Trent University Announces Recipients of 2007 Eminent Service Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Top University Service Award to be Presented at Spring
Convocation Ceremonies

Monday, May 28, 2007, Peterborough

Trent University is pleased to announce that Dr. David Morrison and Ms. Dianne Choate are the recipients of the 2007 Eminent Service Award, one of Trent University’s most prestigious awards, and will be presented with the award during convocation ceremonies on Thursday, May 31.

Created in 1978, the Eminent Service Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the life of the University.

Dr. David Morrison

Throughout his 40 year career at Trent as both a professor and administrator, Dr. David Morrison has contributed greatly to the life of the University. Since arriving at Trent in 1967, Prof. Morrison has distinguished himself by serving in a multiplicity of different capacities, including: co-founder and chair of the International Development Studies program; president of the Trent University Faculty Association; dean of arts and science for two terms over ten years; acting president; interim vice-president (academic); and director of Trent's CIDA-funded program in Mexico and Ecuador. As director of the Trent International Program from 1996 to 2001, Prof. Morrison led a successful effort to put on a self-funded basis an international scholarship program for outstanding scholars who could not otherwise afford to study in Canada, and to increase greatly the number of international students enrolled in Trent.

Prof. Morrison has also enjoyed much academic success as a leading international development researcher. He is the author of three books, including Aid and Ebb Tide: A History of CIDA and Canadian Development Assistance. He is also author of  several articles and book chapters. In addition, Prof. Morrison has been president of the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development. Recently, he was presented with an Ontario Volunteer Award recognizing his work as a Board member of Horizons of Friendship, a Cobourg-based non-governmental organization that supports development in central America and southern Mexico.

For all of his work within the Trent University community, one nominator aptly stated that “David is a man of unparalleled energy and vision, and his deep commitment to serving Trent is not only demonstrated by citing the numerous instances of administrative positions he has held and committees on which he has served, but it is most apparent in the legacy he leaves at our University.”

Prof. Morrison will be presented with the Eminent Service Award during the 3 p.m. convocation ceremony on Thursday, May 31.

Ms. Dianne Choate

Dianne Choate retired from Trent University in December 2006 after over 35 years of service. She began her career at Trent as secretary to the registrar in 1971. After a decade she moved to the University Secretariat where she started as an administrative assistant before working up to assistant university secretary and finally secretary of senate – a role she served in for 17 years. Upon joining the Secretariat, one of Ms. Choate’s major responsibilities was overseeing and coordinating the annual convocation ceremonies. Throughout this time, she was involved with or assisted in 75 convocation ceremonies.

In the words of her nominator, “what distinguishes Dianne’s service is her steadfastness and loyalty to this institution…Acting as a research resource and institutional memory for faculty, students, administration and staff, Dianne Choate is living proof that long tenure and a consistent approach add incredible value to the institution.”

Apart from remarkable work contributions, Ms. Choate was also instrumental in facilitating contributions of local historical papers to the Trent Archives from members of her family. These contributions include records of the Choate Supply Store in Warsaw from 1850 to 1910, as well as diaries, manuscripts, correspondence, and photographs.

Ms. Choate will be presented with the Eminent Service Award during the 10 a.m. convocation ceremony on Thursday, May 31.

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For more information, please contact:
Dr. David Morrison, (705) 742-8221; or
Ms. Dianne Choate, (705) 652-8228