McMaster University Canada appoints Keenan Jeppesen as director of McMaster Athletics and Recreation

McMaster University’s Athletics and Recreation department gets a new director - Keenan Jeppesen. He was a student-athlete at both McMaster and Brown University.

Study in Canada: McMaster University’s Athletics and Recreation department has appointed a new director named - Keenan Jeppesen.

Sean Van Koughnett, associate vice president (students and learning) and dean of students said, “We are thrilled to welcome Keenan back to Athletics and Recreation in this leadership role. His student-centred approach, university leadership experience and business acumen make him the ideal candidate to guide our athletics and recreation programs.”

Jovan Popovic, president of the McMaster Students Union said, “Keenan has always been a major supporter of McMaster students and is someone who consistently holds the student voice and student priorities in high regard. [We are] eager to begin a new chapter in working with Athletics and Recreation under Keenan’s guidance, and we’re excited to get to work on improving the student experience together."

About Keenan Jeppesen

He has earlier served as the associate director, of administration, in Housing and Conference Services and associate director of Athletics, High Performance, at McMaster. He was a student-athlete at both McMaster and Brown University. From Brown University he received his undergraduate degree and from MBA from the DeGroote School of Business.

After his appointment, he will also lead McMaster’s comprehensive recreation program. He will focus on overall student health and well-being, build cross-campus partnerships and greater alumni engagement, and he will champion excellence in varsity athletics.

He will bring a deep understanding of both broader student services and athletic administration to this role. While working as an associate director of Athletics, he played a significant role in enhancing McMaster’s high-performance programs, coaching excellence, expanding competitive opportunities, and focusing on athlete development.

McMaster researchers discover how, and where gluten response begins

Engineering and medical researchers centred at McMaster and colleagues from Argentina, Australia and the US have spent six years working to find out where and how the gluten response starts in people with celiac disease.

"They found that the inner lining of the upper intestine, called the “epithelium” —composed of a variety of cells that are not classically part of the immune system — also plays an active role in directing the inflammatory response to gluten," reads the official statement.

Elena Verdu, a corresponding author on the paper said, “The only way we can treat celiac disease today is by fully eliminating gluten from the diet. This is difficult to do, and experts agree that a gluten-free diet is insufficient."

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