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Alumni Spotlight: Teigan Labor Fights for Canada’s Incredible Wilderness

This Conservationist and Freediver Documents Life in the Atlantic

"Lake Superior was definitely a big pull for me," says Teigan Labor of her decision to come to Lakehead University.

This recent grad (HBOR/BSc'24) is now the communications manager of the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-NS).

Teigan Labor, wearing a waterproof jacket and a life jacket, sits in a canoe on the water with rocky mountains in the background

Above, Teigan canoeing in Norway during the semester she spent at Nord University. "Northern Norway was a fantastic place to go as someone studying outdoor recreation and natural sciences because of the stunning landscape and the culture of friluftsliv, which translates to 'open-air life.'"

Choosing the university surrounded by boreal forest and a vast lake proved to be a good move for Teigan, who grew up exploring the wild waters and shores of Nova Scotia.

She was also encouraged by a glowing endorsement from her dad, Peter Labor.

He graduated from Lakehead in 1989 with Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation and Bachelor of Science degrees, and went on to become the Government of Nova Scotia's director of protected areas and ecosystems.

"Growing up, my dad told me a lot of stories about Lakehead, especially his outdoor rec adventures—like joining the Mackenzie Expedition canoe trip across Canada," Teigan says.

"I saw how his time at Lakehead led him to an environmentally focused career and shaped him into someone I looked up to."

Teigan Labor, wearing winter clothing and a backpack, hikes with two other people across Lake Superior in the winter

"I chose Lakehead for its community-oriented mindset—smaller classes, knowing your profs—and the opportunity to do a double degree in Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism and Natural Sciences," Teigan says. "This was unique from the other universities I was considering."

A Sailing Adventure and Studying Among Norway's Glaciers

Teigan packed a lot of living into her time at Lakehead.

She began a month-long stint as an environmental educator in 2022 after attending a campus presentation by Sea Change Expeditions, an educational organization.

This entailed living aboard a 40-foot sailboat on Lake Superior and sailing to schools around the lake. She talked to kids about issues affecting the lake, like climate change, microplastics, and invasive species.

Teigan Labor on a sailboat holding a notebook and a pen

While sailing around Lake Superior in 2022, Teigan recorded water-clarity data as well as spoke to schoolchildren. "The schools we stopped at included Knife River and others on the North shore," she says. "We also stopped in Houghton, Michigan and Washburn, Wisconsin."

In her final year at Lakehead, she spent a semester at Nord University in Bodø, Norway, as part of Lakehead's North2North exchange program. "It was really eye opening, and one of the best decisions I made as a student," she says.

"I got to climb a glacier and learn how glaciers are being impacted by global warming—while standing RIGHT THERE in person."

The Pull of the Magnificent Atlantic Ocean

As an undergrad, Teigan worked as a summer student with CPAWS-NS, which works to conserve Canada's natural ecosystems.

She springboarded into a full-time role as CPAWS communications manager (she also does videography work for the organization) right after graduating from Lakehead.

Teigan Labor, wearing a wetsuit and a snorkelling mask and with a video camera hanging from a wrist, swims among eelgrassTeigan during a conservation freedive among eelgrass. "Eelgrass meadows provide shelter and nursery habitats for juvenile fish, and other marine species," she says. "They also store and sequester carbon, reduce coastal erosion, and much more." Photo Credit: CPAWS-NS/Teigan Labor

Her path to this position was helped by her activities both in and out of class.

She was the Lakehead Outdoor Recreation Parks & Tourism Student Society information coordinator and a videographer of outdoor rec-related content used in Lakehead's digital recruitment campaigns.

"Outdoor rec is just such an incredible program because you get a lot of different perspectives, including a really strong Indigenous-led perspective," she notes.

"I got a strong grasp of the leadership and group dynamics side of outdoor rec, such as guiding people in the outdoors, and learning how to assess risk and liability for participants."

Another bonus was earning certifications for diverse skills as part of her coursework.

On a Mission to Conserve Nova Scotia's Unique Marine Life

Today, Teigan has a career that gives her a sense of meaning and purpose.

"There are islands all up and down the coast of Nova Scotia, so one of the coolest projects I've been working on lately is a documentary about those islands and their remarkable biodiversity," she says.

Part of her efforts include conservation freediving, which allows her to document marine environments with underwater photos and videos.

Teigan Labor films underwater footage of a coral reef while freedivingTeigan on a CPAWS conservation freedive at Sandy Cove, Terence Bay, in Nova Scotia. "We don't use the snorkel that much because we spend most of our time diving deeper than the surface!" Photo Credit: CPAWS-NS/Teigan Labor

"Conservation freediving looks a lot like spearfishing, but we replace the spear with a camera and strap a slate to our arms so that we can take down observations." Unlike scuba diving, freedivers don't use oxygen tanks.

Her department focuses on science communication to bring the public and communities into conversations. The goal is to inspire people to care about conservation and to talk to their policymakers about protecting the environment.

"I believe as humans we have a responsibility to take care of nature," Teigan says.

"I grew up canoeing, hiking, and playing in Nova Scotia's parks, protected areas, and coastlines. I want future generations to have the same opportunity."

Keywords: 
Teigan Labor; Outdoor Recreation
Parks & Tourism; Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

English Professor Dr. Kathryn Walton is an Expert in Enchantment

Step Aboard a Golden Airship

If students hate to miss your classes, that's a sign you're doing well as a professor.

And if a student compares missing a class to "abandoning a once-in-a-lifetime voyage aboard a golden airship," that's a sign that your professor is Dr. Kathryn Walton.

With that kind of praise, it's fitting that she received her second Lakehead Contribution to Teaching Award in November 2025 (she was granted her first award in 2021).

Dr. Kathryn Walton, wearing a green sweater and a pendant necklace, stands at the top of the staircase in Simcoe Hall

One student described Dr. Walton as "Lakehead Orillia's very own English-focused Ms. Frizzle. She's just missing the anthropomorphic chameleon and the magic bus."

This is a very special honour because it is students who nominate instructors for these awards, and it's their votes that determine who wins.

Dr. Walton, a professor in the English department at Lakehead Orillia, teaches sought-after courses in medieval literature, children's literature, and the history of English literature.

Literary magic, in particular, is one of her specializations. She's currently working on a book called Literary Magic in Medieval England to be published by the academic press Boydell & Brewer.

"That wonder, that excitement and engagement with the unreal and the supernatural in medieval literature has definitely influenced today's contemporary literature," she says.

Adventures into the Unknown

A lifelong lover of reading, Dr. Walton says her interest in the link between medieval literature and children's literature was sparked during her undergraduate studies.

"I was just absolutely fascinated by the way in which contemporary literary works have deep roots in the medieval era."

Heroes, quests, journeys, and magic that are common hallmarks of both forms of literature. Pseudo-medieval worlds—think Narnia, Middle Earth, and Hogwarts—abound in children's literature.

The Lincoln's Inn MS 150 medieval manuscript is opened up so that two facing pages are visible

Above is the Lincoln's Inn MS 150 manuscript created c. 1400. It features a mix of religious and romance texts from the medieval period. Dr. Walton discusses this book in her class Literary Magic in Medieval England.

In the Middle Ages, many literary works were conveyed orally, rather than written, so they're constructed in a way that appeals to the ear. Children's literature is similar, she points out.

But children's literature is unique in that it offers compelling and brilliantly written stories that are also easy to understand.

"That's incredibly powerful," Dr. Walton says. "Most people can remember books that they read as kids much better than they can remember anything they've read as an adult."

Old Languages Bring Literature to Life

Dr. Kathryn Walton accepts her 2025 Contribution to Teaching Award

Dr. Walton accepts her 2025 Contribution to Teaching Award. Left to right: Social Sciences and Humanities Dean Dr. Glenda Bonifacio, Dr. Kathyn Walton, Lakehead Orillia Principal Dr. Linda Rodenburg, and Social Sciences and Humanities Dean Dr. Jennifer Jarman.

A mastery of Middle English, Old English, and Latin is essential for any expert in medieval literature. Of the three, Middle English is the closest to modern English.

"I tell my students to squint and ignore the extra vowels," she laughs.

Being proficient in these languages allows Dr. Walton to bring more insight to her classes.

"Reading texts in the original language is invaluable. It helps readers appreciate a specific poetic structure that doesn't come through in translation, and grasp the culture of the time through archaic words."

Freke, for instance, means "knight."

What's it like to be Peter Pan or Alice in Wonderland?

Getting students fired up about diverse forms of literature drives Dr. Walton's teaching approach.

"I give students a lot of space to talk about what they're interested in and what they find good or bad about whatever we're reading," she explains.

"Then I give them the historical context to understand the text and to inspire them to make new connections—to themselves and to the material."

A medieval illustration of Merlin, wearing a blue robe, points a finger towards a seated monk writing in a book

"In contemporary literature, magic is often splashy, with fireworks and explosions while in medieval literature, magic is more subtle but infused with a sense of wonder," Dr. Walton says. Right, a 13th-century illustration of Merlin dictating his prophecies to his scribe, Blaise.

Ingenious assignments further enrich students' comprehension.

For example, she'll ask students to transcribe a character from children's literature, such as Peter Pan, into contemporary realist fiction to show how the character would operate in the modern world.

"This allows them to use their brains in a different way because to write a character, you really have to know them."

Or, students may try their hand at writing a sonnet, sixteenth-century style, to truly come to grips with this form of poetry.

Dr. Walton's imaginative and immersive teaching continues to win her new fans, as well as Contribution to Teaching Awards.

"It's always extremely rewarding to know that students value my teaching and the experiences that they have in my classroom," she says.

If you'd like to dive into medieval or children's literature, Dr. Walton recommends: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, the Legendborn series by Tracy Deonn, The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, and the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Keywords: 
Dr. Kathryn Walton
2025 Contribution to Teaching Award
English Literature

Abbygayle Welch Knows that Together We are Stronger

Meet One of the Applicants to Lakehead's New Social Justice Program

As a kid, my parents would tell me, "You always stand up for the underdog," Abbygayle Welch says.

Her natural compassion has only grown stronger over the years.

Abbygayle Welch sits a table with a pen, with her parents on either side of her, and prepares to sign her Lakehead soccer contract

Abbygayle received an entrance scholarship to Lakehead and has been on the Dean's List for four years in a row. Above, her parents watch Abbygayle sign a contract to join the Lakehead's varsity women's soccer team.

"Social justice is really important to me because it helps people who don't have a voice get the resources they need," Abbygayle explains.

This spring, she will graduate from Lakehead Orillia with an Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science in Criminology.

"Studying criminology has allowed me to better understand society and the true consequences of crime, including the toll it takes on both victims and offenders."

Saying No to Inequality

Abbygayle is already thinking about how she can continue on her path of fostering a world where everybody thrives.

She recently applied to Lakehead's Master of Social Justice Studies (MA in SocJ) program, which has just been launched on the Orillia campus.

It was first established on the Thunder Bay campus in 2016.

"The program attracts great students who care about people and the planet," says Social Justice Studies Student Advisor Dr. Kevin Brooks.

"It gives them a transformative education by teaching them to analyze disparities and take action to change them."

Lakehead student Abbygayle Welch Holds a Laptop Computer

Abbygayle is considering going to law school after completing a master's degree so that she can improve the justice system at the policy level.

The broad interdisciplinary framework of Lakehead's Master of Social Justice Studies degree sets it apart from those offered by other universities.

It gives graduates the tools to advocate, organize, research, and lead in complex social justice spaces. And Master of Social Justice Studies alumni have gone on to make an impact in the health, education, social services, legal, technology, and environmental sectors.

It's also a very flexible degree since a significant number of the classes are available online.

This means that it works for everyone—whether it's a well-established career professional wanting to expand their competencies or a student, like Abby, who's just graduating from university.

Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere

Abbygayle's determination to help others took on a new focus in high school.

"I became passionate about social justice after my grade 11 law class teacher showed us a documentary about Archie Williams."

Williams is an American man who was falsely imprisoned for 37 years. It was only through the work of a nonprofit called the Innocence Project that he was finally freed.

"The trauma he endured really stuck with me," she says. "Archie's story changed what I wanted to do with my life."

Abbygayle Welch, wearing a black dress, holds a small medal. Her grandmother stands on her left side and her grandfather stands on her right side.

Abbygayle's grandmother emigrated from Hungary and worked for a lawyer in Oshawa. "She would've liked to become a lawyer herself," Abby says. "I want to help her live her dream through me." Above, Abbygayle and her grandparents celebrate the Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario award she won in 2022.

Her interest in the challenges faced by the incarcerated has persisted.

For her Lakehead honours thesis, Abbygayle is assessing two Orillia justice services that provide support to individuals who are involved with the law.

It's part of a larger research project being conducted by her faculty supervisor, Interdisciplinary Studies Professor Dr. Debra Mackinnon.

"We want to pinpoint the gaps in these justice services and propose strategies to help them improve," Abbygayle says.

A Role Model to Look Up To

Abbygale Welch prepares to kick a soccer ball during a soccer gameAbbygayle (above) was recruited to play on Lakehead's varsity soccer team. "I toured the Orillia campus and fell in love. It was such a vibrant space and I knew that I wanted to be at a university that's close to nature."

Since high school, Abbygayle has spent her summers working for Their Opportunity.

It's a sports charity that delivers and subsidizes children's sports programs, such as basketball and soccer camps, in underserved communities.

"I love being involved in sports and working with kids," she says.

She's a perfect fit for Their Opportunity—Abbygayle has played soccer since she was four years old and is a member of the Lakehead women's varsity soccer team.

Being involved with a sports charity has allowed her to actively engage in social justice.

"I will always remember the mom who came up to me to let me know what a good role model I've been to her daughter," Abbygayle says.

"Seeing what a difference it makes to kids when they have someone on their side has shown me what we can achieve when we work together."

Are you interested in fostering social justice and laying the foundation for a meaningful career with non-profits, governments, or community partners? Then click here to learn more about Lakehead Orillia's Master of Social Justice Studies degree.

Keywords: 
Abbygayle Welch
Lakehead Orillia Master of Social Justice Studies program

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