Archives: News Stories

This year marked the 40th anniversary of Trinity’s first graduating class in Nursing. To celebrate this milestone Trinity’s Alumni Nursing Association (TANA) invited the Class of 1985 to return to campus for a reunion that included participating in Nursing Pinning Ceremony. Of the 19 alums, 11 attended along with two of their nursing professors. The day began with a lunch, followed by a tour of the nursing department’s simulation and skills lab. Alums then gathered in the Ozinga Chapel Auditorium for the Nursing Pinning Ceremony. Following the presentation of the pins to the class of 2025, the class of 1985 was introduced by TANA president, Amy Nagelkirk, and invited to stand behind the new graduates for a prayer of blessing led by a founding member of the department, Professor Emeritus, Dr. Lois Roelofs.

Inspired by that blessing, 2025 graduates, alums of the class of 1985, and guests joined in singing the chorus of “Lead Me, Guide Me”. To watch this powerful moment, click to minute 42:30 on the playback bar in the video linked here.

“Returning to campus was a delightful experience, and I was thrilled to be reunited with former classmates from Trinity’s first graduating class of nurses. It is hard to believe that 40 years have passed since our graduation. The luncheon provided a lovely opportunity for us to reconnect, and the tour of the new nursing lab, conducted by Dr. Sarah Gouwens, was particularly meaningful. The nursing lab has grown and changed remarkably over the last 40 years. What a blessing to see the simulation patients that can be programmed for real-life patient experiences. Participating in the laying of hands ceremony and prayer for the nursing graduates of 2025 was a true honor. May our hands be instruments of peace, support, hope, and reassurance. God’s provision of necessary individuals and resources enabled the successful launch of this program, and He continues to guide and sustain it.” – Deb VanderWoude ’85 

Please reach out to Trinity’s Alumni Nursing Association at tana@trnty.edu with interest in organizing a class reunion, ideas for future nursing alumni events or to support the nursing department through volunteering or giving.

-Mary (Honey) Mathieu ’27

Trinity student Bianca Sotelo ’25, a communications and theater major, has been using her gifts in a co-op placement with The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company. As a production intern, Sotelo completed tasks such as welcoming guests, setting up snacks, maintaining the stage area, caring for, gathering, and cleaning props. She worked three hours on weekdays and four to five hours on weekends until tech week, when she started working twelve hours daily.

Sotelo enjoyed seeing the production come to life, especially during tech week and the performances. She also enjoyed the company of the backstage crew, which felt like a family since they had fun together while putting on meaningful shows. Their production, Pirates of Penzance, was performed in March 2025. Sotelo is incredibly proud of all those involved in the production because it turned out to be all she hoped it would be and more.

The Co-Op Program at Trinity Christian College has been a positive experience for Sotelo. She knows now that she wants to continue with theater as a scenic designer after graduation, sharing that this internship has “allowed her to be grateful for the wonderful theater program at The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company because she had the privilege of being in multiple roles at the same time as both a scenic designer and a production manager since many companies do not allow people to do this.” Sotelo loves being a part of every process of the work and is grateful that Kara Van Marion, who helps run the Co-Op Program at Trinity, worked with her to find the perfect co-op placement.

She is also grateful for her Theater Family at Trinity. The highlight of her college years as a senior has been participating in the theater program for all four years of her collegiate experience. Throughout her time at the College and in theater, she has received McGraw-Hill recognition in design and technology for her theorized scenic design at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, and also completed scenic design for her high school’s performance of In Juliet’s Garden. Trinity’s wonderful faculty and staff, especially Emma Schneider and Katie Oomkes, have played an influential role in her life during her time at Trinity.

Click here to learn more about Trinity Christian College’s co-op program and to find the academic program that would be right for you.

– Njoki Mukuria ’25

In March 2025, Trinity Christian College students enrolled in the spring class offering of Topics in English: Lord of the Rings went on a field trip to see the J.R.R. Tolkien archives at Raynor Library in Marquette, Wisconsin. This trip was organized by Prof. Timothy Hendrickson, Ph.D., associate professor of English and chair of the literature and languages department, motivated by the belief that “students really appreciate getting out of the classroom” as part of academic learning. The experience proved to be one of discovery, amazement, and education for the Trinity students.

According to Prof. Hendrickson, the trip was intended to provide valuable connections for both English and communications students because it was a class that counted toward both of these majors. He shared that this interdisciplinary approach came through in the Marquette archivist’s presentation, saying, “​​Bill at Marquette knew that we were watching the movies, so he was able to kind of integrate some of that material into his presentation.” Prof. Hendrickson also saw the visit as helpful in letting students see “the textual history of particular books… as artifacts” because “we’re not just talking about the story, we’re talking about the paper it’s on and the handwriting that the margin notes are written in,” extending the experience offered by the English department.

Kait Harland ’25, an English major at Trinity from Byron, IL, shared that seeing Tolkien’s background work, specifically his detailed timeline, led her to reflect on how it mirrored her own childhood writing. She would have “stacks of index cards calculating (based on Google maps) how long it would take to walk various distances to various places” and was excited to note that Tolkien “employed such a similar strategy in his own writing.” As an aspiring linguist, Kait was also enamored with the opportunity to hear about Tolkien’s “linguistic prowess” from the archivist: “Tolkien, a noted linguist, is obviously a fascinating figure to study because of this (amongst other reasons) and it was extremely cool to see the linguistics concepts I had been learning reflected in Tolkien’s work.”

With the topics class being composed of many students who are neither English nor communications majors, the archives visit had even greater cross-disciplinary value. Ren Amador ’26 of Chicago, IL, a graphic design major, said that what caught their attention were “the jacket copy covers that Tolkien made” because “as someone with an interest in publication and an Art major, [they were] drawn to his designs” and “did not previously know that Tolkien was an artist as well as a linguist/author,” allowing them to relate even more to Tolkien’s work. Ren was also glad to get an “up close and personal” view of “the processes of archiving and what being an archivist includes” because it proved to be an intriguing career position that they “would consider going into.”

The Marquette trip as a whole also seemed to foster community amongst the students by helping them connect with their classmates beyond the classroom, which was something that Prof. Hendrickson was happy to observe because of the benefit this has in the classroom. In his own words, “Classes are better when students feel comfortable around each other and feel a sense of community… people are more open with what they’re thinking.”

Click here to learn more about the academic programs at Trinity Christian College.

-Mary (Honey) Mathieu ’27

Clara Acero, Executive Director, and Olivia Bossarte, Program Associate from Kingdom Charitable Trust (KCT), recently visited Trinity Christian College to meet with college leadership and attend presentations by students and entrepreneurs involved in the College’s Community Alliance Program (CAP).

Over the past two years, KCT has partnered with Trinity’s CAP to support businesses in Chicago’s South Side community by hiring skilled Trinity students through stipends and scholarships. This support helps develop these companies in areas such as digital marketing, research, technology, and business administration. The program serves over sixty businesses each academic year, and as awareness of the Community Alliance Program grows, an increase in business involvement is anticipated.

KCT’s mission embraces a holistic approach to philanthropy through partnerships with nonprofit organizations like Trinity Christian College. Their focus is on serving underprivileged groups and communities to promote spiritual development, economic opportunity, community inclusion, and medical outreach. A notable connection between KCT and the College is that the organization’s Trustee and Chairman, Kinny R. Madori, earned a business degree from Trinity in 2012.

Originating out of the Business Department at Trinity, CAP focuses on helping to support local businesses while giving college students real-world paid job experience. Its mission is to connect students with the financial resources of donors and alumni to serve Chicago area low-income and minority businesses and enhance their communities. “The story of the Good Samaritan is at the heart of the program,” according to Professor Sundeep Vira, Dean of the Business Department and Program Manager for CAP, “because Jesus shared this parable as an example of how we should help our neighbors, and this program does just that.”

During their visit, Acero and Bossarte had the opportunity to hear from business owners and students, illustrating the program’s value. This time spent learning from the businesses provided firsthand accounts of their experiences and the collaborative work being done with students to help them earn money to offset their tuition costs.

Entrepreneurs Anthony Lighthall from the Romel Collection and Lauren Mateere, who advises clients on better nutrition, participated in the presentation at Trinity. They shared how access to CAP students allowed them to elevate their businesses, with one student even securing employment with Lighthall’s business upon graduation.

The visit by Clara Acero and Olivia Bossarte not only reinforced the valuable partnership between Kingdom Charitable Trust and Trinity Christian College but also highlighted the profound impact of the Community Alliance Program on both students and local businesses. As entrepreneurs like Anthony Lighthall and Lauren Mateere continue to thrive with the support of dedicated students, the collaboration exemplifies how education and community engagement can work hand in hand to uplift underserved areas.

With a shared commitment to fostering growth, opportunity, and compassion, KCT and Trinity are paving the way for a brighter future, one partnership at a time.

-Mary (Honey) Mathieu ’27

In April 2025, Dr. Lenore Knight Johnson, Professor of Sociology and Honors Department Director, took her urban sociology course to the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. Here, students in her class got to explore a beautiful site of social infrastructure, a course concept they had been learning about throughout this past semester.

Garfield Park Conservatory has a lot to offer its visitors. From beautiful greenery to peaceful relaxation time, this social infrastructure site is the perfect place to visit! According to the Conservatory’s website, “Chicago’s Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the largest and most stunning botanical conservatories in the nation. Often referred to as landscape art under glass, the Conservatory showcases thousands of plant species from around the world throughout eight indoor display gardens. Year-round, visitors can enjoy the lush flora and tropical temperatures indoors, or more than ten acres of outdoor gardens, nature play spaces for children, a water lily pond, and much more.” The Conservatory also offers programming for visitors, ranging from creative events to various educational classes. Chicago residents can visit for free, and students get a discount.

Trinity Christian College emphasizes student wellbeing, and through this field trip, students not only had the opportunity to learn more about a real-world example of social infrastructure but also had the time to destress before the end of the semester. Students in attendance walked around to see the various plant exhibits the Conservatory offers. Also, they had the chance to take beautiful photos of the green surroundings for a class project they were working on while enjoying lunch together. For this project, those in Dr. Lenore Knight Johnson’s Urban Sociology course had to demonstrate how the Garfield Park Conservatory is an example of social infrastructure and why green spaces like these matter to individuals and communities. As students have learned in Knight Johnson’s course and will remember even after the semester ends, social infrastructure plays a vital role in the wellbeing of a neighborhood’s community members, ultimately influencing personal feelings of isolation or support. Green spaces like the Conservatory have the potential to bring diverse people together to enjoy the beautiful God-created world!

Community wellness matters, and social infrastructure sites like the Garfield Park Conservatory offer incredible connections and wellbeing opportunities for all who visit this space. Trinity students were grateful to Dr. Knight Johnson for planning this astonishing field trip for her urban sociology course, which enhanced the overall wellbeing of those students in attendance.

Click here to learn more about how Trinity Christian College is doing college differently.

Each year, Trinity Christian College selects exceptional students who are dedicated to making a difference in their neighborhoods and communities. The College is pleased to welcome two transfer students whose outstanding academic, spiritual, and social leadership distinguishes them from their peers. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the most recent Transfer Academic Scholars are Reya Graham from Oak Lawn, Illinois, and Rachelle Pinto from Parker, Colorado, both of whom have been awarded full-tuition scholarships.

Graham, transferring from Moraine Valley Community College, plans to pursue a degree in English Education. She looks forward to joining Trinity Theatre, Campus Ministries, and the Future Teachers Association. As an active member of her church, she participates in the youth group’s hospitality team and serves as a small group leader. Additionally, she enjoys coaching competitive theater at her high school alma mater.

“I absolutely love the small, connected community at Trinity and how the English Education major stands out,” said Graham. “Plus, it’s super close to my house and right across the street from my church!”

Pinto, who is transferring from Laramie County Community College in Wyoming, intends to pursue Accounting. She is excited to join the women’s soccer team and the honors program at Trinity. Actively involved in her local church in Colorado, she also works at a local preschool.

“I chose Trinity not only because of the women’s soccer team, but also for the close-knit community it offers,” said Pinto. “I believe Trinity will help me grow both academically and personally. As an out-of-state student, finding a strong, supportive community was a major factor in my decision, as was the opportunity to strengthen my relationship with God while pursuing my degree!”

Wendy Downing, associate director of undergraduate admissions, expressed her enthusiasm: “At Trinity, we are thrilled to welcome Reya and Rachelle into our community! We eagerly anticipate the positive impact their unique gifts and talents will have on our campus and in the wider world.”

Click here to learn more about the Transfer Program at Trinity Christian College.

The Campus Diversity and Unity Committee (CDUC) at Trinity Christian College is pleased to announce that this year’s recipients of the Catherine Yonker Award are Carvell Anderson ’26 and Dr. Leah Fulton.

The Catherine Yonker Award has been awarded annually since 1989 to a member or members of the Trinity community–faculty, staff, or a rising senior student—in honor of their positive influence and action toward the goal of Christian racial reconciliation and cross-cultural understanding. The award’s history is deeply intertwined with Trinity’s early years, given Catherine Yonker’s significant contributions as an executive secretary and founding member of the Trinity Women’s Guild and her husband’s philanthropic support for the College.

Anderson was a 2022 Founder’s Scholar and has consistently upheld a rigorous reputation through his academic excellence and leadership contributions. During his time at Trinity, he has held leadership positions in both student activities and as a spiritual life coordinator.

He actively contributes to campus life both in and out of the classroom, participating in the Gospel Choir and the Black Student Union (BSU). Notably, his peers recently selected him as the inaugural winner of the BSU’s Black Excellence Award. Additionally, he had the opportunity to interview renowned evangelist, apologist, and author Preston Perry during Perry’s recent visit to the campus. Looking ahead to the upcoming academic year, Anderson plans to serve as an Outcry leader in addition to his current roles.

At this year’s OPUS event, Anderson presented on the YN phenomenon among young Black men. The strong attendance demonstrated his influence and respect within the Trinity community. He is recognized on campus as a bridge builder, connecting people from different backgrounds and perspectives to foster unity for the glory of God.

As an emerging educator, Anderson addresses the cultural and racial realities faced by Black individuals in the Church, in education, and in various aspects of life. He is truly a lover of God and people.

Dr. Leah Fulton, the vice president for student life, began her impactful journey with Trinity in the 2021-22 academic year. After a year, she fully transitioned into her full-time role, marking the beginning of her impactful career at Trinity. Throughout her tenure, her work has proven an unwavering commitment to fostering equity and empowerment among students within the campus community.

She has played a pivotal role in establishing Trinity’s Table, a vital resource designed to address and combat the pressing issue of student food insecurity. Through her passionate advocacy and dedication, Dr. Fulton has worked tirelessly to champion the allocation of necessary resources that not only bolster student leadership but also promote academic achievement and success.

As a devoted advisor to numerous student organizations, she invests her time in nurturing the talents and gifts of all students. She serves as a trusted mentor, cultivating an enriching campus culture where every student feels acknowledged, supported, and deeply valued. Her profound impact on the Trinity community goes beyond individual interactions; she has transformed the overall student experience, fostering a warm and welcoming environment that encourages collaboration and growth among all students. With her leadership, Trinity is truly a place where every student can thrive.

Trinity Christian College proudly recognizes Anderson and Fulton as the recipients of the 2025 Catherine Yonker Award and looks forward to their continued contributions to the College.

Trinity Christian College celebrated its graduates, showcasing their academic achievement and personal development, during a commencement ceremony on Friday, May 2nd. The event took place at Ozinga Field in Crestwood, IL, where graduates were surrounded by their proud families, friends, and dedicated faculty and staff. This year’s ceremony recognized the hard work of traditional undergraduate students, adult undergraduate students, and graduate students from Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, all coming together on a crisp spring evening filled with energy and excitement.

The commencement speaker for this year’s event was Wes Becton, co-founder and CEO of George Washington Street Partners. Becton reminded the graduates to always let their light shine, stating, “Let today be a reminder that your God-given gifts are not meant to be hidden; they are meant to shine brightly, boldly, for all the world to see, and today, class of 2025, you are shining!”

Kuecker opened the commencement ceremony with a welcome, and Kenneth Dryfhout ’03, Chair of the Board of Trustees, provided the greeting. This year’s Lincoln Laureate, Julianna Padilla, gave the invocation, while Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell offered the benediction. During the ceremony, Dr. Jerome Douglas recognized Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell as the Professor of the Year for 2025-2026. The ceremony concluded with a spectacular fireworks show.

A new addition to this year’s commencement ceremony was the “Unveiling of the Troll”, which honored two graduates who donned the mask as the school’s beloved mascot. This energetic moment filled the evening with joy as Tyren Brown and Joshua Smith, who both spent countless hours as the Troll, were celebrated for bringing fun and happiness to the students and the Trinity community.

Check out photos from the event at this link or on Trinity’s Instagram page and view the live stream of the ceremony here.