What happens to life after Trent? What we hope to explore in our feature is the community of this university and how its relation to Peterborough is like a Mobius strip of sorts.

Without the Peterborough community, Trent would not exist, and without Trent, as seen when students leave for the summer or choose not to stay in town, the Peterborough community is impacted.

We hope to uncover and celebrate the initiatives by this community, whether it be on campus or right downtown.

We were lucky enough to uncover a story this summer about a community figure who has worked tirelessly to create an inclusive musical space. This story deserves national press, everything about it is inspirational and grassroots; humble and important.

Jill Staveley is the Production Manager at Trent Radio, another part of the Trent community that has a risk of being overlooked because of the downtown-campus disconnect. See, back in the day, Trent had campuses downtown. Well, I shouldn’t say “had”, with Traill College becoming an Undergraduate College once again in light of the Traill Review, which we will be covering in Issue 2.

However, there was a huge campus life downtown before the controversial selling of the downtown colleges. Peter Robinson College, located at George and Parkhill, and Traill College, located up the hill on London St. between Reid and Stewart, were the two main campuses downtown. Now, PR is just housing, but right next to it is Trent Radio, one of the greatest things you can get involved with as a student. You can have your own radio show on just about anything!

Ever seen the movie School of Rock? Well, such a thing exists right here in Peterborough. As we were looking for our cover story, we found it to be right in front of us, in a place we are proud to call the home of our office. Sadleir House, another downtown relic of Trent’s past, is the most beautiful historic building you can come across. Great for hiding away and reading a book, getting some work done, or booking the space for an event or band practice, it is another resource for students and community members alike.

This building became ever so quiet once the downtown campuses closed, and during the year it provides even more solace than the library. In the summer, Camp Rock for Girls takes over Sadleir House, and it becomes a little less quiet. An inclusive camp for young girls, non-binary and trans youth, CRforG is a vision carried out by women in the community who wanted to carry the Rock Camp Alliance movement right here in Peterborough.

Here exists a story of a full-time working mother, breaking the boundaries of what it is to be a rock and roll musician with children, and inspiring a community of young people to rock. I’m amazed at Jill for all the tireless work she’s put into the camp, which just celebrated its ten-year anniversary.

There are so many stories here in our community of women who inspire movements and do significant work that shapes us. Working with Jill on this story reminded me of other inspirational women I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing for Arthur. Maryam Monsef came to mind, as well as Jess Grover, Kemi Akapo, Sarah McNeilly, Kate Story, and countless others I’ve been motivated by in my own personal journey to be a part of this community.

We are the Trent University and Peterborough Independent Press, and even though you may never hear about Jill Staveley or Rock Camp at main campus, the story of how a Trent alumna helped create a movement that teaches girls how to rock couldn’t get any more Trent than that.