James W. Trent

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James W. Trent has been on the faculty of the UCLA department of education for more than three decades, during which time he has taught more than 150 graduate and undergraduate courses.

Trent has made a substantial impact on the education department. In addition to teaching graduate students in the division of Higher Education and Organizational Change, he has channeled his advocacy for undergraduate education into an education studies minor. Trent earned his A.B. from the University of Santa Clara in 1955 and in 1964 received his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. He has served on Academic Senate, cross-campus and UC committees, and was the recipient of the Department of Education Distinguished Teaching Award 1999-2000.

Trent has also served as a driving force behind the creation and continued success of the Educational Leadership Program, which led him to initiate two other programs, the Peer Advisor Program and UCLA's High School Advising Program.

As important as his programmatic impact on the department of education is Trent's dedication to teaching and his students. Trent is often noted for his tireless devotion to improving student writing. His accessibility to students is unparalleled. Many students have commented on how much they appreciate his willingness to meet with them outside of class or office hours, and he has even been known to hand out his home phone number to students.

“I have never seen a professor dedicate so much time and energy to the well-being of his students,” reports one Ph.D. student. “Dr. Trent would do anything in his power to help his students succeed.”

Despite a severe heart attack and bout with cancer in the past few years, Trent has remained in the classroom and office, available for his students. His sincere dedication to his students has kept him doing the thing he loves most – teaching.