Trinity's Inaugural Empower First Program
-Mary (Honey) Mathieu ’27
Trinity Christian College is committed to the flourishing of its students through innovative programs that focus on the wellbeing of all students. This summer, Trinity launched the inaugural Empower First Program, a transformative opportunity designed specifically for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), FGLI (First-Generation and Low-Income), and students from Chicago-based CBOs (Community-Based Organizations).
The Empower First Program supports students through a paid 8-week summer internship, which helps to create a pathway to success. Throughout the program, students are paired with mentors who are professionals within their prospective fields. Students can take a professional seminar course alongside their internship for credit or as an audited class. These experiences provide students involved in the Empower First Program with opportunities for professional growth and financial wellbeing.
Trinity student Vanessa Angulo ’26 completed her internship through Empower First at the Rosemoor Community Association this past summer. She also accepted a 3-day co-op at Bethshan as an Adult Studies Student. After participating in the Empower First Program, Angulo reflects positively on this experience because it “profoundly impacted her life by encouraging her to step outside of her comfort zone.”
Stepping into a new internship can be intimidating for college students. However, with the help of a strong support system, students like Angulo learn to grow in their confidence and abilities while on the job. As Angulo best describes it, “Our course instructor specifically advised me against undervaluing my abilities, urging me to fully embrace and showcase my experiences to demonstrate my capabilities.” Rocio Mendez-Roco, Dean of Student Success and instructor of the Empower First Program, was praised by the students for the excellence and care she put into walking alongside the first cohort of the Empower First Program.
Angulo reflected on what stood out most to her as part of the program, and she pointed out the importance of the weekly seminar course. It was a time set aside each week that allowed her to connect with students in the cohort who had similar experiences over the summer as they all worked an 8-week internship. As Angulo states, “My favorite aspect of the program was the opportunity to connect with fellow students and serve as a support system for one another.”
She highly recommends that other students participate in this program in the future because Empower First “not only provides a means to maintain income while participating, but it also addresses the challenge of balancing life responsibilities with internship opportunities.” College students often spend their summers working, and Empower First allows them to do this while also receiving great networking opportunities.
The inaugural Empower First cohort learned and grew together over the summer semester. Students like Angulo are grateful that Trinity’s Empower First Program exists and look forward to seeing other students benefit from it for many years to come.
Click here to learn more about the Empower First Program and more.
