Archives: News Stories

While honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we stand resilient!

At the annual celebration of King, hosted by the BSU in Ozinga Chapel Auditorium on Monday, students, professors, and staff members came together for prayer, poetry readings, excerpts from King’s speeches, gospel music, and more. This year’s theme focused on “We Stand Resilient!”

BSU President Antoneal Humphries pointed to the resilience displayed in the face of two terrible pandemics: COVID-19 and the terrible injuries of racism.

In a follow up message, the multicultural community shared: “We hope that all who heard the prayers, music, and remarks will be inspired to keep struggling towards a just world.”

Along with encouraging students, faculty, and staff to attend the celebration, President Kurt D. Dykstra urged everyone to take some time to read or watch one of King’s speeches and sermons.

“Being better requires people marked by fortitude, faith, and maturity,” Dykstra wrote in a message to the Trinity community. “It requires the sustaining of a society and culture led and influenced by such people.  In this, Dr. King’s words and witness offer a marked contrast to the ugliness we so often experience today.  He offers something radically different from the exponentially greater ugliness he experienced in his own life and times.”

Trinity is pleased to announce that Jeanine Mozie, previously director of admissions at the College, has been named vice president for student enrollment and retention. In this newly created position, Mozie will oversee the entire lifecycle experience of Trinity students, from the recruiting process, to financial aid, and through degree persistence and completion.

“Jeanine exhibits a thoughtful approach, careful attention, collaborative disposition, and mindful efforts that attract students to Trinity,” said President Kurt D. Dykstra. “Through her focused efforts on retention work, and her oversight of the committee that had been charged with these efforts, our already-strong retention rates will become even stronger and result in more students earning their degrees from Trinity.”

Mozie has worked for Trinity since 2016 in several different capacities in the Admissions Department. A graduate of Hope College, she is currently completing an MBA at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

She leads a dedicated Admissions and Financial Aid team that loves to welcome new students and ease the path to get started on what is sure to be an exciting journey. The team is familiar with the needs and questions of incoming students and is ready to give every individual the attention he or she deserves.

In her expanded role, Mozie also serves on the President’s Council, providing critical strategic advice and support to Trinity’s operations.

At Trinity, we have the opportunity to come together twice a week for in-person Chapel services on Wednesday and Friday mornings at 10:10 am in the Ozinga Chapel Auditorium.

Said Campus Pastor Rev. Ben Snoek, “In worship, all of us—students, faculty, and staff—have the amazing privilege to pause our weeks and orient our lives together as a Trinity community toward Christ. Just as we study, practice, eat, and train together, we also get to experience the joy of worshiping together.”

Snoek will serve as the speaker for the semester’s first Chapel on Wednesday, Jan. 12. Pres. Kurt Dykstra will speak at Chapel on Friday, Jan. 14.

Throughout the spring semester, Chapel speakers will journey through the book of Exodus under the theme of “Life in Between,” as we especially feel emotions of Exodus—raw, visceral longing for something better; the confusion and pain of wandering in the wilderness—in this weary season.

The Chapel schedule is always available on the Trinity website, where you will also be able to access our chapel message podcast on Anchor and Spotify.

The Trinity community was certainly busy in 2021, and we were pleased to be able to share many of those stories with you on Trinity’s website. Among the many stories that we shared, which ones did you find most interesting last year?  

 
The range of most-read articles span a list with as much variety as our students, professors, staff and friends. Readers wanted to know how Trinity students persevered during COVID to graduate and make the Dean’s List. Many of you also read about how the College and multiple departments were honored with national rankings. 

You were also eager to learn about our professors, from Dr. Brodnax being named Professor of the Year, to Drs. Meyer and Snoeyink earning emeriti status.  

You followed along the journey to the new and improved Shack, which was born from the spirit of service that is a highlight of Trinity students. And you also celebrated the 300^th win in the remarkable career of Coach Lenarz. 

Here’s another look at those stories, along with others from 2021.  

Celebrating Student Successes  

Our students are dedicated to excelling in the classroom and finding their vocations, and many of you read about the commencement ceremonies for our 2021 and 2020 graduates, as well as those who made the Dean’s List.  

Every year, the Student Life Department honors students who demonstrate their commitment to leadership, the College and to each other, and many of you were eager to find out who ranked among those award winners.  

You were also curious about Trinity’s newest Founders’ Scholars Tyren Brown and Kara Van Dyke.  

National Rankings Highlight Academic Strength 

Trinity appeared on many “best” lists in 2021, and you were interested in learning what makes us a Top 20 Ranked Regional College by U.S. News, why our Education Department is among the top 10 nationwide, and the many accolades our Nursing Department has been awarded.  

Recognizing Our Amazing Professors 

Our dedicated, experienced faculty leave a lasting impact, as proven by the popularity of articles about Professor of the Year David Brodnax and the retirements of long-time professors Dr. Joy Meyer and Dr. Rick Snoeyink.  

Saying Goodbye to Martin Ozinga III 

During his life, Martin “Marty” Ozinga III showed exceptional dedication to Trinity, and his passing was mourned by many.  

The Shack, New and Improved 

The Shack has been a hangout spot for generations of Trolls. And thanks to recent improvements by a group of dedicated students, it will be continue to a great space for many more! 

Introducing Campus Pastor Ben Snoek 

While 2021 marked the retirement of Pastor Bill VanGroningen, many of you couldn’t wait to “meet” new Interim Campus Pastor Ben Snoek! 

Coach Lenarz, Mr. 300! 

Head Women’s Soccer Coach Josh Lenarz ’98 secured his 300^th victory and his place as one of the winningest active coaches in the NAIA with the Trolls’ victory of Judson University on Oct. 6.  

You can visit trnty.edu/news to read all these articles, and many more! 

—By Patricia Yang ’25 

It was long and eagerly awaited. Erin Davis, a senior and current president of the Historical Association of Students (HAS), was especially excited. It was the first field trip since the spring of 2020, and HAS was going to The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (OI). Granted, Davis had been there before—but why turn down the offer to go again? Before the trip, Davis said “I love going to museums, and I miss going to museums.”

She was delighted to have visited again. “I forgot how quiet they can be, especially history museums. It’s like a reverent silence, because you’re looking at all these artifacts that are sometimes thousands of years old, and you suddenly remember that humanity is ancient. We’ve changed so much, and even now continue to change in monumental ways.” 

OI is a museum featuring Middle Eastern, East Asian, and North African history, exhibiting the history of places like Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt. Davis’ favorite part of the museum was a massive stone wall three times the size of a person, and carved on it was a mystical creature with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and wings like eagles—a lamassu. 

This time around, the OI had a new exhibit on the photographer Antoin Sevruguin. He was a photographer in Iran during the 1880s to 1890s and took photos of people and everyday life. The exhibit featured several of his photos and also described Sevruguin’s career evolution. “The thing that struck me was seeing Sevruguin’s photos and realizing that these are real people who existed, who had their own lives, families, loved ones, goals, and thoughts—and just so much made them them. These photos may be the only thing we have that shows us their lives, yet cannot possibly capture all of it,” said Davis, reflecting on her museum trip experience. 

HAS, founded in the spring of 2003, is recognized as an official club by the Student Government Association with the help of the History Department itself. “For almost twenty years, we’ve been meeting, having the president hit his or her shoe on the desk to start and end the meeting, doing ‘This Day in History,’ and other historical fun stuff,” said Dr. John Fry, Professor of History. “Most recently, we’ve taken advantage of Kahoots, some of which are really hilarious and all of which are fun.” 

Previously, HAS had hosted some lively activities on campus, such as a jousting tournament. “I don’t know how it went, because I was not there for the event,” said Davis as she laughed. “But I would love to bring something like that back!” HAS also used to have a trebuchet (a medieval catapult). Fry retold, “We put about 300 pounds of weights from the weight room on it, and it could throw a gallon jug of water about 75 feet. We also sometimes threw laptops, printers, and other items.” The trebuchet is long gone now, but Davis would love to have something like that again, too. 

And of course, HAS enjoys field trips to museums both local and regional: Cantigny Park, the Great Lakes Naval Museum, the Lincoln Museum and the Lincoln Home, and the Henry Ford Museum are just a few this club has gone to. They would go in Trinity vans and head out. On road trips, they would stay the night in a hotel, visit the site in the morning, and head back in the afternoon. “Now that things are getting more back to normal, I would love to see us be able to do a road trip again,” said Fry. 

The OI field trip came to a close—and now the club returns to its usual routine: hitting the shoe, seeing “This Day in History,” and playing fun Kahoots. And perhaps next semester HAS will once again head out for another exciting museum visit. 

To find out more about HAS and its activities, email Erin Davis or Dr. John Fry. 

What a year it’s been!

Here in this Year in Review, we share the stories of our students, professors, alumni, staff members, and friends during these unprecedented times. We hope you enjoy reading about the ways we all accepted the challenge to sustain the distinct character of the Trinity Christian College community while caring for the most vulnerable among us. As part of the Trinity family, we are In It Together—always.

Trinity is pleased to announce that Wendy Reid has been named athletic director. Previously, Reid had been director of athletics communications at the College.

Reid replaces Mark Hanna, who has served Trinity for 18 years in several different capacities and is leaving to pursue opportunities outside higher education.

“Wendy brings a wealth of athletics administrative experience to this role, including having served in multiple Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) institutions,” said Trinity’s Vice President for Student Life & Title IX Coordinator Becky Starkenburg. “Her knowledge and skills in small-college athletics will serve the department and the College incredibly well. She has exceptional decision-making and leadership skills that will benefit all aspects of our athletics operations.”

Before coming to Trinity, Reid worked in the athletics departments for Olivet Nazarene University, Calumet College of St. Joseph, and for the CCAC. She is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Said Reid, “The Trolls community is a special place, and I am excited for the opportunity to serve Trinity in this capacity. I’m looking forward to building on the foundation that Mark, whose leadership has shaped the College and impacted so many lives here, has laid.”

On behalf of the Trinity campus community, Christmas greetings to you!

We are grateful to God for all of the ways in which your partnership and support make possible what happens every day on campus. You are a vital part of the Trinity community!

During this blessed season, we are excited to introduce you to just a few of our extraordinary students, who are finding their place and their vocation here on our campus. You can view each video here.

We trust that Tyren, Olivia, Karen, Sharon, and Weston’s Trinity stories will bring you Christmas joy – and inspiration to know that this generation is being educated and formed to faithfully lead, serve, and impact the world for God and for Good.

Merry Christmas to you – and our very best for a Wonderful New Year!

– President Kurt & Mrs. Leah Dykstra

When Trinity’s nursing students graduate, they are prepared to be exceptional nurses, clinically and vocationally. Trinity does this by providing excellent professors, facilities, and clinical placements; through rigorous coursework; and with a supportive environment where students can realize their callings. The fruits of this approach manifest themselves in many ways, from alumni who make a difference in the world, to the patients that nurses minister to, to the communities that nurses help to flourish.  

Trinity’s unique approach to preparing nurses can also be seen in the ways that BSN graduates are ready for the workforce. Markers of success include an excellent NCLEX-RN pass rate and consistently high program rankings. For example, for the sixth time in seven years, Trinity graduates have achieved a perfect first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam. That compares to the nationwide average of 83.8% first time pass rate for those educated in the United States, according to NCSBN, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, which administers the NCLEX-RN exam.  

According to Dr. Sarah Gouwens, associate professor of nursing, Trinity’s nursing program challenges students from the beginning and offers exceptional resources for teaching, learning, and support. “These resources and opportunities prepare students to be successful not only on the NCLEX but also as Christ-like nurses in practice,” she said.  

“Students start their first hands-on nursing course, health assessment and promotion, where they learn to assess body systems prior to entrance into the clinical portion of the program their sophomore year,” said Gouwens. “This prepares students to jump right into clinical their junior year and make connections to provide a holistic care approach.”  

Trinity’s Nursing Department was fortunate to be in-person for labs during COVID restrictions. Said Gouwens, “Students were in personal protective equipment and maintained a safe learning environment. This allowed nursing students to learn the skills needed to provide safe patient care. The nursing department also has a state-of-the-art nursing simulation lab with high-fidelity mannequins, where students can care for a person in a realistic and safe environment.”  

 Trinity’s approaches prepare nurses well for their careers, according to Veronica Troglia MSN, RN-BC, manager of patient care services at OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, Ill. “I am always looking to hire from the best. The nurses I have taken from Trinity come well prepared and with a sense of drive and passion,” she said. “They are organized, well rounded, and adjust to the acute care setting with ease and a sense of comfort.”  

The NCLEX-RN exams are administered by NCSBN, through which boards of nursing act and counsel together to provide regulatory excellence for public health, safety, and welfare. The exam is taken after the student graduates from a bachelor’s degree-granting nursing program.  

Trinity’s nursing program is regularly recognized as the best in both the state and around the country by organizations such as U.S. News & World Report. Trinity’s nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.  

For students who may be drawn to other health-related fields, Trinity also offers many majors, including health communication, social work, psychology, exercise science, and more! And Trinity’s nursing curriculum is set up in a way that students can often have the flexibility to pursue a different major, according to Dr. Tina Decker ’06, associate professor of nursing and department chair. “The Foundation courses taken during the first two years of the program not only help prepare students to be well-rounded nurses educated in the liberal arts tradition, but also apply to any major on campus,” she said. “That way, if students find themselves looking to use their gifts in different health-related majors, they can typically do so within the same expected graduation date.”  

Click here to learn more about Trinity’s nursing program.