Joan Hamilton, who retired in December after 21 years at Trent, will receive the university's Eminent Service Award at convocation May 29.

        Hamilton started as secretary to the comptroller in 1976. Six years later, she joined the budget office as a budget assistant, advancing to budget officer in 1989 and then to budget manager in 1995. During her final year at Trent, she stepped in as acting director of Financial Services for three months while Tony van Hoeckel was on medical leave.

        In a letter of commendation, her nominator said she "performed excellently" as budget manager.

         She was on all senior budget committees including the president's budget advisory group and the senior administration "relied heavily upon her to provide the financial information" they needed. She supplied most of the information for the annual budget report and offered "excellent guidance to her peers and staff," said her nominator. She became "accepted as a leader and a person you can trust."