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While controversies have always been part of public discourse, the situation has become even more fraught in recent years, according to Marilyn McEntyre, a writer and professor of medical humanities at the University of California, Berkeley-University of California, San Francisco Joint Medical Program, who presented the 2017 Freshman Lecture.

“Over the past several decades, public conversation has been riddled with new difficulties,” McEntyre told the students, faculty, and community members who gathered in Ozinga Chapel Auditorium for this year’s lecture, which was titled “Preparing for Public Conversation.” “The sheer volume of information available now means that we have to sift through more data than ever before. There is a lot of noise competing with the ‘still, small voice’ that Elijah heard,” said McEntyre, whose books include “Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies.”

According to McEntyre, too many people are comfortable with the use of alternative facts today. “We don’t push back nearly enough. We are stewards of words, just as we are with other resources,” she said.

She suggested several stewardship strategies for engaging in public conversation:

• Love words
• Tell the truth
• Don’t tolerate lies
• Read well
• Share stories
• Love the long sentence
• Practice poetry
• Play
• Ask for definitions
• Unmask euphemisms
• Tell the truth slant
• Find facts and check them
• Honor the complexities
• Claim your logic
• Find an alternative to “winning”
• Remember that words are acts, and make them acts of love

Following the lecture, the audience participated in a question and answer session and workshops.

Trinity’s annual Freshman Lecture enriches the core experience for freshman students by engaging them in a challenging but enjoyable learning opportunity outside the classroom setting. Though organized by the English Department and contextualized in the Composition or Introduction to Literature classroom, the Freshman Lecture aims to be interdisciplinary and perspectival. It offers listeners new avenues of reflection on such topics as cultural engagement, learning, communication, and personhood. Typically, the lectures draw interested senior students and faculty members as well.

Trinity Christian College is pleased to announce that R. Josiah Rosario ’17 has been named this year’s Lincoln Laureate. Rosario will be recognized by Gov. Bruce Rauner at the Lincoln Academy Student Laureate Convocation ceremony on Nov. 11 in Springfield, Ill. He will also be honored at Trinity in May at the Honors Convocation, where he will deliver the student keynote address.

“I was completely surprised to learn I’d been selected,” said Rosario. “I was humbled and excited by the news.”

The annual Lincoln Academy Student Laureate Ceremony recognizes excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities by seniors from each of the state’s four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities, and one student from the community colleges in Illinois. Rosario was selected by Trinity’s Lincoln Laureate committee, which includes faculty, staff, administrators, and students.

“While the selection committee considered many top graduating students, Josiah was a clear choice for this year’s honors,” said Becky Starkenburg, vice president for student life. “Josiah has and continues to demonstrate leadership, excellence, and service.”

Rosario has been involved in many different activities during his time at Trinity, including serving as an assistant area director and executive vice president of the Student Association, as well as serving on Trinity’s Diversity Scholarship Interview Committee.

Rosario, who is graduating in December, is a psychology major, and he has been accepted into the Ph.D. psychology program at Northwestern University. “I love teaching and research,” he said.

He points to Dr. Jessica Clevering and Dr. Kara Wolff as being particularly influential during his time studying psychology at Trinity. “I’m grateful for all the relationships I’ve formed here,” he said.

Rosario joins a distinguished group of Trinity students as Lincoln Laureates. 

Trinity Christian College Lincoln Laureates

2016 – Courtney Kalous
2015 – Hallie Wisse
2014 – David (Woody) Lucas
2013 – Megan Anderson
2012 – Adam Perez
2011 – Alberto LaRosa
2010 – Joseph Wydra
2009 – Jon Vander Woude
2008 – Caitlin Fillmore
2007 – Elizabeth VanderSpek
2006 – Allison Backous
2005 – Erin Marshalek
2004 – Rachel Van Oort
2003 – Yvana Hansen
2002 – Evan VanderZee
2001 – Nate Bosch
2000 – Laurie Johnson
1999 – Hanna Vancer Zee
1998 – Kristen Devine
1997 – Heidi Boeck
1996 – Julie Tinklenberg
1995 – Keri Dyksterhouse
1994 – Mark Mulder
1993 – Kristen Hart
1992 – Sarah Ver Velde
1991 – Aron Reppmann
1990 – Nathan Van Der Male
1989 – Drew Sweetman
1988 – Erik Hoekstra
1987 – Kimberly Dykema
1986 – Edward Wiener, Jr.

Trinity recently held its annual Scholarship Dinner, which honors students who have received scholarships and those who have generously funded those scholarships.

“For the 2017-18 school year, Trinity Christian College had 111 different donor-funded scholarships, with a total of 295 awards to students,” said Rick Van Dyken, Vice President for Advancement.

This year, the College was able to offer nine new scholarships, including the first ever endowed scholarship given by an association of alumni from a specific academic program: The Trinity Alumni Nursing Association (TANA), which raised $23,445 for a nursing scholarship fund during the “I Support Nursing” campaign last spring.

Trinity’s Scholarship Endowment Fund is currently valued at $7.5 million, helping to ensure that generations of Trinity students can continue to learn and work for good, for God, and for the world.

“The need for additional scholarships for deserving Trinity students has never been more important than it is right now, and we are blessed that so many alumni and friends are supporting current and future Trinity students,” said Van Dyken.

Trinity was pleased to host author Uwem Akpan to campus recently for a reading and question-and-answer session. Akpan, a native of Nigeria, is a Jesuit priest and author of Say You’re One of Them, an award-winning collection of short stories set in war-torn Africa that are told through the eyes of children.

Professor of English Michael Vander Weele, Ph.D., told the audience that packed Van Namen Recital Hall on Oct. 26 that he connected with Akpan after writing an essay on Akpan’s work that was published in Religion & Literature last fall. Vander Weele and Akpan began corresponding, which eventually led to Akpan’s visit to campus. “Uwen has written some really tough stories, with a really big heart,” said Vander Weele. “He is a servant of God.”

Akpan read “What Language Is That,” one of the stories featured in Say You’re One of Them, which tells the story of a young Christian girl and her Muslim best friend whose parents forbid them to speak to each other after riots break out in Ethiopia.

“I wanted to write about difficult things,” Akpan told the students, faculty, staff, and community members in attendance. “These are stories about children, but they are not children’s stories.”

Akpan also discussed his faith and religious training, how he came to earn an MFA in creative writing from the University of Michigan and the experience of having short stories published in The New Yorker.

After debuting the title roles of two operas, recently completing her Artist Diploma, and signing with a prestigious artistic management company, Jenny Schuler ’08 returns to the stage at Ozinga Chapel Auditorium on Nov. 6 as part of Trinity’s Artist Recital Series.

At the free event, Schuler, who is a soprano, will perform pieces by Debussy, Strauss, and Turina, accompanied by pianist Candace Peters. “I have some truly special music planned that I absolutely love, spanning French, German, Spanish, and English,” she said. “The music covers a broad range of styles as well as language. The Debussy in particular is especially beautiful. I would encourage all types of music lovers to come experience this special music!”

Schuler has had a busy year. In 2017, she debuted the title roles of Ariadne auf Naxos and Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas, both with the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute. Schuler also recently placed as a finalist in the Marcello Giordani International Voice Competition and was the first prize recipient in the Heafner–Williams Vocal Competition.

She has also recently signed with management company Couret & Werner. “Couret & Werner reached out me out after many recommendations through colleagues, conductors, and directors. I spoke with Justin Werner about his agency and got to know him a bit,” said Schuler. After a formal audition in New York, she was offered a spot on the agency’s roster. “Having a great management team is really key to the continued development of a singing career. My management team secures auditions and works in partnership with me to develop long-term strategic plans for my career. It’s a very exciting step.”

Along with double majoring in music and graphic design at Trinity, Schuler earned her Artist Diploma from the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute and her Master of Music from Chicago College of Performing Arts.

As part of Trinity’s WorldView series, the College was pleased to recently host two speakers who discussed the impact of the Reformation on both Reformed Protestantism and Roman Catholic viewpoints: Dr. Suzanne McDonald and Dr. Eduardo J. Echeverria ’73

On Oct. 16, McDonald addressed the topic: “Does the “Does the Reformation Still Matter? (Really?!)” McDonald is a professor of systematic and historical theology at Western Theological Seminary and is ordained in the Christian Reformed Church.

Echeverria, who earned a philosophy degree from Trinity and is now professor of philosophy and theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, discussed “Is the Counter-Reformation Over? An Evangelical Catholic Perspective.”

WorldView is Trinity’s annual community and college series for film, word, and music. The next WorldView event is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 27 and will feature Wayne Messer. Messmer is a local legend—famed singer, exciting speaker, acclaimed author, and talented broadcaster. The “Voice of the National Anthem” will bring his timeless message of hope and resilience to Trinity during a 7 pm lecture in the Grand Lobby of Ozinga Chapel.

In addition to his Worldview address, Messmer will also present “Damien,” a one-man play based on the life of Father Damien de Veuster, on Tuesday, Nov. 28, in the Marg Kallemeyn Theatre. Proceeds from the performance will benefit the work of Dr. David Weinstein, the world’s leading researcher for a cure for Glycogen Storage Disease. Messmer’s granddaughter suffers from this disease. Visit here for more information and to purchase tickets to “Damien.”

Providing business solutions to social problems—that was the goal of the first Chicago Innovation Tournament, which Trinity hosted on Oct. 7. And the goal was met and surpassed, according to Prof. John Wightkin, assistant professor of business and chair of Trinity’s business department.

Seven teams from five different colleges competed in the Chicago Innovation Tournament, which addressed the issue of refugee resettlement in the United States.

“I was particularly excited to see how entrepreneurship can be used to make a difference in the world,” he said. “Entrepreneurship is not only about starting a business. It’s more about innovating, thinking creatively, experimenting, collaborating, problem solving, and presenting effectively. Using entrepreneurship as a way to look at the world, we can solve more than just business problems.”

Two experts spoke on the refugee resettlement problem: Kenneth Elisapana, Executive Director & Founder South Sudan Voices of Hope, and Alison E. Bell, Senior Resettlement Manager of World Relief DuPage/Aurora. Then, student teams had three hours to arrive at a solution and develop and practice their presentation. After two rounds of pitches, winners were selected. The team from the University of Chicago placed first, a team from Trinity placed second, and a team from Roosevelt University took third.

Marketing major Komaria Carpenter ’21 heard about the tournament in one of her business classes and decided it sounded like an interesting opportunity. She was partnered with other Trinity students, including  Eden Foreman ’18, a communication arts major, Kailah Price ’19, an English major, and Jose Silva ’21, a music production major. “It was super fun, and it was great that not everyone was a business major,” said Carpenter.

Price agreed that the interdisciplinary nature of their team was one reason the team came in second place. “We all brought different perspectives.”

Silva encourages others to participate in next year’s tournament. “It was a great growing experience, and it allows you to think outside your personal bubble.”

Trinity Christian College is a community that recognizes a variety of God-given gifts. We celebrate those gifts, as evidenced in the scholarship of our professors. Here is a look at some of the activities our professors have been involved with recently.

Thanks to the generosity of visionary friends of the College and the hard work of Trinity faculty and staff, the Ed Vander Weele Curriculum Center and the Alexander De Jong Center for Special Education now share an expanded footprint on the second floor of Jennie Huizenga Memorial Library.

Work completed over the summer enhanced the center by embedding a flexible learning space within curriculum materials.

“It is always exciting to see the outcome when creative people collaborate on a project for the enhancement of the academic experience for our students,” said Rick Van Dyken VP for Advancement. “This project took two important, but under-utilized, spaces and created a fantastic learning environment for all of our students.”

Updates to the room include:

• New furniture to supports the current trend in education of flexible seating
• State-of-the-art educational technology that students will learn to incorporate meaningfully before they enter their future classrooms such as a new 75-inch Smartboard, five iPads, and AAC communication devices
• Large windows to enhance visibility of the space and the resources within
• A fresh coat of paint
• New flooring
• Repurposed shelving
• A new collection layout
• Other improvements that are on the way include assistive technologies that will help students learn how to increase participation and independence for students with disabilities such as switches, adaptive scissors, and pencil grips.

Adaptive resources were also added to enhance hands-on learning opportunities for teachers in training and provide greater hospitality for students visiting from local partner Elim Christian School. For example, a desk in the new space can be adjusted to comfortably accommodate right-handed or left-handed students.

“The newly remodeled Curriculum Materials Center and Center for Special Education are quickly becoming a favorite place for students to study,” said Cathy Mayer, Library Director. “The ample natural light and vibrant colors of the children’s book collection make the space an invigorating and inviting place to work.”

Several classes are being held in the space, which has shaped the way students perceive instruction. In a recent class discussion, one student noted that combining the Vander Weele Curriculum Materials Center and DeJong Center for Special Education testifies to belief that all students are created in God’s image and should be seen as valuable and worthy of inclusive education.

The De Jong Center for Special Education

The De Jong Center is a partnership between Trinity and Elim Christian Services, a ministry that exists to equip people with disabilities to achieve their God-given potential by offering person-centered services and partnering with their communities.

The mission of the Center for Special Education is to prepare current and future teachers with the highest quality instruction and training to develop fully the God-given potential of individuals with special needs.

It is named in honor of the College’s first president Alexander De Jong, Ph.D., who served from 1966-68.

The Vander Weele Curriculum Center

The mission of the Curriculum Center is to support the Education Department and Adult Studies Education programs by providing educational materials for the use of teachers in training.

The center is named in honor of Ed Vander Weele, who served the College in a variety of roles including dean of students and education professor.