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After an exhaustive, multi-year process of preparation and evaluation, Trinity Christian College has learned that it has been reaccredited for another 10 years by the Higher Learning Commission. This is the best result that any college or university can achieve from an accrediting body like the HLC.

Accreditation serves as an indicator of quality assurance for current and future students.  Higher education is a highly-regulated industry, subject to institutional regulation, as well as program-specific review, from the  federal and state governments. The most comprehensive accreditation occurs from the HLC, one of seven regional accrediting bodies authorized by the United States Department of Education to implement federal quality assurance standards. As a more practical matter, a college or university must be accredited in order for it to participate in most federal funding programs, including student financial aid.

“This reaccreditation news from the HLC is a wonderful re-affirmation of the good work that happens at Trinity semester after semester, year after year,” said President Kurt D. Dykstra. “So many across campus had a role in this comprehensive, years-long project, all of which makes this news that we all can celebrate.”

An internal team at Trinity spent nearly two years gathering information in order to write a lengthy and comprehensive Assurance Argument responsive to the HLC’s five Criteria for Accreditation. This argument and documentation were then submitted to the HLC for review and evaluation by a group of peer reviewers selected from other institutions, who then spent two days in October 2020 virtually visiting campus and meeting with a wide cross-section of the Trinity community. The peer reviewers thereafter submitted their written recommendations to the HLC, which ultimately resulted in the reaccreditation decision.

“The fact that this work happened in the midst of a pandemic is truly remarkable,” said Provost Aaron Kuecker, Ph.D. “The criterion committee chairs, Prof. Cini Bretzlaff-Holstein, Prof. Bill Boerman-Cornell, and Prof. Mike Bosscher – with the skillful overall leadership of Prof. Sharon Robbert – carried significant workloads and writing tasks on behalf of the College.”

According to Kuecker, their work was supported by five Criterion Committees and the HLC Advisory Team. “These additional 35 or so people were closely connected to the writing and review process. That work was supported by many, many people who helped collect the nearly one thousand evidentiary documents, who proofread Trinity’s assurance argument, and who helped ensure that we were accurately telling the story of Trinity’s mission, its strengths, and its opportunities for growth,” said Kuecker. “This is a significant institutional accomplishment and it is reflective of the work of the whole institution.”

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is an interdisciplinary study and ministry center located at Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary that partners with congregations, organizations, and publishers.  

Its work includes the Annual Calvin Symposium on Worship, which took place virtually from Jan. 6-26. This year’s event brought together 7,000 registrants, and all kinds of participant-learners: students, faculty, artists, musicians, pastors, preachers, scholars, teachers, worship leaders and planners, and worshipers around the world. 

Trinity’s Nicole Saint-Victor ‘12, Affiliated Faculty, Director of Gospel Choir and Director of Multicultural Engagement, co-led one of the recent sessions: “Why Church? A Session for College and University Students.” 

Along with Joanna Wigboldy, program manager with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Saint-Victor hosted the interactive session, which was designed for college and university students and invited young leaders to voice the role of church in today’s context, and then to explore how their leadership in the church is essential. 

“For me, leadership development and spiritual formation are one in the same,” said Saint-Victor, who recently earned her Master’s of Divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary.  

This is not the first time Saint-Victor has participated in the Calvin Symposium on Worship. In 2019, she took part in a session on “Mentoring Young Worship Leaders in the Church.” 

What makes a great resume? As part of Fusion 59’s Fusion Fridays, Rachel (Vander Pol) Raymond ’05, the award-winning owner of RVP Career Services, recently talked with Trinity students and other members of the community about how to get noticed by potential employers.

“You want to be able to capture the attention of the reader quickly and not just have a list of responsibilities or a job description, but what you actually did,” she said.

Raymond gave valuable tips geared specifically towards new and recent graduates about the elements of a strong resume, tips on cover letters, and suggestions on how to leverage LinkedIn.

That included focusing on accomplishments, rather than responsibilities, in order to tell stories. Raymond shared her C-A-R approach: Challenge; Action; Result. “Think about the things you did, and how did you leave your company a better place,” she said.

Since it’s easy to forget details of projects and accomplishments over time, she suggested that regularly taking stock of successes at work and creating C-A-R stories. “That’s my number-one pro tip,” Raymond said. “If you learn anything from this presentation, just keep track of what you do, because it will be invaluable.”

Raymond, a business communication major at Trinity, also shared some of her experience working in the corporate world after graduation. “Ultimately, I kind of got sick of it,” she said with a laugh. She then traveled and lived in Ireland for more than three years. Currently a resident of San Diego, she launched RVP Career Services in 2014.

Fusion Fridays are held regularly and allow the Trinity community to hear from a variety of experts via Zoom. The next Fusion Friday, scheduled for Feb. 12, will feature James Green ‘20, VP Innovator and Intrapreneur, who currently resides in London working at Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 18, Trinity’s Black Student Union hosted its annual celebration of the great civil rights leader, focusing on the theme “Justice Like a River.”  

This year’s event, which was conducted virtually, featured songs, prayers, and poems from Trinity students, professors, and staff.  

Bolu Jegede ’23 took part in the celebration and read the poem “Equality,” by Maya Angelou. When asked what she hopes the Trinity community takes away from the event, Jegede said she honestly hopes the Trinity community understands that the fight for justice is not over.

“Justice will flow like a river over all the impoverished, all the weak, all the disenfranchised,” said Jegede, a philosophy major and executive with Trinity’s African Student Union. “Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed, but not all his dreams have been accomplished. We must continue to rise up and fight, and that can only be done by giving a voice to the Black community, while lifting their concerns up.”

As part of the event, Professor of History David Brodnax, Sr., Ph.D., offered a reflection on the verse from Amos 5:24: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”, a scripture that has been associated with King since the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycott in 1954. 

Brodnax described the similarities between the times of Amos, King, and the present day.  “Like Dr. King, and us, Amos lived in a time when some enjoyed great wealth and privilege, while others were denied economic and medical justice,” he said. “Amos also confronted the political corruption that was familiar to Dr. King, and us.” 

Following the siege of the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6, Brodnax urged the Trinity community to not let celebrations of King become meaningless, or even worse, used to push back against the justice that King fought and died for. “We at Trinity, who learn and work at an institution that claims for itself the goal of reforming the world for Christ, cannot follow others in making King Day celebrations empty celebrations, any more than we can ignore or embrace lies, corruption, bigotry, and violence,” he said. “We cannot condemn what happened in Washington, D.C., while saying nothing of the poisonous words that instigated that violence, or making false equivalencies between that violence and social justice protests. This is not the justice that Amos wanted, the justice that Dr. King wanted, the justice that we still do not have.  

“Justice is like a river, because it sometimes moves slowly. And sometimes people try to block it. But it is inevitable. Amos did not live to see it. Dr. King did not live to see it. But it is up to us and those who come after us, if we will live to see it,” he said. 

The entire celebration is available for viewing on Trinity’s YouTube Channel.  

Welcome to our first ever virtual SALT season!

Trinity’s SALT (Seasoned Adults Learning at Trinity) program is a membership program for those 55 and over who are interested in ongoing education and lifelong learning. The SALT Advisory Board and SALT Program Coordinator Andrea Dieleman are pleased to offer 3 virtual course options in the Spring 2021—all very relevant for today’s changing world.

Please join us and discover all that SALT has to offer!

For the first time, we are also inviting non-members to take part in our program! If you’ve been wanting to check out the SALT program but aren’t yet ready to commit to a membership, now is your opportunity!

To learn more about the SALT program and to see all the benefits that come with membership or to become a member please visit us at trnty.edu/SALT or contact Andrea directly at 708.239.4798 or andrea.dieleman@trnty.edu.

SPRING 2021 CLASS OFFERINGS

THE EVOLUTION OF POLICE DRAMA ON TELEVISION: 1950s AND BEYOND |

3-SESSION COURSE

Dr. Dennis Connelly, Professor of Criminal Justice

Ever wonder what cop shows cops watch? Here is the opportunity to learn about the television heroes of yesterday, such as Lee Marvin in M Squad and Sergeant “Just the facts, ma’am Friday” from Dragnet, to later shows, such as Hill Street Blues. This class will discuss the television shows that accurately attempt to depict policing, such as Police Story, to those that are not as accurate. We will view and discus scenes from the selected shows while discovering how the shows were developed, discussing technical advisors, and learning interesting facts about television and the police force. This course will take place online via Zoom. A link and complete instructions will be sent out by email a few days prior to the event.

Wednesdays, February 24 & March 3, 10, 3-4:15 PM

$30 for SALT Members; $45 for Non-Members

Please register via email or phone by February 15

PANDEMICS OF THE PAST: THE BLACK DEATH | 2-SESSION COURSE

Dr. Kyle Dieleman, Professor of History

Living in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is unique but, despite our frequent use of the term, not unprecedented. In these two sessions we will learn about the deadliest pandemic in recorded history—the Black Death, also known simply as The Plague. We will explore the causes, spread, symptoms, treatments, and preventions related to the Black Death in Europe during the 1300s and beyond. In particular, we will read and discuss Christian understandings of and approaches to the Black Death pandemic. Our learning will also allow us to reflect on commonalities and differences between the Black Death and our own pandemic and, by doing so, allow us to consider what it is to be human and to live together as a society. This course will take place online via Zoom. A link and complete instructions will be sent out by email a few days prior to the event.

Thursdays, March 18, 25, 1-2:15 PM

$20 for SALT Members; $30 for Non-Members

Please register via email or phone by March 10

THE WATER DANCER BY TA-NEHISI COATES | BOOK DISCUSSION

Dr. David Brodnax, Professor of History

History Professor Dr. David Brodnax will lead a discussion on Ta-Nehisi Coates’ novel, The Water Dancer. A Los Angeles Times’ book review describes The Water Dancer as “a spellbinding look at the impact of slavery that uses meticulously researched history and hard-won magic to further illuminate this country’s original sin” in which “Coates envisions the transcendent potential in acknowledging and retelling stories of trauma from the past as a means out of darkness.” The book and discussion are relevant for the historical issues of race and slavery but also for the contemporary practice and lasting effects of racial discrimination today. This discussion will take place online via Microsoft Teams. A link and complete instructions will be sent out by email a few days prior to the event.

Monday, May 10, 1-2:15 PM

$10 for SALT Members; $15 for Non-Members

Please register via email or phone by May 1

Since 2000, Colleges of Distinction has recognized colleges based on four key areas: engaged students; great teaching; vibrant communities; and successful outcomes.

And Colleges of Distinction has again recognized Trinity in multiple categories for the 2020-21 academic year, including among  Christian colleges and Illinois colleges. Other areas recognized by the organization include:

—Business Programs

—Nursing Programs

—Education Programs

—Career Development

“Trinity Christian College has been changing students’ lives since 1959,” Colleges of Distinction noted, citing the individualized attention students receive, along with our extensive network throughout Chicago and dedicated faculty. “Through a Biblically informed liberal arts education, the College community endeavors to provide an environment of Christian integrity and love, enhancing and supporting the entire learning experience.”

In honoring Trinity’s academic programs, the organization noted the stability, practical experience, and dedicated advising and counseling Trinity students receive.

Trinity’s career development work was also praised for its integrated career exploration and preparation; accessible programs and training; and career-centered staff.

Congratulations to Prof. of Education Bill Boerman-Cornell, Ph.D., on the publication of his new book, Using Graphic Novels in the English Language Arts Classroom. 

The book, co-written with Jung Kim, fills a gap about how graphic novels can be effectively used in junior high school classrooms. Drawing on research, surveys and classroom observations, it offers teachers ways to effectively incorporate graphic novels in their classrooms. 

According to Boerman-Cornell, graphic novels can be used in teaching English for more than just getting students’ attention and interest. “They can be used to helps students identify themes in literature (drawing on images as well as text), to analyze story structure (especially in contrast with regular text books. ) They can be used to learn literary interpretation. Contrasting a graphic novel’s adaptation of a book like To Kill a Mockingbird or King Lear can help students learn of the affordances and constraints of different formats,” he said. “And, learning to read graphic novels prepares students effectively for learning to get information form internet sources that communicate multimodally – using both images and text and the interplay between the two of them. Also, they are fun to read.”

Boerman-Cornell’s new book highlights two different studies already that show that graphic novels do not discourage students from reading regular text books. “Actually graphic novel readers tend to show increased interest in reading regular text books,” he said. “Our book doesn’t suggest that graphic novels should replace regular books, but they are worth being considered alongside them.”

For Boerman-Cornell, his love of reading graphic novels goes back to his childhood, when he discovered his cousin’s stash of comic books. “I read through them thoroughly – some old Marvel superhero books, Carl Barks’ run on Donald Duck, and a bunch of Classic Comics – Moby Dick, Ivanhoe, that sort of thing. My aunt noticed and for my birthday took me to a comic book store and gave me a $20 bill to spend as I wanted.”

Over the years, his love of reading comics expanded to include a love of reading anything. After majoring in English in college and working as an editor and writer, he went back to school and found himself teaching high school English. “I loved doing that, but noticed that some of the most intense conversations about reading that I heard were not in my classroom, but in the hallways, with kids talking about connections between Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

When he began his Ph.D., Art Spiegelman’s Maus had recently won the Pulitzer prize. “A lot of creators were using the graphic novel format to tell all sorts of stories: memoirs, non-fiction, realistic and fantasy novels, and a lot of graphic novels for kids. So, I ended up focusing my Ph.D. on ways to use graphic novels to effectively teach high school history. I have been researching how to use graphic novels in the classroom ever since.”

This is the second book Boerman-Cornell and Kim have collaborated on. In 2017, he, Kim and another graduate school colleague Michael Manderino wrote Graphic Novels in High School and Middle School Classrooms: A Disciplinary Literacies Approach. “That book was published by Rowman and Littlefield, a small academic publisher. It partly targeted an audience of researchers and argued that graphic novels offered a useful tool for reaching learning goals within each of the academic disciplines,” he said. “In history class, for example, it is important to get students to learn to recognize bias and perspective in primary source documents. Traditional textbooks, because they are printed with solid columns of Times New Roman Type and black and white documentary photographs, often seem like they are a purely objective summary of a particular historical event. Students are often reluctant to critique or question such a impressive looking book. A graphic novel like the award winning biography of U.S. Representative John Lewis, March, because it is presented in a format that appears less formal, is easier for students to question and interrogate.”

That book did reasonably well, he said. “But when my co-authors and I were speaking at conferences, we kept getting requests from English teachers for something that was directed specifically toward their subject area.” Manderino had just left Northern Illinois University to take a job as assistant superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for Leyden High School. “But Dr. Jung Kim, a professor of literacy at Lewis University and I did some brainstorming and submitted a proposal to Bloomsbury and they accepted it. 

“Then it just took a year or so of writing, timed with a wonderful sabbatical from Trinity for me, and we were able to pull it together,” he said. 

Trinity Athletics is excited to announce that it will induct a new class to its Hall of Fame during the 2021-22 academic year. The Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 2007 and has inducted a total of five classes, with the latest honor in 2018.

The Athletics Department is currently accepting nominations of former Trinity athletes, coaches, teams, or significant contributors for this upcoming class.

Nominee Criteria
Nominees must be persons of high quality and moral character, be held in esteem by their colleagues, former coaches, and teammates, and must continue to demonstrate strong Christian character in their lives.

For an athlete:
-must have been out of Trinity for at least five years
-must have earned a minimum of two varsity letters at Trinity
-must have exemplified strong Christian character and strong leadership
-must have earned recognition at the conference, region, and national level

For a coach:
-must have been out of Trinity for at least five years (or be at Trinity for 10 years if a current, active coach)
-must exemplify Christian character
-must have had a profound impact on the athletic program
-must have accomplishments in recognition received, championship team(s), outstanding records, and/or other statistical information

For a team of distinction:
-must be out of Trinity for at least 10 years
-must have achieved exceptional accomplishment at the national level or note-worthy season accomplishments
-must have exemplified strong Christian character and been positive contributors to the Trinity community

For a significant contributor (non-athlete/support personnel):
-must have at least five years of meritorious contributions
-must display a strong faith conviction and Christian character
-must have displayed outstanding service to Trinity athletics through personal time, effort, and commitment

More information is available here. All nominations must be submitted by May 30, 2021.

As a community, Trinity Christian College believes racism is an evil that remains a real problem in our world. During 2020, the College has been taking on the work of understanding how we personally and corporately have not lived fully into our own commitments to unity and diversity and addressing those issues. 

Along with other actions throughout Trinity, the Alumni Board has taken several steps as part of our commitment to live up to our beliefs that all people are created equally in the image of God. According to Director of Alumni and Family Engagement Jeremy Klyn ‘02, those steps include recently hosting an equity and inclusion town hall, which was streamed live on Facebook. 

“We felt it was important to invite our alumni of color to speak to their experiences,” said Klyn.  

The town hall was moderated by Alumni Board President Christian Perry ’16. As he told viewers and panelists in his introductory remarks, “We’re going to have a conversation about race, identity, and belonging at our beloved Trinity Christian College.” 

Participants in the panel included: 

— Dymica Brown ’94
— Myron Graham ’04
— Marlin Exton ’07
— Crystal Allen ’11
— Justin James ’12
— Dominique McGee ’14
— Noel Huddleston ’17
— Josiah Rosario ’18 

Over the course of 90 minutes, they discussed a range of questions and issues, including:  

What was your experience and how did you find yourself becoming a leader at Trinity around issues pertaining to race and identify? 

What does it mean to find belonging, and what does it mean to belong at Trinity? 

What concrete things can Trinity do to improve equity and inclusion?  

As Perry said at the end of the town hall, “I believe deep down in my bones that this place is going to be the model, the example for a country that so direly needs an example of what it means to be in community together.”

For those who missed the town hall or would like to revisit it, a recording is available on Facebook, and as a two-part “Troll Talks” podcast series.  

Said Klyn, “This event isn’t meant to be a one-time statement or referendum. It’s a beginning of dialogue and engaging with alumni on something that we’ve never been able to do yet as a Board and as an Alumni Office. I’m excited to see what other opportunities arise for the College out of this conversation, and excited to think about other topics and conversations we can continue to have as alumni within the Trinity community. 

“The Alumni Board exists to be a representation of the Trinity alumni association and meets regularly to engage with Trinity’s campus to be able to help propel the College’s mission and also provide needed feedback to the College and administration from our alumni,” said Klyn. 

Klyn encourages all of Trinity’s alumni to stay in touch and stay involved. If you don’t receive communications from Trinity’s Alumni Office, you can update your information here. You can also join Trinity’s TrollNation Network and take part in our comprehensive effort to mobilize volunteers from the Trinity family to advance the mission, vision and reach of the College.