OPUS 2023

OPUS, Trinity’s celebration of Christian scholarship, is a long-standing and rich tradition at the College. Despite the passing years, OPUS has remained true to its origins. “The very first year that this academic celebration launched was seen as an experiment, and the community was delighted to see that the experiment was proven successful,” said Dr. Sharron Robbert, Ph.D., professor of mathematics.

The origins of OPUS stretch back more than 30 years:

1983—Professor of Art and Design John Bakker renames the annual student art competition “OPUS.” “Even though the term ‘OPUS’ is typically associated with music I liked the fact that it is Latin for ‘work’,” Bakker recalled. “So the annual art show became OPUS.”

Early 1990s—The Student Association requests that other arts be included in the annual OPUS event, and the request is granted.

1998—Bakker and Professor of English Michael Vander Weele ’73, Ph.D., lay the groundwork for including writing in OPUS.

1999—With the support of then-Dean of Academic Services Dr. Burt Rozema and the Professional Services Committee, OPUS expands to become a campus-wide academic festival.

2019—Trinity celebrates the 20th anniversary of OPUS

2020—Trinity celebrates OPUS in an all online format to acknowledge the work of its students even during a global pandemic.

“Moving forward, our vision is to build OPUS into a celebration that is not limited to the on-campus Trinity community,” said Robbert. “We love to extend this opportunity to off-campus members, including prospective students and alumni. We hope this enriching celebration will only continue to grow and be enjoyed by many for years to come.”