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It’s national tournament time, Troll Nation! And Trinity has not one, but two, teams to cheer on to victory in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) playoffs this week!
The women’s soccer team is playing in the Opening Round of the NAIA Soccer Tournament on April 15-17 in Williamsburg, Kentucky. The Trolls face Missouri Valley College in their first game on Thursday, April 15, at 5 pm CT. You can view the action here .
With a win on Thursday the team will play again on Saturday, April 17, at 7 pm CT.
The women’s volleyball team plays at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round on Saturday, April 17. The match against Northwestern starts at 7 pm CT and can be viewed here,
Go Trolls!
Every year, Trinity accepts extraordinary students who are dedicated to making a difference in the world. And among each freshman class, the College welcomes two Founders’ Scholars, whose extraordinary spiritual, academic, and social leadership sets them apart. Trinity is pleased to announce our most recent Founders’ Scholars for the incoming class of 2025, Tyren Brown of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Kara Van Dyke of Fishers, Ind. As Founders’ Scholars, Brown and Van Dyke have both been awarded full-tuition scholarships to the College.
Brown, who attends Chesapeake Math and IT Public Charter South in Upper Marlboro, plans to major in biology and play basketball at the College. He is involved in National Honor Society and the Congressional Leadership Program. Brown has also taken part in the Spanish ministry at his church, offering translation services to those who do not speak English as a native language.
Van Dyke attends Fishers High School and is active in the Students in Action service club, volunteers as a children’s ministry teacher, and participates in dance. She actively volunteers to help victims of human trafficking and plans to major in psychology as a way to help those who need healing. Van Dyke represents the third generation of her family to be part of Troll Nation, since her father Leon Van Dyke ’86, is an alumnus and her grandfather Gerrit Van Dyke is an emeritus professor in the Biology program.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tyren and Kara into the Trinity community this fall,” said Jeanine Mozie, director of admissions. “From our largest, most competitive pool of Founders candidates yet, they emerged from the group not only as exceptionally gifted students academically, but also as students who have great potential to shape this campus through their thoughtful leadership. The interview committee found both Tyren and Kara to be dedicated, passionate, and impressive students whose enthusiasm for others and commitment to community will make a lasting impact on this place.”
Before they head to their own classrooms to shape the next generation, Trinity’s Education majors learn to cultivate relational peace, educational equity, and justice for all children and to impact every student’s life through excellence in teaching during their time here. Those stellar qualities have earned the Education program a place in the top 10 nationwide and number one in Illinois, according to College Factual.
“Any student who is interested in education needs to look into Trinity Christian College,” according to College Factual, which bases its rankings on data drawn from multiple sources, including the U.S. Department of Education.
The timing of this recognition, after such a challenging year in the field of education and teacher preparation, is a reminder of why Trinity’s Education professors, students, and staff are so dedicated to their field, according to Assistant Professor of Education and Director of Education Assessment, Innovation & Traditional Undergraduate Programs Kelly Lenarz ’99.
“Faculty, staff, and students have continued to uphold the motto we have for all of our education programs, which is ‘Serving with Excellence in Education,’” she said. “It is fantastic to be recognized for what we do and to be acknowledged for doing it well.”
Yet, the rankings are not only a reflection of the quality of the College’s undergraduate and graduate programs in education, but a recognition of the overall excellence of Trinity as an institution, Lenarz said. “We are thankful to be able to do this work in conjunction with colleagues across campus and with the support of administration,” she said.
Teachers have truly been amongst the heroes in our communities during this pandemic, as they have re-invented their work again and again in order to educate and care for their students, said Provost Aaron Kuecker, Ph.D. “We’ve long celebrated the way Trinity’s Education Department prepares people to teach with just that sort of creativity, commitment, excellence, and orientation toward justice and the flourishing of their students. This award is wonderful affirmation of the work of our department, our students, and the wider faculty and staff at Trinity,” he said. “We are honored to prepare teachers who can seek the good of their future students and communities.”
Trinity’s Education programs, which include undergraduate and master’s degrees, as well as an adult undergraduate degree completion program, equips teachers with a solid core of foundational studies that parallels the mission of the College and applies to all areas of learning, living, and working. Qualified and experienced faculty combine rigorous content and extensive and intensive classroom practice in their program courses. The College provides learning and field experiences essential to the development of competent and confident teachers. And Trinity’s curriculum guides students to form connections between subject matter, best practice teaching strategies, diverse classroom settings, and the world beyond the classroom.
Photo: Nursing students Jamie Park ’21 (left) & Anna Smagacz ’21
–By Angie Fratto
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected life for most people, but maybe, most notably, those entering the medical field. It has been particularly difficult for higher education nursing departments across the country that were attempting to prepare their students for real-world experience.
Most programs in the United States shifted their focus to online learning in 2020, which meant in-person clinicals were no longer a viable option to train up the next generation of nurses. While Trinity made the tough, but necessary, decision to move to an online program in 2020, the faculty and staff in the Nursing Department worked tirelessly behind the scenes to find creative ways to ensure their students were still on the front lines, learning during a pandemic. This was not only online but in-person, hands on with patients, albeit while wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE).
Department Chair and Associate Professor of Nursing Tina Decker ‘06, DNP made it her mission to get the students the work they desired to be fully prepared for their upcoming transition into their nursing careers.
According to Jamie Park ’21, she was amazed at the level of work involved to ensure each of the students was placed with in-person clinicals, a feat that she will be forever grateful for. “I know there was so much planning that went on behind the scenes and I can never thank Dr. Decker enough for all she did for each and every one of us,” she said.
Park acknowledged that it was a tough moment when she realized that she would be going home in 2020 and moving to an online program. The struggles of school in an online environment were heightened at home for Park, yet she found great support in her fellow classmates. The small, tight-knit group of seniors kept in touch with each other by text, phone, and email, keeping each other motivated and cared for–something she knew firsthand would not happen many places.
Here at Trinity, Park feels known, at home, and like she has a place in the world. She said, “Trinity Nursing program is ranked number one for a reason. It’s a challenging program for a reason, because it prepares you for the real world of nursing, and all the people here really, truly care for you.”
Anna Smagacz ’21 knows firsthand how strong the Trinity Nursing program is, as she started her journey to nursing at a different institution before transferring to Trinity. Her experience here has gone far beyond her expectations, and she said the nursing professors and staff always make her feel welcome, important, and part of something bigger than herself. She experienced the value of Trinity’s whole person approach to nursing, looking at the mind, body and spirit and valuing every part of that person. This unique view was inspiring to Smagacz and helped her view the nursing profession through a new, more empathetic lens. “This level of care, this holistic care, is not something you see everywhere, and it’s what makes Trinity stand out from other places.”
Both students highly complimented the professors and support staff in the Nursing department at Trinity during this laborious time. “Dr. Sarah Gouwens and Prof. Tammy Boll created a great environment – fun, yet still learning the necessities and skills we need to do the job. They shared their personal stories and gave real world experience, not just textbook knowledge” said Park. She also shared that when dealing with late night shifts at hospitals, Boll was always available any time day or night to answer questions. “She always worked to ensure her students were nothing but successful in their nursing fields,” said Park.
Another tangible way that the Nursing Department has worked to prepare students and establish the experience they need is through its participation in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) campaign to help vaccinate the public against COVID-19.
“At Trinity, our Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates are both clinically excellent and deeply caring,” said Decker. “Trinity’s Department of Nursing has taken the AACN Pledge and all clinical nursing majors will be participating in administering vaccinations within the community setting over the course of this semester.”
Through the AACN initiative, nursing schools pledge their support to safely engage faculty, students, and other stakeholders in the work underway to administer the vaccine and educate citizens on protecting themselves against this public health threat.
The top-ranked BSN program in the state of Illinois, Trinity’s graduates have achieved a perfect first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam for five of the past six years. Click here to learn more about Trinity’s nursing program.
Dear Trinity Community:
We send this update at the beginning of Eastertide and the day after the worldwide celebration of Resurrection Sunday. Christ’s victory over sin and death provides the animating purpose for Trinity’s existence and the reason that we as a people have deep hope for the future. We trust that, wherever you are located and whatever season of life you find yourself in, you can say with the Psalmist
Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
(Ps. 33:20-22)
We write to give you two brief updates on the Select College Committee Diversity, Unity, Conciliation, and Belonging. This is a follow-up communication from our message to you on Friday, March 12, 2021.
First, the Board of Trustees has charged the Select College Committee with two significant tasks:
- A Review and Revision of Trinity’s Key Foundational Documents. For many years, Trinity has had companion statements – Commitments to Unity and to Diversity – that, along with the College’s Mission Statement, provide important markers to our efforts to be a place that reflects John’s vision described in Revelation 7:9. As important foundational documents, these Commitments need to be regularly reviewed and updated to better reflect our ongoing understanding of what it means to provide a robust Christian education in a highly diverse world.
- Craft a Recommended Strategic Action Plan. In addition to the attention on Trinity’s foundational guiding documents, the Board also seeks the Select College Committee’s wisdom in creating a strategic action plan, that consistent with Trinity’s mission and current college Strategic Plan will operationalize the College’s foundational commitments. This Strategic Action Plan will identify the work already occurring, call us to higher and better aspirations in that work, and measure Trinity’s ongoing work to more fully reflect our Christian mission.
Second, in addition to spending time with the Board of Trustees at its May 14 meeting, the Select College Committee will host a variety of engagement sessions with members of the broader Trinity community in the coming two months. At least two such sessions will be before the conclusion of the Spring Semester:
- Tuesday, April 20 – primarily offered for current students;
- Tuesday, May 4 – primarily offered for the current campus community
It is anticipated that additional Spring sessions will be announced for off-campus members of the Trinity community.
Finally, we are close to naming the members of the Select Committee. We had hoped to do so in this communication, but the Trinity community has offered significant input and suggestions on persons to serve in this capacity. We are very grateful for this degree of interest!
On behalf of the College, we are grateful for your continued support of prayer, of time, of concern, of patience, and of resources. We feel your prayers and deeply appreciate them.
The Trustees sincerely hold the College and its mission carefully in trust. All of us receiving this message are a part of the Trinity community, care deeply for it, and earnestly desire that all members of the community flourish in every faithful way. We trust, that with God’s hand upon us all, this will be Trinity’s continuing story.
Laura Zumdahl, Ph.D.
Chair, on behalf of the Board of Trustees
Kurt D. Dykstra, J.D.
President
TrollNation’s got talent, and that will be on display again at this year’s Trollstock!
Trinity’s annual talent show is ready to debut on April 10 at 7 pm. This year’s show will be virtual on Trinity’s YouTube channel, so everyone can take part in the fun—and vote on the winner, which will be announced at the end of the show!
For those on campus, there will also be a campus watch party. Students, check your email for the sign-up link.
Mark your calendar to tune in for this year’s amazing display of skills and fun!
Good works happen every day at Trinity—and one way we recognize those are through awards for Professor of the Year and Staff Member of the Year.
Nominations for both awards may be submitted by students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Collaboration is encouraged Both nominations involve a submission of no more than 300 words, which summarize the nominees’ accomplishments with specific examples.
Nominations for each category of awards are due by Friday, April 9.
Professor of the Year Award Criteria & Process
—Candidates must be at least half-time faculty members (regular tenure-track/tenured, term, or instructor-practitioners) of any rank in at least his/her fourth year at the College.
— Candidates will have evidence of excellence in teaching or scholarship, with a preference for work that demonstrates a strong connection between teaching and scholarship, in work that advances the mission of the College.
— Nominations may be submitted by students, staff, faculty, or alumni and may be submitted to the online form linked here.
— Nominations will be reviewed by two prior award recipients, a representative of the Faculty Development Committee, the Provost or designated academic dean, and a selected leader from each of the following student groups: Student Association and the Multicultural Committee. After reviewing all nominations, this group forwards a recommendation to the Provost for final consideration.
Recent award recipients:
2019: Kara Wolff (Counseling and Psychology)
2020: Yudha Thianto (Theology)
Staff Member of the Year Award Criteria & Process
— Candidates must be at least ½ time staff members and have worked at Trinity Christian College for at least one year.
— Candidates must demonstrate excellence in their area of work and have made a positive impact on people or processes in the College community while advancing the mission of the College.
—Nominations may be submitted by students, staff, faculty, or alumni and may be submitted to the online form linked here.
—Nominations will be reviewed by two prior award recipients, three representatives of Staff Council, the Director of Human Resources, and a student representative from Student Association. If a prior award recipient is not available, an additional member of Staff Council will fill this role.
After reviewing all nominations, this group forwards a recommendation to the President’s Council for final consideration.
Current members of Staff Council, Staff of the Year Committee, and President’s Council are excluded from consideration.
Recent Award Recipients
2019: Laura Davalos (Office of Learning Services)
2020: Diana Pell (Academic Office)
For playwright, director and Theatre Program Coordinator Emma (Darcy) Schneider ’19, unconventional times have led her to create an unconventional theatre experience. Schneider’s new play, “Investigative Support,” will be premiering at Trinity from March 25-27.
“‘Investigative Support’ is an immersive play, which means that the play gets to break a lot of traditional theatre rules,” according to Schneider. Rather than being staged in the Marg Kallemeyn Theatre in the Art & Communication Center, it will be outside on the Trin Trail. Audience members will interact with the actors and decide what happens, in a dynamic “choose your own adventure” approach. And the play has five possible endings!
While Schneider majored in English education at Trinity, she has always had a love of theater and was deeply involved in Theatre Club at the College. After a year of teaching at the high-school level, she felt drawn back to the arts. Along with serving as Trinity’s theatre program coordinator and directing and writing “Investigative Support,” she is currently working towards her master’s degree in performing arts at University of Chicago.
The opportunity to return to Trinity as theatre program coordinator evolved after speaking with Associate Professor of Communication Arts and Director of Theatre John Sebestyen, Ph.D. over the summer.
“Dr. John has been a one-man show when it came to running the theatre department. But he realized he didn’t have to do it all,” she said. That led to conversations about developing a part-time role. With the COVID-19 pandemic, her grad school classes have been mostly virtual this academic year. “I love this community, and it worked out to take on the position. I started last September.”
As theatre program coordinator, she handles many of the logistics for Trinity’s plays, as well as for Theatre Club. She also served a key role in organizing the annual Trinity Arts Experience for high school students.
Schneider has also become involved in the creative side. Her new play rose out of work for her master’s thesis, which focuses on the role of audiences. “I began researching different types of theater, and I was looking for an immersive play that could take place outdoors in order to be more COVID compliant.”
When she couldn’t find one, Schneider decided to write her own. While she has written shorter pieces, including for Trinity’s annual 24-Hour Theatre Project, this is the most in-depth piece she has ever written.
And although Schneider has also directed before, she has never directed her own work. “I don’t have the same distance with the material,” she admitted. She credits the actors in the play for helping her develop the piece and identify new nuances and opportunities.
COVID restrictions continue to shape “Investigative Support.” While the play is taking place outdoors, Chicago’s winters have required rehearsing inside. And the play is also designed to allow proper social distancing between actors and audience members, adding a new layer of physicality to the work.
Schneider is excited about these opportunities to break some of the rules of theater with this play—and especially to do so at Trinity. “I’m so glad to be back here in so many different capacities,” she said. “Trinity has always been a strong home to me. I’m blessed to be here.”
“Investigative Support” will be performed at 4 pm on Thursday, March 25, Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 27. To learn more, visit the Box Office.
The recognitions and honors for Trinity’s top-ranked nursing program continue to accumulate!
RNCareers.org is the latest organization to name Trinity as the best BSN nursing program in the state of Illinois. Trinity has recently received similar accolades from RegisteredNursing.org, NursingProcess.org, and RNtoBSN. The College is also proud to have the highest six-year NCLEX average first-time pass rate of any BSN or ADN program in Illinois.
“The COVID pandemic has reminded us with unmistakable clarity that nurses play such a crucial role in serving the common good and the well-being of communities,” said Trinity’s Provost Aaron Kuecker, Ph.D. “Preparing nurses who possess excellent clinical skills and a deep sense that their work is in service of God and the wider world is right at the heart of Trinity’s mission. External validation like this is testimony to the excellent work of our faculty and to our amazing students.”
RNCareers.org helps nursing students in their search for a top RN program. “Schools ranked on our list have proven their ability to educate highly competent nurses,” according to the organization, which evaluated a number of factors in finding Trinity at the top of the class, including first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates, the number of students taking the test, the program nursing accreditation and more.
Said Department Chair and Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Tina Decker ’06, “While so much has changed this last year, it feels extra special to know that our academic excellence in nursing education continues to be recognized We are proud that our graduates continue to be prepared to pass the NCLEX on their first attempt to enable them to work as the nurses that the world so desperately needs right now.”
Among many examples of how Trinity’s BSN program has demonstrated its commitment to graduating the best nurses, nursing students have continued to participate in in-person clinicals during the COVID-19 pandemic. “There are many schools that have gone virtual or remote for clinicals, which we stand firmly against,” said Decker. “The department is a strong advocate for having students continue with in-person clinical experiences, preparing them to be nurses during the pandemic.”
In giving Trinity the top ranking, the organization cited how Trinity’s BSN program prepares students both academically and clinically to care for patients’ physical, spiritual, and mental needs. “Students are able to gain hands-on learning in the simulation lab, allowing them to hone their skills in a safe and controlled environment,” the organization noted.
Learn more about our top-ranked program and newly renovated facilities here.
The Healthy Troll Challenge is back, and everyone in the Troll community can take part!
Students who are majoring in Exercise Science and Physical Education K-12 are leading this year’s challenge, which is running through April 23. Since this year’s event is taking place virtually through Facebook and Instagram, anyone can work out alongside Trinity students, earn points for prizes, and get healthier.
Each week features a different theme, such as body weight, abs/core, cardio, flexibility, yoga, and Pilates.
According to Physical Education, Recreation and Kinesiology Department Chair and Associate Professor of Physical Education Shari Jurgens ‘92, an exercise science major and a PE K-12 major team up each week to create three 10-minute workout videos. “They are doing a great job of making these workout videos fun, engaging, and doable for all fitness levels,” said Jurgens.
One recent week of videos featured Matt Kamp ’21 and Manaase Mbuyi ’22, “Keep going, keep doing your thing, just keep pushing yourself,” Mbuyi urged viewers. “Just be better every day, be respectful to one another, and just make a difference in your life and the lives of others.”
Along with getting healthier, participants have the chance to earn points and compete for prizes. Points can be earned by sending in selfies to the Healthy Troll e-mail address. Selfies can include images of participants working out on their own, a screen shot of 10,000 steps for the day, a screen shot of a food log for the day, or a screen shot of participating following along with a Healthy Troll challenge workout on social media.
It’s never too late to start!