Jillian Student

Grande Prairie, Alberta
Business Administration and Hispanic Studies
Governor General’s Silver Medal Winner

When Jillian Student was looking into various universities, she quickly decided Trent was the place for her. And although it is a fair distance from her hometown in Alberta, Trent University has been a perfect home for Jillian for the past four years.

Looking back on her decision to come to Trent, the new Business Administration and Hispanic Studies graduate says, “It was one of the few universities where I got to talk to a student in my program, and get the answers to questions I had.”

The Study Abroad program at Trent was another feature of the University that Jillian was drawn to. In her third year she took advantage of the opportunity to study overseas and spent a year in Spain learning, first-hand, about another culture.

“The study abroad program helped me to get a view on the world and how things work outside of my comfort zone,” Jillian says. “I think the more you learn the more you realize how little you know and how much wisdom there is in the world that you don’t have yet.”

Back at Trent, Jillian found a niche for herself in just about every aspect of student life. As a tremendous participant in clubs and groups, intramural sports and on-campus performances, she has demonstrated that one person can achieve much in a very small amount of time. Outside of Trent, she is also highly involved, pursuing her passion for travel, learning new languages and, of course, exploring underwater worlds as a scuba diver.

Commenting on her busy lifestyle, Jillian says, “I seek to live, to enjoy moments when I have them, and to make the most out of every opportunity.”

For all of her hard work and dedication over the last four years, and in recognition of her remarkable academic achievements, Jillian was presented with the Governor General’s Silver Medal at Convocation.

Taking her memories and experiences from Trent with her after Convocation, Jillian plans to take some time off from studies for a year to travel, starting out in Amsterdam in October of this year. After satisfying her “travel bug,” she then plans to continue her academic career through graduate work.