Convocation

Important notice, updated April 3, 2020 -

To all Graduating Students,

Further to yesterday’s notification regarding the June 2020 convocation ceremonies, I am writing in response to questions which have been raised. I want to reiterate that we are eager to celebrate your graduation from Trent University and are looking at alternatives. We are all very disappointed that important events cannot proceed at the moment, but the health and safety of our campus communities and families is our primary concern.

The uncertainty of the pandemic makes planning difficult because we do not know when large groups will be able to gather again. We do want you to know that we are deeply committed to celebrating your achievements, and we will do what we can to make sure this happens.

We are committed to engaging with graduating students and consulting with your Student Association leaders to identify and evaluate a broad array of options, which can include convocation ceremonies held at a different time or a different format. Watch for an opinion survey to be posted after some initial consultations, outlining different possibilities and asking about the elements that are most important to you as alternatives are developed.

In the meantime, you are welcome to send comments by email to convocation@trentu.ca.

Updates will be shared as we progress. You will be able to find them at the following sites: www.trentu.ca/covid19 , www.trentu.ca/convocation , www.trentu.ca/durham/convocation.

Wishing you the best of success throughout this final assessment period and always.

Lee Hays, Class of ‘91
Director, Alumni Engagement & Services

The following message was shared with all Trent students from President and Vice-Chancellor Leo Groarke on April 2, 2020

As the latest guidance from public health officials suggests that the need for physical distancing to limit or slow the spread of COVID 19 will last for some time, Trent University has decided that Convocation ceremonies will not take place as scheduled this June in Peterborough and Durham.

While we understand this news will be disappointing to graduating students and their families, the University will work with members of the graduating class to look for ways to celebrate their graduation.

As we consider the options before us, we want to reassure students who are eligible to graduate that you can receive your degree by the normal convocation date. To do so, please submit an online Application to Graduate by the deadline of Monday, April 6, 2020.

Following the April 6 deadline, further information on the conferral and delivery of degrees, diplomas and certificates will be communicated to graduating students via their Trent email. Updates and FAQs will also be posted on the Convocation websites trentu.ca/convocation, trentu.ca/durham/convocation, and trentu.ca/covid19.

Convocation is a special time when the Trent community joins together to celebrate the achievements of our graduates and welcome them to our global family of alumni. Please know that our decision has been made to protect the health and safety of our campus community.

As our graduates begin their journey as Trent alumni, I want to extend our most sincere congratulations on this immense achievement. We are all confident that the enriching education you have received at Trent has prepared you well for the challenges ahead as you pursue your future dreams.

Thank you for your understanding and patience at this difficult time. Please stay well, be safe and check for updates as we navigate our way through the current challenges.

Sincerely,

Leo Groarke

Unable to attend Convocation? Watch the live stream: https://www.trentu.ca/stream/

Convocation is the ceremony for the conferral of degrees, diplomas and post graduate certificates, with traditions rooted in the thirteenth century. It celebrates your academic accomplishments and provides an opportunity for you to share this significant milestone with your family and friends. Full details for the Trent University Durham Convocation ceremony can be found on this page.

Steps to Follow if You Are Graduating

Step 1:

Fill out the application to graduate via the MyTrent portal. Deadline is April 6.

Step 2:

RSVP for the Convocation Ceremony is not yet available. Check back soon for details.

Step 3:

RSVP for the Trent University Durham Graduation Celebration. Details are TBD.

Applying to graduate does not confirm your attendance at either Convocation or the Graduation Celebration. Each step must be completed to confirm your attendance at the events listed above and to confirm your eligibility to graduate. Please ensure you are completing all steps noted above.

Information regarding Convocation dates in Peterborough.

Durham Ceremony Details

Important Points for Convocation

Please arrive an hour before your ceremony and show your student card to check in. Leave your personal items with guests
Pick up your Trent gown and hood – they are provided for the ceremony. Note that Trent gowns are worn open in the front and the hood you receive denotes the degree that you have earned (white for B.A., gold for B.Sc., copper for B.B.A., purple for B.S.W.)
Due to limited space only students in the gowning and marshalling area
The ceremony is expected to last approximately 60 minutes. All graduates are expected to attend for the entire ceremony
After the ceremony, you are welcome to take photos with your family, but please return your gown and hood before you leave

Venue Specifics

The Trent University Durham graduation ceremony will be taking place at the Tribute Communities Centre, located at 99 Athol Street in Oshawa
The parking lots surrounding the Tribute Communities Centre are owned and operated by the City of Oshawa. Information regarding downtown parking can be found here
There are no tickets required to Trent University Durham's Convocation - bring as many guests as you like
Tribute Communities Centre is in the heart of Oshawa which means there are plenty of dining opportunities nearby. Visit the Downtown Oshawa BIA Food and Drink webpage to check out available options and make your reservation!

Information for Students Wishing to Graduate

Application

Students are required to submit an online Application to Graduate for their relevant graduation term by going to myTrent/Academic/Forms/Application to Graduate. There is no charge for the application. The Application to Graduate must be submitted by Friday, April 6, 2020. Applications received after April 6th will be considered for graduation for Fall 2020.

Once an assessment has been completed, an anticipated eligibility letter will be sent via Trent e-mail accounts. Please periodically check your "Promotions" folder if using Gmail, or your Junk folder, as many students report that emails from the Registrar's office ends up in those folders.

Students who have successfully completed their degree requirements and are free of financial obligations to the University are eligible to receive a degree or diploma at Convocation or soon after their graduation date if graduating in September or January. Students who are not free of financial obligations to the University are encouraged to participate in Convocation but will not receive their degree or diploma until their financial obligations are met.

Invitations

It is not necessary for guests to have printed invitations to attend the Convocation ceremony; however invitations are available to pick up on campus for students who wish to mail them to their guests, or keep them as a memento. Pick up at the Front Info Desk or email hwright@trentu.ca for more information.

Accessibility

Students:

If you are a student and have a question regarding accessibility, please contact Corinn Phillips at corinnphillips@trentu.ca.

Guests:

Our volunteers will assist graduates and their guests with accessibility needs on this special day. There will be a designated seating area for those with accessibility needs and one of their guests and a sign language interpreter at the ceremony. If you or your guests need to be close to the sign language interpreter please contact Hailey Wright at hwright@trentu.ca or 905-435-5102 ext 5022.

Appropriate Attire and Etiquette

The ceremony will be held indoors in the Tribute Communities Centre. Trent gowns are worn open-style so your attire will be visible. Comfortable footwear is suggested.

Students should leave all personal belongings with their guests, including purses.

This is an event to honour the accomplishments of all the graduates. All participants will be expected to conduct themselves with decorum and in a mature and responsible manner. Using cell phones for conversations during the ceremony is forbidden. Please turn ringers off. Alcohol and smoking are not permitted in the audience or on the stage.

To preserve the dignity of the ceremony and the safety of those in attendance, guests are not permitted on the stage before or during the ceremony. Celebrations should be respectful of other members of the graduating class. Every graduate would like family and friends to hear his or her name called. Please withhold applause until it is invited. All graduates are expected to attend the entire ceremony.

Photos

For information about photography, contact the Trent Durham Student Association at 905-435-5102 ext. 5058.

Flowers

Flowers will be available to purchase at the ceremony, but please do not bring them on stage. Flower sales will be conducted by Convocation Flowers.

Video and Webcast

Convocation ceremonies are public events that are recorded in various ways including webcast, video and photography. The ceremonies will be live web-streamed on trentu.ca during Convocation and will be available to view after Convocation. These images and recordings may be used for official purposes, such as promoting Trent University. If you have any questions please contact convocation@trentu.ca

Information for Faculty

Convocation is a significant event in the lives of many Trent students and their families. The students are always very happy to see and be congratulated by their professors and it's an opportunity to wish the students well as they become alumni and begin the next stage of their life.

If you would like to take part in the academic procession and sit with the faculty on stage, please ensure that you have academic regalia to wear for Convocation. If you own regalia, simply complete the RSVP sent to your email.If you do not own regalia, you can rent regalia from universities other than Trent through Gaspard. The deadline to rent is TBD.

Please note that you only have to rent the regalia once. It will be available for you in both Durham and Peterborough, and for any number of ceremonies you would like to attend.

If you have a Trent degree and wish to wear Trent regalia or have any questions or concerns, please email convocation@trentu.ca.

Rented items will be available in the Tribute Communities Centre - there will be signs and ushers to direct you. Please return rented items immediately following the ceremonies.

Once gowned, all faculty are asked to line up for the academic procession half an hour before the start of the ceremony. A faculty marshal will line you up.

Keep Your Card & Keep In Touch!

Welcome new Trent Alumni!

Your student card with the silver authentication label on the back is now your alumni card and provides access to benefits, services and discounts. The silver label is included in the Alumni Welcome Package that is handed out with your degree after the Convocation ceremony. Graduates who do not attend Convocation should contact Alumni Affairs at alumni@trentu.ca to inquire about their alumni identification label.

Your Alumni Association is here to assist you in many ways. We encourage you to stay in touch and involved in Alumni and University events, activities and issues. There are Alumni chapters throughout Canada and around the world. For more information visit www.trentu.ca/alumni or contact the Alumni Office toll free: 1-800-267-5774, or e-mail: alumni@trentu.ca.

Alumni Card Benefits

a 25% discount of merchandise at the Trent Bookstore (some restrictions apply)
external borrowing rights at the Bata Library
discount on membership at the Athletic Centre
attendance at special alumni events
ID to avoid long line-ups at the beer garden for Head of the Trent (alumni fast track line)

Trent Alumni also receive significant discounts on Home and Auto, Health and Dental and Life Insurance and lower rates on a Trent University Mastercard. Check the Alumni website for more benefits and services.

Purchase Vintage Trent Regalia

Looking to own Trent Regalia? Check out some vintage gowns and hoods for sale at a discounted price on the Purchase Vintage Trent Regalia page.

If you can't attend Convocation

Candidates unable to attend Convocation will be granted a degree in absentia. Contact the Office of the Registrar to confirm your mailing address when requesting your degree to be mailed. If you prefer to pick up your degree please e-mail registrar@trentu.ca prior to Convocation.

You can obtain your Degree Certificate by:

Visiting the Office of the Registrar after convocation with your student ID card; or
Sending a written request via your Trent e-mail account to registrar@trentu.ca, the subject line noting MAIL DEGREE-(term you graduated in e.g. (January, Fall, Spring). In your e-mail please include your name, student ID number, and full mailing address

Degrees will only be held for two years, after which you must request and pay for a replacement degree. Your degree and official transcripts will not be released if you have an outstanding balance owing to the University or have outstanding Library fines