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The first year of college is exciting, life-changing–and stressful. To help first-year students navigate their adjustment to Trinity and provide a sense of community, Thrive Student Mentors have spent the summer preparing to provide an immediate support network for all new students when they arrive on campus next month.

Student Mentors are an integral part of the Thrive program, which is a two-credit class taken by first-year students in their first semester on campus, and the official start of fall classes for all new students. Student Mentors help to guide their mentees, which include first-time freshmen and transfer students, through their adjustment to the College and develop a better understanding of campus resources and the skills essential for academic success.

“The mission of the Thrive Student Mentor Program is to connect all first-year students to an experienced upperclassman who serves as a role model, mentor, and resource,” said Emily Bosscher, Director of First Year Experience. “They are a support, someone to answer questions, provide welcome and inclusion, and guide first-year students to find connection and belonging. Research demonstrates that peer pressure–the good kind–is the best way to set habits, behaviors, and community engagement. By using peers, we are modeling and demonstrating to new students what the expectations are for life on campus through words and actions.”

Student Mentors work to maintain individual and group interactions through the fall semester, which includes the five-day pre-semester orientation program. This year, that program will take place right before classes begin on Aug. 26. Once the initial orientation period is over, Thrive continues for eight weeks of classes that focus on the more academic transition to college.

While Thrive Student Mentors are a long-standing tradition at Trinity, this year’s Student Mentor training program has looked a little different because of COVID-19 restrictions. The 15 mentors–11 mentors for first-year students and four for transfer students–were hired remotely, with interviews being virtual. The Thrive Student Mentor team also did a virtual spring training to get to know each other, deal with logistics, and plan for the summer. “That was unique!” said Bosscher.

Throughout the summer, Bosscher and the Thrive Student Mentors have been holding a virtual meeting every other Thursday to discuss plans for this fall, share concerns, and ask questions in anticipation of the return to classes on campus next month.

“This year, both COVID-19 and the conversation of Racism, Breath, and the Body provided unique and new opportunities to gather in different ways than we usually would,” she said. “Every other week we meet virtually to have a discussion in which we process our own questions, feelings, and understanding of what is happening in our country. We have a safe place where we can ask the tough questions, show each other lots of grace, and learn about our own privilege and life experiences in relation to our fellow students.”

Bosscher said that during these conversations, Student Mentors work on thinking through how their roles as leaders on campus are important and that they will be setting the example for how Trinity views our students of color, the work of anti-racism, and following the guidelines for the health and safety of Trinity in light of COVID-19. “These conversations have been a blessing this summer and have allowed students more time to prepare not only their own hearts for the challenge of this fall, but to know and understand more clearly the mission of Trinity and the support our office will give them in doing their mentor work,” she said.

Thrive Student Mentors earn a stipend for their roles, while developing other valuable skills such as establishing positive relationships with students, staff, and faculty; identifying and developing personal strengths as they pertain to their leadership skills; enhancing their communication, listening, and facilitation skills; and developing a better understanding of vocational connections. Along with working closely with each other and Bosscher, Student Mentors interact frequently with Faculty Mentors and the Faculty Liaison, Education Professor Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell.

“Mentors have an amazing opportunity to co-facilitate with a Faculty Mentor. That also means the first-year students have the opportunity to form a relationship with a Faculty Mentor in their first days on campus,” said Bosscher. “While peer mentorship helps shape culture and behavior, faculty mentorship and connection is a huge factor in student success and persistence to graduation.”

Along with the Student Mentors, the Thrive program includes two interns as well as a junior intern. “They can be in the 45 places that I can’t when this whole program is running!” said Bosscher.

For Student Mentors, giving back is one reason they are eagerly stepping into to the role.

“My favorite part of last year’s Thrive class was the mentors, because they were able to help me on a personal level when I was getting adjusted to college life,” said Carter Sheehan ‘23. “So, I want to ‘pass it on’ and be the helper for someone else.”

Agreed Nicole Wideman ‘23, “My Thrive Mentor and Faculty Mentor made me feel at home at Trinity, and I wanted to be a part of making other people feel at home as well!”

A transfer student to Trinity himself, Jacob McCleary ‘21  wants to help other transfer students adjust to life at the College. Coming into a four-year school partway through college can be a weird and challenging experience that is totally unique to that of first-time freshmen,”  he said. “I really wanted to be able to connect with new transfers and make sure they feel welcomed.”

Trinity Athletics will bring on Jeremy Bialek as the new head men’s and women’s golf coach, Director of Athletics Mark Hanna announced.

“I am very pleased to bring Jeremy on as Trinity’s next head golf coach,” Hanna said. “Jeremy and I have been exploring this possibility over the last several weeks and I am excited that he has agreed to lead this impressive group of student-athletes. Coach Bialek has a deep Christian commitment, a long coaching career, a love of athletics, and a strong dedication to developing student-athletes.”

Bialek brings a wealth of experience into this position. He spent the last 25 years as a coach, starting as a high school assistant and working his way into the college ranks. Golf became a part of Bialek’s life at a young age in upstate New York, playing the sport himself and caddying for his father who competed as an amateur in the area. He continues to play golf and learn more about the sport to this day.

Throughout his career, he has coached hundreds of athletes in various sports, leading them to success in competition and in the classroom. This will be his first position as a head golf coach.

Bialek will also continue with his current duties for the College as an assistant men’s basketball coach and as an education data specialist.

“The opportunity to serve as the head coach of Trolls golf is a true blessing,” Bialek said. “I greatly appreciate the trust and support that President Kurt Dykstra, Vice President Becky Starkenburg, Vice President Aaron Kuecker, Mark Hanna, Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jason Hawkins, and education professors Dr. Joy Meyer and Dr. Kelly Lenarz have shown me, as well as the encouragement so many other Trinity faculty and staff have given me.

“Trinity is a special place with special people; I found that out quickly when I arrived last August and continue to discover that day-in and day-out,” he said. “I look forward to walking alongside our Trinity golfers on and off the course while building a program that Troll Nation can enthusiastically cheer on.”

Trinity recently welcomed Kyle McCarrell to the College as Director of the Jennie Huizenga Memorial Library. McCarrell was previously acquisitions librarian at Augusta State University in Georgia and library director at Blue Ridge Community College in Virginia.

“I am very excited to be in a supportive environment that is focused on developing students in their life and missional calling,” McCarrell said. “Plus, I am excited to connect faculty with content that will support the new general education curriculum, as well as their individual research interests.”

While his first weeks on the job involved working remotely because of COVID-19 restrictions, McCarrell is quickly settling in and learning his way around Trinity’s campus and library. His first priorities include assisting Trinity students and faculty in navigating the new library system, Primo. “Academic libraries across Illinois recently transitioned to the new library system, so we are working hard at optimizing that system for the fall semester,” he said. “The library staff, Cindy [Bowen, Electronic Resources and Instruction Librarian], Sarah [Hoeksema, Circulation & Access Librarian], and Sandra [Taeuber, Reference & Cataloging Librarian] have things in good shape.” McCarrell is also already considering how library space and services can be optimized for the return of students and faculty to campus.

Library sciences is actually McCarrell’s second career. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Cedarville University and a master’s degree in trombone performance from the University of Cincinnati and spent a year teaching middle school students. However, he was interested in working in higher education and didn’t see a clear path to becoming a collegiate band director. A friend, who is a successful music librarian in Iowa, encouraged him to consider academic librarianship.

It felt like a natural transition, he said. “I always had a passion for information,” said McCarrell, recalling that as a child he would tell people his favorite television show was the nightly news. “Libraries have been part of me for many years. My mother was a church librarian and I helped with creating the cards for the card catalog. In college, I was the music librarian for the band and orchestra.”

So, he re-evaluated his career path and transitioned to work in libraries. He went on to earn a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of South Carolina and is currently working on a Ph.D. in strategic leadership studies, with a focus on postsecondary analysis and leadership, from James Madison University. “It has been a wonderful career field for me, particularly because it appeals to my love of organization and information. I get paid to help people find information!”

The opportunity to join Trinity came about when he, his wife Lynn, and their three children moved to Illinois to be closer to her family. “For some time, I have desired to work in two segments of higher education: a four-year undergraduate institution and a Christian institution,” he said. “Life circumstances had not allowed those desires to be fulfilled until now. I remember my time at Cedarville fondly and the Christian education I received. I believe Trinity’s mission is very similar.”

Professor of Theology Yudha Thianto, Ph.D., recently published an essay in a new book, Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Reformation Era. His contribution, “Muslim – Calvinist Encounters and the Shaping of Reformed Protestantism in Seventeenth-Century Dutch East Indies,” is part of a collection of essays edited by Prof. Matthias Pohlig, Professor of Early Modern European History at Humboldt-Universität in Berlin. The book was published by Gütersloher Verlagshaus in Göttingen, Germany.

Thianto first presented the paper on the topic at a conference commemorating the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation, which was held from July 18-21, 2017, at the Eckstein Haus in Nuremberg, Germany. The theme of the conference was “Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Reformation Era,” jointly organized by the Verein für Reformationsgeschichte & The Society for Reformation Research. “The organizers of the conference, headed by Prof. Pohlig, selected a handful of papers from the conference to be published in this volume,” said Thianto. “I was very delighted that my paper was selected.”

In his essay, Thianto described the encounters between Calvinism and Islam as the Dutch transplanted Reformed Protestantism in the East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) in the 17^th century. Through these encounters, the Dutch adopted a significant number of Arabic words to be used in the Reformed churches that they established. “In the article I discussed several reasons why the Dutch chose to do so,” he said. “These reasons were more politically, socio-culturally, and economically driven, and not merely religiously or theologically.”

Professor of Philosophy and Department Chair Aron Reppmann ’92, Ph.D., was first drawn to the field because the expansiveness of the discipline offered space to pursue many interests.  

And Reppmann’s continuing range of interests was on display during his stints as a featured guest on two podcasts in recent months: the Critical Faith podcast, produced by the Institute for Christian Studies; and the Secret History of Western Esotericism podcast. 

During the Critical Faith podcast, Reppmann, discussed “A Lesson in Hilarity,” and shared some advice from St. Augustine. During his conversation with SHWEP,  which explores “the forgotten and rejected story of Western thought,” he offered an overview of early Christian writer Origen of Alexandria (c. 184 – c. 253 CE). 

His connections to the podcasts came through different channels. 

In the case of the Critical Faith podcast, Reppmann’s appearance stems from his long involvement with ICS, including his current roles of chair of the Academic Senate and chancellor of the ICS. “The podcast is intended as a window into the life and community of ICS, and sometimes includes wider members of the community—not just those who study or teach there,” he said. “So, when I was going to be in Toronto for a board meeting last fall, the hosts of the podcast arranged for me to be a featured guest.” The podcast hosts spent the past academic year exploring the theme of “evil, resistance and judgment,” and Reppmann’s topic was guided by that theme. 

With the SHWEP podcast, Reppmann met the producer/host Earl Fontainelle at the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies conference last summer. Based on Reppmann’s presentation and subsequent discussions, Fontainelle invited Reppmann to be a guest.  

“In both cases, I found the experience really refreshing and stimulating: a chance to talk to a wide, non-specialist but interested, audience about thinkers and works that I’ve been studying carefully and that really matter to me,” said Reppmann. 

Trinity’s Board of Trustees and President Dykstra shared this statement to the community today: 

Dear Trinity Community:

On Thursday, June 18, the Trinity Christian College Board of Trustees gathered virtually for a special meeting.  While that meeting was originally intended for the Trustees to keep abreast of the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic and Trinity’s operations and future planning, those vital topics were largely set aside and the Board instead spent its time discussing the issue of racial justice and equity, nationally and at Trinity.  While the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis was the immediate catalyst for the awakening of the national conscience, racial injustice is broader and deeper than one event caught on video.

We issue this statement as neither the first nor last word from the College on these pressing matters.  Rather, we share this statement with the Trinity community following our special meeting so that Trinity’s principles and values are clear and unambiguous.

–To unequivocally state that racism is evil and an affront to true Christian witness and practice and that racism, as well as the injustice that flows from it, remains a real, present, and pernicious problem in our world;
–To recognize that the marks of racism and injustice in our society are disproportionately borne by persons of color, and especially among Black Americans;
–To further affirm Trinity’s commitment to justice, diversity, and the flourishing of all peoples as persons created equally in the image of God, as expressed in the College’s Mission Statement as well as in its Commitments both to Unity and Diversity;
–To humbly confess that the Trinity community like the rest of society is desperately in need of a Savior and that at times individually and collectively we have not lived up to our aspirations pertaining to Diversity and Unity, causing hurt to those whom God calls us to love;
–To clearly reaffirm that the Christian vision for this College inescapably means that Trinity values every member of this community as made in the image of God – and that, when, as now, it is clear that particular groups such as Black students, faculty, and staff are uniquely at risk, that we proclaim without equivocation that their lives, their dignity, and their intrinsic worth matter to God and to us all.  We believe that Black lives matter because we believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are aware that many conversations have been occurring throughout the campus community pertaining to matters of race and injustice, barriers and equity, hopes and frustrations.  Trustees have been a part of some of them.

This is an important moment to assess again where Trinity has come from, where it is at, and where it needs to go so that it more fully embodies the distinctly Christian vision that has guided, inspired, and corrected it for more than sixty years.  This examination is not new; it has been occurring for years with real progress happening in awareness, education, personnel, policies, and practices.  But as our conscience is raised nationally and at Trinity in this moment, we must also think and act anew, anchored by the courage to seek the truth and buoyed with the grace to see the deep imprint of God in one another.

To that end, at Thursday’s Special Board Meeting, the Board of Trustees committed to an initial series of actions, including:

–Convening a working group of the Board of Trustees to examine the Board’s practices and policies to ensure that it is embodying these commitments to anti-racism in its own actions and holding itself accountable if it falters;
–Calling for a review of, and a revision to, the College’s statements on Diversity and Unity, as well as a rededication to those statements and the actions that they call forth;
–Developing an actionable plan focused on racial equity at Trinity that incorporates and expands upon the institutional efforts already underway to root out barriers to access and impediments to equity; sets clear and transparent goals that the College community collectively will work toward; and holds ourselves accountable to their implementation over the next year and beyond;
–Committing to more frequent and transparent communication to the Trinity constituency about the College’s ongoing efforts and initiatives to more fully realize its Christian mission, including areas where it falls short of that mission;
–Reaffirming that the demand for racial justice flows from the College’s Christian mission, must be shaped by it, and must be deepened because of it.  

This is a preliminary set of actions and is not meant to be exhaustive.  The Board will expand its conversation with others on campus, especially as the College anticipates returning to in-person operations in the fall.

Trinity’s uniqueness as a small college with a close-knit community provides the opportunity for personal relationships that can be formed in working together to seek God’s will for ourselves, each other, and the College. The community, personal connections, and vulnerability required to have difficult conversations like these in love will be the hallmark of our approach as we move forward in a uniquely Trinity way.

Every time our name – Trinity – is uttered, it is a reminder that the Triune God delights in both unity and in distinctiveness.  Our motto, Unum Deum in Tres Laudamus Te (“One God in Three, We Praise You”) lights our path.  This is a moment for confession and lament when we, personally and corporately, have not lived fully into our own commitments to unity and diversity – but it, too, is a time for resolve and anticipation that we, as individuals, as a community, and as an institution, can become more fully faithful to God’s call upon us.   

Laura Zumdahl, Ph.D.
Chair, on behalf of the Board of Trustees

and

Kurt D. Dykstra, J.D.
President

Trinity Athletics hired Becky Eller as the new head coach for the women’s volleyball program, Director of Athletics Mark Hanna has announced.

“Becky is a strong leader, is intensely competitive, and is gifted and passionate for developing well-rounded athletes,” Hanna said. “She has impressed us at every step along this hiring process and we are thrilled to have her join the Trinity community – we are excited for her to lead and further develop all aspects of this women’s volleyball program.”

Before coming to Trinity, Eller served as an assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team at Trinity International University. She spent three seasons with the team, helping them make two NCCAA national tournament appearances, which the team has not done in eight years. She also coached seven CCAC All-Conference honorees over the course of the last two years. During the 2019 season, the team finished 27-13, which broke Trinity International’s record for most wins in a season.

Before coaching, Eller began her career in the CCAC as a team member of the women’s volleyball program at Olivet Nazarene University. There, she finished her career with 1,534 kills and 420 blocks, which ranks her in eighth in Olivet Nazarene’s record book in both categories. She led her team to two CCAC Tournament Championship appearances, and two trips to the NAIA National tournament. Eller also earned CCAC Co-Player of the Year, CCAC All-Conference, AVCA All-Midwest Region, AVCA All-America Honorable Mention and NAIA All-America honors over the course of her junior and senior seasons.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to be the next head women’s volleyball coach at Trinity,” Eller said. “I look forward to building on the success of the program and challenging each girl spiritually, academically, relationally, and athletically, and watching them grow during their time at Trinity. I’m excited to build new traditions and to watch our team compete at a high level. My family and I are very excited to be joining the Trinity family!”

Eller’s first day on Trinity’s campus is scheduled for July 13.

The format may be different, but our Alumni Board is still excited to announce our annual golf outing to raise scholarships for students of alumni! Grab some friends or former roommates and have a blast on the course at a tee time that works for you.

Join us at Coyote Run Golf Course in Flossmoor, Ill., for 18 holes of golf, cart, food and beverage voucher, along with giveaways. This year you have the flexibility to play whenever your schedule allows, so grab your coworkers or call some old roommates and find a time to reconnect on the course!

Golfers will also compete as a team in a four-person scramble and will have the opportunity to win additional giveaways during the round by participating in various hole-specific challenges.

$100 per golfer or $375 if purchased as a foursome.

The annual Alumni Golf Outing provides an opportunity for alumni to come together and enjoy golf and fellowship while supporting the Alumni Excellence Scholarship fund, which provides renewable scholarship support for children of alumni who are attending Trinity. Each year up to four $1500 scholarships are awarded to eligible students.

Find more information here. Registration will remain open until Saturday, August 15.

Any questions can be directed to alumni@trnty.edu

Trinity’s Nursing Department excels at educating nurses who are prepared academically and clinically to serve with care and compassion. Our department is regularly ranked among the best in Illinois and consistently has a 100% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam.

And now, thanks to the faithful generosity of two dedicated families, Trinity’s nursing students will have state-of-the-art facilities this fall, following extensive renovations that are currently underway.

According to Nursing Department Chair Tina Decker ‘06, D.N.P., the entire first floor of the Classroom Building will be reconfigured to include an additional new simulation lab, observation room, and a welcome center/study space for nursing students.

“We’re absolutely excited about the renovations,” said Decker. “We will now have a defined area on campus for studying and learning in a communal approach.”

The observation room will also greatly improve the educational experience for nursing students, said Decker. “The new observation room looks directly into the simulation lab and allows for a more immersive experience for students.”

The first-floor conference room is also being upgraded, she said. “We will have a dedicated space for clinical meetings.”

This project was made possible with generous support from two families committed to our department. “The hope of the Nursing Department is to use this generosity to really give back,” said Decker. “We will be able to provide the best possible education and experience to our students as they work to become excellent nurses.”

The Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award makes an impact toward the general public’s recognition of the positive societal contributions of individuals with developmental disabilities. And Assistant Professor of Special Education Christine Scholma ’04 has been named presentation chair for the 2022 award.

The Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award recognizes authors, illustrators, and publishers of high quality fictional and biographical children, intermediate, and young adult books that authentically portray individuals with developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, and Down syndrome.” As presentation chair, Scholma will be part of the selection committee that selects the winner.

For the last two years, Scholma has read and reviewed approximately 50 picture books and novels that include a character with an intellectual or developmental disability.

Congratulations, Prof. Scholma!