With the start of a new academic year comes the arrival of Trent’s newest class of students, a group of people as unique and diverse as the experiences that brought them here. Contributing greatly to that diversity are Trent’s international students, who bring their own distinct experiences from countries and cultures from around the globe.

"International students have been a part of the Trent academic community since the very first class attended nearly 50 years ago,” said Dr. Michael Allcott, director of the Trent International Program (TIP).

“Trent's commitment to engaging and supporting international students through the Trent International Program, distinguishes us from other universities.”

TIP Camp Brings Together International, Domestic and Exchange Students

Aiming to ease the transition to Trent and Canada, the annual TIP Camp orientation over the Labour Day weekend at Camp Timberlane near Haliburton brought together 154 students from around the world. University president Dr. Steven Franklin and representatives from TIP and Trent ESL were at the camp to welcome new students from 40 countries, including Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Pakistan, the Bahamas and Brazil. 

“I can say without a doubt, that I had the most amazing time of my life at TIP Camp,” said first-year student Hajra Khan from Pakistan, who enjoyed learning how to paddle a canoe and going zip-lining for the first time as part of the camp. “I believe camp is essential for international students’ experience at Trent because it provides us with a friendly atmosphere, where everyone can get to know each other.  Camp provides an opportunity for everyone to interact with each other and find common points of interests with people from different parts of the world. It’s also a unique opportunity to experience the Canadian outdoors, make long lasting friendships, and learn about the Canadian education system.”

Joining international students at TIP Camp were 47 exchange students from Trent partner institutions around the world, as well as five Canadian students who are part of the Trent Global Living Community (TGLC).

Exchange students study at Trent for a semester or an academic year, while a counterpart Trent student attends their home university.  The first students from Trent’s new partner in the UK, the University of Kent, were part of this year’s group, as well as the first students from Nanjing Normal University and Yangzhou University who come to Trent via the Ontario-Jiangsu Provincial Exchange Program.

“TIP Camp was a great experience toward getting to know other international students, which is important for me,” said Hunter Koski, a fourth-year student on a one semester exchange program from St. Lawrence University in upstate New York. “International students tend to miss their country and communicating with others who feel the same way and are experiencing a new nation just as they are can help fill in that gap while they are studying away from home.”

The Canadian students who are part of the Trent Global Living Community, a Living Learning Community in Champlain College dedicated to developing global citizenship, also had a transformative experience at the camp. 

“Highlights of TIP Camp were meeting the TGLC students and other international students, and watching a group of students who didn’t know each other on the first day become fast friends. It was so cool to have so many parts of the world represented in one place,” said Irene Brueckner-Irwin, a TGLC Living Learning community advisor who recently returned from a year abroad with the Trent in Ghana program. “Having an internationally diverse student body at Trent makes our community more sensitive and engaged, and improves our learning environment by including different perspectives from our own. 

Internationalization at Trent helps create a community that is better equipped to tackle challenges and move forward, to produce multi-dimensional perspectives, and to foster international cooperation.  This is especially relevant in Canada, as an incredibly diverse and multicultural society. Our community becomes aware, receptive to new ideas, and better able to function on a global scale.”

Speaking of the TGLC members, Dr. Allcott said: “An opportunity to establish friendships with people from so many corners of the world is rare.  And an opportunity to become their first Canadian contact as they begin to explore their new home ensures that TGLC will be able to ensure international connections for many in the Trent community.”