Stephen Stohn ‘66, ‘15 (hon) (Champlain College) still remembers the anticipation in the room.
It was the mid-1960s at Maple Leaf Gardens. The audience shifted restlessly in anticipation. Then the lights went out.
A single spotlight snapped on, illuminating the drum kit. A roadie sprinted out and ripped away the covering. The words “The Beatles” appeared. The arena erupted.
“And that was the moment that I knew I was destined to be a rockstar,” Stephen says.
Stephen laughs when he tells the story now. He never became a rockstar. But that night did help him discover what he wanted from life: creativity, connection, and the joy that comes from pursuing something meaningful – a journey that would prove to be a long and winding road.
Reflecting on his student days, career, and time serving as Trent’s 12th Chancellor, Stephen often returns to a simple question: What gives meaning to your life?
The World Needs More Trent
When Stephen arrived at Trent in 1966, music was already at the centre of his life.
“I was in bands at Trent, but I started to realize that if I couldn’t be a rockstar – because there aren’t that many – I wanted to be in the entertainment industry,” he shares. “Working on a newspaper or starting a radio station, well, that’s media.
He helped launch Arthur, Trent’s student newspaper, and establish Trent Radio. Both remain part of campus life today.
After graduating in 1969, Stephen explored his creative ambitions. He collaborated with fellow alumni Peter Northrop ’74 (Lady Eaton College) and Christopher Ward ’67 on musical endeavours and later tried to launch Canada’s
first major feature film. The project failed just before production.
“We were devastated at the time,” he recalls. “People often remember the successes – the television shows, the awards, the cultural impact of projects like Degrassi. However, behind those milestones lies a long list of attempts
that never worked out. If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing the envelope.”
The Chancellor Who Showed Up
Returning to Trent as Chancellor gave Stephen a new way to pursue what had long guided him: meaningful work and connection.
“I mean, how much fun have I had being Chancellor? This role makes me happy.”
StephenStohn '66Trent's 12th Chancellor
During his seven-year tenure, he was a visible and engaged champion for the University, bringing his distinctive, or, as he would say, “nerdy” touch to Trent’s campuses and communities. He attended campus events, joined academic discussions, and represented Trent at alumni gatherings.
Wherever he was, the approach was consistent: show up, be present, and connect. That spirit was most visible at convocation, where he ensured every graduate felt seen, often lingering for a conversation or photo.
“There’s no question that every student who crosses that stage during convocation is a special moment,” he says. “As Chancellor, I can look each of them in the eye, call them by name, and have a quick conversation.”
By the end of his term, Stephen estimates he will have shared nearly 20,000 of those celebratory moments. “That’s what a chancellor, to me, is there for.”
The World Needs More Trent
For Stephen, the question of finding meaning is increasingly practical, and universities have a fundamental role to play.
In his installation address, he introduced a theme that would define his term: A New Hope, a reference to Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
“That is how I think of you, of us, a small group of rebels whose mission is to save the world, if not the universe. Let us all always remember what our job really is: saving the world, being a new hope.”
For him, that message is more relevant now than ever before. Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly, with systems that may begin to resemble human reasoning. The transformation will bring real challenges, including misinformation and disruption to work. Yet Stephen believes the bigger story is one of possibility.
“AI has the potential to solve major global challenges,” he explains. “But it will require a shift in how we define success.”
Trent’s growing work and new AI programs, he says, are critical to addressing misinformation and broader questions of meaning and happiness. Its multidisciplinary model remains its strength, giving graduates what he calls Trent’s “secret sauce”: adaptability, flexibility, and compassion.
“The only thing we can be certain of is that things are going to change," he says. "And so, when I say the world needs more Trent, that is truer now than ever.”
