As grateful as she is for her job with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), Reesha Patel ’11 reserves a good portion of her gratitude for her experience at Trent University.

“Trent helped me figure out my interests and, with the guidance of some influential professors, I was able to determine a clear career path,” says Ms. Patel. “The transition from high school to university can be overwhelming. Having smaller-sized classrooms allowed me to have a name, not just a number. The best learning comes from professors who care, small classrooms, and a good community. Trent offers all of this, and more.”

A regional geographical information systems (GIS) officer with the MNRF since 2014, Ms. Patel supports Southern Ontario districts with their GIS data needs, such as mapping and data analysis.

The job – like Trent – is a perfect fit for Ms. Patel, especially with her self-professed love of the outdoors.

“Trent was the obvious choice for me; my interest in the environment aligned with Trent being a well-known environmental school,” says Ms. Patel, an Environmental Science and Physical Geography undergrad who also received her Master of Science AMOD – Applied Modelling and Quantitative Methods from Trent, graduating in 2014.

Particularly memorable for Ms. Patel is a trip to Mexico with her Watershed Management classmates where student group reports were presented to environment officials and universities. Students also ventured to rural areas of the country.

“That amazing opportunity was only possible because of the dedication of Professor Raul Ponce-Hernandez who recognized that learning outside the classroom is just as important as learning inside the classroom.  Trent has many professors like that who give students unconventional learning opportunities. These unique experiences made my time at Trent very memorable,” she adds.