Ronald (Jordan) Hurley ’07, Bachelor of Arts, Joint Major in History and Computer Studies, Peterborough, ON

“I thought the professors were knowledgeable and supportive, the campus was beautiful, and the DSO was fantastic when it came to accommodating my needs.”

Mr. Ronald (Jordan) Hurley is a Bagnani Medal recipient which is awarded to students in the General program who achieve high overall standing on graduation. He has completed a double major which unites his diverse interests; a passion for North American and European history, and Computer Studies where he developed strong database and electronic researching skills.

While diligently maintaining a high academic average, Jordan has received awards and nominations for his historical essays and has been awarded a Faculty Dependents’ Scholarship. 

When he wasn’t studying he worked part-time in several departments. He was a marker in the Department of Computing and Information Systems and a student liaison the Trent library. He also created a library with disability-related resources for the Disabilities Services Offices.

Jordan has achieved tremendous academic and personal success as a Trent student while dealing with mobility and auditory issues.  His hard work and determination have handily removed most obstacles in front of him.

He also credits the Trent DSO and the Trent community for their encouragement and for assisting him with his specific physical challenges.  Jordan says, “I truly enjoyed my time at Trent and would highly recommend it to other students.  I believe that Trent offers excellent services to students with challenges.

His high marks and strong desire to become an advocate for others dealing with physical challenges make Jordan a truly inspirational role model to all.

About winning the Bagnani Medal:
I am extremely pleased to be awarded such an honour. It is so wonderful and humbling to be recognized in this fashion.  Growing up with physical challenges, I had to work extra hard to just keep up with my academics. My parents have always said to me that I could accomplish anything if I put my mind to it.

How will you make a difference with your Trent degree? 
My ultimate goal is to be in a position where I can be a strong advocate for persons with physical challenges.  Whether this occurs in a university setting, workforce placement, travel industry, or municipal planning, I am quite flexible. I believe that I have excellent strengths in this area and would be a great role model.

I have been in university for six years and so I felt it was time to try something different. I do hope to return to postsecondary education at some point in the future but I would like to try the workforce for a change.

What did you get out of your Trent degree?
I have always had a passion for history.  Professors such as Carolyn Kay, Graham Taylor, Marion Boulby, and Fiona Harris-Stoertz have helped me to expand my interests to other areas and time periods.  As for Computer Studies, I have always had a strong aptitude for technology and after taking a couple of courses from the Computing and Information Systems Program, I developed an interest in this subject.

Have you changed since you came to Trent?
My six years at Trent helped me to mature and develop into a strong advocate for persons with disabilities.

As with many students coming to university, I was naive and a bit frightened as I did not know what to expect.  It was probably more difficult for a person with challenges.  Eunice Lund-Lucas from the Disability Services Office at Trent came to a meeting at my high school to help with the transition.  It was Eunice who put all the supports in place to help me succeed. 

The biggest support of these was a computerized note-taker.   After each lecture, a group of devoted professionals would send me a word for word transcript so I could understand what was covered.  While I did attend lectures wearing hearing aids along with an FM-system, I could still only hear about 60% of what was said.

Being able to read the lecture provided me with 100% comprehension.  My physical challenges also made it impossible for me to take notes in class.  The computerized note-takers were my life-line and I thank them personally and of course, the DSO. 

Can you give an example of how Trent professors had a special impact?
All of my professors were understanding and supportive of my needs. One professor in particular, Carolyn Kay, was absolutely wonderful.  Carolyn helped me tremendously with my writing and research skills. Her comments and support assisted me in developing a strong confidence in my own academic abilities. She believes I can excel in graduate school.

We had so many wonderful discussions about Germany that I cannot wait to visit many of the places we talked about in class.  Carolyn is truly inspiring.

What was the best thing about studying at Trent?
This is a difficult question for me to answer as there are so many great things that make Trent an ideal place to study. I thought the professors were knowledgeable and supportive, the campus was beautiful, and the DSO was fantastic when it came to accommodating my needs.

Research Interests / Area of Study:
I am extremely passionate about research and history. I am particularly drawn to the histories of Canada, United States, Ireland, Britain and Germany.  My other major was in Computer Studies and while I do not consider myself a programmer, I have developed strong database and electronic researching skills as a result of my studies in this area.

Extracurricular activities:
While I did not participate in any organized activities, I was able to find part-time employment on campus.  As a person with a physical challenge, opportunities for part-time employment are limited as many involve types of physical labour that I am not able to perform.

I worked for two years in the library as a student liaison to help others understand the workings of the library. I also worked this last year for the DSO helping to research and create a disability-related library.

For the last four years, I worked as a marker for the first-year course in the Department of Computing and Information Systems.  These part-time positions were invaluable to my development as a student and as a potential full-time employee.

Awards and Scholarships received at Trent University:

• Bagnani Medal (2013)
• Faculty Dependents’ Scholarships (2008-2013)
• Aiming for the Top Scholarship (2008-2010)
• History 1700 Essay Prize (2008)