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This year, the annual Grandparents’ Day was transformed into the new Grandparents’ Dinner. The April 25 event welcomed 242 grandparents and students.
Grandparents from near and far visited their grandchildren and enjoyed an evening meal in the Dining Hall. Through this event, grandparents gained a better understanding of both the mission of Trinity and what life on campus is like for their grandchildren.
During the first part of program, grandparents heard a few words from President Steve Timmermans, Ph.D.; Larryl Humme, vice president for development; and Ken Boss, director of planned giving.
Next, Bob Wennberg, director of Adult Studies, led everyone in a hymn sing, accompanied by Dr. Barb Timmermans, professor of nursing, on the keyboard. Chaplain Bill Van Groningen ended the program in prayer.
Afterwards, grandchildren joined their grandparents for the buffet-style dinner prepared by Creative Dining.
“I really enjoyed the Grandparents’ Dinner,” said Kayla VanWyk ’16 of Pella, Iowa. “Having the meal at supper time meant I didn’t have to rush to class afterward, so I could sit and enjoy their company for even longer, which was great.”
Following dinner, students and grandparents were encouraged to participate in a number of activities. Options included attending the spring play Noises Off; enjoying 20% off at the bookstore or a free cup of coffee at the Bootsma Bookstore Café; or simply visiting a while longer in the Fireside Room.
With the addition of a new bouldering wall in the DeVos Athletics and Recreation Center, students have begun to explore their personal rock climbing skills. The student-initiated club Rock Climbing Trolls, created this past February, provides an outlet for students to do just that.
The club was started by a team of students after taking the Interim course “Introduction to Indoor Rock Climbing.” One of those students, KwonNeung Kim ’17 of Seoul, South Korea, took the initiative to create a group for beginner and elite climbers to learn climbing and sharpen their skills on the course. According to the mission statement, the club seeks to “encourage the confidence and possibility that God bestowed to individuals.”
“The club is for everyone,” said Director of Student Programs Troy Schemper. “One of the main goals is to build a strong climbing community on campus, so climbers of all skill levels are invited. The leadership team works to be hospitable to everyone who attends and helps to introduce the sport in a non-intimidating manner to folks who are just starting out.”
Through Rock Climbing Trolls, students have developed their own personal climbing skills while forming relationships with one another. “I learned that there is a lot more that goes into rock climbing than just having super strong arms and hands,” said Chris Kuyvenhoven ’17 of Orland Park, Illinois.
Sara Sharik ’15 of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said, “My favorite part is the encouragement and fun that comes from having a group to climb with. Routes can be challenging at times, but you are more prone to challenge yourself and go further than you would alone when you’re with others who believe in you.”
Currently, the Rock Climbing Trolls meet twice a week in the DeVos Center to train on the fitness area’s bouldering wall. The club also plans outings to Climb On in Homewood, Illinois, once or twice a month. Kim is also hoping to put together special events for the club, such as overnight lock-ins.
“It is a fun and social way to get some exercise that not only engages your muscles but also your problem solving skills,” said Elizabeth Schutte ’17 of Grandville, Michigan.
Freshmen English students had a chance to submit their writing for a $100 prize in the English 103 Writing Competition held in April. The competition was open to all forms, from research papers to persuasive speeches and nonfiction creative pieces. They were reviewed by professors, edited by the student writers, and submitted to an outside judge, Bethany Eizenga ’11, for evaluation.
The winner of the competition was business and communication arts major Jordan Ghiglia ’17 of Wenatchee, Washington. His essay, “Family Business: The Influence of Family in The Godfather,” focused on the film while illustrating Italian immigrants’ transition into the United States.
“I wanted to do some research into Italian immigrants and the hardships that they faced in coming to the U.S. and how those hardships affected their behavior and family structure,” he said. “My family came from northern Italy in the 1800s.”
Mallory Blink ’17 of South Holland, Illinois, received honorable mention for her persuasive essay “The Negative Effects of Progress.”
“My love of writing started way back in grade school along with my love for reading. I loved being able to use my imagination, and I found that writing was one way to do so,” she said.
The competition allowed students to engage with their writing, and sharpen their skills. Professors hoped to encourage students to further develop their own personal writing style.
Trinity’s Honors Society Committee hosted the 4th annual Trinity Scholars’ Dinner, celebrating the work of both Vander Velde Scholars and senior students in the Honors Program. The keynote address, “From Rhône to Rhine: Research, Liberal Arts, and Paidea,” was presented by alumnus Ben Austin ’04, Ph.D. candidate.
The evening began with a Gallery of Scholarship showcasing student research projects for fellow students, faculty, and alumni to view.
The Outstanding Alumnus Research Award was presented to Austin and Dr. Yudha Thianto, professor of theology, who mentored Austin during his research in 2002-2003. The award recognizes a Trinity graduate who demonstrates faithful service, outstanding scholarship, and successful research, as well as collaborative partnership between faculty and student.
Thianto, a professor at Trinity since 2001, has mentored and collaborated with Honors students and Vander Velde Scholars on significant scholarly work. He taught two Honors seminars, including “The Unchanging God in a Changing Society” and “God, Creation, and the Age of the Universe.”
Also recognized for their student-faculty collaborative research were Assistant Professor of Biology Clay Carlson and Professor of Biology Bob Boomsma along with seniors Josh DeJong of Plainfield, Illinois; Patrick Page of Palos Park, Illinois; and Kiera Dunaway of Peoria, Illinois; all of whom presented their work at the Collaborative Undergraduate Research conference in Kentucky.
More about Ben Austin ’04
Ben Austin was born in Canada to a musician and a novelist. Following the hiring of his father Dr. Ken Austin as a professor of music at Trinity, the family moved to the Chicago area when Ben was nine. In fall of 2000, Ben began his studies at Trinity. As a sophomore, he was encouraged by Dr. Yudha Thianto, professor of theology, to apply for the Vander Velde research scholarship.
Ben’s topic was on a fourth century Bishop, Hilary of Poitiers, and the hymns that Hilary wrote as his way of fighting against the heresy of the Arians. Ben focused on two of those hymns, comparing them to some of the treatises that St. Hillary used to teach his beliefs. As a result of his scholarship, Ben presented his paper at the 34th annual Committee for the Advancement of Early Studies Conference on the campus of Ball State University in 2003. He received first prize for the paper.
After Ben graduated from Trinity in 2004, he went on to study theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, where he earned a Th.M. in Ancient Near East Languages and Literatures. From there he moved to the Netherlands where he attended the University of Leiden, researching the Plant Metaphors in the Septuagint version of Isaiah. Ben will defend his dissertation in May and is hoping to begin a career in academia.
Gallery of Student Scholarship
Recognizing the research of Trinity’s Honors Students and Vander Velde Scholars
Joshua DeJong ’14 and Patrick Page ’14
Stem Cell Research
Dr. Bob Boomsma, Mentor
Alexa Dokter ’15
Higher Dimensionality in Literature Interpreted through Geometry
Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, Mentor
Dr. David Klanderman, Mentor
Kiera Dunaway ’14
The Genomic and Morphological Effect of Bisphenol A on Arabidopsis thaliana
Dr. Clayton Carlson, Mentor
Ethan Holmes ’16
Poetry
Dr. Michael Vander Weele, Mentor
Aletta Huisman ’14
When Science Is Shared: Jr. Trolls Science Fair
Dr. Clay Carlson, Mentor
Chadd Huizenga ’15
Baal Worship in the Bible: Polemics in the Psalms
Professor Emily Thomassen, Mentor
Calob Lostutter ’13
Metabolic Speciation in an Aquaponics System
Dr. Thomas Roose, Mentor
Dr. Michael Bosscher, Mentor
Cassandra Nelson ’14
Plainchant in the Modern Church
Dr. Mark Peters, Mentor
Trinity’s business department continued its “Conversations on Leadership” series with an interview with John Venhuizen ’92, CEO of ACE Hardware. The Trinity graduate shared his secrets of post-graduation success in the workplace, and what it means to be a leader who motivates and inspires others.
Venhuizen recalled the value of small student-to-professor ratios during his time at Trinity. He was grateful for the intimacy of the small classroom setting and the opportunity to grow close with his professors.
After graduating, Venhuizen seized various opportunities which ultimately led him to a position at ACE Hardware. He credited his mentors, hard work, and a being in the right place at the right time with his success. Venhuizen served as Chief Operating Office, Vice President of Business Development, and Director of New Business Development before accepting a job as CEO in April of 2013.
Since then, the CEO has learned a lot about leadership. He stressed the importance of communication, feedback, and service as a leader, and defined the difference between a passionate person and someone who is fit to lead. “Passion isn’t enough. Don’t believe me? Watch the opening rounds of American Idol.”
“Lots of people aspire to leadership,” he said, adding that not everyone is fit for leadership and that many people who seek after it are driven by money. “Most people chase after money and find that they hate getting up for work. Do what you love, don’t worry about the money, and you’ll end up just fine.”
In seeking that first job, Venhuizen encouraged students to differentiate themselves from other applicants by focusing on values such as integrity, humility, determination, gratitude, and character. “Going to a school like this, you’re uniquely positioned to do so,” he said.
Students, professors, faculty, and members of the local Palos Heights community came to hear Venhuizen speak.
Business management major Andrew Reidsma ’14 of Wyoming, Michigan, was on the student team that had the privilege of working with Venhuizen as part of the business department’s mentorship program. “His knowledge and wisdom are impressive, but his passion, energy and candidness are what set him apart. I enjoyed working with him and learning as much as possible.”
As Trinity Christian College looks back with thankfulness on President Steve Timmermans’ 11 years of dedicated service to the College, it also looks ahead to the presidential transition.
With the goal of maintaining the College’s energetic momentum in curricular and campus development, Trinity’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Liz Rudenga to the role of interim president, effective June 1, 2014. An interim provost will be named soon.
As the chief academic officer of Trinity since 2000 and dean of the faculty, Rudenga has been responsible for the scope and quality of instruction with a strong commitment to ensuring that Trinity provides the best academic environment for educating students, both in and out of the classroom. She has provided leadership in long-range planning and has chaired committees of Trinity’s Board of Trustees and faculty. In addition to her work in the academic division, Rudenga has also been responsible for the admissions, financial aid, marketing and communications, and athletics departments. She has also served as Trinity’s director of faculty development and chair of the education department.
As a member of the Administrative Council, Rudenga has worked with every department on campus.
Chair of Trinity’s Board of Trustees Martin Ozinga III said, “Dr. Rudenga’s extensive academic and administrative experience and broad involvement in institutional functions make her a unique and exceptional candidate for this position.”
Two iconic bands, Audio Adrenaline and Kutless, came together for a concert at Trinity on April 12. The performance was one of the bands’ many stops on their Change a Life Tour through 33 different cities across the United States. More than 500 people attended the show, which also included performances by Finding Favour and Shine Bright Baby.
The featured bands played a mix of newly-released singles and crowd favorites, putting on a show filled with energy and passionate worship. After the show, band members stuck around to greet fans, sign autographs, and take pictures.
Student Krista Fopma ’15 from Sully, Iowa, volunteered to sell merchandise for the show. It was her first time seeing the bands perform live. “As volunteers we got free t-shirts and got to hang out with a few of the Kutless band members for a while after we helped them pack up,” she said. “It was neat to hear about their experiences and the band as well as be able to relate to them, chill, and have a good time.”
Callie Bunker ’16 of Delevan, Wisconsin, also volunteered to help. “The concert was more of a time of worship to the Lord than it was a concert, which is something I greatly appreciated,” she said. “I was inspired by the friendliness and the genuine attitudes that the bands showed to me and to all of their fans.”
“This event served as a way to refresh myself in God’s worship,” said Eva Miller ’17 of Nappanee, Indiana. “I walked out of the chapel that night feeling refreshed, blessed, and purely happy.”
Three English students, accompanied by Dr. Mark Jones, professor of English, recently flew to Boston, Massachusetts, to participate in the Literatures and Linguistics Undergraduate Colloquium at Gordon College.
Ethan Holmes ’16 of Blue Island, Illinois; Sara Henreckson ’16 of Hillpoint, Wisconsin; and Jaclyn Feddes ’15 of Frankfort, Illinois, presented papers, the content of which varied.
Feddes presented “The Ghosts in the Governess,” an exploration of the ghosts in the novella The Turn of the Screw. The paper was written in her Narrative in Society course this past fall. Holmes shared an argument formulated against basic assumptions within the field of linguistics, starting with the theories of Ferdinand de Saussure. In the paper, he asserts that language is more than an arbitrary social creation.
Henreckson presented “Powerful Meditation: How the Narrator Affects the Experience of the Reader in Jane Eyre and Turn of the Screw.”
While each experienced the conference in a unique way, all three students were equally affected by its benefits. Holmes said that he found gaining familiarity with other parts of the country built a sense of being able to do his work anywhere –an experience that “instilled confidence for future opportunities.”
Feddes said, “The whole experience of traveling to Boston was amazing.”
Dr. Craig Mattson, professor of communication arts, has been selected as the Association of Reformed Colleges and Universities (ARCU) Lecturer for 2014-2015.
His proposed lectures stem from his recently published essay in Quarterly Journal of Speech. “From Wimsey to The Wire: Distracting Discourse and Attentional Practice” explores the relationship between speech and attention.
Mattson explained that anxiety about distractedness exists in society and that certain books treat discourse as if it is “an enemy of attention.” The essay uses two detectives as case studies to explore the ways that an “irresponsible” discourse can trigger an indirect attention that looks like distractedness to assist problem-solving.
Mattson said that Trinity’s communication arts department often works with students on issues related to speech and attention in the digital age and believes his ARCU experience will also benefit his students and colleagues. “I am hoping that some of what I learn from other communities in the course of offering these lectures will circle back and animate and extend on-campus work as well.”
Dr. Liz Rudenga said, “This is indeed an honor, reflective of Craig’s conscientious and thoughtful approach to research and indicative of excellent scholarship by Trinity faculty.”
For a professor who specializes in 18th century music, a lecture featuring the Irish rock band U2 might seem a little unusual. Yet for Professor of Music Mark Peters, Ph.D., the lecture was a way to expand his understanding of music and scholarship.
Peters presented his lecture, “’I Am Someone,’ But Who? U2’s Appropriations of Black Music on Rattle and Hum” in March at James Madison University School of Music in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The lecture traced the influence of African-American music—including Gospel, 12-bar Blues, Rhythm & Blues, and the music of Jimi Hendrix—on the band’s 1988 album Rattle and Hum.
The lecture was the first in a series the School of Music will sponsor on an annual basis.
Although it differed from his usual realm of study, the lecture, said Peters, presented an opportunity for him to be stretched academically.
“This was a different type of scholarship from Bach,” he said, adding that the opportunity allowed him to research a topic he was passionate about while gaining valuable scholarship experience.
Peters was well-received by the James Madison community. “His engaging and illuminating lecture on U2’s appropriation of Gospel music, well attended by a diverse audience of students, faculty, and community members, far proved that Dr. Peters was the right choice to inaugurate the series,” said Dr. Pedro Aponte, associate professor of musicology at James Madison University.