Trent University Awards Longtime Employees For Their Service
/Trent University is honouring four women with the 2021 Eminent Service Awards for their exceptional contributions to the school on Wednesday.
Eminent Service Award was created in 1978 that recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the life of the campus. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.
Dr. Jackie Muldoon, Sue Robinson, Jodi Aoki and Christy Carlson were the recipients of the award for their outstanding service.
“Each individual enriched our campuses and our community with their expertise, professionalism, hard work and tireless dedication to student well-being and the success of the university,” said Dr. Michael Khan, university provost and vice-president academic in the press release.
Dr. Jackie Muldoon has served as interim provost for Trent in 2015 before signing a five-year contract for Jan 1, 2016 for the position. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.
Muldoon is one of the University’s longest-serving employees, having served nearly four decades in a variety of roles including senior tutor, head of business administration and the first dean of the School of Education. Prior to her retirement, she served as provost and vice president Academic from 2015 to 2020.
During this term, Muldoon played a leading role in the development of innovative programming, which promoted increased enrolment including new undergraduate degrees and new professional Masters' programs as well as establishing key transfer agreements with partner institutions.
“I am both honoured and humbled to receive the Eminent Service Award,” stated Prof. Muldoon, “I have been very fortunate to spend my entire career at such an outstanding university, along with such great faculty and staff, all of whom have worked together to help our students grow and flourish.”
Throughout her many roles at the University, Muldoon was known as a humble leader and a passionate advocate for human rights, Indigenous reconciliation and social justice.
Robinson began working for Trent University in the athletics department in 1987 as an aquatics supervisor. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.
Sue Robinson, coordinator of Alumni Engagement and Services, recently retired after more than 33 years of dedicated service in various roles with the University and was well-known for her event coordination expertise.
Robinson started her Trent career in Athletics, where she worked for nearly 20 years developing fitness and athletic programs before moving to the External Relations and Advancement portfolio where she became a valuable member of the team that led the Athletics Campaign, raising $4 million to support the expansion of the athletics building and a new stadium.
Throughout the campaign, she was instrumental in organizing events such as the Justin Chiu Stadium dedication ceremony. In 2012, Ms. Robinson joined the Alumni Affairs team and continued coordinating large, award-winning events including Ideas That Change the World, which hosted 150 people and a live band at Chancellor Stephen Stohn’s Toronto home and a 90th birthday celebration for Trent’s founding president Professor Tom Symons.
During the annual Head of the Trent, Ms. Robinson kept the event fresh with new ideas and always made sure alumni were welcomed back with “open arms” and made to feel at home, greeting them by their first name.
“I have had the privilege of learning from, working with, and getting to know so many wonderful staff, students and alumni throughout my career at Trent and look forward to staying connected to our amazing alumni and colleagues from Trent during my retirement,” reflects Robinson. “I was deeply grateful to have been made an honorary alumna upon my retirement in March.”
Akoi has her Master of Arts degree in Canadian Studies from Trent. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.
Jodi Aoki has worked in the Trent Archives for 32 years, developing an in-depth knowledge of Trent’s archival and heritage collections and becoming the de facto curator of the University’s art collection.
As the first contact for student, faculty and community researchers, Aoki is known for being unfailingly helpful, patient, and knowledgeable.
"I am deeply honoured to receive this award and grateful to have had an opportunity to work in archives through my career at Trent,” she said. “In the course of my work, I came to know many wonderful people across the University and in the local community, too, who share a common interest in preserving history."
Aoki has also represented the University on the Museum and Archives Advisory Committee of the City of Peterborough and has served on the board of directors of the Archives Association of Ontario.
Carlson had worked at Trent University for nearly 20 years. Trent’s Bata Library put their flag at half-mast to honour her passing on the day of her service. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.
