a mischievous monster named baabii, short for baabiiwaashi, is enchanting audiences across ontario with his bold personality, jokes, and songs.

in the process, baabii (pronounced like "bobby") is helping revitalize the ojibwe language, or anishinaabemowin.

"language captures the way a culture relates to the world around them. it holds a lot of history and heritage, such as how spirits and the land are spoken of," says john-paul chalykoff (bed'12/med'19). john-paul is a member of michipicoten first nation near wawa, ontario, and the creative artist behind baabii.

baabii—a big blue furry puppet with yellow horns and purple hair—is appearing at fringe festivals, schools, indigenous communities, and many other events, to the acclaim of children and adults alike.

john-paul asked elder john bobbiwash's son and grandson for permission to use a version of his name for his puppet baabii. "baabii is breaking barriers, like elder bobbiwash, and makes language more fun and accessible," john-paul says.

john-paul is thrilled that his alter ego is becoming a celebrity, because his mission to foster anishinaabemowin is not an easy one.

today, there are less than 40,000 anishinaabemowin speakers in north america, and this grammatically complex language is one of the most difficult in the world to learn.

"it's a verb-based language with fewer nouns and a flexible word order," says john-paul, who's also a distinguished anishinaabe studies and anishinaabemowin professor at algoma university in sault ste. marie, ontario. "for instance, 'that cup is blue,' would be more like, 'that cup is the colour of the sky, (giizhigwaande)' and this varies according to whether the object you're talking about is animate or inanimate."

although anishinaabemowin was the first language of john-paul's grandmother, she lost her fluency when she was a child, and the language wasn't spoken again in john-paul's family until his mother began studying ojibwe at algoma university (she later completed 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 's indigenous instructor program).

"my mom inspired me to follow in her footsteps," john-paul says. he, too, did an undergraduate degree in anishinaabemowin at algoma before completing a bachelor of education at lakehead in 2012.

"at the time lakehead was the only bachelor of education program that offered a specialization in native studies and indigenous language, so it was the only school i applied to—it was lakehead or nothing."

john-paul subsequently earned a master of education at lakehead, focusing on language revitalization, in 2019.

a star is born

john-paul says that lakehead professor dr. david greenwood's "holistic and contemplative education" course "encouraged 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to think about what was important to us. that's when i understood that i didn't want to let go of education, language, and music. afterwards, i worked with dr. pauline sameshima to hone the idea of intertwining music, art, and language."

baabii sprang from john-paul's imagination during the pandemic when he was teaching at michigan state university in east lansing, michigan.

"the disney+ channel launched during this period, and watching shows with puppets made me see that they could add a visual element to the anishinaabemowin children's songs i'd been writing for almost a decade," john-paul explains.

he wanted to create a puppet reminiscent of the colourful friendly ones popularized by sesame street and the muppets.

"one night, my partner cut eyes, ears, noses, and mouths out of paper and scattered them on the kitchen table. i moved them around until i found a face that i liked and sketched it on a tablet."

he sent his sketch to a puppet maker on etsy and several weeks later baabii arrived. "he was a challenging puppet to learn on, because he's over three feet tall—the size of a large toddler."

although john-paul put great care into baabii's physical appearance, one of the most important aspects of his creation was selecting a name that would honour the puppet's purpose.

"i wanted him to have an ojibwe name that was longer, but that could be shortened and pronounced by anyone," john-paul says. he chose the name baabiiwaash (which means she or he is scattered here and there by the wind) in tribute to elder john bobbiwash, who lived in sault ste. marie before passing away in 2021.

"elder bobbiwash was welcoming and non-judgmental and very involved in local communities," john-paul says. "he was a real character—there was humour in everything he did."

puppetry soon became the vital fourth pillar of john-paul's work, along with education, music, and language. the power that comes from combining these different mediums can be seen in the strong connection between baabii and his audiences.

"people talk directly to baabii, and kids want to high five him at the end of performances," john-paul says. "at a school in thessalon, ontario, they asked for baabii's autograph—and if he motivates people to learn ojibwe and makes it cool, that's wonderful."

may the force be with you

patricia ningewance nadeau, who received a doctor of humane letters from lakehead in 2024 and taught indigenous languages at lakehead, was the lead translator and adaptor of the anishinaabemowin version of star wars: a new hope.

puppetry and music are not john-paul's only skills as an artist. he recently became part of the star wars universe when he voiced the character of uncle owen in an anishinaabemowin-dubbed version of star wars: a new hope, the iconic science-fiction movie first released in 1977.

"i actually started off as an ewok fan when i was a child," john-paul says. "i didn't realize it was a star wars spin-off until my parents told me otherwise. i still love wicket, the main ewok."

the film was voiced by a talented cast of multi-generational anishinaabe speakers as part of a language revitalization project in support of truth and reconciliation.

"i did an online audition through zoom and was cast to dub some of the minor characters," john-paul says. but the day before he arrived in winnipeg, he got an email saying that he would also be voicing uncle owen—luke skywalker's uncle. "uncle owen and aunt beru raised luke. he's a grounding father figure who makes sure that luke does the work that he needs to do on their ranch."

the film was dubbed in winnipeg in may 2024 followed by final mixing at skywalker sound in california.

"i tried not to be nervous or overthink it too much," john-paul says. "i did the voice work in a recording booth with the movie running on a screen inside the booth and lucasfilm sound engineers outside. first, they played the lines in english and then they played an ojibwe translation so that i could match the words to the mouth movements of the actors."

above is the recording booth where john-paul voiced uncle owen's dialogue.

the anishinaabemowin version of star wars (anangong miigaading): a new hope premiered on august 8, 2024, at the centennial concert hall in winnipeg and, in collaboration with walt disney studios canada, free screenings are being shown in communities across the country (it's already been screened once in thunder bay), and it's just been released on disney+.

john-paul has now moved onto a new creative project. "i'm working on my first cd of children's songs, and i want to begin making educational videos featuring baabii singing anishinaabemowin songs. i'm also hoping to write about my work from an academic standpoint—it connects and informs everything that i do. projects like baabii and star wars wouldn't have been possible without all of my language teachers and mentors over the years—it's been a true community-building effort."

john-paul believes that some of the credit for baabii's magic should be given to the children who love him. "kids will ask questions like 'what's baabii's favourite movie and what's his favourite book? they don't realize how much they're helping him come alive as a character."

and, he adds, "baabii's favourite book is where the wild things are because it has a lot of big furry monsters running around."

click here to watch the movie trailer for star wars (anangong miigaading): a new hope.

“literacy is basically everything when it comes to academic achievement,” says education professor dr. tanya kaefer.

this awareness motivated her to work with television writers from pbs’s beloved sesame street and animators from nickelodeon’s popular blue’s clues to create educational videos and ebooks for children who are at risk of falling behind academically.

dr. tanya kaefer is studying how early language experiences and media exposure prepare children for the challenges of reading. she completed a phd in developmental psychology at duke university followed by a post-doctorate at the university of michigan’s school of education because, she says, “i wanted to apply cognitive psychology principles to the classroom.”

dr. kaefer, a lakehead orillia faculty member, is part of a team of education researchers from new york university and west texas a & m university who received a $1.47 million grant from the institute for education science for their multi-year study “reducing knowledge gaps for low-income and educationally at-risk pre-kindergartners through taxonomically organized books and screen media.”

the study’s goal is to improve the literacy of four-year-old and five-year-old 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in urban preschool programs in the bronx so that they can catch up to classmates in other new york city school districts and thrive—both in school and in life.

“research has shown that literacy and knowledge development affect children’s sense of self in a positive way,” dr. kaefer says. “these skills have long-term effects, including whether or not children graduate from high school and, in turn, if they go to college or university.”

knowledge development is an information-gathering process that is necessary to foster reading abilities. “to comprehend what we read, we need to have a little bit of preexisting knowledge,” dr. kaefer says. for example, if a child isn’t familiar with the word “alligator,” they can look it up in a dictionary—but if they don’t understand the meaning of the words used to define “alligator” they won’t be able to add this new word to their vocabulary.

“if background knowledge makes a big difference to literacy and comprehension levels, how do they get that knowledge?” dr. kaefer continues. “where have children learned the things that they’ve learned? we’re looking at how kids learn from screen media and how they apply it to reading comprehension.”

making kids know-it-alls

to achieve their objectives, the researchers created educational ebooks and short minute-and-a-half videos called know it all! for preschool 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in the study—96% of whom are economically disadvantaged.

they chose to work with low-income 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 because these children face greater barriers to literacy. “high-income learners are more likely to have access to bookstores and generously funded libraries, as well as parents with more time and money to devote to their children’s education, which results in better literacy.” dr. kaefer says. in addition, teachers tend to choose books that highlight experiences that high-income 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 are familiar with because these experiences often parallel the teachers’ own experiences.

a scene from know it all! demonstrating the concept of camouflage by showing how birds use camouflage to hide from predators.

“i remember being in a thunder bay kindergarten classroom where the teacher was reading the gruffalo storybook aloud, but before reading it, she did a knowledge development exercise to enhance their comprehension of the book. she asked the 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 what animals they might find in the forest. most of the kids were all over it. they were shouting, ‘deer, bears, skunks!’ but there were some new canadian 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 who were left out because they didn’t know any northwestern ontario animals. that’s why we recommend choosing books that are inclusive of every child.”

laying the groundwork for research project videos and ebooks included figuring out how children make connections between words and visual images, choosing the genres of videos to produce, and deciding what form the scripts should take.

“it took us, the writers, and the animators about a year to complete,” dr. kaefer says. “the animation was excellent—we let the animators run wild as long as they didn’t compromise the concepts we were trying to get across.”

the researchers were helped by the fact that children are much more strongly drawn to images than to words. and although parents and educators often worry about the amount of time children spend on screens, according to dr. kaefer, “you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. screens are everywhere, so we want to make the quality of the screen content as high as possible. kids can definitely learn from screen media.”

in the second year of the research project, the 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 read the ebooks and watched the know it all! videos while wearing eye-tracker technology. “this allowed us to see what the kids were paying attention to and how long they were paying attention. we were thrilled that the children not only spent more than 90% of their time on the screens, but that they learned what we wanted them to learn.”

one of the findings that emerged through their testing was that the genre of a video affected how much children learn. specifically, children absorb more when videos are solely informational, as opposed to videos that combine informational and storytelling elements. “perhaps because the narrative elements are distracting and make it more difficult to retain knowledge,” dr. kaefer speculates.

cartoons and creativity

this scene from know it all! illustrates the concept of “shelter.”

the work that dr. kaefer and her colleagues are doing has been attracting positive attention. when nickelodeon wanted to develop a new tv show called ‘what’s the word?’ to build the vocabulary of three- and four-year-old children, the know it all! animators urged them to get in touch with the research team to test the show.

“in each ‘what’s the word?’ episode, darryl mcdaniels of the rap group run-dmc voices an animated version of himself rapping about complex words like ‘hypothesis,’ ‘dilemma,’ and ‘persevere,’” dr. kaefer says. “after watching the videos, the three year olds we studied were able to understand the meaning of the featured word, which is really unusual.”

as the research team enters the final year of their grant, they are determining the best way to make the ebooks and videos work together to strengthen children’s reading comprehension. “by the end of the project, we will have a prototype learning program that can be used in schools across north america, and because it is screen based, it can also be used at home.”

so what can parents do to improve their child’s literacy? “increase their knowledge. the more kids know, the more literate they become—read to them, talk to them, and take them to museums and libraries if you can.”

the alumni association of 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 has been honouring distinguished alumni since 1989 when the first alumni award was given. each year, the association presents awards to alumni in recognition of their significant personal accomplishments and contributions to the community. 

congratulations to the 2024 honourees!

stan nemec
阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 honorary alumni award

stan nemec was born in fort william but spent his childhood in port arthur, just a few blocks from the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 campus. having grown up in a home full of warmth, generosity, plenty of kids, and an open-door policy for friends in need, stan’s personality reflects his parents’ friendly values. “i like when i can put a smile on someone’s face with a kind word or gesture,” he says.

as a long-time non-faculty employee of the university, stan received a staff award in 2016 from lakehead's president recognizing his exceptional service to the university community. and whether it’s on the clock or in his free time, service to the community is second nature for stan. for over 40 years, he has volunteered with thunder bay ground operations, contributing his time and leadership to a wide range of memorable community events, including music festivals, marathons, aviation shows, ski-jumping competitions, curling championships, and strongman competitions, to name just a few.

stan believes his success in life comes down to doing the best he can with the resources he has and making each day a good day. he would no doubt be the last person to agree with the pessimistic adage that “nice guys finish last”—stan knows from experience that “an honest day’s work does pay off.”

“i’m very happy to have been nominated, and then accepted, by the alumni board for this very prestigious honour to become part of the lakehead alumni family,” he says. he also expresses gratitude to the university community, administration, and all his colleagues in printing and mail services for supporting his many initiatives, from holiday gatherings to summer barbecues and food bank drives.

as he contemplates to retirement, stan is preparing to step down from his board position at the fort william curling club. he looks forward to spending more time enjoying the outdoors and being with his friends and family.

to his fellow alumni and current lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , stan enthusiastically recommends giving back to the community. “it is a great feeling of accomplishment when you can make another’s day just by lending a helping hand.”

cathy tuckwell
阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 honorary alumni award

though she was born in edmonton, cathy tuckwell’s family history is deeply connected to northern ontario. “i have been coming to thunder bay to visit family and friends since i was wee,” she explains. in fact, her lineage is woven into the city’s roots—her paternal great-grandfather was a fort william mayor.

this commitment to serving the local community runs in the family. it was exemplified by her parents, who encouraged cathy and her brothers to volunteer as kids, sending them out to canvass neighborhoods for the united way. “i encourage all alumni and 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to volunteer in your communities,” she urges, adding that everyone has experience and expertise that local organizations need. and she points out that volunteering can be very rewarding on many levels. “in every volunteer activity i have ever done, i have always learned something that helped me develop skills that i was able to incorporate in my professional life.”

today, cathy carries on her family legacy of public service by serving on 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 ’s board of governors. her time as a governor has opened her eyes to the immense effort involved in delivering a world-class university experience to 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 . that perspective shift—from former student to someone behind the scenes—was both jarring and enlightening. “'holy cow,' i thought to myself, 'this is what it takes to provide that education?!'”

reflecting on her service so far, cathy is particularly proud of her role in the search for new 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 leadership. “our new president is off to a great start and we governors look forward to supporting her efforts over the coming years.”

cathy enjoys helping others, and attributes her success to a strong moral compass. “my main motivation is to do the right thing,” she says. she speaks with humility and inclusivity about those who help make lakehead great, explaining that in her role as governor she’s helping to build a bright future for “all the people contributing to the delivery of higher education,” her careful words acknowledging not just faculty and 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , but each staff member, community partner, donor, and volunteer. cathy is committed to building a bright future for the entire lakehead community.

debra woods, hbcom ’05
阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 legacy alumni award

debra woods’ life is a testament to the power of seizing opportunities and staying connected to your roots. born and raised in thunder bay, she went on to attend lakehead where she created many fond memories, from late-night “fake” contract negotiations in the ryan building to working on big projects with her peers.

after graduating from lakehead, debra moved to calgary, which she has made her home. despite her distance from thunder bay, debra’s connection to lakehead remains strong. after graduating, she stayed involved with her alma mater by helping establish the calgary chapter of the alumni association, joining the alumni board, and later serving on the board of governors. in these roles, she has been inspired by the university’s leaders, like former university president dr. moira mcpherson, and recent alumni association president yolanda wanakamik, both of whom she describes as intelligent, eloquent, and embodying a passion for lifelong learning.

debra, believes that her success comes from “hard work and putting myself out there.” she is passionate about connecting with others and leading teams, which has motivated her throughout her career.

becoming a mother at a young age gave her the motivation and inspiration to push forward in her own journey. she views her daughter as one of her greatest achievements. “she’s a smart, hard-working, and confident woman,” debra says.

in her downtime, debra enjoys spending time with family and friends, typically over dinner and wine, and stays active with regular workouts. looking to the future, her goals are to continue advancing her career and to travel as much as possible.

debra has received encouragement and mentorship from many people along the way. however, she reflects that the biggest influence on her success has been her willingness to embrace new opportunities and take chances. her advice to lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ? “enjoy your time, absorb all that you can, and make friends.”

john bonofiglio, hba’81
阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 alumni award

born and raised in eastern france, john bonofiglio’s parents played a significant role in shaping the path of john’s life. later, two lakehead professors, alain nabarra and andré cloutier, were instrumental in his journey, mentoring him early in his university education. for over four decades he’s worked at lakehead; he is currently the coordinator of multimedia and educational technology support services.

while he was a student at lakehead, john joined up with a fellow friend from france to create what was likely the first french student newspaper at lakehead. the newspaper would go on to achieve significant success, support, and recognition.

during his time as a lakehead employee, john particularly fondly remembers being part of the 2004 atac campaign fundraising team. the group, which also included former lakehead chancellor arthur mauro, as well as external relations director bonnie moore, collectively raised $300,000.

john, who describes himself as both friendly and compassionate, considers his finest achievements to be the kind that money can’t buy—namely, the respect he’s earned, and the friendships he’s forged with his fellow lakehead campus community members. he attributes his success to the many ways that lakehead has allowed him to get involved and stay challenged in positive ways, all of which keeps him motivated each day.

in his spare time, he enjoys traveling, taking evening walks with his wife during the summer months, going to the gym, and spending time with his family, children, and grandchildren. john also finds joy in landscaping projects. while he anticipates retiring soon, he hopes to remain engaged with lakehead.

to current 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , john offers this sage advice: “venture, learn, and evolve with an open mind. do not despair at failures, for they are the reason for personal and professional growth.”

dick henderson, bphe ’73/bed ’74/med ’86
阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 alumni award

reflecting on his childhood, dick henderson says, “i sometimes wonder if i have grown up.” his active and innovative mind, restless sleep, and early rising all attest to a vibrance often associated with youth. “it’s only by age that i feel i’ve grown up,” he says.

dick credits his parents and sister lynne with providing the foundation for his growth and development. his friends helped with the “informal” education he needed, and a series of influential teachers and, later, professors played a huge role in shaping his path. lakehead’s own dr. george merrill, dr. jim widdop, susan evans, bonnie benson, dr. gord garvey, and dr. george osbourne made up part of what he calls “a wonderful family of professors.”

dick enrolled at lakehead in the summer of 1969. he fondly remembers the leadership opportunities he enjoyed, like being a “don” at the university residence, becoming president of the athletic society, and proctoring special events on campus, including a concert by barry manilow in the fieldhouse. along with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education, he also received the president’s award for student leadership at convocation—his proudest moment at lakehead.

graduation was a special achievement for dick, as he had struggled with academics. he went on to complete a master’s degree in education at lakehead, attending classes part-time while also being a father to three daughters, a husband to his wife dona, teaching and coaching full time, and taking part in competitive curling. he praises the flexibility and accessibility lakehead offered with its part-time degree program.

dick enjoyed his career teaching in the lakehead public school system. “i don’t feel i worked a day in my life,” he says, adding that he’s been deeply motivated throughout life by what he dubs his 'mantra:' “the role of myself as teacher/coach is to help the 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 get along without me.” he adds, “you’ll have to ask them if i have been successful!”

he just celebrated the 50th reunion of his undergraduate class and he is keeping quite busy as a retiree. “it’s hard to believe that there was once time to also teach and coach,” he laughs, adding, “it’s been a beautiful life.”

dick’s advice to current lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 is to stay in touch with alumni groups after graduation. “the friends you make at lakehead will be your friends for life,” he says. “even if you are not in constant touch with them all, should your paths ever cross, you will fondly remember your days at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 .”

therese lim, hbscn ’91, ba ’93
阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 alumni award

though she was born in vancouver, therese lim moved to thunder bay as a very young child and has spent most of her life in the thunder bay community. early on, her mother was an important influence. “the example of a professional who balanced home, work, and motherhood certainly shaped my work ethic,” she notes. her faith has also played a central role in her life.

while a student at lakehead, therese received a great deal of support from her professors, whom she says promoted professional pathways that have led to her becoming involved, and even take on leadership roles, at the local, provincial, and national levels of her professional nursing associations.

therese is proud of having been the sole canadian team member of the us/canada rotary group study exchange team to taipei, taiwan, in 2009, where she navigated her new environment using the fujian language skills she learned as a child in conversation with her grandparents. she remembers surprising herself by successfully delivering a speech in fujian to a crowd of 300 people. professionally, she’s also proud to have played a significant role in efforts to transition three local hospitals from paper to electronic documentation.

in her spare time, therese serves as board secretary of the canadian gerontological nursing association. she also enjoys reading fiction and cookbooks, baking, crafting, and travelling. with a lifelong appreciation of what she describes as “ceremony, decorum, and protocol,” she fondly remembers “the excitement of faintly hearing the opening strains of pomp and circumstance” at her first convocation and has loved attending graduations ever since. “the magic present amongst the graduates as they celebrate the culmination of their educational journey is very inspiring,” she says.

she’s passionate about volunteering, both to express her gratitude for the blessings in her life, and to satisfy the strong work ethic instilled in her from her childhood by her family. each year she helps with lakehead's convocation, and she is currently a st. joseph’s foundation board director, a fort william rotary club member, and leads wedding rehearsals at st. patrick's cathedral. she advises lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to similarly donate their time and energy to good causes. “your life becomes immeasurably richer in the connections made (connections that often become dear friends), the opportunities afforded you, and the experiences that lead to personal growth and enrichment.”

one last valuable piece of advice: never turn down an opportunity just because it seems too daunting. “you will find the strength in you to accomplish great things.”

jeff moorley, ba ’10
阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 alumni award

born and raised in thunder bay, jeff moorley’s parents instilled a strong work ethic in him, to which he attributes his success in life—along with a good dose of what he calls “northwestern ontario toughness.”

while at lakehead, jeff pursued a bachelor of arts in psychology. he vividly recalls being an undergraduate student in a time before wi-fi, carrying around a network cable to connect to the internet at the chancellor paterson library.

academically, he’s most proud of the two awards he received in 2010—the dean braun’s medal, awarded to the graduating student with the highest academic standing in their program, and the vice-chancellor’s medal, a similar honor for a three-year bachelor’s program.

it was his psychology professor dr. rupert klein who sparked jeff’s interest in the law, and dr. todd dufresne, professor of philosophy, who inspired him to apply to law school. now a personal injury lawyer, jeff describes himself as dogged, and “an agent for good.” a partner at white macgillivray lester llp in downtown port arthur, he’s currently dedicating his career to “helping people in northern ontario recover what is owed to them from insurance companies.”

jeff’s also been coaching the lakehead mooting team since 2017. a moot court competition pits student groups against each other in a simulated court case. in 2021, he helped the bora laskin faculty of law 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 win the ontario trial lawyers association cup.

when it comes to accomplishing great things, jeff particularly lauds the value of a strong group effort, saying, “i’m constantly surprised by the power of a committed team to change our community.” he advises current lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to resist the lure of elsewhere, insisting the local region is a rich and supportive place in which to invest their time and energy. “you don’t need to look outside of northern ontario,” he promises, “in order to have a successful and meaningful career.”

farhan yousaf, beng ’21
阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 alumni award

born in pakistan, farhan yousaf was raised in qatar by supportive parents who encouraged him to embrace education and leadership opportunities from an early age.

reflecting on his journey, farhan considers his parents to be instrumental mentors who have played a pivotal role in shaping his career and life. he also credits the lakehead community for shaping the person he is today. “i attribute my success to the creator, the prayers and sacrifices of my parents, and the support of my friends and my team at lusu,” he says.

farhan fondly remembers the sense of belonging and connection he felt during his time at lakehead. “whether it was through student activities, working with the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 student union, or participating in campus events, i always felt like i was part of something bigger, making a difference,” he recalls.

this emphasis on collaboration and shared goals has become the cornerstone of his career, as he describes himself as “community-oriented.” he believes in working hard for what he believes in, while simultaneously supporting others along the way. “it’s the relationships we make and the teams we build that truly drive success,” he explains.

a passionate soccer player and coach, farhan remains involved in community activities. his goals are to continue to contribute to community development through leadership and mentorship roles, and to work to expand opportunities for 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and marginalized communities both within and beyond lakehead. “i plan to keep pushing for positive inclusive change in any space i am part of,” he says.

he encourages current lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to make the most of their academic and extracurricular experience. “build strong connections, find your passion, and give back when you can,” he says. “the support and network you build at lakehead will be a foundation for your future success.”

lakehead snags number one spot in maclean's rankings

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 was ranked ontario's number one primarily undergraduate university, and the fifth in canada, in the 2025 maclean's university rankings. lakehead also scored first in student awards and faculty-to-student ratios among ontario universities in its category, affirming our reputation for supporting 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and nurturing their success. maclean's also ranked lakehead in the top two among primarily undergraduate ontario universities for faculty success in securing social sciences and humanities research grants, and third for scholarships and bursaries and overall reputation. as part of our commitment to access, lakehead continues to offer some of the smallest first- and second-year class sizes among ontario universities. in addition, the maclean's rankings highlight lakehead's strong graduation rate, which is the second highest among ontario's primarily undergraduate universities, changing the life trajectory for lakehead grads. this is especially important since an estimated 95% of lakehead's domestic student population faces barriers to attending university—such as financial need, coming from a rural or remote community, or being the first in their family to pursue postsecondary education.

lakehead - georgian partnership offers new pathways

georgian college and 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 's dynamic partnership now has a new focus that will offer more postsecondary education opportunities for 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in central and northern ontario. starting in 2025, graduates from georgian diploma programs will be guaranteed admission to select lakehead undergraduate degree programs in orillia and thunder bay through 30+ academic transfer pathways, allowing 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to seamlessly transition between the two institutions to achieve their academic and career goals. "this partnership began with a vision to address the gap in the labour force with the introduction of focused degree-level stem programming and that remains our commitment," said georgian college president and ceo kevin weaver. "over the last seven years, 230 georgian 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 have followed a transfer pathway to a lakehead degree," said president weaver. "this is in addition to the 550 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 who have been enrolled in our combined degree-diploma programs. we believe this is the best and most sustainable way forward for our institutions and puts 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 first." these pathways will give 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 both more options and the added security of guaranteed admissions to meet their individual goals.

new 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 board chair

on october 9, cathy tuckwell was appointed chair of the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 board of governors. tuckwell was first elected to the board in 2017, and she brings over 27 years of experience in the investment management industry to the board, with specializations in high-net-worth individuals, institutions, mutual fund management, and estate and trust administration. "after last year's blue ribbon task force report, it is clear that universities, including lakehead, must take steps to secure a stronger influence over their future," tuckwell said. "we all want lakehead to thrive and be sustainable in the long term; as board chair, i look forward to working with the board, dr. siddall, and her team—faculty, staff, ogimaawin indigenous education council, and the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 student union—to ensure lakehead remains a vital contributor to both the thunder bay and orillia communities." tuckwell, whose term runs until 2026, succeeds maria vasanelli as board chair.

better mental health services for indigenous youth

the growing number of indigenous youth in canada are disproportionately affected by adverse childhood experiences, such as intergenerational trauma, cultural disconnection, poverty, and socioeconomic disadvantages. moreover, the mental health challenges they face are worsened by their limited access to health services, culturally inappropriate care, and geographical barriers.

dr. christopher mushquash

the access open minds indigenous youth mental health and wellness network was created to address these challenges by enhancing indigenous youth mental health services. this national initiative—co-led by 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 's dr. christopher mushquash and mcgill university's dr. srividya iyer—recently received $1.45 million from the canadian institutes of health research (cihr) for their work. the funding will help strengthen capacity amongst indigenous communities and integrated youth services (iys) to provide culturally affirming, high quality, and responsive mental health services. it will bring together youth, elders, family members, researchers, communities, and leading indigenous organizations, including the thunderbird partnership foundation and the first peoples wellness circle. dilico anishinabek family care is also a partner on this important project.

lakehead orillia principal announced

dr. linda rodenburg was appointed lakehead orillia's principal on august 1, 2024, to oversee its strategic direction and operation. "the orillia campus is experiencing an incredible moment of growth, and i look forward to working with the president and executive team to move the vision for this university forward within this community that i love and call home," dr. rodenburg said. one of the founding faculty members of the orillia campus, dr. rodenburg is a highly regarded teacher, mentor, and leader. in 2018, she founded the office of community engagement and lifelong learning, with a mandate to offer non-traditional learning opportunities to people of all ages, as well as professional development opportunities. as a lecturer in the department of english, dr. rodenburg taught courses in english and interdisciplinary studies, and her research has focused on indigenous and māori stories in relation to canada and new zealand. in her new role, she will champion the university's mission, engage in community outreach, promote university programs, and advance local partnerships. this will include collaborating with government, industry, and other stakeholders to foster economic development initiatives in orillia and across the region.

safe and affordable student housing

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 has partnered with the online platform spacesshared to help address the challenge of finding affordable and safe student housing, a growing nationwide issue. spacesshared connects 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 with older adults and individuals in the community who have a spare room to rent by using a sophisticated algorithm that matches 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and landlords based on preference, location, and personality. spacesshared hosts can also offer a helpers' discount to their student tenants if they'd like to do spacesshared-approved chores around the house—for each hour of weekly assistance, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ' monthly rent is reduced by five per cent. by providing additional income and companionship, this service gives older adults the choice to age in place in their own homes. this home-sharing solution is available in both thunder bay and orillia and is part of lakehead's commitment to increasing access to student housing, including adding 47 new on-campus residence rooms and 65 new beds in thunder bay this year, and reintroducing a double occupancy option at a lower price. to learn more about home sharing, or to register for a free account as a host or a student, visit www.spacesshared.ca.

nursing milestone

master of nursing - advanced nursing graduates caroline sabotig and samantha sanotorelli with school of nursing director dr. kristen jones-bonofiglio.

the first graduates of lakehead's master of nursing - advanced nursing stream received their degrees on october 6 along with master of public health graduates from the nurse practitioner stream (the nurse practitioner stream is offered as part of a provincial consortium of nine universities). the ceremony honoured the success of these 21 graduates with the help of elder sheila decorte, the dean of the faculty of health and behavioural sciences dr. mirella stroink, the director of the school of nursing dr. kristen jones-bonofiglio, faculty, staff, friends, and family members. these new nursing leaders are ready to create positive change and become advocates for health in northwestern ontario and beyond.

celebrating every child matters artwork

on september 6, an every child matters outdoor art installation was unveiled on the thunder bay campus during a ceremony to honour the children lost to the residential school system, residential school survivors, and their families. "art has the power to create a safe space where the truths of our past can be seen, heard, and felt," explained indigenous initiatives vice-provost denise baxter. the art installation features seven white eagle feathers on an orange background to embody the seven sacred teachings of wisdom—love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, and truth—spiritual principles central to many indigenous cultures across north america. together, these teachings offer guidance on how to live and act in harmony with one another, and they allow communities to thrive. as part of the ceremony, the national centre for truth and reconciliation survivors' flag was raised. this event marked the start of learning opportunities held on both lakehead campuses throughout the month, leading up to the national day for truth and reconciliation on september 30.

aging well expo is a hit

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 and age-friendly orillia hosted a free aging well expo in october. the event offered comprehensive information on physical and mental health, financial and internet safety, and elder abuse. "almost a quarter of the population of our community is 65 plus," explains valerie powell, co-chair and founding member of age-friendly orillia, a local volunteer group that advocates for and supports policies and initiatives that enable people to live an active, independent, and meaningful life. "it's imperative that older adults take control of their own future, where possible, and with the help of organizations and groups within the community find ways to age well and stay active. in the long run, staying active and healthy for as long as possible will benefit everybody." participants were able to enjoy interactive workshops, demonstrations, presentations, exhibits, and learn about volunteer opportunities. the expo, which was funded in part by the government of canada's new horizons for seniors program, also connected older adults to local resources that support healthy, social, active aging at home to help them create meaningful relationships and overcome obstacles to healthy aging.

dual business degree with northumbria university

lakehead's faculty of business administration has launched an international dual degree in collaboration with northumbria university's newcastle business school in the united kingdom. this exciting new partnership will allow 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to develop international connections and global skills through a year-long exchange while earning two degrees in four years. "our partnership is a testament to our institutions' shared mission to provide 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 with opportunities that develop intercultural competencies and global skills that are desired by employers," said lakehead business administration dean dr. david richards. social mobility is a key part of northumbria's strategic ambition and the partnership with lakehead will make studying abroad accessible to even more 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 —regardless of their background. 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 who successfully complete the program will earn a bachelor of arts in business and management from northumbria and an honours bachelor of commerce from lakehead. more information about the dual degree program can be found at m.hsbcwebinars.com/internationaldualdegree.

sustainable mineral exploration research

dr. peter hollings (far right), lakehead's nohfc industrial research chair in mineral exploration, is part of a team of industry and academic partners led by university of manitoba researchers dr. mostafa fayek and dr. alfredo camacho that's receiving more than $1.5 million in natural sciences and engineering research council (nserc) alliance missions grant funding to develop innovative technologies and sustainable practices to address issues related to critical mineral exploration and extraction. critical metals including lithium, copper, nickel, and platinum play a vital role in the high-tech renewable energy and electronics manufacturing industries, however, extracting and processing these minerals presents unique environmental challenges. the fayek team is seeking to discover transformative knowledge about the geologic and chemical interactions that initially formed these deposits and use this knowledge to minimize the environmental impacts of mining. this approach will reduce costs by providing a new set of sustainable guidelines that will be especially helpful in sensitive northern environments.

doomed franklin expedition resorted to cannibalism

in september 2024, the skeletal remains of a senior officer of sir john franklin's 1845 northwest passage expedition were identified by researchers from the university of waterloo and 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 using dna and genealogical analyses.

two british royal navy ships—the hms erebus and the hms terror—sailed from england to the canadian arctic archipelago under the command of sir franklin in an attempt to map the last section of the northwest passage and thereby find a shorter trading route to asia running through the atlantic, arctic, and pacific oceans. that endeavour ended when both ships became frozen in ice near king william island, nunavut.

in april of 1848 captain james fitzjames of the hms erebus helped lead 105 survivors from their ice-trapped ship in an effort to escape—but none of them survived. fitzjames was identified by matching a dna sample from one of his living descendants with dna discovered at the king william island archaeological site where 451 bones from at least 13 franklin sailors have been found. "we worked with a good quality sample that allowed us to generate a y-chromosome profile," said stephen fratpietro, the technical manager of lakehead's paleo-dna laboratory. fitzjames is just the second person of the 105 sailors to be positively identified, joining john gregory, an engineer aboard the hms erebus, whom the team identified in 2021. "the identification of fitzjames's remains provides new insights about the expedition's sad ending," said dr. douglas stenton, adjunct professor of anthropology at waterloo.

daguerreotype of james fitzjames, taken by richard beard in may 1845. photo courtesy of sotheby's.

in the 1850s, inuit told searchers they had seen evidence that survivors had engaged in cannibalism. those accounts were fully corroborated in 1997 by the late dr. anne keenleyside who found cut marks on nearly one-quarter of the human bones at nglj-2 archaeological site at erebus bay, proving that at least four of the men who died there had been subject to cannibalism after death— which is known as survival or starvation cannibalism—including fitzjames, whose mandible has multiple cut marks. "this shows that he predeceased at least some of the other sailors who perished, and that neither rank nor status was the governing principle in the final desperate days of the expedition as they strove to save themselves," said dr. stenton.

welcome to journey

it has been busy times for the alumni association of 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 (aalu) since the last issue of journey. here are a few highlights from the previous months, including the election of a new president, paul popo-ola, at our annual general meeting (agm) in september.

2024 convocation (thunder bay and orillia)

convocation ceremonies in thunder bay took place on may 30 and 31. many thanks to the entire alumni & annual giving team for their flawless execution of the three ceremonies. aalu board member nancy luckai once again took up the mantle of head marshal at convocation. alumni association president yolanda wanakamik delivered the alumni address and greeted her own son on stage at one of the ceremonies as he received a degree from lakehead—a truly special moment. many thanks to all the volunteers who made graduation a special day for our newest alumni.

the orillia ceremony took place on friday, june 7. it was the first time a ceremony was held on a friday, and our volunteers were back and ready for action. special thanks to aalu treasurer jamie dennison who delivered the alumni address, nancy luckai who flew to thunder bay to serve as head marshal, and aalu board member chris blueman who helped “scarf” 405 graduates.

50^th nursing reunion

nine members of the 1974 school of nursing graduating class held a reunion during the thunder bay spring convocation. we were thrilled to host the group at alumni house and present them with their very own convocation scarf, a tradition that started well after their graduation ceremony.

ccae conference

richard longtin, mark tilbury, julia carvello, jacquie kent, and diane robnik take a break together at the ccae conference.

several members of the team attended the ccae (canadian council for advancement in education) conference in st. john’s, newfoundland, which ran from may 21-24. i was joined by jacquie kent from our orillia campus and our td fellow, julia carvello, as well as our alumni engagement specialist diane robnik. julia was recognized at the conference for completing her one-year td fellowship. she is now off to seek fame, fortune, and romance south of the border with her fiancé. the group even managed to meet up with our former government relations director, richard longtin.

mark tilbury gets “screeched-in” as an honorary newfoundlander by kissing a cod.

strategic plan consultation

on june 17, the alumni board and a selection of past presidents (which included two fellows of the university), engaged in a strategic plan consultation session with lakehead president gillian siddall, board of governors member mark smith, and institutional planning and analysis vice-provost dr. heather murchison. the engagement level was off the charts, and it was the first session out of 34 during which the president gave a “time check” because she thought we would run out of time. my sincere thanks to the board for their incredible insights and thoughtful contributions. as one of the only quasi-external groups taking part in the consultations, our participation was critical.

alumni agm – with special guest

this year’s agm took place on wednesday, september 25. all alumni (and most critically board members) were invited to participate online. the agm began with a short year-in-review presentation followed by a talk and moderated conversation with lakehead’s newest honorary degree recipient, broadcaster and journalist valerie pringle. yolanda wanakamik was the moderator, and i emceed the event, which was followed by a q & a session.

mark tilbury, executive director
paul popo-ola, president