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Trinity students had the chance to sign up for and learn about leadership opportunities on campus at the second annual Leadership Expo on Thursday, February 9.

The open-house styled event featured representatives from almost every group at Trinity. The representatives shared their experience working with each program and told interested students how to get involved.

Anna Wessley ’14 of Crystal Lake, Illinois, represented The Courier, Trinity’s student newspaper, and used the expo to find interested writers.

“I think that the leadership expo was a fantastic opportunity for students to become aware of the leadership opportunities on campus,” said Wessley. “I firmly believe that in living an intentional academic and spiritual life, every student should have some sort of leadership role.”

The event was sponsored by the Student Development Office.

Participants included:
Academic Initiative
Admissions GHOSTS (“guest hosts”)
Allelu (Yearbook)
Asian American Alliance
First Year Experience
Multicultural Committee
Office of Ethnic Diversity
Organization for African American Unity
Outcry (Worship team)
Residence Life
Sabor Latino
Service Committee
Social Justice
Student Activity Board
Student Association and some of its subcommittees
Sunday Night Worship
The Courier (Newspaper)

Hannah Huisman of Hudsonville, Michigan, and Kerry Garrison of Metamora, Illinois, are the recipients of the 2012 Trinity Christian College Founders’ Scholarship.

The Founders’ Scholarship is a renewable, full-tuition award available annually to two incoming freshmen. Applicants must rank in the top five percent of their graduating class or achieve a 3.8 grade-point average; score a minimum of 30 on the ACT or 1320 on the SAT; exhibit leadership in their church, school, or community; and display evidence of personal faith in Jesus Christ.

Hannah Huisman
Hannah Huisman, a senior at Unity Christian High School in Hudsonville, is the daughter of Rev. Robert ’87 and Lisa ’86 Huisman; her sister Lette ’14 currently attends Trinity. The family of nine are members of Immanuel Christian Reformed Church.

Huisman, who plans to major in biology, has been involved in various high school committees, as well as sports, band, and the math team. She has also performed in musicals and plays, and she would like to further develop that interest at Trinity through choir and theatre.

Visiting Trinity’s campus left an impression on Huisman. “I realized I want to be part of the amazing things going on there,” she said. “It’s hard to put into words the feelings I experienced—the kindness of students, the warmth of the hallways, the encouragement and advice students freely gave as I began my college search, but, most of all, the love of God that seemed to radiate from every corner of the school.”

Kerry Garrison
Kerry Garrison, who plans to major in communication arts, is the daughter of Henry and Brenda Garrison; her sister Kelsey ’11 is a graduate of Trinity. She and her family are members of Grace Presbyterian Church.

At Metamora Township High School, Garrison has been involved in various sports, student council, the National Honor Society, and musicals and plays. She has served as a Campus Life student leader and has volunteered with Mission Peoria.

Garrison said her sister Kelsey’s Trinity experience influenced her decision to enroll as did other important factors. “I like that Trinity is a Christian school, so I know that the curriculum will line up with my beliefs,” she said. “I look forward to the friendships I will build. I strongly believe in the verse ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another’ (Proverbs 27.17). I expect to find many peers who will challenge me and whom I can spur on as well.”

Mark Schultz, the Dove Award winning Christian recording artist, performed in concert at Trinity on Friday, March 2, for an audience of nearly 900, including friends of the College, neighbors, alumni, and the Trinity community of students, faculty, and staff.

The event raised more than $21,000 for the Trinity Fund. The fund provides resources students need to receive a quality, Christian higher education.

At the event, Schultz and his band performed, and he shared several stories that explained what inspires him and many of his songs.

“The event was an emotional roller coaster,” said Brooke Wigboldy ‘14 of Tinley Park, Illinois.  “People were laughing at some of his stories and also brought to tears by the powerful messages in his music.”

The event’s sponsors included Schepel Auto Group, Amber Mechanical Contractors, Inc., At Home America, and Chicago Disposal, Inc. Mark Schultz was welcomed by K-LOVE.

Mandy Vink-Renaud ’05 of Pella, Iowa, now spends her days waking up in the mountainous city of Denver, Colorado, where she works as the city’s Public Art Coordinator.

In her recently acquired position, she spends time archiving the city’s collection of sculptures and murals from the late 1800s through the 1960s, allowing her to become an expert on Denver’s history in the process. She also works with city managers and project planners to select new submissions for the city’s collection.

Vink-Renaud graduated from Trinity with a degree in Fine Arts, part of which included an internship at Chicago’s Office of Public Art.

“Mandy was able to take advantage of her professors’ networks,” said Professor John Bakker, chair of the art department.  “Trinity’s art faculty are all active on the Chicago art scene. Our students get a sense of how the art world operates and how to navigate it once they are professionals themselves.”

Renaud moved to Denver in 2008 and worked for two different galleries. After meeting members of the Denver Public Art program in 2010, she accepted an internship with them while still working her full-time job.

“I was entranced,” Renaud recalled. “It was something I wanted to be a part of, regardless of the role.”

After working a year as an intern, the opportunity opened in the Public Art Program, and Vink-Renaud was hired at the end of 2011.

The drums begin to beat as Mama Edie Armstrong and two drummers march into the Marg Kallemeyn Theatre. Meanwhile, Trinity students and faculty clap along as the storyteller makes her way on stage.

This was the scene as Mama Edie began sharing Native American and African history through storytelling and song with about 150 audience members.

The storyteller used multiple character voices, dramatic movements, and songs to capture the emotion of the stories. Her performance included a legend telling how the tortoise got the cracks on its shell and a folktale about a man’s journey to find a fortune. 

“There are so many different ways to praise God,” said Mark Waller ’13 of Tucson, Arizona. “Mama Edie praises him through her extraordinary ability to tell stories that change the way people think.”

The event also included a storytelling workshop before the performance. Students learned about the art of storytelling with Mama Edie’s guidance.

Waller volunteered to share a story during the workshop after learning some techniques from Mama Edie.

“Telling the story in front of an audience and a professional storyteller was a thrilling experience,” Waller said. “Mama Edie taught me that storytelling requires relaxation and how the storyteller must build a relationship with the audience.”

Jarid Reiter ’14 of Addison, Illinois, also volunteered to tell a story and chose a biblical parable.  

“Trying to tell the parable of the lost sheep was scary because I thought I was going to mess up,” Reiter said. “After I was done, it was fulfilling to see I had impacted my peers in His good name as they clapped with acceptance.”

The event was sponsored by the Cultural Affairs Committee.

Each January, Trinity students engage in interactive learning outside the classroom during Interim, a two-week program that occurs during the break between semesters. Read blogs from some of our interims!  Check back often as trips occur and updates are sent in.

• Art and Artists in NY 
• The Beatles in London and Liverpool 
• Costa Rica: Biodiversity in the Rainforest, the Volcanic region, and the Dry Forest 
• Culture and Music of Austria and Germany 
• Hope for Haiti
• Jamaica Interim 2012
• Praise Team 2012
• Serving with Restoration Ministries
• Simple, Decent Home: Partnering with Habitat for Humanity 
• Spain: Art, Language & History that Shaped our World 

The annual alumni “hoops” event on January 14 was held for the first time in the Trinity Athletics and Recreation Complex’s new DeVos Gymnasium. 

Nearly 40 alumni squared off in the morning’s 3-on-3 basketball tournament, then cheered on the Trolls in a double header against Judson University.

“It’s a great opportunity to socialize with old friends and other Trinity alumni,” said Brad Van Wyk ’06.

Alumni played in two divisions—advanced and recreational. Winning teams and their players included:

Advanced Division Winners
Tim Buikema ex ’87
Ross Stuursma ’09
Steve Van Zee ’99
Peter Zigterman ’08

Recreational Division Winners
Caleb Davis
Jordan Davis
Joshua Davis
Jason Wigboldy ’08

“The alumni 3-on-3 tournament is always one of the most enjoyable events of the year, because we can mix friendly competition and reconnecting with friends,” said Travis Bandstra ’06, director of alumni relations. “It was particularly great to be able to take advantage of the new Athletics & Recreation Complex this year. For many this was their first look at this great new facility.”

Trinity games against Judson University
Men’s game: http://athletics.trnty.edu/News/Trinity-Holds-On-Against-Judson.html
Women’s game: http://athletics.trnty.edu/News/Trolls-Claim-Victory-Over-Eagles.html

Trinity has recently launched a new mobile website that provides a succinct overview of the College and several of its key resources for individuals visiting Trinity’s website from a mobile device.

With a tap of the various icons, mobile users can access basic information on academics, admissions, athletics, and other areas. They also have immediate access to Trinity’s main website in order to expand their college research.

The mobile site is also a convenience for current students, faculty, and staff who can quickly access commonly used resources including campus e-mail and Trinity’s online portals.

How to access Trinity’s mobile website:
The mobile website will automatically appear when a user opens Trinity’s homepage from a mobile device by entering “www.trnty.edu” in the browser or by searching “Trinity Christian College” on search engines such as Google.

This is an exciting step in providing mobile device users with great information about Trinity! If you have any questions about the new mobile website, please contact Caleb Mulder at caleb.mulder@trnty.edu.

What began as an English internship for two Trinity students eventually became a book of shaped interviews and a transformative experience for the authors, their subjects, and their readers.

Voices of Redemption tells the personal stories of just a few of the people served by Roseland Christian Ministries and Roseland Christian Reformed Church in Chicago. The official launch of the book was held Saturday, February 4, at Trinity’s Bootsma Bookstore Café.

After a welcome by President Steve Timmermans, Ph. D., Joe Huizenga ’01, pastor of Roseland CRC, shared how the project was the realization of a similar vision he had as a former Trinity student and intern at Roseland, when each night, he would record all the stories he heard, “tragic and uplifting stories.”

Selected readings of the book were offered by writers Bethany (Kerr) Eizenga ’11 and Monica Brands ’11, as well as Pastor Huizenga and Dr. Michael Vander Weele ’73, professor of English. Special guests Felisha and her daughter, Kisha, two of the people whose shaped interviews are included in the book, shared their thoughts on the experience.

Felisha, who completely lost her sight at the age of 44, said the gaining of her spiritual sight was more important. “I’m thankful to be where God wants me to be, and I’m thankful for these two ladies who were sent to us for a reason.”

Her daughter Kisha echoed her mother’s feelings about the experience. “I’m thankful to be able to tell my story,” she told the audience of students, faculty, and friends of the College. “It’s not easy to admit your troubles, but if that story helps someone else, I would tell it every second.”

Following the readings and reflections, Eizenga explained how transformative the process proved to be for her and for Brands. “Our horizons were expanded, we met new people and were encouraged by their warmth and generosity, and we could see God working in miraculous ways.”

In the book’s postlude, Vander Weele writes:

I have a deep admiration for everyone involved in these interviews, the people with courage enough to share them; the pastor with vision enough to imagine what their stories could do; Trinity Christian College, which saw their internship program as a way to help get these stories out; and the two young women who tried to respect at the same time as they shaped these stories…

Copies of Voices of Redemption will be available in the Bootsma Bookstore. Call 708.239.4702 for more information.

January 12, 2012, marked the 2^nd anniversary of the 7.0 earthquake that devastated the country of Haiti; it also marked the sixth day of service of Trinity students on the Hope for Haiti Interim trip.

Students served through Mission of Hope (MOH), praying with people in the streets, engaging children in games, leading VBS lessons, and painting homes in the village.

In remembrance of the 2^nd anniversary, students worked in Leveque, also known as MOH 500, because of the 500 homes Mission of Hope built for earthquake survivors. Students, along with scores of other MOH volunteers, helped dig a 2,000-foot trench to provide easier water access to the village.

Junior Benjamin Borst, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was overwhelmed by his first view of the extreme poverty, but soon witnessed the work of God among the piles of rubble. While attending the church services at MOH, Borst was amazed by the way the Haitian people praised God.

“Through our eyes we saw poverty, but through their eyes, they saw the blessings of our Lord,” he said. “Hearing them sing and seeing their hands raised high was the most humbling experience of my life. I will never forget the faces I saw, because the love of God was truly shining through them.”

Nursing student Lisa Vander Meiden ’14 of Pella, Iowa, said, “I really enjoyed watching God work in and through my team. We lived out Matthew 19:14 and ended every day covered in dirt, paint, and sweat, but God was using us. He is truly making beautiful things out of the dust in Haiti, and I thank Him for the opportunity to witness that.”   

Accompanying the group of students were Bill Schepel ’85, assistant professor of physical education, and Liz Metcalfe ’83, assistant professor of education. Schepel and Metcalfe worked in Haiti the year of the earthquake through SCORE International, a sports ministry organization. Metcalfe had taught for three years in Port-au-Prince at the Quisqueya Christian School, which suffered no damage during the earthquake but became an oasis in the devastation.

“I am happy to report that after being in Haiti on the two-year anniversary of the earthquake with our Trinity students, we got to see first-hand that God is restoring, rebuilding, and renewing Haiti,” Metcalfe said. “Mission of Hope is literally bringing hope to a nation every single day.”