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An International Flavour |
TRENT CONTENTS Proposed Change, Change ... and Debate Association President's Message Topping the Competitive Recruitment Environment The Interactive Learning Centre Profile of a Volunteer: Roy O'Brien '75 "How To" series Toronto realtor Mary Crawford '82 Collections and Obsessions : Jim Doran's Various Vinyl |
by Martin Boyne '86 Many of you will remember Trent in the 1980s, when international students abounded and the University was attracting applicants from around the globe, when the Trent International Program was at its most active and classrooms were truly the centres of cross-cultural communication. Well, after a steady decrease in the numbers of international students in the first few years of the 1990s, it's welcome news indeed that such a trend has been reversed and the international flavour of Trent is in evidence once again. In fact, the Trent International Program (TIP) reports that almost 250 international students are enrolled at Trent this year, more than double the number on campus in 1998-99, thanks mainly to increased funds for international recruitment, a growing scholarship base, and greater exposure across the world through publications and Trent's web site. Approximately 50 students are studying at Trent this year on full scholarships, which allow many students who would be otherwise financially ineligible for the chance to have a Canadian university experience. Many of these scholarships are renewable for up to four years, based on academic achievement, enabling students to earn their Honours degree. The international scholars are funded through a number of sources, including Trent itself, the Trent Central Students' Association, the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce, CIDA/INSTRUCT, and private donations. The benefits of having students from over 60 countries represented at Trent are numerous and need little elaboration; we all know how our own knowledge and ideas have been enriched by academic, social, and cultural interaction with international students during our time at Trent. But often forgotten are the opportunities available to Trent students to participate in exchange programs in other countries, programs which this year have allowed over 30 students to experience university life in a different culture. While their Trent counterparts are studying overseas, exchange students at Trent join the other international students in such activities as the highly successful TIP orientation camp at Camp Kawartha in September, field trips across the province, cultural outreach evenings, international pot-luck dinners, and the numerous societies and clubs which bring in speakers and organize discussions with a distinctly international flavour. Another exciting new program is Trent-ESL, a joint venture of TIP and the Academic Skills Centre. After a modest launch in 1998, this program called "English for University," had 34 students enrolled in the fall term, with as many or more expected in winter term. The students who apply are looking for a program with strong academic preparation to enable them to enter a degree program, at Trent or elsewhere. They study English as a Second Language in small groups at the basic, intermediate or advanced level, and one of the exciting features of the program is that many are also taking a full credit course to begin working simultaneously towards their degree. A number of alumni are working for both TIP and Trent-ESL: Cindy Bennett Awe '77 and Deb Gelderland '87 work in the International Program Office; Fausta Capogna '88 is the Trent-ESL Coordinator; Peggy Krüger '67 teaches ESL in the Academic Skills Centre. Want to know more? Check out the T.I.P. website at www.trentu.ca/tip.
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