Provost’s Message to the Trinity Community
Wintry view of 杏吧原创 from Hoskin Avenue.
Dear Members of the Trinity Community:
As the fall term comes to a close, I want to take a moment to extend my warmest wishes to each of you.
I am continually impressed with your individual and collective commitment, creativity and resiliency. To our students: you are the heart of Trinity and your hard work, both in and out of the classroom, truly reflects what we value here as a community. To our faculty: thank you for your teaching excellence and ongoing mentorship. To our staff: your behind-the-scenes efforts make all that we do possible and more. And to our alumni: thank you for inspiring students and the many ways you continue to give back to support the College.
The last four months have been remarkably busy. We celebrated major college anniversaries, hosted intellectual conversations and collaborative academic initiatives, launched new programs, created occasions to build community, and marked many accomplishments, all while keeping students 鈥� and the student experience 鈥� at the core of our educational work. Please take a moment to view a snapshot of the semester, along with recognizing members of the community for their notable achievements.
You can also read stories of our extraordinary history, remarkable present and promising future in the latest . And as we reflect on a successful 2025, we look forward to a transformational year ahead with the opening of the Lawson Centre for Sustainability, which will be a hub for learning, research and activity on sustainability and in experiential learning in food systems at U of T. In the new year, we will share details about the grand opening plans for our new state-of-the-art building and the new opportunities it brings to students and the community.
We will also share our new Strategic Plan in the new year. Based on wide consultation and discussion across the College community, it provides a cohesive vision and framework for how we will focus our collective energies to better position Trinity as a great place to learn, live and grow.
If I could describe this year in just one word, it would be gratitude 鈥� gratitude for the way this community comes together, and for the collective dedication that continues to inspire me every day. So, as we close out the year, let us carry forward the spirit of collaboration, hope and gratitude that defines our shared experience at Trinity. I cannot wait to see what we accomplish together in the year ahead!
Wishing you all a peaceful, joyful and restorative holiday season. I look forward to the opportunities the new year holds.
Yours truly,
Professor Nicholas Terpstra
Provost & Vice-Chancellor
Fall 2025 at 杏吧原创
We have so much to celebrate as a community. Below is a snapshot of the Trinity community and campus life for the fall 2025 term, along accomplishments achieved by students, faculty, staff and alumni.
ORIENTATION & SEPTEMBER 2025
At 杏吧原创 Matriculation Convocation, we formally admitted our incoming first-year students (top row, left & centre) to the College and conferred an honorary degree upon Trinity alum Fen Osler Hampson (right column). Following the ceremony, the community returned to the College for a celebratory reception (lower row, left & centre). .
罢谤颈苍颈迟测鈥檚 Orientation 2025: Welcome ceremony for incoming first-year Arts & Science students (left). New and returning Divinity students and staff gather for (Re)Orientation (right).
Introducing Trinity’s 2025-2026 and .
Group photo of the 杏吧原创 Chapel Choir 2025-2026 after the first 杏吧原创 Choral Evensong of the fall term. The Chapel Choir performs weekly on Wednesday at Evensong service in the Trinity Chapel.
At the launch of the Trinity Alumni Career Mentorship Program for students (left). Celebrating the start of Trinity students鈥� final year at the Graduating Student Reception and Social (right).
Building community 鈥� we had a ball cheering on the home team! Thanks to Trinity students, staff, faculty and alumni for joining us at the Trinity Blue Jays Night 2025.
Book Launch for the Coutts Diaries: Power, Politics and Pierre Trudeau 1973-1981 鈥� a compelling new book by award-winning author and journalist Ron Graham. The event was the culmination of , researching the private diaries of Jim Coutts.
The Rev. Paige Souter was installed as 罢谤颈苍颈迟测鈥檚 new Humphrys Chaplain. and read .
At Residence House Dinners, we welcomed students to their Trinity residence community (left). The first Pizza with the Provost event for the new school year, featuring Dr. Kieran Murphy (right). Pizza with the Provost is a unique and intimate gathering that welcomes Trinity students to the Provost鈥檚 Lodge for an enriching educational and social experience.
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Trinity Reads campaign kicked off with a Reading Party in the Trinity Chapel. Trinity Reads is a new campus-wide initiative that encourages students, staff, faculty and alumni to read outside the classroom and engage with contemporary Canadian stories as a catalyst for conversation and connection. This year鈥檚 campaign asks readers to engage with titles that help us reimagine our relationship to the land.
Connecting with Trinity alumni abroad: Provost Nicholas Terpstra connected with Trinity alumni while he was in London (UK). Over brunch, they had a warm and wide-ranging discussion of Trinity’s past, present and future. (Photo by alum Priya Kalia)
Students from the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program visited The New Farm to learn sustainability first-hand! 鈥淚t was truly a memorable day: a chance to step out of the city, see firsthand how people are working to fight climate change.鈥� 鈥� Dario Reyes Ruiz, Trinity One Policy, Philosophy, & Economics Senior Mentor
OCTOBER 2025
As part of the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, former Provost Professor Margaret MacMillan delivered the lecture 鈥淲hy Alliances Matter” (). Through a generous gift from Trinity alumni Anne and John Witt, Trinity established a visitorship in civil discourse in the Trinity One program; and the creation of the Witt Initiative on Civil Discourse was announced at the event.
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Celebrating 100 Years on Hoskin Avenue: History in the making! The Trinity community gathered to recreate a historic photo taken 100 years ago during the building’s official opening ceremony (). Learn more about Trinity’s storied past: visit Hoskin at 100 webpage and .
Hoskin at 100 celebrations continued with a special event to honour the incredible dedication of our volunteers! Photos: (top row) Prior to the reception, we recreated this 1925 photo; and (lower row) celebrating with our volunteers. .
At the reception, we also marked the lighting of the lantern in the bell tower over the main entrance of 杏吧原创 (left: view from the Quad). The tower now illuminates the night鈥檚 sky thanks to the support of Trinity alum Peter Chung who funded the lantern鈥檚 restoration. As part of the College’s commemorative events to mark 100 years on Hoskin Avenue, we held a 100th Anniversary High Table Dinner to celebrate with students, supported by St. Hilda’s Board of Trustees and 杏吧原创 Meeting (right).
Enjoying the fall weather: Professor John Duncan took his Ethics, Society & Law class outdoors (left)鈥� although the move to the Quidditch pitch was a result of a false fire alarm! Students made meaningful connections at the first Commuter & Alumni Lunch of the fall term (right).
Trinity College Dramatic Society performed The Taming of the Shew in the Quad. Did you know: Trinity used to host one of Canada’s largest outdoor Shakespeare festivals! In the summers from 1949 to听1959, the Earle Grey Players Shakespeare Festival was performed in the Quad. The TCDS continues the thespian tradition by performing Shakespeare in the Quad each fall in the Quad! (Photo by TCDS)
Students, faculty, and staff from the Ethics, Society & Law, Margaret MacMillan Trinity One and International Relations programs and the Faculty of Divinity attended an inspiring talk by Trinity Associate and U of T Law Professor Douglas Sanderson (left) entitled 鈥淲ampum Diplomacy in the Early and Middle Encounter Period.鈥� The Survivors鈥� Flags were raised on campus for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day to honour the Indigenous lives and communities impacted by the residential school system (photo: Survivors’ Flag at the main entrance).
Enriching our intellectual community: thank you to all speakers for their inspiring and timely conversations. (Clockwise from top left): Book launch for Run Like A Girl by Catherine McKenna (Trinity’s International Relations program grad); Lecture on Humanistic Buddhism: Holding True to the Original Intents of Buddha with the Ven. Chueh Fan; 2025 Margaret MacMillan Lecture with Benjamin Carter Hett: What Can We Learn from 1933: Another Look at Rhyming History ( and Virtual book talk 鈥� Encampment: Resistance, Grace, and an Unhoused Community () by Trinity alum Maggie Helwig.
#TrinityGrad25: Congratulations to Trinity students who graduated at Fall Convocation 2025 (). After the ceremony, our newest alumni and families joined us for a reception back at the College.
The Friends of the Library’s 48th Annual Book Sale was one of the most successful sales in history, with over 5,000 visitors! The funds raised support ongoing services and operations of the John W. Graham Library and 杏吧原创 Archives. ()
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Friends of the Library, the John W. Graham Library launched a new exhibition: A Rare Friendship: A Special Collections Exhibition Celebrating the Friends at 50 Years听(left). The FOTL also partnered with the Graham Library to host the Have a Break on Us event (middle). The Graham Library held a Personal Librarian drop-in at Seeley Hall (right). Did you know that every undergraduate student at 杏吧原创 has a Personal Librarian from the Graham Library!
罢谤颈苍颈迟测鈥檚 Wellness Team and Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program joined forces to host a stressbusting, pumpkin carving and painting event. After the event, the pumpkins were displayed for the entire community to enjoy.
NOVEMBER 2025
Through a generous gift from Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto, 杏吧原创 established the Institute for Humanistic Buddhist Thought and Practice in the Faculty of Divinity. The Institute will be a hub for research, teaching, conferences and public outreach in the study of Buddhist practice and interreligious engagement.
Trinity Reads series continued with: Lunch & Learn with the author of “The Nature of Our Cities” Dr. Nadina Galle (left); inaugural Books & Brunch event featuring Trinity alum Martha Baillie and author Emma Donoghue (centre); and Climate Action Mixer for a screening of Hayao Miyazaki鈥檚 eco-masterpiece Princess Mononoke at Trinity Reads @ TIFF (right).
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Joined by students interested in sustainability and environmental practices, business and leadership, Trinity alum Jennie Coleman, president of Equifruit, was the guest at Pizza with the Provost (left). The inaugural Trinity Minds on Hot Topics 鈥� Using AI Responsibly examined opportunities and ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence (right). The new public lecture series is designed to spark meaningful conversations on timely and pressing issues.
罢谤颈苍颈迟测鈥檚 Academic Dons host Academic Community Dinners throughout the year, providing Trinity students the opportunity to meet faculty and alumni while engaging in discussions outside of the classroom. Events held in November included dinners in the Education, Philosophy and Law fields (left to right).
As part of the 70th Anniversary of the Chapel celebrations, we held a symposium on 鈥淪ustaining Hope and Seeking Justice in Challenging Times鈥� in relation to a Faculty of Divinity Special Convocation, held a conference on 鈥淪acred Space: Conflicts and Convergences鈥� together with a Special Concert & Anniversary Choral Evensong and the 2025 Larkin-Stuart Lecture. Consecrated on November 20, 1955, the Chapel remains the spiritual and communal heart of the College 鈥� read about the .
Led by Bishop Michael Curry, former Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and Archbishop Linda Nicholls, former Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, the symposium on November 18 included a panel of other prominent leaders from the Jewish and Buddhist communities.
Later that day, we held a (lower) where four Faculty of Divinity students graduated (top row left) and we honoured graduates from the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 (years when ceremonies were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Chancellor Brian Lawson conferred an honorary degree upon The Right Rev. Michael Curry and The Most Rev. Linda Nicholls (top row right) in recognition for their leadership in the church. .
The 杏吧原创 Chapel is one of the last significant examples of historicist Gothic revival architecture from the 20th century. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Chapel, the Faculty of Divinity hosted an interdisciplinary conference on the theme Sacred Space: Conflicts and Convergences. Scholars and the wider Trinity community explored the multifaceted concept of sacred space and its role in contemporary society. The two-day conference included a campus tour, special concert and public lecture (see below), and 18 presentations thematically arranged into four sessions associated with motifs derived from four principal architectural zones of the Trinity Chapel. Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the celebrations: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council; Jackman Humanities Institute, University of Toronto; Centre for Renaissance and Reformation Studies; St. Thomas鈥檚 Anglican Church; Holy Myrrhbearers Orthodox Mission; and Art History, University of Toronto.
杏吧原创 Chapel Choir performed at the 70th Anniversary Concert (left), which included a special commissioned piece entitled 鈥淲ith the Breath of Love.鈥� Art historian and author Professor Matthew J. Milliner delivered the 2026 Larkin Stuart Lecture entitled 鈥� (right). Prof. Miliner began his lecture with a surprising architectural feature of 杏吧原创 Chapel and moved on to discuss how we might re-conceptualize sacred sites in fuller understanding of indigenous and environmental considerations.
Opening our doors: we welcomed prospective students to Trinity for Fall Campus Day on the St. George campus (left) and Faculty of Divinity Open House with guest speaker Trinity alum The Rev. Yohan Dumpala (right).
The Trinity community gathered for a special evening to celebrate the legacy of Professor Mayo Moran, Trinity’s 15th Provost (2014 to 2024). Unveiled at the event, Provost Moran鈥檚 portrait (by Canadian portrait painter Leslie Watts) has been installed in Strachan Hall.
罢谤颈苍颈迟测鈥檚 2025 Impact Report is now available: , with stories of our extraordinary history, remarkable present and promising future. John W. Graham Library & 杏吧原创 Archives provided updates on the work and projects to support their strategic plan 鈥� view the Report for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
DECEMBER 2025 & HOLIDAY EVENTS
We marked the start of the holiday season with Provost鈥檚 Holiday Reception 鈥� a chance to thank our volunteers and donors for their unwavering contributions to Trinity. .
Learning continued in early December with a lecture by The Ven. Miao Guang on 鈥淗umanistic Buddhism: The Middle Way Between Humans and Religion,鈥� hosted by the Faculty of Divinity (left). Back to festivities, at the Staff Holiday Lunch Reception, we recognized staff and faculty on their service milestones in 2025 鈥� from 5 years to an incredible 45 years of dedicated service to the College (right: those with service milestones who were able to join the luncheon).
We celebrated with the student community at the end-of-term Holiday Dinner (top row: ). At the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program鈥檚 Holiday Social, students participated in a variety of holiday-themed activities (lower left). The community hit the ice for the annual Holiday Skate Night at Varsity Arena (lower right: ).
A beautiful service 鈥� 杏吧原创 Advent Lessons and Carols was held by candlelight (top left). Music abounded at the annual Friends of the Library Holiday Party, with special performances by the John W. Graham Library鈥檚 Kate MacDonald and Billy Choi-Gekas (top right), and a quartet who sang Lady Wisdom (lower right) and a sing-along to carols (lower left), accompanied by Director of Music Thomas Bell. Did you know Lady Wisdom (a composition by John Beckwith) was performed during the opening celebrations for the Graham Library in 2000?
Making beautiful music: 杏吧原创 Chapel Choir joined the Choir of St. James Cathedral, four wonderful soloists and a fabulous orchestra to present Handel鈥檚 Messiah ().
Photo credits: Thank you to Trinity staff, faculty and students for sharing your photos, including: Jasmin Guest, Andrea Herrmann, Cleofe Kruetzmann, Cameron McBurney, Geoffrey Ready, Gabriela Pinho and Braeden Szucs, along with Academic Dons, Dean of Students Office, Development & Alumni Affairs Office, Faculty of Divinity, John W. Graham Library, Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program, 杏吧原创 Chapel Choir and Trinity Reads team members. Photo credits also to Dhoui Chang and Horst Herget.
Congratulations to Members of the Trinity Community: Fall 2025
- Trinity student Chloe Quine is among
- Trinity student Adam MacNeil 鈥� appointed Trinity’s Bevan Organ Scholar 2025-2026
- Recent Trinity graduate Ni帽o Jan Pol Dosdos brings pride to Canada and Philippines as
- Trinity alum Patrick Quinton-Brown 鈥� recipient of the for “Intervention before Interventionism”
- Trinity alum Zeus Eden is among three Canadians to receive the
- Associate of the College Prof. Al谩n Aspuru-Guzik 鈥� named and
- Trinity’s 2025 Lester B. Pearson International Scholars 鈥� Diego Jose Figarella and Ayushman Gupta
- The Rev. Prof. Christopher Brittain, Dean of Divinity & Margaret E. Fleck Chair in Anglican Studies,
- Alum The Rev. Maggie Helwig wins the for her novel Encampment
- 罢谤颈苍颈迟测鈥檚 H茅l猫ne Emorine, Despina Giagas, David Hughes, Mesai James & Charles Pick 鈥� recipients of the 2025 Chancellor William C. Graham Awards
- Chancellor Brian and Joannah Lawson recognized for their philanthropic gifts to the university in
- Trinity alum Mark Ang, co-founder of GoBolt, named
- Trinity student Alice Ferguson-O鈥橞rien named 2026 Rhodes Scholar
- Trinity alum Jennie Coleman and Joanna Dafoe are among
- Fellow Professor Mark Taylor is among recipients of the
- Trinity alum Randall Baran-Chong, Heather Gibson, Stanley Ho, Hilary Pearson, Richard D. Phillips, Steven & Pam Popoff and Almos Tassonyi 鈥� recipients of 2025 U of T Arbor Awards
Mecanoo Architecten, Trinity’s design architects for the Lawson Centre for Sustainability, was named a North American , a prestigious international architectural award! and view our progress here. The Lawson Centre has also been named by ArchDaily as !
Do you know of a member of the Trinity community who achieved a notable accomplishment this fall term? Please email trinity.newsletter@utoronto.ca.