Archives: Initiatives

Continuing a years – long tradition of excellence and recognition, Trinity Christian College has been named among the “Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report for 2021.  Trinity was ranked 21st among  Midwestern regional colleges in this year’s survey. Trinity was also named a “Best Value” college and a “Top Performer on Social Mobility.”

“At Trinity Christian College, our community is focused on providing a rigorous, life-changing education, and our graduates go on to find success in their careers and vocations,” said Trinity’s President Kurt D. Dykstra. “We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report has once again recognized how Trinity prepares our students to change the world.”

Said Provost Aaron J. Kuecker, Ph.D., “We are proud of the excellent academic programs that are supported by Trinity’s world class faculty. Rankings like these are a recognition of the top quality, whole-person vision of education that we pursue at Trinity.”

Trinity is frequently recognized for its high academic standards. The College’s honors include being named a “College of Distinction,” a “Best BSN Program in Illinois,” and a “National Strength and Conditioning Association Education Recognition Program,” among others. Trinity, which is a university partner with 1871, the world’s top university-affiliated startup incubator located in downtown Chicago, also has a world-class business department that recently led the State of Illinois with both the highest pass rates and average scores on the most recent certified public accounting (CPA) exam. The Trinity Athletics Department was also recently listed among the Champions of Character Five-Star institutions by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

The U.S. News rankings are based on qualitative and quantitative information in several categories, including peer assessments, graduation rates, social mobility, and faculty information. The “Best Value” ranking is determined by a school’s academic quality and the net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The “Social Mobility” ranking is based on how successful a college is at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.

Continuing a years – long tradition of excellence and recognition, Trinity Christian College has been named among the “Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report for 2021.  Trinity was ranked 21st among  Midwestern regional colleges in this year’s survey. Trinity was also named a “Best Value” college and a “Top Performer on Social Mobility.”

“At Trinity Christian College, our community is focused on providing a rigorous, life-changing education, and our graduates go on to find success in their careers and vocations,” said Trinity’s President Kurt D. Dykstra. “We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report has once again recognized how Trinity prepares our students to change the world.”

Said Provost Aaron J. Kuecker, Ph.D., “We are proud of the excellent academic programs that are supported by Trinity’s world class faculty. Rankings like these are a recognition of the top quality, whole-person vision of education that we pursue at Trinity.”

Trinity is frequently recognized for its high academic standards. The College’s honors include being named a “College of Distinction,” a “Best BSN Program in Illinois,” and a “National Strength and Conditioning Association Education Recognition Program,” among others. Trinity, which is a university partner with 1871, the world’s top university-affiliated startup incubator located in downtown Chicago, also has a world-class business department that recently led the State of Illinois with both the highest pass rates and average scores on the most recent certified public accounting (CPA) exam. The Trinity Athletics Department was also recently listed among the Champions of Character Five-Star institutions by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

The U.S. News rankings are based on qualitative and quantitative information in several categories, including peer assessments, graduation rates, social mobility, and faculty information. The “Best Value” ranking is determined by a school’s academic quality and the net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The “Social Mobility” ranking is based on how successful a college is at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.

Continuing a years – long tradition of excellence and recognition, Trinity Christian College has been named among the “Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report for 2021.  Trinity was ranked 21st among  Midwestern regional colleges in this year’s survey. Trinity was also named a “Best Value” college and a “Top Performer on Social Mobility.”

“At Trinity Christian College, our community is focused on providing a rigorous, life-changing education, and our graduates go on to find success in their careers and vocations,” said Trinity’s President Kurt D. Dykstra. “We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report has once again recognized how Trinity prepares our students to change the world.”

Said Provost Aaron J. Kuecker, Ph.D., “We are proud of the excellent academic programs that are supported by Trinity’s world class faculty. Rankings like these are a recognition of the top quality, whole-person vision of education that we pursue at Trinity.”

Trinity is frequently recognized for its high academic standards. The College’s honors include being named a “College of Distinction,” a “Best BSN Program in Illinois,” and a “National Strength and Conditioning Association Education Recognition Program,” among others. Trinity, which is a university partner with 1871, the world’s top university-affiliated startup incubator located in downtown Chicago, also has a world-class business department that recently led the State of Illinois with both the highest pass rates and average scores on the most recent certified public accounting (CPA) exam. The Trinity Athletics Department was also recently listed among the Champions of Character Five-Star institutions by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

The U.S. News rankings are based on qualitative and quantitative information in several categories, including peer assessments, graduation rates, social mobility, and faculty information. The “Best Value” ranking is determined by a school’s academic quality and the net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The “Social Mobility” ranking is based on how successful a college is at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.

Continuing a years – long tradition of excellence and recognition, Trinity Christian College has been named among the “Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report for 2021.  Trinity was ranked 21st among  Midwestern regional colleges in this year’s survey. Trinity was also named a “Best Value” college and a “Top Performer on Social Mobility.”

“At Trinity Christian College, our community is focused on providing a rigorous, life-changing education, and our graduates go on to find success in their careers and vocations,” said Trinity’s President Kurt D. Dykstra. “We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report has once again recognized how Trinity prepares our students to change the world.”

Said Provost Aaron J. Kuecker, Ph.D., “We are proud of the excellent academic programs that are supported by Trinity’s world class faculty. Rankings like these are a recognition of the top quality, whole-person vision of education that we pursue at Trinity.”

Trinity is frequently recognized for its high academic standards. The College’s honors include being named a “College of Distinction,” a “Best BSN Program in Illinois,” and a “National Strength and Conditioning Association Education Recognition Program,” among others. Trinity, which is a university partner with 1871, the world’s top university-affiliated startup incubator located in downtown Chicago, also has a world-class business department that recently led the State of Illinois with both the highest pass rates and average scores on the most recent certified public accounting (CPA) exam. The Trinity Athletics Department was also recently listed among the Champions of Character Five-Star institutions by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

The U.S. News rankings are based on qualitative and quantitative information in several categories, including peer assessments, graduation rates, social mobility, and faculty information. The “Best Value” ranking is determined by a school’s academic quality and the net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The “Social Mobility” ranking is based on how successful a college is at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.

Trinity Christian College and the North American Christians in Social Work (NACSW) are pleased to announce a new memorandum of understanding to mark the co-location of NACSW’s corporate headquarters on Trinity’s campus, effective June 1, 2020.

NACSW and Trinity’s Social Work Department have a long history of collaboration and support for one another, with Trinity’s social work faculty serving as frequent presenters at the annual NACSW convention.  Beginning in January, Dr. Allison Tan, Assistant Professor of Social Work at Trinity, accepted a position as Director of Programs for NACSW.  In this role, Tan has the opportunity to serve as a key point of contact for the oversight of NACSW’s day-to-day activities from Trinity’s campus.  This co-location offers Trinity students opportunities for employment, internships, and experiential learning and provides NACSW with institutional support, space, and other invaluable resources.

The leaders of both NACSW and Trinity see the value of this co-location.  Trinity’s President Kurt D. Dykstra said, “We are thrilled to welcome NACSW to its new home on Trinity’s campus.  Our students and faculty will benefit immeasurably from the close physical proximity to this wonderful organization.  I trust, too, that NACSW and its employees will find Trinity a very hospitable and collegial home and enjoy, as we do already, the great benefits of living and working within one of the world’s great metropolitan areas.”

Rick Chamiec-Case, NACSW’s Executive Director said, “Besides providing much-needed additional space for NACSW’s growing office and storage needs, NACSW’s move to Trinity’s campus will create a valuable partnership that will richly contribute to both NACSW’s and Trinity’s missions at several levels. Whether it’s creating opportunities for NACSW to work with and give experience to student workers and interns from Trinity’s Social Work Department and other majors, or sharing resources and providing consultation to support each other’s programs, this partnership will serve both NACSW and Trinity well in the years ahead.”

NACSW began in 1950 in Wheaton, IL and was incorporated in 1954.  NACSW’s mission and vision is to “be a vital presence in social work” by “equipping its members to integrate Christian faith and social work practice.”   With a membership of nearly 1,200 social work students, practitioners, and educators, NACSW’s work includes publication of the journal Social Work & Christianity as well as a number of textbooks aimed at equipping Christian social work and social work programs with resources to integrate faith and practice.  NACSW also hosts an annual convention, supports the mentorship of emerging leaders in social work, and provides a range of continuing education opportunities.

Convocation represents one of Trinity’s most beloved and long-standing traditions. For 62 years, it has marked the beginning of the academic year and the return to campus of students and professors. While this year’s Convocation may have looked a little different than past years, the spirit, purpose, and joy of the event continued intact.

In order to ensure that the campus community remains safe, the event took place outdoors in the Quad, with participants wearing masks and socially distanced from each other.

As part of the Convocation tradition, the Professor of the Year provided the address. This year, Professor of Theology Yudha Thianto, Ph.D., spoke about “A Tapestry.”

Thianto began by sharing some of his own story, including his struggle to continue his education as a teenager in his native Indonesia while facing parental expectations, discrimination, and financial challenges.

According to Thianto, a good tapestry tells a good story through the interweaving of all its threads. “All of our stories are interlaced into one big tapestry that God is creating,” said Thianto. “Our lives intersect in this corner of God’s creation we call Trinity Christian College. Through God’s infinite wisdom,  we meet here at Trinity to form this tapestry. We are here to be with each other, the threads, to learn from each other, to hold each other’s hand in joy and in sorrow and to glorify God together.”

Thianto also spoke about the difficulties of being forced apart by the Coronavirus during the Spring 2020 semester. “And then, as we are struggling through the pandemic, we are again deeply shaken by the injustices that happen around us,” he said. “Our sense of togetherness as a whole people is torn apart when we see the systemic racism that is still happening in this country and all over the world. So, we say, ‘This is not right.’ In the midst of God’s beautiful creation, we experience the pain caused by brokenness of our world. That is why we stand together and say Black Lives Matter. We show that we carry each other in our hearts, minds, prayers and actions.”

God has brought us together here at Trinity Christian College, Thianto said. “Our individual stories become one big family story. Together, we will accomplish the calling that He has given us.”

As another aspect of the Convocation tradition, faculty led the procession to start the program, with music provided by Prof. Minkyoo Shin. President Kurt Dykstra, J.D., provided the welcome, and Javonta Howard, ’21 gave the invocation. Calvin Handoko, ’22 read from Ephesians 3:14-21.

The Prayers of Thanksgiving & Petition were offered by Kyle J. Dieleman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History; Ny’Ahmby Romaine, Academic Support Coordinator, Office of Learning Services; and Kyra Khan, ’21, Resident Assistant.

Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Formation Rev. Willis Van Groningen, Ph.D., closed Convocation with a benediction.

The entire 62^nd Annual Convocation can be viewed here.

Today, organizational leaders everywhere have to think like social entrepreneurs, says Professor of Communication Arts Craig Mattson, Ph.D. That is a premise he is exploring in a book he is currently writing, as well as a podcast series called “Spiritual Capital” he launched earlier this year.

“Talking with 44 social entrepreneurs over 2019-20 in research supporting this book project gave me a couple of notions,” said Mattson. “First, a lot of people out there are interested in talking about spirituality in organizations and, secondly, I think that the breakdown of mainstream institutions in American society compels organizations across every sector to innovate and aspire in ways that even a few years ago wouldn’t have seemed necessary.”

According to Mattson, organizational leaders everywhere are scrambling to figure out the wisdom that social entrepreneurs already understand, in some measure. He has launched the podcast series in order to amplify voices like theirs. “My hope is to put their organizational savvy and mojo into circulation for other leaders trying to be more social and more entrepreneurial,” he said.

As part of the writing and interviewing process for the podcast and book, he has discovered that the question of organizational spirituality is tied up in questions of racial equity. “That’s partly because of the season we’re in nationally; it’s also because of what I’ve been hearing from social innovators themselves.” he said. “I’ve learned that one of the easiest ways to start talking about systemic racism is to talk about the financial system in the United States. Systemic racism lives and flourishes in the financial system. My podcasts very deliberately seek out people of color and seek to extend their influence in organizational thought and practice.”

For example, Mattson recently featured Patrick Reyes, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Doctoral Initiatives at the Forum for Theological Exploration and a past Trinity speaker, in a podcast entitled “Nothing about Us without Us.” In another episode, Mattson interviewed Daniel Rogers, founder & CEO of A.M. Financial, an organization created to shift the current financial landscape by enabling students from all backgrounds to graduate from college and build wealth.

Mattson originally began working on the podcasts during the winter, before the COVID pandemic caused the shift to remote learning on Trinity’s campus. “I started the podcast with the assistance of Evie Dykhouse ‘22, who served as a producer and editor, making content decisions, and assisting with the podcast’s social media presence.” Web & Database Developer Aaron DeBoer ’19 of Trinity’s IT Services Department also provided assistance. Trinity alumnus Ben Hoekstra ‘16 designed the Spiritual Capital logo and has helped market the podcast, Mattson said.

But since the COVID pandemic, Mattson has been managing the podcast himself. That has involved conducting all podcasts remotely: “From a technical point of view, it’s been tricky having interviewees capture their own audio and then interleave their data with mine,” he noted.

Mattson said the podcast has been energizing, as he works to complete the draft of his book by December. “It’s been an interesting, integral project, both for my teaching and for my own research and interests.”

–By Christy Wolff ‘10

As the owner/operator of a Chick-fil-A franchise, Tyler DeKoekkoek ‘14 begins each day by reminding his team, “It doesn’t matter what you believe in. What’s important is how you add value to peoples’ lives around you.” And that’s exactly what Tyler does: He uses his leadership role to positively influence the people he works with and adds value to the restaurant — all tools he acquired during his time at Trinity.

Born in Michigan, Tyler grew up loving the game of basketball. When he was offered a basketball scholarship from Trinity, he enrolled. Entering his freshman year, Tyler decided to take an assortment of classes to determine what interested him the most. Challenged and intrigued by psychology, he quickly declared his major, with a minor in theology as a way to grow in his faith.

Both Dr. Michael DeVries and Dr. Derrick Hassert from the Psychology Department positively influenced him. “Both professors had experience in the field, so they had practical stories students could relate to, as opposed to just reading textbooks,” Tyler shares.

After graduation, Tyler coached the men’s basketball team for a semester before stepping back and allowing God to guide him in his career. This led Tyler to a job in the Virgin Islands, where he worked with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks — a student-led ministry that sends roughly 200 ministry team members into 75 locations in 25 national parks around the country.

Tyler distinctly remembers God telling him, “I can use you, Tyler. Be open to anything I have in store for you.”

After returning home and getting married, Tyler’s in-laws introduced him to a friend who was the owner/operator of a Chick-fil-A franchise. “I met with him hoping to receive career advice and walked away with a job overseeing the catering operations,” Tyler says.

During the years that followed, Tyler stepped into an operations role before being selected as the owner/operator at the location he still runs today, located near the Illinois/Iowa border.

“Oftentimes in the world of business, leaders get caught up in the data, analytics, and sales,” he says. “But I think what’s lost is connecting with the people you’re working with.” And that’s where Tyler’s psychology degree comes into play.

Managing 25 employees with 25 different personalities isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. Tyler strives to build relationships and figure out how best to lead each employee. “I use my degree every day to figure out how to build a team from varying backgrounds,” Tyler shares.

Looking back on how God led him to where he is today, Tyler shares, “I’m so thankful that God helped me be open to what He had in store for me.”

Belinda Adame MA ’15 pursued a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Trinity because she wanted to help individuals navigate transitions, achieve growth, and assist during their transformation process. “At times, brokenness is seen as something negative, but I think it is an opportunity to rebuild, restore, and develop a different outlook,” she said. “I enjoy guiding individuals to overcome obstacles, discover strengths, and identify what makes them feel empowered. It is a humbling experience to witness.”

Adame, who recently transitioned from being a clinical support services manager at a community mental health agency to director of counseling and wellness at Judson University, in Elgin, Ill., was interested in attending Trinity for multiple reasons. “I wanted to attend a school that focused on Christian values and integrated my beliefs with a calling I felt passionate about,” said Adame, who also works as a resource staff member at a local psychiatric hospital. She was also attracted to Trinity’s smaller class sizes, which were similar to what she experienced at Aurora University, where she earned her undergraduate degree. “Additionally, the accelerated program allowed me to learn skills in class while putting these into practice at a social services agency,” she said.

During her time at Trinity, Adame said her best experiences involved practicing her counseling skills with her peers. “Obtaining feedback was helpful and necessary to learn more about my counseling style,” she said. “I have also been blessed with the support from professors, such as Dr. Kara Wolff, post-graduation. She helped me obtain my provisional license and motivated me to pursue my clinical license. I am appreciative of the encouragement she offered during these career milestones.”

Whether considering graduate school or other life change, Adame calls upon verses from Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

“This Bible verse has helped me in every season of my life,” she said. “I encourage everyone to find a promise that speaks to them and sustains them during change and transitions.”