Archives: Press Releases

Contact:
Angie Fratto | Marketing and Media Manager | 708.239.4878

For Immediate Release

Palos Heights, Ill. – Every year, Trinity accepts extraordinary students dedicated to making a difference in the world. The College welcomes two Founders’ Scholars among each freshman class, whose extraordinary spiritual, academic, and social leadership sets them apart. Trinity is pleased to announce our most recent Founders’ Scholars for the incoming class of 2027, Nana Oye Adansi-Ofori from Joliet, Illinois, and Jessica Byrdak from Alsip, Illinois. As Founders’ Scholars, Adansi-Ofori and Byrdak have both been awarded full-tuition scholarships to the College.

Adansi-Ofori, who attends Plainfield South High School, plans to major in Nursing and looks forward to getting involved in multiple campus organizations, including Nursing Student Organization and Multicultural Leadership Team. She is currently involved in her local church’s praise and worship team and leads a Christian club at her high school. Adansi-Ofori is actively involved in multiple clubs in high school, such as the National Honor Society, Robotics Team, and Black Student Association, to name a few.

“On my first visit to Trinity Christian College, I was overwhelmed with the amazing welcome and vibrant love it radiated. It emitted great love for God and for others,” Adansi-Oforsi stated.

Byrdak, who attends Alan B. Shepard High School, plans to major in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education. She looks forward to getting involved on the campus of Trinity, including the Future Teachers Associate and Women Empowered, to name a few. She is currently involved at her local church as a greeter and usher. At her high school, she is President of the NHS, Leo Club, and Educators Rising and plays Varsity Badminton.

“Trinity has been my top college for as long as I can remember. I have grown up in the area and have always loved Trinity’s campus,” stated Byrdak.

“We are so excited to have Jessica and Nana Oye become a part of the Trinity community this fall,” said Tina Tate, Visit and Event Coordinator for Trinity. “This year’s Founders candidates were dynamic and strong. Jessica and Nana Oye demonstrated strong gifts, and we look forward to seeing how they will each impact our community and flourish.”

About Trinity Christian College

Trinity Christian College, based in Palos Heights, Ill., is an accredited Christian liberal arts college offering more than 70 programs through bachelor’s, master’s, and adult degree completion courses. Founded in 1959, the College is a community of Christian scholarship committed to shaping lives and transforming culture and is continually ranked in the top tier among Regional Colleges—Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more, visit trnty.edu.

Media Contact:
Paul Boice, Vice President for Operations, Marketing and Communications
Phone:  708.239.4837
Email: paul.boice@trnty.edu

For Immediate Release

Palos Heights, Ill.– Trinity Christian College’s Board of Trustees announced today that President Kurt D. Dykstra has accepted a position to become president and chief executive officer of the Independent Colleges of Indiana, an Indianapolis-based organization representing Indiana’s 29 private, non-profit colleges and universities. Dykstra will assume his new position in July and depart Trinity at the conclusion of the current spring semester.

“Since 2015, President Dykstra has led Trinity during a period of challenge and change,” said Trinity Board of Trustees Chair Cal Tameling ’72.  “Despite significant challenges facing private institutions up to and throughout the COVID pandemic, he led Trinity to launch new undergraduate and graduate programs, transformed its core curriculum, increased new student enrollment, and improved campus facilities while advancing Trinity’s mission to provide an outstanding Christ-centered education.

“We are grateful for Kurt and his wife Leah’s service over the past seven years.  We wish them success as they leave Trinity and move into new roles of leadership and service.”

Said Dykstra, “It has been an incredible honor to serve Trinity. Trinity’s successes over these years are shared among our outstanding faculty, staff, students, and community.  Leah and I leave with terrific memories and deep love for Trinity and its people.  We remain Trinity parents and supporters of this outstanding College.”

Trinity’s Board of Trustees also announced that Trinity Provost Dr. Aaron Kuecker will serve as interim president of the College, effective immediately.  Kuecker served as a member of Trinity’s Theology faculty from 2008 to 2013, returning to Trinity in 2016 as its Provost.  Kuecker has been instrumental in many of the significant achievements in the life of the College during his tenure as provost, including, sustaining and supporting vibrant and flourishing academic programs, leading Trinity through an innovative transformation of its Foundations General Education Curriculum, and providing vision for Trinity’s transformed approach to its Chicagoland presence through innovation in scheduling, internships, and pricing.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to step into the role of interim president at Trinity,” Kuecker said. “We are on the cusp of an exciting season of transformation energized by our Christ-centered vision of education that will re-shape education at Trinity, realize more fully the power of our partnerships, and extend Christian higher education accessibility to all students.”

“Trinity is blessed with extraordinary leaders like Dr. Kuecker and other members of the executive team who are well equipped with the requisite leadership skills, passion and faithful commitment to lead through this transition and provide forward momentum during this time of transformational work,” said Tameling. “The Board looks forward to Aaron’s leadership in the areas of our current core priorities: the launch of a transformed academic schedule, and network of internships and partnerships for the benefit of our students, a revised economic model that puts Trinity within reach of all students, and the ongoing work of the Board task force on diversity and belonging at Trinity.”

About Trinity Christian College
Trinity Christian College, based in Palos Heights, Ill., is an accredited Christian liberal arts college offering more than 70 programs by way of bachelor’s, master’s, and adult degree completion courses of study. Founded in 1959, the College is a community of Christian scholarship committed to shaping lives and transforming culture and is continually ranked in the top tier among Regional Colleges—Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more, visit trnty.edu.

Media contact:

Amy Stickel, Communications Manager

708.293.4918

amy.stickel@trnty.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Palos Heights, Ill.–

An education from Trinity Christian College doesn’t just change lives—our graduates go on to change the world. And the life-changing value of a Trinity education has once again been recognized by U.S. News and World Report, which named Trinity to several of its “best” lists for 2022, including among the Top 20 Regional Colleges Midwest and #15 for social mobility. And in U.S. News’ inaugural ranking, Trinity’s nursing program has been ranked among the top 300 of all undergraduate nursing programs in the United States. 

U.S. News uses multiple criteria for its highly regarded rankings. To be named among the “Best Colleges,” Trinity was rated for its graduation and retention rates; social mobility; academic reputation; student selectivity; financial resources; alumni giving; and graduate debt, among other factors. 

“I am confident that, under the tutelage of a talented and dedicated faculty, Trinity students work hard and learn well as they prepare for a lifetime of opportunity and service,” said President Kurt D. Dykstra. “While no one set of data can measure that kind of transformative experience in full, it is gratifying to, once again, be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top college in the Midwest.” 

Trinity’s performance on social mobility deserved its own category, according to U.S. News, which looked at Trinity’s ability to enroll and graduate students from less-advantaged backgrounds. U.S. News also recognized Trinity’s undergraduate nursing program. (see “U.S. News Recognizes BSN Program among Best in Country”) 

“We are honored and excited to be recognized as an institution that excels at making a college education possible for students from all backgrounds,” said Provost Aaron Kuecker, Ph.D. “This recognition is the result of the significant dedication of an excellent faculty and staff – but, most truly, it is a recognition of the hard work, dedication, and amazing gifts of Trinity’s students. It is such a privilege to serve the students who come to Trinity to learn, to be challenged, to be transformed, and to discover the joy of their vocation.”  

Along with the U.S. News rankings, Trinity is frequently recognized by many organizations for preparing students for a world that needs them. The College’s honors include being named a “College of Distinction;” routinely ranked the best BSN programs in the state of Illinois; part of the “National Strength and Conditioning Association Education Recognition Program;” and a “best value” among special education programs. 

Media contact:

Amy Stickel, Communications Manager

708.293.4918

amy.stickel@trnty.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Palos Heights, Ill.–Students who receive their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees from Trinity aren’t just graduating from the best nursing program in the state of Illinois. In its inaugural rankings, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Trinity’s program as among the best in the country, standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the largest universities in the United States. 

U.S. News also named the College to several other prestigious lists, including among the Top 20 Regional Colleges Midwest and #15 for social mobility. (see “U.S. News Names Trinity a Top 20 School”) 

In the latest U.S. News rankings, Trinity was named among the top 300 of all undergraduate nursing programs in the United States, taking its place among far larger colleges and universities. 

“Trinity’s Department of Nursing is dedicated to preparing nurses who are both academically excellent, and also ready to face the demands of providing hands on patient care. Our commitment to training nurses to excel in both theory and clinical practice, makes our graduates stand out when they enter the workforce all over the world,” said Associate Professor of Nursing and Department Chair Dr. Tina Decker ’06. “We prepare great BSN nurses who are ready to provide Christ-like care to those in need. This recognition from U.S. News affirms that. It is an honor to have the hard work of the students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the broader Trinity community recognized in this way.” 

The College’s program has set the bar for nursing programs in many ways. In 2020, Trinity nursing graduates achieved a perfect first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam for the fifth time in six years. This success for Trinity’s top-ranked program represents the highest six-year NCLEX average of any BSN or ADN program in Illinois.

Trinity’s Nursing program is also regularly ranked among the best BSN programs in Illinois, including by RegisteredNursing.org and RN to BSN.  

For Amy Nagelkirk ’92, president of the Trinity Alumni Nursing Association (TANA), it is exciting to see Trinity’s nursing department recognized once again for its excellence. “It’s a tradition that I’ve always felt proud of while working in both Chicago and West Michigan.” 

One of the great strengths of Trinity’s nursing program is the generosity of its dedicated nursing alumni, including TANA members who support the Department of Nursing through student-related activities and fundraising, and foster personal and professional relationships among alumni, she said.  “At the height of the pandemic surge last November, we saw an increased number of nursing alumni volunteer to be part of our TANA mentoring program. Even as many were in the thick of it, struggling to get through their shifts and extra mandate shifts, they were still wanting to support students.”

TANA also provides endowed scholarships for nursing students. “This, year, TANA was able to award two $1,000 scholarships from that fund,” she said. “A program with that kind of support behind it is going to continue to thrive.”  

Aug. 25, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Palos Heights, Ill.–Trinity Christian College is pleased to announce the Spring 2022 launch of a Bachelor of Social Work degree geared towards adult students and taking place entirely online. This new degree program, specifically designed for adults with some college credit who are aged 23 or older, offers greater accessibility to a BSW degree for individuals who may otherwise not be able to engage with social work education due to various barriers such as work and family responsibilities.

This new program, along with the College’s traditional undergraduate BSW program, answers the call for the growing need for social workers with a focus on liberal arts education that prepares Trinity’s graduates for a world that needs them. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 13% employment growth rate for all social workers from 2019-29. Students who earn their BSW degree at Trinity Christian College are eligible to earn their MSW degree in 1-year through the advanced standing placement enrollment option at other higher education institutions with a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program.

Said Associate Professor of Social Work; Director of Social Work Program; and Department Chair Cini Bretzlaff-Holstein, DSW, “This new degree completion program offers adult learners’ access to an exciting opportunity beyond the traditional face-to-face undergraduate program. More specifically, this new online program provides greater access to an accredited Bachelor of Social Work program in which the integration of faith and practice is central to its mission and identity.”

This new online option for adult learners amplifies Trinity’s current BSW program, according to Bretzlaff-Holstein. “Assisting students in the development and discernment of their vocational call to be Christ-like change agents through the social work profession is at the heart of Trinity’s social work program.”

The program will continue the history of excellence demonstrated by those who have earned their BSW degrees from Trinity, according to Amy Tiemersma, MSW, LCSW, clinical social worker at Trinity agency partner Bethshan Association. “Trinity offers an excellent on-campus Bachelor of Social Work program, and I am excited about the increased accessibility the online program will offer, with flexible timing and location for adults who may be working full time or who may not able to access Trinity’s campus due to geography,” said Tiemersma, who has served on the advisory committee for the Trinity social work department, taught social work classes as an adjunct faculty member, and supervised many Trinity BSW interns during their field placements.

Tiemersma said she is confident that the online program will maintain the excellence that allows Trinity’s social work program to stand apart from others. “I can attest first hand to the excellence of instruction overseen by the social work professors, the provision of valuable social work learning experiences for students, and the incorporation of a Christian world view for informing social work practice, and I really encourage adults considering a BSW to look into this new option at Trinity.”

Applications are currently being accepted for the Spring 2022 semester. To learn more about Trinity’s new Adult BSW program, visit our website.

For further information, contact:
Amy Stickel
Communications Manager
amy.stickel@trnty.edu
708.293.4918

Contact:
Amy Stickel, Communications Manager
708.293.4918

For Immediate Release

Palos Heights, Ill.–Every year, Trinity accepts extraordinary students who are dedicated to making a difference in the world. And among each freshman class, the College welcomes two Founders’ Scholars, whose extraordinary spiritual, academic, and social leadership sets them apart. Trinity is pleased to announce our most recent Founders’ Scholars for the incoming class of 2025, Tyren Brown of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Kara Van Dyke of Fishers, Ind. As Founders’ Scholars, Brown and Van Dyke have both been awarded full-tuition scholarships to the College.

Brown, who attends Chesapeake Math and IT Public Charter South in Upper Marlboro, plans to major in biology and play basketball at the College. He is involved in National Honor Society and the Congressional Leadership Program. Brown has also taken part in the Spanish ministry at his church, offering translation services to those who do not speak English as a native language.

Van Dyke attends Fishers High School and is active in the Students in Action service club, volunteers as a children’s ministry teacher, and participates in dance. She actively volunteers to help victims of human trafficking and plans to major in psychology as a way to help those who need healing. Van Dyke represents the third generation of her family to be part of Troll Nation, since her father Leon Van Dyke ’86, is an alumnus and her grandfather Gerrit Van Dyke, Ph.D., is an emeritus professor in the Biology program.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tyren and Kara into the Trinity community this fall,” said Jeanine Mozie, director of admissions. “From our largest, most competitive pool of Founders candidates yet, they emerged from the group not only as exceptionally gifted students academically, but also as students who have great potential to shape this campus through their thoughtful leadership. The interview committee found both Tyren and Kara to be dedicated, passionate, and impressive students whose enthusiasm for others and commitment to community will make a lasting impact on this place.”

About Trinity Christian College

Trinity Christian College, based in Palos Heights, Ill., is an accredited Christian liberal arts college offering more than 70 programs by way of bachelor’s, master’s, and adult degree completion courses of study. Founded in 1959, the College is a community of Christian scholarship committed to shaping lives and transforming culture and is continually ranked in the top tier among Regional Colleges—Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more, visit trnty.edu.

Contact:
Amy Stickel, Communications Manager
708.293.4918

For Immediate Release

Palos Heights, Ill.– When nursing students choose Trinity Christian College, they choose the program that is consistently recognized as the best in the state of Illinois.

Trinity has once again received that honor from nursing advocacy organization RegisteredNursing.org, which has named our program first among nearly 80 other nursing programs across the state.

“While so much has changed this last year, it feels extra special to know that our academic excellence in nursing education continues to be recognized,” said Department Chair and Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Tina Decker ’06. “We are proud that our graduates continue to be prepared to pass the NCLEX on their first attempt to enable them to work as the nurses that the world so desperately needs right now.”

Among many examples of how Trinity’s BSN program has demonstrated its commitment to graduating the best nurses, nursing students have continued to participate in in-person clinicals during the COVID-19 pandemic. “There are many schools that have gone virtual or remote for clinicals, which we stand firmly against,” said Decker. “The department is a strong advocate for having students continue with in-person clinical experiences, preparing them to be nurses during the pandemic.”

In giving Trinity the top ranking, the organization cited how Trinity’s BSN program prepares students both academically and clinically to care for patients’ physical, spiritual, and mental needs. “Students are able to gain hands-on learning in the simulation lab, allowing them to hone their skills in a safe and controlled environment,” the organization noted.

About Trinity Christian College

Trinity Christian College, based in Palos Heights, Ill., is an accredited Christian liberal arts college offering more than 70 programs by way of bachelor’s, master’s, and adult degree completion courses of study. Founded in 1959, the College is a community of Christian scholarship committed to shaping lives and transforming culture and is continually ranked in the top tier among Regional Colleges—Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more, visit trnty.edu.

Contact:
Amy Stickel, Communications Manager
708.293.4918

For Immediate Release

Palos Heights, Ill.–For an unprecedented fifth time in six years, Trinity nursing graduates have achieved a perfect first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam. This success for Trinity’s top-ranked program represents the highest six-year NCLEX average of any BSN or ADN program in Illinois.

According to Nursing Department Chair Tina Decker ‘06, D.N.P., “This year’s 100% pass rate is especially significant with the challenging way the Class of 2020’s last semester ended. In addition, there was a delay in when students were able to take the NCLEX due to COVID closing testing sites. We are so proud of the graduates for all they overcame to earn this 100% pass rate.”

According to Kayla Kamp ‘20, Trinity gave her the knowledge and skills she needed to not just pass the NCLEX, but to immediately begin caring for patients in the midst of COVID-19. “Graduating in 2020 allowed me to really be thrown head first into nursing and helped me realize how prepared Trinity made me,” she said. “Learning that the NCLEX was going to so much shorter than it has been in previous years was nerve-wracking because there was less room for error, but at the same time, I was confident in what we learned at school and the study tools that were given to me–as much as I may not have liked them at the time!”

While Kamp never pictured starting her nursing career in the middle of a pandemic when she was little and dreamed of being a nurse, the situation has helped her realize the impact can have, especially Christian nurses. “Although I don’t think anything could have prepared me for what 2020 would bring, I think what I learned at Trinity was about as close as I could get to being ready to be a nurse in a pandemic!” she said.

The 100% pass rate isn’t the only reason for celebration, as Trinity unveiled renovated nursing facilities this fall. Trinity’s BSN students can now take advantage of state-of-the-art spaces that include:

• The DeJong Simulation Lab featuring three high-fidelity simulators, which now includes an observation room;
• The Veenstra Lobby, which provides a comfortable, flexible space for students to study, relax, and work together; and
• The Trinity Alumni Nursing Association (TANA) Lab, which offers virtual conferencing technology and space for clinical group meetings and small classroom gathering.

Click here for a tour of the newly updated facilities.

The NCLEX-RN exams are administered by NCSBN, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, through which boards of nursing act and counsel together to provide regulatory excellence for public health, safety, and welfare. The exam is taken after the student graduates from a bachelor’s degree-granting nursing program.

Trinity’s nursing program, which is ranked as the best BSN programs in Illinois by RegisteredNursing.org, is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Click here to learn more about Trinity’s nursing program.

Contact:
Amy Stickel, Communications Manager
708.293.4918

For Immediate Release

Palos Heights, Ill.—Trinity Christian College is pleased to announce the Fall 2021 launch of a new Data Analytics program, which will include a major as well as opportunity for micro-credentialing for students in other majors.

Sundeep Vira, currently Trinity’s Assistant Professor of Business and Director of Strategic Innovation, will serve as Director of Data Analytics. Karl Schmitt, Ph.D, previously Director of Data Science Programs at Valparaiso University, has joined Trinity as Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Data Analytics.

Funding for the Data Analytics program at Trinity has been made possible through a lead gift from the Vermeer Charitable Foundation and additional gifts from a range of Trinity constituents.

Said Trinity President Kurt Dykstra, “We are very grateful for the Vermeer Charitable Foundation and so many others who have seen fit to help Trinity launch this program. These program funders understand the role that data plays in today’s world. We endeavor to educate students to help them, and other organizations like them, better use data for the good of their organization and the good of the world.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, data analytics is one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States. Trinity’s program will draw on the strength of the College’s liberal arts foundation and multidisciplinary approach, bringing together faculty from different departments and offering a holistic view of data analytics to students.

“The best data science and analytics doesn’t happen in silos,” said Schmitt, who will have program design responsibilities and teaching responsibilities in the areas of computer science and data analytics. “It happens in connection with other fields. I’m excited to be part of the collaborative teaching environment at Trinity.”

Said Vira, “Data analytics is essential for all services and industries and Trinity is excited to lead the way for students across disciplines to access and develop hard skills and strengthen their value for future employment.”

With the explosion of data in today’s society, data analytics now touches on virtually every aspect of life, according to Schmitt. “Data analytics can be useful for any field,” he said, pointing to applications as diverse as managing risk to improving sales leads to honing the algorithms used to suggest song playlists. And a place like Trinity brings a vital perspective to the field. “There are some really relevant issues around ethics in data science and machine fairness and bias,” said Schmitt. “It is exciting when students can study these questions at a College where faith is an integral part of that. A place like Trinity brings a deeper perspective to the field.”

Vira, who joined Trinity in 2019, and Schmitt bring significant experience to the College’s Data Analytics program. A native of India, Vira served as a senior investment analyst at Morgan Stanley and managing director and product manager at Nuveen, where he was responsible for growing separately managed accounts totaling approximately $60 billion. Vira, who earned an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, is passionately committed to social entrepreneurship and currently serves as a consultant with The Academy Group, a non-profit educational organization that works to build a national pipeline of young leaders from underserved communities.

As Director of Data Science Programs at Valparaiso University, Schmitt created a national top 30 Data Science undergraduate degree program with 100% graduate placement. He has also published more than 10 peer-reviewed papers and four whitepapers/reports. Schmitt earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, where he conducted his dissertation research on the Application of Graph Algorithms to Improve Genome Assembly. He currently serves as a Task Member of the Association of Computing Memory’s Data Science Task Force Program Committee and on the Program Committee of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics 2020 Conference on Applied Mathematics Education.

This new program is a reflection of Trinity’s mission, as well as its vision to educate students for God, for good, and for the world. Said Dykstra, “From Day 1, Trinity has offered a rigorous education in the liberal arts, shaped by the historic Christian faith, that also connects education with the needs and opportunities in the world. Our sweet spot is where Trinity’s mission meets the needs of the world. Understanding and using data is the currency of the 21st century regardless of field, profession, and vocation. A robust data analytics program, led by outstanding scholars and practitioners, creates opportunities for our students and moves Trinity’s mission forward.”

About Trinity Christian College

Trinity Christian College, based in Palos Heights, Ill., is an accredited Christian liberal arts college offering more than 70 programs by way of bachelor’s, master’s, and adult degree completion courses of study. Founded in 1959, the College is a community of Christian scholarship committed to shaping lives and transforming culture and is continually ranked in the top tier among Regional Colleges—Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more, visit trnty.edu.