Archives: Alumni Success Stories

–By Christy Wolff ’10

Born in Liberia, Tornu Prynce ‘11 moved to the United States with his family in 2001. With the move came culture shock — something Tornu appreciated, because it allowed him to learn alongside people who were different, all while showing Christ’s love to those he met. These formative years helped Tornu solidify his desire to attend a Christian college.

Tornu grew up in a home that valued education above all else. Television was only allowed on the weekends, and Tornu would spend his time watching Will Smith, which inspired him to pursue acting. His parents supported their son’s dream by enrolling him in acting school. By sophomore year of high school, Tornu had landed his first acting agency and appeared in a Walmart commercial. He continued to act throughout high school in commercial and print work and signing with a modeling agency.

When Tornu enrolled at Trinity, he desired to pursue a psychology degree — a seed that was planted during a high school psychology class.

Looking back on his experience in the psychology program, one professor in particular stands out as a positive influence. “Dr. Mary Lynn Colosimo [professor of psychology emeritus] played such a pivotal role in my life and continues to do so. She listened to me as a student and was extremely encouraging throughout my classes,” Tornu said.

Through the guidance of his professors, Tornu went on to receive his master’s degree in psychology. “I felt so prepared by Trinity to go to grad school,” Tornu said.

During grad school, Tornu interned at Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, where he focused on breaking isolation among those who are growing older alone by establishing intentional community. This transitioned into a full-time job as program coordinator, which is the role he still fills today.

Tornu’s friend and fellow Trinity alum, Osvaldo Montelongo ‘11, shared Tornu’s passion for helping and advocating for older adults. Osvaldo created Connect Care Hero – an app that digitizes everything surrounding senior care. Staff at retirement homes use the app to show family members exactly what their loved one is doing throughout the day, providing open communication lines. “This allows you to engage with your loved ones, especially if you don’t live nearby,” Tornu explained.

Tornu serves as the chief marketing officer. He has been able to merge his psychology degree and past experience with his role as he supports Osvaldo in his business venture.

In the midst of this work, Tornu co-hosts a Chicago-based television show where he interviews both musicians and politicians alike and uses his platform to uplift viewers. He also started his own digital program called “Friends in the Spotlight,” which features people from diverse backgrounds making a difference in their communities.

As shown through his partnership with Osvaldo, Trinity provided Tornu space for friendships to form. “The friends that I currently have are my business partners and are relationships that started at Trinity,” Tornu said. “I’ll forever be grateful for these Christ-centered relationships.”

Trinity also aided in Tornu’s spiritual formation, challenging him to live in Christian community and stand firm in his beliefs. Tornu shared, “I walked away from Trinity having a clear sense of who I was in relationship to the cross and to myself.”

–By Aubrey Weedman ‘21

A 2018 graduate of Trinity’s Counseling Psychology master’s program, Aneesha Perkins is passionate about helping others become whole and find healing through therapy. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

A native of the Chicagoland area, Perkins graduated from Hampton University, an historically black university in Hampton, Va., in 2007 with degrees in journalism and business. Back home in Illinois, she began a career in sales and interned and worked for places such as Johnson Publishing Co., the Chicago White Sox, W.W. Grainger, and IBM. However, she was looking to transition from her sales career into a completely different field. “Awhile back, I knew I wanted to be a therapist but felt discouraged about starting all over in a new field. One day, I was driving and heard an advertisement about Trinity’s Masters of Counseling program,” she said. “Automatically, I thought ‘This is exactly what I am supposed to be doing.’” Perkins talked with several friends who were Trinity alumni. “They had nothing but great things to say about their experience at Trinity, so I knew it would be the right place for me.”

Perkins had taken only one psychology class as an undergraduate, so entering a graduate program in psychology was a new experience. But she found support from Trinity’s professors. “They pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and encouraged me to bring my authentic self to the program. My professors challenged and pushed me to put forth my very best. They reaffirmed my desire to become a therapist and further my education,” she said. “Trinity provided a nurturing environment in which I could learn, grow, and develop into a better student and woman.”

Field placement is another an important part of a Trinity education. Perkins said that her time at Trinity was a great experience and she graduated from Trinity entering her current doctorate program feeling better prepared. “There are classes I’ve taken and walked into with a better knowledge base because of my previous courses at Trinity,” she said. “Additionally, I feel comfortable and prepared for the therapy component in my upcoming practicum because I had such great guidance by my supervisor Dr. Deb [Majewski] during my masters-level internship at Trinity.”

Along with her coursework, Perkins began her first doctoral level practicum working at a public charter school in Washington, D.C., that serves inner city youth. Her responsibilities include administering psychological assessments and writing comprehensive reports providing therapeutic interventions to best support the needs of the students.

“My education from Trinity provided a great foundation for the program I am currently in,” she said. “Even after graduating from Trinity, I still remain in contact with my professors and they continue to help and support me however they can. Their support and care played an important role in how I view the world of psychology and my passion to be a part of the field. I am truly grateful for Trinity Christian College and its influence on my life. While graduate school is all about what you make out of it, Trinity provides great resources and tools for one to have a great and memorable experience.”

–By Christy Wolff ’10

Alan (MA ’18) and Crystal (MA ’18) Goldbergs’ career paths took an unexpected turn when their son Justin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2006 at the age of two and a half. Coming from a 15-year career in the insurance industry, Crystal said, “When we first got the news about Justin, our hopes and dreams were shattered like many other parents who receive the diagnosis. Over time, we adjusted as a family, and sought out evidence-based interventions – such as Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy – and provided him with a variety of opportunities that would help him achieve his best life.”

Desiring to extend their help for kids with special needs, Alan and Crystal both completed their master’s degrees in special education and ultimately became Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) through Trinity’s two-year program.

Associate Professor of Special Education Sara Baillie, Ed.D., and Assistant Professor of Special Education Marilyn Spalla led the couple’s cohort of 12 and taught the principles of behavior analysis through both an academic and practical lens. “They both gave us a solid behavior-based framework we still reference today,” Crystal said. Since graduating, Alan and Crystal, along with Baillie, joined a journal article group that brings BCBAs across Illinois together to review published research about their field and discuss ways to apply it to their own careers.

Starting each class at Trinity with devotions made an impact on Crystal. “This practice got you in the mindset of being a catalyst for helping others,” she shared. She found that it allowed the cohort to bond and bring out the authentic qualities in people.

Today, Alan manages the special education department at Thomas Kelly High School in Chicago, which provides services to more than 400 students with special needs. Crystal recently started her own company, Operation Empower Inc., which focuses on educational advocacy and behavior consulting for families with children with special needs. She also serves as an advocate for families in schools by connecting home programming with the practices in use in school.

According to Crystal, “This experience has made us stronger as a couple, and we strive to continue to provide Justin with as many opportunities as possible so that he can lead a full and more independent life. If we didn’t experience this ourselves, I never would have been exposed to this field, but it happened for a reason – and that’s for us to give back and help others.”

For Kimberly Mueller ’19, the support of her husband and her faith in God helped her achieve her goal of graduating from Trinity’s Adult Programs with a bachelor’s degree in art education on Dec. 14 and beginning a teaching job at Stony Creek Elementary School in District 126 in Alsip, Ill.

While it was challenging to balance family life, student teaching, homework, and the requirements of passing the Teacher Performance Assessment EdTPA, Mueller believes it is all part of God’s plan. “I feel I am meant to be an art teacher and share my talents with my students. I am proud of how far I have come,” she said.

Mueller began Trinity’s Adult Program at Trinity in 2016. Her first student teaching placement was at Prairie Junior High School, also in District 126. “I was unsure what to expect,” she said. But she was reaffirmed by how much she loved teaching art.

For her second student teaching assignment, which took place during the fall of 2019, she was placed at Alan B. Shepard High School in Palos Heights. “My first week of high school was tough. I did not think high school was for me,” she said. “But I continued to have faith in God.”

Just like at Prairie Junior High School, Mueller’s student teaching assignment consisted of getting to know the students and staff. After observing her cooperating teacher, she began teaching herself. She found that it was very hard to say goodbye at the end of her student teaching period, she said. “I met some very talented and awesome students. I now feel comfortable teaching high school and will miss my students.”

While Mueller was at Shepard, she was also doing research and writing for the EdTPA, a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system used by teacher preparation programs to emphasize, measure and support the skills and knowledge that all teachers need in the classroom.

“As I researched and wrote my EdTPA, I asked God for help and guidance,” she said. “I finally submitted my EdTPA about a week into my second placement. It took a month to get my scores back. All of my hard work paid off! My family was proud of me.”

While at Shepard, Mueller received an email about a job teaching art in District 126 at Stony Creek. “My former principal at Prairie Junior High referred me to the principal at Stony Creek. I went in for an interview and I got the job!” she said. “I could not be happier.”

Mueller begins teaching in January. “I feel Trinity has prepared me to be an excellent teacher. This journey has been beyond difficult, but God has a plan for me,” she said.

–By Christy Wolff ’10

At Trinity, students are equipped with the skills needed to make a difference in the world by showing Christ’s love wherever God places them. Charley Boonstra ‘09 is a great example of this, applying the skills he acquired at Trinity to his position as a government attorney.

Growing up in Christian schools all his life, Boonstra had no question about enrolling in a Christian college. “I realized the value of having a Christ-centered education,” he said. And that’s where Trinity came in.

Originally interested in law enforcement, Boonstra soon changed his major to political science under the advice of former professor Charles Emmerich. “Prof. Emmerich guided me to the career I’m in today.”

Emmerich wasn’t the only faculty member to make an impact. “The faculty did a great job of giving us what we needed to succeed in our professions, but did it in a way that honored our individual worldviews while being ambassadors for Christ.”

After graduating from Trinity in 2009, Boonstra worked for a small law firm in downtown Chicago. He went on to attend Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., for law school and passed the bar exam in 2013.

Today, you will find him in the Lee County, Ill., State’s Attorney’s Office, in charge of the office of prosecutors – a recent promotion. He lives with his wife and their 3-year-old son in Dixon, Ill., a small town situated about an hour and a half west of Chicago. He has been able to take the tools he received at Trinity to impact a smaller community through his work.

Working on criminal cases all day long can be challenging, but that doesn’t slow his drive to show Christ’s love in his job. “Every day when I go to work, I don’t know what kind of case I’m going to walk into, and I think it’d be a lot harder for me if I didn’t have a foundation in Christ.” That foundation was laid when Boonstra was young and took shape during his time at Trinity, preparing him for a life of Kingdom service.

–By Christy Wolff ’10

In the sprawling city of Los Angeles, you will find Olivia Winkowitsch ‘17 fulfilling her dream of working in the film industry. Olivia’s passion to grow in her career is met with her experience and ambition to do well, and Trinity played an important role in getting her to where she is today.

During Olivia’s high school years, a middle school group from a church in Illinois traveled to her hometown in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to participate in a mission trip. After getting to know the group well, Olivia kept in contact with her new friends and was invited on another mission trip years later. Following the trip, Olivia entered herself in a video contest put on by the church. She produced a “mockumentary” about what people outside of her hometown think the locals do for fun. This evolved into a project that brought together her friends and neighbors, ultimately earning Olivia the top award. “I had never felt so alive,” Olivia said.

This was the springboard into her studies in film.

When looking at colleges, Olivia knew she wanted to be close to the church she had first formed a relationship with all those years before. After visiting 10 schools in Illinois, Olivia knew right away that Trinity was the best fit for her. “I got on Trinity’s campus and I just felt immediately at home and at peace,” she said.

Eager to learn and gain experience, Olivia enrolled in classes working toward a communication arts degree with an emphasis in film and a minor in graphic design. Dr. Craig Mattson, Professor of Communication Arts, made a strong impact on Olivia. “Dr. Mattson is a brilliant man. He teaches so well to the individual in the midst of a full class.”

During her senior year at Trinity, Olivia spent a semester with the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, which is one of Trinity’s off-campus partner programs. Trinity aided Olivia in making connections on the West Coast, which ultimately led to an internship at a small production company, where Olivia read scripts and gave her feedback on the content.

After graduation, Olivia moved back to Los Angeles and has been there ever since. She found a job managing a photo studio for an e-commerce company, and also helped produce photo and video shoots. “My degree was really helpful in my first job. I used my producing and communications side but also used the graphic design experience I earned at Trinity.”

Olivia also did freelance work for nearly a year, which included working with a production team on Levi Strauss model shoots and temping in a production office for a film that’s set to come out at the end of 2019.

Today, Olivia is the production coordinator at Percival and Associates, an entertainment advertising agency, and is part of a team that creates movie and TV posters. “This job is the perfect marriage of my degree in film, my minor in graphic design, and my internship experiences.”

Not only was Trinity helpful in equipping Olivia to be successful in her career, it also helped her deepen her personal relationship with God. “I think Trinity does a really good job of encouraging individuals’ spiritual growth instead of requiring a certain way to grow spiritually. You don’t have to be preaching to everyone to show God to people. You can love people well and be kind, generous, and gracious – that makes a huge difference.”

–By Christy Wolff ’10

Having received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Trinity, Jenna Young ’11, MA ’18 has taken what she learned in the classroom to follow God’s call in her life professionally. And with Trinity being her first Christian school experience, she clearly saw God use her professors and classmates to encourage her to make a difference in the world.

In 2011, Jenna received her B.A. in special education. From day one of class, Jenna requested to be a student teacher at Elim Christian School – a nationally recognized school for students ages 3-22 who have intellectual and/or physical disabilities. Elim is just minutes away from Trinity in Crestwood, Ill. Her strong desire to work with students with special needs motivated her to achieve her goal of having her own classroom. Not only did she intern at Elim, she also taught there for eight years following graduation.

During these formative years in Jenna’s career, Elim brought in a new profession of people, known as Board Certified Behavior Analysts (or BCBA). These leaders would come into the classroom and offer guidance on how to work with students with behavioral challenges. Unfamiliar with this profession at first, Jenna grew to love the role and decided to pursue an advanced degree. After some research, she discovered that Trinity’s was the only program in the state of Illinois to offer a master’s in Special Education: Learning Behavior Specialist II that included the course sequence so she could become a BCBA.

After working through the two-year program, which included being observed during a 1,500-hour period, Jenna received her certification in 2018. Dr. Sara Baillie, Associate Professor of Special Education, not only taught Jenna in the classroom, but was also Jenna’s supervisor. “I felt extremely fortunate that part of Trinity’s curriculum – to no expense outside of my tuition – included my professor coming to see me in the workplace to give me corrective feedback,” Jenna said.

Today, Jenna is stretching herself professionally by working with a different group of clients: adults with mental health issues. “I work on decreasing their physical aggression and elopement behaviors and increasing the behaviors we want to see more of like cooperation, staying on task, and asking clarifying questions.”

In the midst of Jenna’s schooling, she and her husband walked through the journey of adoption. In God’s perfect timing, Jenna and her husband received the call that they had been matched with a child in China the same weekend she graduated with her master’s degree. “It was so special to be able to celebrate with our families on the same day as graduation.” They were blessed to take their son home in February 2019.

Feeling supported by Trinity faculty made a lasting impact. “My professors saw me as an individual. They would ask for adoption updates and they would initiate conversations and questions. I knew they were truly praying for the adoption process to go smoothly.”

Through each of her Trinity experiences, Jenna is able to clearly see how God shaped her to be an effective leader. “You are who God says you are; He will use you in your calling.” The world needs more incredible leaders like Jenna, and Trinity is proud to play a small part in helping her prepare to make an impact.

–By Christy Wolff ’10

Valeria Gonzalez graduated with honors from the adult studies program at Trinity in May 2019. Getting to this point wasn’t easy, but with the support of her husband and her unwavering faith in God, Valeria set goals for herself and did whatever it took to meet those goals. 

After Valeria’s freshman year at Roosevelt University in Chicago, her family decided to move to Texas, putting Valeria’s schooling on hold. During this time, Valeria’s grandfather passed away, and her family made the decision to move back to their hometown of Chicago. Moving back and forth in a short span of time made it difficult to complete her degree – something Valeria desired to do. 

Two years later, Valeria received her associate’s degree from Malcolm X College in Chicago, and she knew she wanted to continue learning. At the same time, Valeria felt her relationship with God was deepening. “I wanted to do something where I felt I would continue to grow with God,” Valeria says. 

Seeking an evening program that would be more convenient for her schedule, Valeria inquired about the adult studies program at Trinity, and a representative contacted her in just a few days. Receiving this kind of timely and personal support helped Valeria realize that Trinity was the right decision. “God was opening doors for me and making this as easy as possible.” 

Valeria enrolled and began taking classes, but she was still unsure about how she would fit in with her classmates and whether she could graduate. She soon learned that the other 12 students in her program all had families, full-time jobs, homes to take care of, and — most importantly — each student had the common goal of receiving their degree, despite the different life events that had brought them together at Trinity. Knowing she was not alone and seeing others in a similar place provided an affirming strength and encouragement that would be needed as she worked to finish what she started years ago. 

“I remember a specific night in the middle of the program where I was so frustrated and stressed about my schoolwork. I was ready to quit. But then my husband read a letter to me from Pres. Kurt Dykstra notifying me that I made the Dean’s List. It was these little moments that God placed in my life that helped me continue,” she recalls. 

With just four classes left in her program, Valeria and her husband welcomed their daughter into their family. But determined to succeed, Valeria only missed one class during that semester – the day she gave birth. By the following week, she was back in the classroom and went on to finish her degree. 

Today, Valeria is entering her fifth year of mentoring young girls in her church. She recently took on the role of coordinating the entire program, and still has the flexibility to teach the girls firsthand. Valeria pulls directly from what she was taught at Trinity to create a customized curriculum for these girls. 

The first in her immediate family to get a degree, Valeria wanted to make her mother proud and show her that the sacrifices she made to provide for Valeria were appreciated. “I’m proud to be a part of Trinity to show others that adults can do it!” she says. 

With a graduate degree from Trinity, Erin Miller ’17 is working to make a difference in the lives of students and their families in Chicago Public Schools. Miller, who advanced her career with CPS by completing Trinity’s Behavior Intervention Specialist program, was recently promoted to Manager of Specialized Behavioral Support and Strategy for the country’s third-largest school system.

In her role, Miller oversees a highly sought after team of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBAs), and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs). The team assists teachers, students, and families in providing appropriate educational, behavioral, environmental, and social skills support for students who are diagnosed with disabilities and experiencing challenging behavior in the school setting.

Studying applied behavior analysis (ABA) at Trinity has translated to real improvements in the lives of students, she said. “The impact has been amazing,” she said. “Watching a student go from engaging in extremely challenging behavior to being an active participant in their classroom and thriving behaviorally and academically is definitely the most rewarding part of the job.”

ABA, a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior, helps to understand how behavior works, how it is affected by the environment, and how learning takes place. The goal of ABA is to implement strategies that lead to behavior change, an increasingly important and in-demand field today and the focus of Trinity’s Master of Arts in Special Education Behavior Intervention Specialist program.

In her new role, Miller oversees day-to-day operations, receives and prioritizes behavioral requests, assigns cases, provides ongoing supervision to all team members, directs professional development, and collaborates with other departments. She also manages her own caseload of behavior requests and requests for school-based supports.

Prior to her promotion, Miller worked as a Coordinator and District Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) for the Autism and Behavioral Health Support Team with CPS and taught special education for seven years. She earned her undergraduate degrees in Special Education and Therapeutic Recreation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

“I loved being a teacher,” said Miller. “I spent a lot of time crafting the lessons and interventions for my students, but I was limited in my capacity. In this role at CPS, we are able to support hundreds of students, staff, and families each year.”

And the science of behavior is applicable to anyone, of any age, in any field, said Miller. “My husband, who work in sales, has used the principles of ABA to increase sales, productivity, and motivation in the business world, and even completed a certificate in Organizational Behavior Management, a branch of ABA,” she said.

This article originally appeared on pp 20-21 of the 2019 issue of Trinity magazine. Didn’t get your copy of Trinity magazine? Let us know! You can update your contact information here.

–By Christy Wolff ’10

When Josh DeJong ‘14, was in high school, his desire to dig his roots deeper into his faith began to grow significantly. His Christian Reformed background helped lay the foundation for his faith, but he wanted to learn what it meant to be a Christian living in the world and not of the world – and that’s exactly what led him to Trinity. 

 Josh said, “Trinity was a stepping stone of what it means to be a Christian in the world, not just praying and going to church, but having those values in every aspect of your life.” 

 Receiving a double major in biology and chemistry, Josh had plenty of learning opportunities at Trinity. “I never had an experience where I went to talk to a professor and their door wasn’t wide open.” Midway through his time at Trinity, Josh partnered with Dr. Bob Boomsma, Professor of Biology and Chair of Sciences, to study how stem cells differentially secrete proteins after a heart attack for a protective effect on the heart. One year after Josh graduated, this study was published in the International Journal of Cellular Biology. 

 Outside of the classroom, Josh was the president of student activities, involved in Trinity’s weekly praise and worship service, held the role of Resident Assistant, and started a drum circle on campus. 

 With Trinity being just a short drive from downtown Chicago, Josh was afforded numerous educational opportunities he might not have received elsewhere. After graduation, he conducted research at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, and then moved to Wisconsin with his wife, Katie, where he did research at the Blood Center of Wisconsin. He is currently in his final year at the Medical College of Wisconsin and is in the process of applying for pediatric residency. Josh has his heart set on pediatric hematology oncology – working alongside kids with blood disorders and cancer. 

 Earlier this summer, Josh was inaugurated into the Gold Humanism Honor Society – a peer-nominated society for medical students who are recognized for exceptional leadership, mentorship, and patient care. He was one of 25 students (out of the 250 in his program) who was elected into this society. 

 Reflecting on his time at Trinity, Josh pointed to the value of the Christian liberal arts education he received. “This type of education showed me the basics to approaching different aspects of society…and how to celebrate those while maintaining my own beliefs and my own Christian worldview and what the Bible has to say about it. You gain an understanding and appreciation for a lot more than what’s in the textbooks – and this is the basis to take you into the world.” 

PHOTO CAPTION: Organs provided by the Anatomical Gift Registry at the Medical College of Wisconsin.