Pictured from left, Gwen O’Reilly, Colin Bruce, Marlene Pierre, and Tanya Talaga.

April 24, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University will recognize four exceptional people at this year’s convocation ceremonies at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1.

Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre coordinator Gwen O’Reilly, Indigenous rights advocate Marlene Pierre, and award-winning author and Toronto Star columnist Tanya Talaga will each receive an honorary degree for their remarkable achievements.

“This year’s honorary degree recipients are being acknowledged for their exceptional contributions and achievements that have had impacts on Northwestern Ontario and, indeed, across Ontario and Canada,” said Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead University’s President and Vice-Chancellor.

Lakehead will also honour the dedication of retired Chronicle-Journal publisher Colin Bruce by naming him a Fellow of the University.

“By serving on several local boards, including as chair of Lakehead’s Board of Governors, Colin has had a profound impact on Lakehead University and Northwestern Ontario,” said Ross Murray, Chair of Lakehead University’s Board of Governors. 

Approximately 1,800 students will graduate at the Thunder Bay convocation ceremonies on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, and around 400 students will graduate during the Orillia ceremony on Saturday, June 8.

If you are eligible to graduate and planning to attend convocation, please RSVP using MyInfo – under RSVP-Spring Convocation. 

If you want to help make convocation special for Lakehead graduates by volunteering, please email Enrolment Services by Friday, May 17 at convocation@lakeheadu.ca, indicating the date and length of time you are available.

Convocation award schedule

Friday, May 31 – 2 p.m.

Gwen O’Reilly

In 1977, at the age of 17, Gwen O’Reilly was accepted into the HBSc Forestry program at Lakehead University, one of about five women in a class of over 100. A graduate program in Forest Genetics and Ecology and a six-year stint as a Forestry Research Associate followed. Fieldwork confirmed her love of the Boreal Forest. Forestry confirmed her understanding of sexism and homophobia.

On campus, Gwen joined other feminists to start the first women’s centre at Lakehead, before the dawn of Women’s Studies or sexual harassment legislation. She launched her public education career doing workshops on homophobia. The events following the murder of 14 women students at L’Ecole Polytechnique in 1989 shaped her understanding of gendered violence and the cost of speaking truth to power.

This also led to her focus on the institutional response to violence against women and the impacts of systemic racism and sexism. Her work at the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre continues to emphasize access to justice for all women.

Gwen’s interest in ecology has fuelled her enthusiasm for farming and sustainable living. Since 1987, she has been growing her own food, saving seeds and working in the local food security movement. She has administered the Thunder Bay Good Food Box Program since 2005.

After 30 years at a community-based Women’s Centre, women have entrusted her with thousands of personal stories of injustice – but also of courage, perseverance, acceptance and love. Their fierce determination to live well continues to inspire Gwen’s work.

She will be granted an honorary Doctor of Laws during the convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 31.

Colin Bruce

Colin Bruce arrived in Thunder Bay in 1994 to become publisher and general manager of the city’s daily newspapers. He merged the two into The Chronicle-Journal and changed the newspaper’s commitment to the community with a “never say no” response to requests from community groups and charities.

Since 1970, he worked his way through the editorial department ranks at several papers as a reporter, city editor and managing editor before becoming the publisher in Kirkland Lake, then Orillia and ultimately here in Thunder Bay.

He has given his time and energy to the United Way of Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Community Foundation, Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, and Lakehead University’s Board of Governors, among others.

Colin spent more than 20 years serving with the United Way, as a member on the board and chair of a successful annual campaign. His service with the board culminated in receiving the Ross Judge Award for volunteerism.

He served on Lakehead University’s Board of Governors as a member, vice-chair and then as chair. It was under Colin’s leadership when the board led the strategic plan development for the first time. He also led the board to review its size and nature, resulting in a dramatically smaller, more focussed and agile board.

Colin is retired and lives on Lake Superior with his wife, Grace. They have two sons, Jonathan and David, who both live and work in Thunder Bay.

He will be named Fellow of the University during the convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 31.

Saturday, June 1 – 9:30 a.m.

Marlene Pierre 

Marlene Pierre is an Ojibwe woman from Fort William First Nation who has been an advocate for change in the social, economic and justice conditions of the Anishinabek people across Canada for the past 50 years.

Her primary focus was to improve family life for urban Aboriginal Peoples, Aboriginal women and all children.

Her political career involved active participation in the patriation of the Canadian Constitutional for the inclusion of the Equality Clause and also changes to the Indian Act to end discrimination against women.  She has been recognized and awarded for her work by all levels of government, by Aboriginal women’s organizations, friendship centres, the City of Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation.

In her quest for justice, Marlene has been relentless in her work since she was a young woman and pursued many projects from local to national and international in scope. Her outstanding work has long been recognized, including when she was appointed to the Order of Ontario – the province’s highest honour – and when she received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal at ceremonies in Toronto, Ont.

She will be granted an honorary Doctor of Letters during the convocation ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 1.

Saturday, June 1 – 2 p.m.

Tanya Talaga

Tanya Talaga is the author of Seven Fallen Feathers, which was the winner of the RBC Taylor Prize, the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing, and the First Nation Communities Read Award: Young Adult/Adult; a finalist for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Nonfiction Prize and the BC National Award for Nonfiction; CBC’s Nonfiction Book of the Year, a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book, and a national bestseller.

She was the 2017–2018 Atkinson Fellow in Public Policy, the 2018 CBC Massey Lecturer, and author of the national bestseller All Our Relations: Finding The Path Forward. For more than 20 years Tanya has been a journalist at the Toronto Star and is now a columnist at the newspaper. She has been nominated five times for the Michener Award in public service journalism.

Tanya is of Polish and Indigenous descent. Her great-grandmother, Liz Gauthier, was a residential school survivor. Her great-grandfather, Russell Bowen, was an Ojibwe trapper and labourer. Her grandmother is a member of Fort William First Nation. Her mother was raised in Raith and Graham, Ontario. She lives in Toronto with her two teenage children.

She will be granted an honorary Doctor of Letters during the convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 1.

Program Schedule

• Friday, May 31 at 2 p.m. – NOSM, Law, Engineering, Natural Resources Management
• Saturday, June 1 at 9:30 a.m. – Health and Behavioural Sciences, Business
• Saturday, June 1 at 2 p.m. – Education, Science and Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Marketing and Communications Associate, at mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosourcenamed Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

July 18, 2019 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.

Lakehead University researchers are receiving $384,374 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for several research projects that will have an impact in various areas of Ontario.

Some of these projects will establish a network of collaborative campus-based “living laboratories” to examine issues of importance to people and their environments in the Lake Superior watershed, and use Indigenous research methodologies to develop new understanding of children’s self-regulation and literacy development.

Dr. Charles Levkoe, Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Food Systems and Associate Professor in Health Sciences at Lakehead University, is leading a partnership that will receive $188,106 over the next three years.

These community-campus collaborations will explore how postsecondary institutions might play a stronger role in advancing sustainability goals (including health and social and environmental justice) in the Lake Superior Watershed by turning higher education institutions into hubs for interdisciplinary “living laboratories” that integrate teaching, research, place-based experiential learning, and community engagement.

The project brings together three universities to serve as hubs (Lakehead University, University of Minnesota Duluth, Algoma University) and numerous community organizations and First Nations as partners through the new Lake Superior Living Labs Network. More information is available at livinglabs.lakeheadu.ca.

These partners are all situated on the Lake Superior watershed and are already pursuing projects that tackle social and environmental problems. The Lakehead Superior Living Labs Network will lead to greater collaborations between these organizations, and more integrated, systemic and impactful solutions to shared questions around water, land, climate, energy, and community and individual wellbeing in the region.

Dr. Sonia Mastrangelo, Associate Professor in Education (Orillia) and co-investigator Dr. Meridith Lovell-Johnston are receiving $196,268 to spend three years using Indigenous research methodologies to develop new knowledge and understanding of self-regulation practices and literacy development, in partnership with the Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre (Monika Orzechowska) in Sioux Lookout and the Self Regulation Institute (Dr. Susan Hopkins). Self-regulation is a framework for understanding stress and managing tension in order to cope with the challenges of daily life.

Being able to self-regulate is crucial to healthy child development including mental health, learning, resilience, and caring relationships in families, schools and communities. When self-regulation is compromised, so is literacy development.

Literacy rates in the north are lower than provincial averages and there are a rising number of students dealing with mental health challenges that impact academic achievement. This project will investigate whether promoting self-regulation through culturally appropriate techniques such as storytelling will help to improve well-being, literacy outcomes and overall school success. The research study adopts a holistic approach, engaging teachers, children and community members.

“Thank you to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for funding these important projects,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“They will provide new opportunities for collaboration and unique opportunities for student involvement and will also have a direct impact on wellbeing in Ontario.”

Funding from SSHRC also generates support from the federal Research Support Fund to offset the indirect costs of research incurred by universities.

In 2018/19, Lakehead University will receive 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. 

Partnership Development Grants – three years

Charles Levkoe, Department of Health Sciences, Lake Superior Living Labs Network: Enhancing Capacity for Regenerative Social-Ecological Systems, $188,106

Co-investigator(s)

• Alison Aune, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Brian E. McLaren, Lakehead University
• Constance L. Russell, Lakehead University
• David A. Greenwood Lakehead University
• Elizabeth L. Edgar-Webkamigad, Algoma University
• Emily Onello, University of Minnesota
• Joseph Bauerkemper, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Joshua T. Barnett, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Kathryn Milun, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Kristen N. Lowitt, Brandon University
• Laura Wyper, Algoma University
• Lindsay P. Galway, Lakehead University
• Martha G.M. Dowsley, Lakehead University
• Michael D. Rennie, Lakehead University
• Nairne Cameron, Algoma University
• Randel D. Hanson, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Robert M. Stewart, Lakehead University
• Steve Sternberg, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Thomas H. Beery, University of Minnesota Duluth

  Collaborator(s)

• Lana Ray, Lakehead University
• Ledah P. McKellar, Lakehead University
• Mindy Granley, University of Minnesota Duluth
• PhebeAnn M. Wolframe, Lakehead University 

    Partner(s)

• Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
• City of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay, Ont.
• Duluth Folk School Duluth, MN
• EcoSuperior Thunder Bay, Ont.
• Food Bank Farm Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
• Lakehead University Thunder Bay, Ont.
• Lake Superior College Duluth, MN
• Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association Duluth, MN
• Roots to Harvest Thunder Bay, ON
• Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
• Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy Thunder Bay, Ont.
• United Way Sault Ste Marie, Ont.
• University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN
• Zeitgeist Center for Arts & Community Duluth, MN

Sonia Mastrangelo, Faculty of Education, Supporting the Development of Young Children's Self-Regulation Capacities and Literacy Skills in Ontario's Northern Communities: Engaging Families and Educators, $196,268. 

Co-investigator(s)

• Meridith A. Lovell-Johnston, Lakehead University

Partner(s)

• Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre Sioux Lookout, ON (Monika Orzechowska) 
• Self Regulation Institute (Dr. Susan Hopkins)

         Collaborator(s)

• Cynthia C. Wesley-Esquimaux, Lakehead University
• Barbara Parker, Lakehead University
• Heather J. Hill, Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology

– 30 –

Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. Maclean’s 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

The Faculty of Education's September 2019 newsletter is now available online, including stories about alumni, faculty, projects, awards, and other news.

Click here to read the latest edition.

Congratulations to Fatima Ahmed (BEd teacher candidate, Orillia), who has been recognized by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) 2019 Scholarship Program for her excellence in teacher education.

As noted on the OCT website, this award is granted to individuals who “demonstrate a high level of preparedness for teacher education through examples of community involvement, background and life experiences.” Fatima has fulfilled these criteria in numerous ways, including her work as an Organizational Development Advisor for HIV/AIDS Chief Strategy Officers in Botswana (2013-2015); her work as an Executive Director for a youth centre for at-risk youth in Inuvik, NWT (2009-2010); and her work as an IT trainer and a Women’s Development Officer for the provincial government in Vanuatu, South Pacific (2007).

Fatima notes that these international life experiences, along with many others – including the fact she speaks multiple languages and has lived, worked, or studied in five continental areas – were tremendous growth experiences that pushed her toward the field of teaching. She adds thanks to those who have supported her throughout her educational journey.

“During my acceptance speech at the OCT council meeting, I mentioned that getting this award would not have been possible without the help of mentors and allies," she said. "I had a few odds against me, including a challenging financial situation and an undiagnosed disability, which prevented me from excelling during my first undergraduate degree. But, through the help of mentors and allies who continued to believe in me, I was able to keep pushing in academic and non-academic fields. I’m grateful because this award says that people can excel in spite of some obstacles.”

Congratulations, Fatima, on this notable award!

November 8, 2019 – Orillia, Ont.

A study led by Lakehead University researchers, in collaboration with Learning for a Sustainable Future, reveals that Canadians are deeply concerned about climate change, yet only half feel they know enough about the issue.

The nationwide study, Canada, Climate Change and Education: Opportunities for Public and Formal Education, paints a broad picture of Canadians’ understanding of climate change and their desire for more education about the issue, both inside and outside of schools. Schools and curricula, the study revealed, are falling short of Canadians’ expectations for learning about climate change.

“Canadians are telling us that how we respond to climate change needs to change,” said Dr. Ellen Field, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) postdoctoral fellow in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University and principal investigator of the study.

“Students, parents and teachers agreed that schools should be doing more to educate young people about climate change and that climate change education is the responsibility of the school system.”

According to the study there is a lack of basic knowledge about climate change among Canadians, including many Canadian teachers.

“There is variation in teachers’ level of preparedness when it comes to teaching about climate change,” explained Pamela Schwartzberg, President and CEO, Learning for a Sustainable Future.

Only a third of teachers surveyed (35 per cent) reported teaching about climate change. For teachers who do integrate climate change content, most students experience one to 10 hours of instruction per year or semester on the topic. 

“We need to improve this statistic,” Schwartzberg stated.

While, 32 per cent of the teachers surveyed believed they have enough knowledge to teach about climate change, over half (54 per cent) indicated that they wanted more professional development on climate change education.

Schwartzberg added, “Learning for a Sustainable Future has worked for over two decades to provide professional development and high-quality resources to teachers and, now more than ever, can offer solutions to act fast and deliver on the expectations of Canadian youth, teachers and the public.”

When it came to Canadian youths’ knowledge of climate change, Field explained that almost 46 per cent of students in grades seven to 12 were aware that climate change is human-caused. What the researchers were not expecting was the response from Canadian youth that they didn’t feel mitigation efforts will change the course of climate change.

“It is deeply concerning that almost half of students in junior and high school don’t believe that greenhouse gas reduction policies can have an impact,” Field stated.

“In the midst of a climate crisis, the study shows the critical need for more emphasis on climate change education in schooling, and suggests possible ways forward for provinces, school boards, principals and teachers,” explained Dr. Paul Berger, Chair of Graduate Studies & Research in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University and supervisor of the project. “This study is a major contribution at a crucial time for action.”

The study was supported with funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSRHC).

Read the Executive Summary online at: https://lsf-lst.ca/media/National_Report/Executive_Summary_Slides_Climate_Change.pdf 

Read the full report online at: https://lsf-lst.ca/media/National_Report/National_Climate_Change_Education_FINAL.pdf

Watch the national climate change survey video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbuaU6IYV2I

About the Canada, Climate Change and Education: Opportunities for Public and Formal Education Study
These are some of the findings of a survey conducted between October 5, 2018 and January 31, 2019 on behalf of Lakehead University and Learning for a Sustainable Future. Educators, students, parents and members of the general public were surveyed from the LegerWeb platform and responses from a further 1,120 teachers were collected through a link hosted on the Learning for a Sustainable Future website. A total of 3,184 completed surveys were analyzed.  Margin of error is not reported for this type of survey, but in other types of surveys with this sample size Leger Research Intelligence calculated that the margin would be ±2.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About Lakehead University
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 8,500 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. Maclean’s 2020 University Rankings, once again, included Lakehead University among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities, and in 2018, Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

About Learning for a Sustainable Future
Founded in 1991, Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) is a Canadian charity whose mission is to promote, through education, the knowledge, skills, values, perspectives and practices essential to a sustainable future. Working with business, governments, school boards, universities, communities, educators, and youth across Canada, LSF acts as a connector, a resource, and a facilitator for change. LSF’s innovative programs and strategic partnerships are helping reshape education policy and transforming learning methods, helping students learn to address the increasingly difficult economic, social, and environmental challenges of the 21^st century. www.LSF-LST.ca

 -30-

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Ellen Field
SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow and Contract Faculty
Faculty of Education
Lakehead University
efield@lakeheadu.ca

Paul Berger
Chair, Graduate Studies and Research in Education
Faculty of Education
Lakehead University
paul.berger@lakeheadu.ca

Pamela Schwartzberg
President and CEO
Learning for a Sustainable Future
1-877-250-8202
pam@LSF-LST.ca

Jaclyn Bucik
Media, Communications and Marketing Associate
Lakehead University
705-330-4008 ext. 2014
jaclyn.bucik@lakeheadu.ca

Come join MCC and Pride Central in a discussion group about what it means to be an LGBTQ+ international student or newcomer to Thunder Bay.

When: Wednesday, January 23, 2019, at 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Where: Multicultural Centre (UC-2014A)

This is a free event and lunch will be provided. Please RSVP by Tuesday, January 22, 2019, at pridecentral@lusu.ca.

Dr. Charlene Senn, Canada Research Chair in Sexual Violence and Professor of Psychology and Women’s & Gender Studies, is in town to give the keynote for the Art of Resistance conference.

She is the developer of the feminist EAAA / Flip the Script Sexual Assault Resistance program, the only university-level sexual violence prevention program proven to reduce the sexual violence that women students experience.

Join us Friday, January 18th at 1 pm in ATAC 5036 for an informal presentation and Q & A session with Dr. Senn.

The ReImagining Value Action Lab is pleased to invite the public to two presentations by Dr. Gary Kinsman, Professor Emeritus at Laurentian University.

At 1 pm on Wednesday, Jan. 23 Kinsman will speak at The Study at Lakehead University about the connections between the persecution of both queer and Indigenous peoples.

At 8 pm on Thursday, Jan. 24 Kinsman will lead a workshop on the commercialization of queer
identities and the importance of social justice struggles at In Common (40 Cumberland St S.). Both events are free and open to the public.

November 25, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University is embarking on a $1.8 million campaign to support the construction of the dynamic new Wolf Den athletics facility, a project that students overwhelmingly supported in a referendum in 2018.

Set to open in 2020, the new 30,000 square-foot Wolf Den will be connected and built adjacent to the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse. Students are contributing $11 million of the $12.8 million construction cost.

August Ricketts, a former varsity basketball player and current fitness enthusiast, is excited to experience the Wolf Den.

 “As a Lakehead University student and former varsity athlete, I have spent quite a bit of time in our current athletics facility over the years,” Ricketts said.

“I have come to understand and recognize the importance of supporting the Wolf Den and how beneficial it will be. The new addition will provide a modern and bright space, to not only Lakehead students but to members of the Thunder Bay community as well.

“There will be more available time for students and community members to utilize the courts for recreational activities as well as give them increased access to more cardio and weight equipment. The addition will also give students another space to study comfortably and de-stress from school,” she added.

The expansion will allow Lakehead to double the space dedicated to weight lifting, cardio and gym areas that the current space provides, for both students and community use.

The Wolf Den will include a multi-purpose gymnasium, modern weightlifting area, new aerobics studio, expanded club team storage and offices, new space for recreational programming, multi-use boardroom, student study areas, a lounge and meditation centre, and a wellness clinic. The new facility will also provide accessibility enhancements for users who have disabilities. Additionally, the Wolf Den Athletics Facility will be designed and built with sustainability in mind.  As such, it is registered with the intention of earning LEED® Gold certification upon its completion.

 “This is an exciting project that we are very proud to be part of,” said Farhan Yousaf, LUSU’s Vice-President, Finance and Operations. “It will be a new facility for students, where they can study, relax and work out in one building.”

Tom Warden, Lakehead’s Director, Athletics, said the space would meet the needs of Lakehead’s students – and students played a role in every aspect of its creation.

“Lakehead students have driven this new facility,” he said. “They’ve been the ones who have championed it, financed the majority of it, designed it, and developed it.

“Together with the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse and the Hangar, the Wolf Den will ensure that Lakehead University Athletics continues to provide dedicated space and programming to meet the health, wellness and recreation needs of our students and the wider community,” Warden said, adding that he hopes the public will contribute whatever they can to help make this facility a reality.

“Students are the primary funders. As we move forward with this campaign, we hope our community members, corporate community, and friends of the university will see the value of this facility for the region and the city, and help make this project happen,” he added.

For information about how you can donate to the Wolf Den, visit lakeheadu.ca/wolfden or contact Kathryn Davidson at (807) 343-8476 or kathryn.davidson@lakeheadu.ca.

– 30 –

Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, 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. In 2019, Maclean’s 2020 University Rankings, once again, included Lakehead University among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities, while Research Infosource named Lakehead 'Research University of the Year' in its category for the fifth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

December 13, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Today, Maple Leaf World Schools was pleased to host the Thunder Bay community at its first open house at its new school, Maple Leaf World Schools–Lakehead University (MLWS-LakeheadU).

MLWS-LakeheadU is Maple Leaf’s third school in Canada and its first in Ontario. Located in the Avila Centre at Lakehead University Thunder Bay, this learning environment offers students an English immersion environment on campus.

Among those welcoming visitors from the University and Thunder Bay communities to its open house was Stuart McIlmoyle, President of Maple Leaf Education North America.

“Maple Leaf Education North America is proud to be opening our third school in Canada and the first in Ontario through our ongoing partnership with Lakehead University,” said McIlmoyle.

“Over the years, Maple Leaf and Lakehead have worked together to provide quality education experiences to the graduates of our Maple Leaf high schools,” he added. “The opening of MLWS-LakeheadU is a further step in strengthening our partnership. We look forward to seeing the development of the school and future joint initiatives between Maple Leaf and Lakehead.”

Students complete the Ontario Secondary School Diploma program curriculum preparing them for further studies in universities around the world. MLWS-LakeheadU offers the high school program at grades 10 to 12. Focusing on academic achievement, MLWS-LakeheadU students benefit from an English language immersion experience and a unique university preparatory program giving them an academic advantage in their post-secondary applications.

Our University Partner - Lakehead University

Lakehead University has been providing educational excellence in Canada for over 50 years. Lakehead is located in beautiful Thunder Bay and Orillia, with leading edge learning spaces on campus and nearby.

The university has over 8,300 students on two campuses with 1,400 international students from around the world. Lakehead University offers a diverse learning experience for all – making it a great campus for students to grow and develop their understanding of other cultures.

Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay offers a beautiful and natural location in a vibrant, small Canadian city, which is famous for its focus on outdoor recreation, clean air, and an excellent university that attracts students from around the world. Thunder Bay has a strong connection to sports and lots of nearby skiing, hiking and other outdoor recreation.

Maple Leaf School Advantages

• Small classes, great teachers, excellent curriculum.
• Outdoor adventure activities throughout the year included as part of the school program.
• Dynamic, supervised evening self-study program.
• Academic advising and university application assistance.
• Dormitory living with private bedrooms in a quad suite.
• Beautiful campus and access to the university’s state-of-the-art facilities.
• Opportunities for advanced dual credit courses with the university.
• Optional trips organized to major university campuses in Canada.
  

Monica Andrews, Principal of MLWS-LakeheadU

Principal Monica Andrews holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies - Geography from the University of Waterloo, a Bachelor of Education degree from Nipissing University and a Master of Education degree from the University of Prince Edward Island. Monica taught with Maple Leaf Educational Systems (MLES) in Tianjin, China since 2014 before being appointed Interim Vice Principal in 2018. She has acted in several leadership roles in her years with Maple Leaf International School - Tianjin, including Academic Advisor, Department Head, Educational Coordinator, Curriculum Editor, Team Leader and Systems Coordinator. In addition to her leadership roles, Monica has contributed greatly to Maple Leaf’s extra-curricular activities at her school as coach of various sports teams and clubs.

Principal’s Welcome Message

I am pleased to have the opportunity to welcome you to MLWS–LakeheadU in Thunder Bay, Ont., Maple Leaf’s newest Canadian school. At MLWS–LakeheadU we have a great team of educational professionals with many years of experience in Maple Leaf schools. 

MLWS–LakeheadU offers the Ontario Secondary School Diploma Program to international students. Being located on the expansive and welcoming campus of Lakehead University allows our students access to world-class educational facilities. Our excellent facilities and location help to ensure student success and safety. 

In our school community we strive for superior academic achievement and to develop social responsibility and positive values in our students. We believe that the values of respect, responsibility, honesty and hard work are fundamental to a healthy school community.

The community and surrounding area have much to offer our students. Outdoor activities abound: skiing, fishing, hiking, running and biking are all central to the lifestyle in Thunder Bay. Lakehead’s CJ Sanders Fieldhouse and Hangar, located near our classrooms, is an excellent sports centre with a pool, indoor basketball courts, running track, and exercise training rooms. Our students are never lacking things to do during the school-day, after school and on weekends.

– 30 –

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. In 2019, Maclean’s 2020 University Rankings, once again, included Lakehead University among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities, while Research Infosource named Lakehead 'Research University of the Year' in its category for the fifth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.