Initiative Category: Speech-Language Pathology

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)

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. 

For Alyssa Busker ’24, Trinity is a family tradition. “I heard about Trinity a lot growing up because my grandma was a part of the first graduating class,” said Busker. “She always hoped that her grandkids would come here like she did. My older sister Taylor decided to go to Trinity. Hearing about how much she loved it made me start to consider Trinity as an option.”

Busker was exploring a major in speech-language pathology, after falling in love with the field during an internship her senior year at Aurora Christian High School, in Aurora, Ill. Busker was also interested in attending a college where she could run track. All of those factors led her to Trinity. “I chose to go to Trinity because growing up in a Christian school made me realize how important it was for me to choose a Christian college and continue to grow in my faith and be surrounded by others who want the same thing. I also wanted to be able to continue running track because I loved it so much,” she said.

And her love for track led to a record-setting season her freshman year! Last spring, Busker earned a place at the 41st Annual National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes. Not only did she win both events at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Outdoor Championships, she also claimed the title of National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) national champion in both events.

“Being a part of the track team has been such a blessing to me,” said Busker. “We have fantastic coaches who really care about us and help us become better athletes and better people.” Busker said the NCCAA championships have been her most memorable Trinity experience so far. “Our track team really bonded that week, and we all had so much fun using out gifts to glorify God.”

Along with track, Busker is also involved with Trinity’s women’s ministry program. “It has been great for meeting new people and continuing to strengthen my relationship with Christ.”

She said her favorite class currently is Phonetics. “It makes me so excited for all the work I will be doing as a speech pathologist one day. It is a challenging but rewarding class.”

Once Busker graduates, she plans to go to graduate school and then work in either a hospital or school setting.

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. 

Continuing a years – long tradition of excellence and recognition, Trinity Christian College has been named among the “Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report for 2021.  Trinity was ranked 21st among  Midwestern regional colleges in this year’s survey. Trinity was also named a “Best Value” college and a “Top Performer on Social Mobility.”

“At Trinity Christian College, our community is focused on providing a rigorous, life-changing education, and our graduates go on to find success in their careers and vocations,” said Trinity’s President Kurt D. Dykstra. “We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report has once again recognized how Trinity prepares our students to change the world.”

Said Provost Aaron J. Kuecker, Ph.D., “We are proud of the excellent academic programs that are supported by Trinity’s world class faculty. Rankings like these are a recognition of the top quality, whole-person vision of education that we pursue at Trinity.”

Trinity is frequently recognized for its high academic standards. The College’s honors include being named a “College of Distinction,” a “Best BSN Program in Illinois,” and a “National Strength and Conditioning Association Education Recognition Program,” among others. Trinity, which is a university partner with 1871, the world’s top university-affiliated startup incubator located in downtown Chicago, also has a world-class business department that recently led the State of Illinois with both the highest pass rates and average scores on the most recent certified public accounting (CPA) exam. The Trinity Athletics Department was also recently listed among the Champions of Character Five-Star institutions by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

The U.S. News rankings are based on qualitative and quantitative information in several categories, including peer assessments, graduation rates, social mobility, and faculty information. The “Best Value” ranking is determined by a school’s academic quality and the net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The “Social Mobility” ranking is based on how successful a college is at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.

 

–By Christy Wolff ’10

Danielle Oeverman ‘18 is part of the second graduating class from Trinity’s speech-language pathology (SLP) program. Desiring to earn her degree and play volleyball at a small NAIA school, Trinity fit the bill for Oeverman. “My parents taught me that I need to work for what I want and not be afraid to go and get it,” Oeverman said. So, after graduating from South Christian High School in Grand Rapids, Mich., she moved to Illinois, embarking on a new adventure at Trinity.

Having gone through years of speech therapy herself, Oeverman’s interest in making this a career started from a young age. “I knew how big of an impact an SLP can have in one’s life.” More recently her nephew underwent speech therapy, which led Oeverman to shadow in the field–solidifying her dream to make this a career.

Trinity’s SLP program is “small but mighty,” according to Oeverman. Alongside a class of seven, Oeverman felt comfortable bouncing ideas off her classmates and studying with them. “To still be in contact with your classmates says something about the Trinity atmosphere,” Oeverman shared.

Since grad school is a requirement in order to be a licensed SLP, Oeverman valued how Trinity equipped her for that next step. “Being such a small program, we were able to truly connect with our professors and ask questions to prepare us for grad school.” Oeverman gained perspective on grad school during visits from Trinity’s SLP graduates who would share about their grad school experience, what they learned, and what they wished they knew.

Trinity’s SLP class topics include child development, communication disorders, anatomy, and motor speech disorders, to name a few. “Trinity’s program covers all the courses you need for grad school,” she said. “It’s one thing learning the knowledge behind the topics; it’s another to learn how to provide therapy. Trinity did both,” she said.

Several Trinity experiences aided in her grad school application–and eventual acceptance– including internships at a school and nursing home, and hands-on assessments in class. She attended Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Ill., and virtually graduated in May 2020, due to COVID-19.

“Trinity taught me when it’s important to step up and stand up for what I believe in, especially when it comes to advocating for myself and my patients,” she said.

Trinity also provided Oeverman with the gift of forming lasting friendships. “Four years is such a short time to develop lifelong friendships, but Trinity gave me that sense of family.” Having such impactful friends helped her grow in her faith. “I really learned what I believe and why I believe that.”

She also made a huge impact on the volleyball court during her years at Trinity. She was a member of Trolls teams that claimed NCCAA National Championship titles in 2014 and 2016 and advanced to the NAIA National Championship in 2015 and 2017. Amongst her many accolades, she was a four-time All-Conference selection and was the CCAC Freshman of the Year in her rookie season. She earned AVCA/NAIA All-Region honors twice and NCCAA North Central All-Regional honors three times. The NCCAA  also named her the 2017 Susan R. Hellings Award Recipient for Division I Women’s Volleyball, given annually to a player who exemplifies Christian leadership on the court..

Her advice to prospective students considering SLP? “Don’t be afraid of the small class size or that Trinity doesn’t have a grad program,” she said. “None of those things have stopped me from graduating and applying for jobs currently.”

Oeverman looks forward to embarking on her next adventure and using the tools Trinity gave her to be a positive influence in her career.

Students in Speech and Hearing Sciences 212 recently completed an assignment of drawing and labeling the muscles of respiration on t-shirts as part of learning about respiration and the biomechanics of breathing. The major structures such as the ribs and sternum were labeled and the muscles were drawn in relation to that.