Barbara Rooke Travel Prize Leads to Life-Changing Experience for Trent English Grad
Heidi Dienesch '12 finds herself in the words and the journey of legendary author, Mary Wollstonecraft
Eighteenth-century author Mary Wollstonecraft wrote, “Nothing, in fact, can equal the beauty of the northern summer’s evening and night.”
A once-in-a-lifetime travel experience thanks to the Barbara Rooke Travel Prize awarded for academic excellence in English Literature, recent graduate and award recipient, Heidi Dienesch '12 now agrees.
In July 2016, Ms. Dienesch set out to re-trace the arduous tale of Mary Wollstonecraft in Letters Written during a Short Residence in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and on January 26, she was invited back to Trent by the Department of English Literature to share her experiences and photos with students and faculty.
Ms. Dienesch created a blog to document her journey and revealed that while hiking in beautiful Norwegian fjords, eating new food, or meeting inspirational people, she tried to stay true to the spirit of Wollstonecraft’s journey–simultaneously developing independence and finding her place in the world.
“I’m so grateful that Mary Wollstonecraft’s journey led me to experience such pivotal moments,” she stated. “It was a powerful push into independence and such an incredible experience to close off my final year at Trent! It was amazing that my school community made the trip possible. I experienced more than I had ever imagined and I'm so grateful.”
Now back in Canada, Ms. Dienesch is completing her Bachelor of Education and notes how her time abroad has profoundly enriched her educational experience.
“The Barbara Rooke Travel prize allows students the total freedom to follow in the footsteps of one of their literary role models,” she said. “It's a way of approaching education from a totally unique, experiential angle.”