Trent University alumni have demonstrated their generous spirit by unleashing $750,000 in matching funds from an anonymous alumni donor, through the Alumni Student Centre Challenge (ASCC).

All alumni pledges were matched, and first-time alumni donations were double-matched for a total of $1.5 million – a significant gift towards the new Student Centre on Trent University’s Symons Campus in Peterborough, announced October 1, 2016 at the Head of Trent homecoming weekend during the Annual Alumni General Meeting.

The ASCC launched in March 2015 as part of Trent University’s $50 Million Campaign: Unleash the Potential. It builds on successful fundraising from Trent faculty, staff, retirees and board members, and has raised over $3.5 million towards a $4 million goal for the Student Centre project.

To recognize this outstanding contribution, the main floor open area of the Student Centre will be named the “Alumni Atrium” in honour of alumni and the anonymous donor’s inspirational gifts. It will be the hub of student activities, enabling a new era of participation in clubs, groups, and extra-curricular activities, and providing additional space for thousands of on and off-campus students.

“Trent’s generous alumni were eager to enrich the student experience and the ASCC gave them the opportunity to make twice the impact,” said Sherry Booth, campaign director at Trent University. “The wonderful thing about the Alumni Atrium is that all of our students will one day become Trent alumni, and continue to have a connection to the Student Centre.”

On track for a completion date of September 2017, the new Student Centre designed by Teeple Architects is the vision of Trent students, past and present. It will be located beside the Bata Library on the bank of the Otonabee River. The 37,000-square-foot building will offer new places and opportunities to socialize, learn, study, and engage in life on campus. It will also be home to Stohn Hall, a 250-seat tiered theatre for special events, lectures, performances, and two state-of-the-art, high-tech classrooms, following a generous donation of $1 million from entertainment entrepreneur, lawyer and alumnus, Stephen Stohn ’66 last fall.

“Students are the driving force behind the new Student Centre,” notes Alaine Spiwak, president of the Trent Central Student Association. “Through a special levy they are providing $10.5 million of the $16 million required.” The remaining $5.5 million for the project will come from both the University, and Trent University’s $50 Million Campaign: Unleash the Potential, the University’s most ambitious philanthropic campaign to date.