Alumni Stories

By Victor Romao

With the crowd buzzing inside the arena, Luke Pye glides into position for a faceoff deep in the home team’s defensive zone, directing players to set their sticks before lowering his gaze to the puck.

He steadies himself, drops it cleanly and quickly backs away as the players battle for possession.

For Pye, moments like this are the result of years of work that has taken him from local rinks to some of hockey’s biggest stages.

By Kate Hargreaves 

When Casandra Asoufi applied to volunteer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup back in September, she didn’t think much of it. 

That was until she received word just a few weeks before kick-off that she had been selected from thousands of applicants. 

Not only was Asoufi going to be part of the World Cup; she was going to be on the pitch in the centre circle as part of pre-match ceremonies at Toronto Stadium. 

By Kate Hargreaves 

When recent nursing graduate Eunice Kungu travelled to Tanzania as part of the University of Windsor’s 2026 Teach Tanzania trip, it was for the second time. 

Kungu, who is originally from Kenya, first participated in the 2025 trip when she was a third-year nursing student. When the opportunity arose to return in 2026, she knew she wanted to go back. 

“What motivated me to return was the connection we built with the community and seeing the positive impact that comes from being part of this initiative,” Kungu says. 

By Victor Romao

The University of Windsor's Odette School of Business is one of a small group of business schools worldwide now recognized as actively transforming their programs around sustainability and responsible leadership.

By Kate Hargreaves

For female athletes — and women in general — bone health is key to long-term health.

At the same time, research on women’s physiology has often been overlooked in medicine and sports science.

By Kate Hargreaves 

Dr. Lauren Bialystok never wanted to research artificial intelligence (AI). 

"I feel like AI chose me more than I chose it,” she says. 

However, with the ubiquity of AI, including in her field of education, Bialystok found herself drawn to the topic. 

“I’ve seen changes over the last few years that portend such enormous shifts in what education is for and how we go about our business,” she says. 

By Kate Hargreaves

Dr. Linda Rohr will serve a second five-year term as Dean of the Faculty of Human Kinetics beginning July 1. 

“I am thrilled to continue to champion the blue and gold. I look forward to growing our impact, from research and scholarly endeavours, to campus wellness and community engagement,” said Rohr of her reappointment. 

By Sara Meikle

For Jo Anne Cedar, nursing was never just a career — it was her identity.

A new scholarship established by the Cedar family at the University of Windsor Faculty of Nursing will ensure that the legacy of Cedar (BScN ’80, BA ’81) and her lifelong commitment to caring for others will continue to shape future generations of nurses.

By Kate Hargreaves 

In his three decades in education, John Ulicny has seen it all. 

“Or...” he laughs. “You think you’ve seen it all in 34 years.” 

Starting his teaching career at the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB) in 1992, the three-time University of Windsor alumnus is set to take over as the board’s director and chief executive officer this August. 

By Victor Romao

Fresh off national recognition for her leadership achievements, Makennah Murphy (BComm ’26) is already putting her skills to work in Windsor, launching her career in community health and fundraising.

The Odette School of Business graduate now serves as annual giving coordinator at the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation, where she helps drive fundraising initiatives that support local patient care.

By Victor Romao

Chinasa Success still remembers the uncertainty that came with her decision to move to Canada, a bold step that would reshape her career and personal life.

Since then, the University of Windsor graduate has transformed that leap of faith into a career in human resources leadership at Citibank Canada.

Now a vice-president and human resources business partner, the Odette School of Business alumna says that the decision continues to shape how she leads and supports others navigating change.

By Sara Meikle

As Canada marks National Indigenous History Month and prepares to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, the University of Windsor is reflecting on the ongoing work of reconciliation taking place on campus.

Within the Faculty of Nursing, that commitment is being translated into meaningful action through curriculum transformation, community engagement and efforts to create a more equitable health-care system for Indigenous Peoples.

By Kate Hargreaves 

With baseballs and frisbees flying, music pumping and students dancing, the Adapted Physical Exercise (APEX) program wrapped up for the summer at Windsor’s Westview Freedom Academy.   

APEX — started 15 years ago in the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Human Kinetics — provides exercise programming for community members with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD).  

By Kate Hargreaves 

Soccer fans are gearing up to watch Canada take on the best teams from around the globe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Some supporters will even have the chance to support their team in person in Toronto and Vancouver, as Canada hosts the tournament for the first time alongside Mexico and the United States. 

Among those cheering on Team Canada will be community soccer organizations, who plan to leverage the World Cup excitement to support the goals of their clubs. 

By Victor Romao

The moment the Enactus Windsor team heard their name echo across the competition hall at regionals, something shifted.

Months of work, late nights, early mornings and relentless iteration had finally produced results.

What began as a set of student-driven ideas was gaining national traction, and the team knew the journey was far from over.

By Kate Hargreaves 

History tells us that the bigots never win. 

That’s what gives Windsor high school teacher and Faculty of Education alumnus Walter Cassidy (BEd ’00) hope in the face of what seems like an uptick in anti-2SLGBTQIA+ sentiment. 

“As long as we know our history and we know that we’ve been through this before, we’ll get through it,” Cassidy says. “We always do.” 

By Sara Meikle

Graduation is a milestone full of reflection and possibility, marking growth, accomplishment and everything still ahead. 

From mentoring classmates and leading community initiatives to pursuing critical care certifications and life-changing leadership opportunities, this year’s nursing LEAD Medallion Scholars are celebrated for the many ways they enriched the nursing community during their time at the University of Windsor. 

By Sara Meikle

As he prepares to cross the stage at the University of Windsor’s Spring Convocation, the next chapter of Ethan Vinagre’s life is already taking shape.

A career in critical care nursing, a new home of his own and even his face on a UWindsor billboard celebrating the Class of 2026 are all part of what comes next for the BScN graduate, who will begin working in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at Henry Ford Health this fall.

By Victor Romao

By studying how near‑infrared light affects the brain, a University of Windsor PhD candidate is exploring a potential new approach to managing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. 

Brooke Shepley (MHK ’21, BHK ’19), a kinesiology researcher specializing in cerebrovascular physiology and vascular biology, is studying an approach known as photobiomodulation (PBM).

By Sara Meikle

From negotiation competitions to marathon finish lines, Celina Seguin’s time at Windsor Law has been defined by momentum — both academic and personal.

Now preparing to cross the convocation stage next week, Seguin is reflecting on what she describes as a fast-paced but deeply rewarding three years at Windsor Law, marked by academic excellence, international experiences, community involvement and more than a few kilometres logged on running trails around the world.