SPRING 2017 48.2 PUBLISHED BY THE TRENT UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 19 THE IMPACT OF IMMIGRATION 31 EMBRACING GENDER DIVERSITY Andressa Lacerda ’08 Executive VP and co-founder of Noblegen Take advantage of your alumni privileges. Get preferred rates and coverage that fits your needs. Supporting you … and Trent University. * You could save big when As a Trent University graduate, you have access to the you combine your alumni TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program. This means you can get preferred insurance rates on a wide range preferred rates and bundle of home and car coverage that can be customized for your home and car insurance. your needs. For over 65 years, TD Insurance has been helping Canadians find quality home and car insurance solutions. Feel confident your home and car coverage fits your needs. Get a quote now. Insurance program recommended by HOME | CAR | TRAVEL Get a quote and see how much you could save! Call 1-888-589-5656 Or, go to tdinsurance.com/trent The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. It is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services, Inc. in Quebec, by Meloche Monnex Financial Services Inc. in Ontario, and by TD Insurance Direct Agency Inc. in the rest of Canada. Our address: 50 Place Cremazie, 12th Floor, Montreal, Quebec H2P 1B6. Due to provincial legislation, our car and recreational insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. *Nationally, 90% of all of our clients who belong to a professional or alumni group that has an agreement with us and who insure a home (excluding rentals and condos) and a car on October 31, 2016, saved $625 when compared to the premiums they would have paid without the preferred insurance rate for groups and the multi-product discount. Savings are not guaranteed and may vary based on the client’s profile. Savings vary in each province and may be higher or lower than $625. Wide Horizons Solution® Travel Insurance is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada and distributed in some provinces by RSA Travel Insurance Inc., operating as RSA Travel Insurance Agency in British Columbia. All trade marks are the property of their respective owners. ® The TD logo and other TD trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. TRENT is published three times a year in June, September and February by the Trent University Alumni Association. Unsigned comments reflect the opinion of the editor only. Trent University Alumni Association Alumni House, Champlain College Trent University Peterborough, Ontario, K9L 0G2 705.748.1573 or 1.800.267.5774, Fax: 705.748.1785 Email: [email protected] trentu.ca/alumni EDITOR • MANAGING EDITOR Donald Fraser ’91 COPY EDITOR Megan Ward DESIGN Beeline Design & Communications CONTRIBUTORS Lorraine Bennett ’72, Donald Fraser ’91, Jess Grover ’02, 19 Dr. Spencer J. Harrison ’97, Lee Hays ’91, Sarah McMichael, Shutterstock.com Drew Monkman ’71, Melissa Moroney, Kathryn Verhulst-Rogers, Kate Weersink 31 EDITORIAL BOARD Marilyn Burns ’00, Sebastian Cosgrove ’06 Yamp f refly Donald Fraser ’91, Lee Hays ’91, Melissa Moroney, Ian Proudfoot ’73 C PRINTING and BINDING Maracle Press, Oshawa TUAA COUNCIL HONORARY PRESIDENT 4 | Editorial T.H.B. Symons 5 | A Message from PRESIDENT Jess Grover ’02 President Leo Groarke VP CAMPUS COMMUNITIES 6 | What’s New at Trent Vacant 9 | Convocation Spotlights VP COUNCIL ORGANIZATION Jessica Lee ’05 10 | Honorary Degree Recipients VP COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBERSHIP 12 | Notes from the Alumni Affairs Sebastian Cosgrove ’06 15 VP ENGAGEMENT AND PHILANTHROPY Director Maile Loweth Reeves ’79 14 | Trent Research and Innovation Park COUNCILLORS Cheryl Coss ’05, Wei Lynn Eng ’99, Athena Flak ’93, 15 | Noblegen Rae Gibeault ’93, Danen Oberon ’07, Herb O’Heron ’75, 19 | Immigration Steven Robertson ’93, Jessica Rogers ’12, Karen Sisson ’78, Karen Smith ’06, Diane Therrien ’10, 24 | Round Goby Tawny Weese ’07 27 | Drew Monkman CHAPTER PRESIDENTS 28 | Queer Coll(i/u)sions Maile Loweth Reeves ’79 (York Region) Caleb Smith ’93 (Niagara Region) 29 | “Freak Show” Laura Suchan ’84 (Oshawa/Durham Region) 31 | Steps Towards Gender Inclusivity Lorraine Bennett ’72 (Vancouver) David Wallbridge ’96 (Halifax/Dartmouth) 34 | Unbuttoned Excerpt Steve Cavan ’77 (Saskatoon) 38 38 | Recollections of Stuart McLean\ Gordon Copp ’76 (British Isles) Patrick Lam ’86 (Hong Kong) 40 | Trent People COUNCIL-COLLEGES LIAISON 48 | Looking Back Jessica Rogers ’12 SENATE ALUMNI REPRESENTATIVE Follow us @trentalumni on Twitter, Danen Oberon ’07 @trent_alumni on Instagram, GSA REPRESENTATIVE The Trent University Alumni Danielle Harris ’06 Association page on Facebook, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS Lee Hays ’91 and The Official Trent University ALUMNI SERVICES COORDINATOR Alumni Association group on Sue Robinson LinkedIN. ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Julie Ellis ON THE COVER: 24 MANAGER OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS & CONVOCATION Andressa Lacerda ’08 Joanne Sokolowski Shutterstock.com TRENT Magazine 48.2 3 EDITOR’S NOTES OF ENDINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS n the day I was to graduate, heeled pumps in hand. I’ve seen a red- and podcasts), or the monthly Alma I was miles and miles away faced fellow dust himself off after an Matters e-Newsletter—a publication Ofrom Peterborough—sitting on-stage trip and fall, only to accept that provides a regular digest of all atop a mountain, just outside of Lake his diploma with both aplomb and things Trent. Louise, Alberta, to be precise. It was sheepish delight. If you’re not already receiving a rare day off from the several jobs I Inevitably, it’s a wonderful end these publications on a regular basis, was holding down, and I did what I to the student experience. What it’s please contact [email protected] to always did with time to myself: I hiked not, however, is an end to the Trent subscribe. And be sure to follow us towards the sky. experience. That, I’ve come to learn, on Facebook (the Trent University I had exactly two ounces of lasts a lifetime. Alumni Association page), Twitter single malt whisky with me to mark Part of this is a result of the bonds (trentalumni), Instagram (trent_ graduation day. Any more than that that are formed—and I count several alumni), or LinkedIN (The Official Trent would have made for a perilous of my best friends to be people I met University Alumni Association). journey back down. As I recall, I within hours of arriving for first year. Because, while convocation enjoyed both the dram and the view. I You can see this shared camaraderie day may represent an end to your felt worldly. All grown up. Moved on to at alumni social events such as Head degree, it is merely the beginning of a new chapter of my life. of the Trent or Ideas That Change your rewarding experience as alumni. What I didn’t feel, I’ve come to the World; or at lectures, networking And we want to share this whole new learn, was the excitement that comes socials, and conferences. chapter with you. with graduation day at Trent University. But there are plenty of other ways I’ve lost count of the number that alumni remain plugged in to the Donald Fraser ’91 of convocations I’ve attended since Trent community. There are mentoring [email protected] then. As editor of TRENT Magazine, programs, where you can either gain I’m usually found popping up all over or share experience with fellow grads; Don’t forget to follow us: the Bata Library podium, camera in volunteer experiences; or just simple hand, capturing the smiling faces day-to-day perks like discounts on car @TrentAlumni of graduates as they accept their and auto insurance, or Bata Library degrees. and Athletics Centre privileges. @Trent_Alumni And the faces are always smiling, Then there are the thousands of Trent University Alumni no matter the circumstances. I’ve alumni who follow us on social media Association page seen rows of grins shining through or who are regular readers of TRENT rain ponchos. I’ve seen beaming joy Magazine, TRENT Magazine Live from one-shoed grads with broken- (the home of our blogs, news feeds, 4 TRENT Magazine 48.2 A YEAR OF DYNAMIC GROWTH A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & VICE-CHANCELLOR aving survived a hectic exodus Trent’s renewal continues in other every year. Invigorated by a challenge from the Bata Library (to make ways as well. Our commitment to gift of $50,000 from Traill alumnus Hway for the Bata renovations), teaching excellence was affirmed Greg Piasetzki ’72, the endowment it is good to take a moment and in two ways following the May successfully topped $100,000 in a reflect on a busy Trent these days! Board of Governors meeting. At few months. We will look for ways to On the west bank, the Student the meeting, the Board approved a grow it in the future. In the long term, Centre emerges from the mist balanced budget that included 25 as it grows in size, it could provide every morning more evolved than new faculty positions. This includes significant financial support for Traill. the day before. It is looking to four new tenured faculty as well as 21 In a final piece of philanthropic be everything we hoped for—a teaching-intensive positions, which good news, I want to thank those building which carefully respects will be assigned to our campuses in who helped me achieve the $100,000 Ron Thom architecture at the same Peterborough and the GTA. goal we set for the Louis and Paul time that it asserts itself as another On the same day, the University Groarke Philosophy Endowment. iconic building on the banks of the also announced a remarkable The fund will continue to highlight Otonabee.