Archives: News Stories

There are a lot of perks to being a Trinity student—and you might not even know about some of them! From flowers to oil changes to martial arts lessons, many Palos Heights businesses offer special discounts to Trinity students, faculty, and staff when you present your College I.D.

Click here to see a list of participating businesses.

Trinity thanks our wonderful neighbors for their support of the College.

The 2018 Trinity Athletics Club Golf Classic was blessed with good weather, warm fellowship, and generous contributions as 128 golfers convened at Calumet Country Club in Homewood, Illinois. The annual event raised nearly $50,000 in scholarships for Trinity student-athletes.

At the August 13 outing, friends and alumni of the College were greeted on the course by student-athletes, President Kurt Dykstra, Athletics Director Mark Hanna, and members of the Athletics and Advancement offices.  The golfers had opportunities to win prizes throughout the day, including hole-in-one chances for a car, courtesy of Oak Lawn Toyota, and for $10,000, courtesy of Legacy Insurance Group, as well as to participate in a chipping contest, sponsored by Service Sanitation.

The low foursome for the day consisted of Ken Cook ‘07, Kevin Drenth ex ‘09, Matt Postema ’07, and John Sikkenga ’06.

“The golf outing was a great day and it was wonderful to see familiar faces as well as new golfers to the event, ” said Dennis Harms ’89, Associate Vice President for Advancement, who coordinated the event. “We appreciate all the sponsors and golfers and are grateful to the Trinity community for their support of our athletics program.”

The Athletics Department would like to thank Ozinga Bros. and Providence Bank and Trust for their generous sponsorship of the event and to Assurance Agency as a food sponsor.

With an eye towards the Christian perspective, Professor of English Bill Boerman-Cornell, Ph.D., recently wrote a chapter on graphic novels in the e-book, “Pop Culture Primer.”

The book, published by “Think Christian,” is designed to provide insights into different pop culture forms through the lens of Christian faith. Other chapters focus on video games, television shows, albums, and movies, and each chapter includes extensive discussions of five recommended titles. “We’ve chosen them because we believe they resonate with Christianity in interesting ways,” writes Trinity alumnus Josh Larsen ‘96, editor of “Think Christian.” “This isn’t to say that they’re explicitly ‘Christian’ or have won some sort of seal of spiritual approval. Rather, in their sounds, images, gameplay, and narratives, they offer unique opportunities for people of faith to consider what we believe—and how we can share that Good News with a pop culture-obsessed world.”

Boerman-Cornell, who has also authored the award-winning book “Graphic Novels in High School and Middle School Classrooms: A Disciplinary Literacies Approach,” identified graphic novels that may raise more questions than they answer. His selections include:

–A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel (Hope Larson, 2012)

–The Eternal Smile (Gene Yang and Derek Kirk, 2009)

–Mighty Jack (Ben Hatke, 2016)

–The Tale of One Bad Rat (Bryan Talbot, 1995)

–March: Book I, Book II, Book III (John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell; 2013-2016)

Check out Boerman-Cornell’s chapter here.

Trinity is excited to host the 2019 National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Men’s Volleyball National Invitational from January 25-26. Men’s volleyball has been approved as an invitational sport by the NCCAA Administration Committee beginning in the 2018-2019 academic year.

Invitationals- where the teams are invited to participate- for the sport were previously held from 2000-2005, but declining participation levels prevented the sport from maintaining invitational status or taking the next step to become an authorized sport. Recent years have seen an increase in teams across the country contributing to the sport returning to invitational status.

The Invitational tournament will feature 8-10 teams from the NCCAA’s 94 member schools. Each participating team will be seeded prior to the group play of the tournament. Being fairly centrally located with up to date facilities, Trinity was asked to host the 2019 Invitational.

2018-2019 marks a good year for men’s volleyball. In addition to returning to invitational status with the NCCAA, men’s volleyball became the 26th national championship sport in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The sport became eligible after 40 member institutions launched men’s volleyball teams.

If you are 55 years or older and looking for stimulating learning and discussions, come check out Trinity’s membership program SALT (Seasoned Adults Learning at Trinity)! Through our latest SALT classes, you can take a stroll back in time to Chicago’s Gilded Age on a tour of Prairie Avenue. Or perhaps birdwatching on Trinity’s beautiful campus is more your speed. What about exploring the Bible’s themes of gardens? This fall’s SALT courses offer all these, and so much more!

“The responses I hear from SALT students who are taking classes on campus or who have spent the day touring a Chicago historical site are always so positive,” said Ginny Carpenter, SALT Program Coordinator.  “Instructors find SALT students to be engaged in their topics and contribute significantly in discussions; the SALT program really is a lively, collaborative, community of learners.”

Becoming a SALT member provides many benefits:

• Invitation to take SALT classes (when you take 3 classes, the 4^th is free!)
• Free “listener pass” classes in Trinity’s traditional program in both the fall and spring semesters
• Limited access to Trinity’s Fitness Center
• Free on-campus parking sticker (no need to replace if one has already been issued to you)
• Invitation to special theater performances and lectures
• Invitation to music department recitals and concerts
• Free admission to regular-season home athletic contests
• Free WiFi while on campus
• Significant discount rate for Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) performances on campus

The individual annual membership fee is $35; membership is required before registering for classes (but registering for membership and classes may be done at the same time.) Unless otherwise noted: one-session classes are $15 per course, two-session classes are $30 per course, and three-session classes are $40 per course.

Click here to learn more about joining SALT and the classes that are being offered this fall. For more information, contact Carpenter at 708.239.4798 or ginny.carpenter@trnty.edu

Sandra Biedron ’94 doesn’t just own an historic mansion that is lovingly cared for—the Ingersoll-Blackwelder House also recently doubled as a television set for a haunted pilot filmed by 14 teenage filmmakers.

The cast and crew were on location at the house, located in Chicago’s Beverly-Morgan Park neighborhood, from July 17-20. They were part of Fresh Films, an after-school program that pairs students with industry professionals during week-long summer programs. Along with an emphasis on film-making, the program also offers insights into the science-based skills required behind the scenes in the entertainment industry.

It’s a cause that Biedron, currently a Research Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering at the University of New Mexico and a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, believes in passionately. “I love how Fresh Films is melding the excitement of film with science and technology. There are many careers like visual effects, sound engineering, even lights and camera that need STEM skills. And having this take place at our mansion, is a win for filmmaking, education, science and technology,” said Biedron, who majored in chemistry and biology at Trinity and earned a doctorate in accelerator physics from Lund University in Sweden.

According to Biedron, the pilot is a spooky but lighthearted story about a young woman who inherits her grandmother’s inn and discovers she can communicate with its ghostly residents. The pilot will be reviewed by executives from Amazon Studios and Disney Channel Original Movies.

The Ingersoll-Blackwelder house, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offered a perfect backdrop for the story, Biedron said. The home, which was once owned by Gertrude Blackwelder, the first woman to vote in Cook County, Ill., was built between 1874-1877.

Fresh Films has been engaging youth behind the camera and creating youth-targeted TV shows, films and original content since 2002. It is the non-profit arm of Dreaming Tree Films.

Trinity graduates Chris and Faith have joined Chip and Joanna, Jonathan and Drew, and Hilary and David among HGTV’s standouts!

Chris Pierik ’01 and Faith Veenstra ’03 have created Tramake, a line of art prints and home accessories. The husband and wife duo describe their products as “colorful and graphic with a playful sense of historical design while remaining truly modern and always moving forward.”

And “HGTV Magazine” obviously agrees. Tramake’s line of ceramic coasters was featured in the magazine’s July/August issue as one of “50 Finds from 50 States.” “We scoured Etsy for our favorite buys from sea to shining sea,” the article noted, and chose the coasters to represent Illinois.

HGTV isn’t the only outlet paying attention to Tramake’s designs. According to Veenstra, the company is also working on an order from Nordstrom, which will feature five of its products online and in several stores this summer.

The two have also succeeded with other creative outlets. Pierik is co-founder and creative director at Cultivate. After graduating from Trinity, Veenstra earned a master’s degree of fine art from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

To see more of their designs, visit tramake.com or visit their Etsy store. 

Here at Trinity, students, faculty, and staff form connections that extend beyond Palos Heights. For Cathy Mayer, Director of the Jennie Huizenga Memorial Library, her recent election as vice president of LIBRAS, Inc., allows her to share best practices with peers throughout the Chicago area.

LIBRAS is a consortium of 18 private college and university libraries located in the Chicago metropolitan area that focuses on promoting library cooperation, continuing education, networking, and sharing knowledge among its membership.

“It’s a tightly knit, highly cooperative, collaborative group that provides a wonderful professional resource,” she said.

Mayer’s term as vice president began in July. In this role, she will oversee new initiatives. “I’m focused on opening up greater opportunities to connect with and share ideas among library staff members of member institutions,” she said.

Currently, directors of the member libraries meet twice a year to discuss a range of agenda topics, and all staff of member libraries have the opportunity to meet once a year. Historically, special interest groups have offered focused programming, but there hasn’t been much opportunity for staff to gather and learn from their peers, which member libraries are excited to change.

As part of this expanded professional development effort, Trinity will host a gathering this fall. Participants will spend the morning touring the Huizenga Library, led by Reference & Outreach Librarian Cindy Bowen and Circulation & Access Librarian Sarah Hoeksema. Then the group will spend the afternoon taking a similar tour of the library at Lewis University.

“I joyfully anticipate welcoming library staff from LIBRAS member libraries to campus, but I’m more excited to step away and allow Cindy and Sarah to share their expertise,” said Mayer. “Through this event, and others to be scheduled throughout the year, librarians and support staff members can meet and learn from each other.”

Mayer will serve a three-year term, one year as vice president, one year as president, and one year as past-president.

Along with Trinity and Lewis, other members of LIBRAS include:

Aurora University

Benedictine University

Columbia College

Concordia University

Dominican University

Elmhurst College

Judson University

Kendall College

Lake Forest College

North Central College

North Park University

Roosevelt University

Saint Xavier University

Trinity International University

University of St. Francis

Wheaton College

You’re a busy adult with some college credits. And now you want to complete that degree. That’s why Trinity Christian College has designed its accelerated Adult Programs to allow you to continue working and spending time with family and friends while you reach your goal.

And the best way to experience Trinity is to visit our beautiful campus, meet with faculty and staff, and see firsthand how a Trinity education will move you forward in your career! You will have the opportunity to do that and complete the entire admissions process at our Adult Programs Enrollment Night on Thursday, July 12th from 5 pm – 8 pm.

You will learn about the schedule, courses, and requirements from faculty. Bring your official transcripts from every college you have attended, and our Registrar will complete your evaluation that will show exactly how long it will take to reach your goal. Representatives from Financial Aid and the Business Office will answer questions about tuition, scholarships, and loans.

With just one visit to campus, you can complete the admissions process.

Classes in each program are held just one night a week from 6-10 PM. You progress through each class with the same core group of students, which fosters an interactive classroom environment helping to build a strong, supportive network that lasts past graduation.

Trinity’s Adult Program degrees are:

–Bachelor of Science in Business Management

–Bachelor of Arts in Education and/or Professional Educator License

–Bachelor of Science in Psychology

–Bachelor of Arts in Special Education and/or Professional Educator License

–ESL/Bilingual Education Endorsement (for licensed teachers)

Learn more and register online here.