Local student wins Lakehead Orillia’s prestigious Business Award

James Newlands

James Newlands, Lakehead University’s 2015 President’s Golf Tournament Business Award recipient.

April 28, 2015 – Orillia, ON

James Newlands of Ramara is about to graduate from Lakehead University’s Honours Bachelor of Commerce program and just received a huge boost to support his further education and career goals. 

Newlands, a graduate of Patrick Fogarty Secondary School, is the recipient of Lakehead University’s President’s Golf Tournament Business Award – a $6,900 award that is presented annually to a fourth year student from Simcoe County enrolled in Lakehead Orillia’s business program. 

“I really appreciated finding out about this scholarship and was thrilled to receive it,” said Newlands. “I am going on to graduate studies and this represents a year’s tuition paid, and a financial burden I won’t have to worry about.” Newlands was recently accepted into the Master of Science in Rural Planning and Development program at the University of Guelph.

The Business Award was funded through the University’s highly successful annual President’s Golf Tournament, which ran from 2009 to 2013.

“The Award represents a commitment from the local business community to support the business program at Lakehead Orillia and encourages students to pursue their education and career goals,” said Orillia Campus Dean & Vice-Provost Dr. Kim Fedderson.

Newlands received the award based on his student leadership within the campus; he was recently elected vice-president of the school’s Business Orillia Student Society (BOSS), as well as in the community, where he has acted as head referee for the Ramara Soccer Club.

“Marks don’t play a direct role,” explains Newlands, but without the marks, you can’t participate or perform well and won’t get a faculty recommendation for the Award.”

Newlands credits his success to the school’s small class sizes and extraordinary professors. “The profs know exactly who I am; you can’t get that at a big institution. “I especially enjoyed Dr. Herman van den Berg’s classes; which made me realize that I was interested in pursuing the area of finance.”

“James is an intelligent student with an engaging personality,” said Dr. van den Berg, Associate Professor with the Faculty of Business. “I’m sure he will do well as he pursues his graduate studies. We are proud to have such accomplished students representing Lakehead.

To learn more about Newlands and his experience at Lakehead, view the “Meet James Newlands” video interview online at Lakehead’s YouTube channel (LakeheadOrillia).

– 30 –

MEDIA:  For more information, please contact Communications Officer, Kathy Hunt, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014 or kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca. 

In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by its Strategic Plan (2013-2018), Lakehead is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead University 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 2015 University Rankings places Lakehead University 2nd in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and 1st among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2014, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead 2nd in Ontario and 3rd among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.