THUNDER BAY — When Lakehead University marks the achievements of nearly 2,000 graduates at its Thunder Bay campus later this week, it will also recognize five individuals for their unique contributions to their fields and to their communities.
Lakehead announced Monday that it will confer honorary degrees on Rosie Mosquito, Dr. Samantha Nutt and Patricia Ningewance Nadeau, and will name two other people Fellows of the University.
Honorary degree recipients:
- Rosie Mosquito - Doctor of Humane Letters
- Dr. Samantha Nutt - Doctor of Humane Letters
- Patricia Ningewance Nadeau (Waabihizhikiikwe) - Doctor of Humane Letters
Rosie Mosquito, a member of Bearskin Lake First Nation, has devoted her life to community development, political advocacy and the advancement of Indigenous rights. In 1986, she became the first female chief in the western part of Nishnawbe Aski Nation. The university stated in its announcement that she has navigated the intricacies of government throughout her career, leveraging her expertise to champion Indigenous causes. She served as executive director of NAN from 1994 to 1996, and has held other pivotal roles including senior policy advisor to the Ontario Regional Chief and executive director of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute from 2004 to 2018. One of her proudest accomplishments is the passing of the Indigenous Institutes Act in 2017, provincial legislation that was negotiated during the nine years she chaired the Indigenous Institute Consortium. Mosquito remains an active participant in NAN, with the Chiefs of Ontario and with the Assembly of First Nations.
Dr. Samantha Nutt is an award-winning humanitarian, bestselling author and founder and president of War Child U.S.A. and War Child Canada. The university said she has worked for over two decades with children and their families on the frontlines of many international crises, including in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and Darfur, Sudan. Dr. Nutt is a leading authority on public health, war, international aid and foreign policy, and is an acclaimed public speaker in North America. She is also a staff physician at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, and an assistant professor at the University of Toronto. She previously received the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour. The university stated that her international work has benefited millions of war-affected children.
Patricia Ningewance Nadeau (Waabibizhikiikwe) is Bear Clan from Lac Seul First Nation and a survivor of the residential school system. She is a translator, Ojibwe author, and teacher, and her company – Mazinaate – has been publishing Indigenous books and resources since 1998. An assistant professor at the University of Manitoba, she is actively involved in promoting and preserving the Ojibwe language. According to the university, her grandson speaks and teaches Ojibwe, while her son is director of operations at Dakota Ojibwe Tribal Council, and is a producer of the Ojibwe language version for the Star Wars film A New Hope. Her husband is a former lawyer and a future fluent speaker of Ojibwe. Patricia Ningewance Nadeau was honoured with the Order of Canada in 2022.
Fellows of the University:
- Murray Walberg
- Dr. Jaroslav Kotalik
Walberg has been an ambassador for Lakehead University for over two decades, including eight years as a member of the Board of Governors. The university said his most recent efforts include shaping Lakehead's future capital campaign and successfully championing the internationalization of the university.
Dr. Kotalik is a physician-bioethicist, and chair and founding director of the Centre for Health Care Ethics at Lakehead. According to Lakehead, his experience as a practicing oncologist and CEO of Thunder Bay Regional Cancer Centre informed his vision to establish a firm grounding in health-care ethics in local academic and health-care institutions.
Convocation ceremonies are scheduled for May 30 and 31.
