Honouring the Next Generation of Community Champions
As an institution that prides itself on creating global citizens prepared to take on leadership roles in their communities, the Trent community was proud to see one of our own highlighted for their contribution to the business community in Durham Region. Hailey Wright ‘06, manager of community relations and articulations, received the Next Generation Award at the 24th Annual Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.
The Next Generation Award recognizes an individual “under 40 who are doing great things within our community and their workplace.” As the first female to be named a finalist in the category, and now the first female recipient, Ms. Wright takes pride in the work that she does to bolster community connections.
“I approach building connections to the community as a two-way street,” said Ms. Wright. “It is important to understand what the issues and needs of our business community, industry and neighbours are and to start from there. This way we can ensure we are aligning Trent’s expertise and the capabilities of local industries in a meaningful and impactful way.”
Much of the work that Ms. Wright has been undertaking in Durham focuses on relationship building and being present in the local community. Trent University Durham GTA is a member of the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce and Ms. Wright sits as the University’s representative on the Chamber’s government relations committee.
“Developing strong relationships, profile and reputation is best done face-to-face,” explained Ms. Wright. “Community members need to feel connected to the Trent and the success of Trent students. The expansion of Trent Durham’s campus to include 200 residence spaces and new state-of-the-art academic buildings, will mean a more prominent profile and we want to keep the community involved as we grow.”
At the Chamber awards, Trent University Durham GTA also sponsored the George W. McLaughlin Award, formally known as the President’s Award, which recognizes an individual for a lifetime of contributions to their community in areas including philanthropy, mentorship and volunteerism. Dr. Gary Polonsky, the founding president of Ontario Tech University.
Posted on September 20, 2019