A heartfelt tribute to a long-serving employee and alumnus, whose legacy continues to inspire
Pauline Mills '93 (Julian Blackburn College), who was an employee at Trent University for 43 years and became an alumnus in 2006, is being honoured by her brother with a carving in her memory.
David Mills, artist and Ms. Mills' brother, created the carving, which features a paddle and paddle lock made with various types of wood, including a piece of monkey puzzle tree that grew on Ms. Mills' property.
"I felt like I wanted to do something for her," said Mr. Mills. "This carving is a part of me, and I want people to remember Pauline."
The Trent Athletics Centre hosted a small gathering of Ms. Mills' family, friends, and co-workers on Thursday for the presentation of the carving.
While remembering Ms. Mills, Paul Wilson, the University's founding athletics director, looked back on his time working with her. "I always say that the staff here are the heartbeat of Trent University," said Wilson. "Pauline epitomizes that sentiment. I cannot recall one employee in my time here that was so kind and so well-liked by everyone she encountered."
Ms. Mills started working at the University in 1965 at the age of 17 as a clerk in the Engineers department. She then worked in the Finance department before taking on the role of administrative assistant to the director of Athletics in 1998, a position she held until her retirement.
Throughout her time at Trent, Ms. Mills acted as a note-taker for hearing-impaired students. After attending classes as a note-taker, she decided to pursue her own education, enrolling in part-time classes in 1993. Ms. Mills graduated with a B.A in Indigenous Studies in 2006.
Ms. Mills' legacy of kindness, dedication and curiosity lives on after she lost her battle with cancer in 2019.
"She was an important part of the Trent Excalibur family and in building the strong foundation that we have today," said Leslie Spooner, interim director, Trent Athletics. "We will display this beautiful wooden carving with great pride and remembrance of Pauline for years to come."
The carving honouring Ms. Mills will be on permanent display at the Trent Athletics Centre, reminding visitors of her commitment to Trent University.
