RADAR | THE LOCALER
How This University of Saskatchewan Lecturer Brings History to Life
For Kyle McLeister, learning is for the students and the teacher. | By Will Scott
For Kyle McLeister, the greatest reward in teaching is watching his students thrive. Since joining the University of Saskatchewan’s Classics department in 2016, McLeister has dedicated himself to creating an open, vibrant classroom environment in which sharing opinions and making mistakes are an essential part of learning.
“I remember vividly how terrified I was at the prospect of speaking in front of a class as an undergrad, and I do my best to alleviate those worries for my students,” says McLeister, who has an impressive 4.6 rating on ratemyprofessor.com. “Everyone learns more when they’re having fun.”
“Working with students every day means that I’m always learning something new. Their questions continuously push me to grow.”
As a professor and lecturer, McLeister’s areas of expertise run from ancient Greek and Latin to medical terminology. He has co-authored two textbooks and was recognized with the Provost’s New Teacher Award (2024) and the Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching (2026). He is honoured to receive these awards, of course, but it’s a love of learning — and knowing he can learn from his pupils — that drives him.
“Working with students every day means that I’m always learning something new,” he says. “Their questions continuously push me to grow.”
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? We’d love to hear about them. Email us your nominations and they could be our featured Localer in an upcoming issue.
Professor and lecturer Kyle McLeister with his Provost's New Teacher Award from 2024. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF KYLE MCLEISTER
RADAR | PLAYLIST
What Songs Do You Road Trip to, Streetheart’s Jeff Neill?
By Kim Hughes
Regina-born rocker Jeff Neill, now based in Winnipeg, is a founding member of the band Streetheart. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF TREVOR BRUCKI
Jeff Neill knows all about a musical life on tour. “Some songs were just meant to lead you down the road. To guide you around that next bend; to inspire you to keep going that extra mile,” says the longtime guitarist and songwriter with legendary Regina-bred combo Streetheart, who celebrate 50 years of maximum rock ‘n’ roll together in 2026. The band, now based in Winnipeg, continues electrifying live audiences with classics like “Here Comes the Night.” Of his playlist, he says, “These songs have been my travelling companions, kept me company on long stretches and been the soundtrack of friends off on an adventure,” says Neill. “As you can tell, I’m a bit of a rocker. I still get the same thrill from hitting the open road that I did when I was a teenager a lifetime ago.”
We are providing a preview of the artist’s playlist. The full playlist can be experienced directly on Spotify with a free account. Songs may not be appropriate for everyone. Listener discretion is advised.
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Professor and lecturer Kyle McLeister with his Provost's New Teacher Award from 2024. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF KYLE MCLEISTER
For Kyle McLeister, the greatest reward in teaching is watching his students thrive. Since joining the University of Saskatchewan’s Classics department in 2016, McLeister has dedicated himself to creating an open, vibrant classroom environment in which sharing opinions and making mistakes are an essential part of learning.
“I remember vividly how terrified I was at the prospect of speaking in front of a class as an undergrad, and I do my best to alleviate those worries for my students,” says McLeister, who has an impressive 4.6 rating on ratemyprofessor.com. “Everyone learns more when they’re having fun.”
“Working with students every day means that I’m always learning something new. Their questions continuously push me to grow.”
As a professor and lecturer, McLeister’s areas of expertise run from ancient Greek and Latin to medical terminology. He has co-authored two textbooks and was recognized with the Provost’s New Teacher Award (2024) and the Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching (2026). He is honoured to receive these awards, of course, but it’s a love of learning — and knowing he can learn from his pupils — that drives him.
“Working with students every day means that I’m always learning something new,” he says. “Their questions continuously push me to grow.”
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? We’d love to hear about them. Email us your nominations and they could be our featured Localer in an upcoming issue.