Archives: Initiatives
Along with celebrating graduates on May 8, the College also honored the emeritations of two long-time faculty members who have retired at the end of the 2020-21 academic year: Joy Meyer ’78, Ed.D., associate professor of education, licensure officer, and dean of education; and Rick Snoeyink, Ph.D., professor of education and director of online instruction.
Dr. Joy Meyer
A Trinity alumna, Meyer said that around the time of her graduation, she heard God telling her she would be back at the College someday. That was a truly prophetic moment. After teaching elementary school for 11 years, she was taking some time off to raise her young children and decided to look for a part-time job. A friend kept encouraging her to apply at Trinity. Meyer did, and after interviewing with Liz Rudenga, professor of education emerita, she was hired to supervise Trinity’s student teachers.
Meyer did so well that she was invited to teach a general teaching methods class the next semester. “I continued to teach that class during my time at Trinity,” she said. “In fact, I still taught that class my last semester here.” Gradually, she began teaching more classes, joining Trinity’s faculty full time in 2000.
But her gifts extended beyond the classroom. Along with teaching, she also served as department chair, then became director of teacher education, a role she held for 15 years. Meyer also worked as licensure officer, a role she will continue to fill. During that time, she also earned her doctorate from Aurora University.
As a teacher of teachers, Meyer said the College has always worked hard to ensure students would be successful. “I just really wanted to see students flourish and make an impact for Christ on the next generation,” she said. “I really wanted them to learn the best teaching practices they could. I work with wonderful colleagues and learned a lot, even through the challenges. I got to serve on interesting committees. It was a great run.”
Among her fondest memories are helping with Young Authors Festival. Meyer said she also learned to be flexible and adaptable in working with the Illinois State Board of Education and other agencies. “We became known as a quality program, and those qualities are still in place now. Our alumni have been very positive of their experience, and we have alumni as far away as Malaysia. They go where they are called.”
Meyer said she also appreciates Trinity’s work around diversity. “It challenged me to do a better job and make sure I wasn’t bringing any biases to my work. And it was a challenge at times to open the eyes of students who didn’t have a lot of exposure to diversity before coming here.”
While she will continue to serve as licensure officer at Trinity, Meyer is looking forward to spending more time with her family, including three grandsons. She and her husband are also planning to travel and spend more time at the family summer home in Michigan.
Rick Snoeyink
Before coming to Trinity in 2001, Snoeyink worked for 23 years as a teacher and coach at the Berrien Springs, Mich., public schools, Terra Ceia Christian School in North Carolina, and DeMotte (Ind.) Christian School.
During his time at DeMotte, Snoeyink realized he wanted to continue his own education and earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Purdue University. His interest in educational technology was sparked during that time, and he realized he wanted to teach at the college level.
“I knew [Professor of Education Emerita] Liz and Jack Rudenga, and I came to Trinity to spend a day consulting on technology standards. Liz let me know there was an opening in the Education Department. I applied and got the job.”
Along with his teaching responsibilities, Snoeyink impacted the College and its community in many other roles, including as chair of the Education Department, chair of the Teacher Education Committee, and chair of the Education Student Advisory Committee. He has also served faithfully as Director of Online Instruction for the College. And as long-time chair of the Technology and Student Learning Committee, he has trained more than 100 professors in Trinity’s online instruction course.
When Snoeyink started focusing on educational technologies, his tools included cassette tapes and Commodore 64 computers. That evolved to far more sophisticated tools and approaches, including quickly moving the entire Trinity community to the Brightspace learning management software after the campus closed down in March 2020 because of COVID-19. “We weren’t planning to move that quickly, but everything was in place and ready,” he said. “It was a crazy year and a half. So many faculty had to learn so quickly. It was a challenge, but I’m glad I could help.”
During his classes, he always encouraged students to use technology, but more importantly, to understand how technology can be used. “It’s not about the tools. The technology always going to be changing, so you can’t get too hung up on that. It’s about the pedagogy and what are you doing with the tools. It’s about what works.”
A graduate of Calvin University, Snoeyink and his wife are considering a move back to the Grand Rapids, Mich., area to be closer to family. An avid bicyclist and photographer, he plans to continue those hobbies. “I would like to stay involved in learning somehow. One thing I’m thinking about would be bicycle mechanics class,” he said.
Congratulations to both professors on this well-deserved honor!
Earlier this month, Trinity’s Social Work Department welcomed the newest members of the College’s Phi Xi Chapter of Phi Alpha Honor Society.
Congratulations to the social work majors who were inducted!
- Inshirah Aljuneidi
- Amanda Carberry
- Rebecca Carlson
- Gabrielle Espinos
- Brianna Figueroa
- Lily Ruckman
- Olivia Schuringa
- Grace Thelo
The purpose of Phi Alpha Honor Society is to provide a closer bond among students of social work and promote humanitarian goals and ideas. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work.
Trinity’s Business program has been recognized by Colleges of Distinction based on four key areas: engaged students; great teaching; vibrant communities; and successful outcomes.
Along with the Business program, Colleges of Distinction recognized Trinity in multiple categories for the 2020-21 academic year, including among Christian colleges and Illinois colleges. Other areas recognized by the organization include:
—Nursing Programs
—Education Programs
—Career Development
“Trinity Christian College has been changing students’ lives since 1959,” Colleges of Distinction noted, citing the individualized attention students receive, along with our extensive network throughout Chicago and dedicated faculty. “Through a Biblically informed liberal arts education, the College community endeavors to provide an environment of Christian integrity and love, enhancing and supporting the entire learning experience.”
In honoring Trinity’s academic programs, the organization noted the stability, practical experience, and dedicated advising and counseling Trinity students receive.
Trinity’s career development work was also praised for its integrated career exploration and preparation; accessible programs and training; and career-centered staff.
Ten years after first starting the Adult Undergraduate Program at Trinity, Karen Moran ‘21 will be graduating with her degree in business management. While she temporarily put her college career on hold to take care of her family and work full time, she has persevered and fulfilled her goal of earning a bachelor’s degree.
“It’s never too late to finish your degree and pursue your dreams,” she said. “I joke that this has been 25 years in the making. For me, it’s the perfect time to finish. I honestly enjoy classes more now than when I first started.”
Moran’s first time at Trinity was interrupted by the passing of her mother and the birth of her daughter, now 5, who was born with a heart condition. “Trinity felt like a family to me,” she said. “To this day, I’m still friends with the people I started classes with.”
Moran spent the next few years caring for her daughter as well as her son, who is now 9, and working full time. Then, the pandemic hit, her father passed away, and both her children were learning remotely. “I decided to take some time off from work and focus on my family,” said Moran, who lives in Manhattan, Ill.
She also began to think about finishing her degree. “I told myself, I’m just nine classes short of a degree. So, I reached out to Kathy [Davis, operations manager, adult undergraduate business and business departments.] She remembered me from 10 years ago—you just don’t find that at other universities. And she told me, ‘Let’s figure this out.’ And we did.”
Moran is excited to walk across the stage at commencement on May 8, then complete the rest of her coursework over the summer.
“It’s been a long road for me,” she said. “But I’m glad I was able to complete it at Trinity.”
–By Christy Wolff ‘10
Basketball has always been front and center for Peter Zigterman ‘08. While he enjoyed playing for Trinity and eventually coaching for nine years after graduation, his passion for demonstrating Christ’s love to refugees and immigrants began to take a more prominent focus. “I noticed in myself outside of work that I was spending less time watching basketball and more time reading an article on immigration policy, for example,” Zigterman shared.
That’s where World Relief enters his story.
World Relief seeks to help refugees and immigrants navigate the transition to starting a new life in the United States. As director of immigrant family services, Zigterman helps others find a job, access medical services, locate affordable housing, and other services that are hard to navigate if English isn’t your first language. His team also makes sure kids are enrolled in school, provides tutoring services, and ensures someone is present at parent-teacher conferences to help with any language barriers.
Zigterman works primarily with refugees and immigrants from Venezuela, Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Syria, and Mexico — among others. “I really enjoy meeting people from all over the world and hearing about their experiences, stories, and what their culture and homeland was like,” Zigterman said.
Developing relationships with others stemmed from his time at Trinity, specifically during his time playing on the basketball team. “In this totally new employment sector, I’ve been surprised by how much I learned in coaching and playing basketball and how many of those skills were transferable to what I’m doing now, specifically developing relationships with a refugee so they trust you,” said Zigterman, who majored in physical education teaching and coaching at Trinity, and then went on earn a master’s degree in sports science from United States Sports Academy.
Tim Walker, former basketball coach at Trinity, modeled these skills on and off the court, mentoring Zigterman along the way. “Coach Walker played a huge role in demonstrating to me how that’s done.”
Through his relationships with the refugees and immigrants he assists, Zigterman has heard story after story of individuals and families fleeing their country because they are facing imprisonment or even the safety of their own lives. Beyond these difficult situations, the COVID-19 pandemic has created unimaginable hardships for families who are trying to establish new lives in the U.S. “We’ve filled out hundreds of unemployment applications and spent a lot of time finding the money to keep people from losing their homes,” Zigterman said.
In the midst of these troubles, Zigterman is witnessing a lot of hope. “Many people are taking advantage of their unemployment, since it makes them eligible to receive a voucher to pay for a vocational training course,” Zigterman explained. “We’re all moving forward together.”
Moving forward also includes exploring ways to connect Trinity students to mentoring and volunteer opportunities at World Relief. “A lot of young adults who have immigrated from other countries want to go to college, but they need guidance on what applying looks like. They can’t rely on their parents because their parents didn’t have that experience,” Zigterman said. And with just one person overseeing this sector at World Relief, receiving help from Trinity students will allow assistance for more people.
Nearly four years since beginning his time at World Relief, it’s clear that Zigterman is demonstrating Christ’s love through his career, based on the foundations that grew during his time at Trinity. “What motivates me is wanting to be a part of the church that is doing the vocation that the Lord gave us,” Zigterman said. “It’s important that we, as Christians, demonstrate the Kingdom of God to the rest of the world.”
To learn more about World Relief, or to make a donation that supports refugees, please visit worldrelief.org
At Trinity, small class sizes and dedicated professors allow for the kinds of hands-on research that many undergraduates don’t get at larger institutions. These sorts of experiences lead to extraordinary opportunities.
As one example, three Trinity alumni, Laura DeVries ‘20, Cara Horstman ‘18, and Marie (Sonnenburg) Fossell ‘19, along with Professor of Biology Clay Carlson, Ph.D., recently published an article in a peer-reviewed journal, based on research they conducted during their time at Trinity.
The article, “Ingestion of Bifidobacterium longum (changed to italics) changes miRNA levels in the brains of mice,” was published in the April issue of PLOS One. Their research investigated the relationship between the microbiota of the gastrointestinal system, behavioral characteristics related to Autism Spectrum Disorder, and relative gene expression of miRNAs in the brain. Their works makes a connection between a beneficial probiotic and changes in the brain.
“This project was possible because each of my coauthors spent years working hard in the lab and because of their hard work we have learned something new about the world. I am so proud of each of them,” said Carlson.
Every year, Trinity accepts extraordinary students who are dedicated to making a difference in the world. And among each freshman class, the College welcomes two Founders’ Scholars, whose extraordinary spiritual, academic, and social leadership sets them apart. Trinity is pleased to announce our most recent Founders’ Scholars for the incoming class of 2025, Tyren Brown of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Kara Van Dyke of Fishers, Ind. As Founders’ Scholars, Brown and Van Dyke have both been awarded full-tuition scholarships to the College.
Van Dyke attends Fishers High School and is active in the Students in Action service club, volunteers as a children’s ministry teacher, and participates in dance. She actively volunteers to help victims of human trafficking and plans to major in psychology as a way to help those who need healing. Van Dyke represents the third generation of her family to be part of Troll Nation, since her father Leon Van Dyke ’86, is an alumnus and her grandfather Gerrit Van Dyke, Ph.D., is an emeritus professor in the biology program.
Brown, who attends Chesapeake Math and IT Public Charter South in Upper Marlboro, plans to major in biology and play basketball at the College. He is involved in National Honor Society and the Congressional Leadership Program. Brown has also taken part in the Spanish ministry at his church, offering translation services to those who do not speak English as a native language.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tyren and Kara into the Trinity community this fall,” said Jeanine Mozie, director of admissions. “From our largest, most competitive pool of Founders candidates yet, they emerged from the group not only as exceptionally gifted students academically, but also as students who have great potential to shape this campus through their thoughtful leadership. The interview committee found both Tyren and Kara to be dedicated, passionate, and impressive students whose enthusiasm for others and commitment to community will make a lasting impact on this place.”
Every year, Trinity accepts extraordinary students who are dedicated to making a difference in the world. And among each freshman class, the College welcomes two Founders’ Scholars, whose extraordinary spiritual, academic, and social leadership sets them apart. Trinity is pleased to announce our most recent Founders’ Scholars for the incoming class of 2025, Tyren Brown of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Kara Van Dyke of Fishers, Ind. As Founders’ Scholars, Brown and Van Dyke have both been awarded full-tuition scholarships to the College.
Brown, who attends Chesapeake Math and IT Public Charter South in Upper Marlboro, plans to major in biology and play basketball at the College. He is involved in National Honor Society and the Congressional Leadership Program. Brown has also taken part in the Spanish ministry at his church, offering translation services to those who do not speak English as a native language.
Van Dyke attends Fishers High School and is active in the Students in Action service club, volunteers as a children’s ministry teacher, and participates in dance. She actively volunteers to help victims of human trafficking and plans to major in psychology as a way to help those who need healing.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tyren and Kara into the Trinity community this fall,” said Jeanine Mozie, director of admissions. “From our largest, most competitive pool of Founders candidates yet, they emerged from the group not only as exceptionally gifted students academically, but also as students who have great potential to shape this campus through their thoughtful leadership. The interview committee found both Tyren and Kara to be dedicated, passionate, and impressive students whose enthusiasm for others and commitment to community will make a lasting impact on this place.”
–By Angie Fratto
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected life for most people, but maybe, most notably, those entering the medical field. It has been particularly difficult for higher education nursing departments across the country that were attempting to prepare their students for real-world experience.
Most programs in the United States shifted their focus to online learning in 2020, which meant in-person clinicals were no longer a viable option to train up the next generation of nurses. While Trinity made the tough, but necessary, decision to move to an online program in 2020, the faculty and staff in the Nursing Department worked tirelessly behind the scenes to find creative ways to ensure their students were still on the front lines, learning during a pandemic. This was not only online but in-person, hands on with patients, albeit while wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE).
Department Chair and Associate Professor of Nursing Tina Decker ‘06, DNP made it her mission to get the students the work they desired to be fully prepared for their upcoming transition into their nursing careers.
According to Jamie Park ’21, she was amazed at the level of work involved to ensure each of the students was placed with in-person clinicals, a feat that she will be forever grateful for. “I know there was so much planning that went on behind the scenes and I can never thank Dr. Decker enough for all she did for each and every one of us,” she said.
Park acknowledged that it was a tough moment when she realized that she would be going home in 2020 and moving to an online program. The struggles of school in an online environment were heightened at home for Park, yet she found great support in her fellow classmates. The small, tight-knit group of seniors kept in touch with each other by text, phone, and email, keeping each other motivated and cared for–something she knew firsthand would not happen many places.
Here at Trinity, Park feels known, at home, and like she has a place in the world. She said, “Trinity Nursing program is ranked number one for a reason. It’s a challenging program for a reason, because it prepares you for the real world of nursing, and all the people here really, truly care for you.”
Anna Smagacz ’21 knows firsthand how strong the Trinity Nursing program is, as she started her journey to nursing at a different institution before transferring to Trinity. Her experience here has gone far beyond her expectations, and she said the nursing professors and staff always make her feel welcome, important, and part of something bigger than herself. She experienced the value of Trinity’s whole person approach to nursing, looking at the mind, body and spirit and valuing every part of that person. This unique view was inspiring to Smagacz and helped her view the nursing profession through a new, more empathetic lens. “This level of care, this holistic care, is not something you see everywhere, and it’s what makes Trinity stand out from other places.”
Both students highly complimented the professors and support staff in the Nursing department at Trinity during this laborious time. “Dr. Sarah Gouwens and Prof. Tammy Boll created a great environment – fun, yet still learning the necessities and skills we need to do the job. They shared their personal stories and gave real world experience, not just textbook knowledge” said Park. She also shared that when dealing with late night shifts at hospitals, Boll was always available any time day or night to answer questions. “She always worked to ensure her students were nothing but successful in their nursing fields,” said Park.
Another tangible way that the Nursing Department has worked to prepare students and establish the experience they need is through its participation in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) campaign to help vaccinate the public against COVID-19.
“At Trinity, our Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates are both clinically excellent and deeply caring,” said Decker. “Trinity’s Department of Nursing has taken the AACN Pledge and all clinical nursing majors will be participating in administering vaccinations within the community setting over the course of this semester.”
Through the AACN initiative, nursing schools pledge their support to safely engage faculty, students, and other stakeholders in the work underway to administer the vaccine and educate citizens on protecting themselves against this public health threat.
The top-ranked BSN program in the state of Illinois, Trinity’s graduates have achieved a perfect first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam for five of the past six years. Click here to learn more about Trinity’s nursing program.
Trinity’s Education program has been recognized by Colleges of Distinction based on four key areas: engaged students; great teaching; vibrant communities; and successful outcomes.
Along with the Education program, Colleges of Distinction recognized Trinity in multiple categories for the 2020-21 academic year, including among Christian colleges and Illinois colleges. Other areas recognized by the organization include:
—Nursing Programs
—Business Programs
—Career Development
“Trinity Christian College has been changing students’ lives since 1959,” Colleges of Distinction noted, citing the individualized attention students receive, along with our extensive network throughout Chicago and dedicated faculty. “Through a Biblically informed liberal arts education, the College community endeavors to provide an environment of Christian integrity and love, enhancing and supporting the entire learning experience.”
In honoring Trinity’s academic programs, the organization noted the stability, practical experience, and dedicated advising and counseling Trinity students receive.
Trinity’s career development work was also praised for its integrated career exploration and preparation; accessible programs and training; and career-centered staff.