Scott Sinclair ’80 – Volunteer Profile
With parents who set an excellent example by volunteering within their community, it is no surprise that Scott Sinclair ’80 has followed in their footsteps.
“I guess I can say that volunteering was bred into me. It is something that has been with me through my whole life. It has always been an outlet where I could really see the outcomes of what I was doing, an opportunity to really make an impact at a personal level and give others some of the opportunities that I have had.”
Scott is particularly passionate about children’s mental health and has been involved with several charities over the years. He currently serves on the board of Strides Toronto and the Children’s Mental Health Ontario board advisory committee. He also recently started volunteering at the Bluffs Food Bank.
“I find that mental health ties all these organizations together. I hope to play a role in removing some of the barriers these people in our communities face, to create awareness around these issues. Working in children's mental health is all about enabling that future and giving these young people the opportunity to succeed.”
As an alumnus, Scott continued to support the University on an annual basis. He was also involved with the Canadian Studies department for a number of years, attending the fall retreat to Camp Wanapitei. He now serves on Trent’s Board of Governors, an opportunity, he says, that really reinvigorated his excitement to share Trent’s culture with future generations and be a part of the Trent experience again.
“I have been having fun, and with fun, I don’t just mean laughter, but fun in the sense that it is really an intense and engaging experience. I have learned so much and I truly enjoy the fascinating and diverse people I have met on the Board as well as in Trent’s senior administration. But the real reward for me has been getting to know the faculty, the staff and the students. These relationships have expanded my friendships and my professional groups and have exposed me to a much broader world of social and political activism outside of my expertise in the financial services sector. This experience has made me a broader thinker and has shown me different aspects of my own leadership skills and abilities.”
During his tenure on the Trent Board of Governors, Scott has served on the Audit and Investment, Finance and Property, Executive and Human Resource Committees. He currently chairs the Trent Lands Committee and is co-vice chair of the Board of Governors. He has been involved in several landmark projects, such as the Bata Library renovation and the construction of the first-of-its-kind Forensic Crime Scene Facility at Trent. However, three projects really stand out to Scott – the campaign for the new Trent Durham GTA residence and academic building, the approval of the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan, and, most recently, the appointment of the new vice-president, Research & Innovation.
“The Trent Durham project really stood out for me because there is an incredible opportunity for growth in Durham. At the time, I was chair of the Finance Committee and shepherded the project through the committee and the Board, which really gave me the opportunity to see it through from beginning to end. Representing the Board in the recruitment of the new VP of Research and Innovation was also an incredible experience. Seeing the diverse and highly skilled group of people from across Canada who were interested in joining Trent reaffirmed my belief that Trent is something special.”
Although his second term on the Board of Governors is coming to an end soon, Scott is excited to continue his involvement with Trent, continuing his mentorship of students and serving on the advisory committee for Trent Durham GTA.
“A lot of Trent was new to me in terms of the volunteering. It's been too much fun and too interesting to walk away and I look forward to working with dean Scott Henderson and the Trent Durham team.”