Archives: Initiatives
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Students who receive their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees from Trinity aren’t just graduating from the best nursing program in the state of Illinois. In its inaugural rankings, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Trinity’s program as among the best in the country, standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the largest universities in the United States.
U.S. News also named the College to several other prestigious lists, including among the Top 20 Regional Colleges Midwest and #15 for social mobility. (see “U.S. News Names Trinity a Top 20 School”)
In the latest U.S. News rankings, Trinity was named among the top 300 of all undergraduate nursing programs in the United States, taking its place among far larger colleges and universities.
“Trinity’s Department of Nursing is dedicated to preparing nurses who are both academically excellent, and also ready to face the demands of providing hands on patient care. Our commitment to training nurses to excel in both theory and clinical practice, makes our graduates stand out when they enter the workforce all over the world,” said Associate Professor of Nursing and Department Chair Dr. Tina Decker ’06. “We prepare great BSN nurses who are ready to provide Christ-like care to those in need. This recognition from U.S. News affirms that. It is an honor to have the hard work of the students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the broader Trinity community recognized in this way.”
The College’s program has set the bar for nursing programs in many ways. In 2020, Trinity nursing graduates achieved a perfect first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam for the fifth time in six years. This success for Trinity’s top-ranked program represents the highest six-year NCLEX average of any BSN or ADN program in Illinois.
Trinity’s Nursing program is also regularly ranked among the best BSN programs in Illinois, including by RegisteredNursing.org and RN to BSN.
For Amy Nagelkirk ’92, president of the Trinity Alumni Nursing Association (TANA), it is exciting to see Trinity’s nursing department recognized once again for its excellence. “It’s a tradition that I’ve always felt proud of while working in both Chicago and West Michigan.”
One of the great strengths of Trinity’s nursing program is the generosity of its dedicated nursing alumni, including TANA members who support the Department of Nursing through student-related activities and fundraising, and foster personal and professional relationships among alumni, she said. “At the height of the pandemic surge last November, we saw an increased number of nursing alumni volunteer to be part of our TANA mentoring program. Even as many were in the thick of it, struggling to get through their shifts and extra mandate shifts, they were still wanting to support students.”
TANA also provides endowed scholarships for nursing students. “This, year, TANA was able to award two $1,000 scholarships from that fund,” she said. “A program with that kind of support behind it is going to continue to thrive.”
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.”
Dr. Paul D. Miantona ’03, DBA, will never forget Saturday, Feb. 26, 1999. That is the day he left behind his refugee life and boarded a plane at the Abidjan International Airport in the Ivory Coast of West Africa to fly to a new life in Philadelphia. “As I bid the final goodbye to my parents, family members, and friends, I saw mixed expressions in their faces,” he recalled. “For some, it was renewed hope and for others sadness. As I stepped aboard the gigantic and bluish-looking Air France plane, I knew my life had changed forever.”
Miantona and his family had been uprooted by the civil war in Liberia that began in 1989 and lasted for 14 years. “My parents, siblings, and I escaped the civil war and settled in the Ivory Coast as refugees, living on the refugee camp in Danane,” he said.
Miantona, who quickly established himself with a job at a fast-food restaurant, had a goal when he arrived in America: to continue his education. “During that time, I began to fervidly pray that God may open the door for entrance to a Christian college.” And God did answer his prayers. “An old friend was attending Trinity Christian College and began to tell me about his wonderful experiences.” The friend knew of Miantona’s interest in soccer as well as academics, and introduced him to Dave Ribbens, then the men’s head soccer coach. “Coach Dave invited me to try out and by the grace of God I enrolled at Trinity Christian College in the Fall of 1999. I excelled in both soccer and academics and built wonderful and memorable relationships at Trinity.” In 2003, he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems.
Miantona continued his education after graduating from Trinity and earned a DBA with an emphasis in strategic management, an MBA and a Master’s degree in accounting and financial management. He currently works at Renters Warehouse as a real estate and leasing consultant and is an adjunct professor at Saint Mary’s University, Minnesota. He also co-owns a business called Brokers Select along with a partner.
He credited Trinity for helping him develop servant leadership traits. “I learned to encourage diversity of thought and create a culture of trust,” Miantona said. “I learned to have an unselfish mindset and foster leadership in others.”
At Trinity, he also learned the importance of giving back. “At Trinity, I was encouraged to join United Liberia Inland Church Associates & Friends (ULICAF), a nonprofit organization that built Liberian International Christian College.” He currently serves as president of the association’s board.
Along with influential Trinity professors and staff such as women’s head soccer coach Josh Lenarz ’98 and Associate Professor of Education Kelly Lenarz ’99, Ed.D., his time at the College reinforced his belief in America as a country that embraces different cultures and appreciates the American ideal of liberty and justice for all. “Trinity captivated my attention and made me see America as a ‘beacon of hope’ for the hopeless; a ‘refuge’ for the refugees. It made me admire America as the United States of America.”
Miantona said Trinity is exceptional and outstanding. “Trinity is the real deal and for this, I am grateful.”
Nobody questions the need for companies to have economic capital. And social capital is increasingly recognized as a key ingredient for business success. But what about spiritual capital? Well, that raises a whole host of other issues, many of them complicated. It’s a topic that Professor of Communication Arts Craig Mattson, Ph.D., delves into in his most recent book, “Why Spiritual Capital Matters: Activating Latent Resources in Your Community.”
In 2018, Mattson was researching the topic of organizational communication. “People wanted to talk about the role of spirituality,” he said. “As a person of faith at a Christian institution, I decided to pursue that.”
As part of his research, Mattson talked with dozens of social entrepreneurs and launched a podcast series called “Spiritual Capital.” His research raised questions about spirituality, racial equity, the collective nature of social capital, and other issues.
“I labored over the term spiritual capital, but it provoked some good talks,” he said. “I got involved in some weirdness around the idea of spirituality—I went to some really woo woo conferences,” he said with a laugh.
Yet even at the woo woo conferences, the need for capital, including economic, social, and cultural, kept coming up.
After starting the book, Mattson said he experienced a mindset change. “I was focusing on white-led institutions, where spiritual capital was talked about on an individual level,” he said. But after attending a conference for SOCAP, a thought leadership platform for the accelerating movement towards a more just and sustainable economy, he met some entrepreneurs of color. “That provided some framework for individualization.” In particular, Mattson points to conversations with De’Amon Harges, faculty member of the Asset Based Community Development Institute, community organizer, creator of the Learning Tree, and chairperson of the Grassroots Grantmakers Association Board, in particular towards helping him shift to seeing social capital as more of a collective endeavor.
The murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and other unarmed Black Americans also helped to spur his interest in how the financial system breeds, systemic racism, a topic Mattson frequently focused on in his podcast series.
The resulting book encompasses multiple topics, including “On Being Mindful and Overwhelmed;” “Moving from Dialogue to Multilogue;” “The Limits of Epiphany;” “Telling Company Stories That Start with Place;” and “Expanding the Range of our Affections.”
Mattson’s perspectives on business and spirituality are refreshing, especially for those who have been involved in the “conscious business” sector, said Emily Lonigro, founder and president of LimeRed. “He helps us see with new eyes—ourselves, each other, our paths, our connections.”
“Why Spiritual Capital Matters” also provides a vital resource for organizational leaders everywhere, according to Angie Thurston, cofounder of Sacred Design Lab. “In our time of widespread spiritual longing, he provides clear and practical pathways to activate the spiritual capital that is always in our midst—and which could not matter more!”
According to Mattson, that echoes one important takeaway he learned: “We have more capital than we know,” he said. “Often, we can’t see it or perceive it. We all have our blind spots.” He points to the verse he quotes at the beginning of the book, from Ecclesiastes 3:15 (NRSV): “…that which is to be, already is.”
Along with the book and podcast, Mattson shares more insights about why spiritual capital matters in this series of videos.
The bonds between Trinity and the City of Palos Heights run deep—both founded in 1959, the College and the city have grown together and found many ways to benefit each other over the decades.
Some of those bonds were highlighted during a recent interview with Trinity’s Fusion59 co-directors Haley Heeg ’20 and Sundeep Vira, assistant professor of business and director of data analytics and strategic innovation, on Channel 4, the Palos Heights community access channel.
During the interview with Palos Heights Alderman Jeff Key, a member of the city’s business and economic advisory committee, Heeg and Vira talked about the partnerships that Fusion59 has formed with local businesses in the three years since its founding. That includes how members of Fusion59’s Consulting Team have worked with businesses in areas like social media, website design, and marketing.
According to Heeg, Trinity’s Consulting Team works with five clients over the course of A semester. “It’s been wonderful to see how we can grow local business’s social media presence, with web development, and conducting interviews with business owners.” Trinity students also get experience that they can use once they graduate. “It’s mutually beneficial,” she said.
Said Vira, “Fusion59 is in some ways a bridge between students who have resources and knowledge and information and community members who have business needs.”
Trinity’s relationship with the Palos Heights community dates back decades, of course. Key pointed to multiple initiatives, including the assistance that students in Trinity’s business classes offer the community, such as assisting with insights for the local Chamber of Commerce, as well as the “welcome back” events that Palos Heights businesses host for students each fall.
Trinity is part of what make Palos Heights unique, said Key. “It’s eye-opening to see what is going on around campus,” he said.