Trent University to Celebrate 45th Convocation

1774 graduates to be honoured in five ceremonies over three days, June 6, 7 and 8, 2012

During its 45th Convocation, Trent University will honour 1,774 members of the 2012 graduating class, over the course of five ceremonies on Wednesday, June 6; Thursday, June 7; and Friday, June 8 on Symons campus.

Dr. Steven E. Franklin, Trent?s seventh president and vice-chancellor, and Dr. Tom Jackson, the University?s tenth chancellor, will preside over the Convocation ceremonies.

Two ceremonies will be held on Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. On Friday, one ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. All ceremonies take place outdoors in the University Court of the Bata Library on the Symons Campus. Over 100 volunteers, mostly University employees and retirees, will be lending a hand at this year?s Convocation ceremonies.

Graduating in 2012 are 1,670 undergraduate, three diploma and 101 graduate students. Eleven Ph.D.s and 90 masters? degrees ? 56 in the arts and 34 in the sciences ? will be granted.

Students are graduating for the first time with degrees in Archaeology and in Ecological Restoration. The first master?s degree in Sustainability Studies will be awarded within the largest class of graduate-level graduates in Trent?s history. All three diplomas granted will be in Foundations of Indigenous Learning.

Also during the ceremonies, the Governor General?s Gold Medal will be presented to the graduate student with the highest standing and the Silver Medal will be presented to the undergraduate student with the highest standing. In addition, four Symons Medals and two Bagnani Medals will be presented to undergraduate students who have achieved high academic standing in their programs. The President?s Medal will be awarded to two outstanding graduate students. During the ceremonies, five distinguished Canadians will receive honorary degrees.

Statistics from the Office of the Registrar for undergraduate studies show that 69 per cent of graduates are female, while 31 per cent are male. At the graduate level, 61 per cent of graduates are female and 39 per cent are male.

Undergraduate students graduating with a cumulative average of at least 80 per cent are named to the president?s honour roll. This year, 22 per cent of graduates are on the president?s honour roll.

Be sure to follow @TrentUniversity on Twitter and add your own comments and photos during the ceremonies by using the hashtag #TrentConvo.

A detailed breakdown of each convocation ceremony is as follows:

On Wednesday, June 6 at 10 a.m. degrees will be conferred upon all graduates in the following programs: Ancient History & Classics; Canadian Studies; Cultural Studies; English Literature; Gender & Women?s Studies; History; Modern Languages and Literatures: French, German & Hispanic Studies; Philosophy; and all degrees for Trent University Oshawa. An honorary degree will be conferred upon Dr. Gwynne Dyer, who will address convocation. Also at this ceremony, Professors Emeriti Leonard Conolly, John Fekete, Michael Neumann, Ian Storey and Graham Taylorwill be recognized.

On Wednesday, June 6 at 3 p.m. degrees will be conferred upon graduates in Business Administration and the School of Education & Professional Learning. An honorary degree will be conferred upon Ms. Sheila Fraser, who will address convocation. Professor Deborah Berrill will be presented with an Eminent Service Award and recognized as Professor Emeritus.

On Thursday, June 7 at 10 a.m. Degrees will be conferred upon graduates in the following programs: Anthropology; Ecological Restoration; Economics; Environmental and Resource Science/Studies; Globalization: Communities and Identities; Indigenous Studies; Indigenous Environmental Studies; International Development Studies; International Political Economy; Politics; Archaeology; and Sociology. Diplomas will be granted in Foundations in Indigenous Learning. An honorary degree will be conferred upon Dr. Ralph Heintzman, who will address convocation. Also at this ceremony, Professor Tom Hutchinson will be presented with the Symons Award for Excellence in Teaching. Professor Jacqueline Solway will be presented with the Distinguished Research Award.

On Thursday, June 7 at 3 p.m. Degrees will be conferred on all graduates in the following programs: Forensic Science; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Biology; Chemistry; Chemical Physics; Computer Science/Studies; Computing and Information Systems; Computing Systems and Physics; Environmental Chemistry; Geography; Mathematics; Mathematical Computer Science; Mathematical Economics; Mathematical Physics; Physics & Astronomy; and Psychology. An honorary degree will be conferred upon Mr. Mark Starowicz, who will address convocation. An Eminent Service award will be presented to Mr. John Breukelaar.

On Friday, June 7 at 10 a.m. Graduate Degrees will be conferred upon Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Science graduates. Graduates from the Trent-Fleming School of Nursing will also receive their degrees. An honorary degree will be conferred upon Dr. Judith Shamian, who will address convocation.

Green Initiatives

For the fourth year, several green initiatives designed to reduce the event?s impact on the environment will be part of Trent?s Convocation ceremonies, including:

Water Bottle-Free Convocation
By eliminating the use of commercial bottled water at the ceremonies, Trent will reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of 5,000 single-use water bottles, which have been consumed at previous ceremonies. In lieu of bottled water, the University will set up a water station at an information table to provide tap water in biodegradable cups to all guests of Convocation. Graduates will each receive a take-home gift of a stainless steel water bottle which will be filled with tap water for their use during the outdoor ceremonies.

Free Passes for Peterborough Transit
In addition to the bottle-water free initiative, graduates and their families are being actively encouraged to reduce emissions by travelling, free of charge, on Peterborough Transit to and from the ceremonies. This option will also benefit guests by alleviating parking concerns on campus.

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