|
Outstanding students honored with medals
Convocation is, in part, a time to recognize the contributions of all
members of the Trent community - to honor excellence in teaching,
outstanding research and the work and dedication of those whose efforts
have enhanced the life of - and life at - the institution. But it is
primarily a time to celebrate the achievements of the graduating students,
and to give special recognition to those who have excelled in their
academic endeavors.
Each year, in recognition of academic excellence, Trent awards medals
to eight students who have attained high overall standing at the graduate
and undergraduate levels. This year, medals were awarded to five men and
three women.
Dawn Burke was this year's winner of the Governor General's Gold Medal
for highest overall academic standing among graduate students. The Governor
General's Silver Medal, for highest standing among undergraduates, went to
Ranpal Dosanjh. President Symons Medals, for high overall standing among
undergraduates in honors programs, were awarded to Elizabeth Haack, Stephen
O'Connell, John Stardom, and Geoffrey Wild. And Professor Gilbert Bagnani
Medals, for highest standing in general undergraduate programs, were
presented to Kimberley Ferguson and Joseph Heil.
Governor General's Gold Medal
Burke demonstrated not only academic excellence, but also uncommon
drive, completing her doctoral degree in under four years, with an 88.5%
course average. She has already published a number of scientific papers,
taught a number of courses, and has lectured on her research. She has held
a prestigious NSERC Postgraduate Fellowship throughout her career at Trent,
and has received a Taverner Award from the Society of Canadian
Ornithologists, as well as an award from the Cooper Foundation.
Professor Jim Buttle, director of the Watershed Ecosystems graduate
program, says that Dawn has "outstanding organizational skills, is a
tireless worker, and a very professional colleague. She is one of the best
students to come through the Watershed Ecosystems graduate program in
recent years."
Governor General's Silver Medal
Intensely interested in social justice and development issues, he was
originally thinking about Trent's Comparative Development Program as an
area of academic concentration. But he soon realized that life at Trent
allowed him to be involved in human rights and development issues in his
day-to-day life.
"I realized that I'd be doing a lot of the same things, and dealing
with the same kinds of issues, in my spare time. So I thought I would
pursue something different in my academic life."
Within his academic life Dosanjh also sought variety, pursuing an
unusual double-major in philosophy and physics.
"There certainly is a connection (between philosophy and physics), both
historically and, to some degree, with regard to method," says Dosanjh.
"But the aspects of philosophy that I like and the aspects of physics that
I like are quite distinct."
Although he suspects he may ultimately find himself working in
academia, Dosanjh has no definitive long-range plans beyond the pursuit of
graduate studies, in physics, either in British Columbia or in England.
The Symons Medals
Haack has been accepted by the Youth Internship Program of the
Mennonite Central Committee. Three days after receiving her Symons Medal at
convocation, she was on her way to Bangladesh, where she is working on a
development project, doing soybean inoculate research.
"My work will involve using a microbacteria to increase the protein
content and yield of the bean without the use of conventional fertilizer.
When the microbacteria is introduced into the plant, it works in
conjunction with the plant to convert nitrogen from the air into a form
that the plant can use."
She will be in Bangladesh for ten months and she sees her internship
not only as a rare chance to gain valuable professional and life
experience, but also as an opportunity to consider her future more
carefully. "I have no specific long-term plans, so this program is perfect
for me right now."
O'Connell is enrolled in the concurrent education program, and will be
undertaking a teaching practicum at Kenner Collegiate in Peterborough in
the fall, attending classes at Queen's University in Kingston from January
to May of 1999. He'll be doing installation and repair work for Bell Canada
through the summer.
When O'Connell graduates from the concurrent education program, he
hopes to find a teaching job somewhere in the Peterborough area.
Stardom, from Winnipeg, discovered Trent's reputation through the
Maclean's magazine annual survey of Canadian universities. "I had never
been to Peterborough before I came here to go to school, but I had read in
Maclean's about Trent's reputation as a small university with quality
programs. I wanted to go somewhere small; the big universities really
didn't attract me, and everything I had heard about Trent appealed to me."
Stardom is not certain what career path he'll follow once he's obtained
his doctorate. "Academics is definitely an option. Either that or research.
Those are the two major areas where I'd want to be working."
Wild intends to stay at Trent next year, entering the master's program
in Watershed Ecosystems. He hasn't decided if he will pursue a PhD, or
where he might like to do that.
"I don't really have a long-term plan at the moment," he says. "I
suppose it's just to stay in school until I become employable."
The Bagnani Medals
During the school year, Ferguson lives in a University of Toronto
residence from Monday to Friday, and spends the weekends at home in
Blackstock, Ontario, with her husband, Randy, and their two children.
Ferguson came to Trent because she felt it would provide the kind of
academic environment she was looking for.
"I wanted to go to a small university where I could feel more involved
in the learning process and have more access to professors. And I am so
glad that I went to Trent, because there's just no comparison between the
professors at Trent and those at other universities."
When she finishes medical school, Ferguson plans to return to
Peterborough to practice.
Heil, from the Oneida of the Thames reserve near London, Ontario, was
attracted to Trent by the Native Studies program and the Native Management
and Economic Development program.
When he has completed his honors year, he intends to move back to
Oneida of the Thames and become more involved in his community, ideally
through work related to economic development.
A nuclear operator at Ontario Hydro's Pickering station, Heil was able
to assume a full-time course load at Trent when Hydro allowed him to drop
to part-time hours through an educational leave program.
Heil currently lives in Millbrook with his wife, Jannette, and their
three children.
|
Maintained by the Communications Department
Last updated: June 11, 1998