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The Christian Association of World Languages (CAWL) brings scholars together to provide a forum for promoting Christian reflection and practice in the field. And Trinity’s Department Chair and Associate Professor of Spanish Yeon Lee, Ph.D., will lay a key role in this mission as the association’s new vice president.

As vice president, Lee reviews abstract submissions, administers the Emerging Scholars Award, and organizes the conference program in the role as conference chair. As a member of the executive board, she also contributes with new initiatives and projects that advance the mission of CAWL.

“I am grateful to be a part of an organization where the contributions of many leading scholars continue to nurture the minds of our discipline,” she said. “These outlets provide opportunities for rich intellectual exchange and fellowship.”

For Lee, the Emerging Scholars Award has a particular resonance, since Trinity students Megan Gjertsen and Avery Kats won the award in 2018 at the 27^th Annual CAWL Conference. “Both of my students conducted research under my supervision,” said Lee. “They presented their research and received recognition at the annual conference.”

The knowledge and relationships nurtured at CAWL also provided particular value to Lee over the past academic year. “Last year’s environment led me to create a remote learning setting that is a close equivalent to the traditional setting, as well as ways to enhance its educational value,” she said. “To engage more insight on remote learning, I would consult David I. Smith et al., who recently published a relevant book on the subject titled Digital Life Together (2020) and who is also a contributor to CAWL, to discuss the impact of technology on education and strategies under the classification of two different class sizes. This subject animates my research interest, and I plan to continue to take a deeper look at remote learning optimization in the shifting landscape of higher education.”

Founded in 1991, CAWL is home to the peer-reviewed “Journal of Christianity and World Languages” (JCWL), the CAWL Annual Conference in April, and the Emerging Scholars Award of undergraduate research.

Every year, Trinity recognizes an exceptional educator whose work extends beyond the classroom to make a lasting impact on students. And Trinity is pleased to announce that Professor of History David Brodnax Sr., Ph.D., is Professor of the Year for 2021-22.

Brodnax said the award came as a surprise, not least because he teaches about difficult, often overlooked areas of history. “I’m incredibly grateful to students, former students, and colleagues who nominated me,” he said. “But it is bittersweet in some ways. Part of why I won this award is based on what I am doing to bring about justice. But that means there remains a struggle for justice. I would rather that there be no wrongs, than to win an award for righting wrongs.”

The many nominations cited Brodnax’s excellent academic work, his education and perspective with both a law degree and a doctorate, and his tireless service to the College. Nominators also offered numerous examples of his caring for others. And they repeatedly lauded his work with minority students and his willingness to address past and current injustices on campus and in the broader world.

According to several of the nominations:

— “His courses pushed me further academically than I had experienced, even compared to my semester at Oxford. He knew each of his students was capable of so much more than a hastily written essay from 4 a.m. the night before the deadline. And he knew each of his students was so much more than just a student. He poured into athletes, musicians, historians, and thespians, and he took it upon himself to show each student who walked through his door that they were so much more than what they believed. No one left his office or class unchanged.”

— “He cares about the history courses he teaches. He teaches them well. He doesn’t sugarcoat the truth of historical events but presents them in a way to enlighten the students and help us understand the complexities of our past and to learn from them. He teaches equality and justice — and anyone could learn from him.”

— “He’s known for the depth and quality of his research, the astuteness of his teaching, his years of service on Personal Committee. Surely these are all significant gifts he brings to the College, but behind them is a form of labor that never gets talked about in his self study, and that doesn’t figure as part of his tenure and promotion. And that is his silent labor with our extensive minority student population as the single most significant focal point that they have on campus. Without asking for it, without being assigned to it as an official College task, he serves as leader, encourager, role model, shaper, helper of the many students who turn to him on a daily basis for this kind of support. This work is boundless and Christlike. He so very, very deeply deserves the recognition of this award.”

Among his work and research, Brodnax has recently published “‘Meet force with force and law with law’: Black Self-Defense in 19^th-Century Iowa,” a chapter in The Oxford Handbook of Midwestern History, which is scheduled to be published by Oxford University Press later this year; and “‘The brightest star under the blue dome of heaven’: Civil Rights and Midwestern Black Identity in Iowa, 1839-1900,” an article in Middle West Review last fall. He is also scheduled to take part in a roundtable panel at the Midwestern History Conference in May and has served on the executive board for the Mid-America American Studies Association for several years.

“The Professor of the Year is an award that recognizes faculty who have excellence in teaching or scholarship, but especially those whose work demonstrates a strong connection between their teaching and their scholarship and in work that advances the mission of the College,” said Aaron Kuecker, Trinity’s provost, in recognizing Brodnax at commencement on May 8. “On behalf of Trinity Christian College, congratulations and thank you for the service you render in this community.”

Recent Professor of the Year Award recipients:

2016: John Sebestyen (Communication Arts)

2017: Michael Vander Weele (English)

2018: Clay Carlson (Biology)

2019: Kara Wolff (Counseling and Psychology)

2020: Yudha Thianto (Theology and Christian Ministry)

Along with celebrating graduates on May 8, the College also honored the emeritations of two long-time faculty members who have retired at the end of the 2020-21 academic year: Joy Meyer ’78, Ed.D., associate professor of education, licensure officer, and dean of education; and Rick Snoeyink, Ph.D., professor of education and director of online instruction.  

Dr. Joy Meyer
A Trinity alumna, Meyer said that around the time of her graduation, she heard God telling her she would be back at the College someday. That was a truly prophetic moment. After teaching elementary school for 11 years, she was taking some time off to raise her young children and decided to look for a part-time job. A friend kept encouraging her to apply at Trinity. Meyer did, and after interviewing with Liz Rudenga, professor of education emerita, she was hired to supervise Trinity’s student teachers. 

Meyer did so well that she was invited to teach a general teaching methods class the next semester. “I continued to teach that class during my time at Trinity,” she said. “In fact, I still taught that class my last semester here.” Gradually, she began teaching more classes, joining Trinity’s faculty full time in 2000.  

But her gifts extended beyond the classroom. Along with teaching, she also served as department chair, then became director of teacher education, a role she held for 15 years. Meyer also worked as licensure officer, a role she will continue to fill. During that time, she also earned her doctorate from Aurora University.  

As a teacher of teachers, Meyer said the College has always worked hard to ensure students would be successful.  “I just really wanted to see students flourish and make an impact for Christ on the next generation,” she said. “I really wanted them to learn the best teaching practices they could. I work with wonderful colleagues and learned a lot, even through the challenges. I got to serve on interesting committees. It was a great run.”   

Among her fondest memories are helping with Young Authors Festival. Meyer said she also learned to be flexible and adaptable in working with the Illinois State Board of Education and other agencies. “We became known as a quality  program, and those qualities are still in place now. Our alumni have been very positive of their experience, and we have alumni as far away as Malaysia. They go where they are called.” 

Meyer said she also appreciates Trinity’s work around diversity. “It challenged me to do a better job and make sure I wasn’t bringing any biases to my work. And it was a challenge at times to open the eyes of students who didn’t have a lot of exposure to diversity before coming here.”   

While she will continue to serve as licensure officer at Trinity, Meyer is looking forward to spending more time with her family, including three grandsons. She and her husband are also planning to travel and spend more time at the family summer home in Michigan.  

Dr. Rick Snoeyink
Before coming to Trinity in 2001, Snoeyink worked for 23 years as a teacher and coach at the Berrien Springs, Mich., public schools, Terra Ceia Christian School in North Carolina, and DeMotte (Ind.) Christian School. 

During his time at DeMotte, Snoeyink realized he wanted to continue his own education and earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Purdue University. His interest in educational technology was sparked during that time, and he realized he wanted to teach at the college level.  

“I knew [Professor of Education Emerita] Liz and Jack Rudenga, and I came to Trinity to spend a day consulting on technology standards. Liz let me know there was an opening in the Education Department. I applied and got the job.” 

Along with his teaching responsibilities, Snoeyink impacted the College and its community in many other roles, including as chair of the Education Department, chair of the Teacher Education Committee, and chair of the Education Student Advisory Committee. He has also served faithfully as Director of Online Instruction for the College. And as long-time chair of the Technology and Student Learning Committee, he has trained more than 100 professors in Trinity’s online instruction course. 

When Snoeyink started focusing on educational technologies, his tools included cassette tapes and Commodore 64 computers. That evolved to far more sophisticated tools and approaches, including quickly moving the entire Trinity community to the Brightspace learning management software after the campus closed down in March 2020 because of COVID-19. “We weren’t planning to move that quickly, but everything was in place and ready,” he said. “It was a crazy year and a half. So many faculty had to learn so quickly. It was a challenge, but I’m glad I could help.” 

During his classes, he always encouraged students to use technology, but more importantly, to understand how technology can be used. “It’s not about the tools. The technology always going to be changing, so you can’t get too hung up on that. It’s about the pedagogy and what are you doing with the tools. It’s about what works.” 

A graduate of Calvin University, Snoeyink and his wife are considering a move back to the Grand Rapids, Mich., area to be closer to family. An avid bicyclist and photographer, he plans to continue those hobbies. “I would like to stay involved in learning somehow. One thing I’m thinking about would be bicycle mechanics class,” he said. 

Congratulations to both professors on this well-deserved honor! 

Earlier this month, Trinity’s Social Work Department welcomed the newest members of the College’s Phi Xi Chapter of Phi Alpha Honor Society.

Congratulations to the social work majors who were inducted!

• Inshirah Aljuneidi

• Amanda Carberry

• Rebecca Carlson

• Gabrielle Espinos

• Brianna Figueroa

• Lily Ruckman

• Olivia Schuringa

• Grace Thelo

The purpose of Phi Alpha Honor Society is to provide a closer bond among students of social work and promote humanitarian goals and ideas. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work.

The value of Trinity’s special education teaching programs is nearly impossible to quantify: Our special education majors go on to change the lives of students by cultivating relational peace, educational equity, and justice for all children and impacting the mind, body, and soul of each student through excellence in teaching.

So, the College is particularly pleased to see the value of our undergraduate and graduate degrees in special education recognized by Grad Degree Search. According to the rankings organization, Trinity has been recognized in several categories, including among the top 10 in the Great Lakes Region for both types of degrees! Our bachelor’s and master’s degrees were also honored with a top-50 rankings nationwide.

— 7th in Best Value Special Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region Ranking

—9th in Best Value Special Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region Ranking

— 44th in Best Value Special Education Master’s Degree Schools Ranking

— 49th in Best Value Special Education Schools Ranking

“When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school’s quality as well as its sticker price,” Grad Degree Search noted. “Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value.”

Trinity brings value in many ways, according to Christine Scholma ’04, assistant professor of special education and co-director of the Center for SPED. “One of the added values of Trinity’s special education program includes a variety of partnerships with local schools,” said Scholma. “Through these partnerships, students with disabilities come to campus to learn alongside Trinity special education majors. Prospective teachers get the opportunity to apply what they are learning in class by teaching local students about community living.”

During an extraordinary year, Trinity students continued to show their commitment to leadership, the College, and to each other.

“In so many ways, all of our students are so deserving of honor and recognition,” said Becky Starkenburg, vice president for student life & Title IX coordinator. “You’ve been resilient, you’ve been committed,  you’ve stuck with it. This has been a hard year, and yet in so many ways you have held together as a Trinity community, whether on campus or off, whether in person or remote.”

Congratulations to all of the nominees and honorees!

Diversity Scholar of the Year Award Recipient

Award recipient: Bolu Jegede

The winner of this year’s Diversity Scholar of the Year award, Jegede was lauded for being innovative and motivated and serving as a light to the world.

Catherine Yonker Award Recipient

Award recipient:  Melanie Wolf

This award recognizes a member of the community who has made significant contributions to racial reconciliation and cross-cultural understanding. A nursing student, Wolf was recognized for exemplifying these qualities in the program, challenging both the nursing department and her peers to address racism in terms of teaching and content and racial issues across campus.

Student Government Association Outstanding Service Award

Nominees:  Ross Barz, Jacob McCleary, Easton Armstrong, James Beyer, Leah Wideman, Nick Tambrini, Kyra Khan, and  Ashley Martinez

Award recipient: Jacob McCleary

McCleary’s service to Trinity has included serving as a transfer Thrive mentor, part of the Multicultural Engagement Leadership team, and as a senior class representative for SGA. McCleary was noted for his efforts to make students feel safe and welcome on campus, as well as for rising above the challenges of remote learning during COVID to create an inclusive campus culture. 

Outstanding Student Leader Award

Nominees: Ranita Luhur, Easton Armstrong, Lily Ruckman, Alayna Schipper, Nino Carrico, and Savannah Gil

Award recipients: Ranita Luhur and Kyra Khan

The Outstanding Student Leader Award is given in honor of two of Trinity’s exceptional student leaders who have gone above and beyond in their service to the College.

Trinity’s Student Life Award winners, as well as the winners of the Athletics Departments awards, were honored in a virtual ceremony on May 12. You can view the ceremony here.

Commencement is always a joyful occasion as graduates, along with their family, friends, professors, and staff, come together to celebrate the years of hard work and accomplishments that has led to achieving academic degrees.  

This year’s commencement represented twice the cause for celebration, as Trinity honored the graduates of both the classes of 2021 and 2020! Graduates were recognized in two different ceremonies at Ozinga Field in Crestwood, Ill., to allow for safe social distancing. 

The morning program was dedicated to traditional undergraduate students from the Class of 2021. The afternoon program focused on adult program and master’s candidates, as well as members of the Class of 2020, who were honored virtually last year because of COVID-19. 

President Kurt D. Dykstra, J.D., welcomed everyone to this special day.   

In both ceremonies, the reflection, “Living Well in Liminal Times,” was offered by Rev. Willis (Bill) VanGroningen, Ph.D., chaplain and dean of spiritual formation, who is retiring from Trinity this summer. 

“We are living in liminal times, in times of great transition and disruption,” said VanGroningen. “But we can live well in liminal times.”

He urged graduates to remember four ideas during these times:

1. Love
   Nothing is more central or necessary.
2. Be generous
   Live with an openness of heart and soul.
3. Courage
   It takes courage to love God and live generously.
4. Beauty
   Beauty carries its own justification and reward.

“With Jesus, we truly are all in this together,” he said.

In both ceremonies, Laura E. Zumdahl, Ph.D., ’02 Chair, Board of Trustees, greeted graduates and their guests.  

Provost Aaron Kuecker, Ph.D., lauded two long-time Trinity professors who are retiring and receiving emeriti status: Joy Meyer, Ed.D., associate professor of education, licensure officer, and dean of education; and Rick Snoeyink, Ph.D., professor of education and director of online instruction. 

Kuecker also presented Professor of History David Brodnax, Sr., Ph.D., with the professor of the year award for 2021-22, as well as recognizing Trinity’s Honors students, departmental award winners and Diversity Scholars. 

As part of the afternoon event, Kuecker again recognized faculty members Dr. Helen Van Wyck, professor of music, and Dr. Liz Rudenga, professor of education, who retired in 2020 and had received emeriti status. Dr. Yudha Thianto, professor of theology, was also acknowledged as Trinity’s Professor of the Year for 2020-21.

During the morning ceremony, Ross Barz ‘21, Trinity’s 2020 Lincoln Laureate, provided the invocation. Noelani Cortina, M.A. ’20, provided the invocation for the 2 pm ceremony. 

Vice President for Student Life & Title IX Coordinator Rebekah Starkenburg, M.A.,  gave the benediction.  

Trinity’s Gospel Choir,  directed by Nicole Saint-Victor ’15, performed the postlude.  

For the 10 am ceremony, the livestream can be viewed here, and the program is available here.

For the 2 pm ceremony, the livestream can be viewed here and the program is available here.

The commencement photogallery can be found on Facebook.

At Trinity, small class sizes and dedicated professors allow for the kinds of hands-on research that many undergraduates don’t get at larger institutions. These sorts of experiences lead to extraordinary opportunities.

As one example, three Trinity alumni, Laura DeVries ‘20, Cara Horstman ‘18, and Marie (Sonnenburg) Fossell ‘19, along with Professor of Biology Clay Carlson, Ph.D., recently published an article in a peer-reviewed journal, based on research they conducted during their time at Trinity.

The article, “Ingestion of Bifidobacterium longum (changed to italics) changes miRNA levels in the brains of mice,” was published in the April issue of PLOS One. Their research investigated the relationship between the microbiota of the gastrointestinal system, behavioral characteristics related to Autism Spectrum Disorder, and relative gene expression of miRNAs in the brain. ​Their works makes a connection between a beneficial probiotic and changes in the brain.

“​This project was possible because each of my coauthors spent years working hard in the lab and because of their hard work we have learned something new about the world. I am so proud of each of them,” said Carlson.

Trinity Christian College mourns the sudden and unexpected passing of Martin Ozinga III on Monday, April 26, even as it celebrates his good and faithful life. Ozinga was 71.

Ozinga served multiple terms on Trinity’s Board of Trustees, and served as Chair of the Board from 2014 through 2015. In a message to campus on Monday afternoon announcing Ozinga’s passing, President Kurt D. Dykstra highlighted Ozinga’s longstanding, deep, and generational commitment to Trinity. “Marty continued the legacy of his father Martin Ozinga II, one of our founders, of great care and concern for Trinity Christian College. He was kind and generous to so many and surely to us as a place. The reminder of his faithfulness to Trinity can be seen in nearly every square inch of the campus – from buildings and hard surfaces, to support of programs, to support of employees, and, of course, to the provision of scholarship money for students.”

It is not unusual to refer to the broader Ozinga family as Trinity’s “First Family.” As Dykstra noted, “We here at Trinity were a special recipient of Marty’s time, talent, and treasure. That generosity started with his father, continued with him, and now is passed to the next generation of the Ozinga family – some of whom are our alumni and one of whom, Aaron ‘03, presently is a Trustee on the Board of Trustees.”

Marty Ozinga III most recently served as the chairman of the Board at Ozinga, a fourth-generation family business known for its excellence, mission-mindedness, and innovation in the areas of concrete and logistics. Throughout Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida, the company is instantly recognizable by its red and white striped concrete mixer trucks.

In an announcement of Ozinga’s passing, the Company highlighted his significant impact on and leadership of the company. Ozinga began working for Ozinga at age 15 as a $1-per-hour laborer in the company’s first yard in Evergreen Park, Ill. By 18, he was driving a ready-mix concrete truck for union wages while earning a degree in psychology. He became general manager in 1973 at age 23 and, in 1985, succeeded his father as president of Ozinga. Marty was married to his wife Ruth for 40 years until her passing in 2010. Ruth, too, was active at Trinity, participating as a member of Trinity’s Women’s Guild, designing banners for the College and, along with her husband, serving as co-chair of Trinity’s 50^th anniversary capital campaign. In 2006, Marty III and Ruth were honored with Trinity’s Global Service Award.

Together, they raised their six sons, four of whom attended Trinity.

In 2012, Ozinga III handed over the operations of the family business to his six sons and their cousin Jeff, representing the fourth generation of Ozinga ownership.

According to Trinity’s Associate Vice President for Advancement Dennis Harms ’89, Ozinga’s generosity has impacted generations of Trinity students. “Ozinga has long been known as one of the largest employers of Trinity business alumni. Marty not only believed in the College, he put it into practice by hiring Trinity alumni to work in many key areas of his company. When the business program started a business advisory committee, Marty was an active participant,” he said.

Ozinga, with other members of his family, also supported several endowed and funded scholarships that have benefitted hundreds of Trinity students over the years. The company was also a regular sponsor and supporter of Trinity events, including the annual Trinity Athletic Club Golf Classic.

He was, as Dykstra noted, “as committed to Trinity as any person could be to a college.”

Ozinga is survived by his wife, Melissa, his six sons, their wives, and twenty-nine grandchildren. He was a brother of the late Ken (Judy) Ozinga and Beverly Ozinga, brother-in-law of the late Theodore (Niki) Gombis and Dr. Leon (Kathryn) Gombis and a fond uncle of many nieces and nephews.

Ozinga’s funeral will be held on Monday, May 3, at 11 a.m. at the Martin & Janet Ozinga Chapel on the campus of Trinity Christian College. COVID capacity limitations, social distancing, and masking protocols will be used to ensure the safety of those in attendance. The funeral service will be livestreamed. Colonial Chapel is handling the arrangements and both obituary and funeral details are available at its website.