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With the recent appointment of Dr. Elizabeth Rudenga, Trinity’s provost, as Interim President, the College announces the appointment of an Interim Provost, both effective June 1.

Dr. Sharon Robbert, dean for academic planning and effectiveness and professor of mathematics, will serve in the role of Trinity’s chief academic officer as Rudenga steps into her new role.

Rudenga’s appointment was announced soon after the news that President Steve Timmermans, Ph.D., had been nominated by the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) as its next executive director, pending final approval at the CRCNA’s annual Synod gathering in June.

As Interim Provost, Robbert will also serve as dean of the faculty and be responsible for the scope and quality of instruction to offer the best environment for educating students. The provost works with committees of the Board of Trustees and the faculty and supervises the academic deans in addition to a variety of other responsibilities.

Robbert has been on faculty at Trinity since 1993. She has worked collaboratively in a variety of contexts—research with students and colleagues; initiatives such as the Eureka Learning Community to promote collaborative student learning in STEM disciplines; and outreach to constituents through annual events like the Mathematics Triathlon.

Last year, Robbert was recognized with the Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics (Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America [MAA]). The award recognizes teachers of mathematics who have been extraordinarily successful at the post-secondary level. She was recently appointed as section governor, April 2014 through August 2016.

In 2010, she led the process for the College’s reaccreditation by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 2010. Both Robbert and Rudenga serve as peer reviewers for the HLC.

Robbert earned her B.A. from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

What does it mean to educate the whole person?

The spring edition of TRINITY magazine features stories about alumni, students, and professors that illustrate how a Trinity education leads to the formation of “the whole person as thinking, feeling, and believing creature.”

Here are just a few highlights from this “Mind, Body, and Soul” issue, which will be in mailboxes soon or can be accessed online! (Don’t forget, it’s nice to Share.)

• We say farewell to President Steve Timmermans, Ph.D.
• The business department launches new initiatives with business leaders
• Discover ways students meet the challenge to be healthy
• What does it really mean to walk in the Spirit at Trinity?
• Where will I live? A look at residence life.
• Learn new ways the Cooper Center provides career help for students, alumni, (and employers!)

Recent Trinity graduate Kaitlin Feddema writes a letter to her freshman self as encouragement to next year’s freshmen at Trinity.
By Kaitlin Feddema ’14

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Dear Freshman Kaitlin,

Look at you go, girl! Out on your own, ready to start your freshman year! As you begin your college journey, you’re probably wondering what in the world you’ve gotten yourself into. Mom and Dad are back home, as is your primary source of food and laundering. It’s a bit overwhelming at first. What are you doing here? Where are you going next? How are you going to make it? Well, never fear. Senior Kaitlin has been there, done that, and accumulated nearly 50 t-shirts in the meantime.

I will now give you five tips on how to survive your college years.

Relax. It’s hard to watch your parents pull out of the parking lot on your first day of college. You don’t know where anything is, who anyone is, or how on earth to get Wi-Fi on your laptop. It might seem like you’re never going to figure it out. But you will. Soon you’ll be meeting people who will be some of your closest friends for life. You’ll learn how to find where your classes are, even if it takes some wandering. Don’t worry, everybody does it. You will have an absolute blast in these next four years. So take a deep breath, sit back, and enjoy the ride!

Get to know your professors. If there’s one thing I could go back and change, it would be getting closer to my professors. Trinity’s classes are relatively small, so it’s easy to get to know your professors on a personal level. They’ll help you with class projects, answer your questions about academic programs, and help you establish contacts once you’re looking for internships and jobs. Your professors want you to succeed. They’ve got years of experience, the have professional connections, and they are just waiting to help you on your journey. So take advantage of it while you’re here.

Get some sleep. It’s easy to get caught up in schoolwork, jobs, student groups, and social activities. But even the busiest of the busy need their beauty sleep. College gets a reputation for being the land of the “walking dead,” but it doesn’t have to be that way. Sure, sometimes serious classes call for some hefty study time, but your body will perform best with a good six to eight hours. Manage your time, keep from wasting it on social media, and learn to cherish the naps. Take my word for it: you’ll come to love them.

Hold on to your friends. I can’t stress this enough. The friends you make in college will stick with you for good. You’re all at the same place in life, you understand each other. You’re figuring it out together. And with these people, you’ll make some of the best memories of your life. So put yourself out there, participate in activities, make a study-buddy, and get to know your roommates, suitemates, and neighboring residents. You won’t regret it.

Keep the Lord at the center. As in anything, God should be the center. College is an experience unlike any other. It will stretch you, shape you, and mold you into the person you are called to be. There will be days you absolutely love it, and there will be days where you just want to pack up and go home. But in those times of stress, remember who brought you here in the first place. When homework piles up, volleyball beats you up, and school is overwhelming, turn to Him in prayer and ask Him to lead you through. With Christ as your chief mentor, you’re going to make it to your senior year, and once you’ve finished, you’ll want to start all over.

Well, that’s all I have for you. I’m sure you can figure out the rest. Best wishes in your collegiate journey! You will do great things! Trust me, I know.

Warmly,

Senior Kaitlin

May 3 marked the closing night of Trinity’s spring production, “Noises Off,” a comedic farce written by Michael Frayn. The hard work of student actors and the natural energy of the show kept audience members laughing.

“This show has been called the best production put on by Trinity,” said Caitlin Williams ’16 of Clarendon Hills, Illinois, who played the part of Dotty. “Students were coming to the show two, even three times.”

Matthew Mulder ’14 of Zeeland, Michigan, played the role of Tim and called the show “a resounding success that the audience greatly enjoyed.”

The show also presented a fair share of challenges, including the complexity of the set, which functioned as a two-story building complete with doors, windows, and the capacity to be rotated 360 degrees.

Other actors were challenged by the complexity of their characters. Heather Scholten ’14 of Worth, Illinois, played the part of Poppy. “The character was different than anything I’ve ever tackled before,” she said. “As an actor, you can develop a rough concept of what your strengths are and what roles you could possibly fill. This role surprised me, stretched me, and was a lot of fun.”

“This show was the most physically demanding show I have ever experienced, and probably will ever experience,” Williams said. “Running up and down stairs, jumping with shoes tied together, and swinging ‘axes’ to perfect choreography was exhausting but amazing.”

At the end-of-the-year banquet, students discussed past shows and looked forward to the next production in the fall.

Cast and Crew

DIRECTOR— Dr. John Sebestyen, associate professor of communication arts
STAGE MANAGER – Jane Griffin ’15 of Parker, Colorado
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR — Callie Bunker ’16 of Delavan, Wisconsin
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT – Kerry Garrison ’16 of Germantown Hills, Illinois
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT – Sarah Anderson ’15 of Frankfort, Illinois

DOTTY/CLACKETT – Cait Williams ’16 of Clarendon Hills, Illinois
LLOYD – Billy Doyle ’17 of Chicago, Illinois
GARRY/ROGER – Chris DeWaard ’14 of Holland, Michigan
BROOKE/VICKI – Megan Hanafee-Major ’16 of New Richmond, Wisconsin
POPPY – Heather Scholten ’14 of Worth, Illinois
FREDDY/PHILIP – Adam Frankenfeld ’15 of Ames, Iowa
BELINDA/FLAVIA – Kristen Blok ’15 of Lynden, Washington
TIM – Matt Mulder ’15 of Zeeland, Michigan
SELSDON/BURGLAR – Bobby Strange ’14 of South Holland, Illinois

Closing out the business department’s Conversations on Leadership series, Jack Van Namen ’68 was interviewed by Associate Professor of Business Rick Hamilton. Van Namen is the director of sales at KBC Direct Floral Programs, a wholesale floral business with 11 locations in the Midwest.

The floral business was part of Van Namen’s growing up. His family emigrated from Holland in 1955 when he was seven years old, a move that was difficult for him to accept. After being questioned by extended family about the wisdom of the decision to move, Van Namen’s father replied, “I have two hands, and I have a father in heaven, and that’s all I need” – a mantra that stuck with Van Namen throughout his life.

To make a living for his family in their new home, Van Namen’s father had tulip bulbs shipped from the Netherlands and peddled them from house to house. From there, he drove a truck for a local floral company and eventually bought out the business, which eventually became Van’s Floral Products.

As Van Namen rose in management in his father’s company, he learned several things about how to run a business. Eventually, his father handed him the baton, making him CEO of the company.

The interview with Van Namen covered more than the dos and don’ts of business. Van Namen shared his journey to becoming a leader of integrity.

“You have to lead by example,” Van Namen stated simply. “You have to be able to do what you expect others to do.”  

“You have to lead by example.

Jack Van Namen

After decades of growth Van’s was acquired in 2012 by KBC, where Van Namen serves as director of sales.

The interview was held in the Van Namen Recital Hall, a room named in honor of Van Namen’s family, supporters of Trinity and Christian education.

A line of fans of Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins wound through the DeVos Athletics and Recreation Center on May 9, for the opportunity to have him sign copies of his new book, Game Changer: Faith, Football, & Finding Your Way.

The May 9 event welcomed students, families, and community members.

Before the book signing, Cousins shared personal stories of life, both on and off the field—stories that illustrated a dedication to his faith and to the game of football. A native of Holland, Michigan, Cousins was drafted by the Redskins in 2012 and holds many records from his career at Michigan State University.

The evening’s silent auction, benefiting Trinity student athletes through athletic scholarships, included autographed Cousins memorabilia among other items.

 “I was pleased that Kirk was able to speak directly to our student athletes, our alumni, and our donor friends. I thought his words were inspiring and challenging,” said Larryl Humme, vice president for development. “There were some wonderful words of encouragement that were shared between our guest and our student athletes.”

The event was hosted by Trinity’s development office and the Trinity Athletics Club.

Trinity Athletics Awards

During the event, this year’s exceptional Trinity athletes and supporters were honored with a presentation of awards.

Female Athlete of the Year – Jessica Wiltjer ’13 of Schererville, IN

Male Athlete of the Year – Andy Reidsma ’14 of Wyoming, MI

Women’s Award –Kirsten Harms ’14 of Tinley Park, IL

Keith Albers Award – Andy Reidsma

Rich Kooy Award – President Steve Timmermans, Ph.D.

Education, English, design, and psychology students—among others—spent time in the Chicagoland area this spring, learning outside of the classroom. Trinity’s proximity to Chicago provides many avenues for students to witness what they learn in class being applied in professional settings.

Hyde Park Book Stores

Every year, Dr. Boerman-Cornell, associate professor of education, takes students on a trip to Hyde Park to visit local book stores. After drawing a map of the area for students, he then “turns them loose” to purchase books and spend time in each store. At noon, the students met at Medici Restaurant to enjoy lunch and share their purchases.

“Having the chance for students to sit and talk about books and ideas is not only an important part of what college is all about, it is also a lot of fun,” said Boerman-Cornell. “Trinity is in a great position geographically to take advantage of what Chicago has to offer— including some of the best bookstores in the country.”

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Shakespeare is meant to be performed, and students in English 104 saw their required reading of Shakespeare’s Henry V come to life at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier.

“[The trip] gives us an important opportunity to think together about how literature can have a formative influence on community, one of the emphases of the English curriculum that also translates well to general education,” said Dr. Michael Vander Weele ’73, professor of English.

The Marketing Store

Students in design classes taught by Ellen Browning, associate professor of art and design, visited Vision Printing’s location in Tinley Park to learn about the printing process, from computer file to printed document. The group then headed to Chicago and The Marketing Store, a corporate branding firm whose clients include commercial giants Nissan and McDonald’s.

“The trip was an incredible opportunity to see before our eyes the things we had talked about in class,” said Kaitlin Feddema ’14 of Kalamazoo, Michigan. “Shutterfly calendars, burger wrappers, McDonald’s toys – we watched these things actually being created.”

Midwestern Psychological Association Conference

Psychology students attended the Midwestern Psychological Association conference to hear lectures about health, social and clinical psychology, and other topics. The conference, held in Chicago, hosted psychology scholars from universities all over the Midwest.

Assistant Professor of Psychology Jessica Clevering, Ph.D., said that her students were inspired by the conference, in particular the poster presentations directed to undergraduates.

The baseball and softball teams have both qualified for their NCCAA National Championships and will be competing for a national title on May 14-17.

Trinity Baseball

In the baseball tournament held at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio, the Trolls are the No. 8 seed of the 10-team field. The No. 5 ranked softball team will join nine other schools at the Botetourt Sports Complex in Botetourt, Virginia.

The baseball tournament field is divided into two pools of five teams, which will compete in a round-robin format. In Trinity’s pool are No. 1 Oklahoma Christian University (OK), No. 4 Fresno Pacific University (CA), No. 5 Bluefield College (VA), and No. 9 Shorter University (GA). The Trolls open against Oklahoma Christian at 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, May 14. On Thursday, they face Bluefield at 10 am EST and Shorter at 4 pm EST and their pool play will conclude on Friday with an 11 a.m. EST game against Fresno Pacific

The top two teams from each pool will move on to the semifinal round on the evening of May 16. The national championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST on May 17. See the complete tournament schedule.

Trinity enters the national tournament with a current 26-20 record, a record for overall wins in a season.  As the only team to qualify in the NCCAA North Central Region, Trinity earned the automatic bid to the national championship. It is the program’s fifth trip to the national tournament and the first appearance since the 2007 season.

Trinity Softball.

The softball tournament field includes 10 teams that will complete in a double-elimination format.  The Trolls will face No. 4 Grace College (IN) in their first game at 2:30 p.m. EST on May 15. The rest of their schedule depends on the outcome of that first game. Bracket play will pair the field down to four teams by Friday afternoon and the championship game will be played on May 17 at 12 p.m. EST. See the complete tournament bracket.

The Trolls defeated Bethel College in two games of a best-of-three series in the North Central Region Tournament to get the automatic bid to the national tournament. It is the first time since 1992 that Trinity has qualified for nationals. The post-season appearance follows a season in which the team doubled their number of victories from a year ago, achieved over 20 wins for the first time in more than 20 years, and is one win away from tying the school record for wins in a season. 

Follow the Live Stats

The games of the national tournaments can be followed through free live stats as well as through a video webcast that can be purchased at a nominal per game fee or full event pass. Links for those services as well as other tournament information can be found here: baseball and softball.

What a beautiful Saturday to work!

That’s how more than 100 students, professors, and staff spent their May 4, volunteering on campus and in the community during the College’s 12th annual “Love Palos” event.

Groups of workers were assigned to various work sites and tasks, including sprucing up the Trinity Trail and the Palos Heights pool. Each site was overseen by student leaders and members of Trinity’s Serve Committee.

“This year, I had the opportunity to lead a group of students to help clean up the Navajo neighborhood, and it was a great experience,” said Hannah Huisman ’16 of Hudsonville, Michigan. “Even though we, as college students, are nomads in the way we come and go during our four years here, an event like Love Palos reminds us that we are a part of a larger story. It’s an incredible opportunity to give back to the community that gives so much to us.  Additionally, it is a blessing to serve alongside our fellow students.”

Once again, the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge group joined the initiative. The group is comprised of Trinity Christian College students and local Arab-American students attending a variety of Chicago colleges and universities. The group has been working over diligently on the Cal-Sag Trail.

Teams worked hard all morning and also enjoyed a time of prayer and fellowship.

Partnering Organizations

CESAG (Trinity)

Forest Preserves of Cook County

Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanical Gardens

Navajo Homeowners Association

Palos Heights Parks and Recreation Department

Palos Heights Christian Reformed Church – Palos Christian Preschool

President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge

Restoration Ministries

Trinity Christian College

Students celebrated Asian culture at the annual Celebration of Asia held on May 6. The program included a dinner of authentic Asian food, followed by music and live presentations.

The Celebration of Asia, hosted by Trinity’s Asian-American Alliance, is only one of many events put on by the club to further cultural understanding and emphasize the importance of diversity on campus.

Last year the Alliance hosted a lecture about the current immigration policy, and Taste of Asia, a pot-luck style dinner featuring foods from Burma, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Korea .