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Every morning, Crystal Williams ’11 walks along one of the Great Avenues of the World, passing lovely streetscapes, fine dining restaurants, high-end retail stores, and luxury hotels to reach her office at The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association (GNMAA), which represents more than 700 businesses interested in promoting Chicago’s Magnificent Mile as a world-class destination.
Williams, an administrative assistant and assistant to the program director, first began working with GNMAA during her Chicago Semester internship in the spring of 2011, her last semester as a Trinity business major. As a student, Williams was a recipient of the Academic Excellence, Diversity Leadership, and Dining Hall scholarships. She was a First Year Forum mentor and a student manager in the cafeteria for three years. That experience taught her management skills and led to an interest in event planning.
Williams was thrilled to secure an internship with the Association as an event planning coordinator, developing promotional pieces for events, attending community meetings, and creating surveys to gather feedback from Association members.
When her Chicago Semester ended, Williams’ work at the GNMAA did not. She was asked to stay through the summer and was later offered her current position.
“What I love most about my job is meeting with my committees, sitting around the table in our conference room, taking a blank canvas, and creating successful events,” said Williams. Some of her summer projects included planning and promotion for the Magnificent Red Carpet Boat Cruise and the ACCESS event (Admission to Chicago’s Coolest Experiences on the Summer Scene).
“I always think back to my Chicago Semester and my internship,” she said. “I am grateful and thankful to God that he blessed me with a spectacular job right out of college.”
The professor effortlessly navigates the sidewalks crisscrossing campus, his guide cane tapping along the paths he has walked for the past 33 years.
From his house that sits adjacent to Trinity’s campus, he walks the short distance to the classroom building, contemplating how he will most effectively teach history today while resting in the pleasure of this daily walk and the contentment he finds in anticipating his destination.
Dr. Robert Rice, who was honored with the inaugural Professor of the Year award at Trinity’s May Commencement ceremony, acutely feels the weight of his responsibility as a professor despite his many years of experience. He has high expectations of himself, sometimes demanding perfection while simultaneously experiencing moments of doubt.
“I impose perfection for myself but not for others, but perfection can immobilize. I’m responsible but not sovereign,” he said, adding, “except two times a year when I make my syllabi.”
Born with some sight in one eye, Rice said that through God’s grace and the support of his family, he quickly accepted the eventual and complete loss of his sight at the age of 15. “Most people who have lost their sight hold on to the loss, but when you get stuck with loss, it shapes how you deal with people,” said Rice. “I gave it up before I lost it. Blindness is a significant part of my life, but it is only one strand of brokenness in God’s good world.”
Rice teaches mainly European and global history and notes that the curriculum is difficult and requires a great deal of reading, critiquing, and “taking on the hard stuff.” For Rice, some of the hard stuff involves Christianity in the classroom. “Christianity can’t be an ‘add on,’” he said. “It can be hard work to integrate faith into the curriculum, but it is imperative to do so.”
So he and his students look at how culture responds to God’s call and in turn gain an understanding of culture and Christian faithfulness. These were also lessons Rice began learning at a very young age, along with a heightened awareness of the world outside his home.
Rice’s father was a veteran, and family vacations centered around culture, with visits to museums and fortifications. “My parents had an infectious interest in global affairs and a sense of past and present, and they were hopeful people.”
He recalls that at age five, he watched his first TV program when his parents gathered their children together to witness an important event, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. All these experiences opened his mind early. “I grew up with a sense of global interest, an awareness of the world beyond my home and neighborhood.”
At the age of only six, Rice’s neighborhood became the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia, 75 miles away from the family he loved. The experience of leaving home was traumatic, but he felt fortunate to return home each weekend and every summer, an impossibility for many of the school’s children.
Rice believes that living at the school all the way through high school graduation in 1965 helped him to “look outside self.” He said, “I learned early to listen and to develop greater empathy toward others.”
That empathy was especially felt for those who were disconnected or distant from their homes and those who were marginalized in society.
So the boy who, at 12, announced to his seventh grade science teacher one afternoon that he planned to teach history held on to that pronouncement with the same conviction that the world was an expansive and enthralling place that he was called to care for, learn from, and one day teach others about.
Rice went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Houghton College in New York and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois in Urbana. Throughout his college education, he carried his early experiences with him. And those most important lessons he carries with him still…and into the classroom.
The connection with his students and with Trinity runs deep. Rice believes in caring for “the whole person” and “treasures” advising students, preferring to refer to those who are undecided as “still deciding.” He and his wife, Gail, served as resident directors at Trinity for over six years, and their former campus apartment has long been occupied by department offices and a classroom in Groot Hall. (Gail, the longest-running volunteer tutor in the PACE program at Cook County Jail—33 years—used to accompany groups of student volunteers to the jail.) Rice has also served on various committees to encourage diversity on campus, and this year was a recipient of the Catherine Yonker Award for those efforts.
Being chosen as Professor of the Year was uplifting, affirming, and very surprising, especially with so many deserving faculty, said Rice.
At the end of the day, the professor who has saved every student evaluation since 1979 walks through his Trinity “neighborhood” to his home, reflecting on the day’s classes. “These are the things I could do better” or “This went well,” he thinks. He knows awards are lovely but that life is about so much more; he knows that the world stretches far beyond the well-worn paths we see before us.
Thoughts from the Trinity community
Dr. Liz Rudenga, provost
“Bob is an amazing, talented professor whose characteristic commitment to teaching and scholarship has been remarkable over his 33 years of service. His voice is one that is valued and respected, for colleagues know that Bob thinks carefully and enters into conversations with wisdom. Bob exemplifies the Trinity professor – he cares about students and their learning, challenges them in their vocational calling, and knows and explains well the interweaving of faith and learning.”
Dr. Michael Vander Weele ’73, professor of English
“In a family or a church or a college it takes more than one person to create a welcoming space, that is, a space that people can go out from in their own orbits and also return again and again to be together. Both the going out and the return are part of their identity. We know, perhaps better than Bob does, what an important stake he has had in holding such [spaces] up, whether through warm humor…or through principled thought and action, or through affection. I think that was affirmed in his receiving Trinity’s first ever Professor of the Year award this last year.”
Dr. John Fry, professor of history
“Bob is the most approachable professor that I know. He knows European history inside and out, and he knows how to communicate his passion for the subject to students. Bob’s teaching is centered on a Christian perspective on history.”
Dr. Mackenzi Huyser ’98, dean for faculty development and academic programs
“I find Bob to be an incredibly caring colleague. He seeks opportunities to honor colleagues for their work. He is knowledgeable about the work of each and always has an encouraging word about this work. He shares this encouragement in phone calls/voicemails and on the sidewalk. Bob is also always willing to help out with any task that is needed. From meeting with and advising undeclared students to chairing significant committees. He is always willing to serve.”
Joy Meyer ’78, assistant professor of education
“I find Bob Rice to be a man of integrity, inquiry, knowledge, and peace. He always has a kind word of encouragement. Students who have had him in class are in awe of his knowledge and appreciate his pedagogical style. In the class he is affirming, yet challenging. I know Bob is a man of God and serves him in many ways on campus and in church. He has been a powerful influence on the ethnic diversity committee. I enjoy Bob and congratulate him for this award.”
Victoria Van Hofwegen ’14 of Tolleson, Arizona, said that from a young age she knew Trinity was “the place” for her. “Overall, what drew me in was the sense of community when I was on campus even though it was far away from home.”
Lastsemester found the communication arts major even further from Arizona and from Trinity’s campus while she studied abroad through the College’s Semester in Ecuador. While she experiences spiritual growth living on campus with other women of God who encourage her in her walk, she experienced that growth on a different level in Ecuador.
“Being completely apart from your family and friends, what you know, and what you’re used to makes you a thousand times more dependent on God,” said Van Hofwegen.
Why study abroad?
Although Van Hofwegen had done some traveling overseas, she desired a more intensive and mission-focused experience. She also wanted a change and the chance to dive into a culture very different from her own.
Internships are a major part of the study abroad experience.
Van Hofwegen worked at a daycare at Zambiza, Ecuador, that cares for the children of people who work at the facilities that separate all the trash of Quito. The daycare, started by Emergency Response, provides important developmental time and attention to children.
The communication arts major’s passion for missions grew as she helped the employees of Jungle Kids for Christ, a Christian elementary school in Misahualli that focuses on children who are “fatherless” or considered “at-risk.” Van Hofwegen and others taught VBS as well as completed a two-year house building project.
A transformative experience
“I have been transformed by this semester,” said Van Hofwegen.
“My eyes have been opened to part of the world that I never really new about. I learned how to be more adaptable. I finally am realizing that God has a plan for me, and it’s going to be way better than any plan I will ever make.”
All of these lessons came through living, studying, and serving in Ecuador. From gaining insight into short- and long-term missions to operating in a often unpredictable culture, Van Hofwegen brings that life learning back with her to Trinity.
“I am more comfortable when things do not go as planned, and I can have a good attitude toward the next plan,” she said. “I have the capability and knowledge of living in community constantly.”
Back “home” at Trinity
Although one of the reasons Van Hofwegen chose Trinity was for the “homey feeling,” she said, “I never thought I would feel so comfortable at a place so far away from my real home. But now that I have been living here for 1 ½ years, Trinity is another home to me.”
Van Hofwegen enjoys living in the dorms and has been living in South Hall, “a building that truly understands the idea of community.” She is looking forward to her move into Tibstra Hall this fall.
Her friends and roommates make up a large part of that community. “My friends at Trinity have shown me what true friends are. I know that I have a great support system, and they showed me that while I was in Ecuador. I always enjoy hanging out with them on Saturday nights, or just doing homework with them in the same room.”
For more information about the Semester in Ecuador and other off-campus programs, visit http://trnty.edu/trinitysponsored.html.
More than 50 alumni and friends of the College raised over $9,000 for the Alumni Excellence Scholarship at this year’s Alumni Golf Outing on June 9. The renewable scholarship provides $1,500 awards for children of alumni attending Trinity.
The outing, held for the first time at Big Run Golf Club in Lockport, Illinois, began with lunch, followed by a shotgun start. The event ended with refreshments and the presentation of the trophy, which is engraved each year with the names of the winning foursome.
This year’s winning foursome included Paul Jansma ’08, Jamie Prins ’09, Eric VandenBerg ’09, and Ryan Wories ’09.
“This is always a great event, and we were blessed with beautiful weather this year. On behalf of the alumni office, we want to thank all of those who came out for the outing,” said Alumni Director Travis Bandstra ’06. “Continuing to build an alumni legacy at Trinity is vitally important, and we are incredibly grateful to all of our sponsors who continue to support scholarships for children of alumni through this outing.”
The College is thankful for the faithful support received from the golf outing sponsors who make it possible for the funds raised by the event to go directly to the Alumni Excellence Scholarship.
Event Sponsors:
Dutch Farms
Evenhouse & Co.
Homewood Disposal
Kramer & Leonard
Ozinga Brothers
Providence Bank
ProviNET Solutions
Trinity Alumni Board
Hole Sponsors:
All God’s Children Orphanage
Bert Kamp CPA
Bettinardi Golf
Ken and Margie Boss
Clarence Davids & Co.
Colonial Chapel
Firebone Brand Consultancy
Homewood Disposal
Interiors for Business
LEGACY Insurance
Mama Vesuvio East
McGuireWOODS
Media Resources
PolyJohn Enterprises Corp.
Schepel Buick GMC Truck
Service Sanitation
Silva International, Inc.
Stepping Stone Financial, Inc.
Strack & Van Til Supermarkets
Van Bruggen Signs
Vant Hoff Financial Services Ltd.
Rick and Sue VanDyken
Wentworth Tire
In October 2011, students, led by Professors Thomas Roose and Abbie Schrotenboer, collected wildflower seed to later sow in the new basin by the Trinity Athletics and Recreation Complex and at the site of the Rt. 83 athletic fields.
Schrotenboer’s students then planted the seeds, which were germinated in the Heritage Science Center’s greenhouse. This month, a group of professors and other participants, transplanted the wildflowers into the campus basins.
Prairie plants for the drier edges of the basin included wild bergamot, New England aster, and black-eyed susan. Wetland plants for the bottom of the basin where the soil stays moist included swamp milkweed, blue vervain, and swamp rose mallow, said Schrotenboer.
“As part of our stewardship of God’s creation, the basins help us deal with the impact our campus has on the environment and also provide a small space for restoration by bringing native plants and other species back in,” said Schrotenboer.
The wildflower basins were created to deal with storm water runoff, which is filtered by the plants and soil before entering the waterways or groundwater. Native plants increase the diversity of native plant species on campus, which in turn support native insects and birds. Established plants are a relatively low maintenance way of keeping the area vegetated.
Project participants included Dr. Abbie Schrotenboer, assistant professor of biology, and her husband Brad; Dr. Thomas Roose, associate professor of physics and science education; Dr. Lou Sytsma ’65, professor of chemistry; Dr. Laurel Quinn, professor of nursing; and Marci Frederick, director of library, and her husband Paul and daughter Jocelyn.
Such initiatives integrate ecological stewardship into the biology curriculum and also reflect the stewardship efforts of the Campus Ecological Stewardship Advisory Group (CESAG). CESAG’s guiding principles include environmental restoration, sustainability, and education, while their standard practices involve restoring habitats, such as native plants, and sustaining the campus forest.
In April, Sara Timmer ’86 began conducting a unique experiment. She and her students at Highland Christian School, Highland, Indiana, began germinating soybean seeds in the classroom while also preparing another “crop” to germinate way outside of the classroom…namely outer space.
Timmer graduated from Trinity with a degree in biology and chemistry and returned to earn her teaching certification in 2009 through the Adult Studies Accelerated Program.
With her guidance and help from Dr. Lou Sytsma ’65, professor of chemistry at Trinity, Timmer’s students wrote a proposal for the experiment to be conducted in space on the International Space Station (ISS).
The proposed experiment, “The Effect of Microgravity on the Quality and Nutritional Value of the Seed Sprout of a Germinated 92M72 Genetically-Modified Soybean,” was selected as part of Mission 1 to the ISS, the third flight opportunity provided by America’s Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP).
Through a grant from Pioneer-Hybrid International, Timmers, the student writers of the proposal, and some of their parents traveled to Florida to watch the launch.
The soybean seeds are flying in a microgravity research mini-laboratory in low Earth orbit to see if food can be grown in other environments. When the seeds return to Earth from space, the students will come to Trinity and work with Dr. Bob Boomsma, professor of biology at Trinity, to compare the seed from space and the one germinating on earth.
“This was an exciting opportunity to work with the students on current experimentation going on in the science community,” said Timmer. She said that through the project, students celebrated the joy of learning and the excitement of this unusual scientific opportunity.
Participation in these experiments shows a broader commitment to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. SSEP typically gives 300 to 1,000 students across a community the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low Earth orbit, first aboard the final flights of the space shuttle, and then on the ISS.
The SSEP (http://ssep.ncesse.org) is undertaken by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE; http://ncesse.org) in partnership with NanoRacks, LLC. This on-orbit educational research opportunity is enabled through NanoRacks, LLC, which is working in partnership with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory.
Each semester, Trinity students in the College’s traditional program who meet high academic standards are included in the Dean’s List. Students must complete the semester at full-time status to be eligible.
Congratulations to the spring semester’s Dean’s List honorees:
A
Asma Abdelqader
Katie Alberda
Amy Alheim
Anita Anderson
Jon Anderson
Megan Anderson
Jacob Andringa
Kathryn Andringa
Stephanie Azzaline
B
Joey Bahena
Clayton Bailye
Taylor Bandstra
Paola Barajas
Matthew Barre
Laura Batchelder
Johnathan Baty
Brian Beenes
Corinne Beezhold
Rebecca Berghold
Jennifer Binkowski
Robert Birkett
Nicole Blamey
Sasha Blasen
Koyah Bleah
Susan Blocker
Andrew Blok
Kristen Blok
James Blom
Joseph Blom
Earl Bloom
Joel Boender
Taylor Boice
Theresa BooneToolan
Adam Borozan
Anna Bos
Autumn Boss
Jenna Brandsen
Susan Bratincevic
Elizabeth Brice
Jennifer Brink
Emily Bruinius
Tyler Brunschon
Heather Bult
Lauren Bultema
Alicia Bultsma
Matthew Buren
Bianca Burlacu
Lauren Burns
Dana Bush
Kinsey Bykerk
Lori Byma
C
Allison Cable
Delia Cabrales
Rebecca Calhoun
Bridget Carey
Amanda Carr
Aimee Casemier
Kristin Cavins
Gina Ciametti
Benjamin Ciraulo
Kaitlyn Claerbaut
Brian Clark
Jessica Colvin
Paige Convis
Caleb Copeland
D
Mark Davis
Kaleb Dean
Andrew DeBoer
Rachel DeBoer
Stephanie DeBoer
Kaela DeBruin
Rebecca DeHaan
Joanna DeJong
Joshua DeJong
Tyler DeKoekkoek
Anneke Delport
Jennifer DeRuiter
Danielle DeVries
Alyssa DeYoung
Benjamin DeYoung
Jessica DeYoung
Jonathan DeYoung
Lynne DeYoung
Kristin DiLeonarde
Kimberly Doeseckle
Alexa Dokter
Brandon Doorn
Megan Doorn
Allison Doyle
Kiera Dunaway
Evette Dziedzina
E
Teresa Ebbers
Jonathan Engbers
Dominique Evans
Amanda Evers
Patrick Evoy
Ruth Eygenraam
F
Kristen Faber
Kaitlin Feddema
Rebecca Felten
Yasmin Fernandez
Elizabeth Fiala
Lauren Fisher
Annalise Flier
Zachary Flipse
Kaitlyn Fondrk
Amanda Furtek
G
Rebecca Garcia
Stefanie Geer
Anna Gesch
Karl Gesch
Shanda Gilligan
Molly Gobeli
Rebecca Gold
Hannah Gonzales
Rebekah Gonzales
Sara Gottardo
Rachel Grobarcik
Johnathan Groenenboom
H
Brian Haak
Maria Hagen
Kevin Hahn
Mindy Hamilton
Aaron Hamstra
P. Caleb Hamstra
Vivienne Handumon
Brigitte Haney
Kirsten Harms
Leah Harris
Amanda Henderson
Nathan Hendrikse
Heather Hernandez
Kristina Herr
Abby Heynen
Jennifer Hill
Nathan Hill
David Hoekman
Brian Hofman
Sonia Hollister
Elizabeth Holman
Stephanie Holmes
Brittany Homan
Daniel Hood
Jamie Hop
Jill Hop
Bethany Hoving
Katie Huffman
Aletta Huisman
Derek Huizenga
Megan Huizenga
Michael Hume
I
Kristin Ipema
Megan Ipema
Michael Ippel
Elizabeth Iwema
Jacquelyn Iwema
Julie Iwema
J
Jessica Jacobi
Christina Jankovic
Brittany Jansma
Giedre Jarmontaviciute
Esmeralda Jasso
Courtney Jeltema
Kristi Jendrzejak
Amy Johnstone
K
Craig Kallemeyn
Allison Karlock
Courtney Kats
Janelle Katsma
Rachel Ketchum
Melissa Kiel
Ryan Kiesel
Lydia Kijowski
Jamie King
Jenna Klich
Caroline Klingbeil
Richard Klootwyk
Joshua Knol
Katrina Koltz
Megan Kooima
Jonathan Koonce
Kristine Koopmans
Ashley Krygsheld
Erin Krygsheld
Jordan Kuiper
Megan Kuiper
Michael Kunnen
Bryan Kunz
L
Maureen Lambert
Kelsey Lamer
Alberto LaRosa
Courtney Larson
Michael Lautermilch
Landon Lawrence
Melanie Lawrence
Carly Lerner
Sara Leth
Nikole Linares
John Lindemulder
Sara Losacco
Calob Lostutter
Matthew Lovelace
David Lucas
Emily Lucas
Lissette Lucero
Kelly Ludwig
Dominique Lujano
M
Jacob Maatman
Derek Maciaga
Kaitlyn Manning
Molly Marcus
Katie Matthuis
Kelsey Mattson
Matilda McGuire
Mary Margaret McNicholas
Shannon McNichols
Elizabeth Meena
Ryan Melson
Scott Meves
Justin Meyer
Matthew Meyer
Meghan Meyer
Lauryn Meyers
Ashley Miedema
Brittany Miedema
Katherine Milton
Yangfan Mo
Mohamed Mohamed
Karlie Monsma
Caitlyn Moore
Holli Moote
Kelsey Moshier
Monica Mott
Andrew Mulder
Matthew Mulder
James Muriithi
Claire Murphy
Heather Murray
N
Cassandra Nelson
Brianna Niemoth
Vanessa Noonan
O
William OBrien
Shane Olson
Keli Ooms
Katie Otte
Janna Ottenhoff
Alice OvandoLopez
P
Kristin Paarlberg
Jamie Parise
Benjamin Pausma
Matthew Pausma
Joshua Pegman
Victoria Penley
Jennifer Penrod
Adam Perez
Anna Phillips
Janelle Piers
Byron Plate
Erika Poortinga
Stefanie Prince
Q
Frances Quesada
R
Courtney Randle
Kristin Rapacki
Anna Rapinchuk
Rebecca Reed
Megan Regalado
Jenna Reidenga
Andrew Reidsma
Matthew Reilly
Shelby Reinsch
Megan Rensink
Molly Ricker
Hannah Riegler
Jacquelyn Risher
Ashley Roberts
Sarah Rodgers
Melisa Rodriguez
Brenda Romo
Samantha Rowe
Courtney Rozeveld
Hannah Ruckman
S
Courtney Samudio
Hannah Schaap
Trevor Schaap
Amanda Scheidt
Raymond Scherrer
Rebecca Schichtel
Kayla Schoneveld
Chelsea Schuen
David Schurman
Chaz Schutt
Hannah Schwab
Dillon Scott
Diane Serbentas
Ellen Sheetz
Lindsay Slager
Alyssa Slinkman
Gina Smith
Hannah Snow
Kwangsik Sohn
Ann Solomon
Justina South
Hannah Sprague
Katherine Stachula
Baillie Stahl
Jeanette Stallings
Anthony Stasi
Lauren Stegehuis
Christopher Steinke
Victoria Stoklosa
Allison Stoub
Nicole Stuczynski
Holly Stuursma
Adam Suwyn
T
Kaitlyn Tatem
Michael Taylor
Shaun TenHaken
Daniel Thayer
Jenna Thomforde
Jacob Tiemersma
Richard Tilquist
Jessica Timmermans
Daniel Townsend
Alicia Tracy
Lisa Trepton
Jordan Triezenberg
Leigh Twaragowski
V
Derek VanAlthuis
Abigail VanBeek
Hannah VanBeek
Kaitlyn VanDellen
Jacob VanDenBerg
Kelly VandenBerg
Amber VanderLey
Jennifer VanderVeen
Abigail VanderWoude
Rebecca Vanderzee
Karley Vandyke
Kelsey VanDyken
Kyle VanEerden
Jana VanLaar
Jesse VanMaanen
Rebecca Vannette
Andrew VanSoelen
Kimberly VanSpronsen
Seth VantHoff
Donna Veitkus
Samantha Venhuizen
Zachary VerHaar
Alaina Vermeer
Hannah VerMeer
Scott Vermeer
Alex VerStraate
Marshall VerVelde
Rosa Villanueva
Jill Visker
Daeleen Visser
Alyssa Voogt
Logan Vos
Allison Voss
Allyson Vree
W
Mark Waller
Alexis Warden
Austin Warner
Hannah Wasco
Anna Wessley
Chad Westenbroek
Jeremy Wetter
Ashley Wheeler
Kimberly Wicks
Allison Wier
Ashley Wierema
Candace Wieringa
Brooke Wigboldy
Kaylee Wilson
Julie Wiltjer
Matthew Wiltjer
Kenith Wojnarowski
Micaela Wood
Kathryn Woodside
Jaclyn Workman
Matthew Wydra
Y
Lori Yarmoska
Z
Kimberly Zaagman
Gina Zandstra
Haley Zandstra
Michelle Zandstra
Paige Zylstra
Trinity professors are known for their dedication to integrating a Christian world view into the curriculum and for the caring and commitment they demonstrate to students inside—and outside—the classroom. Many also share their expertise in their disciplines through conference presentations and publications.
Most Trinity faculty members have earned their Ph.D.s or other terminal degrees. As the semester comes to a close, the College celebrates professors who have recently completed doctoral degrees and others who have been tenured.
Professor who recently completed doctoral degrees:
Professor of Spanish Mauricio Nava D., Ed.D., 2011, Education Administration
Associate Professor of Education Bill Boerman Cornell, Ph.D., 2011, Language, Literacy and Culture
Dean for Adult Studies Lori Scrementi, Ed.D., 2011, Educational Leadership for Teaching and Learning
Associate Professor of Education Mary Webster Moore, Ph.D., 2011, Mathematics Education
Assistant Professor of Biology Abbie Schrotenboer, Ph.D., 2011, Plant Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology & Behavior
Assistant Professor of Education Jaki Moses, Ed.D., 2012, Educational Psychology
“The College celebrates with these faculty members and recognizes the dedication and hard work needed to complete their coursework and dissertation,” said Provost Liz Rudenga, Ph.D.
Recently tenured faculty members:
Dr. Laurel Quinn, associate professor of nursing
Dr. Joyce Azzaline, associate professor of nursing
Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, associate professor of education
Dr. Mary Webster Moore, associate professor of education
Dr. Mark Peters, professor of music
Dr. Mary Lynn Colosimo, professor of psychology
Rudenga said of those recently tenured that Trinity “recognizes their commitment to the mission of the College and excellence in teaching and scholarship.”
Commencement celebrated the graduation of 205 traditional and 77 Adult Studies students on Saturday, May 12, 2012. The speaker for the traditional ceremony was Donnita Travis, founder and executive director of By the Hand Club for Kids; and Dr. Lori Scrementi ’00, dean for Adult Studies.
During the ceremonies, three professors were honored with emerita/emeritus status: Dr. Sharon Barnes, professor of communication arts; John Hoogewerf, assistant professor of education; and Dr. Donald Sinnema, professor of theology.
The inaugural presentation of Professor of the Year recognized Dr. Robert Rice, professor of history. The award recognizes the achievements of a distinguished professor who has shown excellence in teaching or scholarship. The faculty development committee chooses from nominations submitted by students, faculty, and staff.
Commencement Program—Traditional
Commencement guests were greeted by Beth Decker ’67, chair of the board of trustees. Alberto La Rosa, parent of Alberto A. La Rosa ’12 of Glendale Heights, Illinois, gave the invocation. The Commencement litany was delivered by Student Association President Samuel Lankah ’13 of Warrenville, Illinois.
Processing this year were students from Trinity’s Class of 1962.
All the graduates were welcomed to their new alumni status by Ken Litscher ’02, president of the alumni board. The closing prayer was offered by Laura Doyle, parent of Allison Doyle ’12 of New Lenox, Illinois.
Donnita Travis’s address was titled “The Little Things You Do Are More Important than the Big Things You Say.”
Commencement Program—Adult Studies
President Steve Timmermans, Ph.D., greeted Commencement guests. Dr. Mary Webster Moore, assistant professor of education, gave the invocation. The Commencement litany was delivered by Lorna Sobilo ’12 of Munster, Indiana.
The graduates were welcomed to their new alumni status by Travis Bandstra ’06, director of alumni relations. The closing prayer was offered by Chaplain Willis Van Groningen, Ph.D.
Dr. Scrementi’s address was titled “Decision-making: Which Raindrop Is the Heaviest?”
About Donnita Travis
Donnita Travis is the founder and executive director of By The Hand Club For Kids, an after-school program that emphasizes academic excellence while nurturing the whole child—mind, body, and soul. Located in four of Chicago’s most under-resourced neighborhoods, By The Hand Club For Kids is dedicated to helping 851 children have new and abundant life.
Travis received her MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. Awards and recognition include Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management Social Entrepreneur of the Year (2010), the Chicago Bible Society Gutenberg Award (2010), Mayor Daley’s SAGE Award (2010), and a fellowship to attend Harvard Business School (July 2012).
About Dr. Lori Scrementi ’00
Dr. Lori Scrementi ’00 has been instrumental in the building of the accelerated degree completion programs for teacher education, business, and English-as-a-Second Language at Trinity where she serves as dean for adult studies. Having done significant research in the area of adult learning with a main focus on adult learners as the new undergraduate majority, Scrementi is fully aware of curriculum as well as the needs of non-traditional students.
Embracing a mission of social justice and diversity enables her to view her work differently each day as an administrator in an institution of higher education. With a focus and exposure to cultural and ethical issues involved in our K-20 schools today, as well as the need for critical pedagogy in our classrooms, Scrementi is passionate about enhancing the learning experiences of students as they face the world while participating in the work of Christ.
Scrementi earned her B.A. from Trinity, her M.A. from Governors State University, and her Ed.D. from Lewis University.
The Little Things You Do Are More Important than the Big Things You Say
Thank you Dr. Timmermans, graduating Class of 2012, distinguished administration, and faculty, alumni, parents, family, and friends. Thank you all so much for inviting me to speak with you today.
I would like to begin by asking you to join me in congratulating our graduating class, congratulations! Just like the name commencement says, you all are commencing—you are beginning. And if you’re like me when I finished my bachelor’s degree, you are ready to go out and change the world.
In my case, it’s hard to believe, but that was 30 years ago. And a lot has happened since then. Thankfully, I’ve learned a thing or two, even about changing the world.
If you will allow me, I want to share one of my most important lessons that I actually learned, for the first time, while working in advertising with major brands such as Motorola, General Electric, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Here’s the lesson…
“It’s the little things you do, not the big things you say.”
It’s true in advertising that what companies do must match up to what they say in order to build consumer loyalty and trust. And it’s true in life!
“It’s the little things you do, not the big things you say.”
This reminds me of the story of Edward Kimball, a man many of you have probably never heard of. He was a Sunday school teacher, and one Sunday, a new young man showed up in his class. Mr. Kimball handed him a closed Bible and told him the lesson was in John. The boy took the book and began running his fingers through the first few pages looking for John. It was obvious to the other boys in the class that he didn’t know what he was doing, and they started grinning at each other. Mr. Kimball gave the boys a stern look and quietly handed the young man his own book, opened to the right place, saving the boy any further embarrassment. This boy was D.L. Moody who grew up to be one of the world’s most famous evangelists and the founder of The Moody Church, my church. Here’s is the remarkable thing, D. L. Moody later in life commented that this little thing that Edward Kimble did had a profound effect on his life, and I believe even how he came to faith; it was Edward Kimball who later shared the gospel message with D.L. Moody and prayed with D.L. Moody to receive Christ into his life.
I tell that story because it is such a great example of how the little things we do are more important than the big things we say AND how we never know the impact that little thing might end up having on the world.
I also tell that story because By The Hand Club is part D. L. Moody’s and Edward Kimball’s legacy. By The Hand Club started on March 20, 2001, with just 16 kids from Cabrini-Green, in a small room of The Moody Church.
I’ll tell you more about that in a minute, but first I want to share that before starting By The Hand Club, I had worked in advertising for 18 years. In the late 1990’s, in my quiet time, God used a verse from the book of John, John 10:10, to call me from a job in advertising onto a mission of helping kids experience the promise of that verse, abundant and eternal life.
I share this because I am often asked if I miss the corporate world. I think what they are really asking me is do I miss the money, the prestige, and the excitement. Without hesitating, I can say, “no.” I am more fulfilled today than I ever was in advertising, and in God’s economy, am using ALL of my experience, skills, and gifts more fully today than I ever did then, and I have the added benefit of knowing that I am living a life of purpose and making a difference in world. So, graduates, if God ever calls you into fulltime ministry, just know, if it is anything like it has been for me, you won’t be sacrificing anything. You will be blessed. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.”
So, we started in spring of 2001 at The Moody Church, but by fall of that year we were growing quickly and wanted to be closer to our children and families, so we moved to a building in Cabrini-Green. We had just a handful of paid staff and volunteers and already 42 kids, and I remember feeling overwhelmed and REALLY scared because I didn’t know if this crazy idea would work.
The idea was to go to the poorest neighborhoods and ask Chicago Public School principals for their kids not meeting their reading standards, in other words the kids most likely to drop out of school and to take them by the hand and walk with them during the most dangerous time of day, the after-school hours, when more crimes are committed by and against youth than any other time and to show them the love of Christ by helping them do better in school, graduate from high school, and go on to college.
Well, its 11 years later, I can honestly say, thanks to God, it’s working.
Today, we are serving 851 kids in four of Chicago’s most under-resourced neighborhoods and:
- Last year, 100% of our students graduated from high school and 79% of them enrolled in college, our goal is 100% and we are still working toward that goal with our students from last year.
To help put this in perspective, Chicago has a history of high dropout rates, with around half of students failing to graduate high school for the past 30 years and only about half of CPS high school graduates going on to college.
- We also finished last year with 160 kids on the honor roll.
- 86% improvement in the number of kids meeting/exceeding ISAT reading standards (compared to CPS’s 6% last year), this was our best year ever in reading improvement.
I know that is a lot of numbers, but the important thing to remember is that behind each one of these numbers is a child. I wish I could share all of their stories with you today, but I only have time for one.
I’ll tell you about Keewuan. He was recommended to us in the 3rd grade because he didn’t know his ABCs.
…When he thinks back about his first day at the Club, he says, “I stepped into a different world. But this world seemed real. In the first five minutes of being in this world, I got the biggest and longest hug I had ever had, I felt like I was important.”
Keewaun needed eye glasses and he says, “It was hard for me to learn anything. I didn’t know what the letter A really looked like. It was difficult to pay attention, since school work looked fuzzy all the time.”
Because By The Hand Club does home visits every month, we knew Keewaun’s grandmother was too sick to take him for eyeglasses. So, we took him ourselves, and within weeks Keewaun knew his ABC’s and within months how to read.
Today, thanks to a series of little things we have done, Keewaun is in the 10th grade and is on his way to graduating from high school and going on to college.
There are many, many stories of kids who have experienced the peace and hope that come from knowing the love of Christ and his plan for them to have an abundant and everlasting life.
So I hope you get the sense that By The Hand Club is much more than a homework club or just a place for fun and games or hanging out. It’s a loving and caring place where we address our children’s most pressing needs, often little things, whether it is help with their homework, reading instruction, eye or dental care, a warm meal before they go home at night, or maybe just a smile or a hug. As a result, we are making a difference in the lives of children, one child, one little thing at a time.
I think this excerpt from the book, Kisses from Katie, by Katie Beth Clark, sums up what I’m saying really well:
“People who really want to make a difference in the world usually do it, in one way or another. And I’ve noticed something about people who make a difference in the world: They hold the unshakable conviction that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters. They get excited over one smile. They are willing to feed one stomach, educate one mind, and treat one wound. They aren’t determined to revolutionize the world all at once; they’re satisfied with small changes. Over time, though, the small changes add up. Sometimes they even transform cities and nations, and yes, the world.”
This is how Jesus lived his life every day while he was on this earth. Even though he saved mankind and had his eyes fixed on his Father’s will, he never overlooked the daily needs of others. He stopped along the way to heal the leper, make the lame man walk, help the blind man see, and even reached out to the deceitful, tax collector and change his life forever. We know from scripture that these were divine appointments and that is exactly how Jesus viewed them.
I like what it says in the book of Matthew about little things:
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matthew 25:23
So, graduates, again, congratulations! Let me encourage you to be strong and courageous, you’ve been prepared for fours years now by a really top notch educational institution to go out and change the world, one smile, one mind, one life at a time…knowing that over time, the small things you do, not the big things you say, add up. And might even, like we saw with Edward Kimball, change a life that changes a city and a nation, and yes, even the world.
So, as my mom says to me every morning, “Go get ‘em!” Thank you.
Decision-making: Which rain drop is the heaviest?
Thank you President Timmermans, Provost Rudenga, faculty and staff, and most importantly to you graduates as you are surrounded today by your friends and family. I am honored to be celebrating this special day with you.
“People know what they do; they frequently know why they do what they do; but what they don’t know is what, what they do does.” That is a quote from French philosopher, Michel Foucault (as cited via personal communication in Dreyfus and Rabinow, 1983, p. 187). Listen to that one more time. “People know what they do; they frequently know why they do what they do; but what they don’t know is what, what they do does.”
So what does this mean especially in regard to decision-making? You all are not new to decision-making, right? You have already made many decisions throughout your lives.
So let’s break down Foucault’s statement in regard to decision-making.
The first part states, “People know what they do; [and] they frequently know why they do what they do. . .”
That makes sense, right? We do know why we make most of our decisions, so I am not going to dwell on that part this afternoon. The part that intrigues me, and I hope intrigues you too, is the second half of Foucault’s statement, where he says “ . . . but what they don’t know is what, what they do does.” And it’s that what, that we need to think about.
The majority of us believe there are “right” and “wrong” decisions. “We feel much happier and more secure when we think we know precisely what to do” (Clifford, 1877, p.5). But even though you think you may know the answer, and believe you have made the right decision, you truly do not know if you indeed have made the right decision, as none of us can know how any decision infiltrates the being of each person that it touches. That’s the “what” Foucault is talking about.
One factor that we must be alerted to is the critical role of power in our lives in order to contend with other influences within one’s decision-making and open up power relations to restructure the field such that something else is possible.
Power infiltrates all of us no matter what level of position or status one holds as each person is jockeying to establish his or her own position of dominance. Power consumes us in ways that are unknown to most of us. Foucault (1977) says, “Power reaches into the very grain of [us], touches [our] souls, induces pleasure and inserts itself into [our] actions and attitudes, [our] discourses, [our] learning and [our] everyday lives” (p. 39). Using power does so much more than just saying “yes” or “no” to people. Therefore, each person must learn to recognize the influence power has on his or her actions “to know what, what they do does.”
As you embark on a new career in teaching or in business, I am sure you all have hopes of changing the status quo whether in our schools or in the corporate world. In order to make a difference, though, we must begin to recognize the hold that power has over us, especially in our decision-making. And we can begin to understand that power by knowing who we are.
Trying to discover the secrets of who we are can be an invasive and anguishing journey. When it comes to decision-making, we tend to protect ourselves from crises and challenges, which is in part what is holding us back from achieving any possibility of the impossible. We end up “becoming the accomplices of the processes . . .” (Bourdieu, 1990, p. 65).
Many people like to rely on rules as they believe rules make decision-making simple, but decision-making should not be simple. Learning to wrestle with the complications of what may have been uncomplicated in the past is imperative in decision-making.
There is a poem from Anaïs Nin: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
We have to break away from what we know and begin to blossom, only then can we begin to unwrap “the secret and private chambers” of ourselves only known to our God as St. Augustine confessed many years ago (Caputo, 2006, p. 73). We can then learn what shapes and molds us – what we believe, in order to make sense of all our actions (Smith, 2009).
Once we better understand who we are within our own lives, we can then begin understanding who we are within our world. That is the passion of our lives.
So who are all of you sitting in front of us today? Well, since you have all been at Trinity for at least two years, we believe we have some idea of who you already are. Could I have those graduates from Cohorts 57 and 58 stand?
- ED-57/58
- You are a very dedicated group of people. Those of you in cohort 58 have stayed together from the beginning to the end of this program;
- You are fierce and protective; you have become like family;
- A community of caring individuals who will do what is necessary to help each other be successful.
Thank you for letting us get to know who you are.
- Now for those from our Chicago cohort. Please stand.
- Dr. Moses mentions that you are a group of individuals who are funny and who also like to have fun;
- You are supportive of each other;
- You have been known to rise to the challenge and persevere over obstacles in your way;
- And that you are hard workers who go above and beyond.
Thank you for letting us get to know who you are.
- How about those from our COD Addison cohort? Would you please stand?
- We know you all want to do the “right” thing;
- You are caring and determined individuals who want to impact student success;
- And that you firmly believe that God has called you to be teachers!
Thank you for letting us get to know who you are.
- Where are my business students (ABUS-14)?
- This is a group rooted in their convictions;
- A tenacious group of students; students who have had to overcome many obstacles in their lives while attending Trinity; dealing with the passing of family members and loss of jobs but you have persevered;
- And that is a testament to your passionate spirits, and the strong will that God has provided to each of you.
Thank you for letting us get to know who you are.
- Last but not least ASPED-1, our first cohort to earn dual certification in education and special education.
- And since your cohort has been together the longest, almost 3 years, we have witnessed how you really have become a family;
- A genuine community of learners who are diligent, driven, persistent and inquisitive;
- Professor Harkema tells me you have been like sponges in the classroom, wanting to soak up every detail to be prepared teachers;
- You are creative, supportive, enthusiastic, you energize a room;
- And you are analytical – you do not merely accept concepts at face value; you dig deeper to make meaning – just like Foucault wants us to do.
Thank you for allowing us to get to know who you are.
These are only a few of the things we know about you. As you continue to reflect on who you are, you then need to understand how each one of you fits in with what is demanded of any decision.
First, Derrida tells us that a decision “commands an action and an answer to the question, what should I do?” (Derrida, 2002, p. 296). Second, to make a decision also requires that we need to be as thoughtful and as responsible as possible in arriving at an answer, and that means questioning every step of the way – “ a questioning without limit” (p. 296) just like our dual certification cohort who continually strive to dig deeper.
Also, and most important, those that we question should be open to continue to answer the questions directed to them as we are only attempting to be as responsible as we can before a decision can ever be reached. Third, and lastly, Derrida (2002) insists that a responsible decision must “be made with the utmost urgency [emphasis original]” (p. 296). Thus, for Derrida (2002), urgency means “the necessity of not waiting, or rather, the impossibility of waiting [emphasis original] for the end of the reflection, [or] the inquiry,” (p. 296) and this is because there will never be a final word. How could there be finality as life and our interpretations of life keep changing and evolving?
This impossibility of waiting relates to the open-ended and porous nature of inquiry, and that means we must have the continual energy to ask questions, to be wary of dogmatism and to scrutinize each presupposition we encounter in our daily experiences (Caputo, 1997).
In a lecture given by Peter McLaren at Lewis University a couple of years ago, he stated that you do not become critically conscious and then struggle. It is not prior to – not a priori. It is in the act of struggle that we become critically conscious where we can reach the possibility of the impossible. Ultimately, in all important transactions of life, we have to be willing to take a leap of faith in our decision-making and that means a willingness to submit your intentions to God.
How do we do that? As many of you already know, we have to begin with prayer as God has only our best interest in mind.
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (NIV). A verse that reminds me of our education cohorts who believe God has called them to be teachers.
Decision-making takes time. We have to trust in our faith and submit our will to God
over and over, asking ourselves if the outcome of our decision will draw us closer to God? Will it glorify him in our life? And certainly, how will it impact those God has placed around us? Even after much prayer and counsel, we still may not know the final decision we should make. And God does not always answer or give direction when we need it. He works his own plans in his own way. Trust that he has done this enough to know exactly what you need and when you need it. Eventually he will reveal his will for us when it is time.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take” (NIV).
So as you now search for your future path, trust in the Lord. And remember, prayer is never the end – only the continual exploration in finding our way because prayers are “a kind of conclusion without conclusion” (Caputo, 2006B, p.284) as prayers never conclude.
One decision that all of you had in common was the decision to attend Trinity Christian College. I do hope you will all look back on that decision as a “right” decision.
“People know what they do; they frequently know why they do what they do; but what they don’t know is what, what they do does.”
I want you to know that the “what” you have done for all of us at Trinity is to have challenged us as professors and enabled us to become better persons to have worked with you and learned with you along this educational journey.
It is my hope and prayer that you will take that risk to blossom, and I urge you to find the necessary time for reflection; to strive to see all that our decisions entail. To better know what, what you do doesto those around you.
“With God, everything is possible, even the impossible” (Caputo, 2006A, p. 182).
Peace and blessings to all of you. Thank you and thank you to Cara and Casey for choreographing and “dancing” my commencement address. Graduates, today is your day to celebrate. Thanks be to God!
References
Bourdieu, P. (1990). The logic of practice. (R. Nice, Trans.). California: Stanford University Press.
(Original work published 1980).
Caputo, J. D. (1997). The prayers and tears of Jacques Derrida: Religion without religions. Bloomington
& Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.
Caputo, J. D. (2006A). On religion. New York: Routledge.
Caputo, J. D. (2006B). The weakness of God: A theology of the event. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Clifford, W. K. (1999). The ethics of belief (1877). In The Ethics of Belief and Other Essays. Prometheus Books.
(Original work published in Contemporary Review, 1877).
Derrida, J. (2002). Negotiations: Interventions and interviews, 1971-2001. (E. Rottenberg, Trans.).
Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Dreyfus, H. L. & Rabinow, P. (1983). Michel Foucault: Beyond structuralism and hermeneutics.
Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
Foucault, M. (1977). Power/knowledge: Selected interviews and other writings 1972-1977.
(C. Gordon, L. Marshall, J. Mepham, K. Soper, Trans.). New York: Pantheon Books.
New International Version Bible. (NIV).
http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/
Smith, J. K. A. (2009). Desiring the kingdom: Worship, worldview, and cultural formation.
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Three Trinity athletes were recognized at the Athletics Award Night for their achievements over the past year. The event on May 1 included reflections on the year’s sports season, a celebration of accomplishments, and the presentation of the athletics department’s special awards.
The Keith Albers Memorial Award and the Women’s
Athletics Award
The Keith Albers Memorial Award and the Women’s Athletics Award, the department’s highest honors, were presented to Brian Hofman ’13 of Waupun, Wisconsin, and Allison Doyle ’12 of New Lenox, Illinois. These career awards are given to a male and female athlete who exhibit exemplary play on the athletic field, high achievement in the classroom, and leadership in campus activities.
Hofman is a three-year member of the cross country and track and field teams. He has been an integral part of the cross country program that for this past season was ranked in the NAIA Top 25 and finished fifth at the NCCAA national meet. In track he ranks in the top ten in Trinity’s records book in multiple distance events. In addition, Hofman is active as a Sunday night worship leader and a member of the praise band on campus. He also excels in the classroom with a 4.0 GPA as a mathematics major.
Doyle is a four-year starter and standout on the women’s soccer team. In her career, the soccer program has been a top conference team and a national contender with three NAIA post-season appearances. She ranks in the top two in scoring in Trinity’s history, earned conference honors each of her seasons, and has received NAIA All-American honors. In addition Doyle has been involved in numerous campus activities, participated in sports mission trips, and earned scholar-athlete honors as an exercise science major.
Athlete of the Year Awards
In addition to the special awards, the 2011-12 Athlete of the Year Awards were given to a male and female athlete for their impressive accomplishments this season.
The Male Athlete of the Year was baseball player Anthony Fiorenzi ’12 of Downers Grove, Illinois. This season he posted a .377 batting average and led the team in slugging percentage, set records for home runs in a single game and RBIs for a season, and was named all-conference.
Doyle was the Female Athlete of the Year as she helped the soccer team to an NAIA national tournament appearance. This season she led the team and the conference with 29 goals and 27 assists, was ranked first in the nation in goals average, and was named the conference Player of the Year.
Rich Kooy Award
Recognizing a member of the Trinity community who has made significant contribution to the athletics department, the Rich Kooy Award was presented to Provost Dr. Liz Rudenga. She plays a vital role in the administration of the athletics program, is an advocate for athletics, and has worked to foster growth in the number of student-athletes, sports programs, and facilities.