Thunder Bay, ON -EDUCATION – Dr. Brian Stevenson, Lakehead University’s President and Vice-Chancellor, honoured Dr. John Naysmith on Friday, Sept. 30 by announcing the creation of the Naysmith Scholar.
A student who has completed their third-year of an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry or Honours Bachelor of Environmental Management will be named annually as the Naysmith Scholar. This student must demonstrate the values and principles that Dr. Naysmith embodies: including leadership, a willingness to listen, the ability to motivate and inspire others, and more.
“John, Toie, and the Naysmith family have given years of service and dedication to Lakehead,” Dr. Stevenson said. “John is in a class of people singled out for their unwavering support of the exceptional and unconventional that is our University – which is why we created this annual award.”
Dr. Naysmith provided a few decades of service to Lakehead University, including as the Director of the School of Forestry and founding Dean of Lakehead’s Forestry department from 1988 to 1995. He taught for another 10 years after retiring and made many other contributions to the forestry industry. In 2011, Dr. Naysmith was named a Fellow of the University.
The inaugural Naysmith Scholar is Julia Ieropoli, a fourth-year student working toward an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry. Her Lakehead studies have included gaining experience in both the private and government sector, as well as exposure to international situations.
“Julia was selected based on her demonstrated dedication to a level of stewardship that means doing the right thing and using best practices to reach a balance of social and cultural values with ecological sustainability and economic viability,” explained Dr. Ulf Runesson, Dean of Lakehead’s Faculty of Natural Resources Management.
“She also provides leadership and a willingness to volunteer, while personifying the exceptional standard of students our programs are designed for — dedicated and assertive, while at the same time capable of showing humility and a capacity to motivate and listen to others.”
