THUNDER BAY – Lakehead University has embarked on a ‘re-branding’ strategy. “Branding is often confused with the development of a visual identity or logo. And while those elements do play a role, branding Lakehead really is a strategic process intended to discover and communicate our singular and relevant promise of value to students, alumni, faculty, staff, community leaders, and anyone else with a stake in Lakehead’s success. Our brand will articulate why Lakehead is a preferred destination school in a way that is consistent, credible, differentiated, compelling, and engaging”.
The impact of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, and Orillia are massive, Lakehead has a wide economic and social footprint in both communities as well as across the North.
University President Brian Stevenson says, “Lakehead University has embarked on a journey to articulate a new and compelling brand that will help the institution realize its vision and mission. We want to hear from students, staff and faculty in Orillia and Thunder Bay”.
Dr. Stevenson has shared a vision of Lakehead University and the shared relationship between the community.
Since arriving at Lakehead University, Stevenson said he has engaged in a consultive proccess to engage the University as a way to protect language and culture. Stevenson spoke of the vision of The Gichi Kendaasiwin Project, a plan to have a building at Lakehead University for the facility. “We have to dream bigger, we have to do more,” said Stevenson.
“Lakehead University is working on a living blueprint. Lakehead has set four directions for success – based on the Medicine Wheel. The building that we have talked about would include education facilities, a daycare facility and all the needed facilities”.
Currently 11% of the University population is Aboriginal. Stevenson said that only 16% of the total population go to university, but a smaller number of Aboriginal students. “We have to grow the population of Aboriginal students”.
The second factor is that there is a great flow of growth of young people coming through the system – Lloyd Axeworthy, Stevenson said called that a potentially lost generation of youth.
By the twelvth grade, Stevenson said many of the students have dropped out and are already ‘lost’ to higher education.
Stevenson said that Thunder Bay and Lakehead University is already behind many other universities as we do not have ‘a gathering place for higher learning and sharing of wisdom”.
Surveys can be filled in at the Lakeheadu.ca website.
