As we approach the end of 2025, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our partners, supporters and friends across all the regions we serve. Your collaboration, insight and generosity continue to strengthen Lakehead University and help us expand opportunities for learners and communities.
This past year marked several important milestones. We celebrated Lakehead's 60th anniversary and launched Shaping the EvoLUtion, our new strategic plan shaped by the perspectives of students, faculty, staff and community partners. It charts an ambitious path forward as we continue to grow, innovate and make meaningful contributions across northern and central Ontario.
We advanced major initiatives that reflect Lakehead's momentum. Construction began on the new facilities for the Collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program, delivered in partnership with the University of Guelph. This once-in-a-generation initiative was made possible through an extraordinary $10-million gift from Kim and Stu Lang and the generosity of many supporters. With the first cohort now underway, the program represents real progress for rural and northern communities facing a critical shortage of veterinarians.
In Orillia, our shared vision for growth received remarkable support. A $400,000 contribution from the Lakehead University Student Union and a transformative $15-million investment from the County of Simcoe have accelerated our campus expansion plans. In partnership with the Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Lakehead Orillia was named the preferred site for the new hospital—an exciting step in meeting the region's future needs.
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