Archives: News Stories
Since 2014, Associate Professor of Sociology and Department Chair Dr. Lenore Knight Johnson has been in the classroom at Trinity Christian College, diligently working alongside colleagues to raise the next generation of leaders and world changers. Serving as Director of the Honors Program, she has an opportunity to know students more closely, calling her time with them both “inspiring and energizing.” Her students use words like kind and compassionate, sharing stories of how Dr. Knight Johnson cares about what is happening in the world around them.
“I want students to have a sociological understanding of the world, where they see their connectedness to others and, therefore, in their work, vocations, and faith. The things they do are not just for themselves but for the good of others, causing everyone to flourish,” said Knight Johnson.
Knight Johnson decided to pursue sociology academically and professionally after several valuable cross-cultural experiences. “Studying abroad as an undergraduate student opened my eyes to a much broader outlook on the world, a perspective that expanded significantly through my post-college work in refugee resettlement and immigrant advocacy,” she said.
Throughout Knight Johnson’s nominations for Professor of the Year, common threads could be seen. “Trinity would not be the same without her…she embodies the values of her discipline, and her commitment to community-based research calls Trinity forward in directions that will only benefit us as an institution,” were just a few of the sentiments highlighted by colleagues and students.
One nomination stated, “She loves justice, understands how systems and structures impact individual lives, and offers a compassionate approach to sociological problems. Lenore is masterful in offering hospitality to all students in her classroom, regardless of their political leanings. She pursues collaborative learning with them and supports every student’s process along the way.”
Dr. Jerome Douglas, Vice President of Academic Affairs, added, “Dr. Knight Johnson loves justice, has a keen sense of the impact of systems and structures upon individuals and community, and offers an approach to sociological problems marked by compassion. In her roles as Director of the Honors Program and former Director of Chicago Connect courses, she has advanced Trinity’s vision for place-based learning. Her commitment to community-based research calls Trinity forward in a way that benefits our students, the College, and the communities around us. We are deeply grateful for her and the gifts that she shares with Trinity.”
Knight Johnson is grateful for her time so far at Trinity, sharing her love for the classroom, the students, and the community. She added, “This is a genuinely collaborative community, and I love having the chance to work with people. This is a community where people want to see others thrive. You are not just navigating this world by yourself – there is a whole network of others alongside you every step of the way.”
Knight Johnson will be honored at this year’s commencement ceremony on Friday, May 5th, at Ozinga Field in Crestwood, Illinois.
Recent Professor of the Year Award recipients:
2018: Clay Carlson (Biology)
2019: Kara Wolff (Counseling and Psychology)
2020: Yudha Thianto (Theology and Christian Ministry)
2021: David Brodnax Sr. (History)
2022: Aron Reppmann (Philosophy)
Twenty-three Trinity students and faculty drove five hours from campus to attend NCUR 2023, held at UW Eau Claire, Wisconsin from April 13th – 15th. The trip was led by Drs. Clay Carlson and Aron Reppmann, alongside colleagues Drs. Heng-Yu Chen and Ashley Roberts.
The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students. Unlike meetings of academic and professional organizations, this gathering of student scholars welcomes presenters from all institutions of higher learning and all disciplines. NCUR offers a unique environment for celebrating and promoting undergraduate student achievement; provides models of exemplary research, scholarship, and creative activity; and offers student career readiness development. The theme for this year’s conference was Research at the Confluence, which represented a bringing together of humanities, artistic endeavors, and the sciences.
The students invited to attend this year’s annual event were from diverse majors and backgrounds, representing research from Philosophy, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics departments. “The conference was a really great opportunity, not only to share our research but also to learn about what students from other schools are working on,” said Kara VanDyke, ’23
Each student was able to represent their research and gain experience presenting at a national conference while discussing their research. Individuals who attended each of the student’s poster presentations were choosing which research projects they had an interest in, which means the students received targeted and specific questions that dove deeper into their research. Through this type of networking, students had the chance to see how their work fits into the broader field of research being done.
For the faculty in attendance, this is a chance to see the research project in action. “Attending NCUR is a blast and a hugely life-giving experience for the professors, who by this time in the semester can really use an interjection of energy, and NCUR is just that,” said Dr. Carlson.
“Throughout the conference, there were numerous opportunities to critically engage with material that we wouldn’t have otherwise had access to,” added VanDyke. “Even after we left the conference, we kept discussing the different presentations on the car ride back.”
Dr. Carlson concluded, “There is so much gratitude all around. Trinity enables and empowers the research to happen, and these students volunteer their time spending countless hours in the lab – the students pour themselves into these projects. Thanks to Trinity and donor funds, I’m grateful that this was made possible for our students again this year, and we hope to continue this tradition for years to come.”
Students who were in attendance: Melissa Ballesteros, Michael Bishop, Moriah Blan, Emily Briscoe, Jacob Contreras, Madison Eggert, Jenna Goss, Leah Lisowski, Danyelle Luckett, Damon Pater, Anthony Reppmann, Evan Senti, Martin Sheehan, Kimberly Swomen, Kara VanDyke, and Jaed Vanmaanen.
The dedicated students on Trinity’s SERVE Team, and the staff and professors who work with them, believe in making a difference. The SERVE Team recently volunteered their time, participating in the Annual Love Palos on Saturday, April 15th. This event is based around helping and serving the community of Palos Heights. Volunteers cleaned up landscaping, picked up trash, and took part in taking care of the environment on and around campus.
“The day was nice; the weather was not too hot or cold and we were able to get a lot done – completing four projects around the campus. We met many of our Palos Heights neighbors and had great conversations with them,” said Bethany Moultrie ’25. “This event made me realize that it is very important to bridge the gap in our relationship and we cannot say ‘Love Palos’ if we do not know our neighbors.”
Click here to learn more about the SERVE Team and other student organizations at Trinity.
Dr. Abbie Schrotenboer, Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Science majors Brendan Covell ’23 and Egna Setiawan ’23 attended and presented at The Wild Things 2023 Conference, which was held at the Rosemont Convention Center on February 25th.
This annual event invites nature enthusiasts from across Illinois and beyond to learn about the flora, fauna, and natural history of the Prairie State. With a community of 3,000 volunteers, conservationists, and natural resource professionals, the 2023 Conference celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the Illinois Nature Preserves.
Dr. Schrotenboer was pleased to be able to attend the conference in person this year, as previously, attendance was limited to virtual participation during the pandemic. The Wild Things Community is recognized as one of the nation’s largest networks of people engaged with nature. The community comprises stewards, monitors, advocates, educators, Chicago Wilderness members, volunteers, and staff working together to promote and protect the prairies, woodlands, wetlands, wild yards, and natural parks of Illinois, northwest Indiana, and southeast Wisconsin.
Covell and Setiawan had the opportunity to present to a large panel of participants during the one-day session. During their time, they shared their research and findings, taking time to answer questions from participants about their project “Stream Macroinvertebrate Diversity Near Suburban Development vs. With a Forest Buffer.” This project reviewed how aquatic macroinvertebrates respond differently to pollution and other stream conditions, so their composition can indicate general water quality. Using a macroinvertebrate Pollution Tolerance Index, they sampled two sites, one near suburban development and one with a forest buffer, for one year, checking for a difference in stream quality.
Covell stated how he enjoyed the experience and the chance to share the knowledge from the research they had worked so hard on, saying, “It was great to have questions from participants during our presentation – we were excited to share the things we learned from this project we have been working on for several months.”
Dr. Schrotenboer added, “Brendan and Egna have been a pleasure to work with. It is fun to see them excited about conservation and caring for God’s creation and how they can find that synergy between their interests and what God is stewarding them toward in their careers.”
Through generous funding from the VanderVelde Junior Scholarship, the team gained knowledge from their research, networking, and hands-on experience. Covell concluded, “This would be a great conference for future Trinity students to participate in – there was great value in the one-day event as it related to my major and career.”
Click here to learn more about the Environmental Science major at Trinity.
On the evening of April 12th, the Nursing Student Organization (NSO) and Trinity Alumni Nursing Association (TANA) cohosted a networking event.
Dr. Sarah Gouwens, Associate Professor of Nursing, and faculty NSO sponsor, said, “It was a wonderful opportunity to see Trinity nursing students’ network with healthcare organizations as they prepare for their professional nursing careers.”
The event included current students, Trinity nursing alumni, and representatives from seven partner organizations. Nursing student Abigail Moore ’23 added, “It was a great night of networking among students and alumni and a great opportunity for job recruitment in healthcare.”
On March 30, 2023, The History Department at Trinity Christian College welcomed Dr. Jennifer Powell McNutt to present the inaugural Women’s History Month Lecture entitled, “Women and the Reformation Through the Lens of the Marys.” Dr. Powell McNutt serves as Franklin S. Dyrness Chair in Biblical and Theological Studies and Associate Professor of Theology and History of Christianity at Wheaton College
The lecture explored the important roles of women and female spiritual devotion played during the Protestant Reformation, nuanced narratives of Christian history that focus almost exclusively on men and, more broadly, invited considerations for the importance of women’s experience and viewpoints in Christianity.
Dr. Powell McNutt began by taking the audience to the south of France, sharing details of the journey where she traveled with her family to research the French Bible. The trip took them to the region of Provence, where she began writing a book about the reception history of Mary Magdalene in the church and for the church today.
“Although the church’s reception of the Marys [Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdelene] is a huge topic, more than we have time to discuss fully, nonetheless to explore women in the Reformation through the lens of the Marys can give us insight into how reformers both male and female recognized, defined, and limited female devotion in the Christian life and how that hermeneutical perception shaped expectations and complexities for women in the reformation’s churches,” Powell McNutt explained.
She reviewed Martin Luther’s teachings during the Reformation, citing 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” In a letter to German nobility in 1520, Luther stressed that Peter’s words here were written for all Christians, not just men, but also “holy, pious women and even children.”
Powell McNutt concluded, “For women during the Reformation, the women of the Bible became especially important for providing permission, insight, and precedent for the faithfulness of their Christian lives.”
Dr. Powell McNutt’s forthcoming books include Know the Theologians and The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and the Reformation. She is currently writing a book for Brazos Press on Mary Magdalene.
This year we marked the Seventh Annual Trinity Tuesday, a day of giving across the Trinity community. Through the support of over 802 donors and gifts, more than $164,146 was raised to help support students on campus today and secure the Trinity legacy for generations to come.
“Trinity Tuesday is always an exciting time on campus and throughout the TrollNation community. In less than 48 hours, hundreds of alums, students, parents, and friends of the College all come together in support of our students and the programs that serve them,” said LyNae Schleyer, Executive Director of Advancement.
Continuing the recent tradition, donors were offered the chance to select the essential and unique programs they wished for their dollars to support. For example, areas of need such as the In It Together campaign, which helps support students during unforeseen circumstances; Student Well-being with the recently launched My SSP platform providing students real-time access to mental health support; Community Alliance Fund (C.A.P), which gives students a way to earn while they learn; and the Area of Greatest Need, aiding in students’ tuition.
Schleyer added, “Trinity Tuesday is a universal time of heartfelt giving and camaraderie. We are so blessed by every gift and the messages of support we received throughout the day.”
Click here to learn more about this and other ways to support Trinity Christian College.
Trinity Christian College is pleased to announce the spring lecture schedule from faculty granted tenure. Tenure lectures are a celebration of the mature Christian scholarship of our faculty colleagues. When we recognize these moments, we mark and extend our commitment to our core identity and mission as a College – and we rejoice at the gifted teacher-scholars in our midst!
Please mark your calendars and plan to join us in celebrating each of the gifts they bring to the Trinity community.
- Thursday, March 23rd at 4:00 pm
- Located in the Grand Lobby of the Chapel Auditorium
- Dr. Cini Bretzlaff-Holstein | Becoming More Fully Human through the Pursuit of the Peaceable Kingdom
- Thursday, April 13th at 4:00 pm
- Located in the Grand Lobby of the Chapel Auditorium
- Dr. Deb Majewski | In HIS Image – A Return to Magnificence: Life, Love, and Counseling
- Wednesday, April 19th at 2:00 pm
- Located in the Grand Lobby of the Chapel Auditorium
- Dr. Yeon Mi Lee | Epistemic Justice, Christian Faith, and the Mission of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
- Tuesday, April 25th at 4:00 pm
- Located in the DeWitt Lobby of the ArCC
- Dr. Sarah Gouwens
On a beautiful spring-like day in February, Trinity Christian College hosted its annual Black History Month Lecture featuring Dr. Nathan Cartagena, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College. This year’s lecture was entitled: “Keeping the Faith: Derrick Bell and the Rise of Critical Race Theory,” which focused on Bell’s life and legacy as a lawyer, professor, and civil rights activist.
Professor of History Dr. David Brodnax, Sr. introduced his friend, and colleague, stating, “We are blessed this year to have [Dr. Cartagena] for our 2023 Black History Month lecture.” Dr. Brodnax spoke about the many publications and works in the life and career of Cartagena.
The lecture opened with a warm welcome by Cartagena “Let me begin with greetings and gratitude. I must express my gratitude to Drs. Kyle Dieleman and David Brodnax for inviting me to deliver Trinity Christian College’s annual Black History Month Lecture… this invitation is a tremendous honor to me.” Adding, “May what I say and what we consider grow us in the love of God, self, and neighbor.”
Cartagena provided rich details of Bell’s faith alongside his history and time working with the NAACP, his time with Medgar Evers and Thurgood Marshall, and chronicled his time at Harvard Law school, where Bell became the school’s first Black-tenured professor.
After the lecture, Cartagena took time for questions from the audience. Here, he shared some of his favorite publications and books as reference materials for those interested to learn more about the life and history of Bell.
This year’s event was well attended by faculty, staff, students, and members of the Trinity community.
-Izzy Neibert ’23
Trinity offers many leadership opportunities for students. Whether working on the Student Activities Board or being a Residents Assistant, they allow all students to grow and thrive. One team creates opportunities for student growth, helping people outside of the campus in the process. The Serve Team at Trinity Christian College is a powerful group dedicated to Christ-centered service. This team organizes various service opportunities for all students, benefiting those both on and off campus.
Bethany Moultrie (‘25) recently joined the Serve team, beginning work in early August. After briefly going on a service trip to Kentucky in October, Bethany realized God gave her the heart and the passion for service. She then decided to switch her major, changing from History to Social Work. Working on the Serve team helped her find her calling. Bethany is excited to pursue Social Work, confident that she made the right decision. The Serve team and the opportunities they plan can help all those involved.
The Serve team provides many service opportunities to students. Affiliate Professor Nicole Saint-Victor, the supervisor for both the Multicultural and Service Student Leadership teams, explained some of the opportunities the Serve team worked on earlier this year. Alongside the Student Activities Committee, the Serve team went out to Feed My Starving Children, a local charity dedicated to ending child hunger.
In addition, the Serve Team has partnered with Made in The Image Ministry, a non-profit organization based in Chicago. This ministry group creates “on-ramps of dignity” for the unhoused throughout Chicago. The Serve Team plans to continue working with these organizations.
This team does not exclude their trips to the Chicagoland area. In what has turned into an annual journey, the Serve Team travels with students to Mayfield, Kentucky. Alongside Acts Ministry (located in Paducah, Kentucky), the students provide continued disaster relief for the people of Mayfield, for large natural disasters have completely ravished the area. This is their sixth time traveling to this site. Bethany explains this: “More than Just a Trip (the events tagline),… going to Kentucky can help improve you personally and the Trinity Community as a whole.”
A more local event that Serve facilitates occurs on April 15th – Love Palos, according to Nicole Saint-Victor, is meant to be a connective experience. This event cleans up Trinity’s campus and the greater Palos area, connecting Trinity students with their neighbors. Nicole explained that the Serve team hopes to integrate student engagement “around humanity and belonging… [we are] constantly asking, ‘who is our neighbor?”
The Serve team provides opportunities for students to help their neighbors, whether right outside their dorm room or many states away. This team works hard towards this goal. Bethany explained that they “want the Serve Team to be similar to STAC where it has the same level of organization, representation, focus, and power…We need more support so we can do more…Join the team if you like to be challenged, learn patience, learn about yourself, learn how to network.”
Click here to learn more about the Serve Team and other student leadership opportunities at Trinity Christian College.