This Google Group is to be used to communicate opportunities to business students at Lakehead University regarding job postings, internships and other related opportunities.
To join, please visit: https://groups.google.com/a/lakeheadu.ca/g/LakeheadBusinessStudentOpportunities
Lu-Han (Leanne) Wang is pictured in the New Sun Art Gallery in the Alumni Commons at the Lakehead Orillia campus.
When Lu-Han (Leanne) Wang moved to Orillia, Ontario four years ago as an international student, just about everything seemed new and unfamiliar.
“Everything was quite different—the weather, the campus, even the atmosphere in class,” said Leanne, who will graduate on Saturday, June 5 from the Honours Bachelor of Commerce program at Lakehead University.
This year’s recipient of the Lloyd Dennis Award for outstanding citizenship used her experiences to foster opportunities for friendship and belonging, efforts that have helped make the university feel like a second home for herself and many others.
Leanne said that the small campus and the welcoming, caring staff at Lakehead Orillia make the transition easier but that there are extra hurdles for first-time international students.
“It’s the small things about a new environment and culture that can be really overwhelming,” said Leanne, who is from Taiwan and already had 10 years of study abroad experience before moving to Orillia. “Going to the bank, getting groceries, finding a doctor—these things can be easier to figure out with one-to-one help on a daily basis.”
With that in mind, Leanne became one of the first peer-mentors for international students at Lakehead Orillia when the program launched in 2019. Through the Lakehead International office, peer mentors make themselves available to their student-matches for questions or concerns about on- or off-campus life and help organize social activities.
“We help students make friends and connections that make the university feel like home,” said Leanne, who mentored 20 students herself during her time with the program. “It makes a big difference for each of us.”
Since its launch, more than 40 international students have used the program. With COVID-19, the program moved online and increased collaboration with international students in Thunder Bay, creating an even larger social and support network. Without being able to travel home during the past year of the pandemic, Leanne said it’s even more reason for international students to make the most of their social resources on campus.
For example, in addition to peer-mentoring, Leanne was also a member of the Lakehead University Multicultural Association, the Lakehead Orillia Thunderwolves Dance Team, and the Business Orillia Student Society. She also volunteered as a student ambassador, a campus orientation leader, and even the ice captain for the 2018 Orillia Winter Games figure skating event.
For Orillia Campus Principal Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans, the leadership role that Leanne took on campus did not go unnoticed.
“Since arriving on the Orillia campus, Leanne has truly embraced the opportunities presented to her,” he said. “From studying abroad, completing an internship locally, to extracurricular involvement in student clubs, the transferrable skills, global perspectives and personal growth will contribute to her future success. Our sincerest congratulations to Leanne on receiving this award, and we wish her the best of luck upon graduation.”
As Leanne prepares to embark on a new journey post-graduation, she reflected on her time at Lakehead and the home she made for herself and other international students in Orillia.
“I would tell any new student to just go out and try all the new things,” said Leanne. “It was all fun and it really made me more confident and outgoing.
“I’ll definitely miss this small community if I leave for work or school—it’s the most special thing about this place to me, that it’s been like a family.”
Since 2011, Lakehead University has presented the Lloyd Dennis Award for outstanding citizenship to a full-time student at the Orillia campus to recognize their contributions to the welfare of the university through their student activities. The award is named in honour of the late Lloyd Dennis, an Officer of the Order of Canada and Order of Ontario, and a highly respected educator and author best remembered for the 1968 landmark report that shaped the future of education in Ontario—Living and Learning: The Report of the Provincial Committee on Aims and Objectives of Education in the Schools of Ontario, known as the Hall-Dennis Report. An enthusiastic proponent of the Lakehead Orillia campus, in 2009 Lloyd Dennis was honoured with Lakehead’s Civitas Award and then in 2012 with a Doctor of Laws (posthumously).
Honours Bachelor of Commerce students Isabelle Michels, Francesco Sacchetti, Vishwa Shah and Sasha Wilson competed as Team #8 at the annual competition hosted by Algoma University.
The team’s winning presentation was about reducing the effects of contract cheating as teaching transitioned online during COVID-19. They proposed to introduce more support for professors and students because it is an equal effort from both parties. The team took inspiration from some of the Faculty of Business Administration’s practices during COVID-19, such as extensive use of D2L.
The judges were impressed with the team’s concepts. “The judges were very pleased with our presentation and delivery and overall group dynamic,” explains Shah.
“They thought our solutions were realistic and well presented, and could be implemented in real life. They liked our financial analysis and the way we incorporated an analogy in our presentations. They thought we would do very well in bigger case competitions.”
Case Coordinators Dr. Asad Aman and Dr. Kathy Sanderson are also pleased with the results of the students’ hard work and the benefits of participating in the competition.
“The event gives the business students from Northern Ontario universities an invaluable opportunity to interact with the leading practitioners,” Dr. Aman says. “In addition to gaining industry exposure, it also helps them develop networks.”
He adds that the diversity of the team was one of their greatest strengths, “We had a mix of domestic and international students, majoring in different areas of business.”
Dr. Sanderson emphasizes the amount of effort involved in the competition, but also the value added for students.
“Case competitions are very challenging,” she said. “They test assessment skills, critical thinking, implementation plans, and teamwork.
“This year the competitions have been virtual, adding complexity to the competition. The win by the Lakehead University team not only showcases their business knowledge and the strengths of their ideas, but their ability to perform virtually as a team.”
Well done students!
The Winter 2021 FOBA Newsletter has been published.
Catch up on what's been happening with our alumni, students and faculty by reading the newsletter here.
April 7, 2021 – Thunder Bay, Ont.
A team of Lakehead University researchers is interviewing and surveying newcomer women in Northwestern Ontario to determine how they can overcome the economic shock caused by COVID-19.
Dr. Kathy Sanderson, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration, and her team, including Dr. Claudio Pousa, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration, and Master’s students/graduates, are receiving $193,014 from the Future Skills Centre.
The research team will survey 400 women – half of whom will be newcomers. These women will reside in Northwestern Ontario, from Wawa to the Manitoba border, and the team will interview and survey them over the next two years.
At the end of March, Dr. Sanderson wrapped up a project funded by the Ministry of Labour’s Ontario Human Capital Research and Innovation Fund called Employing New Immigrants: Community and Organizational Welcoming in Northwestern Ontario.
Dr. Sanderson said she is excited to continue researching the experiences of newcomers on this new project, called Resilience of Newcomer Women in Northwestern Ontario: Overcoming Covid-19 Economic Shock, which will begin in early April.
“Newcomers are a vital part of our labour pool and many are underemployed,” Dr. Sanderson said.
“This project will allow us to determine new strategies for increasing the participation of new immigrant women in Northwestern Ontario.”
Newcomer women were already severely disadvantaged regarding employment, and COVID-19 has exacerbated this situation, she said. Many newcomer women work in health care, personal care services, and retail: areas of high demand during the pandemic. This comparative, longitudinal study in Northwestern Ontario will allow the research team to reconceptualize how employment supports are delivered.
Dr. Sanderson and her team are doing this project as part of Lakehead’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research (CIER).
“At CIER, we recognize that immigration is crucial to the viability of our region, and COVID-19 has exacerbated the challenges that newcomer women are experiencing when seeking participation in the regional labour market,” said Dr. Michael S. Dohan, Director, CIER, at Lakehead University.
“We congratulate Dr. Sanderson on her recent grant to assist her and her team in conducting this important community-based research,” Dr. Dohan added.
This research partnership aims to build knowledge and provide recommendations for skills innovation, recovery, and new ways forward for newcomer women in the face of economic shock from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pedro Barata, Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre (FSC), said creating a research partnership that benefits newcomer women in Northwestern Ontario is a perfect example of programs FSC is investing in to build an inclusive workforce of the future that leaves no-one behind.
“Newcomer women will benefit from this partnership, which aims to build knowledge and provide recommendations for skills innovation, recovery, and new ways forward for this population that was hit hard by the pandemic,” Barata said.
“This project will identify opportunities and barriers they face and examine how employment support is delivered. This is just one of the exciting shock-proofing projects that FSC is investing in to build a future playbook for shared prosperity, and help Canadian workers and businesses seize opportunities in our future economy.”
Led by Lakehead University in Thunder Bay – in partnership with immigration and economic experts – this project will examine both the rural and urban effects of COVID-19 on newcomer women. The research team will produce meaningful results that can be applied across the country, including identifying opportunities and barriers to full labour participation by newcomer women in the wake of COVID-19.
“Lakehead University appreciates the support from the Future Skills Centre for this research project,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead University’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.
“The outcomes that are anticipated from this study should positively contribute to strategies for better inclusivity of new immigrants to Northwestern Ontario."
The project will make recommendations related to increasing labour participation that will be shared with newcomers, decision makers and through traditional academic outlets.
The project, ‘Resilience of Newcomer Women in Northwestern Ontario: Overcoming Covid-19 Economic Shock’, is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre.
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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2020 World Universities Rankings for the second consecutive year, and 98th among 766 universities from around the world in THE's 2020 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.
The Future Skills Centre (FSC) is a forward-thinking centre for research and collaboration dedicated to preparing Canadians for employment success. As a pan-Canadian community, the Centre collaborates to rigorously identify, test, measure, and share innovative approaches to assessing and developing the skills Canadians need to thrive in the days and years ahead. The Future Skills Centre was founded by a consortium whose members are Ryerson University, Blueprint, and The Conference Board of Canada, and is funded by the Government of Canada's Future Skills Program.
March 8, 2021 – Orillia, Ont.
Two Lakehead University Orillia researchers are receiving Partnership Engage Grants of approximately $25,000 each for research connected with COVID-19, from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Dr. Natalya Timoshkina, Associate Professor in the School of Social Work, and two graduate students will partner with North Simcoe Victim Services for one year to examine the impact of COVID-19 on service provision to persons who have experienced human trafficking.
“Human trafficking, or trafficking in persons, is a gross violation of human rights and a serious crime,” Dr. Timoshkina said.
It involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by means of threat, use of force, abduction, debt bondage, fraud, deception, the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability, or other forms of coercion for the ultimate purpose of exploitation, typically in the sex industry or for forced labour.
“Millions of people are trafficked annually around the globe, with thousands of them in Canada,” she said.
“Two-thirds of the nation's police-reported trafficking in persons violations occur in Ontario. Within the province, Simcoe County, home to Lakehead Orillia, is a hot spot for sex trafficking and labour trafficking, making it a strategic ground for systemic TIP responses,” Dr. Timoshkina said.
Dr. Olakunle Akingbola, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration, will partner with Caribbean African Canadian Social Services Inc. (CAFCAN) for one year to research COVID-19 and remote work in non-profit organizations, including employee well-being and community outcomes.
“The primary goal of our partnership is to understand how, why, and under what circumstances CAFCAN adopted remote work during and after COVID-19 and the consequences for employee well-being and the community,” Dr. Akingbola said.
Specifically, the partnership seeks to investigate the characteristics of remote work at CAFCAN during COVID-19 and understand how employees perceive the remote work that they experience.
Researchers will also explore the factors contributing to the adoption of remote work at CAFCAN after COVID-19, the benefits and unintended consequences for employees and the community.
Dr. Akingbola and his team, which will include one graduate and one undergraduate student will explain the relationship between the context when remote work is experienced, the resources and policy implications of remote work; and examine the competencies, tools and support mechanisms that employees and the organization will need to manage remote work in a non-profit.
“The need to examine and understand the underlying factors and consequences of remote work during and after COVID-19 is accentuated in a non-profit such as CAFCAN because employees provide social and emotionally intensive services to clients,” he said.
“There are multiple stakeholders with divergent and sometimes opposing interests such as community activists, volunteers and employees working together for the organization, and non-profit employees are attracted to the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the clients.”
Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation, said he was pleased that SSHRC recognized both of these researchers and their important work.
“We would like to thank the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for their support for these Partnership Engage Grants,” Dr. Dean said.
“These two special COVID-19 Partnership Engage Grants are timely, and emphasize how research in the social sciences is important to understand the multiple ways that COVID-19 is impacting our society.”
In 2019/20, Lakehead University received nearly $2 million in assistance from the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs of research, which includes costs for supporting the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, and research facilities.
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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2020 World Universities Rankings for the second consecutive year, and 98th among 766 universities from around the world in THE's 2020 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.
Dr. Muhammad Kabir, Assistant Professor, Accounting in the Faculty of Business Administration, recently published an article in the highly-regarded Journal of Corporate Finance.
The research examined how product market competition affects insider trading profitability. Their results show that insider trading profitability is more pronounced for firms with: a higher level of trade secrecy, a higher level of R&D, a lower level of management voluntary disclosures, less readable 10-K reports, and highly tone-ambiguous financial disclosures.
To learn more and to read the article visit this page.
Congratulations Dr. Kabir.
