Trent Alumnus Offers Advice to Graduating Students at Last Lecture
Stephen Brown '86 invites students to open their mind to trying new things
» Watch the Last Lecture on YouTube
Stephen Brown ‘86 figures he was like a lot of other Trent graduates when he left campus as a student 30 years ago. “I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do next,” he explained, but said he welcomed that future with open arms. “There’s no need to fear what’s around the corner. There will be mistakes and failures but they are important steps in figuring out what is best for your future.”
These were the words and advice he shared with Trent students during his remarks at the annual Last Lecture event at Wenjack Theatre on April 1.
The Last Lecture offers graduating students an opportunity to come together and reflect upon their experiences at Trent University, bring closure to the time that they have spent here, and celebrate their many accomplishments both inside and outside of the classroom. The event helps to signify the beginning of the next step on a student’s journey.
Mr. Brown, president and partner with FUSE Marketing Group, was invited to present the alumni lecture at the event, which also included presentations from graduating student Lexi Houghton, and a faculty lecture from Dr. David Beresford, a Biology professor at Trent.
Mr. Brown assured students that it’s not unusual to leave university without a set plan. He studied History during his time at Trent and upon graduation found work with Pepsi in Peterborough, where he discovered a passion for marketing.
His advice to graduating students? Be open-minded when it comes to deciding on a future.
“The best thing I did was try a lot of things. I learned a lot more from my mistakes than I did from my successes,” he explained. “I needed to go through some losses, failures and mistakes to find out what I wasn’t good at and to find out what I was good at.”
Ms. Houghton, who was chosen by her fellow students to offer the student lecture, focused her address more on what her past experiences were rather than what will lie ahead. During her time at Trent as a History student, Ms. Houghton has been a part of the Anne Shirley Theatre Company, the Otonabee College Cabinet, has worked for the Athletics Centre and Gzowski College, was a participant in the popular 3 Minute Paper Competition, and was one of the co-chairs of Trent Mudder 2016.
The strength of the Trent community was a sentiment echoed by all of the speakers throughout the event. Both Ms. Houghton and Mr. Brown said they knew Trent was right for them once they arrived on campus. Ms. Houghton, an Orangeville native, said it was important for her to find the right balance of education and community.
“The reason I came to Trent is because it felt like home. It felt like a community. It has open arms and it accepted me.”