Scholarship Students Greet Momentous Supporters

October 26, 2023
Group of people

First-ever Humanities and Social Sciences Celebration of Excellence honours longstanding commitment from supporters and faculty

David Beattie '68 (Champlain College) is thankful that Trent University 'liberated his thinking' in the late 1960s when he studied Philosophy before going on to a long career with Industry Canada.  He says the foundation of his business success was built on the critical-thinking skills he learned in the Humanities including reasoning and the precise expression of ideas.  

"It's why studying the Humanities is so important," he says.Image of David Beattis and Lucas Skolseg

To offer ongoing support to Trent students studying Humanities and Social Sciences, Beattie established The Marys Fund Scholarship, awarded annually to an outstanding student entering the final year of the Honours program in Philosophy. This year, Beattie had the opportunity to meet the 2023 scholarship recipient Lucas Skolseg (Champlain College) when attending the first-ever Humanities & Social Sciences Celebration of Excellence on September 21. 

Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences Mark Skinner hosted the celebration, bringing together department chairs and distinguished donors in the Student Centre to celebrate exceptional faculty and students. 

Other supporters who attended the event included:  

  • Dr. Andrew Wernick, Cultural Studies professor emeritus, who established the Wernick Essay Prize for a Cultural Studies major or joint major for the best essay of a critical or theoretical nature 
  • Joseph So, Anthropology professor emeritus, who established the Anthropology Faculty Prize, awarded to a student with the highest overall standing in the introductory course in Anthropology from the previous year, provided they continue as an Anthropology or Archaeology major and earn the top mark in any of our first-year Anthropology courses 
  • Petra Wolfbeiss, representative of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) that established the ROMA Humanities & Social Sciences Award, granted annually to an exceptional student enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts program in the Humanities & Social Sciences 

"The Humanities and Social Sciences are the heart of any university, leading the way in challenging the way we think, especially in challenging times, by inspiring students and alumni to think critically and creatively about how we can better understand and improve the world around us," said Dr. Mark Skinner, dean of Humanities and Social Sciences. "This awards ceremony symbolizes not only a celebration of our students' remarkable achievements but also the enduring culture of academic excellence that thrives within Trent’s Humanities and Social Sciences departments. We are honoured to recognize the dedication of our students and to showcase the profound impact of our outstanding faculty."

A full list of the 2023 awards and recipients follows:  

  • Alexander Nielsen (Lady Eaton College), Anthropology Faculty Prize — Awarded to a student with the highest overall standing in the introductory course in Anthropology from the previous year, provided they continue as an Anthropology or Archaeology major and earn the top mark in any of our first-year Anthropology courses 
  • Isla Gole ‘18 (Catharine Parr Traill College), Andrew Wernick Essay Prize — Awarded to a Cultural Studies major or joint-major for the best essay of a critical or theoretical nature related to the subject areas of the Cultural Studies program, submitted to a juried competition held by the department 
  • Samantha Paolucci, Department of English Literature Scholarship — Awarded annually to the highest achieving student entering the fourth quarter of the Honours program in English Literature 
  • Mady Rodrigues-Raby (Lady Eaton College), W.L. Morton Essay Prize in History — Named after the distinguished Canadian historian, an early member of the Trent History Department, and the first principal of Champlain College, this prize is awarded to the third-year student writing the best essay 
  • Sasha Jones ‘19 (Peter Gzowski College), Alan Wilson Prize — Named in honour of the founder of the Trent History Department and the Canadian Studies Program, this prize is awarded to the Honours student achieving the highest record in the fourth year 
  • Avery Shortland (Peter Gzowski College), International Development Studies (IDST) Fundraising Trust Award — Awarded annually to the student with the highest standing in the first year of IDST 
  • Lucas Skolseg (Champlain College), The Marys Fund Scholarship — Awarded annually to an outstanding student entering the final year of the Honours program in Philosophy. Established in honour of Mary Margaret (Stewart) Beattie and Mary Marjorie (Murphy) Beattie.  
  • Lindsey Russell ’19 (Champlain College), Outstanding Graduating Sociology Student Award — Awarded annually to a top graduating student at each campus. Sponsored by the Canadian Sociological Association 
  • Jack Carey (Peter Gzowski College), Carolyn Sarah Thomson Scholarship — Awarded annually in recognition of the Canadian Studies student with the highest average entering their second year at Trent 
  • Jasmine Boisvert ‘19 (Catharine Parr Traill College), Swiss Embassy Award/Prix de l'ambassade de Suisse au Canada — Awarded to the graduating student with the highest overall average in recognition of credits acquired in the study of the French language.  
  • Alex Bruneau (Lady Eaton College), George S. Henry — Awarded annually to the student that achieves the highest combined grade average in the two introductory courses, POST 1011H and POST 1002H 
  • Carly Walker (Lady Eaton College), ROMA Humanities and Social Sciences Award — Established by the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), this award is granted annually to an exceptional student enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts program in the Humanities and Social Sciences 
  • Sophie Medeiros (Lady Eaton College), ROMA Humanities and Social Sciences Award — Established by the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), this award is granted annually to an exceptional student enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts program in the Humanities and Social Sciences 
  • Dean Howley ’06 (Peter Gzowski College), School of Business, Decanal Award for Teaching Excellence — Awarded to an exceptional faculty member who has made a profound impact on student success through teaching and mentorship 
  • Dr. Antonio Cazorla-Sánchez, Trent History Department — Recognized for recent election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada 

Trent’s Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences has been educating global change leaders for more than 50 years. Learn more about investing in the Liberal Arts, which instills the ability to think differently, see things from multiple angles, and harness our imagination and creativity to solve problems.