Leo Groarke

Dr. Leo Groarke, was installed as the eighth President and Vice-Chancellor of Trent University in 2014 and was reappointed for a second term in 2019. During his presidency, Dr. Groarke has fortified the University’s budget, overseeing the University’s coming of age in its 50th anniversary year and leading it to six consecutive years of enrolment growth, balanced budgets and a groundbreaking inaugural debenture and A bond rating. He introduced responsibility centred management at the University and has led institutional reviews to revitalize Recruitment, Internationalization, Student Success and Retention, Research, Career Services, and the Colleges. As President of Trent, Dr. Groarke has overseen extensive developments on the Peterborough Campus including the construction of the award-winning Student Centre; a widely-acclaimed renovation of the architecturally-significant Bata Library to a library of the future; infrastructure toward the creation of University’s environmentally-focused research park, Cleantech Commons; and a new ball diamond and playing field. He has ensured the growth and expansion of Trent’s Durham campus in the Greater Toronto Area with a new residence and academic building and expansion of land holdings for future development. Dr. Leo Groarke was born in London, England. His family immigrated to Canada when he was three and grew up in Western Canada, on a reserve close to Fort St. John; in Edmonton; and in Calgary. He has five children – Scott, Jazz, Katie, Jessie, Natalie – who have, in the great majority of respects, turned out quite well.