Volume 2 Fall, 2016 Social Sciences & Humanities NEWSLETTER Looking Forward, Looking Back we welcome our s we turn the corner on another summer, Lakehead students back A University is in full swing as we welcome our students back for the start of for the start of another exciting academic year. September, for many of us, is like a new calendar year where we look forward another exciting to a series of new beginnings: new students, new classes, and academic year a host of new experiences. It is also a perfect time to re ect on the past academic year, and to celebrate our achievements and accomplishments over the past few months. Since the last newsletter, our faculty has experienced an embarrassment of riches. In addition to all the stories contained inside, we have much to celebrate among our faculty members, such as Dr. Sandra Jeppesen’s recent appointment as a Lakehead University Research Chair, and Dr. Serajul Islam’s latest edition. We also congratulate our recent graduates, who are already making a difference on campus and beyond. Lar- issa Speak (HBA English ‘ 09) won the Dean’s Medal in the Faculty of Law, as the top student in the law school’s inaugural class and Kate Beaulieu (MA English ’16) won this Inside this Issue year’s Poulin Award for outstanding citizenship. 1 Message from the Dean In this edition of the Alumni Newsletter you will nd updates on three of our distin- 2 Where are they now? guished alumni, as well as reviews for books recently published by our faculty covering a > Carla Whillier: Mental Health Lawyer/ wide variety of topics re ective of the diverse areas of inquiry that makes up the Faculty Advocate of Social Sciences and Humanities. > Julie Cosgrove: Fine Artist/Faculty Member I would also like to draw your attention to the faculty pro le featuring Scott Pound, > Norm Gale: City Manager, City of Thunder Bay the winner of this year’s Distinguished Instructor Award, Lakehead University’s most prestigious teaching award, that recognizes Scott’s contribution to teaching, educational 3 Books innovation, and leadership at Lakehead University. I would invite you to read on to nd > Aboriginal History: A Reader (Second Edition) by Kristin Burnett and Geoff Read out more about Scott’s other accomplishments. An important initiative in our Faculty is the Piano Project in the Department of > Global Perspectives on Death in Children’s Literature edited by Lesley D. Clement and Music. After nearly 50 years of use, the concert Yamaha piano in the Jean McNulty Leyli Jamali Recital Hall needs to be retired. We are pleased to announce an appeal to our Alumni > Civilization and Its Discontents edited & and friends as we look to raise $100,000 to acquire a Steinway concert grand to take us introduced by Todd Dufresne into the next 50 years. Please read on for more information on how you can contribute > Thrashing Seasons by C. Nathan Hatton and make this goal a reality. th > Teaching Political Science to And nally, building on the overwhelming success of our 50 Anniversary Undergraduates by Laure Paquette Homecoming Event of this past fall, Lakehead University is proud to welcome our Alumni back to campus over the weekend of September 30, October 1 and 2. More 4 Faculty Profi le: Dr. Scott Pound information about the many events around Homecoming 2016 can be found by visiting 5 News and Notes the Lakehead University Website at www.lakeheadu.ca. I hope to see you there! > Outdoor Rec Summit a Success > French Theatre Club Stages Huis Clos Yours sincerely, > National Panel Discusses Women’s Issues > Undergrad Research Journal Launches > Orillia Campus Hosts Research Conference Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans Interim Dean Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Carla Whillier Julie Mental Health Cosgrove Lawyer/ Fine Artist/ Advocate Faculty assionate about helping Member P people, Carla Whillier (HBA Sociology ‘07) had a choice of several different career paths, including education, ow can modern technology in uence social sciences, and even our artistic process – and our sense academics. But ultimately H of place – in a traditional medium such she realized that her passion for helping others would have the greatest as painting? impact in law. More and more, Julie Cosgrove (HBFA “Giving a voice to those who often go unheard is of the utmost ’04) has been exploring that question importance to me,” said Carla, who spends much of her time trying in her work. A graduate of Lakehead’s to break down the stigma around mental illness. “My career has been Fine Arts program in 2004 and then extremely rewarding, as it allows me the opportunity to help individuals the Master’s Program at the University assert their rights while making a sustained contribution to the develop- of Calgary in 2010, her distinctive ment of public education and law reform. landscapes evoke abstract expressionism. Lakehead University played a key role in making Carla who she is “It’s my natural style, but it’s evolved today. over many years,” Julie said. “It’s heavily “I’m the rst to say that I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Lakehead,” in uenced by this idea of place and navi- Carla said. She originally came to Thunder Bay for Lakehead’s concur- gating the landscape we inhabit, whether rent education program, but ultimately earned her HBA in sociology. “I that’s the external landscape or our own think that the small classes helped me develop my con dence. Having internal one.” professors who believe in you and support you – it’s truly unique and Today, “place” can be de ned using what sets Lakehead apart from every other university.” technology, including photography, Carla’s interests in women’s health, gerontology, and disability stud- satellite imagery, and global positioning ies were shaped by the creative and diverse courses offered at Lake- systems. head. She was saddened to hear of the passing of Professor Sharon-Dale “Back when explorers charted and Stone, who she describes as “a fearless leader and visionary”. mapped new lands, there were so many “Professor Stone was a passionate advocate and demonstrated her distortions. There’s an exactitude now commitment to the values of equality and equity. From the bottom of my that we didn’t have before, but it’s still heart, I am so thankful for the opportunity to have studied at a university prone to distortions for other reasons.” which acknowledges students as valued leaders and employs professors It’s a balance between the natural who epitomize these principles.” world and the technological world that Carla has forged a successful career in a relatively short time. After changes the experience, and perhaps attending programs at several prestigious universities, she graduated in turn changes the artist – or at least from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School with a Masters in the art. Julie took an artistic residency health law, and later completed a certi cate in Elder (seniors) Law. Carla in Spain over the summer, during which received a Young Alumni Award from Lakehead in 2015, the Sovereign’s time her husband and two kids joined up Medal for Volunteers last January, and is now the Vice President of the with her. She laments that gone are the Ontario Bar Association Health Law Executive. In her “spare” time, she days of “discovering” an out-of-the-way is working towards becoming a certi ed specialist in health law. place. Now everything has been explored Much of her drive and inspiration comes from her mother, who after and described and debated on the Inter- a serious car accident was able to beat the odds and learn to walk again net 10 times over. before launching a new career. “Even though there are huge “She enrolled herself in law school and tirelessly worked to provide a advantages to technology… I nd it kind better life for her children. Twenty years later, not only is she walking but of disturbing that we can’t go and discover she is one of the most respected lawyers I know. I would not be the per- something new or follow an unpredictable son I am today if it wasn’t for the mothers strength and determination.” (continued on next page) 2 Alumni Profi les (continued from previous page) Norm Gale City Manager, City of Thunder Bay he remarkable thing about Norm Gale (HBA History/Political T Science, ‘08) is not that he is now Thunder Bay’s City Manager – most who know him would say it is the perfect t. The remarkable Some Things Change, Some Things Don’t, 2015 thing is how he got there. After joining the Canadian Army Reserve, Norm went on to a career as a paramedic, eventually become Chief at Superior North Emergency Medical Services , and then took over path. I guess that’s one of the elements I’m as interim City Manager before accepting the position full time in trying to explore as a visual artist: how do we January. navigate our world now?” But the steps along his career path are more connected than “In the painting aspect (of mixed media they might rst appear. “Service,” Norm said. “Military service, work), I treat that as the romantic idea – the service as a paramedic and paramedic leadership, and now service uncontrolled environment and travelling in for the City of Thunder Bay. If there’s a common thread, it’s that.” places without the in uence of technology.” Initially, he started his HBA at Lakehead without any career Julie admits though that she is slow to aspirations. incorporate technology into her life.