The sun shined brightly on the giant blow-up Einstein and the happy faces of Trinity students and faculty members celebrating the 11th annual OPUS on April 27. OPUS is sponsored by Trinity’s Academic Initiative.

The celebration of student intellectual and artistic endeavor began with a parade though campus, led by the Troll, the traditional bagpiper, and special guests Abe Lincoln and Sinter Klaas. What followed was a day full of student presentations, musical performances, a gallery exhibit, a picnic, and a special Outcry worship service beneath the OPUS tent.

This was the first year that Academic Initiative Chair Christine Carter ’12 of Wheaton, Illinois, helped organize the event. “I have really fallen in love with what OPUS is—a celebration of student achievement, a massive social gathering, and fun,” she said. “To get the fullest experience possible, you have to talk with others. You have to share what you learned and learn from others. So, in ways, OPUS extends beyond a one day event. It generates great conversation on campus for days to come.”

“I think that OPUS is one of the best things we do for our students,” said Dr. Dick Cole, professor of psychology and chairperson of the OPUS committee. “I worked with a great committee this year, especially the students. They were so enthusiastic, committed, and helpful.”

Jon Vanderwoude ’10 of Palos Heights, this year’s Lincoln Laureate, pronounced the official opening of the day. Abby Christensen ’11 of Nampa, Idaho, designed the programs and t-shirts.

OPUS award winners
Tuition Remission Giveaways
Winners included:
$100—Julie Wiltjer, Nola Sawyer, Kelsey Mattson
$150—Ryan Kwaak, Brady Davidson
$250—Allison Stoub, Eric Tucker
$400—Jon Borr
$500—Justin James

OPUS 2010 Committee Members
Faculty
Dick Cole, Chairperson
Mark Jones
Aaron Kuecker
Rose Malinowski
Pete Post
Patti Powell
Laurel Quinn

Students
Kenyatta Bivens
Rita Bootsma
Christine Carter, Chair of Academic Initiative
Abby Christensen
Brady Davidson
Stephanie DeJong
Keli Ooms
Allison Wier

OPUS 2010 Award Winners

Art and Design

Best in Show
Abby Christensen

Design
1st – Brandie Richardson
2nd – Rick Lundskow
3rd – Jenae Van Engen
Honorable Mention – Jenae Van Engen

Painting and Drawing
1st – Abby Christensen
2nd – Melissa Peterson
3rd – Julie Vander Wey
Honorable Mention – Abby Christensen
Honorable Mention – MJ Hegemen

Photography and Printmaking
1st – Emily Vanhoff
2nd – Jenae Van Engen
3rd – MJ Hegemen
Honorable Mention – Erika Huizenga

Sculpture
1st – Emily Vanhoff
2nd – Bridget Earnshaw
3rd – Melissa Peterson
Honorable Mention – Emily Vanhoff
Honorable Mention – MJ Hegemen

Communication Arts

Original Oratory
1st – Lauren Haney, “Animals in the Temple and Coffeeshops in Churches”
2nd – Kenyatta Bivens, “Blindness & in This I Pray”

Dramatic Lit Interpretation
1st – Joshua Moore, “Not Poor Just Broke”
2nd – Julie Wiltjer, “Tomorrow’s Wish”
3rd – Graeme Scott, “Wait Until Dark”

Prose Lit Interpretation
1st – Alisha Riepma, “Black”
2nd – Alex Walsh, “A Conversation with My Father”

Poetry Interpretation
1st – Adam Perez & Jennifer Hill, “What Teachers Make”
2nd – Angela Robateau, “Allow Me to Reintroduce the Christ”
3rd – Ryan Kwaak, “The Farmer & the Lord”

English

Poetry
1st – Marissa De Haan, “Afraid of Non-Sequiturs”
2st – Deborah Swets, “Trapped in the Wrong Meter”
3rd – Brittani Moore, “Mother’s Song”
Honorable Mentions – Kristen Mancini, “Aristocracy in Denial”; and Rebecca Kischkel,
“A Pen, the Middle, and Beyond”

Fiction
1st – Corie Zylstra, “Whispers”
2nd – Marissa De Haan, “Silver Strand”
3rd – none

Non-fiction
1st – Sarah Hoeksema, “January”
2nd – Carrie Timmermans, “Worn Hope”
3rd (shared) – Natalia Wegrzyniak, “Natalia [squared]”; and Lauren Haney, Untitled
Honorable Mentions – Sarah Hoeksema, “Cattleherds”; and Stephanie DeJong,
“The Beauty of Knowledge”

Music

Piano/Organ
1st – HyoJin Moon
2nd – Libby Dykstra
3rd – Autumn Tauber

Vocal Solo
1st – Amy Dockendorf
2nd (tie) – Daniel Thayer and Willie Gesch

Vocal Ensemble
1st – Willie Gesch and Julie Wiltjer

Instrumental Solo
1st – Alexi Zeldenrust
2nd – Christian Busta

“You Be the Judge” Winners
The following presentations qualified for an award based upon audience vote. One presentation from each category was named the audience favorite.

Interim and Community Partnerships
Title: The Ireland Interim: The Land of Green Turned White
Presenters: Amber VanderLey, Kailyn Baum, Amanda Matthew, Giselle McComb, Joni Weidenaar, Erin
Nykamp, Naomi Hansum

Education and Special Education
Title: Sing a Song, Sign a Song
Presenters: Trinity’s Sign Language Club

Communication Arts and Music
Title: Film: The Fallen Wolf
Presenter: Vincent Deng

Theology and Student Groups
Title: Recognizing and Reconciling the Short Comings of Media Coverage during Rwanda Genocide
Presenters: Velvet Woods and Julie Wiltjer

Psychology, Social Work and Political Science
Title: The Christian Reformed Church in the City: What Does It Look Like?
Presenter: Kendra DeBoer

English, History and Philosophy
Title: Republicans and Christian Fundamentalists
Presenter: Matt Barre

Nursing, Biology and Math
Title: Pirates, Ninjas and Banditos: A Study of Howler Monkeys
Presenter: Jennifer Hill