Rachel Herron '09, Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies M.A., Tara ON

Rachel Herron’s initial interests in geography and English evolved, with the support of enthusiastic professors, into a particular interest in the places people live and women’s experiences of care-giving on farms. Ms. Herron credits the Academic Skills Centre as part of her success, where she found support for her work and people who were interested in what she was doing.

How will you make a difference with your Trent degree?
I grew up on a farm in mid-western Ontario and I felt strongly about the need to understand and contribute to communities similar to the one in which I had spent my childhood. Being at Trent has strengthened my commitment to community-based research. Working with community members to gather meaningful information has been a strong part of my education and a rewarding part of my experience at Trent.

What is the best thing about studying at Trent?
Trent is a very supportive community. Although I certainly had time to develop supportive relationships while completing two degrees, I experienced the supportive nature of the community early in my degree. At first, I was apprehensive about academic work, so I took my essays to the Academic Skills Centre for assistance. Several years later, one of the staff members remembered not only my name, but also my first essay for English 100 and my interest in geography. He asked what I had decided to choose as my major and he encouraged me to continue my writing in both domains. Across the University, I found people interested and supportive of my work.

Extracurricular activities:
I participated in several varsity sports at Trent, including Nordic skiing, x-country running and rowing. I also held positions on the Graduate Students’ Association and the Frost Centre Board.

Awards and Scholarships received at Trent University:
Over the course of my time at Trent, I received research awards from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Frost Centre for Canadian and Indigenous Studies, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. I was also awarded a doctoral fellowship from the Canadian Institute of Health Research to continue research in the fields of rural aging and health.