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More than 80 attendees gathered at Trinity for the 12th Biennial Conference of The International Christian Community for Teacher Education (ICCTE), which took place May 23-26.
The conference’s theme was “By his hand: Getting to the Heart of Teaching Christianly,” and featured seven presentations of original research by Trinity professors, among other sessions and seminars. The conference also included a trip to downtown Chicago, where attendees visited Navy Pier and Millennium Park.
Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, associate professor of education, 2016 conference convener, and ICCTE ex-officio board member, was among the presenters. He and Dr. David Klanderman, professor of mathematics, presented their collaborative research on math and Harry Potter.
“The conference was very successful, and we have had very positive feedback,” said Dr. Jeanette Goddard, assistant professor of education and dean of education programs.
The group that would eventually become ICCTE first met at Trinity in 1994. “So it was a bit of a homecoming,” Goddard said.
ICCTE’s conference is designed to allow for scholarly exchange, fellowship, and networking opportunities for Christian teacher educators and for those in related fields.
Trinity Christian College has been ranked among the top 15 online schools in Illinois by BestColleges.com. Trinity was recognized for its Adult Studies Criminal Justice bachelor’s degree program, which is offered entirely online, as well as for its hybrid graduate programs in Psychology and Special Education that blend online and on-campus classes.
BestColleges.com uses qualitative measures and data provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics and from individual schools to compile its rankings, according to the organization’s website. Every ranked school is fully accredited.
Trinity has been recognized by numerous organizations recently, including The Economist, U.S. News & World Report, MONEY, and Niche. Click here to learn more about Trinity’s programs.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is famous for the running of the Indy 500, which takes place every Memorial Day weekend. But on June 4, Dr. Rick Snoeyink, professor of education, plans to ride his bike 100 miles around the track in memory of his father and to support the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure. Snoeyink completed the ride for the first time last year as a tribute to his father, who suffered from diabetes before his passing. “Now I have decided that as long as I am physically able, I want to make this an annual event to honor my dad,” he said.
Snoeyink credited the Trinity community for its support, both financial and communal. “When I first decided to do this ride last year, I thought I could probably raise $250, which is what the American Diabetes Association requires for all riders. I put the word out on the Trinity listservs, and within a couple weeks, people had donated over $1,200,” Snoeyink said. “I was amazed.”
Since the community was so generous last year, he wondered if Trinity would continue to generously support him in this year’s fundraiser. “I am again amazed that the total is now approaching $1,500. Several Trinity folks have also asked me about how my training is going and have offered words of encouragement,” he said.
Since 1991, Tour de Cure riders have raised more than $250 million to help advance the ADA’s mission and move closer towards the ultimate goal to stop diabetes, according to the ADA. Proceeds from the fundraiser go towards diabetes research, education and advocacy.
To learn more about the Tour de Cure and Snoeyink’s participation, visit http://main.diabetes.org/goto/rsnoeyink
Eight Trinity students recently participated in a cadaver class, one of the College’s more unique educational offerings. The class, Biol 210 Cadaver Dissection, represents a rare chance for undergraduate students to work with cadavers, according to Dr. Robert Boomsma ’77, professor of biology and department chair. “It’s a great opportunity for students,” he said.
The class, which took place over two weeks in early May, involved dissecting the cadavers, along with discussions about the use of cadavers. To be considered for the class, students needed to have successfully completed two semesters of human anatomy and physiology or been a biology major at the junior or senior level by the end of the spring semester.
“It’s one thing to learn about anatomy in a textbook, but to really get hands-on experience is something else,” said Leah Ipema ’18, who participated in the class.
“This is something you don’t usually get to do during undergrad, and it’s a cool opportunity,” added Cara Horstman ’18.
With the opening of the Heritage Science Center in 2002, Trinity gained the capacity to offer the cadaver class, which is held every two years, Boomsma said. “There was no space in the old building.”
Boomsma said that students who have taken the course have gone on to medical school at the University of Iowa, to physicians assistant programs at Grand Valley State University and Midwestern University and the physical therapy program at Concordia University, among others.
Trinity works with the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois to procure and ultimately return the cadavers. The association manages the willed body donor program for the medical, research, and educational institutions of Illinois.
Trinity is proud to announce a 100% pass rate for all traditional undergraduate and Adult Studies teacher candidates who submitted the edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment) to Pearson Testing Co. in the fall 2015 and spring 2016!
In fall 2015, the edTPA replaced the APT exam (Assessment of Professional Teaching) as the final assessment needed to become a licensed teacher in Illinois. A nationally available performance-based assessment, the edTPA is composed of three tasks designed to represent the cycle of efficient teaching: planning, instruction, and assessment. The tasks are completed during the first nine weeks of student teaching and require teacher candidates to incorporate their understanding of teaching best practices and real-life engagement with students.
In the planning task, the teacher candidates examine the needs of their students/classroom, develop 3-5 lesson plans, and justify each of their chosen strategies. In the instruction task, they videotape their lesson and then analyze their teaching, the learning environment, and student engagement. In the assessment task, they evaluate student learning through work samples, provide feedback, and examine the overall impact of each lesson.
“This is a testament to the quality of our adult students and the hard work they committed to during their program, and it’s an incredible accomplishment for them,” said Prof. Bob Wennberg, Adult Studies education program director. “Trinity piloted the edTPA for several years to prepare for the implementation. We are so pleased with the results during this first year of implementation.”
A weekend full of celebratory events culminated in the April 30 commencement ceremony of the 182 undergraduate and 19 Master of Arts graduates of Trinity’s class of 2016.
Dr. Laura Zumdahl ’02, president and CEO of New Moms, Inc., and a member of Trinity’s Board of Trustees, gave the commencement address “For the Glory of God.”
Robert Buikema, chair of the Board of Trustees, provided the commencement greeting to graduates, their family and friends, faculty, and staff. Latishia M. Elliott offered the invocation.
Four professors received emeritus status:
- Dr. Mary Lynn Colosimo, professor of psychology
- Prof. Bruce Leep, assistant professor of English
- Dr. Pete Post ’74, associate professor of education
- Dr. Louis Sytsma, professor of chemistry
Interim provost Sharon Robbert, Ph.D., presented the graduates, and Pres. Kurt D. Dykstra, J.D., conferred degrees. Robbert oversaw the hooding of Master of Arts candidates and presented diplomas.
Dr. John Sebestyen, associate professor of communication arts, was honored as professor of the year.
Rev. Robert Huisman ’87 gave the benediction.
About Laura Zumdahl ’02
Zumdahl, Ph.D., is the president and CEO of New Moms, Inc., a nonprofit organization serving homeless and at-risk adolescent parents and their children in Chicago. She has served in various leadership roles in the nonprofit sector. Zumdahl earned a B.A. in sociology from Trinity; an M.A. in social work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration; and a Ph.D. in leadership from Cardinal Stritch University.
Other Commencement Weekend Events
Celebratory events also took place on Friday, April 29, including the Honors Convocation, the Baccalaureate Barbecue, and the Baccalaureate Service.
Trinity opened its doors to the younger generation recently, welcoming the 25th annual Young Authors Festival to campus. Elementary and middle school students from 12 neighboring Christian schools joined Trinity staff and students to celebrate scholarship, literature, and creativity.
Meeting in the Ozinga Chapel, Vinnie Adams ’10 began the day with song and dance. Soon after, the young authors were divided into different groups led by Trinity students.
Multiple activities occurred throughout the day. Those included a performance by Trinity’s own performance group TrinProv, which acted out stories written by the young authors. Refreshments were provided outside in the Commons during a break. Children shared stories they had written and illustrated while sipping juice boxes and snacking on fruit cups. Following a campus tour, they participated in a writer’s workshop and wrote new stories together.
In the Black Box Theatre, illustrator E.B. Lewis spoke to the young authors, encouraging them to continue their education and passions. A watercolor painter for more than 70 picture books and winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, he provided insight and advice. “This is what I was born to do,” Lewis said. To find what they were born to do, he advised attendees, “You have to love the process.”
The festival was co-chaired by Prof. Kelly Lenarz ’99, assistant professor of education; Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, associate professor of education; and Jasmine Morris, administrative assistant of Trinity’s English Department.
–By Rachel Townsend ’16
To celebrate religious expression in literature, Dr. Michael Vander Weele ’73, professor of English, and five English students from Trinity made their way to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., to attend the Festival of Faith and Writing. Through April 14-16, they went to lectures, workshops, readings, concerts, and plays that spoke on issues of faith, ethics, and justice. Guest speakers, including Zadie Smith, Luci Shaw, and James Schaap, spoke of the importance of storytelling in today’s fallen world.
Crystal Linzy ’17, Kailah Price ’19, Hannah Bresser ’19, Kezia Stephanie ’17, and Molly Hofman ’19 represented the first students from Trinity’s English Department to attend the festival. The group committed to read one book from a recommended list before the festival and visit the keynote addresses and at least eight sessions during the festival. After the festival, they all wrote a reflection paper on their experience, sharing what they learned with writing advisors and English professors Dr. Erick Sierra, associate professor of English, and Dr. Mark Jones, professor of English.
This learning experience not only brought faith and literature together, but also Trinity’s English staff and students, strengthening their community.
Since its creation in 1990, the Festival of Faith and Writing has united those who believe in faithful writing, individuals who combine their love of God, and literature. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, around 2,000 readers, students, and teachers attend the annual event
Students in Trinity’s business department recently shared pizza and fellowship while celebrating philanthropic and academic success in an event that encompassed the Entrepreneurship Club and the Future Founders Foundation (FFF).
As part of the Entrepreneurship Club’s inaugural Empowerment Fund work, Katie Vree ’17 was presented with a check that will allow her to purchase a standing wheelchair. The check was the culmination of a year’s worth of efforts by the Entrepreneurship Club, Nursing Student Organization, and dedicated faculty to help Vree, who was paralyzed with a virus in high school. The presentation evoked tears in several people who were there.
“God is at work here,” said Dan, Vree’s father. “I’m so grateful for the community at Trinity.”
The evening also included an awards presentation of FFF honorees. “This is a tangible way to recognize the work done by the students at Trinity,” said Ethan Adams, coordinator, startups for Future Founders. Adams and Katie Sowa, senior director, startups, for Future Founders, handed out awards for five different levels of achievement: platinum, gold, silver, blue, and white.
Winners from Trinity were:
- Anthony Dykstra, ’18 Platinum
- Dyvon Melling, ’17 Platinum
- Ryan Hesslau, ’18 Gold
- Tanner VanMaanen, ’18 Gold
- Tyler Schneider ’18, Gold
- Jordan VanderKamp, ’19 Silver
- Casey Huisenga, ’18 Silver
- Azariah Pargulski, ’18 Blue
- Craig Vandergalien, ’17 Blue
- Keegan VanMaanen, ’16 White
- Zack Austell, ’18 White
- Cynthia Gliwa, ’17 White
- Sarah Kooiman, ’17 White
- Jared Mulder, ’17 White
- Katlen Siwinski, ’17 White
In addition, Dykstra was given the Outstanding Entrepreneurial Leadership Award.
After dinner, students had the opportunity to spend time with departing faculty members Dr. Rick Hamilton and Prof. Kyle J. Harkema, assistant professors of business, who shared their passion for the field.
The spring edition of TRINITY magazine will be in mailboxes soon, but you can read the wonderful stories about Trinity alumni and students in Chicago Connections —online now.
In this issue, discover…
- Celebrating Rigorous Academics through high rankings – 100% and #1 in Illinois in many areas
- Chicago Connections: just a few of the Trinity students and alumni engaged in Chicago in internships and positions
- Kuecker returns to Trinity as Provost
- Riddering named as VP for Enrollment
- Trinity is a Family Affair for the Rodriguezes
- Athletic news
- and so much more …