The Trent Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) has an active voice at Trent. All registered graduate students, full-time or part-time (and including those enrolled under the Trent-Queen's agreement) become, by virtue of the fee paid, a member of the Trent Graduate Students' Association.

About the GSA

The Graduate Students' Association (GSA) has nine elected officers (president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, two social directors, senator, and CUPE representative) and a student representative from each graduate department who organize social and informal academic events. Elections take place yearly. Graduate students are also represented on the University Senate, and the Research, Graduate Studies, Educational Development (COED), Animal Care, Academic Computer Services, Graduate Studies, Library Services, Nature Areas, Research (NSERC), Research (SSHRC), Special Appeals, Teaching Awards and Teaching Effectiveness committees.

If you are interested in serving either on the GSA executive or on one of the committees, please contact the current GSA President.

GSA Activities

The GSA publishes newsletters throughout the year containing information of direct interest to graduate students, both from within the university and from other graduate associations, or from the National Union of Students (NUS) newsletters.

The GSA organizes social events including summer barbeques, Christmas parties, and end-of-the-year banquets. The GSA also hosts the Thomas H.B. Symons Seminar series which showcases  current research by graduate students at Trent. Conference travel allowances are made available through the GSA to qualifying graduate students.

The primary aim of the GSA is to provide opportunities for graduate students to communicate with each other, and with the entire University community about issues and problems of particular concern to graduate students. The current executive welcomes the interest and assistance of all graduate students.

This year, Trent University's GSA has focused its energy on continuing the Thomas HB Symons Seminar Series as a primary way for graduate students to communicate their findings to fellow students and the Peterborough community. Trent University currently has approximately 300 Masters and Doctoral students, pursuing graduate research in seven departments. This research ranges from Canadian history to water chemistry and from wildlife genetics to oral traditions. In order to inform and include a larger portion of the Trent and Peterborough communities, we have structured the series to encourage students to present their research in an engaging and accessible way. Please join us in building a strong and vital bridge between Trent University and the Peterborough community.

Seminars are held at 7 pm on the second Wednesday in each month in the Jr. Common Room of Scott House, at the Traill Campus (On Stewart Street between London and Dublin Streets). The format is that of two twenty-minute talks, between which there is an intermission for people to have coffee, tea and a chance to mingle.