Archives: News Stories
Whether they remain on campus or travel overseas during Trinity’s two-week Interim, students get the chance to develop their knowledge of unique topics not typically covered in the college curriculum.
This year’s on-campus courses covered subjects such as Exploring Chicago Crime through Film, a study of the history of college pranks, and a writer’s workshop. Other classes focused on social justice issues like homelessness and the just production and distribution of healthy food. In nearby Harvey, Illinois, volunteers lived in the Tabitha House and Harvey House for two weeks while helping to minister to those living in spiritual and economic poverty.
In Costa Rica, Haiti, Cuba, and Ecuador, students discovered other cultures while lending themselves to be the hands and feet of Christ. Read blog posts from those who traveled outside of the United States.
Twelve students had the opportunity to study the culture and history of Italy. In this Interim course, led by Dr. Helen Van Wyck, professor of music, students journeyed through Venice, Florence, and Rome.
I was blessed during the trip by the people who I traveled with,
said Victoria VanHofwegen ’14.
“I was blessed during the trip by the people who I traveled with,” said Victoria VanHofwegen ’14, of Tolleson, Arizona. “Italy was a lot different than I expected, but I enjoyed the slow pace of life their culture holds. Seeing Michelangelo’s David, exploring the Coliseum in Rome, and having dinner on a Tuscany farm house were my favorite parts of the trip.”
Trinity Christian College celebrated the graduation of traditional and Adult Studies students during the Commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 15, 2012.
Families and friends of the graduates gathered in the Ozinga Chapel Auditorium to witness the presentation of the diplomas by Provost Liz Rudenga. The Commencement address was delivered by Dr. Bob Rice, professor of history who posed the question “What about Individuality?”
Rice was the recipient of the inaugural Professor of the Year Award in 2012 and will retire from Trinity in May.
Rice began with encouraging graduates to consider the Commencement event as a connection to “a long-enduring faith in American individuality.”
“What does this mean? In our culture, we rest in the certainty that society is comprised of capable individuals like you who act, achieve, react, and seek loftier goals. To ensure the continued vitality of this American culture, we struggle to liberate individuals from real or imagined restraints that obstruct the paths before us. …
“Through the curriculum and through every aspect of broader student development, we commit ourselves to make individuals whole. In colleges and universities across America, educators promise to guide in this transition so that their graduates will be fully prepared to participate in and to represent American culture.”
The invocation was delivered by Dr. Mary Webster Moore, associate professor of education; the song of response and the song of prayer were sung by the Trinity Gospel Choir; and the Commencement litany was led by Robin Clevenger ’12. Alumni greetings were offered by Travis Bandstra ’06 director of alumni relations, and the benediction was given by Chaplain Willis Van Groningen, Ph. D.
Commencement Address by Bob Rice, December 15, 2012
What about Individuality?
Provost Rudenga, President Timmermans, members of the Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, family and friends of graduates, and particularly the graduates of 2012: We come to celebrate this significant accomplishment of the graduates of December 2012. Each graduate has earned a particular bachelor’s degree, and each has a major or particular area of study. All have begun and have continued to take prescribed courses that surround and frame their majors with what we call “liberal arts education.” Altogether, you’ve taken up the call to scholarship and to engage the world in which you live. And although this ceremony is the culminating episode of your undergraduate experience, we could also consider this graduation event to be connected to a long-enduring faith in American individuality.
What does this mean? In our culture, we rest in the certainty that society is comprised of capable individuals like yourselves who act, achieve, react, and seek loftier goals. To ensure the continued vitality of this American culture, we struggle to liberate individuals from real or imagined restraints that obstruct the paths before us. We assert the separateness of the individual and the autonomy of the individual; we guard the privacy of the individual; and we even praise the public virtue of the individual as well.
Through the curriculum and through every aspect of broader student development, we commit ourselves to make individuals whole. In colleges and universities across America, educators promise to guide in this transition so that their graduates will be fully prepared to participate in and to represent American culture.
What makes this faith in American individuality even stronger is that it has been nurtured throughout generations of American history. Alexis De Tocqueville noticed the prominence of individuality when he toured America on his visit during the early 1830s. His observations and reflections became an American classic entitled Democracy in America. He wrote that when he landed in America, he immediately noticed the busyness, the noise, and the activities of Americans. Across the country he found the pervasive expression of individual freedom that led toward democracy. Individuals participated in society – a society that was leveled by common education, that was accessible through the common law, and that exchanged common ideas that were the discourse of the land.
He said that in America, all were sovereign, all had rights, and all participated in this individualized democracy. De Tocqueville also pointed to the deep, unresolved problems that he thought must be solved. He noticed the inequities that persisted. But his hope was in the presence of individualized democracy.
Sociologists have continued to write about the changes in American individuality and the impact that individuality has upon our culture. But if we look closely as a Christian community can, we can discover two surprises about American individuality. These surprises give me hope because they reveal the unfolding interconnectedness of community.
What are these two surprises? First, the achievements of these graduates – and their accomplishments are significant – rest in social institutions. Their achievements are embedded in social institutions which are God’s gifts to us and which we are to use to shape and renew society. Graduates’ achievements rest in the shaping and supportive work of their families. These achievements rest in different church traditions that provide larger frameworks as graduates take up their work in the world. Trinity’s educational vision has centered these achievements as responses to God’s ways and God’s longings for His people. Your majors give current description of the development of academic disciplines such as art, biology, business, education, psychology, and theology, among many others. These academic disciplines are themselves institutions by which you have taken up your work and by which you declare that you wish to make things new.
The second surprise is that our individual achievements are faithful responses to God’s call to love God and love neighbor and to seek justice, peace, stewardship, equity, and shalom. Even though our culture offers us an alternative individualized orientation, we are not disconnected after all. We do not take up our work alone. We do not so much carry our tasks but respond through them in faithfulness to God. May we continue to take this work up together.
Trinity will be offering a seminar discussing aspects of dementia onSaturday, February 11, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Ozinga Chapel Grand Lobby.
The seminar, “Portrait of Dementia: Helping People Live Well,” is an interactive seminar designed to provide insights into the diagnosis, experience, and progression of dementia. It will also include explanations of early warning signs and types of dementia, with a special focus on Alzheimer’s disease.
Tickets cost $15 per person and $5 for full-time students. To register for the event, email Jan Visser at jvisser.csm@gmail.com or call 708.307.2370.
The seminar will also discuss practical ways in which the church community can support both individuals and caregivers dealing with dementia, including social and communication adaptations.
About the Presenters
Both Linda Schutt ’98 and Pam Bult will speak at the seminar. Schutt, vice president of education at Providence Life Services Research & Education Institute, has held many different positions in her 30 years as a nurse in long-term care and staff education.
Bult is an educator in the Providence Research and Education Institute and leads the social services team at Providence Life Services.
Both Schutt and Bult have received advanced education in dementia care from Rush University. They have also taught workshops and developed educational material for staff members who work in a dementia specialty unit.
The event is hosted by The Church Connection Initiative at Trinity, Christian Service Ministries, and Providence Life Services.
Trinity began its celebration of the Christmas season on Friday, November 30, with the holiday jazz concert Jazzin’ Around the Christmas Tree.
The holiday concert featured nine Christmas pieces performed by Trinity’s Jazz Band along with some guest musicians from Richards High School. Dr. Ken Austin, professor of music at the College, and Charles Martin, band director at Richards, also joined their students in the concert.
Dana Segura ’16 of Chicago, Illinois, who played baritone saxophone at the concert, said music plays an important part in her Christmas experience.
“My favorite song would have to be ‘Hot Chocolate,’” Segura said. “There is nothing better than being by your friends and family you love with a nice cup of hot chocolate and some jazz music to bring in the season of Christmas.”
Many of the members of the Jazz Band also took part in the Christmastideconcert the following day.
While the vehicle made its descent down a mountain in Ethiopia, President Steve Timmermans, Ph.D., and his son, returning from a visit to St. Mary’s Church, began a discussion about faith.
Timmermans shared this story with the Trinity community at the first chapel service of the semester, emphasizing the call of Christians to not only accept the Word, but be “doers” of the Word.
In his message, based on James, Timmermans compared faith and active living out of that faith to the growth of a strawberry plant. Just as the plant remains rooted in good soil and sends out runners to take root in other soil, so Christians must remain rooted in God’s Word as they branch out to serve, to work, and to learn.
With more than 30 years in asset management, Robert Doll explained to Trinity students and local business people how his identity is found, not solely in his professional career, but in his relationship with Jesus Christ. Doll is chief equity strategist and senior portfolio manager at Nuveen Asset Management.
Doll was introduced by Trinity alumnus Scott Pothoven ’97, director of business as mission, PacMoore.
Live a heart-motivated life.
In his presentation “Conformed or Transformed?” at the Trinity Business Network (TBN) event on November 6, Doll explained the seven lessons he continues to learn as a professional and a Christian.
- Focus on the best, sometimes at the expense of the good.
- Live a heart-motivated life.
- Get a grasp on the brevity of life.
- It’s not about you.
- It’s not the circumstances but how we react in the circumstances.
- God seeks to satisfy the deepest desires of our heart.
- Live a life of worship. (But ask what it is you are worshipping.)
Following the main presentation, many attendees joined Doll for a smaller group discussion during which Doll focused on market analysis and answered questions of students and area business people.
Students say…
“I found it incredibly interesting to hear what Mr. Doll had to say. His work experience and his faith are two things that are often not spoken of together, and to see him living out God’s call for his life was awesome. Also, Mr. Doll was just incredibly smart. He provided solid, well-reasoned feedback to any type of question.” Andy Reidsma ’14 of Wyoming, Michigan
“It was a tremendous opportunity to have someone with such Wall Street credibility speak on campus. It took me by surprise hearing the degree to which he shares his faith on a daily basis in corporate America. One thing took away from his speech was his explanation of ‘vector decisions,’ basically how a decision today may not make much difference but if you extend the lines [over a distance] there can be huge repercussions down the road.” Jonathan De Young ’14 of South Holland, Illinois
Students say…
“I found it incredibly interesting to hear what Mr. Doll had to say. His work experience and his faith are two things that are often not spoken of together, and to see him living out God’s call for his life was awesome. Also, Mr. Doll was just incredibly smart. He provided solid, well-reasoned feedback to any type of question.” Andy Reidsma ’14 of Wyoming, Michigan
“It was a tremendous opportunity to have someone with such Wall Street credibility speak on campus. It took me by surprise hearing the degree to which he shares his faith on a daily basis in corporate America. One thing took away from his speech was his explanation of ‘vector decisions,’ basically how a decision today may not make much difference but if you extend the lines [over a distance] there can be huge repercussions down the road.” Jonathan De Young ’14 of South Holland, Illinois
More about Doll
Prior to joining Nuveen, Doll served as chief equity strategist at Blackrock, president and chief investment officer of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, and chief investment officer of Oppenheimer funds, Inc. Doll appears regularly on CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and Fox Business News.
Although new to students and the community, the Trinity athletics fields located a half-mile from campus on Rt. 83 started with the efforts of a special committee back in 1999.
The College recently held a special ceremony to officially dedicate the fields and honor those who brought them from “vision to reality,” as President Steve Timmermans, Ph.D., said in his introduction.
Honoree George Schaaf was recognized for his commitment to see the plan to fruition and for his and his late wife June’s gift to help accomplish the goal. In recognition of the Schaaf’s abundant generosity, the College has named the athletics fields the George and June Schaaf Athletics Complex.
Over the past couple of years, construction of the fields has provided for an artificial turf soccer competition field, two grass practice soccer fields, two softball diamonds with a new dugout, scoreboards, fencing, and a baseball field that has entered the final construction phase.
The sports complex is possible because of a long-term lease arrangement with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
A plan modification was recently developed for the addition of a practice area for Trinity’s golf team, an idea proposed by Schaaf’s grandson Brian Deckinga ’15, a team member.
Formal “thank yous” were offered by Bill Schepel ’85, athletics director; Beth Decker ’67, Board of Trustees chair; Rick Van Dyken, executive associate to the president for development; and student-athletes from the soccer, softball, and baseball teams who presented Schaaf with a soccer ball and home plate signed by team members.
Schaaf offered his own thanks noting the efforts of President Timmermans, Ken Mels, Marv Aardema, and the many others who worked on the grounds and behind the scenes, often donating time, funds, and materials to the complex development.
After the ceremony at the turf soccer field, the crowd moved to the baseball field to witness the unveiling of an engraved granite boulder in honor of the Schaaf’s contributions.
The College anticipates another two years until final completion of the entire complex as development continues on the east end of the property.
Schaaf said that he estimates the date of completion to be “the day I’m in the stands watching one of my grandkids. That’s when I’ll know the job is done.”
One of the Trinity community’s favorite ways to bring in the holiday season is through music.
Not only do hundreds enjoy the worshipful tone of the annual Christmastide concert, but audiences also gather at the foot of the towering poinsettia tree in the Grand Lobby for a laid back evening of jazz at the Jazzin’ around the Christmas Tree event.
This year, the Trinity Wind Ensemble and Jazz Combo performed a variety of Christmas classics, including “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Deck the Halls,” “Sleigh Ride,” and many more. Guest musicians joined students for the concert.
“Bugler’s Dream” was performed by Dr. Ken Austin, Dr. Benjamin Austin, and Professor Ted Golden and conducted by student Alexander Salto ’15 of Summit Argo, Illinois.
The Jazz Combo is directed by Dr. Ken Austin, professor of music.
Over 700 people began an early celebration of the holiday season at Trinity’s 12th annual Christmastide program on December 7.
This year’s theme, “Jesus: The Light of the World”, was displayed through various styles of music including hymn, gospel, choir, and instrumental.
The concert featured vocal performances by students in the Concert Choir, Gospel Choir, and Honors Ensemble. Trinity’s Wind Ensemble, Brass Quintet, and the Woodwind Ensemble also took part in the celebration.
Prior to the concert, the alumni office held its first alumni reception with refreshments and music in the Van Namen Recital Hall. Several alumni joined members of the student choirs in a performance of “This Christmastide.”
At the annual ceremony on Saturday, December 14, 2013, the Trinity community celebrated the commencement of 89 students—27 traditional, 53 Adult Studies, and for the first time, nine from the graduate studies program.
Families and friends of the graduates gathered in the Ozinga Chapel Auditorium to witness the presentation of the diplomas. The invocation was delivered by Don Woo, dean for ethnic diversity and multicultural programs.
The Commencement address, “Life Is a Mystery,” was delivered by Beth Decker ’67, chair of the Trinity Board of Trustees. Decker spoke with humor and frankness about life and the future.
“You, graduates, are graduating from a Christian institution–a place where you were loved and valued and encouraged. I am sure when you made the choice to come here, you wanted that perspective on your learning. Now it is your turn to give that to the world. Sure, success is great. Of course, we want you to use this gift of an education for good in the world. But what about you personally? What do you need to live a truly joyful and honest life with integrity? You need God.”
The College also celebrated the emeritation of Dr. Brad Breems, professor of sociology and the 2013 recipient of the Professor of the Year Award. Following a sabbatical in the spring semester, Breems will retire in May.
The song of response and the song of praise were sung by Instructor of Music Nicole Saint-Victor, accompanied by Greg Saint-Victor on piano. The Commencement litany was led by Barbara Wolterink ’92, one of the graduates of the master’s degree program.
Alumni greetings were offered by Travis Bandstra ’06 director of alumni relations, and the benediction was given by Chaplain Willis Van Groningen, Ph. D.
2013 December Commencement Address, Beth Decker ’67
Thank you, Provost Rudenga.
President Timmermans, Graduates, Administration, Faculty, Parents, and Friends: I consider it a great honor to stand before you this morning. I thank you all for the opportunity to share in this moment of celebration and I extend my deep and heartfelt congratulations to all of the graduates. You are on the threshold of some wonderful times and I wish you all of God’s blessings as you walk with Him into the future.
If someone had told me back in 1967 when I was a student here at Trinity Christian College that I would be standing in front of graduates in 2013 as their commencement speaker – well, I just wouldn’t have believed it. But here I am. And I am both humbled and honored to be here – even though I know the impressive processional and the individual walks across the stage are much more exciting. I’ll try to do my best to be short!
As I thought about this day, I thought it would be important to first learn a little about the graduating class – and I heard this very interesting story. It seems that there are two young men in the class who shall remain nameless for reasons that will be clear. They were really good friends and were taking Organic Chemistry one semester. They both did really well in this class on all the quizzes, midterms, labs, etc. and going into the final exam, they both had solid “As.” These two friends were so confident going into finals week – even though the Chem final was on a Monday – that they decided to go up to Calvin College to visit with some friends the weekend before their exam. So they did this and had a great time.
However, they ended up staying longer than they had planned and they didn’t make it back to Trinity until early Monday morning. Rather than taking the final then, they found Dr. Sytsma after he had given the exams and explained to him why they missed it. They told him that they went up to Grand Rapids for the weekend and had planned to come back in time to study, but they had a flat tire on the way back and didn’t have a spare and couldn’t get help for a long time. So they were late getting back to campus.
Dr. Sytsma thought this over and agreed that they could make up the final on the following day. The two young men were elated and relieved. So – they studied that night and went in the next day at the time that Dr. Sytsma had told them. He placed them in separate rooms, handed each of them a test booklet and told them to begin. They looked at the first problem, which was something simple about free radical formation and was worth 5 points. “Cool,” they thought, “this is going to be easy.” They did that problem and then turned the page. They were totally unprepared, however, for what they saw on the next page. It said . . . 95 points “Which tire?”
Well, after that story, I thought it might be best to just concentrate on what it is that I want to say to all of you.
It is said that NO ONE – I mean, absolutely NO ONE – remembers what was said at their graduation, if they can even remember who it was who spoke. So I am under no illusion about this daunting task before me. I want to say something meaningful – something – at least one thing – that you will remember long after this day is over.
So I did what all of us usually do – I went to the Internet to see if I could find some inspiration in speeches others have given at various colleges. I looked at speeches from President Obama to Oprah Winfrey – from Winston Churchill to Thomas Friedman – from President Bush to Ellen DeGeneres (who, by the way, wore a bathrobe to Tulane’s graduation ceremony once because she had heard that everyone there would be wearing robes). And who could forget the poignant speech of Steve Jobs at Stanford in 2005? I think it’s one of the more sobering and yet realistic speeches ever given to graduates. Let me quote just a little from it:
“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday – not too long from now – you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
I must say, these were all great speeches. Their words were helpful, kind, advisory and thoughtful. They were meant to inspire and I’m sure they did. However, what struck me in all of the speeches that I read were the same words that came up over and over again: words like success, passion, optimism, courage, be yourself, don’t let someone else define you, get to the top, etc., etc., etc. Where was ANY mention of God, of following Him, of leaning on Him in the difficult times? Where was faith, and love and supporting each other? Where was the Christian life depicted? I could not find one speech even alluding to such things. Not one.
You, graduates, are graduating from a CHRISTIAN institution – a place where you were loved and valued and encouraged. I am sure when you made the choice to come here, you wanted that perspective on your learning. Now it is your turn to give that to the world. Sure – success is great. Of course – we want you to use this gift of an education for good in the world. But what about you personally? What do you need to live a truly joyful and honest life with integrity? You need God.
I mentioned at the beginning of this talk that I am surprised to find myself here today. I wouldn’t have dreamt it back when I was a student. But it’s the perfect example of how little we really control our futures. As I look back on my life, I had little to do with how it turned out. Oh sure – I thought I was making the decisions, but time and time again, I can now see that things happened for a reason – and I had no idea at the time. Let me just share one story with you to show you what I mean.
My college degree was in secondary vocal music education, but after student teaching and graduation, I really didn’t want to teach music. It was 1970 and teaching positions were hard to get. I had studied with some excellent students – far better in music than I was and far more interested in it as well. After much thought, a job interview, and a job offer, I just said no. It didn’t feel right to take a job in something I really didn’t want to do when jobs were so scarce. Or so I thought at the time. It didn’t feel right, but I found it difficult to explain my decision to people because it didn’t seem to make any sense to them.
Frankly, it didn’t make sense to me either. However, it was in the next few years that I worked for the first time on a political campaign and learned through that experience that I had a passion for government, public service, and politics. I had never given political science or government a thought when I was a student because I had never had any experience in that area. It was only then – a few years after graduation – that God brought all kinds of people into my life who influenced me to seek out this side of myself. And so, to make a long story short, after I worked on several political campaigns, I won my own election in 1982 and for 15 years afterward, every job I took involved public service in one way or another.
Fast forward to 1991. That year I was encouraged to run for mayor of Grand Rapids, MI. The polls showed I could win, the money was there, the support was there – everything looked right for a run. But something nagged at me. Something didn’t feel right. I prayed about it, I sought counsel about it, I even took a walk alone with God in the woods and asked Him to make it clear to me if this was what I should do. Well, He really didn’t make it clear, no voice came to me from heaven, but in the end I simply had to say no because that was what felt “right” to me. I couldn’t really explain to anyone why, but it certainly seemed to be the right decision for me. So I declined that opportunity, had to deal with people saying I was crazy, and had to endure the embarrassment of looking like I was not up to the challenge or whatever else some folks wanted to say about me.
Two years later, our Congressman at the time, Paul Henry, a friend and mentor to me for years, asked me to be his campaign manager. I had always wanted to work for him, so here was my chance. In 1992, at 50 years old, he was running for his fourth term in that seat. However, two weeks before the general election, Paul was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Since we believed he would pull through, we carried on with the campaign – frantically attended all of his scheduled appearances, brought in resources from Washington to help finish the campaign that Paul could no longer do, and saw the campaign through to the end. In the end, on election night, he won the seat with 68% of the vote. However, he was only able to return to Washington to be sworn in. He died that following summer.
Now what does this have to do with the earlier career decision to pass on teaching or the mayoral decision of 1991? Given the stress of what we knew about Paul and what we didn’t know about his future, his family and all of his staff were under incredible pressure. Due to my long-time relationship with him, I was the only person that Paul’s family trusted to handle the media, their privacy, and any public information about him. In addition, Paul’s staff chose me to represent them as well – because I was his friend – because they could all trust me to not get sucked into the drama of the situation. I was in a strategic position to do all of that for him and for the people in his life, let alone the community he had so faithfully served. Had I been mayor at that time, had I been a music teacher somewhere, I would not have been able to be there at this crucial time.
This is just one example. There are so many more that I could share, but in closing, let me mention one more thing. I tend to be an obnoxious problem solver. My friends know that when they come to me with a personal issue or a difficult problem, I want to fix it. My first reaction is always to see if I can help them – see if I can solve their problem. It’s only when I see the look in their eyes, reminding me that they don’t want me to solve whatever it is – they just want me to listen – they just want to be heard. It’s uncertain who coined this phrase, but it is one of my favorites: “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived.” I cannot tell you how true that is.
Live in the mystery. Be open to what you might not know. Realize that God is in there with you and it’s OK.
So Graduates, as you are about to start a new chapter in your life, what I’d like you to remember today is that you were encouraged to be open to God’s leading, to allow God to work through you for His good. Even when you have no idea why or where He is leading you. You may think that the degree you’ve earned will be your future. It may not be. That’s the mystery. Of course, you should plan for your future and have a vision for where you want to go, but if something doesn’t feel “right”, pay attention to that. It could be the Holy Spirit nudging you to make a decision that may not make a lot of sense, but will be very clear in retrospect. True success in life starts with the relationship you already have with your Lord and Maker. Let the Holy Spirit live in you every day to guide you. For it is He that will hold you in His hand for the rest of your life. It is He who loves you.
Congratulations, Graduates. I wish you God’s blessing in your futures – and a lifetime of mystery.
Thank you.