Dr. Scott Henderson, Trent Durham's new vice-president, is connecting with students over a cup of coffee at the Cork and Bean, across the street from the Trent's Advanced Learning Centre.
President Leo Groarke is pleased to announce the interim appointment of Dr. Scott Henderson as the inaugural vice-president of Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area (GTA), effective July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.
"Dr. Henderson's appointment as interim vice-president signals another milestone in the history and development of the Trent University Durham campus," said President Groarke. "Scott is a passionate champion for Durham, Oshawa, and our growing campus in the Greater Toronto Area. I look forward to his leadership in this new role."
The new role, approved by the Board of Governors earlier this month and a recommendation of the Trent Durham Task Force, will allow for greater integration of Durham decision-making with the goals and initiatives of other vice-presidents, aiding Durham's ongoing success as the campus continues to expand. As the University conducts a formal search for the vice-president of Trent Durham, Dr. Scott Henderson will serve in the interim role, overseeing all campus operations, address local needs, and maintain relationships with the Durham community and government.
"The Durham campus has experienced incredible growth in the past five years," said Dr. Henderson. "It is important that the University enhance services and supports for students while making sure that our programming aligns with community needs. I am happy to serve as interim vice-president where I can work with the entire Trent team to continue to make Durham a special place to learn and work."
Dr. Henderson has held the role of current dean and head of Trent Durham since 2019, leading all academic, administrative, and external activities as the senior academic and administrative officer of the campus.
Over the last five years as dean and head, Dr. Henderson has overseen tremendous enrolment growth and campus expansion, as Trent Durham has added a new residence and academic building on the Thornton Road campus and celebrated the opening of the Advanced Learning Centre in downtown Oshawa. He has also led the development of new programs including Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Communications, and innovative postgraduate certificates, such as the new certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence.
Before joining Trent Durham, Dr. Henderson was the chair of Senate at Brock University and served as the head of the department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film. A distinguished alumnus of Trent University ('88) with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English and History, Dr. Henderson also holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Arts degree in Film Studies from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. A renowned pop culture expert, his research explores music and locality, youth culture, popular culture and identity, British cinema and popular culture, and Canadian popular culture.
