Many a mid-sized Ontario city has dreamed of having, even lobbied for, a post-secondary institution. In Peterborough, we are fortunate to have both Trent University and Fleming College. We know the benefits these two fine institutions bring, anchoring Peterborough and our surrounding area with an advantageous social, cultural and economic mix.

As the Ontario University Applications Centre deadline approaches, it seems timely to reflect on the world-class university right here in our community. While there are undeniable advantages to going away for school, I’m convinced that completing an undergrad degree at our hometown university is the way to go for students in the Peterborough region. Here are my top ten reasons for studying close to home:

1. Trent University has ranked as the #1 undergraduate university in Ontario seven years in a row – and #3 in all of Canada in the 2018 rankings. Other independent rankings put Trent in the top 3.4% of universities worldwide, and in the top 300 environmental schools on the planet.
2. Trent leads the way in hands-on learning. A new focus on co-op and career-readiness will give every Trent student job-related experience – whether through the new Cleantech Commons, in the lab or a community organization.
3. Small-group seminars and labs are led by award-winning faculty at Trent, many of whom are renowned in their field and involve students in their research. Students know their profs and vice-versa – handy when it comes to references for medical, law, professional or grad school.
4. Topnotch facilities count for a lot, especially modern spaces like the stunning new Student Centre at Trent – or the soon-to-be-unveiled library of the future, focused on digital texts and materials that will drive our future. Trent’s growing Durham GTA campus offers Peterborough area students an opportunity to take courses on the doorstep of Canada’s largest metropolis.
5. It says a lot about Trent that the University has a diverse population, drawing talented students from all over Ontario, Canada and 100 countries around the world. A diverse, cosmopolitan campus, Trent also helps students to expand their horizons by studying abroad in 40 countries around the world.
6. More students are choosing Trent to pursue varsity athletics. With a variety of winning varsity teams, the University was selected to develop future Olympic rowers as one of just four NextGen Rowing Hubs institutions in Canada. Not an elite athlete? Trent’s state-of-the-art Athletics Centre offers fitness programming for all students.
7. Top academic programs are enhanced as part of esteemed schools that take advantage of Trent’s interdisciplinarity: Trent School of the Environment, School of Business, School of Nursing, School of Education, Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies, School for the Study of Canada, and School of Graduate Studies.
8. Ever-evolving, Trent has introduced exciting new programs in recent years: Law & Arts dual degree with Swansea University, Medical Professional Stream, Criminology & Socio-legal Studies, Environmental Geoscience – the list goes on.
9. Trent is #1 in the country among undergrad universities for investments in scholarships and bursaries. A high proportion of Trent students qualify for prestigious scholarships, renewable each year.
10. The savings studying close to home over four years are undeniable. Many local students choose to live on campus in their first year at one of Trent’s five residential colleges.

As chair of the Trent Board, an alum and citizen of Peterborough, I am delighted when I see students from far and wide choose Trent and our community. I truly believe local students will see Trent, the City of Peterborough and our region with new eyes should they choose to complete their degrees here. And they should.

Stephen Kylie is a long-time Peterborough resident, Trent alumnus, and chair of the Trent University Board of Governors. He currently manages his own local law firm. In 2016 Mr. Kylie was named Peterborough’s business citizen of the year and was inducted into Peterborough’s Pathway of Fame in 2017.

This story appeared in the Peterborough Examiner on January 11, 2018.