MCCORMICK FELLOWSHIP GRANT PROMOTES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The McCormick Tribune Presidential Civic Leader Fellowship program awarded the College a $5000 grant for the 2003-04 academic year to engage in public work through campus and community partnerships.

To receive the grants, institutions must present a program that will design and implement at least one civic engagement project. President Steven Timmermans submitted a proposal to McCormick to support three separate projects: an environmental stewardship program on campus; a long-term partnership with Palos Heights to sustain the Lake Katherine Nature Preserve; and an alliance with Robbins, Illinois, a neighboring suburb to the east, to revitalize its economic, educational, and social conditions.

"This fellowship is a direct correlation to my belief in a commitment to engagement, which Trinity already had," Timmermans said. "The McCormick grant will allow us to do more of what we've been doing and help us extend our outreach."

The grants are only available to colleges and universities that are members of the Illinois Campus Compact, which Trinity joined during the summer. Projects seeking McCormick funding must also include teams composed of the institution's president, five students, and a community leader. Juniors Luke McAuley and Laura Tinklenberg, seniors Jocelyn Black and Kate Dykstra, and sophomore Keith Dykstra are Trinity's student team members. Dean Koldenhoven, a former mayor of Palos Heights, is the community leader.

"We assembled a strong group of people for these projects," the president said. "Our students have experience in service-learning, and Dean Koldenhoven brings a wealth of familiarity and knowledge about our local community. We also get input from professors and student-life professionals, and all of that collaboration will makes it easier for us to accomplish our goals."

The College has already implemented its strategy at Lake Katherine this fall by placing some students there to handle administrative duties in the nature preserve's clubhouse. In recent years, students and faculty also have conducted a variety of science experiments and research on the water, vegetation, and wildlife.

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