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First-year Lake Superior State University students power a replica 26-foot Voyager canoe on Aug. 23, the likes of which moved commerce around the 17th-Century Great Lakes much like semi-trucks do today. The freshmen were guests of Sault, Ont., canoe owners Gary and Joanie McGuffin and the Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy, who hosted an hour-long paddling tour of the St. Mary’s River south of Sault, Mich. LSSU recreation studies professor Sally Childs serves on the Conservancy board and helped organize the trip as a first-year college life experience. Look here for more about upcoming Voyager canoe appearances and other Conservancy activities. Sault Ste. Marie is celebrating 350 years since its founding as a European settiement. Natives have gathered at the Sault for thousands of years. .

Aaron J. Westrick, an associate professor in the department of Criminal Justice, was recently featured in the CBS television show Whistleblower for his actions involving his former employer, Second Chance Body Armor. Dr. Westrick earned a bachelors degree from Michigan State University in 1979; masters from Wayne State University in 1986; and a PhD from Wayne State in 1998. He joined the faculty at Lake Superior State University in 2009.

Lake Superior State University’s physical plant, staff and students took the Cisler Center’s Superior Room through its first renovation in more than 20 years. Fresh images of the region and LSSU supplement an already spectacular view the venue has of the Soo Locks, International Bridge, and Canada. LSSU engineering technology majors, Nathan Pim and Josh Burk were able to work on this project - which taps the Sault-based architectural firm Sidock Group and input from LSSU’s student life office. The project was completed in July. Dr. Rodney Hanley, LSSU President, noted, “This beautiful room offers views of the locks and is a prominent gathering place on our campus.”

Tom and Helen Cox, both of Monkton, Md., take possession of official Lake Superior State University unicorn hunting licenses during a visit to the famous Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., on July 10. The Coxes are on a 1,000-mile motor tour around Lake Superior during July. Unicorn hunting – a metaphorical lifelong quest for knowledge – started at Lake State almost 50 years ago, and spawned LSSU traditions such as the annual List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness (issued on New Year’s Day) and burning of a 20-foot paper snowman to welcome spring.

Capt. Patrick Nelson, Sector Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie, and Lake Superior State University President Rodney Hanley renew an agreement on Aug. 8 that encourages active-duty personnel to pursue a degree at LSSU. Standing from left are Alternative Education Services Officer CWO4 Rachael Leask, Education Services Officer (ESO) Barbara Bardi and Deputy Sector Commander Carolyn Moberley. The compact sets the rate for LSSU tuition the same as the Coast Guard Tuition Assistance Program for Sector Sault Coast Guardsmen. More than 100 students have taken advantage of the program since its inception in 2009. Base officials credit the program as being a morale-booster as well. The partnership is also a natural fit for two organizations that have long had a cornerstone presence in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. “Lake Superior State University is committed to helping our men and women in uniform and their families,” said Hanley. “In my role as a university president and combat veteran, I am absolutely committed to this ideal.” About $200,000 in benefits have gone to Sector Sault students since the tuition-assistance program’s launch nine years ago. Coast Guardsmen, reservists, spouses, and dependents who are interested in taking advantage of the program should contact the nearest ESO. For more on educational opportunities at Lake State, e-mail the admissions office or call 906-635-2231.

Lake Superior State University Provost Lynn Gillette and Kirtland Community College President Tom Quinn signed an articulation agreement on Aug. 13 that will provide a seamless transfer of students from KCC to LSSU’s Medical Laboratory Science program. The agreement will let Kirtland students roll biology, chemistry, math, and general education courses into an LSSU bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science (MLS). That means almost half of an LSSU MLS baccalaureate – 55 credits – can be done at Kirtland, with the remaining 70 credits being completed at LSSU’s Sault Ste. Marie main campus. “LSSU is excited to expand our collaboration with Kirtland Community College through this program, and looks forward to other opportunities with this important partner,” says LSSU President Rodney S. Hanley. Lake Superior State University’s Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program was awarded full accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) in May. LSSU was given a five-year term, the longest possible for a first-time accreditation. “This accreditation is recognition that the program meets national standards and prepares students for personal certification through the American Society for Clinical Pathology,” says LSSU Provost Gillette. “And articulation agreements like this build clear pathways for students from early coursework to career entry.” The program enables graduates to understand and analyze medical laboratory tests; quickly, accurately, and precisely perform medical laboratory test procedures; and conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner within the healthcare industry. Students in the MLS program at Lake State are eligible to apply for a six-month clinical internship after on-campus coursework. “Hospitals and independent laboratories are eager to hire MLS graduates. Wages for bachelor-level grads start at around $52,000 a year in this area of the country,” said LSSU Biology Professor Martha Hutchens, who is also MLS program coordinator. “We’re excited to be able to offer a clear pathway to a high-demand career to Kirtland students.” Officials at both schools hope to alleviate the current shortage of qualified laboratory workers in northern Michigan. Eligible transfers can happen immediately. Students should contact Kirtland Community College Associate Registrar Renae Klee at 989-275-5000, ext. 291, for details. Specific questions about LSSU’s Medical Laboratory Sciences program can be directed to Prof. Hutchens by calling 906-635-2806.