C

Volume 1 Issue 1October 2009 to May 2010

TransfOrMIng fuTures: TrenT unIVersITy’s 50Th annIVersary CaMpaIgn repOrT On phIlanThrOpy

BMO suppOrTs TrenT sTudenTs MakIng a dIfferenCe In The eMergIng green eCOnOMy“My time at Trent has helped me to hone my skills as an environmental scientist. It’s also given me the ability to ask meaningful scientific questions and the skills to design research to answer those questions,” says Dr. Henry Wilson, a recent Ph.D. graduate from the Environmental & Life Sciences Graduate Program at Trent University.

Dr. Wilson, who studied the impacts of land use on the ecology of streams during his time at Trent and is currently working as a postdoctoral associate with the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, is just one example of how Trent graduates are leading the way in the emerging green economy. continued on page 2

Kathy Walker, Biology graduate, assisted with Canada Goose Nesting Ecology Project on Akimiski Island Nunavut

$50 Million Campaign

Dynamic Trent students like Dr. Wilson, determined to make a difference in the world, are exactly who BMO Financial Group had in mind when they invested $500,000 to establish the BMO Future Green Leaders’ Fund at Trent University.

Demonstrating leadership in today’s emerging green job market, BMO Financial Group’s gift will help the University both attract and support the new leaders in Canada’s green economy. Announced in October 2009, during the official launch of Trent’s Centre of Knowledge in the Environment, the investment will provide the opportunity for Trent to increase the number of graduate students and undergraduate summer student researchers studying within Trent’s leading-edge environmental portfolio.

“At BMO Financial Group, we are pleased to be associated with organizations, individuals and stake-holders that share our views on environmental sustainability,” said Dawn Lutchman, BMO’s commercial banking area manager for Central & Northern Ontario and member of Trent’s Board of Governors. “Our partnering with Trent University, through the establishment of the BMO Financial Group Future Green Leaders’ Fund, will help to attract and support new leadership in Canada’s green economy. We are certain that this will contribute to Trent’s competitive advantage in environmental education in Canada and on the global stage.”

Excited by what the BMO Future Green Leaders’ Fund means for Trent, Dr. Stephen Bocking, chair of the Environmental and

Resource Studies program, says, “Canada’s environmental challenges and opportunities demand the most advanced science and policy expertise. Graduate study at Trent University provides the interdisciplinary education and research experience that enables our students to help build a green economy and society. BMO Financial Group’s generous support will enable Trent to seek out and sustainably support the best students from across Canada and internationally.”

The BMO Future Green Leaders’ Fund is the most recent gift in a long legacy of giving BMO has shared with Trent University. Since 1969, BMO has supported Trent by demonstrating a passion for shaping tomorrow’s leaders through excellence in education. Thousands of Trent students have benefited from BMO Financial Group’s generous support for the University’s distinctive learning environment. Totaling more than $250,000, BMO’s meaningful contributions to Trent over the past 45 years have included: support for Trent’s Peter Gzowski College and the “First Peoples House of Learning;” support for the Annual Fund for Greatest Need; the Environmental Sciences capital project; the establishment of the BMO Lecture Series in 1992; and new undergraduate scholarships established in 2003, resulting in assistance to over 20 exceptional students to date.

CaMpaIgn In MOMenTuM Since officially being launched in October 2009, Trent University’s $50 Million Campaign, the largest philanthropic campaign in the history of the University, is continuing to build momentum. To date, 40 per cent of the ambitious fundraising goal has been realized and the good news keeps on coming.

The past six months have been filled with of pivotal events and milestone announcements that illustrate the positive impact of philanthropy for Trent students and the University community. With so much to report on and share, Transforming Futures: Trent University’s $50 Million Campaign Report on Philanthropy will now be published semi-annually. Look for our next issue, featuring all donor lists and further campaign highlights, in the fall.

As the campaign continues to accelerate, we remain grateful for the support of our donors, our volunteers and the community. As Trent’s 50th anniversary approaches, we look forward to engaging you in the vibrant life of the University.

preparIng The green leaders Of TOMOrrOw COnTInued

Dianne Lister ‘71 LL.B., CFREVice-PresidentExternal Relations and Advancement

Anne WrightChair, Advancement CommitteeBoard of Governors

S iNCERELy,

TrenT’s $50 MIllIOn CaMpaIgn Creating a Stable baSe for future learning and diSCoveryDeveloped through a consultation process anchored in the University’s academic and research planning processes, our Philanthropic Plan outlines an ambitious goal to realize $50 million in new investments by Trent’s 50th anniversary in 2014/15.

Creation of a Graduate StudieS ColleGe ($2M) Trent’s downtown college, Catharine Parr Traill College, has been repurposed into a primarily graduate studies college (Campaign successfully concluded in 2008). Read more on page 8.

enhanCinG athletiCS and reCreation ($4M) A dynamic Athletics Campaign drives the exciting expansion and refurbishment of the Trent Community Sport & Recreation Centre (2008-2010). Read more on pages 4-7.

annual SpeCial initiativeS & library enhanCeMentS ($4M) Support from alumni and friends each year provides scholarships, bursaries, campus safety and accessibility, and the revitalization of Trent’s signature Bata Library.

CentreS of KnowledGe ($40M) Representing more than $40M in potential investment opportunities, the Centres of Knowledge are at the heart of the campaign and include endowed chairs and professorships, student support and funds for facilities.

Centre of Knowledge in the Environment. Read more on page 12.

Centre of Knowledge in Humanity & Culture

Centre of Knowledge in Health

Centre of Knowledge in People, Communities & Institutions

The $50 MIllIOn CaMpaIgn (2007-2015) InCludes:

Henry Wilson, Environmental & Life Sciences Ph.D. graduate, examined the impacts of land use on the ecology of stream ecosystems.

The $500,000 gift to establish the BMO Future Green Leaders’ Fund within Trent’s Centre of Knowledge in the Environment will be used as follows:

$300,000 (endowed) to support Trent Graduate Entrance Scholarships

$160,000 (expendable) to provide Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) matching support

$40,000 (expendable) to support Undergraduate Summer Student Research

2 3

“We want to encourage our community to be involved in the campus. One way we can do this is by providing local children with access to sport as well as education about the benefits of sport,” says Melanie Sedge, coordinator of Camps and Campus Recreation at Trent.

The Spring Schools Mini Camp Program, a spin-off of the popular and long-standing Trent Summer Sports Camp (TSSC), is one example of how Trent University is achieving this goal – offering Peterborough’s elementary school children the opportunity to spend a day at Trent using and exploring the outdoor and indoor athletic facilities. The program is linked to school curriculum and offers an exciting alternative to the classroom. Teachers choose modules that complement their current school activities and the interests of their students.

“This program provides an opportunity for students in our community to experience fun and friendship while learning new skills in a camp atmosphere. Enthusiastic leaders promote team work, physical and social skills, as well as respect for the environment,” says Dana Barker Gee, who helped kick-start the program. inspired by her own experience as a child in the TSSC, she began organizing and

planning trips to Trent for elementary school children on a regular basis.

“it’s important to introduce kids to a healthy lifestyle at a young age” says Ashley Lehman, a TSSC staff member who coordinated the Mini Camp last spring. “The kids get a great day full of team building activities. We also get to show them what the University has to offer and illustrate that there are many aspects of education. Some people will never get to experience Trent if they don’t attend the University; this program a great way to show to some of our elementary school kids what they can work towards.”

Since being launched in 2008, more than 1,500 children from over 50 schools have participated in the program. And with the revitalization and expansion of the Trent Community Sport & Recreation Centre, which includes even more fitness facilities, like the outdoor pavilion, climbing wall and refinished pool, currently underway, the success and popularity of this program is sure to expand and grow.

“it seemed like a natural fit to help this worthy cause,” says Peter Blodgett, president of Darling insurance, referring to his company’s partnership with Trent University to offer new financial awards for student athletes. “i believe the impact is that it helps the future of people in our community and our country to achieve their dreams and aspirations by receiving an education.”

Darling insurance is one of four local businesses to invest in the future of athletics at Trent as important donors to the campaign for the new Trent Community Sport & Recreation Centre. Darling insurance, Cremers Brother Electric Ltd., Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will, and Swish Maintenance Ltd., have each given significant gifts to establish the first Athletic Financial Awards (AFAs) at the University, to help Trent attract and support the best and brightest student athletes.

“Virtually all students these days need financial assistance to attend

university and this is even truer for the varsity level athlete,” says Brian Greer, athletics recruiter for Trent, explaining that top level athletes can incur additional expenses related to travel, team registration and uniforms, and have even less time available to take on part-time employment during the year. “As a recruiter, i can personally attest to the fact that the availability of financial awards is of utmost concern to most prospective student athletes and their parents when deciding which university to attend. Having these financial awards in place puts Trent on competitive footing with other universities when it comes to recruiting top athletes.”

As part of the Sport, Recreation & Wellness for All Campaign, Trent’s goal is to create a new $200,000 endowment for Athletic Financial Awards. Through the generosity of the corporate community to date, and the matching funds provided through the Ontario Trust for Student Support (OTSS) program,

that goal has not only been met, but exceeded.

The first AFAs will be awarded to incoming Trent student athletes with a record of strong academic achievement in the 2011/12 academic year. With an eye to assisting the local community, many of the awards created by the corporate donors are geared specifically towards providing assistance for athletes from Peterborough and area high schools.

“The implementation of financial awards is part of an exciting new winning strategy for Trent that all at the University and in the community can take part in,” Mr. Greer says.“ To quote former Peterborough MP, professor emeritus and campaign co-chair Peter Adams, “it will make you want to be a part of the Trent team.””

enCOuragIng healThy lIfesTyles aT a yOung ageSpring Schools Mini Camp Program Introduces Children to Physical Fitness and the Outdoors

COrpOraTe COMMunITy InVesTs In fuTure TrenT aThleTes

spOrT, reCreaTIOn & wellness fOr all CaMpaIgn dOnOrsfounder $1 Million and above

City of Peterborough

leader $50,000 to $99,999

Aramark Canada Limited

Fred Sherratt

partner $25,000 to $49,999

Dan Coholan & Sarah Mills

Cremers Brothers Electric Ltd.

Steven and Dawn Franklin

Thomas Miller & Barbara Chisholm

Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will

aSSoCiate $10,000 to $24,999

Bell Canada

Bill & Joanne ByrickMichael Cullen & Lisbeth Shaw-Cullen Don C. CummingDarling InsuranceLazer GraphicsTodd McKendrick

Peterborough Merit Precision Jr. ‘A’ Lakers Lacrosse

Peterborough Minor Lacrosse Association

Peterborough Sr. ‘A’ Lakers LacrosseRonald McDonald House Charities

Swish Maintenance Limited

Gary & Ruth Wolff

SponSor $5,000 to $9,999

John ButcherBrian HollandNeil & Claire Horne Rob Marland & Jane Forsyth Barbara McGregor & FamilyBrent NorreyDon O’Leary Tom PhillipsTed and Jane Staunton

NOTE: Full listings of all Trent University donors will be available in the fall 2010 issue of the Report on Philanthropy and online at www.trentu.ca/rop

parT Of The TrenT TeaM

TrenT’s spOrT, reCreaTIOn & wellness fOr all CaMpaIgn

TrenT’s spOrT, wellness & reCreaTIOn fOr all CaMpaIgn By The nuMBers

Part of a $16 million total investment for new construction and refurbishment

Total Fundraising Goal…………. $4M

Total Raised to Date….. 38% ($1.52M)

4 5

76

$50 Million Campaign$50 Million Campaign

As the only combination tank of its kind in the country, with the capacity to transform seamlessly from rowing to paddling, Trent’s new indoor rowing and paddling tank will become a premier training facility for both elite athletes and community members. The state-of-the-art tank will solidify Trent’s position as a regional centre for rowing and paddling excellence.

“This is very exciting for rowing in Peterborough,” Carol Love, gold medal Olympian and coach of the Peterborough Rowing Club and Trent Varsity team, says about the tank. “it is validation for the success of the Trent and community rowing programs. Our rowing teams are competitive at the National level and this tank will provide invaluable opportunity to train year round.”

Dr. Tom Miller, a Trent alumnus and physician with Peterborough Regional Health Centre, and one of the driving forces behind the campaign to build the tank, agrees that the impact of housing the rowing/paddling tank at Trent will be felt across the community.

“The addition of the tank not only offers a premier training facility, but will also recruit talented paddlers, rowers, coaches and trainers to Trent and Peterborough,” he says, adding, “Our varsity teams and Peterborough club members will have access to the best facilities on the continent for rowing.”

The CommuniTy AdvAnTAge

in addition to the impact on rowing programs, the tank will have further benefit for the community. While the unique combination tank will enable eight rowers to either sweep row (one large oar)

or scull (two small oars), it is also equipped for up to 32 Dragon Boat paddlers to practice and refine their skills. Thanks to the ever-growing Dragon Boat market of adults who enjoy paddling and competing at a social or competitive level, and Peterborough’s role as host community for the 2010 international Dragon Boat Festival, the paddling component of the tank is sure to be well-used and enjoyed by the entire community.

“Local community teams will now have the chance to practice year round, producing not just great athletes, but great teams with superb spirit,” says tank designer and civil engineer Steve Killing.

in speaking about the state-of-the-art design of the tank, Mr. Killing, a yacht designer says he is proud of the fact that this tank solves a common problem experienced with most indoor training tanks.

“All rowing or practice tanks have a challenge with dissipating the waves generated by the athletes.” Mr. Killing explains. “Surface waves can build up and interfere with the next stroke of the paddles or oars.” To address this issue, Mr. Killing and his team designed a trough around three sides of the tank. When waves reach the edge of the tank they fall into the trough then a surge reservoir where they are pumped back into the tank to maintain the water level.

“We are confident this system will give athletes an excellent training environment, with their coach standing right beside them,” Mr. Killing says. “The result will be better rowers and paddlers, and athletes who develop faster.”

Athletics is a central part of Lianne Schumacher’s Trent University experience. Currently working toward her degree in psychology, her second at Trent, Ms. Schumacher is a decorated athlete. A varsity rugby player, this Lakefield native and Forensic Science graduate has been a Trent Academic All-Canadian for five years running and was recently named a 2010 Ontario University Athletics Woman of influence.

Ms. Schumacher is also a proud student representative for the campaign to build the new Trent Community Sport & Recreation Centre, responsible for keeping the student body informed of the progress of the redesign project and being an ambassador for the centre within the community. Being close to the project gives her a real sense of the impact the improved athletics complex will have on the University, students and local community.

“Our athletics complex will now offer students elements that most schools cannot. New facilities allow for greater involvement in campus recreation, personal fitness and varsity sport,” Ms. Schumacher says, adding that the new common space will be a great place for students to gather and study and members of community to meet before or after fitness classes. “Peterborough will

have a facility in the north end of town that offers first-rate equipment and can accommodate the population. it’s going to be a very beneficial centre and fully accessible to the community.”

As a rugby player, Ms. Schumacher is also enthusiastic about the outdoor athletic upgrades at Trent, especially the state-of-the-art new stadium. “it’s already had an impact on sports and the overall physical activity of the University,” she says. “Having artificial turf means we don’t have to wait until the field dries out in the spring to start practicing. Fans also have a place to sit and watch games.”

The stadium and field, combined with the athletics centre will also make Trent an ideal host for national championships, as it will next year when the women’s rugby championships come to Peterborough, an event Ms. Schumacher is looking forward to.

“There’s nothing like playing at home under the lights with a stadium full of fans,” she says. “it’s an amazing feeling that propels you to play even harder than you are normally capable, and it wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t have a stadium and field to play on.”

CITy Of peTerBOrOugh prOud parTner In aThleTICs CaMpaIgn“The new Trent Community Sport and Recreation Centre brings to fruition the City’s Vision 2010 Strategic Plan for Recreation, which envisioned the designation of a third recreation facility in the city’s north end. The Trent facility, with its emphasis on community access, will provide vital recreation, sport and wellness services to residents of the city’s growing north end. We are proud to be partnering with Trent on this important community project.”

~ Peterborough Mayor Paul Ayotte

The cornerstone partner, the City of Peterborough, contributed $1 million towards the facility’s construction. Peterborough City Council unanimously approved the investment in November 2009.

The aThleTe experIenCe

nOrTh aMerICa’s BesTNew Indoor Rowing/Paddling Tank at Trent

sTudenT COMMITMenTIn October 2004, the students of Trent voted to establish a new $50 annual fee ($300,000 per year) in support of capital improvements to the athletics and recreation facilities at the University. Over the past six years, full-time undergraduate students have contributed $1.8 million to the new Trent Community Sport & Recreation Centre.

BuIldIng aThleTIC exCellenCe

The TrenT COMMunITy spOrT & reCreaTIOn CenTre

“Next year I will be a participant in the Trent-in-Ecuador Program, the program which made me choose to come and study at Trent. I am looking forward to what will be an enriching and challenging year, a year that would not be possible without this bursary.”

~ Mary Kapron – third-year student, double major in international Development Studies and Spanish; recipient of the Jack Matthews Study Abroad Bursary

The Bagnani name has been well-known at Trent University for decades. With the March 2010 grand opening of the new Bagnani Hall and Room at Catharine Parr Traill College, Gilbert and Stewart Bagnani’s dedication and passion for the University is now on display for the entire community to see.

The community celebration to officially open the new Bagnani Hall and Room, and conclude the Catharine Parr Traill College Capital Campaign, was attended by more than 100 special guests, including founding Trent president Professor T.H.B. Symons, the first principal of Catharine Parr Traill College, Marion Fry, and Trent President Dr. Steven E. Franklin. Trent faculty, staff, students, alumni and community supporters were treated to a piano recital by Mark Julson, who restored the outstanding 1910 Bechstein piano which graces the new Bagnani Room.

Bagnani Hall houses both a modern and inspiring lecture forum designed to seat 85, and a complementary room furnished with some highly-prized furnishings and antiques from Vogrie, the Bagnani Estate near Port Hope. The Hall will serve as an excellent new lecture facility for undergraduate and graduate students and see extended use as a facility for community cultural events.

“Bagnani Hall is a living memorial to the contribution and philanthropy of Gilbert and Stewart Bagnani, whose support for Trent University was remarkable.”

~ Dr. Douglas Evans, head of Catharine Parr Traill College and dean of Graduate Studies

Gilbert Bagnani was a classics scholar, author and professor of ancient history at Trent University from 1965 to 1975. Mary Stewart Bagnani, worked at the Art Gallery of Toronto and taught art history at Trent, where she and students helped to establish an art collection for the Mackenzie Gallery. Prof. Bagnani received an honorary doctorate from Trent in 1971. And together, they bequeathed their property, antiquities, art, furniture, books and papers to a number of institutions, including Trent.

Trent University now offers the Bagnani Award for undergraduate and graduate students from Ontario and the Bagnani Medal, an award presented to top graduating students. A Bagnani Research Fellow was also established at the Trent University Archaeological Research Centre.

“Gilbert was a profound scholar, and an enormously respected and highly accomplished man who made an immense contribution academically, and to the quality of life of the University.”

~ Professor T.H.B. Symons

inspired by Dr. Alan Wilson, professor emeritus and founding chair of both Canadian Studies and History at Trent, an anonymous donor has ensured Dr. Wilson’s legacy at the University will continue for generations to come.

At a special event in November 2009, attended by more than 100 people, including Dr. Wilson himself, the University announced the anonymous $800,000 gift to establish the Alan Wilson Graduate Entrance Scholarships in support of Trent graduate students in the Canadian Studies Ph.D., History M.A., and Canadian Studies and indigenous Studies M.A. graduate programs.

“i am delighted for Trent and the study of Canada,” said Dr. Wilson. “The usefulness of these scholarships to Trent rests in part in their confirmation that even a small university can make a major contribution to scholarship and to our understanding of this complex country. Coming in troubled times in national understanding and the economy, they give hope to those who want to further their appreciation of Canada’s past and its role as an influential world power in areas of human understanding, the extension of federalism, and in Aboriginal and Third World advance.”

Offered as competitive entrance scholarships, the Alan Wilson scholarships will be offered to several outstanding graduate students as top-ups to other grants and bursaries starting in the 2010/11 academic year.

“Alan Wilson was an inspirational teacher and mentor for many fine Trent graduates. He had an uncanny skill at being able to draw the best out of his students and his legacy is one that both students and faculty in the Frost Centre strive to emulate,” said Dr. Julia Harrison, director of the Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and indigenous Studies at Trent. “These scholarships allow us to continue that legacy by continuing to develop the field of Canadian Studies with young and inspirational graduate students.”

Dr. ivana Elbl, director of the History M.A. program, added: “The Alan Wilson Graduate Scholarships are a pivotal development for Trent’s History Graduate Program and its students. We would like to offer our deep gratitude and appreciation to the anonymous donor and to Alan Wilson for their invaluable support.”

Professor Wilson started teaching at Trent in 1964 and retired as professor emeritus 25

years later. in 1988 he was presented with the Symons Award for Excellence in Teaching. During his time at Trent he also served on Trent’s Senate, Board of Governors and Faculty Association charter executive. He also acted as Senate elected advisor in establishing the indigenous Studies Program.

“i am deeply honoured and very happy for Trent and its future graduate students in Canadian Studies and History,” Dr. Wilson said. “Building both programs was a cooperative experience, and i hope that in acknowledging the extraordinary generosity of this donor, that my old colleagues will realize how gratefully i think of them. These scholarships will indeed make a difference.”

The legaCy Of alan wIlsOn, The fuTure Of TrenT unIVersITy

“It was my honour to be the first recipient of the prestigious Justin Chiu Scholarship. This generous scholarship has enabled me to receive a quality post-secondary education in Canada and has also helped me to meet many inspiring individuals from all over the world. I have a network of friends that can potentially cover the world map. I would like to thank Mr. Chiu for his vision and I promise that in the future, I will pay it forward and help others.”

~ Ha Nguyen, first-year Economics and Politics student from Hanoi, Vietnam; inaugural Justin Chiu Scholar; varsity fencer, represented Trent at provincial competition

international Trent alumnus Justin Chiu ‘76 provided a gift of $1 million to the University in May 2009 to support international scholarship.

“I am deeply honoured and

very happy for Trent and its

future graduate students in

Canadian Studies and History.

These scholarships will indeed

make a difference.”

~ Dr. Alan Wilson

CaTharIne parr TraIll COllege CapITal CaMpaIgnThe grand opening of Bagnani Hall provided an opportunity for Trent University to celebrate the successful completion of the Catharine Parr Traill College Capital Campaign. Thanks to generous donor support, the campaign exceeded its goal and raised more than $2.1 million by January 2008. A revitalized Traill College, the University’s primarily graduate studies college, features $5.2 million in renovations and upgrades, including the new Bagnani Hall and Room. The Catharine Parr Traill College Capital Campaign is a key component of Trent University’s 2014 $50 Million Campaign which was publicly launched in October 2009.

8 9

“i believe the “heart and soul” of what it means to be Canadian lies in the far corners of this great nation. Canada is a vast, multicultural and multi-lingual country that cannot be studied solely through books, documents, or multimedia formats. Archival research is important, but so is the ability to visit the locale of one’s research, to talk to the people who live there and learn first-hand their views and experiences,” says Trent alumna and esteemed Canadian Arctic scholar Shelagh Grant.

With her passion and dedication to the field of Canadian and Arctic Studies, Shelagh Grant’s friends, family and colleagues came together to create the Shelagh Grant Endowment Award to assist graduate students in Trent’s Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and indigenous Studies whose planned research requires travel outside of southern Ontario. Announced in March 2010, the award may also provide funding for a professional, simultaneous translator for interviews or discussions in an Aboriginal community.

The new endowment fund is already making a difference in the lives of two Trent students – Celine Vukson, a second-year student in the Canadian Studies and indigenous Studies M.A. program, and Kimberly Wilson, a first-year master’s student in the same program – the inaugural recipients of the award.

“i want to say “masi cho” (thank you) to the friends and family of Shelagh Grant for establishing this award. They are helping one of Canada’s leading Aboriginal nations work at maintaining their indigenous language and culture for the next generation,” says Ms. Vukson, whose research explores an ancestral story that occurred in the far North in the late 19th century and the oral history of women’s roles from that period.

“The research involves visiting elders and learning more about oral history which addresses the importance of preserving stories, language and culture for the future generation,” she explains. “in order for me to complete my thesis and graduate i must make the necessary trips to the North. Relating to the story of the late 1880s, there are certain difficult and rarely used traditional Tlicho concepts, phrases, and place names that i need assistance with from elders and translators. The award helps me with travel arrangements and to verify transcripts.”

Kimberly Wilson is using the award to build on her research project examining environmental decision-making processes in First Nations’ communities in the context of oil and gas development in Northeastern Alberta.

in her research, Ms. Wilson will analyze the effectiveness of the requirements in contemporary legislation intended to increase Aboriginal involvement in, and the democratization of local decision-making, community-based resource management, and environmental monitoring. The larger purpose of her research is to contribute to the growing body of research related to Aboriginal rights, resource extraction, and land tenure while offering a detailed analysis of the community consultation processes.

“it is important to connect with communities and regions related to research and this would help frame that research from a community perspective,” she says about the award, adding, “Without the funding there is a chance that i would not be able to go or would be constricted to time limits while out there.”

Goodith Heeney is a true community leader. A great friend to the Peterborough community, Ms. Heeney has lent a hand and made enormous contributions to many organizations, including Friends of Kinark, yWCA, the Ontario Early years Centre, and Hospice Peterborough, just to name a few.

in recognition of her dedication and passion for helping others, Ms. Heeney was selected as the 2009 recipient for Trent University’s Award for Community Leadership. She was one of three people to be honoured through the awards program. To create a lasting legacy to commemorate the community contributions of all three winners, including Ms. Heeney, Trent University has established a student bursary in their honour.

“i was honoured, surprised and humbled,” Ms. Heeney said about being selected. in commenting on the Community Leaders Awards program, she said, “What a smart thing to do. i love being a part of it. it’s a good idea to let people be helpful to the University. i hope this bursary will give students a positive push to come to Trent and to give something back to the community.”

Ms. Heeney is a mother of four and a grandparent, with her husband Bruce Lister, to seventeen. She has volunteered countless hours

of service to assist people in need at different stages of their lives.

“it’s not really about me,” Ms. Heeney said about winning the Trent award. “it’s about community. it’s all about building relationships. The reward is the friendships and being able to give back to the community.”

in speaking about the Community Leaders Awards Program, Kate Ramsay, vice-chair of Trent’s Board of Governors said, “Trent’s Community Leaders are role models, and pairing the opportunity to herald their accomplishments while supporting students at the University seems a natural fit and a win-win.”

inspired by the program and by Ms. Heeney, Ms. Ramsay became a donor to the Goodith Heeney Bursary. “Goodith Heeney has been a mentor and friend to countless people both working in and assisted by the volunteer sector in this community. By contributing to this endowed bursary established in Goodith’s name, i hope to help Trent students who receive this award to access the tools through their post-secondary education that will assist each of them to make an enduring impact in their communities,” Ms. Ramsay said. “i think Trent both attracts and empowers students with those kinds of aspirations. it’s a privilege to be able to provide some help for them to realize those goals.”

“Her gift to Trent is about the power of philanthropy to transform lives,” Eileen Madder, chair of Trent University’s Planned Giving Advisory Committee, says about Fern Rahmel’s bequest to help generations of women pursue post-secondary education.

The generous $1.2 million bequest from Fern Rahmel, a leader in education, the arts and culture in Peterborough, who passed away in late November 2009, was

announced in February 2010.

The third largest bequest in the history of the University, the gift will focus on Trent‘s campuses in both Peterborough and Oshawa, leaving a remarkable legacy in support of women pursuing higher education. When matched by the Ontario Trust for Student Support, the total endowment will equal $2.4 million. it is expected that $100,000 in new funds for bursaries will be available annually as

fern rahMel esTaBlIshes legaCy Of learnIng

hOnOurIng COMMunITy leadershIp

researChIng The hearT and sOul Of CanadaShelagh Grant Endowment Award Supports Travel and Translators for Graduate Students in Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies

COMMunITy leaders awards Trent University’s Community Leaders Awards Program recognizes and celebrates outstanding members of the community who have made significant contributions toward the betterment of the Greater Peterborough Region. The awards are given every other year. The 2009 Community Leaders Awards recipients are:

Goodith Heeney for the Trent University Award for Community Leadership

Norman Vandenberg for the Trent University Award for Leadership Through Education

Lewis Schofield for the Trent University Award for Youth Leadership

For more details and to read more about and view videos of the 2009 winners, visit www.trentu.ca/ communityleaders

ShelaGh Grant launCheS new booKA graduate of the master’s program in history at Trent in 1982, Shelagh Grant is a distinguished and respected researcher, author and mentor. Her latest book, Polar Imperative: A History of Arctic Sovereignty in North America was released in May 2010.

Based on Grant’s ten years of groundbreaking archival research on Arctic sovereignty and her reputation as a leading historian in the field, Polar Imperative is a definitive overview of the attempts by many countries to claim sovereign rights over the polar regions of North America.

“I hope this bursary will give students a positive push to come to Trent and to give something back to the community.”

~ goodith Heeney

a result of this extraordinary gift. Over and above the $1.2 million bequest, a separate and specific gift of $5,000 was also directed by Ms. Rahmel to the Bata Library.

About Fern Rahmel

“Staff at Trent knew Ms. Rahmel simply as Fern, a kind person, an enthusiastic community member, a passionate promoter of higher education and supporter of Trent,” says Dianne Lister, vice president of External Relations and Advancement. “Her life story

is about the power of one person to make a difference.”

Fern Rahmel was well-known in the Peterborough community, as a school teacher and head of the Department of English at Peterborough Collegiate Vocational School (PCVS), an active volunteer in many community organizations, as well as a talented writer, editor, playwright and director. Born and educated in Peterborough, she was one of the first women to receive

an honorary degree from Trent University in 1970. She established the Fern A. Rahmel Bursary at Trent University for mature women students in 2002.

Thinking of leaving a legacy of your own? Trent will help you make it a reality. Contact Sherry Booth, manager of Planned Giving and Leadership Gifts, at (705) 748-1011 x7593 or sbooth@trentu.ca10 11

Announcements of over $5 million in new investments to support environmental programs, initiatives and facilities

Tours of two new world-class laboratories at Trent – the Trent Biomaterials Research Program and the Microenvironment Labs

Keynote address on “Saving the World’s Forests Today” by His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, president of Guyana

Preparing for the Green Economy luncheon featuring keynote speaker Michael Kerford, vice president of ECO Canada, attended by 170 community members, including high school students

Poster session highlighting the research of over 45 students and faculty, including Trent’s Biology and Forensic Science collaborative research with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, in the state-of-the-art DNA Building

Panel discussion on the value of infusing indigenous knowledge in our work in the environment

Public lecture entitled “Wolves in Ontario: Confusion, Controversy and Conservation” with Dr. Dennis Murray at the Canadian Canoe Museum

Resulting media coverage extended across North America (and into Guyana)

launCh Of a new era Of phIlanThrOpy aT TrenT

Since the official launch in October 2009, the Centre of Knowledge in the Environment has continued to celebrate many more milestones. Highlights include:

FebRuARy 2010

Pioneering Biomaterials Researcher Dr. Suresh Narine Awarded $1.25 Million Ontario Research Chair in Green Chemistry and Engineering

Trent University’s Dr. Suresh Narine, an internationally renowned expert in the groundbreaking field of biomaterials, has been awarded one of two $1.25 million Ontario Research Chairs in Green Chemistry and Engineering by the Ontario Research Chairs Selection Panel. As Ontario Research Chair, Dr. Narine will

receive funding of $250,000 a year for five years. The Trent Biomaterials Research Program, under Dr. Narine’s leadership, is a key component of the Centre of Knowledge in the Environment. To date, more than $4.25 million has been raised to support this innovative new research centre at Trent.

march 2010

Environmental Lectures Featuring Renowned Water Scientist Dr. David Schindler Attract Sold-Out Crowds

More than 500 members of the Trent and Peterborough communities attended two public events on February 23 and 24 hosted by the University in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources

exploring the link between humans and our natural world and featuring internationally-renowned water scientist Dr. David Schindler, a former Trent professor. The events were supported by an anonymous donor who created the David Schindler Endowed Professorship in Aquatic Science, the first-ever endowed professorship at Trent University, valued at $1 million, in 2008. A search is currently underway for the first holder of the professorship. For more information about the events and the David Schindler Professorship in Aquatic Science at Trent University visit www.trentu.ca/aquaticscience

CenTre Of knOwledge In The enVIrOnMenT updaTe

Trent University has been a leader in the environment since its inception in 1964. To learn more, visit the Centre of Knowledge in the Environment website at www.trentu.ca/cofk/environment

1600 west bank drive, peterborough, ontario, Canada K9J 7b8

to view this document in an accessible format, please visit www.trentu.ca

C

On October 21 and 22, 2009, Trent University celebrated the official launch of the $50 Million Campaign and the launch of the Centre of Knowledge in the Environment (a key component of the campaign) with a series of strategic events and announcements.

Over the course of two days, more than 600 people from across Trent and the wider Peterborough community participated in this dynamic program, highlights of which included:

“Trent’s $50 Million Campaign represents the most significant strategic philanthropic program in the history of the University and will provide lasting benefits to our students, faculty and academic programs. In the coming years, we will use this campaign and the Centres of Knowledge to pay respect to our traditions, celebrate our current achievements, including the teaching and research excellence at Trent, and support Trent as we define our future.” ~ Dr. Steven E. Franklin, president and vice-chancellor