Initiative Category: Education
Welcome to the first ever edition of Trinity’s Education Department Newsletter. We are excited about this debut and thankful to the faculty and staff who made this possible.
So where should I start?
Serving with Excellence in Education, that’s where! This phrase should sound familiar to you; it is our department motto after all. Serving God and others is one of the most important principles of the Christian faith, and it is a tenet we hold strongly to here in the Education Department at Trinity Christian College. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” This statement helped early church Christians know how to live both individually and collectively in a way that would glorify God. That’s what we are all about! Is this going to be easy? No way! But I guarantee it is going to be rewarding for you and for all of us together. I am thankful for each of you and the role you play in this collective commitment to serving God, others, and the education profession in a spirit of excellence. What you find in this newsletter are examples of ways and instances of people who are doing just this.
Dr. Kelly Lenarz, Ed.D.
Dean of Education │ Associate Professor
Project ECHO
The Education Department team at Trinity Christian College launched Project ECHO this academic year. The team meets virtually on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 3:30pm through the month of April. Our topic for this school year is Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom. Each session begins with a short didactic and then we review a deidentified case brought to us by one of our participants. This series is designed for all school personnel interested in learning more about how to support appropriate behavior in the classroom. If interested in participating (as a student or school personnel), please contact our Echo team at echo@trnty.edu.
Next Session: March 16 │ 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
More than a dozen professionals in K-12 education (both Christian and Public) attended our first workshop of the Spring 2022 Series. Dr. Michael Dieter, Assistant Professor of Education, presented Promoting Classroom Comfort and Student Success Through Trauma Informed Practices (1 hour session).
“As educators we want what’s best for our students. It was great to be able to present to and also engage in conversation with educators who are working to ensure that all of their students are safe and successful. What happens outside of the classroom has a tremendous impact on what happens inside and the more we collaborate, especially about a topic such as trauma, the more we will best be able to meet the individual needs of students.” – Dr. Dieter
Next session: April 20 │3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Workshop III: Improving Class Discussion presented by Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, Professor of Education.
Alumni Spotlight
Meet Sarah Rodgers, a Trinity double Education alum, who is spreading her knowledge to make the world more accessible and inclusive. Sarah is also an amazing adjunct in our Education Department.
Sarah has been actively collaborating with her church on a project related to her field of expertise. “Three years ago, I co-founded the Bridging Abilities Ministry at my church. This ministry focuses on helping individuals with disabilities and their families feel welcomed and comfortable coming to church. Over the last few years, we have had quarterly events called, “Funtastic Friday,” in which the participants with special needs come to have fun with a peer pal and participate in different activities. The parents of these individuals also come and participate in a parent reception as they learn about the resources that can help serve their child and their family through the IEP process and through post-transition age funding.”
“As part of this ministry, my church decided to use their Christmas Eve offering to fund the construction of an inclusive playground on church property. This is a playground that will allow all kids to be welcomed and play together–it will be the first one in Lake County, IL!”
ADVISING DAY
March 16 9:00am
HSC014 – Lecture Hall
Traditional Education students are required to attend this Education Unit meeting to review important program requirements, student teacher processes, and licensure policies.
Sign-in between 8:45 – 9:00am.
ATTENTION ALL TRINITY EDUCATION MAJORS!
HAVE YOU BEEN FINGERPRINTED YET?
All Trinity Christian College Education majors are required to complete a fingerprint Criminal Background Check (CBC) before doing required field experience hours starting in your sophomore year. We are providing the opportunity for you to take care of this ahead of time on Trinity’s campus.
Who: Accurate Biometrics Services
What: CBC Fingerprinting
When: Wed., April 20, 2022; 10am-12pm
Where: Molenhouse Lounge
How:
- Sign up for a 5-minute time slot (Brightspace > Education Unit Home Site > Criminal Background Checks)
- Bring your filled out UCIA Accurate Biometrics Form along (Brightspace, or Pick up in the Education Office)
- Driver’s License or valid government-issued photo ID needed Cost: $30.00 – Accepts all major credit cards (Sorry, no cash or personal checks accepted.
Are you looking for a Full-time, Part-time, Internship, Volunteer, or Summer Job? Take a look at our systems linked below for access to job opportunities!
Summer Volunteer Opportunity
Kirby School District 140 (Tinley Park) is seeking volunteers for their summer ESY program June 14th through July 14th 8:15-12:00, Mondays through Thursdays.
Volunteer college students will conduct intensive tutoring sessions with 1st through 7th grade students in ELA and math, under the guidance of special education teachers. Sessions would be 1 hour in length, with multiple sessions per day.
Interested students should contact Carol Jeanne O’Keefe at cokeefe@ksd140.org
Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.
Click to access Handshake
Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.
Click to access Brightspace
If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.
We’d love to hear from you.
Mar 16: Advising Day (9am Meeting for Education students)
Mar 16: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 6: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 9: North Palos School District Job Fair (10a – 1p)
April 20: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 20: Criminal Background Checks with Accurate Biometrics (Molenhouse Lounge)
April 20: TEACH Workshop III: Improving Class Discussion
Apr 25 & 26: Young Authors Festival
May 2: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception
Welcome to the first ever edition of Trinity’s Education Department Newsletter. We are excited about this debut and thankful to the faculty and staff who made this possible.
So where should I start?
Serving with Excellence in Education, that’s where! This phrase should sound familiar to you; it is our department motto after all. Serving God and others is one of the most important principles of the Christian faith, and it is a tenet we hold strongly to here in the Education Department at Trinity Christian College. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” This statement helped early church Christians know how to live both individually and collectively in a way that would glorify God. That’s what we are all about! Is this going to be easy? No way! But I guarantee it is going to be rewarding for you and for all of us together. I am thankful for each of you and the role you play in this collective commitment to serving God, others, and the education profession in a spirit of excellence. What you find in this newsletter are examples of ways and instances of people who are doing just this.
Dr. Kelly Lenarz, Ed.D.
Dean of Education │ Associate Professor
Project ECHO
The Education Department team at Trinity Christian College launched Project ECHO this academic year. The team meets virtually on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 3:30pm through the month of April. Our topic for this school year is Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom. Each session begins with a short didactic and then we review a deidentified case brought to us by one of our participants. This series is designed for all school personnel interested in learning more about how to support appropriate behavior in the classroom. If interested in participating (as a student or school personnel), please contact our Echo team at echo@trnty.edu.
Next Session: March 16 │ 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
More than a dozen professionals in K-12 education (both Christian and Public) attended our first workshop of the Spring 2022 Series. Dr. Michael Dieter, Assistant Professor of Education, presented Promoting Classroom Comfort and Student Success Through Trauma Informed Practices (1 hour session).
“As educators we want what’s best for our students. It was great to be able to present to and also engage in conversation with educators who are working to ensure that all of their students are safe and successful. What happens outside of the classroom has a tremendous impact on what happens inside and the more we collaborate, especially about a topic such as trauma, the more we will best be able to meet the individual needs of students.” – Dr. Dieter
Next session: April 20 │3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Workshop III: Improving Class Discussion presented by Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, Professor of Education.
Alumni Spotlight
Meet Sarah Rodgers, a Trinity double Education alum, who is spreading her knowledge to make the world more accessible and inclusive. Sarah is also an amazing adjunct in our Education Department.
Sarah has been actively collaborating with her church on a project related to her field of expertise. “Three years ago, I co-founded the Bridging Abilities Ministry at my church. This ministry focuses on helping individuals with disabilities and their families feel welcomed and comfortable coming to church. Over the last few years, we have had quarterly events called, “Funtastic Friday,” in which the participants with special needs come to have fun with a peer pal and participate in different activities. The parents of these individuals also come and participate in a parent reception as they learn about the resources that can help serve their child and their family through the IEP process and through post-transition age funding.”
“As part of this ministry, my church decided to use their Christmas Eve offering to fund the construction of an inclusive playground on church property. This is a playground that will allow all kids to be welcomed and play together–it will be the first one in Lake County, IL!”
ADVISING DAY
March 16 9:00am
HSC014 – Lecture Hall
Traditional Education students are required to attend this Education Unit meeting to review important program requirements, student teacher processes, and licensure policies.
Sign-in between 8:45 – 9:00am.
ATTENTION ALL TRINITY EDUCATION MAJORS!
HAVE YOU BEEN FINGERPRINTED YET?
All Trinity Christian College Education majors are required to complete a fingerprint Criminal Background Check (CBC) before doing required field experience hours starting in your sophomore year. We are providing the opportunity for you to take care of this ahead of time on Trinity’s campus.
Who: Accurate Biometrics Services
What: CBC Fingerprinting
When: Wed., April 20, 2022; 10am-12pm
Where: Molenhouse Lounge
How:
- Sign up for a 5-minute time slot (Brightspace > Education Unit Home Site > Criminal Background Checks)
- Bring your filled out UCIA Accurate Biometrics Form along (Brightspace, or Pick up in the Education Office)
- Driver’s License or valid government-issued photo ID needed Cost: $30.00 – Accepts all major credit cards (Sorry, no cash or personal checks accepted.
Are you looking for a Full-time, Part-time, Internship, Volunteer, or Summer Job? Take a look at our systems linked below for access to job opportunities!
Summer Volunteer Opportunity
Kirby School District 140 (Tinley Park) is seeking volunteers for their summer ESY program June 14th through July 14th 8:15-12:00, Mondays through Thursdays.
Volunteer college students will conduct intensive tutoring sessions with 1st through 7th grade students in ELA and math, under the guidance of special education teachers. Sessions would be 1 hour in length, with multiple sessions per day.
Interested students should contact Carol Jeanne O’Keefe at cokeefe@ksd140.org
Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.
Click to access Handshake
Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.
Click to access Brightspace
If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.
We’d love to hear from you.
Mar 16: Advising Day (9am Meeting for Education students)
Mar 16: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 6: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 9: North Palos School District Job Fair (10a – 1p)
April 20: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 20: Criminal Background Checks with Accurate Biometrics (Molenhouse Lounge)
April 20: TEACH Workshop III: Improving Class Discussion
Apr 25 & 26: Young Authors Festival
May 2: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception
Welcome to the first ever edition of Trinity’s Education Department Newsletter. We are excited about this debut and thankful to the faculty and staff who made this possible.
So where should I start?
Serving with Excellence in Education, that’s where! This phrase should sound familiar to you; it is our department motto after all. Serving God and others is one of the most important principles of the Christian faith, and it is a tenet we hold strongly to here in the Education Department at Trinity Christian College. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” This statement helped early church Christians know how to live both individually and collectively in a way that would glorify God. That’s what we are all about! Is this going to be easy? No way! But I guarantee it is going to be rewarding for you and for all of us together. I am thankful for each of you and the role you play in this collective commitment to serving God, others, and the education profession in a spirit of excellence. What you find in this newsletter are examples of ways and instances of people who are doing just this.
Dr. Kelly Lenarz, Ed.D.
Dean of Education │ Associate Professor
Project ECHO
The Education Department team at Trinity Christian College launched Project ECHO this academic year. The team meets virtually on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 3:30pm through the month of April. Our topic for this school year is Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom. Each session begins with a short didactic and then we review a deidentified case brought to us by one of our participants. This series is designed for all school personnel interested in learning more about how to support appropriate behavior in the classroom. If interested in participating (as a student or school personnel), please contact our Echo team at echo@trnty.edu.
Next Session: March 16 │ 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
More than a dozen professionals in K-12 education (both Christian and Public) attended our first workshop of the Spring 2022 Series. Dr. Michael Dieter, Assistant Professor of Education, presented Promoting Classroom Comfort and Student Success Through Trauma Informed Practices (1 hour session).
“As educators we want what’s best for our students. It was great to be able to present to and also engage in conversation with educators who are working to ensure that all of their students are safe and successful. What happens outside of the classroom has a tremendous impact on what happens inside and the more we collaborate, especially about a topic such as trauma, the more we will best be able to meet the individual needs of students.” – Dr. Dieter
Next session: April 20 │3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Workshop III: Improving Class Discussion presented by Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, Professor of Education.
Alumni Spotlight
Meet Sarah Rodgers, a Trinity double Education alum, who is spreading her knowledge to make the world more accessible and inclusive. Sarah is also an amazing adjunct in our Education Department.
Sarah has been actively collaborating with her church on a project related to her field of expertise. “Three years ago, I co-founded the Bridging Abilities Ministry at my church. This ministry focuses on helping individuals with disabilities and their families feel welcomed and comfortable coming to church. Over the last few years, we have had quarterly events called, “Funtastic Friday,” in which the participants with special needs come to have fun with a peer pal and participate in different activities. The parents of these individuals also come and participate in a parent reception as they learn about the resources that can help serve their child and their family through the IEP process and through post-transition age funding.”
“As part of this ministry, my church decided to use their Christmas Eve offering to fund the construction of an inclusive playground on church property. This is a playground that will allow all kids to be welcomed and play together–it will be the first one in Lake County, IL!”
ADVISING DAY
March 16 9:00am
HSC014 – Lecture Hall
Traditional Education students are required to attend this Education Unit meeting to review important program requirements, student teacher processes, and licensure policies.
Sign-in between 8:45 – 9:00am.
ATTENTION ALL TRINITY EDUCATION MAJORS!
HAVE YOU BEEN FINGERPRINTED YET?
All Trinity Christian College Education majors are required to complete a fingerprint Criminal Background Check (CBC) before doing required field experience hours starting in your sophomore year. We are providing the opportunity for you to take care of this ahead of time on Trinity’s campus.
Who: Accurate Biometrics Services
What: CBC Fingerprinting
When: Wed., April 20, 2022; 10am-12pm
Where: Molenhouse Lounge
How:
- Sign up for a 5-minute time slot (Brightspace > Education Unit Home Site > Criminal Background Checks)
- Bring your filled out UCIA Accurate Biometrics Form along (Brightspace, or Pick up in the Education Office)
- Driver’s License or valid government-issued photo ID needed Cost: $30.00 – Accepts all major credit cards (Sorry, no cash or personal checks accepted.
Are you looking for a Full-time, Part-time, Internship, Volunteer, or Summer Job? Take a look at our systems linked below for access to job opportunities!
Summer Volunteer Opportunity
Kirby School District 140 (Tinley Park) is seeking volunteers for their summer ESY program June 14th through July 14th 8:15-12:00, Mondays through Thursdays.
Volunteer college students will conduct intensive tutoring sessions with 1st through 7th grade students in ELA and math, under the guidance of special education teachers. Sessions would be 1 hour in length, with multiple sessions per day.
Interested students should contact Carol Jeanne O’Keefe at cokeefe@ksd140.org
Full-time Teaching and Education related positions can be found on the Handshake system.
Click to access Handshake
Part-time, full-time, internship and volunteer education related opportunities can be found on your Brightspace – Education Unit Home Site – Job Board.
Click to access Brightspace
If you have a story to tell or an opportunity to share, please email education@trnty.edu.
We’d love to hear from you.
Mar 16: Advising Day (9am Meeting for Education students)
Mar 16: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 6: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 9: North Palos School District Job Fair (10a – 1p)
April 20: ECHO: Promoting Appropriate Behavior in the Classroom
April 20: Criminal Background Checks with Accurate Biometrics (Molenhouse Lounge)
April 20: TEACH Workshop III: Improving Class Discussion
Apr 25 & 26: Young Authors Festival
May 2: Student Teacher Commissioning Reception
A Bachelor’s Degree from Trinity Christian College prepares students to flourish in their careers and vocations. And our graduates are well-prepared. According to data from Trinity’s Cooper Center for Vocation and Career Development, 97.7 percent of the graduates in the Class of 2021 are employed or in graduate school. That far surpasses the nationwide average of 82.4 percent.
Each year, Trinity seeks career outcome data from new alumni. For 2020-’21 degree conferrals, 82.1% of graduates are employed, 15.1% are enrolled in graduate school, and one is serving the United States in the military.
“We are excited to see our students successfully launch into their life after Trinity and continue to make meaningful contributions in the world,” said Director of Vocation and Career Development Jeff Timmer. “This metric is just one way that Trinity demonstrates how it prepares students for positive engagement in their communities and for contributions to the Kingdom.”
Companies that employ recent Trinity graduates include Amazon, BDO USA, Chicago Public Schools, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Topel Forman.
The class of 2021 has a range of job titles, reflecting the diversity and depth of Trinity’s liberal arts education: medical surgical/oncological nurse; special education teacher; art therapist; communications coordinator; graphic designer; tax associate; internal events coordinator; pastor; business analyst; baseball coach; police officer; and occupational therapy technician, among others.
Trinity graduates are also pursing further education at the graduate level at institutions such as Duke Divinity School, John Marshall Law School, Northwestern University, Rush University, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Avery Johnson ’21, is currently attending Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C., and she cited the support she received from Trinity in helping her on her journey. “I couldn’t have gotten this far without the help of the Trinity’s staff and professors,” said Johnson, who double majored in Biblical Studies and Communication Arts at Trinity and plans to become an ordained minister.
For more information about Trinity’s 98% placement rate, visit Trinity’s Cooper Center for Vocation & Career Development.
The Dean’s List is Trinity Christian College’s highest academic honor. Congratulations to all our traditional undergraduate students and adult programs students who met this distinction for the Fall 2021 semester.
Traditional undergraduate students who attend Trinity full-time and earned a 3.5 grade point average earn this honor:
Angela Abrand
Rawan Abushaqra
Farah Akhras
Maryam AlAshqar
Basil AlHalaseh
Isabel Alonso
Aileen Alvarez
Nicholas Andersen
Justine AndreJackson
Noah Andringa
Vanessa Andringa
Kenna Arndt
Alexander Avila
Emma Aylesworth
Kelsey Baarman
Jacob Baburich
Anneka Baggech
Joshua Bakke
Sabina Balint
Ellie Banks
Samantha Barajas
Alec Belcastro
Julia Belcher
Nicole Belcher
Autumn Bergemann
Caitlin Bergsma
Alice Bialek
Annika Biel
Moriah Blan
Megan Bosch
Alicyn Boss
Katherine Bradley
Patrick Bray
Emily Briscoe
Eleanor Brooks
Alyssa Brouwer
Desiree Buentello
Alyssa Busker
Hannah Camarena
Holly Carter
Cecilia Castaneda
Angie Castro
Leandro Chavez
HyunWoo Cho
YeaJin Cho
Inglebert Christiansen
Giorgos Christodoulou
Evangeline Codjoe Allotey
Sophia Coleman
Yuri Coleman
Sarah Conners
Evan Contreras
Jacob Contreras
Jacqueline Cook
Mia Coronado
Brendan Covell
Lauren Cox
Gia Cozzi
Summer Cramer
Guadalupe Cruz
Jordan Cruz
Trinity Curley
Deidre Dahleen
Danielle Daujatas
Erin Davis
Kara Davis
Andrew DeBlecourt
Olivia DeJong
Hannah Delgado
Sarah Devries
Jenna DeWeerdt
Kaly Diaz Malagon
Hannah Diemer
Maxwel Downs
Presley Dvorak
Emme Dyk
Evie Dykhouse
Emma-Elisabeth Dykstra
Jessica Eckberg
Alexandria Eggert
Madison Eggert
Gabrielle Espinosa
Carlee Faber
Zain Fakhoury
Thomas Findysz
Collin Flipse
Raeann Fopma
Nino FrancaCarrico
Sheridan Friedrickson
Isabella Fuentes
Corinne Gandurski
Arneet Garcha
Alissa Gardenal
McKenzie Gibson
Desriana Gilbert
Jasmine Glover
Ava Gomez
Carissa Green
Erin Greenfield
Cody Gritters
Brenna Groenewold
Noelle Groenewold
Myleigh Halmon
Kara Hanser
Joshua Harris
Hope Heeg
Jenae Henao
Kendra Henry
Charlotte Hensel
Jessica Henthorn
Sarah Hernandez
Florence Hernández
Adam Herron
Megan Herron
Taryn Hinken
Taylor Hoefler
Valerie Hoekstra
Alexandria Hofman
Megan Horner
Allison Hrechko
Matthew Huizenga
Olivia Ipema
Cassidy James
Annes Jebasingh
Karen Jegadish
Sharon Jegadish
Christiana Jegede
Carlie Jenkins
Abigail Jones
Desiree Jones
Megan Jonkman
Janae Jordan
Alyssa Josephs
Hailey Jurasz
Carly Kaiser
Ashley Keen
Ava Kelly
Matthew Kentner
Chloe Kikstra
Halie Kinder
Patrick King
Haley Kits
Adriana Klein
Miranda Kortenhoeven
Sarah Kroese
Jeremiah Kruithof
Alyssa Kuehl
Abigeal Kuehner
Leah Kuipers
Samuel Kwan
Matthew Lagioia
Sophia Lang
Alexis Langellier
Naomi Laureti
Kaitlynne Laverell
Tucker Lee
Thaddaeus LeFebre
Joseph Lemmenes
Emma Lenting
Sarah Limanowski
Emilie Lindgren
Jeffrey Linnert
Leah Lisowski
Brady Loerop
Vincent Losito
Gil Loza
Galen Luhur
Ranita Luhur
Bartlomiej Maciczak
Rachel Mars
Edward Martin
Mariel Martin
Taylor Martin
Mateusz Marusarz
MaKena Mayfield
Jason McGhee
Justin McGhee
Hope McIntosh
Madelyn McIntyre
Michael Mcintyre
Logan McKendrick
Kayla McLaughlin
Timothy Mendez
Alexandra Mendoza
Jaclyn Meyer
Amy Meyrick
Christopher Miller
Madison Mills
Nicholas Mioni
Joshua Miranda
Sydni Mitchell
Alessia Miulli
Aidan Monner
Emily Montalvo
Abigail Moore
Michael Moore
Preston Moore
Michael Moralez
Rebecca Morin
Benjamin Morris
Nicholas Morrison
Bethany Moultrie
Jonah Mudlaff
Njoki Mukuria
Katelyn Mulder
McKenzie Murphey
Isabelle Neibert
Kai Nguyen
Ana NinaAntunes
Trisha Noonan
Erica Nurczyk
Harold Nwosu
Jared Oates
Jenna O’Brien
Daniel O’Connor
Oluwatosin Oladipo
Julia Oostema
Natalie Oosterhouse
Christopher Oostra
Amanda Ophoff
Maggie Ortmeyer
Leslie Osorio
Jacob Ostema
Jacob Ostrowski
Julie O’Sullivan
Margaret Otto
Vincent Overway
Julianna Padilla
Caitlyn Parrish
Maggie Pate
Damon Pater
Angela Pearson
Richelle Perkins
Elyssa Peters
Jared Peters
Tyler Petersen
Elizabeth Peterson
Hailey Piorek
Elizabeth Pugh
Matthew Pyle
Sofia Radice
Kayli Radke
Robert Radunz
Julieta Ramirez
Emma Rejowski
Anthony Reppmann
Abigail Rhoda
Macey Rice
Matthew Rietveld
Caleb Rivera
Emma Roberts
Rachel Robinette
Maya Robinson
Marcos RodriguesShimizu
Breana Rodriguez
Laila Rodriguez
Nathan Rogalske
Nathan Roldan
Sara Roozeboom
Yurithza Rosas
Lillian Rucker
Lily Ruckman
Nicolas Sabogal Burgos
Mia Salas
Ethan Santema
Amber Savage
Taylor Scanlon
Thomas Scatena
Mark Schaaf
Julia Schipma
Alana Schipper
Ryan Schmidt
Hannah Schuringa
Olivia Schuringa
Yaretsi Selvas
Evan Senti
Egna Setiawan
Carter Sheehan
Martin Sheehan
Sarah Shinsato
Shannon Simpson
Danielle Siwula
Hunter Slaats
Lydia Smallwood
Joshua Smith
Brandi Snieder
Luke Snodgrass
Cristo Solorio
Andrew Sons
Bianca Sotelo
Jessica Spaeth
Cody Stang
Mitchell Starcevich
Kailey Stariha
Clarissa Stephen
Emily Stewart
Matthew Stuursma
Maura Sukamto
Kaitlin Sullivan
Rebecca Sweeney
Abigail Sytsma
Matthew Tamminga
Megan Tamminga
Deividas Taras
Brandon Taylor
Jaden Taylor
Angel Tellez
Robert Tervin
Rebecca Tews
Miracle Thurman
Kyran Thurmond
Matthew Tibudan
Abby Tillema
Stephanie Torres
Angel Toscana
Brian Trochuck
Trevor Turco
Brianna Uhl
Elena Vaara
Anna Van Denend
Natasha Van Maanen
Jacob VanDyke
Kara VanDyke
Kaleigh VanElst
Ryan VanGilst
Catherine VanLonkhuyzen
AvaMargaret Vaselakos
Tavion Velazquez
Jordan Veldman
Samuel Vento
Aubrie Vredevoogd
Valerie Wellman
Nicole Wideman
Miles Williams
Melanie Wolf
Megan Wolfe
Justin Wolters
Abigail Wolterstorff
Elise Wyma
Patricia Yang
Anna York
Cecilia Zuniga
This academic achievement is recognized for adult undergraduate students who achieve a semester GPA of 3.8 or better in 6 or more graded credits.
Haneen Aref
Justin Bardolph
Gabriel Barla
VivianMiladShokry Botros
Amy Boyd
Michelle Bresnahan
Dawn Casasanto
Margaret Clemens
Erica Coss
Casey Crusius
Jill Dahlin
Nicholas Ennis
Julisa Escoto
Melissa Fasiczka
Jaime Fernandez
William Gill
Gabriela Gonzalez
Olivia Graham
Joshua Groesser
Genesis Gutierrez
Jennifer Harkenrider
Erin Hendricks
Joshua Hernandez
Jamie Hoenselaar
Crystal Hoofe
Angelina Incavo
Brittany Ivancich
Nicole Jackson
John Karlic
Austin Konagel
Michelle Lamb
Lana Lang
Brittany Licka
Emily Long
Bethany Luchtenburg
George Lux
Shannon Lynch
Brianna Maher
Margarita Martinez
Jasmine Master
Abigail Notter
Michael Parr
Karina Perez
Cheryl Perkins
Makenzie Pryszcz
Megan Ricketts
Julie Riederer
Kyle Ruettiger
Yasmeen Ruhman
Rapher Ryan
Diana Saucedo
Rosemary Scanlon
Charles Six
Andrea Stults
Emily Sullivan
Laura Temores
Helen Theodore
Sara Torres
Adriana Valenzuela
Elise VanDrunen
Nikole VanGennep
Wanda Whitehead
Michael Wisz
The education program at Trinity produces incredible teachers—because it’s more than just pedagogy and the classroom. The Christian perspective prepares teachers to cultivate relational peace, educational equity, and justice for all children and to impact every student’s life through excellence in teaching.
Trinity’s emphasis on its education program was recently recognized by College Factual, which named Trinity among the “most focused” programs. According to College Factual, “Schools that focus their resources on a specific field may provide you with a better education in this area than those that do not. The Education students at these colleges represent the largest percentage of the student body, making these excellent school choices for students who desire a laser-focused education in a specific subject.”
College Factual also honored several other education degree programs at Trinity for their focus, including:
–English Education
–Mathematics Education
–Chemistry Education
–Arts Education
College Factual honored Trinity in multiple other categories, including as a “Best Value” for special education.
Trinity’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology and clinical mental health counseling were also highly ranked.
To determine its rankings, College Factual analyzed almost 5,000 colleges and universities in the United States. Schools were assessed across 1,784 different majors & concentrations, 60+ different and four degree levels to come up with what amounts to over 800,000 distinct lists to help students find the best-fit college for them.
An education from Trinity Christian College doesn’t just change lives—our graduates go on to change the world. And the life-changing value of a Trinity education has once again been recognized by U.S. New and World Report, which named Trinity to several of its “best” lists for 2022, including among the Top 20 Regional Colleges Midwest and #15 for social mobility. And in U.S. News’ inaugural ranking, Trinity’s nursing program has been ranked among the top 300 of all undergraduate nursing programs in the United States.
U.S. News uses multiple criteria for its highly regarded rankings. To be named among the “Best Colleges,” Trinity was rated for its graduation and retention rates; social mobility; academic reputation; student selectivity; financial resources; alumni giving; and graduate debt, among other factors.
“I am confident that, under the tutelage of a talented and dedicated faculty, Trinity students work hard and learn well as they prepare for a lifetime of opportunity and service,” said President Kurt D. Dykstra. “While no one set of data can measure that kind of transformative experience in full, it is gratifying to, once again, be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top college in the Midwest.”
Trinity’s performance on social mobility deserved its own category, according to U.S. News, which looked at Trinity’s ability to enroll and graduate students from less-advantaged backgrounds. U.S. News also recognized Trinity’s undergraduate nursing program. (see “U.S. News Recognizes BSN Program among Best in Country”)
“We are honored and excited to be recognized as an institution that excels at making a college education possible for students from all backgrounds,” said Provost Aaron Kuecker, Ph.D. “This recognition is the result of the significant dedication of an excellent faculty and staff – but, most truly, it is a recognition of the hard work, dedication, and amazing gifts of Trinity’s students. It is such a privilege to serve the students who come to Trinity to learn, to be challenged, to be transformed, and to discover the joy of their vocation.”
Along with the U.S. News rankings, Trinity is frequently recognized by many organizations for preparing students for a world that needs them. The College’s honors include being named a “College of Distinction;” routinely ranked the best BSN programs in the state of Illinois; part of the “National Strength and Conditioning Association Education Recognition Program;” and a “best value” among special education programs.
Graphic novels and Comic-Con go together like Batman and Robin. And as the famed convention has expanded its online educational programming, helping teachers incorporate graphic novels into the classroom is one topic the Comic-Con Educational Series recently tackled. Trinity Professor of Education Bill Boerman-Cornell, Ph.D., who recently published Using Graphic Novels in the English Language Arts Classroom, appeared as a panelist to share strategies, resources, and lessons to improve methods of teaching with this highly effective medium.
As part of the panel, Boerman-Cornell discussed ways to help teachers incorporate the use of graphic novels into their classrooms, as well as talking about his own introduction to graphic novels. He fondly recalled the time as a young boy in the 1970s when his Aunt Agatha took him to a comic books store and gave him $20. “This was at a time when Marvel comics cost 35 cents—it was fantastic,” he said. “In those days, we were often told comic books weren’t serious, and you shouldn’t be spending time with that. But it led to loving to read.”
Fast forward several years, and Boerman-Cornell was teaching English at the high school level. “I’d spend 50 minutes trying to get students to have a serious discussion about Hamlet,” he said. But then one day, he was walking down the hall and heard two students passionately discussing something they were reading–Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman #19,” a take on Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“It turns out it was a comic book about Shakespeare. At that point, I was hooked,” he said. Boerman-Cornell went on to focus his dissertation on graphic novels.
He and the other panelists, which included high school teachers and college professors, also discussed their greatest surprises in teaching with graphic novels. Boerman-Cornell pointed to the ways that his students showed him new insights into the medium by realizing how imagery interacted with text.
He also encouraged teachers in fields other than English to consider how graphic novels could fit into their curriculum. “English is the rock star for using graphic novels, but we sometimes forget all other subjects can use them as well,” he said. “There are so many graphic novels out there for math, science, history, and even things like phys ed and the arts. There is a lot of room out there.”
Trinity education majors leave the College confident in what they believe and possess the skills and experience necessary to excel in their field for good, according to Colleges of Distinction. That is one reason that the organization has once again recognized Trinity’s top-ranked nursing program among several categories, including among Christian colleges and Illinois colleges. The organization has also recognized Trinity’s business and nursing programs and for career development.
Trinity’s education program excels in its commitment to nurturing and supporting future educators, Colleges of Distinction found. Among the aspects that set Trinity’s education program apart: stability; multidisciplinary exposure; practical experience; non-education specialization; dedicated advising and counseling; high-Impact practices; and industry connections.
“The College of Distinction recognition underscores the spectacular work of Trinity faculty and the excellent engagement of Trinity students,” said Provost Aaron Kuecker, Ph.D. “The recognition of Trinity’s three largest academic departments highlights the breadth of Trinity’s academic excellence, while recognition in the career development category highlights the successful translation of that academic excellence into vocational preparation.”
In recognizing Trinity, Colleges of Distinction specifically highlighted the College’s student-to-faculty ratio and high percentage of graduates who quickly find employment or enroll in grad school. “Trinity students are prepared for life beyond college thanks to their liberal arts curriculum that is grounded in Christian faith,” noted the organization.
Among the other areas that set Trinity apart:
Business
Colleges of Distinction awards badges to institutions whose business degrees are multidisciplinary in nature and loaded with practical experiences for students to engage the wider world of business. Trinity’s business program was lauded for its real-world experience; industry connections; business ethics emphasis; collaborative learning; and dedicated advisors and counselors.
Nursing
The organization cited several factors that led to this ranking for the nursing program: stability and excellence; validation from a nursing-specific accreditation agency; practical experiences; high mastery rates; dedicated advising and counseling; liberal arts exposure; high-impact practices; and industry connections.
Career Development
In the career development area, Colleges of Distinction recognizes Colleges that have demonstrated superior ability to think ahead about how their students will succeed after they graduate. “Our Career Development Colleges of Distinction does not just have a career services office on campus; they integrate future careers into the present curriculum,” the organization noted.
Since 2000, Colleges of Distinction has recognized colleges based on four key areas: engaged students; great teaching; vibrant communities; and successful outcomes.
During her time at Trinity, Emma (Darcy) Schneider ’19 explored her love of theatre. As part of Trinity’s Theatre Club, the English education major participated in plays on campus and was nominated for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival’s prestigious Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship.
After graduating in 2019, she spent a year teaching English at the high-school level. But she missed theater and decided to earn a graduate degree from the University of Chicago in Theater & Performance Studies while serving as theater program coordinator at Trinity. Now, Schneider’s connection to Trinity is deepening as she looks forward to serving as adjunct faculty and interim president of the Theatre Department
Schneider said her time at Trinity enhanced her appreciation for both theatre and literature. “Dr. John [Sebestyen, Ph.D., associate professor of communication arts and director of theatre] has certainly been one of the most influential people in my life, and that started in our collaborations within the theatre department. I also took several of his classes just because I loved theatre so much, and I always enjoyed learning from him,” said Schneider. She pointed to other life-changing courses as well, such as Dr. Mark Jones’s Shakespeare class, Dr. Michael Vander Weele’s English Senior Seminar, Dr. Erick Sierra’s Transatlantic Literature class, and Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell’s Secondary English Methods.
Schneider enjoyed teaching high school students after she graduated from Trinity but realized she was missing theatre. “While I was teaching high school students, I was able to incorporate one play into my curriculum for each class. These units were my favorite to teach, and my excitement about them translated well to my students, too,” she said. “Teaching these units made me realize how much I missed being involved in theatre and theatre studies, so I decided that as I moved into a goal to teach at the collegiate level, I would focus my work in theatre and theatre literature.” That involved exploring grad school.
A Degree from University of Chicago, a Return to Trinity
A native of Morton, Ill., Schneider was living in the Chicago area with her husband Tyler Schneider ’18. After exploring area theatre programs, she decided on University of Chicago’s master’s degree program in Theatre and Performance Studies and began classes there in the Fall 2020. Around the same time, she was in conversations with Sebestyen. The opportunity to take on the part-time role of Trinity’s theatre program coordinator developed from there.
Like so many aspects of life over the 18 months, particularly in education and the arts, COVID-19 impacted Schneider in her work and studies. Yet she adapted and brought her creative talents to new ways of expression within COVID constraints.
For example, during the Spring 2021 semester, she wrote and directed her own interactive play on campus, “Investigative Support,” which premiered at Trinity. The play was inspired by work on her master’s thesis, which involves the role of audience members in the theater-going experience. “Investigative Support” took place outside on the Trin Trail in March, to allow for safe social distancing.
At University of Chicago, most of her classes were virtual, presenting a unique way of studying performance arts. Schneider prepared a piece for presentation that involved the audience in a unique way. “It was more of a performance piece that reflects members of the BIPOC and LGBTQI community,” she said. The actors participating in the piece formed a circle while delivering monologues, and audience members were surrounded by voices, with the opportunity to step out of the cacophony and focus on just one speaker.
Now that she has finished her master’s degree, Trinity will continue to be a home for Schneider as she takes on additional roles here. Along with teaching as an adjunct professor in the Communication Arts department, Schneider will stay in her role as theatre program coordinator and serve as interim president of the Theatre Department while Sebestyen is on sabbatical during the 2021-22 academic year. She will also be directing Trinity’s mainstage play in Spring 2022.
“Trinity has always been a strong home to me. I’m blessed to be here,” she said. “I’m really thankful to be part of this community and to see my roots here continuing to grow.”