Convocation

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.

The date for Convocation 2018 for students graduating from Trent University Durham is: Tuesday, June 12 at the Ajax Convention Centre

There will be TWO ceremonies this year due to the increasing size of the graduating class. Whether you attend the morning or the afternoon depends on your major. Please check the schedule below. 

Schedule of Ceremonies (confirmed)

10:00 am

• Business Administration
• Anthropology
• English Literature
• History
• Communications & Critical Thinking
• Certificate in Human Resource Management
• Certificate in Marketing & Entrepreneurship

1:00 pm

• Psychology
• Social Work
• Sociology
• Child & Youth Studies

Steps to Follow if You Are Graduating

Step 1: 

Fill out the application to graduate via the MyTrent portal. Deadline is Friday, April 6, 2018

Step 2:

RSVP for Convocation at the Ajax Convention Centre on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Deadline is Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Step 3:

RSVP for the Trent University Durham Graduation Dinner being held at the Durham Campus  - Front Atrium.  FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018 - Social Hour 6 p.m. Dinner 7 p.m. Check your Trent email for invite and RSVP link. RSVP by Friday June 1, 2018

Step 4:

What song do you think captures the "I did it!" moment? Suggest a song for the Convocation 'Walk Off" song! Deadline is Monday, May 21, 2018. An email will be sent to your Trent email when voting on the song opens. Deadline is Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Applying to graduate does not confirm your attendance at either Convocation or the Graduation Dinner. 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.

For all details pertaining to the Trent University Durham Graduation Dinner please check your Trent e-mail account and review the formal invitation that you received. 

 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
• 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.)
• 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

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, 2018. Applications received after April 6th will be considered for graduation for Fall 2018.

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 convocation@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 Joanne Sokolowski at joannesokolow@trentu.ca or 705-748-1011 ext. 6162.

Appropriate Attire and Etiquette

The ceremony will be held indoors in the Ajax Convention Centre. Trent gowns are worn open-style so your attire will be visible.

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. If you would like to buy flowers for the ceremony, you can pre-order them through Convocation Flowers. Order 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 weill 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 

Welcome new Trent Alumni!

Your student card will serve as your alumni card upon graduation. Your ID number will provide you with access to many benefits and services. 

Your alumni identification label will be included in the Alumni Welcome Package that you will receive with your degree following the Convocation ceremony. Your alumni peel and stick label should be placed on the back of your student card.

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 connected, active and involved in Alumni and University events, activities and issues. There are Alumni chapters throughout Canada and around the world. Sign yourself into the Alumni Online Directory to find Trent grads in your new community, stay in touch with friends by e-mail or search for a career mentor.

More information about getting in touch with the Trent Alumni

Contact the Alumni Office toll free: 1-800-267-5774, or e-mail: alumni@trentu.ca.

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