Trent Alumnus Continues his Trent Journey of Discovery as Alumni Judge

Trent aligned Ken Maley’s ’83 life and career, now he supports current students in gaining critical thinking and communications skills that will set them up for success

July 22, 2022

Trent University set Ken Maley on a path that defined his career and life – it is where he met his best friend (his wife) and fostered a love for Peterborough, where he settled, raised his family and built an illustrious career in the geochemistry field. Now, as an alumni judge in several student competitions, Ken is not only supporting current students in gaining valuable skills, but also continuing his own quest for continued learning.

“I’ve had a great career and now I can give back – Trent put me on a path for the rest of my life and I appreciate that. I find these opportunities intellectually stimulating, which is something I miss from work,” says Ken, who retired from SGS Canada in 2019. “In the last few years of my career, I worked really long hours and held quite a bit of responsibility. And although it was grueling it was also stimulating and empowering. To suddenly stop doing that leaves a gap.”

After graduating from Trent with a joint degree in Biology and Environmental and Resource Science, Ken spent the next 30+ years progressing through various technical and supervisory roles in Lakefield Research, which later became SGS Canada. He worked in the commercial analytical testing environment and later became Geochemistry Business Manager for SGS Canada. He also served stints as Lakefield Site Manager and Director of Minerals Analytical Operations before his retirement.

Ken has served as an alumni judge for business case studies, Indigenous Studies class projects and the popular 3-Minute Paper competition and sees it as a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with his alma mater and to apply the knowledge and skills he has gained over the years.

“I enjoy the opportunity to adjudicate these student competitions. You have to be impartial and effectively assess each presentation based on the set criteria and apply these fairly. It allows you to think critically and learn from the material being presented. I find these competitions and new teaching methods quite fascinating and effective.”

As Ken reflects on his own time at Trent, he shares many fond memories of his time living in Otonabee College, which he describes as “was very inclusive, laidback and fun”, with student dons and faculty offering support and mentorship when needed. He believes that the critical thinking and writing skills that were instilled into him as a student, served him well during his career.

“I spent the first two years living in residence at Otonabee College and made a lot of good friends, one of whom I moved in with for the rest of my life. There were always extracurricular activities, intramural sports, and things to do. We really had a lot of fun. I think that college experience is such an important part of your early-stage experience.”

These days, Ken applies his academic background in quite a different way… as an amateur winemaker! He recently joined the board of Amateur Winemakers of Ontario (AWO) as its vice-president and, together with his fellow board members, will work towards reinvigorating the organization. AWO is the coordinating body for amateur winemakers in the province and is dedicated to education in the art and science of home winemaking. In fact, their annual competition is the largest amateur wine competition in Canada.

As more in-person events and competitions return to Trent, Ken looks forward to more opportunities to engage with the Trent community.