Beyond the shared surname, the parallels are striking between the U of A’s newest Rhodes Scholar, Jesse Lafontaine, and , the first Indigenous president-elect of the .
No, they’re not related. But Alika founded the national Indigenous Health Alliance, a health transformation project involving 150 First Nations and several national health organizations.
As a second-year student in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Jesse co-founded the to increase Indigenous representation in medicine, a call to action from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“He and I are also the only two Lafontaines in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ to have medical licences,” said Jesse. “Mine has quite a few restrictions as a medical student, but still, I think that’s really cool.”
The two have also worked together, Alika mentoring Jesse and other medical student leaders on advocacy initiatives as an associate clinical professor in the U of A’s Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine.
“We certainly know each other a little bit, and I saw that he retweeted the as a Rhodes Scholar.”
Hailing from Kelowna and a member of both the and , Jesse Lafontaine is the 76th Rhodes Scholar — the eighth since 2015 — to come out of the U of A since the award’s inception in 1903.
I'm really drawn to policy and leadership — how we operate in the bigger picture and looking towards system-wide change and innovation. I’m hoping translational health science will give me the knowledge and tools to make big change in the health-care system in Canada.
Widely considered the world's most prestigious graduate scholarships, 11 are awarded annually across Canada, three in Western Canada and 100 globally by the . They cover tuition and application fees at Oxford, a personal stipend and economy-class return airfare to the U.K.
Lafontaine plans to earn two master’s degrees at Oxford before returning home to finish his medical degree — one in public policy, the other in translational health science, an interdisciplinary branch of medicine aimed at improving health-care systems.
“I'm just incredibly excited about this opportunity to study and learn at Oxford,” he said.
“I'm really drawn to policy and leadership — how we operate in the bigger picture and looking towards system-wide change and innovation. I’m hoping translational health science will give me the knowledge and tools to make big change in the health-care system in Canada.”
When he isn’t studying, Lafontaine referees college-level basketball games for the and , and has even been on the court with the U of A Bears and Pandas. His family are huge basketball fans; his sister and brothers have all played with varsity teams.
“I wasn't very good at playing — it wasn’t my strength,” he said. “But I was able to transition into refereeing and found my role. This way I get to play the whole game every time.”
Lafontaine is also president of the U of A’s Medical Students’ Association and vice-president of the Indigenous Medical and Dental Students' Association. He is also a student representative on the General Faculties Council.
“I've really enjoyed my time here,” he said. “The best part is the people — my classmates and the great faculty members, teachers and instructors along the way.
“Without a doubt, that’s what will stick with me. So many people have been big influences on my life, and I'm incredibly grateful.”