Graduate Studies News

Nipissing University’s annual NU360 Speaker Night brought together students, faculty, and community members on March 4, 2025, at the NUSU Student Centre for an evening of inspiration and innovation. The event showcased outstanding faculty presenters who had just 360 seconds to share their expertise and insights on an array of topics. 

This March, Nipissing University is proud to celebrate Research Month, highlighting faculty and student research across a wide range of disciplines, including STEM, humanities, and social sciences. Through a variety of engaging events, both the university community and the public will have the opportunity to explore innovative ideas, support emerging scholars, and recognize the value of research in shaping our world.

As a Geography, Biology and Chemistry instructor and research assistant at Nipissing, Lakers alumnus Ysabel Castle carries forward the values that earned her a DMLA during her student years. Her contributions included fostering critical thinking, sparking interest in geography, and creating meaningful change through research.

For Rebecca Wakelin, the path to becoming an educator, and ultimately a leader in higher education development, began unexpectedly. Raised in Northern Ontario, Wakelin’s childhood dream was to become a lawyer. However, while applying to universities, she included Nipissing University’s Bachelor of Education program as a fourth choice, influenced by her roommates pursuing teaching.

Dr. Joyce Helmer's career journey in education is as unique as it is inspiring. A Nipissing graduate with both a Bachelor and Master of Education, her story began in an unexpected place—a wrong classroom on the first day at Fanshawe College. Enrolled in the Social Service Worker Program, Dr. Helmer mistakenly attended an Early Childhood Teacher Education class instead. This serendipitous mistake set the course for a career that has profoundly impacted the educational landscape, especially for Indigenous communities in Ontario.