Initiative Category: History

A program designed to supply a rich introduction to three historic Italian city-states – Venice, Florence and Rome.  This is what was in store for a group of Trinity students, who traveled with Assistant Professor of History, Dr. Kyle J. Dieleman, but what they experienced went far beyond the pages of a history book or the pictures in a travel brochure.

Traveling from Chicago and arriving in Venice, Italy, the students were exhausted after an 8-hour flight and stopover in Philadelphia, but excited about the adventure ahead.

While in Venice, the group tried foods like pizza and gelato, which in true Italian fashion were delicious and did not disappoint. While no trip to Italy is without its decadent food, the goal of this trip was to learn more, enrich understanding of history, art and geo-politics.  There was time to explore Doge Palace, St. Mark’s Square, and of course, a ride on the classic gondolas in Venice. A native Venetian tour guide led a walking trip through the city, explaining the significance of the architecture, the different churches and saints, and even how the canals are maintained.

From Venice, the group enjoyed a scenic ride through the Italian countryside and arrived at Florence. Upon arrival, they were immediately greeted by the sights of historic architecture and ancient structures. A guided tour of Florence shared interesting facts about this city, which was formed nearly 1500 years ago, along with some of its famous residents, including Leonardo Da Vinci, the Medici family, and Donatello, to name a few.   Homemade pasta, ravioli, and tiramisu helped to round out the perfect stay over in Florence.

After a rich day in Florence, it was onto Pisa, to see the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa and learn the history of the area. An excursion was planned to see the Mediterranean Sea and enjoy the area with clear water and warm sand. The onto Rome and Assisi to explore the deep history of these areas. Starting in Assisi, the group learned that this area is known to be one of the greenest parts of Italy, with little to no industrialization. The brief time in Assisi felt like a step back in time, even walking the streets felt as if they were living in a different period. The opposite to that would be Rome, which is a larger bustling city with expensive shops and restaurants, filled with extensive history, architecture, and art.

To hear from the Trinity students themselves and learn more about what was learned from the trip click here to read the blog posted during their trip.

OPUS,  Trinity’s annual festival of student scholarship, is taking place on Wednesday, April 20.  The word “opus” is Latin for work. Whether it’s the arts & humanities, natural & applied sciences, or social sciences, students from all disciplines can present their work or attend this annual celebratory conference.

We invite you to attend OPUS 2022 and imagine the possibilities of your own OPUS!

OPUS SCHEDULE

12:30-12:45             OPUS Parade

12:45-1:15               Opening Ceremony

1:30-4:15                 Student Presentations

4:30-5:15                 Presentation Showdown

All students are given the opportunity to enter into a competition for all solo and group presentations. Top scorers advance to the Presentation Showdown where they give a 5-minute summary of their presentation in front of their peers and additional judges.

4:30-6:30                 Trinity Trolldown Dinner in the Dining Hall

5:00-6:00                 Dunk Tank Fundraiser for Ukraine

6:00-7:30                 Raffle & Closing Ceremony

7:30-8:30                 Senior Student/OPUS Art Reception

6:30-8:30                 GRUMPUS Graduate OPUS

9:00-10:00               Outcry

Special Thank you!

The Trinity Christian College community is grateful to alumni Yvette Madany (’85) and Peter Madany (’82), who generously provided financial support to underwrite expenses for OPUS 2022.

The OPUS 2022 committee is also grateful for the support of Trinity administration, faculty, and staff, including the departments of admissions, student life, physical plant, audio-visual services, information technology services, marketing and communications, and Creative Dining.

OPUS Committee Members

Brian Cerney

Inglebert Christiansen (Student Graphic Designer)

Sarah Hoeksema (co-chair)

Jeff Nyhoff

Mary LoGalbo

Deb Majewski (co-chair)

Katie Oomkes

Julianna Padilla (Student Government Representative)

Aron Reppmann

Omar Sweiss

Kevin Schenke

Maura Sukamto (Student Graphic Designer)

Attendees of this year’s annual Black History Month lecture had the opportunity to experience an in-depth, wide-ranging exploration of “The Past, Present, and Future of Black History” featuring Associate Professor of History Lionel Kimble, Ph.D., of Chicago State University, and Professor of History David Brodnax, Sr., Ph.D., of Trinity.

In his opening comments, Kimble looked at the future of African American history. “By and large, it’s very strong,” he said. “I’ve trained as a social historian, and I’m more concerned about the stories we tell and how we communicate the history of African Americans. By and large, the number of young scholars coming in to the pipeline are doing a fantastic job.” He pointed to scholars focusing on the area of black women’s history and popular culture in particular.

Kimble is also excited about the use of the internet, social media channels such as TikTok and Instagram, podcasts and other tools that are providing access to the younger generation of scholars. “We have to meet young people where they are. A lot of folks have had negative experiences with history at the high school level. When they move to college, part of our challenge is when they come into our classes, how we best convey what we are trying to teach but also make it culturally and generationally relevant,” he said. “And there are those of us taking very active role in helping young people see themselves as historical actors and actresses by presenting the story of history not just of great men and women but of ordinary men and women doing extraordinary things.”

However, there are areas of concern, including how the pressures to “publish or perish” in academia are becoming even more difficult as access to journals is becoming more limited and in-person academic conferences have been cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his comments, Brodnax focused on racist laws and court cases in Iowa during the 19^th century, as well as the period during the 1860s and 1870s where the state became one of the most racially egalitarian. That includes the 1868 court case Clark v Board of School Directors, where the family of a black girl, Susan Clark, sued to be allowed to attend her local junior high school in Muscatine, Iowa. In that case, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Clark family, banning racial segregation in Iowa schools.

However, looking at the present day, many states are now considering or passing legislation that jeopardizes the ability of schools to teach about their history of racism. For example, last year, Iowa’s governor signed into law House File 802, which provides requirements around racism or sexism and diversity and inclusion efforts at schools and government agencies.

Said Brodnax, “Now, if there’s anybody who was troubled by the history of racism, of exclusion, of threats of violence against black children in schools and so forth, if this bothers you, if this makes you feel bad in some ways, if this makes you own your feelings, don’t worry. The current Iowa state government has your back. And I say ’Don’t worry’ sarcastically.”

He referred again to Susan Clark, where the school that originally banned her was renamed for her in 2019.  “But how does one explain to students at Susan Clark Junior High School, for whom the school was renamed, why it was named after her? Are they simply going to say she was the first black student, without saying what she went through and why it was so hard for her to go there?”

These types of laws, which claim to strive to spare students discomfort, implicitly focus on the needs of white students, Brodnax said. “These bills are not meant to protect black students who feel uncomfortable because our history is not being taught,” he said. “The future of black history will be an unnecessary, exhausting, and expensive struggle to be able to teach and disseminate black history at all. But unfortunately, this is also the past of black history as well.”

Kimble and Brodnax also shared their response to questions, including how to teach through listening, writing and teaching narratives from the actual historical experiences and voices of black people; how the studies of African American art and music reflect and stimulate change in society; and the recent Super Bowl halftime show featuring Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige.

The Black History Month Lecture was sponsored by Trinity’s History Department.

A Bachelor’s Degree from Trinity Christian College prepares students to flourish in their careers and vocations. And our graduates are well-prepared. According to data from Trinity’s Cooper Center for Vocation and Career Development, 97.7 percent of the graduates in the Class of 2021 are employed or in graduate school. That far surpasses the nationwide average of 82.4 percent. 

Each year, Trinity seeks career outcome data from new alumni. For 2020-’21 degree conferrals, 82.1% of graduates are employed, 15.1% are enrolled in graduate school, and one is serving the United States in the military.  

“We are excited to see our students successfully launch into their life after Trinity and continue to make meaningful contributions in the world,” said Director of Vocation and Career Development Jeff Timmer. “This metric is just one way that Trinity demonstrates how it prepares students for positive engagement in their communities and for contributions to the Kingdom.” 

Companies that employ recent Trinity graduates include Amazon, BDO USA, Chicago Public Schools, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Topel Forman. 

The class of 2021 has a range of job titles, reflecting the diversity and depth of Trinity’s liberal arts education: medical surgical/oncological nurse; special education teacher; art therapist; communications coordinator; graphic designer; tax associate; internal events coordinator; pastor; business analyst; baseball coach; police officer; and occupational therapy technician, among others. 

Trinity graduates are also pursing further education at the graduate level at institutions such as Duke Divinity School, John Marshall Law School, Northwestern University, Rush University, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  

Avery Johnson ’21, is currently attending Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C., and she cited the support she received from Trinity in helping her on her journey.  “I couldn’t have gotten this far without the help of the Trinity’s staff and professors,” said Johnson, who double majored in Biblical Studies and Communication Arts at Trinity and plans to become an ordained minister. 

For more information about Trinity’s 98% placement rate, visit Trinity’s Cooper Center for Vocation & Career Development. 

—By Patricia Yang ’25 

It was long and eagerly awaited. Erin Davis, a senior and current president of the Historical Association of Students (HAS), was especially excited. It was the first field trip since the spring of 2020, and HAS was going to The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (OI). Granted, Davis had been there before—but why turn down the offer to go again? Before the trip, Davis said “I love going to museums, and I miss going to museums.”

She was delighted to have visited again. “I forgot how quiet they can be, especially history museums. It’s like a reverent silence, because you’re looking at all these artifacts that are sometimes thousands of years old, and you suddenly remember that humanity is ancient. We’ve changed so much, and even now continue to change in monumental ways.” 

OI is a museum featuring Middle Eastern, East Asian, and North African history, exhibiting the history of places like Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt. Davis’ favorite part of the museum was a massive stone wall three times the size of a person, and carved on it was a mystical creature with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and wings like eagles—a lamassu. 

This time around, the OI had a new exhibit on the photographer Antoin Sevruguin. He was a photographer in Iran during the 1880s to 1890s and took photos of people and everyday life. The exhibit featured several of his photos and also described Sevruguin’s career evolution. “The thing that struck me was seeing Sevruguin’s photos and realizing that these are real people who existed, who had their own lives, families, loved ones, goals, and thoughts—and just so much made them them. These photos may be the only thing we have that shows us their lives, yet cannot possibly capture all of it,” said Davis, reflecting on her museum trip experience. 

HAS, founded in the spring of 2003, is recognized as an official club by the Student Government Association with the help of the History Department itself. “For almost twenty years, we’ve been meeting, having the president hit his or her shoe on the desk to start and end the meeting, doing ‘This Day in History,’ and other historical fun stuff,” said Dr. John Fry, Professor of History. “Most recently, we’ve taken advantage of Kahoots, some of which are really hilarious and all of which are fun.” 

Previously, HAS had hosted some lively activities on campus, such as a jousting tournament. “I don’t know how it went, because I was not there for the event,” said Davis as she laughed. “But I would love to bring something like that back!” HAS also used to have a trebuchet (a medieval catapult). Fry retold, “We put about 300 pounds of weights from the weight room on it, and it could throw a gallon jug of water about 75 feet. We also sometimes threw laptops, printers, and other items.” The trebuchet is long gone now, but Davis would love to have something like that again, too. 

And of course, HAS enjoys field trips to museums both local and regional: Cantigny Park, the Great Lakes Naval Museum, the Lincoln Museum and the Lincoln Home, and the Henry Ford Museum are just a few this club has gone to. They would go in Trinity vans and head out. On road trips, they would stay the night in a hotel, visit the site in the morning, and head back in the afternoon. “Now that things are getting more back to normal, I would love to see us be able to do a road trip again,” said Fry. 

The OI field trip came to a close—and now the club returns to its usual routine: hitting the shoe, seeing “This Day in History,” and playing fun Kahoots. And perhaps next semester HAS will once again head out for another exciting museum visit. 

To find out more about HAS and its activities, email Erin Davis or Dr. John Fry. 

Dr. Mark Mulder ‘95, professor of sociology at Calvin University and graduate of Trinity in history and communication arts, recently returned to campus for several engagement opportunities with the College community and broader public.

Mulder is the author of Shades of White Flight: Evangelical Congregations & Urban Departure, which Trinity faculty and staff reading groups read together this past summer. That book explores the “white flight”  that occurred in the Chicago neighborhoods of Englewood and Roseland, where seven entire church congregations from one denomination, the Christian Reformed Church, left the city in the 1960s and 1970s and relocated their churches to nearby suburbs. Mulder’s book investigates the migration of these Chicago church members, revealing how these churches not only failed to inhibit white flight, but actually facilitated the congregations’ departure.

Mulder’s visit encompassed several different conversations and lectures. That included an author conversation, sponsored by the Faculty Development Committee, and a lunchtime conversation, sponsored by the Center for Teaching & the Good Life, surrounding the question, “How do we ensure our vision of the good life is accessible to all human beings?”

Mulder also provided a public lecture entitled “Shades of White Flight: Reckoning with Racialized Legacies,” sponsored by the Office of the Provost.

–Christy Wolff ’10

Stephen Henderson ‘08 is clearly demonstrating what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. After his youngest child received an incurable medical diagnosis, Henderson began the important work of involving himself in the redemptive process of healing this broken world. He credits Trinity for preparing him for this journey: “Trinity begins equipping us with the knowledge and skills to serve in our spheres; we have to figure out how we’re going to use that to serve in God’s Kingdom.” 

Originally from Pella, Iowa, Henderson and his wife Lacey ‘08 graduated from Trinity; he majored in history with minors in education and special education, and she earned a nursing degree. Both immediately started grad school – with a baby on the way! “I have pictures of me and Lacey doing homework for grad school with our newborn daughter on our lap,” Henderson recalls. Over the next several years, they would welcome three more children – with one more due October 2021. 

In 2018, Henderson was nearing the finish line of obtaining his doctorate degree. He had completed the coursework, written his dissertation, and was scheduled to defend it before October when his fourth child was due. Everything worked according to plan, and the Hendersons welcomed Estella in October 2018. 

Two months later, he was preparing to walk across the stage at his doctoral graduation. “For years, I longed to acquire the earthly title of being a doctor; I wanted the recognition,” he described. But as his new title was announced – Dr. Stephen Henderson – he heard the topic of the first chapter of Ecclesiastes repeat in his head: Everything is meaningless. “The Spirit was prompting me that something was coming in my life that I hadn’t experienced that was going to make everything else seem meaningless.” 

Six months after graduation, Estella was diagnosed with Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC), an ultra-rare neurological disease that affects one in one million kids. “It’s like having seven difference neurological diseases in one person,” Henderson explained. AHC causes episodes of paralysis, uncontrollable muscle and eye movements, intellectual disabilities, difficulty walking, and behavioral disorders – among other challenges. 

“The early days of seeing these symptoms in Estella were filled with lots of emergency room visits, speeding down the highway wondering what was wrong with our daughter.” 

When the family finally received a diagnosis, they were told there was no cure. As Henderson said: “It’s like being told your own child has no hope for her future. We retracted into ourselves. We didn’t socialize, we didn’t take her into public, we didn’t even share what life was like with others.” 

Henderson realized that it’s important to walk through the grieving process and wrestle with God. He spent the better part of one year pleading with God and shouting at Him, questioning why He would let this happen to his family – to his own child. 

“I came to the conclusion that the evil disease that my daughter has is not from God nor was it caused by God nor was it given to us by God; there is evil in the world and it exists because we live in a fallen, sinful, and broken world.” He went on to say, “If we, as Christians, are called to be part of the redemptive process of renewing God’s creation, then I’m called to redeem the world and rid it of this sinful disease.” 

With that prompting, Henderson became involved with the Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood Foundation (AHCF), an internationally known foundation that has funded millions of dollars in research, with the mission to end AHC. 

His own fatherly desire is much the same: to find a cure for Estella. “My quest to cure AHC, along with my colleagues at AHCF, is my way of reclaiming a broken part of God’s creation.” 

The painful symptoms Estella experiences can come on so quickly. “You just don’t know when an episode is going to happen for her. You can see her body slowly start to shut down to where neither of her arms work, and within 20 minutes she could be completely paralyzed and could stay like that for days.” These events are known as “episodes.” They can last minutes, hours, or even days. “Just imagine your child writhe in pain, screaming uncontrollably while you watch helplessly. That is life with AHC.” 

Being stripped of every aspect of feeling in control, Henderson shared, “Maybe this is what God is talking about when He tells us to rely on daily bread – when you have nothing left that day and have the complete inability to control anything in your life.” 

One thing that brings him joy in the midst of these life-altering challenges is watching how his three other children treat Estella. “They look at Estella and love her for who she is: their baby sister. That’s an image of how God looks at us. He loves us for who we are and doesn’t see our brokenness.” Elena (10), William (8), and Adriana (4) clearly model Christ’s love to Stephen and Lacey. And with their fifth child due any day, Henderson said, “God is giving us an opportunity to have a little more joy in our life where sometimes there exists much sadness.” 

When Henderson reflects on his years at Trinity, he recalled how Dr. Pete Post (assistant professor of special education emeritus) made a lasting impact in his life. “Dr. Post continually pointed out that parents of special education children and children with special needs are very aware of what they cannot do, and our roles as teachers is to emphasize to those parents and that child what they can do,” That has been true of doctors, too, who repeatedly tell Estella what she cannot do. 

Henderson, now associate academic dean and the chair of the education division at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, shares these insights with his own students. “My students get to know me personally and professionally like at Trinity. I knew early on in my career that I wanted to do for others what my professors did for me as a student.” 

Before holding his position at William Penn, Henderson taught at Pella Christian Grade School. “When I was so new in education and would have behavior issues in my class, I would email my questions to Dr. Post and he would turn them into case studies; he would present them to his class and I would receive emails from his students with their ideas and findings,” he recalled. 

Others at Trinity impacted his life as well.  “I owe a small part of who I am to the influencers in my life, particularly Dr. John Fry, Dr. Bob Rice, and Dr. Pete Post.” These professors showed their care and support during particularly challenging times, such as when his own mother passed away during his sophomore year. “I wanted to drop out of school, but these life mentors stayed with me and became a major part of my life.”  

To this day, Henderson remains in contact with Fry and several other professors at Trinity. 

The Henderson family’s is one single story in a world full of brokenness, and he wants others to be mindful of the suffering that exists in the quiet margins of society. “We have the ability to be the hands and feet of Jesus to help those who are suffering. It doesn’t have to be AHC; we are called to help in the redemptive process of hearing these people and responding.” 

With that calling, he continues to keep his feet firmly planted in his relationship with God. “My daily prayer includes two points: Asking God to please give Estella a good day, and if He doesn’t, then I ask Him to please give me the feet to walk the path that’s laid before me.” Henderson is filled with hope for what the AHCF is doing as they partner with some of the best scientists in the world. “My daughter might not be made whole on this side of Heaven, but I have hope that one day she’ll get to run and play because of what Jesus has done.” 

To support Estella
If you feel led to donate to Estella’s cause, please visit her page: https://ahckids.app.neoncrm.com/estella  

On September 17, 1787, the Founding Fathers signed the most influential document in American history, the U.S. Constitution. And every year, Trinity commemorates that world-changing event by recognizing Constitution Day.

For this year’s observation, Trinity students read two speeches that were given at the ceremony marking the 20^th Anniversary of the September 11^th Attacks at the Flight 93 Memorial in rural Western Pennsylvania.

Boluwatife Jegede ’23 read a speech delivered by Vice President Kamala Harris. Caleb Rivera ’24 read remarks given former President George W. Bush.

The Constitution Day event was sponsored by the Department of History and the Historical Association of Students (HAS) — The History Club.

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. New 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.