A gift from colleagues and friends of the late Dr. Anne Keenleyside will establish an endowment in support of the Anthropology Colloquium, an annual event that provides an opportunity for students to present their research projects.  

Announced at this year’s colloquium on April 11, 2024, the endowment will sustain the annual colloquium for years to come. In recognition of Professor Keenleyside’s legacy at Trent, the event will be renamed the Anne Keenleyside Colloquium in her memory. 

Through her teaching and support for student bursaries, Prof. Keenleyside was committed to inspiring the next generation of anthropologists. Wanting to honour her legacy, her colleagues launched a fundraising campaign to support the annual student research showcase. 

"I believe that those of us who did know Anne all wish that those who did not have the good fortune of meeting her could have. Her dedication to the Anthropology and Archaeology programs and our students was the perfect example of what sets our faculty apart from other institutions. It is only fitting that we honour our memories of Anne by naming this colloquium that highlights student accomplishments and research after her," remarked Christopher Armitage, director, portfolio operations and digital philanthropy, and former graduate student of Dr. Keenleyside. "We know the joy Anne would feel in knowing that this event will continue to thrive long into our future." 

Prof. Keenleyside dreamed of becoming an anthropologist since she was in grade 10; that dream was realized at Trent. Trained as a bioarchaeologist, she joined the University in 2002 as an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology and was promoted to associate professor in 2005. She travelled the world conducting fieldwork in central and eastern Nunavut, Tunisia, and Bulgaria, exploring the biological impact of European contact on Inuit populations, and the health and dietary practices of Greek and Roman populations of the Mediterranean and Black Sea. 

In collaboration with Trent alumnus Dr. Douglas Stenton ’80 (Traill College), her research focused on the analysis of skeletal remains associated with the 1845 Sir John Franklin Expedition to navigate the Northwest Passage. In addition to publishing numerous peer-reviewed articles, conference abstracts, and book chapters, Prof. Keenleyside co-authored, with Prof. Richard Lazenby (University of Northern British Columbia), the popular biological anthropology textbook A Human Voyage: Exploring Biological Anthropology. Her passion for anthropology was evident in her teaching - students were drawn to her enthusiasm and dedication, finding inspiration in her mentorship. 

Prof. Keenleyside’s generosity goes far beyond the classroom. She made a remarkable legacy donation to establish the Anne Keenleyside Anthropology Prize, ensuring that future generations of students can pursue their academic passions. This prize will fund a $1,000 annual award granted to a third or fourth-year undergraduate student in anthropology or archaeology who has shown exceptional academic performance in biological anthropology. 

As Prof. Keenleyside’s colleagues and friends stood together in tribute, it was evident that her contributions to the department of Anthropology – and its students – will be remembered for years to come. 

Learn more about how Legacy Giving empowers the next generation to bring about momentous change.