Keith Crossland ‘00, B.A. English Literature, Oshawa, ON

Mr. Keith Crossland is not a typical student.   At 78 years old he brought a wealth of experience with him to the Trent University campus.  A native of England, Keith obtained a degree in Metallurgy which was followed by a long and successful career in steelmaking abroad and in Canada.  

Following his retirement in 1999, his extensive scientific expertise took a backseat to a completely contrasting interest.   As he entered Trent in 2000, he unleashed his love for English literature.  Retirement left him with a void, and he felt a new academic pursuit was the ideal remedy.

Keith has written and read many technical manuals throughout his career.  However his large library at home reflects the room he made for his life-long affection for reading.  A fan of the classics, Keith was able to fully indulge his passion for literature through his new studies at Trent.  

He describes his first class in English 100 as finding a second home.  He also says, “Writing essays satisfied my penchant for using 50 cent words.”  Some memorable moments from his Trent career include field trips to the Art Gallery of Ontario and a bus trip to Stratford to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare.

While learning the modern tastes and ways of students today, Keith immersed himself in the study of poetry, music and literature. During class he also enjoyed sharing some observations from a more mature generation with his youthful Trent classmates.

Through life changes, personal tragedy and a deep desire to try something new, Keith beautifully demonstrates that the love for learning is an enduring one.

What are you future goals?
I am retired, and will now consider what to do next.

What is the best thing about studying at Trent?
The small class size allowed our professor to interact with all the students in the class, and we learned most of our classmates’ names. Classes were a very personal thing if we wanted them to be, and I did. Because of this interaction we soon got to know our professors, and I quickly found that each one was very good at their work. Trent hires good people.

Have you changed since you came to Trent? How?
I have learned to appreciate how much pleasure is available to us in poetry, and also how very difficult it is to write well.

Can you give an example of how Trent professors had a special impact?
Being a mature student I seem to have been given considerable lee-way in class by all my professors to express myself. I found that I got along well with all the professors, but especially well with Professors Stephen Brown and Michael Morse.

Stephen was teaching my class in 2007 when my daughter died suddenly, and he was kindness itself. He and my classmates helped me to get through a bad time. With Michael this last year we had some splendid conversations regarding the merits of various opera singers and composers.

Research Interests / Area of Study:
Classic literature

How did your interest develop during your time at Trent?
I have always liked Greek mythology, and was able to combine a couple of classics courses with my English studies.

Extracurricular activities:
I just attended a few poetry readings, and made art gallery visits. I also visited Stratford for a Shakespeare play which was most enjoyable.

Awards and Scholarships received at Trent University:

• Bata Scholarship (2006)