President's Message

In the unforgiving North Atlantic, the hulking wreckage of the Titanic rusts in gloomy silence on the ocean floor. Until 1991, no one – except a handful of scientists – had seen the ‘unsinkable’ ocean liner since it collided with an iceberg and disappeared into the frigid waters.

That all changed when Lakehead grad and documentary filmmaker Stephen Low (BA’74) released his feature-length IMAX^® film – Titanica. Stephen took moviegoers along with him as he and his expedition team descended 12,500 feet before reaching the once splendid ship. “More people have gone into space than into the deep ocean,” Stephen says.

IMAX^® is the largest film format in existence and it enables audiences to be fully immersed in previously hidden worlds. Capturing the spectacular scenes that set IMAX^® documentaries apart demands ingenuity, persistence, and courage.

“We’re not working on a set, we’re working in real environments,” Stephen points out. “On the way to the Titanic, we were caught in gale force seas and later on we were actually trapped inside the vessel. Many of my contemporaries – documentary directors and cameramen – have died making their films.”

Every IMAX^® movie Stephen has directed pushes him to develop new technologies to capture the images he wants and overcome the challenges of extremely heavy cameras. In the case of the Titanic, Stephen’s team designed a lighting system that illuminated an area the size of a football field. “James Cameron used our film as the model for his famous Hollywood film, Titanic,” he says. Stephen was also pivotal in developing 3D IMAX^® techniques, beginning with his film The Last Buffalo.

“We’re not working on a set, we’re working in real environments.”

In 1998, Stephen once again headed into the abyss for his film Volcanoes of the Deep Sea (2003). His destinations were the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise at the bottom of the world’s two largest oceans – inhospitable and strange realms populated by giant tubeworms and luminescent shrimp that live along hydrothermal vents spewing toxic black chemicals.

Stephen hasn’t confined his explorations to the water - he’s also strapped audiences into an Indy 500 car, taken them on a breathtaking steam engine journey across Canada, and traced humans’ attempts to soar into the heavens in Legends of Flight. Right now, he’s working with sub-atomic particle physicists unravelling the mysteries of the universe at Switzerland’s CERN Large Hadron Collider.

“I’ve met astronauts, fighter pilots, Russian submariners, scientists of all kinds, the Rolling Stones, and Jane Goodall, to name a few,” Stephen says. “It’s been marvellous.” And because of his films, millions of moviegoers have met them too.

The world of a person living with dementia often shrinks in ways unrelated to their cognitive abilities. They find themselves excluded from everyday interactions and adjusting to a new reality in which they are completely ignored or spoken to as if they are little children.

This demoralizing experience happens in many social settings – at a party, visiting the doctor, or shopping for groceries. “Suddenly, all the conversations are directed to their care partners, as if they can’t answer a question,” says Dr. Elaine Wiersma, a Lakehead University Health Sciences professor and the director of the University’s Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health (CERAH). “There is a huge stigma attached to having dementia.” Dr. Wiersma, whose research and practice focuses on improving the quality of life of people with dementia, finds this situation incredibly frustrating.

But in Northwestern Ontario, things are changing. In March 2018, ‘The Dementia Café: A Place to Belong’ opened its doors, offering people the chance to socialize without judgement. The Dementia Café is held twice a month at The Habit coffee shop run by Urban Abbey – a community outreach initiative in Thunder Bay.

Dr. Wiersma is the driving force behind the Café. “People with dementia kept telling me how important it is to connect with people like themselves, since only people with the same diagnosis can understand what it’s like.” With the support of CERAH, she approached Urban Abbey and the Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay about collaborating on this project. It is only because of vibrant partnerships like these that the Dementia Café can happen.

“In March 2018, The Dementia Café: A Place to Belong opened its doors.”

Anyone walking by the Café will hear the sounds of laughter, conversation, and music. “There aren’t the same kinds of social expectations here,” says Dr. Wiersma. “If somebody repeats something it doesn’t matter, if somebody uses the wrong word it doesn’t matter.” People with dementia and their care partners not only attend the Café, they also act as volunteers – serving pastries, greeting people, and providing musical entertainment. “They astound me with their resilience and the contributions they make to this community,” she says.

Sundays at the Dementia Café alternate between live entertainment and sessions creating artwork or playing games. As Dr. Wiersma points out, “a diagnosis of dementia doesn’t mean that your life is over or that your value is diminished.” People with dementia have much to teach us, and perhaps the biggest lesson, Dr. Wiersma says, “is to slow down and live in the moment.”

On a spring day in 2016, Ceilidh Boyd and Stephanie Drost shunned the warmer weather for the apparatus floor of Thunder Bay’s Station 3. They were crawling blindly through a course called “Blacked-Out Face Mask” and running up and down three storeys wearing ankle weights, a 50-pound vest, and carrying an 85-pound hose – three times in a row – along with other endurance challenges.

The two former Lakehead students were among 270 people who’d applied to the City of Thunder Bay Fire Department (TBFD). Although Stephanie and Ceilidh didn’t know it, they were about to make history by becoming the first female firefighters ever hired by the Thunder Bay Fire Department – a breakthrough for girls and young women in Northwestern Ontario.

“Thunder Bay is reputed to have one of the toughest tests in the country,” TBFD Division Chief of Training Bill Johnson says, “and it’s the same for male and female applicants. We don’t discriminate, but if you pass, you pass and if you fail, you fail.”

When Stephanie and Ceilidh got the news that they were hired, they were over the moon. “The guys were so awesome at making us feel welcome,” Ceilidh says. “I can’t say enough about the Thunder Bay Fire Department.”

To get to that point, each had stumbling blocks to overcome. Stephanie, who studied kinesiology and business at Lakehead University, had been a competitive cross-country skier since she was seven. Then, while racing with Lakehead’s varsity ski team, everything came to a sudden halt. Years of training caused nerve damage to Stephanie’s elbow and forced her to leave the sport. “It was a blessing in disguise,” Stephanie says. “The injury led me to firefighting by giving me the time to pursue other things.”

She got a job as a forest firefighter in Dryden, Ontario, and began spending her summer breaks fighting wildfires. It was there that she first met Ceilidh who was also searching for the right path to take.

“The best part of firefighting is the people you work with.”

Ceilidh had already earned undergraduate degrees in kinesiology and education and a Master of Science at Lakehead. After working for several years as a substitute high school teacher, she still hadn’t found her niche. Frustrated by the lack of permanent jobs and seeking a more adventurous life, Ceilidh became a white water rafting guide and then taught emergency medicine to first responders in wilderness settings. But it was only when she was hired as a forest firefighter that things started to fall into place for her.

Stephanie and Ceilidh value the opportunities being with the Thunder Bay Fire Department brings them. “One of the best things about firefighting are the people you work with,” Ceilidh says, “we all look out for each other – it’s like a family.” “Firefighters go to everything – car accidents, medical calls, fires, public assists,” Stephanie adds. “We see people on their worst days. Knowing you’re helping them is so rewarding.”

Ceilidh and Stephanie both take their responsibilities as role models seriously. “After a 20-minute school presentation,” Ceilidh says, “little girls come up to us and say, ‘I want to be a firefighter too.’”

Four Lakehead Orillia students are embarking on life-changing adventures with the help of a beloved community leader.

In 2018-19, these young people are heading to the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Finland for a study abroad program to challenge their minds. Longstanding Lakehead supporter Sue Mulcahy matched bursaries provided by the University’s international department to reduce financial barriers and boost the students’ confidence.

“I can’t express how excited I am about what the next few months will bring,” says criminology student Sabrina Song-Chambers, who will be attending Dalarna University in Sweden. “I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.”

“I was really impressed with the students when I met them,” Sue Mulcahy says. “They’re working very hard and making the most of their opportunities.”

Sue, who is now 97 years old, knows firsthand that you have to be fearless if you want to chart your own course. Although 1950s society had very limited roles for women, Sue pushed the boundaries when she became a partner in her father’s Orillia-based real estate and insurance company. “When I started, I wondered if I’d have any problems with the men working there, but we struck up lasting friendships.”

Sue also led the way as the first female president of the Orillia Real Estate Board before her sense of civic responsibility compelled her to take on an even bigger challenge. “I was elected to the Orillia City Council in 1963 and 1964,” she says.

“You have to be fearless if you want to chart your own course.”

The future of the community’s young people was always on Sue’s mind, so in 1965, she and some likeminded advocates formed the Simcoe College Foundation. “We thought we needed a university in Simcoe County because there wasn’t anything near us.” They lobbied the provincial government with relentless determination for nearly three decades. Several times they came close to victory – but their dream eluded them. Then, years later, Sue heard rumblings that her hometown would finally get its longed for school. “I thought the sky had fallen in,” she says. “It was absolutely wonderful when Lakehead Orillia opened in 2006.”

Sue has been a stalwart champion of Lakehead ever since and is now helping our students immerse themselves in new worlds. “When I was working, my two sisters and I travelled every year.” Switzerland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and New Zealand were some of their destinations. “I love experiencing other cultures,” Sue says. “We saw all there was to see. We didn’t go there to sit on the beaches.”

A few years ago, any international student arriving at Lakehead Orillia had a very different university experience than they do now. Their homesickness was intensified because there were almost no other overseas students on campus.

Things began to change when Bolu Fabanwo decided to do his commerce degree at Lakehead. “I’ve been fascinated by banking since I was a little kid,” he says. “My parents hoped I’d be a chemical engineer like my dad – he worked for a large oil company – but I’d made up my mind.”

The autumn day Bolu stepped out of a taxi and onto Orillia’s campus, though, was a shock. “I didn’t realize Lakehead was in the countryside. I wasn’t used to such a small population – my hometown of Lagos, Nigeria, has over 20 million people.”

He felt an overwhelming loneliness. Then, as he sat in the silence of his dorm room, his roommate Eric knocked on the door and introduced himself and his parents before taking Bolu around the entire floor to meet the rest of the students. “I became friends with them all,” Bolu says. “That wouldn’t have happened if I’d gone to university in Toronto.”

Once he started making friends, Bolu began transforming the culture of the campus. “He possesses great empathy for anyone who feels alone, judged, or out of place,” says Katie Fraser, International Engagement Specialist.

“I used to be shy but now I go out of my way to connect with people.”

He helped get the University’s varsity soccer team off the ground and while in his first year, the outgoing president of the Lakehead University Multicultural Association (LUMA) approached Bolu about becoming the new president. Under Bolu’s leadership – and with the hard work of the executive team – LUMA grew from four members to 39 members.

He also inaugurated a multicultural day that soon expanded into a multicultural week. Strolling through campus, students, staff, and professors enjoyed chai tea, got henna tattoos, and sampled snacks from different countries. The vibrant atmosphere fostered greater pride in Lakehead Orillia. “Being an international student at Lakehead changed my life,” Bolu says. “I used to be shy but now I go out of my way to connect with people.”

Bolu continues to be a force to be reckoned with. He’s planning to do a master’s in finance and some job opportunities have come his way. One, at a local bank, is a chance to fulfil his childhood dream. “I’d start at the bottom and work my way up.”

Young people often face a conundrum in today’s world. They need experience to land a coveted position, but how do they get it if no one will hire them?

Marc DeGagne, a fourth-year finance student, was one of 20 Lakehead students who participated in the RBC Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program thanks to a $250,000 grant provided by RBC Future Launch.

From October 2017 to April 2018, Marc worked in the United Way of Thunder Bay office six hours each week. “My WIL experience was fantastic.” Marc attended community events, sat in on board meetings, created marketing materials, examined financial spreadsheets, and discovered how the United Way distributes campaign earnings. “The United Way is truly a great organization. Without it, a lot of people wouldn’t be able to live normal everyday lives.”

Marc’s career development wasn’t confined to his placement. From his very first day, RBC helped him improve his teamwork and financial planning abilities through regular workshops. He plans to apply his new knowledge to the lawn care business he operates as well as future endeavours. “I really would like to stay in the community. I love this place.”

In Northwestern Ontario, companies are losing employees due to an aging population and the out-migration of youth. Murray Walberg, RBC Regional Vice-President and past chair of Lakehead’s Board of Governors, says young people need more opportunities to encourage them to remain in the area and “thrive.”

“We are seeing an increase of young entrepreneurs and what will help these new business owners succeed is having a diverse skill set,” Murray says.

“I really would like to stay in the community. I love this place.”

Kim Ulmer, RBC’s Regional President, has also seen firsthand the challenges young people face finding gainful employment. “Too many young Canadians are caught in the ‘no experience, no work’ cycle but with work integrated learning programs, together, we will assist them in gaining the necessary broad suite of skills,” Kim says.

Some of those skills include digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and social intelligence. “There’s a wonderful quote from an unnamed young person on RBC’s Future Launch website that reads, ‘I’m not planning on being replaced by a robot.’ Foundational skills such as problem solving, collaboration, empathy, and resilience – skills that can’t be automated, will be key to our future,” she says.

That’s why RBC Future Launch is committed to help Canadian youth prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. RBC is also moving beyond financial investment by engaging the public and private sectors to make a significant impact on the lives of young Canadians. RBC Future Launch is a catalyst for change - bringing people together to co-create solutions so young people are better prepared for the future world of work - and the RBC Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program at Lakehead University is a perfect example of this commitment in action.

On a wintry afternoon in 2018, a group of new mothers in Kitigan Zibi, Quebec, are intently stitching together tiny moccasins. They are in a weekly support group run by Brianna Decontie – a Lakehead student on her third placement as a maternal child health nurse in this First Nations reserve north of Ottawa.

Kitigan Zibi is Brianna’s hometown and her support group introduces the mothers to good dental hygiene practices for their children and promotes maternal self-care. It’s a much richer experience than your standard health service provides because Brianna believes that blending Indigenous culture with Western medicine has a powerful impact on the health of First Nations people. “My grandfather taught me a lot about my culture and that gave me pride and resilience.”

Growing up, Brianna noticed that her community members didn’t always get adequate health care and that most medical professionals were non-Indigenous people. “Our communities have elevated rates of certain health conditions and diseases so having culturally-aware health providers is crucial.”

“The high incidence of tooth decay in First Nations communities,” Brianna adds, “motivated me to create an Anishinabe-based oral hygiene program adapted from the Ministry of Health’s Give Your Child A Health Happy Smile initiative.”

Strengthening the bond between mothers and babies was another aim of the support group. Along with moccasin making, the new moms learned about the four ways of the Medicine Wheel, which encompasses physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual elements. At story time, the mothers read traditional Algonquin tales to their children. The women also made bundles containing the sacred Anishinabe medicines of tobacco, sage, cedar, and sweetgrass. As well, Brianna encouraged them to include “a letter to their child sharing their hopes and dreams for them.”

“My grandfather taught me a lot about my culture and that gave me pride and resilience.”

In April 2018, Brianna became the first Lakehead student to ever receive a Professional Nursing Practice Award from the Council of Ontario University Programs in Nursing. For Brianna, nursing has transformed her life but she plans to take her involvement in health care even further. “Since the age of six I’ve wanted to be a doctor. I hope to do nursing for a couple of years and then go to med school before returning to work in Kitigan Zibi.”

Whatever path Brianna chooses, she is sure of one thing. “I will always carry the Medicine Wheel teachings with me. They shape the way I interact with patients and the way I advocate for them.”

Two spelunkers exploring a cave on the Adriatic coast stumbled across the sanctuary of a vanished Illyrian tribe – and opened a portal into ancient life in Mediterranean Europe.

Archaeologists Tim Kaiser and Stašo Forenbaher were excavating the rocky shelter when they found that the back of the cave was just loose rubble. It had been deliberately blocked to conceal what lay beyond.

They broke through the wall of Nakovana Cave – exposing a low, narrow tunnel. The two men dropped to their bellies and crawled through. When they stood up, they were in a large chamber staring at a large stalagmite resembling a phallus.

Hundreds of broken pieces of Greek-made pottery – mostly wine-drinking and feasting gear – were strewn in front of the stalagmite. “The association of heavy drinking with a phallic monument suggests sacred rites of some kind,” Dr. Kaiser explains.

The chamber hadn’t been entered in 2,000 years. “It was unbelievable – archaeologists are almost never the first to find sealed cave sites,” says Dr. Kaiser, a Lakehead Orillia professor. He and his Croatian-based partner, Dr. Forenbaher, had made an extremely rare discovery.

The Illyrians were farmers and seafaring people who left no written records. To the Greeks and Romans, they were nothing but contemptible pirates. Dr. Kaiser sees them in a more forgiving light. “I’d describe them as plunderers – they collected tolls from passing ships.”

During the Hellenistic Period (c. 375 BC to 50 BC), the Adriatic coast was almost constantly embroiled in war. Dr. Kaiser thinks this may partially explain why the cult of masculinity – and the warrior skills associated with it – was worshipped at Nakovana Cave.

“It was unbelievable – archaeologists are almost never the first to find sealed cave sites.”

The site, first excavated in 1999, is still revealing its mysteries. Ivory plaques incised with signs representing Cancer, Gemini, Sagittarius, and Pisces were recently analyzed. Former Lakehead professor Dr. Carney Matheson identified traces of plants on them, some with medicinal or psychoactive properties, or both. “Perhaps they were kept in a medicine man’s pouch,” Dr. Kaiser speculates. “They’re certainly the oldest signs of the zodiac ever found in Europe.”

But why was Nakovana Cave hastily sealed up in the first place?

“Someone didn’t want it being defiled,” Dr. Kaiser says. Around 35 BC, the future Roman emperor Augustus devastated the region around Nakovana Cave to suppress an Illyrian rebellion. “During this invasion, every adult male was slaughtered,” he says. “The women and children were deported over the mountains and never heard of again. But their echoes persist in this cave.”