On October 29, 2013 seventeen youth from six local high schools were treated to a sneak peak of the Trent University experience as part of the John Howard Society Quantum program.

The Quantum program is a long-term, multi-component intervention program that aims to eliminate barriers to success by providing educational, developmental, and service opportunities to students facing various challenges.

"Our goal for this event at Trent was to demystify the university experience by bringing our participants to the campus, immersing them in the environment and introducing them to some current students and faculty members. Our hope was that they would be better able to picture themselves in this setting and choose to follow an academic path in the future. I believe this was a great success,” said Jeffrey Cadence, Quantum program manager.

Students began their tour in Otonabee College commons, stopped in residence to get a feel for life at Trent, and were treated to lunch in Gzowski College dining hall. The tour was hosted by both Otonabee and Gzowski Colleges, and principals Jane Mackie and Melanie Buddle engaged with the group.  Dr. Buddle noted that it was “great to meet with high school students and explain what a typical university day is like.  Many of the students I met grew up in this area but had not been on campus before, so this was an opportunity to demystify the University.”  The students also asked some great questions, like "what does a year at university cost?" and "what sports could I play as a student?"   The all-you-can-eat ice cream in the Gzowski dining hall was also a pleasant surprise! "I loved the food!" said one visiting student.

After lunch, Quantum students chatted with Krista Kermer from Trent's first-generation student program, and current Psychology student Brad Daniels from the University Transitions partnership with Fleming College.  "Once students get to university, the programming that I run through my office assists in making sure they feel supported and eases the transition," noted Ms. Kermer. Students James Abbott and Sarah Gauthier spoke about their experiences as first-generation students and a range of other topics, including class schedules, extra-curricular activities, and meeting other Trent students with similar backgrounds.  First-generation Trent students Tracy Ashenden and Chad Cuss also discussed the positive ways in which Trent has impacted their lives. "I won't kid you, it's hard work, but it's definitely worth it,” remarked Mr. Cuss. 

Trent's world-class Water Quality Centre was the final stop on the tour, where students were given an overview of research conducted there by the director. "We analyze samples from all over the world in this lab, and so we get to do some very cool stuff here,” said Dr. Dirk Wallschläger. "I look forward to seeing some of you in here over the next few years."

By the end of the day, Quantum students were quite taken with the Trent experience: "I had never been here before but the classrooms and buildings were really cool!" said one student. "I can't wait for university. I thought college would be really boring but the groups sounded fun!"

The Quantum tour was organized under the umbrella of the Youth Education Partnership, a local initiative aimed at addressing the financial, social, and psychological barriers to entrance and participation in a university education for at-risk and marginalized youth in the Peterborough community. Contact is initiated before university age in order to affect the necessary shifts in perception and expectations, including the development of positive future prospects and confidence in abilities. 

The organizers thank the many people who volunteered their time to make this event happen.

"This is a partnership, and we are very grateful for all of the support." said Mr. Cuss, "There are so many individuals and local organizations who work to support troubled youth at different stages, and it just makes sense to pool our resources to support them as they transition into their adult lives. Education fosters critical thinking about ourselves and the world, and will help youth support themselves through this transition and beyond, both intellectually and financially."