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—Patricia Yang ’25

Saturday,  February 19 was Multicultural Team’s annual Next Step event! The event’s speakers eagerly shared their knowledge and insight and spoke on the greatly diverse and unique community present not only at Trinity Christian College, but also throughout the world. Headed and organized by Marissa Barnes ’22 and Caleb Rivera ’24, this year’s Next Step was held in the Marg Kallemeyn Theatre of Trinity’s Arts and Communication Center, where listeners could huddle together and learn eagerly about our culturally diverse world.

This year’s Next Step theme, “Bigger Than What You See,” speaks especially to the hidden, unseen parts of an individual’s identity. This session touched down a lot on that aspect, including disabilities. Barnes and Rivera wanted to tie everything back to the Kingdom of God and Christian roots. Said Rivera: “We want to be able to bring the campus back to those Christ-centered events where we talk about these things, and we talk about them first to glorify God.”

Next Step is a seminar-style workshop, an integrative experience that revolves around culture. “The goal,” said Rivera, “is to make people aware of things that are happening socially.” In a combination of lectures, panels, and group sessions, this event strives to talk not just about cultures, but also society, biodiversity, identities, and more. This year Next Step hosted Prof. Aron Reppman of the Philosophy department, Prof. Keith Starkenburg of the Theology department, Prof. Jonathan Brooks from the Chicago Semester faculty, and adjunct faculty member Prof. Boaz Johnson, who also teaches at North Park University. Each spoke on identity, and how all work to perceive one another; the impact of culture on worship; systemic racism and its effects; and the significance of names, respectively.

This large Multicultural Team event originated at Trinity in the early 2010s and was inspired by a workshop of the same name at Moody Bible Institute. A band of individuals came together to create Trinity’s very own Next Step, and it has been held regularly ever since. This year in particular was a unique experience, considering that Next Step 2021 was held online. Because of that, Barnes shared, there were a lot of unique challenges in re-orienting how to host Next Step back on campus and in-person.

Barnes and Rivera were thrilled with how this year’s Next Step came together. “It was superb! We put many hours of planning into it, and I can confidently say that it went well,” said Barnes. “In the planning stages, I was nervous about the setup, our speakers, the location… but once the day started, everything seemed to come together. We took time to pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us through the day.”

Barnes added, “I am so incredibly thankful to every speaker, as they each made a huge impact on everyone in that room. They all had different perspectives on the same topic, with similar experiences. Each perspective came from Indonesia, Nigeria, Chicago, and Mexico, with the conversation on poverty, immigration, gentrification, and more. I could have sat there and listened to them speak all day. I encourage everyone to show more support by simply listening to these organizations more! There is incredible history behind the fun events they host. Even as a Multicultural Team leader, I forget that. By listening to these leaders talk, and the speakers overall, I remembered why being present at their events and Next Step is so important. I am glad that I got to plan, participate, and learn from Next Step all at the same time.”

With the closing of another successful and fruitful Next Step, Barnes and Rivera now plan to collaborate and help all the other cultural organizations around campus, such as African Student Union. While Trinity was operating in a hybrid environment in the 2020-2021 year, leadership of cultural organizations were scattered between being present in-person or attending via online methods, making it a tricky year to navigate through. “Last year was definitely difficult for all the organizations,” said Barnes. The plan now is really just working with them. “We plan to put all the organizations in just one space and help them by training them with leadership things”—and alongside that, just giving them all the support they can.

Learn more about Multicultural and the events they host via these emails: Marissa.Barnes@trnty.edu, Caleb.Rivera@trnty.edu, Nicole.St-Victor@trnty.edu, or Rebecca.Carlson@trnty.edu.

Attendees of this year’s annual Black History Month lecture had the opportunity to experience an in-depth, wide-ranging exploration of “The Past, Present, and Future of Black History” featuring Associate Professor of History Lionel Kimble, Ph.D., of Chicago State University, and Professor of History David Brodnax, Sr., Ph.D., of Trinity.

In his opening comments, Kimble looked at the future of African American history. “By and large, it’s very strong,” he said. “I’ve trained as a social historian, and I’m more concerned about the stories we tell and how we communicate the history of African Americans. By and large, the number of young scholars coming in to the pipeline are doing a fantastic job.” He pointed to scholars focusing on the area of black women’s history and popular culture in particular.

Kimble is also excited about the use of the internet, social media channels such as TikTok and Instagram, podcasts and other tools that are providing access to the younger generation of scholars. “We have to meet young people where they are. A lot of folks have had negative experiences with history at the high school level. When they move to college, part of our challenge is when they come into our classes, how we best convey what we are trying to teach but also make it culturally and generationally relevant,” he said. “And there are those of us taking very active role in helping young people see themselves as historical actors and actresses by presenting the story of history not just of great men and women but of ordinary men and women doing extraordinary things.”

However, there are areas of concern, including how the pressures to “publish or perish” in academia are becoming even more difficult as access to journals is becoming more limited and in-person academic conferences have been cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his comments, Brodnax focused on racist laws and court cases in Iowa during the 19^th century, as well as the period during the 1860s and 1870s where the state became one of the most racially egalitarian. That includes the 1868 court case Clark v Board of School Directors, where the family of a black girl, Susan Clark, sued to be allowed to attend her local junior high school in Muscatine, Iowa. In that case, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Clark family, banning racial segregation in Iowa schools.

However, looking at the present day, many states are now considering or passing legislation that jeopardizes the ability of schools to teach about their history of racism. For example, last year, Iowa’s governor signed into law House File 802, which provides requirements around racism or sexism and diversity and inclusion efforts at schools and government agencies.

Said Brodnax, “Now, if there’s anybody who was troubled by the history of racism, of exclusion, of threats of violence against black children in schools and so forth, if this bothers you, if this makes you feel bad in some ways, if this makes you own your feelings, don’t worry. The current Iowa state government has your back. And I say ’Don’t worry’ sarcastically.”

He referred again to Susan Clark, where the school that originally banned her was renamed for her in 2019.  “But how does one explain to students at Susan Clark Junior High School, for whom the school was renamed, why it was named after her? Are they simply going to say she was the first black student, without saying what she went through and why it was so hard for her to go there?”

These types of laws, which claim to strive to spare students discomfort, implicitly focus on the needs of white students, Brodnax said. “These bills are not meant to protect black students who feel uncomfortable because our history is not being taught,” he said. “The future of black history will be an unnecessary, exhausting, and expensive struggle to be able to teach and disseminate black history at all. But unfortunately, this is also the past of black history as well.”

Kimble and Brodnax also shared their response to questions, including how to teach through listening, writing and teaching narratives from the actual historical experiences and voices of black people; how the studies of African American art and music reflect and stimulate change in society; and the recent Super Bowl halftime show featuring Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige.

The Black History Month Lecture was sponsored by Trinity’s History Department.

A Bachelor’s Degree from Trinity Christian College prepares students to flourish in their careers and vocations. And our graduates are well-prepared. According to data from Trinity’s Cooper Center for Vocation and Career Development, 97.7 percent of the graduates in the Class of 2021 are employed or in graduate school. That far surpasses the nationwide average of 82.4 percent. 

Each year, Trinity seeks career outcome data from new alumni. For 2020-’21 degree conferrals, 82.1% of graduates are employed, 15.1% are enrolled in graduate school, and one is serving the United States in the military.  

“We are excited to see our students successfully launch into their life after Trinity and continue to make meaningful contributions in the world,” said Director of Vocation and Career Development Jeff Timmer. “This metric is just one way that Trinity demonstrates how it prepares students for positive engagement in their communities and for contributions to the Kingdom.” 

Companies that employ recent Trinity graduates include Amazon, BDO USA, Chicago Public Schools, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Topel Forman. 

The class of 2021 has a range of job titles, reflecting the diversity and depth of Trinity’s liberal arts education: medical surgical/oncological nurse; special education teacher; art therapist; communications coordinator; graphic designer; tax associate; internal events coordinator; pastor; business analyst; baseball coach; police officer; and occupational therapy technician, among others. 

Trinity graduates are also pursing further education at the graduate level at institutions such as Duke Divinity School, John Marshall Law School, Northwestern University, Rush University, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  

Avery Johnson ’21, is currently attending Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C., and she cited the support she received from Trinity in helping her on her journey.  “I couldn’t have gotten this far without the help of the Trinity’s staff and professors,” said Johnson, who double majored in Biblical Studies and Communication Arts at Trinity and plans to become an ordained minister. 

For more information about Trinity’s 98% placement rate, visit Trinity’s Cooper Center for Vocation & Career Development. 

—Patricia Yang ’25

Trinity’s Theatre Department is delighted to congratulate Adriana Klein ’24 and Jacob Contreras ’23 on making it to the semi-finals of the Irene Ryan Acting Competition, part of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) in Region 3! The Irene Ryans is a scholarship competition where participants, nominated from different regions, come together to compete. From a number of participants, the judges narrow the competition down to 45 people in the semi-finals, and then 15 people as finalists.

“I am so proud of Jacob and Adriana for their success in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition,” said Prof. Emma Schneider ’19, Trinity’s theatre program coordinator.  “This competition is challenging in general, and the fact that it was held virtually this year adds additional difficulty. Adri and Jacob both progressed to the Semi-Final round in the competition– the second and third Trinity students to do so since we began participating in KCACTF in 2016– and were therefore ranked among the 2022 Top 45 Collegiate Actors in the Midwest. This is a huge honor for the students and a fulfilling acknowledgement of our Theatre Program as a whole.” 

Schneider told theatre club  students about the Irene Ryans, said Klein, who was part of Trinity’s 16^th Annual One-Act Plays in the fall. “Usually, participants are nominated, but this year was a self-nomination year. I was able to nominate myself.”

Due to COVID, the competition was conducted entirely online through multiple Zoom calls and meetings. They did not judge too harshly on the audio and video production qualities, which Klein said she was thankful for.

It was a challenge for Klein, as she had to remain home for the whole competition. One round in particular involved acting with a partner. “Doing those scenes become a challenge when you can’t physically be there to interact with your scene partner,” Klein said. Contreras, who recently played the lead role in Trinity’s Fall Mainstage Production of “Macbeth,” was challenged with the time limit of each round’s submission. “You don’t want to leave too much time unused but also of course you can’t go over time,” said Contreras, “So hitting that middle zone was tricky, especially as there’s no internal cuts, so if a take was too long, it’d have to be scrapped.”

Klein and Contreras shared also some of the things they learned throughout the competition. “I often make facial expression and/or body movements that are subtler/smaller than I intend for them to be. I’ve had to focus on making my movements and expressions bigger so that they actually pick up for the audience,” said Contreras. And Klein shared, “I’ve learned that the material you pick can impact your energy and passion going into it. I’ve also learned that just because one person had a certain opinion, they are just one person. They shouldn’t dictate the way in which you approach the process in the future.“

Both participants thoroughly enjoyed the whole acting competition experience. “Moving onto round 2 was very memorable for me. I wasn’t aware that only one other student from Trinity had moved on before, and it was a huge honor that Jacob and I were able to be the second and third,” said Klein. As for Contreras: “rehearsing with friends and making it to the semi-finals!”

Along with the acting awards, senior Evie Dykhouse also advanced to the final round of allied design at KCACTF for her makeup design that was featured in “Macbeth.”

Discover more about Trinity’s Theatre Department and the events they participate in on their Instagram page or contact Schneider at Emma.Schneider@trnty.edu

—Patricia Yang ’25

We congratulate Evie Dykhouse ’22 for advancing to the final round of KCACTF’s Region 3 “Allied Design and Technology Expo” competition! Her submission and presentation of Trinity’s Fall Mainstage Production of “Macbeth” makeup and design, which she co-designed with Dani Daujatas, has progressed far into the competition, much to her surprise and delight. Her submission included makeup and design for the Weird Sisters, Banquo’s ghost, and the subtle changes of Lady Macbeth’s makeup.

KCACTF stands for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. The purpose of this festival is to gather theatre students and practitioners from all around and present them the opportunity to share their work. Design, acting, production showcases, and journalism are but a few of the events and competitions KCACTF hosts. Region 3 includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Western Ohio.

“I participated in the festival in person in January of 2020, and I wanted to go back,” Dykhouse shared. “I had such a fun and great experience last time, and I wanted to make sure that I had the chance to participate again before I graduate this semester.” She also mentioned that a respondent had come to Trinity’s “Macbeth” production, which Dykhouse herself also acted in as one of the three Weird Sisters. “She was super appreciative of the design and told me that I should really consider entering it into the competition.”

Dykhouse put together a presentation complete with overarching motifs, hair and makeup inspiration photos, process documentation, and pictures of the final result. “I focused heavily on the design for the Witches. I knew that the three-dimensional aspect of this part of the design would appeal to the respondents,” said Dykhouse. “However, I also had slides dedicated to the hair and makeup for Banquo’s ghost, the hair and makeup that differentiated characters who were double-cast, and the hair and makeup that represented psychological changes that characters went through,” such as Lady Macbeth.

The most challenging part for Dykhouse was trying to be prepared for any questions the respondents would ask. She shared, “Many of the schools that Trinity competes against have complete departments dedicated to theatre. Their budgets are much higher, so they are able to spend more money for elaborate designs. Since it is a competition, Trinity has to stack up with the schools known for their theatre programs. This was a challenge, but it also made it more of a delight to advance to the final round.”

The most memorable experience was listening to the other presentations from the student designers, said Dykhouse. “I learned a lot and it was super interesting to see the creativity of the other presenters.” Another fond memory for her was when she found out that her design was moving onto the final round. “The celebration with my family and Trinity theatre friends from a distance was a very memorable moment in my experience of the festival this year.”

“Even though I ended up not being able to return to campus for KCACTF this year, I was still incredibly thankful for the chance to present the ‘Macbeth’ hair and makeup design at the festival. It was an absolute blast, and I would do it again in a heartbeat,” said Dykhouse. “A part of me was feeling unmotivated that the hair and makeup design for ‘Macbeth’ was not worth entering because it would not be able to stack up against the others in the virtual festival. But now I am feeling so incredibly grateful and blessed to have had the chance to present Dani and my work and receive recognition for it in the festival.”

Trinity Theatre is blessed to have such talented designers and production artists, Prof. Emma Schneider ’19, Trinity’s theatre program coordinator, said. “Evie’s presentation of the Hair and Makeup design, which she and Dani co-designed for ‘Macbeth,’ was truly stunning. I am so proud of Evie for the poise, professionalism, and attention to detail with which she approached the Allied Design Competition, and I am thrilled that the judges recognized and appreciated the hard work that she and Dani put into their design.”

Along with Dykhouse’s award, Adriana Klein ’24 and Jacob Contreras ’23 advanced to the semi-finals of the KCACTF Irene Ryan Acting Competition!

Find out more about Trinity’s theatre department by following @trinitychristiantheatre on Instagram, or email Schneider at Emma.Schneider@trnty.edu.

As the first black woman CPA in America, Mary T. Washington Wylie blazed trails throughout the accounting profession. In her honor, the Illinois CPA Society has created an internship program to help the current generation of college students continue her legacy. Recently, accounting major Jason McGhee ‘24 had the opportunity to participate in the Mary T. Washington Wiley Internship Preparation Program, designed to launch African American and other racial and ethnic minority college students into the accounting profession with access to training, resources, and mentors. 

The internship program was held in early January, over the Christmas break. McGhee said he decided to apply after learning about it from Professor of Business and Department Chair Deborah L. Windes, Ph.D.  According to Assistant Professor of Accounting Kevin Schenke, McGhee was an excellent choice for the program. “Jason is an introspective and thoughtful accounting student. He approaches problem solving with a measured and relaxed approach which allows him to focus only on relevant information for decision making,” said Schenke. “This is critical for today’s accountants/CPAs.” 

The multiday program included numerous activities and opportunities. “I was able to connect with fellow participants and industry professionals,” said McGhee. There were also panel sessions led by professionals from Big 4 accounting firms and major corporations, as well as the opportunity to engage in mock interviews. McGhee said a workshop on creating resumes was particularly helpful. He and other participants also took part in interviews for upcoming internships with major accounting firms.  

McGhee said he knew from a young age that he either wanted to be an accountant or a math teacher, before choosing accounting. “I’ve always been passionate about numbers,” he said. A graduate of Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Ill., he knew Trinity would help get him ready for that career. Along with having its excellent business program, he was also drawn to Trinity’s size and Christian orientation. “It was the fit that I was looking for,” he said.  

He said he has particularly enjoyed taking classes with Assistant Professor of Business Omar Sweiss and Associate Professor of Business and Finance Kelly Nyhoff. McGhee is also part of Trinity’s Fellows Program, which prepares business students to be innovative global leaders in the competitive world by combining rigorous classroom education and first-hand learning. 

After graduating from Trinity, McGhee plans to pursue a master’s degree and become a licensed CPA. 

He is the second Trinity student to take part in the prestigious internship program, after Indira Escalante ‘19. The program is named in honor of Washington Wylie (1906-2005), who earned a degree from Northwestern University’s business school in 1941 and became a CPA two years later. According to the Illinois CPA Society, at a time when virtually no firms would hire African Americans or females, let alone an African American female, she began her own accounting practice in a basement on the South Side of Chicago. She opened doors for future generations of African American accountants, and the downtown firm of Washington, Pittman & McKeever still bears her name.  

For Professor of Art & Design John Bakker, art is a catalyst to build stronger communities. His Roseland Portrait Project, which was recently on display in the Seerveld Gallery, represents the most recent iteration of that philosophy.

The more than 200 panels in the project represent friends, neighbors, and co-workers from the Roseland neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. Regardless of the way society defines a person’s status, Bakker’s goal is to demonstrate the unique value and dignity of each individual, the intersecting networks that they inhabit, and their contribution to the Roseland neighborhood’s rich social fabric. Taken together, the portraits represent a community in a state of imperfect order, with each member helping to support the whole.

During an artist lecture on Feb. 3, Bakker discussed his process and calling as an artist. As he told the audience, the portraits represent how  everyone is made in God’s image. After all, it takes as much time to paint a portrait of a Chicago alderman as it does to paint a portrait of an indigent resident in that alderman’s ward.  “It’s a metaphor for how God pays attention to each of us individuals,” Bakker said. “We are all equal, and we all matter.”

The project is one of several initiatives for which Trinity received a grant from the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), which connects the College to the Roseland neighborhood.

The Roseland Portrait Project will next travel to the CCCU International Forum in Dallas, from Feb. 11-13. The forum represents the largest gathering of Christian higher education community.

About the Seerveld Gallery

The Seerveld Gallery, located in Trinity’s Art & Communication Center, exhibits a cross section of work and viewpoints from across the art world. The gallery presents shows by professional artists each year, from internationally known artists to Chicago artists.

For professional market research, improving brand awareness, boosting social media engagement, creating business models and other services, local companies have an option right at Trinity—Fusion 59’s Consulting Team.  

The Consulting Team, which consists of Trinity students and is overseen by Fusion 59 Director Haley York ‘20, recently presented a marketing plan for a new venture by alumnus Gabriel Soler ‘19. The venture involves “New Drip,” a waterless car wash option that has a strong business in Brazil, and which Soler is looking to expand to the United States.  

The consulting team, led by Hope Heeg ‘22, offered a comprehensive plan that included multiple components, including market research, competitive analysis, product testing feedback, product branding recommendations, and a social media marketing strategy.  

Soler praised the quality of the presentation. “This will lead to some good discussions with the people in Brazil,” he said. “They did a thorough job with research. The pitch deck was well organized and the branding work was very detailed.” 

The team spent about two months working on the presentation. York brought together a team with diverse backgrounds for the assignment, Heeg said. “We had accounting, marketing, and graphic design majors to help tackle this new project. We knew we had to come up with a marketing plan and a strategy to bring New Drip to the United States from Brazil. The team took areas that they were experts in and we went from there! We all reviewed each other’s work and made the necessary changes to provide the most thought-through plan,” she said. 

This was one of several projects the Consulting Team has been working on. “Each semester we are assigned at least four clients in the Chicagoland area that need assistance with their digital marketing. We provide a certain amount of postings per week on various social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube,” Heeg said. “Depending on what package the client purchases, we also do photoshoots to gain new content and email campaigns. These businesses are all diverse in what they provide to the community. For example, we have worked with the Palos Heights Public Library, Royalberry Waffle House, and Noral Jewelers.” 

As a marketing major, Heeg said the Consulting Team has given her important experience and insights and helped prepare her for a career after college. “I knew that this was something that could help get my feet wet in the marketing realm and help me get an idea of what exactly I enjoy,” she said.  

Along with the professional research and report, helping students gain valuable experience is one reason Soler selected the Consulting Team. “As a student, I donated a lot of energy to Trinity. Giving back is important,” said Soler, who majored in finance. “I realized I could give this work to a third party or to Fusion 59, so gave it to Fusion 59.” 

Soler, who lives in Oak Lawn, Ill., and currently works as a consultant, has personal experience with the value that Fusion 59 offers. Fusion 59 launched while he was a student at Trinity, and he was deeply involved, along with serving as captain of the men’s soccer team and being part of Future Founders, which is affiliated with 1871 in downtown Chicago that supports early stage, growth stage and corporate innovators. “I’m pleased to see how well Fusion 59 is doing. Being part of Fusion 59 is a big benefit for students,” he said.” 

And it also benefits clients. Soler is currently working with several partners in the discovery phase of New Drip. He discovered the product while visiting Brazil, and is looking for next steps in introducing it to the U.S. market. “I wanted to get an unbiased view, which is why I reached out to Fusion 59 for marketing consulting work.”