Provost’s End-of-Term Message to the Community
(Photos above) The Trinity Quad in the height of fall colours: October 23, 2024.
Dear Members of the Trinity College Community:
Although I have been in my role for a few months now, the excitement of newness and discovery have not worn off. As a new member of the community, I am experiencing many “Trinity moments” for the first time – from beloved traditions and community events to celebratory milestones and occasions for reflection. The common thread anchoring these experiences is the great people of Trinity College – those involved behind the scenes to make things happen seamlessly, volunteers who generously share their knowledge and time, and all of you for engaging, learning and supporting the college. Our close-knit and supportive community brings with it a sense of belonging that is truly unique. I encourage not only those new to Trinity, but everyone, to make the most of your experience here. I certainly will be.
With fall classes coming to an end, students, please reach out if you have any questions or need help and support. We want you to not only succeed but thrive. As the saying goes, it takes a village – and we are your village. Among Trinity’s many services and supports, here are a few you may find helpful: academic support services, student services including health & wellness. If you would rather talk with a peer or fellow student, please reach out to our academic dons, community advisors, academic peer advisors and mental health peer advisors. The Student Services team also has great programming continuing to run throughout December to help students de-stress, find community and have fun. And if you are struggling financially, please visit our Bursary Program website as applications for fall/winter 2024-2025 are now open. I want to thank our generous donors who largely fund Trinity bursaries, along with other student-focused programs including our Mental Health Program and Anne Steacy Counselling Initiative. And I want to pre-emptively thank those who plan to give back to Trinity next week on Giving Tuesday and every day. Your gifts help our students succeed, keep our academic programs strong, and support our campus expansion and the Living Trinity campaign. Every gift makes a difference, and I am grateful for your continued support.
Among our priorities this academic year, we will be developing a new Trinity College Strategic Plan and a new Academic Strategic Plan to guide the college’s vision and strategic goals for the years to come. We are in early planning stages and will keep you informed as we roll-out community consultations in the months ahead.
On campus, work on the new Lawson Centre for Sustainability continues at a great pace. We are so fortunate to have generous donors who have rallied to support the Living Trinity campaign; however, we are still working towards reaching our fundraising target to support the new building. Trinity alumni and friends have a new opportunity to plant their names or that of loved ones or class year onto a feature – tree, bench, student locker and residence room – at the Lawson Centre for Sustainability. Called the Viridis project, a part of the Living Trinity campaign, you can learn more about it here and make a special mark on our new residence and academic building.
(Photo above) Lawson Centre for Sustainability construction site – Nov. 26, 2024: Whiteside House (east wing in the foreground) – locally sourced compressed brick and limestone building cladding is nearly complete and interior finishing is in progress. Mass timber installation continues: Nevil Thomas Wing (south-facing central wing) and the Arthur Scace Academic Building and Moran House (west wing towards Devonshire Place). You can view our progress here.
Celebrating Community
As a community, we have much to celebrate. Below, I have included some highlights from the fall term.
On October 28th, we welcomed 39 newest graduates to the Trinity alumni community – congratulations! For those who want to relive the special day, you can view a recording of Trinity’s Fall 2024 Convocation Ceremony here.
(Photos above) Following the convocation ceremony, we held a reception for graduating students and their families at St. Hilda’s College.
At the Fall Meeting of Corporation, we announced this year’s recipients of the Chancellor William C. Graham Awards: George and Martha Butterfield, Peter Ciufo, Sara Eftekharzadeh, Cindy Ewing, Ryan Marten, Sharon Reid and Eugene Seo. Please join me in extending congratulations to these eight deserving individuals who demonstrate commitment to improving the spirit of caring and fostering a positive environment at the college. Thank you for leading by example, inspiring others and supporting those around you.
For exceptional volunteerism and contributions to the Trinity and wider U of T communities, congratulations to members of the Trinity community on their 2024 Arbor Awards, the highest honour granted by the University of Toronto to volunteers: Shannon Garden-Smith; Matthew Kieswetter; Ross McKean; Jane Speakman; and Ann Wainwright.
Members of the Faculty of Divinity were well represented at the recent gathering of the American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature conference – the world’s largest gathering of academics interested in the study of religion. It is great to see that our scholars are featured on the international stage (photos above: among conference contributors – Trinity faculty, students and recent graduates).
Earlier in the term, we gathered to recognize volunteers at the Trinity Volunteer and Governance Reception (images below). On behalf of the college, thank you so much for your leadership and dedication – you are an important part of what makes Trinity so special (view more photos from the evening here).
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the special portrait celebration (photos below) to honour Trinity alumnus Dr. Alexander Augusta (1825-1890). Alexander Augusta completed his medical degree at Trinity Medical College in 1860 and became the first Black medical student in Canada West. He then worked for several years as a physician in Toronto and advocated against racism. Dr. Augusta returned to the U.S. and used his skills during and after the Civil War to promote civil rights, making incredible contributions to the medical field and in society on both sides of the border.
The portrait by Gordon Shadrach was unveiled on November 7 in Seeley Hall; and the event was co-hosted by Dr. Nav Persaud (a former Trinity don!), who has helped bring Dr. Augusta’s story to the forefront. Thank you to keynote speakers Heather Butts (Columbia University, author of African American Medicine in Washington, D.C.: Healing the Capital during the Civil War Era) and Julian Sher (author of The North Star: Canada and the Civil War Plots Against Lincoln) and members from the Black Medical Students Association, Faculty of Medicine and Black Physicians of Canada for your meaningful tributes and inspirational stories.
Dr. Augusta’s journey is one of pure resilience, as he dedicated his life to serve others and fight for justice in the face of discrimination. As we honour Dr. Augusta, as a college, we reaffirm our longstanding commitment to inclusivity and diversity, and we hope his portrait serves as a symbol of his courage.
Campus Happenings
Since the start of my tenure, I have had wonderful opportunities to meet students, including those who are just starting their university journey and those who are in their final year. On the first Monday of the fall term, I dined with residence students at the first (of four) Trinity College Residence House Dinners for the year (photo above: left) and met young people who have come from all over the world to attend Trinity. It was gratifying and fascinating to learn more about them and to see that they were already starting to feel connected to the Trinity community. The following evening, I celebrated with fourth-year students at a reception (photo above: right) which provided them an opportunity to celebrate the start of their final year, sign the college Register, chat with career advisors and receive information about their upcoming transition to alumni status.
I ended the week by joining Trinity students, alumni, faculty and staff for “Colleges and Universities Night” with the Toronto Blue Jays (photos above). Although the game was on a “Friday the 13th” (of September), luck was on the Jays’ side as they completed a full sweep that weekend!
On October 2nd, prior to the annual Margaret MacMillan Lecture in International Relations (photo above: left), Professor Tom Nichols (see bio here) participated in a meet-and-greet with students (photo above: right). Trinity One’s International Relations Stream Mentor Yujin Choi writes about Dr. Nichols’ advice he shared with students. You can also view a recording of the 2024 lecture: The Global Threat to Democracy.
Earlier this month, our campus was abuzz with activity as we opened our doors to prospective students at the U of T Fall Campus Day and the Faculty of Divinity Open House. Thank you to everyone who organized and participated in these welcoming events. In meeting so many of our great community members and learning more about what we have to offer, I know visitors to the college had a great first on-campus impression and got glimpse of the distinctive Trinity experience.
Sustainability at Trinity
As Trinity further integrates sustainability into facets of college life, I wanted to share a few examples on how we are enhancing the student experience.
At the beginning of October, I joined students from the Butterfield Environment & Sustainability Stream of the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program, along with alumni George and Martha Butterfield, faculty and staff, on a field trip to The New Farm to learn about sustainability first-hand (photos above). Honour Stahl, Events and Outreach Coordinator, Trinity’s Integrated Sustainability Initiative writes about the experience.
The week prior, students in all streams of Trinity One were invited to a Garden Party cocurricular event, which included a planting session and sustainability orientation where they learned about the college’s various environmental initiatives. In celebration of Urban Agriculture Week in Toronto, Trinity’s Integrated Sustainability Initiative also hosted a series of food and agriculture workshops and sessions for the community.
In addition, a new event series was launched this fall – Community Nature Nights – to connect students with the world around them. “By developing a close relationship to our natural surroundings, we can improve our mental and physical health, and reciprocate the care given to us by the land,” said event organizer Madeleine Frechette, Trinity’s Academic Don of Environmental Studies. Hiking High Park (photos below) was the 5th Community Nature Nights event for the fall session.
To support our Integrated Sustainability Initiative, the John W. Graham Library is actively collecting new titles that examine climate and sustainability issues through the lens of environmental humanities and the social sciences (photo below: left). You can explore the full list of the library’s most recent titles here.
Earlier this month, the Graham Library participated in a nationwide Climate Action Week. Among their regular activities including their Re-Use Station, Graham Library and Trinity Archives staff also spent some time outdoors to clean-up around the grounds while enjoying each other’s company and nature (photo above: centre). The Graham Library’s Rare Book of the Month is showcasing early recycling (photo above: right) – you can view the current exhibit of endpapers recycled from medieval manuscripts on the lower level of the library until February.
Talking about books – the 47th annual Friends of the Library Book Sale was a tremendous success. Tens of thousands of used books were “re-homed,” which extends the lifecycle of books, reduces waste and allows for more affordable reading. More than $130,000 was raised to support the many projects and services of our John W. Graham Library & Archives. Thank you to the Friends of the Library for organizing this monumental event, the college staff who supported them, and all the Book Sale volunteers for putting on a great sale!
(Photos above: October 23, 2024) Eager patrons waiting in line for the Book Sale (left); in my provostial gown, ringing the bell to officially open the Book Sale (centre); and (right) shoppers looking for literary treasures among the 50,000+ used books.
Upcoming Events
(Photos above): 2023’s Choral Advent Lessons & Carols service in the Trinity Chapel (left); Trinity College Chapel Choir 2024-2025 (right) will perform at the Advent Lessons & Carols on December 8. You can also hear them weekly throughout the academic term, at Choral Evensong every Wednesday evenings at 5:15 pm in the Trinity Chapel.
A friendly reminder – please join us for a few end-of-term events:
- Saturday, Nov. 30, 10 am to 2 pm: Garden Clean-Up – connect with the Trinity community and get some fresh air – drop by St. Hilda’s College front garden (all are welcome)
- Monday, Dec. 2, 6:30 pm: Trinity College Holiday Dinner for students, Strachan/Seeley Halls
- Tuesday, Dec. 3, 7 pm to 9 pm: join fellow students, alumni, faculty & staff for Trinity College Holiday Skate Night at U of T’s Varsity Arena: details and registration
- Wednesday, Dec. 4, 5:15 pm to 6 pm: Trinity Choral Evensong, Trinity College Chapel (final service for fall term): all are welcome to attend
- Sunday, Dec. 8, 4 pm to 6 pm: Trinity College Choral Advent Lessons & Carols, Trinity College Chapel: details and registration
- Sunday, Dec. 8, 8 pm to 9 pm: Concert | The Kupenta Singers – Advent & Christmas Repertoire, Trinity College Chapel (free admission)
- Monday, Dec. 16, 12 pm to 12:45 pm: Sacred Music in a Sacred Space, Trinity College Chapel: all are welcome to attend
On a final note, I encourage you to visit our website regularly for a list of upcoming events, Trinity News, and to learn more about members of our community, including:
- Professor Kevin O’Neill, our new Dean of Arts & Vice-Provost talks about the value of first impressions, the art of happiness, and why alumni are Trinity’s greatest asset
- Q&A with The Rev. Dr. Matthew Cadwell, who completed a PhD in the Faculty of Divinity and now leads the famous and historical Old North Church in Boston
- Trinity alum Tamara Mawhinney, Canada’s Ambassador to Korea, answers a few questions about her work and her life post-Trinity
Have a great end to the Fall Term and very best wishes to those writing final assessments and exams. I look forward to continuing conversations and meeting more of you in the months ahead.
Yours truly,
Nicholas Terpstra
Provost & Vice-Chancellor
Categories: Alumni; College News; Faculty & Staff; Provost’s Messages; Student News