or visiting more southerly regions of the continent during the February Break, David Ratz’s nearly 30 years of military experience and historical expertise resulted in what he describes as “a once in a lifetime opportunity” when he assumed the position of the Officer Commanding the Arctic Response Company Group formed out of 38 Canadian Brigade Group in Exercise Arctic Ram near the hamlet of Kugaaruk, Nunavut Territory. Click here to read the full story.

Department of History Well Represented at Finnish Conference - Michel S. Beaulieu, Ronald N. Harpelle, and Kelly Saxberg each presented papers at the 15th Biennial Maple Leaf and Eagle Conference on North American Studies held in May at the University of Helsinki. For more information click here.

Faculty Member Joins Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society Board of Directors - Steven Jobbitt has been elected to the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s Board of Directors. He joins fellow department members Michel S. Beaulieu and Sara Janes on the board. Click here to find out more.

New Environmental Impact Resource - Ronald Harpelle, along with colleagues at Memorial University and community partners in Yellowknife, is involved in an SSHRC funded project on the legacy of the Giant Gold Mine. As part of the project a new online resource for people interested in the environmental impact of extractive industries in Canada has been launched. Click here to find out more.

 

Some Important Dates:

First Day of Fall and Fall/Winter Classes  - 8 September 2014

Final Date to Register Fall and Fall-Winter Term Courses (Add)  - 19 September 2014

Thanksgiving Day (No Classes/University Closed) - 13 October 2014

Final Date to Withdraw Fall Term Courses (Drop)  - 4 November 2014

Last Day of Fall Term Classes - 1 December 2014

December Examinations - 4 to 17 December 2014

Holiday Season Break (University Closed) - 25 December 2014 to 1 January 2015 (inclusive)

First Day of Winter Term Classes  - 5 January 2015

Final Date to Register Winter Term Courses (Add)  - 16 January 2015

Final Date to Withdraw Fall/Winter Term Courses (Drop)  - 6 February 2015

Family Day (No Classes/University Closed) - 16 February 2015

February Break (No Classes) - 17 to 20 February 2015 (inclusive)

Final Date to Withdraw Winter Term Courses (Drop)  - 6 March 2015

Good Friday (No Classes/University Closed) - 3 April 2015

Easter Monday (No Classes/University Closed) - 6 April 2015

Final Day of Fall/Winter and Winter Term Classes - 7 April 2015 (makeup for Good Friday)

April Examinations - 10 to 23 April 2015


Upcoming Presentations & Events:
Check http://history.lakeheadu.ca for more information about upcoming events.

The Department is currently planning a full slate of presentations and workshops for the 2014-15 academic year. In addition, we have renewed our sponsorship of the monthly Thunder Bay Historical Society's Lecture Series and our partnership with the Canadian International Council's Thunder Bay Branch.

Useful Links:

Undergraduate Programs
Graduate Programs
Faculty Information
History Essay Guide

Your Graduate Coordinator.. and why you should speak with him...

The Graduate Coordinator is the first point of contact for current and prospective graduate students. 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 3021. His email address is michel.beaulieu@lakeheadu.ca

Department of History
955 Oliver Road
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1

p: (807) 346-7725
e: gail.fikis@lakeheadu.ca
Lakehead University Orillia Thunder Bay

The Department of History welcomes any comments, feedback, suggestions, and contributions.
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