Trent University is the recipient of one gold and two silver honours from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education’s (CCAE) 2022 Prix d’Excellence Awards in recognition of its Indigenous relations, community outreach, and annual giving initiatives.

“These awards demonstrate Trent’s commitment to our community, our culture of service and support, and our ongoing efforts towards reconciliation,” said Julie Davis, vice-president of External Relations and Development at Trent. “I’m pleased to see our staff’s efforts recognized by their peers across the country.”

The annual CCAE Prix d’Excellence Awards recognize outstanding achievements in alumni affairs, public affairs, communications, marketing, development, advancement services, stewardship, and overall institutional advancement.

Trent received the following Prix d’Excellence awards during the virtual award ceremony on June 1 and 2:

Gold - Best Indigenous Relations Initiative: Indigenous Engagement for Trent Lands Plan

The Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan builds on the University’s reputation as a leader in Indigenous education and reconciliation and reinforces its commitment to mutually beneficial relationships with local Anishinaabeg First Nations. The Plan, which was approved in 2021, sets a new standard for Indigenous engagement and includes Anishnaabeg Nibwaakaawin (wisdom), incorporates Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, and outlines a framework for continued collaboration in its implementation. Trent was recognized for its deep engagement with local First Nations in developing this plan.

Silver - Best Community Outreach: Discover Peterborough Bingo

Since its founding in 1964, Trent University has been an integral part of the vibrant Peterborough community. The Discover Peterborough Bingo initiative, launched in collaboration with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism, is a fun scavenger hunt to introduce Trent’s returning and incoming students--88.6% come from outside the Peterborough region—to all the great things to see and do in Peterborough. Students received a bingo card that encouraged them to visit local businesses as an innovative way for community partners to interact and engage with students and the University, and for Trent to contribute to the economic prosperity of the region, especially given the local impacts of the pandemic.

Silver - Best Annual Giving Initiative: Trent Day campaign

Trent Day is an annual event that marks the April 1963 signing of the Trent Act, which formalized the incorporation of the University as a degree-granting institution, and pays tribute to the University’s history, values, and community. The 2021 event was marked with two well-received online events and a fundraising campaign that raised over $165,000 in a 24-hour period for Trent Colleges, the Trent Fund, and a variety of other designations, which was more than double the Trent Day goal of $80,000.