ROMA presents $2,500 scholarship to three Trent university students

Toronto, Ontario, September 22, 2025 – Three Trent University students studying under the school’s Humanities and Social Studies umbrella received scholarships from the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Awards program September 18 at the university’s Celebration of Excellence ceremony.

ROMA Board member and Councillor for the Town of Minden Hills, Dr. Pam Sayne, was honoured to present each student with their award – a $2,500 bursary to financially support them in achieving their educational goals.

For the last five years, ROMA has funded scholarships totalling $15,000 annually at three Ontario universities – Trent University, University of Guelph, and Lakehead University. These institutions have strong connections to rural and Northern communities, Indigenous communities, and rural industries.

“The ROMA Board recognizes that supporting rural youth is one of the best investments we can make. When students from rural Ontario succeed, we all feel that success,” said ROMA Chair Christa Lowry. “This bursary helps open doors for young people to follow their career aspirations. With these smart, motivated young people leading the way, the future of rural Ontario is bright.”

This year’s Trent recipients were Mason Perkins, Destiny Lewis and Autumn Clarke.
Perkins is a fourth-year student studying a joint major in English Literature, French and Francophone Studies. She grew up in Ennismore, north of the City of Peterborough. She plans to complete her Bachelor of Education and hopes to give back to her community by teaching at a local school, building the next generation of community leaders.

A third-year student, Lewis is studying Sociology with a specialization in Social Legal Studies. The ROMA Award is the first bursary she’s ever received. Lewis grew up in rural Renfrew County and was inspired to attend Trent University by her mom, who has had a longstanding, successful career in social services.

Clarke is a third-year Gender and Social Justice major, paired with Trent’s Teacher Education Stream program. She grew up in the rural community of Madoc in Hastings County. Clarke has not only fast-tracked her program to graduate early, but she also balances her studies with being an active community volunteer and the sole caregiver for her youngest sibling.

About ROMA: 

ROMA takes pride in promoting, supporting and enhancing strong and effective rural governments. About 270 of Ontario's 444 municipalities have populations of less than 10,000, while scores more are rural in character. The rural arm of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, ROMA advocates for policies and programs that will help build thriving rural Ontario communities.

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For more information contact: 
Megan Abraham, ROMA Media Contact
613-922-0293
abraham@redbrick.ca