Trent University Celebrates Indigenous Studies and First Peoples’ House of Learning Alumni at 50th Anniversary Weekend

Join a special gathering in honour of the Williams family of Curve Lake First Nation with 3 generations of Trent graduates

Tuesday, July 29, 2014, Peterborough/Nogojiwanong, ON

Trent University’s Indigenous Studies Program and the First Peoples’ House of Learning (FPHL) welcome visitors and media to celebrate Trent’s 50th anniversary at a special gathering on Saturday, August 9, 2014 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. in the Ernest and Florence Benedict Gathering Space at Gzowski College. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome.

In partnership with the FPHL Indigenous Alumni Chapter at Trent, the celebration will acknowledge the amazing and unique achievements of the Williams family of Curve Lake First Nation, with three generations of graduates from Trent University (see detail below).

The gathering will also be the venue for the official opening of the Dr. Gilbert Monture Oral History lab, a portrait installation in the Jake Thomas room, and the launch of several new books:

• Aboriginal Knowledge for Economic Development, edited by Prof. David Newhouse, Jeff Orr, and the Atlantic Aboriginal Economic Development Integrated Research Program
• Indigenous Poetics in Canada, edited by Neal McLeod
• Spirit of the Island: Manitoulin’s People, by Prof. Rhonda L. Paulsen, translated by Prof. Shirley Williams and Isadore Toulouse
• Paa Giigoonh Ke Daa / Let’s Go Fishing, from storyteller Jim Shearer, and writer and illustrator Elizabeth Gauthier

The Indigenous Studies celebration will take place following the Saturday morning panel of the Ideas That Change The World Symposium at Trent University, taking place Friday August 8 and Saturday August 9 as part of the 50th Anniversary Kick-Off Weekend. Fifteen influential and renowned speakers will participate in panels for the Indigenous Peoples in Canada theme, on the topics of Politics and Policy, Education, and Socio-Cultural Development. More information about the Symposium’s Indigenous panels and ticket registration is available at http://www.trentu.ca/fifty/symposiumindigenous.php.

Event Details:

What: Trent University Indigenous Celebrations at 50th Anniversary Kick-Off
When: Indigenous Studies and FPHL Alumni Celebration on Saturday, August 9, 1:30 p.m.
Ideas That Change The World Symposium panels on Fri, Aug 8 / Sat, Aug 9
Where: Gzowski College, First Peoples’ House of Learning, Room 117, and Ernest and Florence Benedict Gathering Space, Trent University, 1 Gzowski Way Peterborough, ON K9J 8S6

The Williams Family:
Three generations of the Williams family, of Curve Lake First Nation and Trout Lake, Ontario, have graduated from Trent University over the past 40 years. Douglas Williams attended Trent in the early 1970s and was among the first graduating class of the Indigenous Studies program. He is an Elder of the Curve Lake First Nation and director of the Indigenous Studies Ph.D. program at Trent. Alice Olsen Williams also began studying at Trent part-time in the early 1970s, and later became a full-time student so that she could graduate during her friend Margaret Laurence’s time as Trent Chancellor. Alice graduated from Indigenous Studies in 1982 and received her degree from Margaret’s hand. Originally from Trout Lake, Alice is a renowned quilt artist and activist for Indigenous and women’s rights.

Douglas and Alice’s children, Saga (Alison Sagateh), Sarah Leona, and Keesic Williams, and their granddaughter Amelia Megan Williams-Millard, also graduated from Trent University. Sarah is now a medical doctor and senior advisor for Health Services with the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia, and will be a panelist discussing family issues in the Life and Health sessions at the Ideas That Change The World Symposium.

Indigenous people in Canada are just now beginning to access and successfully complete the educational requirements for degrees from Canadian universities. Since 1969, Trent University has had a longstanding commitment to provide First Nations, Métis and Inuit people, as well as non-status Native people, with access to the school through the Indigenous Studies Diploma program, which continues to facilitate admission and studies for Indigenous people from all over Canada. Trent is proud to have had the opportunity to educate members of this exceptional family for three generations. Their achievements have been outstanding as a family and as individuals.

For more information about the events, please contact:
Christine Welter, administrator, Indigenous Studies Department, Trent University
705-748-1011 ext. 7610 or cwelter@trentu.ca

Bring It On! Trent University Hosts New Students for Orientation Weekend

Unique program helps students develop academic and social strategies for beginning university in September

Friday, July 25, 2014, Peterborough

Trent University’s Office of Student Affairs hosts Bring It On! – a weekend-long orientation program for first-year students – on Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27, 2014. Created in 2008, Bring It On! is unique among the student orientation programs offered at many other universities.

The program gives students an opportunity to become familiar with living in residence, develop relationships with other incoming students, and create a connection with the University before arriving in September. It also provides students with a chance to learn and build strategies for academic and social success. With its balance of social and academic programming, Bring It On! leaves participants feeling excited and prepared. Students who take part in the program have much greater success rates in their first year in university.

Students spend the weekend in small groups, participating in a variety of activities led by upper-year students, many of whom are leaders on campus. Activities include rock climbing in the Athletics Centre, canoeing on the Otonabee River, hiking up the famous Trent Drumlin, and workshops on transitioning from high school to university.

Watch video testimonials from past Bring it On! participants:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKgo6MNmxdI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1PlVye7tiM

Event Details:

What: Trent University Student Orientation Weekend – Bring It On!

When: Saturday, July 26, 2014 and Sunday, July 27, 2014

Time: Photo opportunities on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. and Sunday at 3:45 p.m.

Where: Gzowski College outdoor quad
Trent University
1 Gzowski Way
Peterborough, ON K9J 8S6

For more information, please contact:
Sako Khederlarian, orientation coordinator, Office of Student Affairs
705-748-1011 ext. 7162 or sako@trentu.ca

Trent University to Host Appreciation Event for Members and Volunteers of Legacy Campaign

Media are invited to attend for remarks and photo opportunities with volunteers, students and senior staff

Thursday, June 19, 2014, Peterborough, ON

Trent University will hold a special Legacy Celebration event on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. in celebration of the members of its Legacy Society, the volunteers who have supported the Legacy Campaign, and the positive impact on the future of the University. The celebration will feature alumna Leah Eustace ’86, principal and managing partner at Good Works Company, as the guest speaker. The event will also feature the unveiling of a new Legacy Wall.

Launched in September 2012, Trent’s Legacy Campaign has called upon alumni, staff, faculty, friends, and other community members to step forward, share their stories, and join in creating Trent’s future, right now, through their own legacy. The Campaign has more than doubled the Legacy Society, welcoming more than 100 new members.

Trent is an institution profoundly anchored in philanthropy, beginning with the generous gift of 100 acres of land from General Electric to create the Symons Campus. The individuals who have created legacies at Trent University are among those whose lives have been transformed by their experiences at Trent and who believe strongly in the power of education. Trent’s Legacy Campaign aims to enable the University to continue inspiring and educating students for generations to come.

Event Details:

Event:   Celebrating Legacies - appreciation event for members and volunteers
Date:   Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Bata Library, Trent University
  1600 West Bank Drive
Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8

For more information, please contact:
Sherry Booth, senior development officer, Trent University
705-748-1011 ext. 7593 or sbooth@trentu.ca

Former Canadian Ambassador Shares Experiences of Cuba with Students at Trent University Oshawa

Media invited for brief interviews and photo opportunity

Tuesday, June 17, 2014, Oshawa, ON

Mark Entwistle, former Canadian ambassador to Cuba, will participate in an undergraduate seminar session at Trent University Oshawa on Monday, June 23, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. Media are invited to attend a small opening reception for interviews and photos with Mr. Entwistle.

The seminar on Cuban-North American relations is taught by history professor Dr. Robert Wright. "Few Canadians know Cuba as well as Mark," says Prof. Wright. "Students will have the opportunity to discuss what they have read about Fidel Castro, for example, with somebody who spent over a hundred hours in his presence. But more than this, Mark has literally lived Canadian history, whether serving at the Canadian Embassy in the 'perestroika' era Moscow of Mikhael Gorbachev, or advising Canadian prime ministers and ministers. It is this extraordinary wealth of experience that Mark brings to the students of Trent Oshawa."

Mr. Entwistle was a Canadian diplomat for sixteen years and served as Ambassador of Canada to the Republic of Cuba from 1993 to 1997. Among other achievements, he drafted the 14-point joint Canadian-Cuban declaration that ultimately led to the Chrétien-Castro state visit of 1998, the only one of its kind other than Pierre Trudeau's visit in 1976. Mr. Entwistle is widely regarded as the most activist ambassador Canada ever posted to Cuba. His Foreign Service career included assignments at the Canadian Embassies in Tel Aviv, Israel (1982-1985) and Moscow, in the former USSR (1986-1989), where he was responsible for political analysis and bilateral relations.

Prof. Wright interviewed Mr. Entwistle in 2004 while researching his book on Pierre Trudeau and Fidel Castro, Three Nights in Havana. Since that time, Prof. Wright and Mr. Entwistle have collaborated on several projects, including a highly successful round table on Cuba held at Trent Oshawa in November 2007, and the 2009 book Our Place in the Sun.

Event Details:

Event:   Former Canadian ambassador to Cuba, Mr. Mark Entwistle, at Trent Oshawa
Date:   Monday, June 23, 2014
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Location: Trent University Oshawa, Room 103
  55 Thornton Road
  Oshawa, ON L1J 5Y1

Grand Opening of Trent University Nursing Clinical Learning Centre Lab

Thursday, May 8, 2014, Peterborough

The Trent-Fleming School of Nursing will host the grand opening of the Trent University Nursing Clinical Simulation Lab 5 & 6 on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 11:00a.m.

Media are invited to attend a demonstration and tours of the facility, following opening remarks by Kirsten Woodend, dean of the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing, and Gary Boire, provost of Trent University. Refreshments will also be served.

The grand opening of the simulation lab takes place during National Nursing Week (May 12-18), and is a fitting example of this year’s theme, “A Leading Force for Change”. The event will both celebrate nursing practice and highlight Trent’s new technological resources, capabilities in nursing education, and the interprofessional development possibilities offered by the simulation centre at Trent University.

Event Details:

What: Demonstration and tours of the new Trent University Nursing Clinical Simulation Lab
Interview and photo opportunity with the dean of the Nursing School, staff and faculty

When: Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Time: 11:00a.m.

Where: Life and Health Sciences Building, Room D212
Trent University
2140 East Bank Drive
Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8

For more information, please contact:
Meaghen Regts, clinical simulation centre coordinator, Trent-Fleming School of Nursing
(705) 748-1011 ext. 6320 or meaghenregts@trentu.ca

Trent Anthropology Professors Participate in Archaeological Speaker Series on March 25 in Peterborough

Dr. Marit Munson and Dr. Susan Jamieson recently published first book in 30 years to bring new research on Ontario’s ancient past to light

Friday, March 21, 2014, Peterborough

Trent University anthropologists Dr. Marit Munson and Dr. Susan Jamieson will speak at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m., an event hosted by the Peterborough Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society (POAS).

Dr. Munson, associate professor of Anthropology, and Dr. Jamieson, professor emerita, are co-editors of the recently published book Before Ontario, The Archaeology of a Province, the first book in 30 years to cover Ontario archaeology for the general public.

To learn more about Before Ontario, please visit http://www.trentu.ca/newsevents/newsDetail.php?newsID=6257

Event Details:

What: Anthropologists Dr. Marit Munson and Dr. Susan Jamieson speak about Ontario’s ancient past at a public speaking event. Admission is free and light refreshments will be available.

When: Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Time: 7:00 pm

Where: St Paul’s Presbyterian Church
120 Murray Street at Water Street
Peterborough, ON

For more information, please contact:
Tom Mohr, president, Peterborough Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society
(705) 320-9979 or mohr@utsc.utoronto.ca

Trent Business Students Collaborate with Colleges and Alumni to Host “Life After Trent” Networking Event

Dr. Suresh Narine, Peggy Shaughnessy, Maryam Monsef Among Distinguished Trent Alumni to Speak to Students

Monday, March 10, 2014, Peterborough

For their fourth year legacy project, a group of Trent University business students will host a networking event for students called “Life After Trent” on Tuesday, March 11 at 4:00. In collaboration with Alumni Affairs, the Careers Centre and the Trent Colleges, “Life After Trent” gives students a chance to hear more about what they can do with their undergraduate or graduate degree. During a wine and cheese reception, they will hear about life experiences from successful Trent alumni, including:

• Maryam Monsef - co-founder, Red Pashmina Campaign
• Dr. Suresh Narine - director, Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research; professor, Physics & Astronomy and Chemistry
• Peggy Shaughnessy - president and CEO, Whitepath Consulting and Redpath Social Network
• Dave Dolejsi - senior strategist, St. Joseph Communications
• John Alderdice - senior business development officer, Economic Development & Culture Division, City of Toronto

“We know that having a university degree is always valuable in the workforce, but students who are about to graduate are often apprehensive about how they will use their degree to get a job,” says Dr. Melanie Buddle, academic advisor and principal at Trent’s Peter Gzowski College. “The advantage to a networking event like this is that we introduce students to a variety of alumni with a very broad range of Trent degrees, who are successfully and happily employed. The broad critical thinking skills and valuable experiences that students gain in university – no matter what degree they end up with – will help them in their professional lives.”

For biographies of the alumni guest speakers, please visit the “Life after Trent Networking Event” on Facebook.

Event Details:

What: Students are invited to hear Trent alumni speak about their success following their university careers. Guests can register at the door; refreshments will be free, with an extra fee for drinks.

When: Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Time: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Where: Peter Robinson Dining Hall, Peter Gzowski College
Trent University
1 Gzowski Way
Peterborough, ON K9J 8S6

For more information, please contact:
Dr. Melanie Buddle, academic advisor & principal, Peter Gzowski College
705-748-1011, ext. 7744 or melaniebuddle@trentu.ca

Canada Research Chair in Feminist and Gender Studies Offers Expert Commentary for International Women’s Day

Media invited to contact assistant professor Dr. May Chazan of Trent University’s Gender and Women’s Studies Department 

Thursday, March 6, 2014, Peterborough

Trent University gender and women’s studies assistant professor Dr. May Chazan is available for expert commentary on issues facing women in the lead-up to International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8.

Professor Chazan was appointed Trent’s Canada Research Chair in Feminist and Gender Studies for a five-year term beginning in 2013. Professor Chazan is carrying out research that investigates why and how older women in different contexts are organizing and networking in global justice movements, to provide critical insights into contemporary struggles for social change.

“People talk about our aging population as a burden. This research will ultimately shift attention beyond the challenges associated with old age to the many contributions older women make in working for change,” said Prof. Chazan, whose work includes significant interdisciplinary connections with Canadian Studies, Indigenous Studies and international studies at Trent University.

Prof. Chazan is a Fellow of the Trent Centre for Aging and Society, a new research initiative that draws on Trent's reputation in interdisciplinary excellence to promote research and awareness about aging and old age. For more information, please visit trentu.ca/aging.

Trent Women’s Studies Chair Gillian Balfour to Moderate Panel: “Women’s Voices @ Social Media”

Presentation and Discussion Exploring Cyber-Violence Against Women and Girls, Leading Up to International Women’s Day 

Wednesday, March 5, 2014, Peterborough

Dr. Gillian Balfour, chair of the Department of Gender and Women's Studies at Trent, will moderate a panel presentation and discussion on Thursday, March 6, beginning at 7:00 at Trent University’s Traill College in downtown Peterborough, focused on opportunities and challenges for women and girls who use social media.

Special guests and panelists will include Christine Sy, Ph.D. Candidate in Indigenous Studies at Trent University; Maryam Monsef, co-founder of the Red Pashmina Campaign; Karen Basciano, public education and special events coordinator for the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre; and Clara Ashley Vaz, gender equality consultant at Plan International.

“Women’s Voices @ Social Media” is a Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) event sponsored by the YWCA of Peterborough and Haliburton, the Canadian Federation of University Women and Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan.

Following the presentation and discussion, KWIC will host a reception at The Trend at Traill College, featuring a live multi-media presentation by local musician and filmmaker, Sarah DeCarlo, as well as an open mic.

Event Details:

What: Participate in a stimulating evening exploring cyber-violence against women and girls, and how they are claiming space in the realm of social media.

When: Thursday, March 6, 2014

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Where: Bagnani Hall, Traill College, Trent University
310 London Street
Peterborough, ON K9H 7P4

The evening is free and open to everyone.

For more information, please contact:
Julie Cosgrove, executive director, Kawartha World Issues Centre www.kwic.info
705-748-1680 or kwic@trentu.ca

Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research Hosts Conversation With International Sustainability Experts

Carbon Conversations: Sustainability, Labour and Low Carbon Development in Guyana and the Caribbean

Monday, March 3, 2014, Peterborough

Trent University will host a conversation about "Sustainability, Labour and Low Carbon Development in Guyana and the Caribbean" with the minister of labour of Guyana, Dr. Nanda K. Gopaul, and Canada's high commissioner to Guyana, Dr. Nicole Giles.

The conversation takes place at Blackburn Hall, Room 126, from 3:00 - 4:30 on Tuesday, March 4, as part of the ongoing Carbon Conversations Seminar Series hosted by the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research (trentu.ca/tcbr).

Event Details:

What: The Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research engages a broad spectrum of thinkers in the Carbon Conversations – from students and scientists to philosophers and consumers – generating discourse about carbon-related sustainability issues and the future of our world.

Featured speakers:

• Dr. Nanda Kissore Gopaul, Minister of Labour, Guyana
• Dr. Nicole Giles, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Ambassador to Suriname and Plenipotentiary Representative to Caricom

When: Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Time: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Where: Blackburn Hall, Room 126, Trent University, Symons Campus
1600 West Bank Dr.
Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8

Media are welcome to attend. Please note, this is an invitation only event; seating is very limited.

For more information, please contact: 
Professor Suresh S. Narine, director, Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research
705-748-1011 ext. 6105 or sureshnarine@trentu.ca