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Students who take Dr. Rick Hamilton’s BUAD 384 class spend a semester learning about leadership. “Who are you? Who does God want you to be? And what does it take to be a leader?” are some of the questions Hamilton raises in his class.

Through the Leadership Speaker Series, those students, along with members of the community, had the opportunity to hear from leaders in a variety of settings—non-profit, for-profit, and ministry.

Recently Rev. Bob Bouwer, senior pastor at Faith Church in Dyer, Ind., spoke about leadership in ministry at the closing session of the series. “Leadership requires insane strength,” said Bouwer, whose father was also a minister. A graduate of Northwestern College and Western Theological Seminary, Bouwer began his ministry serving an urban church in Fort Lee, N.J. In 1990, he came to Faith Church in Dyer, Ind., which now has eight locations, including a site in Puerto Rico.

In a discussion led by Evan Witmer ’20, Bouwer described seven elements that have shaped his leadership:
1)    Seeing leadership, beginning as a student.
2)    Discovering leadership gifts
3)    Learning about leadership
4)    Experiencing leadership
5)    Picking a leader and becoming an expert in that person’s life
6)    Having visionary leadership
7)    Focusing on spiritual leadership

Bouwer also discussed the importance of mentoring. “Mentoring is huge in my life on the receiving end and on the giving end,” he said. He urged students to pick a mentor and study that person. Peer learning is also a significant part of his leadership.

When asked for advice, Bouwer urged attendees to remember that leadership begins with God. Leaders must also know their own strengths and weaknesses and be life-long learners. Christian leaders must also be humble. “God has forced me to be humble,” he said.

Students who take Dr. Rick Hamilton’s BUAD 384 class spend a semester learning about leadership. “Who are you? Who does God want you to be? And what does it take to be a leader?” are some of the questions Hamilton raises in his class.

Now those students, along with members of the community, have the opportunity to hear from leaders in a variety of settings—non-profit, for-profit, and ministry, through the Leadership Speaker Series.

Recently, Aaron Ozinga ’03, president of Ozinga Materials, Inc. and a member of the Board of Trustees of Trinity, offered his perspectives on “For Profit Settings” in a discussion led by Jonathan Zandstra ’17.

According to Ozinga, leadership starts with oneself. “If you aren’t practicing your values, people pick up on that,” he said.

Ozinga Bros. Inc. is a fourth-generation conglomerate currently run by Ozinga, his five brothers, and one cousin. They decided it was important to explicitly define their values, which they identified as “Servant, student, entrepreneur.”

“We are a big company, so you might think we are focused on metrics. But we are very focused on our values,” Ozinga said. “We’re not looking at sales figures, but how we exemplify those core values.”

Ozinga explained, “We make it clear to people in opening introductions what we are about. It comes down to trust.”

On Friday, April 1 at 11 a.m., Rev. Bob Bouwer, Senior Pastor at Faith Church in Dyer, Ind., will speak on “Ministry.” This presentation will take place in the Vermeer Fireside Room. Guests are welcome to attend. Registration is not required. For more information, call 708.239.4806 or email dennis.harms@trnty.edu

–Rachel Townsend ’16

Coming to Trinity, “floods of memories” rushed over Rev. Jul Medenblik ’82, president of Calvin Theological Seminary. He returned to campus to present, “From Lawyer to Seminary President: How Can We Discern our Calling?”

After all, Medenblik has had a transformative career path. He met his wife Jackie [Klain] ’82 at Trinity, where he received a degree in philosophy. He earned his Juris Doctor degree cum laude from the University of Floridaand began working as an associate at a Florida law firm. However, he felt the call to minister. He eventually left the law and graduated from Calvin Theological Seminary in 1995. Medenblik then accepted a position as founding pastor at a Christian Reformed Church plant in New Lenox, Ill. Returning to his religious roots, he became president of Calvin Theological Seminary in 2011.

Medenblik’s personal journey reflected his larger beliefs on one’s sense of calling. “People go through different transitions,” he said. Trinity students may feel a variety of callings when choosing a major and future career, pulling them in different directions. When discovering callings and choosing those to follow, he said we must first remember to be a faithful disciple of Christ. However, we must also focus on our specific calling, callings that are “bigger than any one story… but that also include your story,” he emphasized. Looking at our affinities, abilities, and experiences will help discern our callings.

Medenblik suggested that community best forms one’s calling. Trinity’s wide and supportive community will shape our callings, helping us to “face the future with hope.”

The students in Trinity’s SPED 330 class “Communication and Collaboration in Special Education: Strategies and Methods” are augmenting their classroom work with unique, international hands-on experience. They are creating Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for 10 disabled students, who happen to be half a world away in Africa, according to Prof. Christine Scholma, assistant professor of special education. Students have this opportunity thanks to connections between Trinity, Elim Christian Services International Outreach and the Alexander DeJong Center for Special Education.

“They aren’t just writing goals for practice,” said Scholma, who serves as co-director of the DeJong Center. “They are experiencing the process. As a teacher, I see so much benefit to this.”

The Trinity students are forging the international collaboration with En-Gedi Children’s Home in Kenya, a school for children with disabilities. Educating students with disabilities is counter cultural in Kenya, so resources are lacking at every level, according to Scholma. With regular updates and communications from the staff at En-Gedi, which has a partnership with Elim, Trinity students are designing modified plans with student-specific information, a modifications and accommodations page, and three educational goals for every student. For each of these goals, the students will be preparing activity kits, according to Scholma.

“There is no formal education for many children with disabilities in Kenya, and we want to support the efforts of this school,” said Scholma. “I really threw this out to my students, and they are putting it into practice.”

At the end of the semester, Scholma and her students will evaluate the success of the IEPs. It’s possible that subsequent SPED 330 classes will continue to follow the students at En-Gedi to update and rewrite the IEPs every year, Scholma said.

Students who take Dr. Rick Hamilton’s BUAD 384 class spend a semester learning about leadership. “Who are you? Who does God want you to be? And what does it take to be a leader?” are some of the questions Hamilton raises in his class.

Now those students, along with members of the community, have the opportunity to hear from leaders in a variety of settings—non-profit, for-profit, and ministry, through the Leadership Speaker Series.

In the first session of the series, Prof. Kyle Harkema, assistant professor of business at Trinity, provided a framework for comparison between the different fields. In a discussion led by Emily Dykstra ’16, Harkema discussed his own experiences with leadership. “Leadership is a journey,” said Harkema. Before joining Trinity in 2012, Harkema served as assistant administrator of Maximum Hospice and Palliative Care Inc. in Munster, Ind. Before that, he spent eight years building a transportation business with his family.

He recalled the advice his grandfather gave him: “Do the best you can with the gifts that God has given you.”

He also provided his own advice to the audience, including six key takeaways:

1. Leadership is a journey
2. Learn to adapt
3. Say yes when opportunities come
4. Find mentors
5. Mentor others
6. Just because you are young doesn’t mean you can’t be a leader

Trinity Board of Trustees member Dr. Laura Zumdahl ’02, president and CEO of New Moms, Inc., provided perspective on “A Non-Profit Look” at the second session, which was moderated by Evan Geels ’16 and Mark Vanderzee ’16. Zumdahl’s organization provides services to homeless and near-homeless adolescent parents and their children, allowing them to work toward economic independence and family stability.

Zumdahl graduated from Trinity with a B.A. in sociology, and then went on to earn 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. Before joining New Moms, she served as vice president, nonprofit services at Donors Forum and has held a variety of leadership roles in the nonprofit sector in legal aid, higher education, and child welfare.

She discussed several myths of non-profit work: that those who can’t succeed in the for-profit sector can always find jobs at non-profits; that those working in non-profits don’t make any money; and that many people only go into non-profit work as a second career.

“I would argue that non-profit work is the most important in society,” she said, pointing out that many institutions of higher education and healthcare are non-profits. “I want to hire the best staff I can, not those who can’t cut it in the for-profit sector.”

She told the audience that this type of work requires great leaders who are brave and bring their best selves to their work. “There may be moments that are really challenging, but I never wonder if what I do matters,” she said.

The TBN Leadership Speaker Series continues on March 30 at 11 a.m., when Aaron Ozinga, president of Ozinga Materials, Inc., will speak on “For Profit Settings.” On Friday, April 1 at 11 a.m., Rev. Bob Bouwer, Senior Pastor at Faith Church in Dyer, Ind., will speak on “Ministry.” Both events will take place in the Vermeer Fireside Room.

Guests are welcome to attend either or both of the remaining speaking engagements. Registration is not required. For more information, call 708.239.4806 or email dennis.harms@trnty.edu.

Trinity is proud to announce a 100% pass rate for all graduating students from our Master of Arts in Special Education program on the Learning Behavior Specialist II Behavior Intervention Specialist Exam. By passing the exam, each student’s teaching license will include the Behavior Intervention Specialist Endorsement.

“Not only did all of our graduating students from the first cohort pass the exam, but each student passed it after taking it for the first time,” said Professor Sara Baille, assistant professor of special education. “It’s a great honor for the students and Trinity and worth celebrating.”

Trinity’s Master of Arts in Special Education program was launched in fall 2014, and is the only special education master’s degree program in Illinois to combine the LBS II Behavior Intervention Specialist endorsement with the ability to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst Examination (BCBA) after graduation. The students from the first cohort are graduating this April and will spend the summer preparing to take the BCBA exam in the fall.

Trinity Christian College is pleased to announce that it has named Rick Riddering vice president for enrollment, effective March 15. In this role, Riddering will oversee admissions and financial aid and work closely with other campus offices. He will sit on the President’s Council, along with other vice presidents at Trinity. Since 2011, Riddering has served as assistant professor and director of the Adult Studies Business program at the College.

Before joining Trinity, Riddering held posts in higher education at Purdue University Calumet in the areas of student life, orientation, recruiting, and career services. He also has served as the vice president of marketing and professional development at South Holland (Ill.) Trust & Savings Bank. Riddering began his career working in the areas of public relations, marketing, management, training, and team development for companies and organizations of various sizes, including Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox. He holds an MEd. from the University of Illinois and a BA in Communication/Public Relations from Purdue University Calumet.

Throughout his career, Riddering has found success in leading teams, training, leadership development, sales and marketing, and growing the organizations with which he has worked.

“I’m especially humbled to have been named to this key role at Trinity Christian College,” Riddering said. “And I look forward to working with my staff, President Dykstra and the rest of the President’s Council to grow the enrollment of this fine institution. I’m especially looking forward to meeting more alums and friends of the college as we plan to expand our reach for bringing more awareness to the educational opportunities offered by Trinity.”

At Trinity Christian College, we focus on preparing our graduates for success after college. So we are proud to announce that in 2015, Trinity’s Accounting Program graduates had the highest pass rate and average exam score in the state on the CPA exams administered by the Illinois Board of Examiners, among schools with 35 or more parts taken. Trinity students averaged a 70 percent pass rate, while the state average is 50 percent.

“The CPA exam doesn’t just test accounting knowledge,” said Dr. Lynn Spellman White, professor of accounting. “For example, the BEC [Business Environment Concepts] section includes economics, management, strategy, finance, IT, and more. This shows the strength of our overall business program.”

As White points out, 29 Illinois schools had 35 or more exam sections taken during 2015. “Our students have outperformed extraordinary programs like the University of Chicago, Northern Illinois University, DePaul University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign,” said White.

Anyone sitting for the exam in Illinois must have completed 150 semester hours, with at least 30 credit hours in accounting. That means many people taking the exam have at least a master’s degree. “We fit all the requirements into four years here at Trinity, which is fairly unusual and beneficial to our students,” said White.

A multitude of voices were lifted in praise during the recent annual Gospel Fest, which drew a crowd to Ozinga Chapel to sing, pray, and praise the Lord.

“We hoped to invite attendees into a conversation between God and the people,” said Professor Nicole Saint-Victor, worship coordinator, who directed Trinity’s Gospel Choir at the event. Joining Trinity’s talented students and faculty were recording artist Joey Merichko, the Freedom Church Praise Dance Team, and others who brought their gifts to an evening filled with song, spoken word poetry, and sacred dance.

Gospel Fest was presented by the music department in collaboration with the Black Student Union and the Ethnic Diversity Committee.

The Athletics Department of Trinity Christian College has named Eric Salley as the new head coach of the men’s soccer program. Salley comes to Trinity from Spring Arbor University in Michigan where he served as an assistant coach to their men’s program for the past three seasons.

“Our search for a new head men’s soccer coach brought forth several excellent candidates and made the decision of the search committee very difficult,” commented Athletics Director Bill Schepel. “In the end, we feel we have landed an outstanding leader for the program in Eric Salley. His experiences at like-minded institutions as both a player and an assistant coach give him a keen understanding of the culture of Trinity Christian College. In addition, his involvement in all coaching aspects of the top notch program at Spring Arbor has prepared him well to take this next step in his career and to make our men’s soccer program a highly competitive one in the CCAC.”

“I am excited about the people, the mission, and the vision at Trinity,” said Salley. “From the leadership to the students, the vision is being lived out and executed daily.  I thank Athletics Director Bill Schepel and the search committee for giving me the chance to lead this team and I am honored to be able to represent Trinity.”

As an assistant coach at Spring Arbor, Salley aided in all facets of their men’s soccer program from game strategy to recruiting as well as managing the team’s fitness and conditioning. In addition, he has coaching experience as an assistant with Lansing United, a National Premier Soccer League team, and as the head coach of a U16 boys’ club team. Salley has also served as a strength and conditioning intern with Sporting Kansas City, an American professional soccer club, where he aided the coaching staff in practice and fitness development.

Before entering the coaching ranks, Salley was a four-year student-athlete and two-year captain on the soccer team at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.  He was a part of the 2011 squad that finished with a 19-2-1 record and made their program’s first NAIA national tournament appearance.

Salley received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Taylor in 2012. He has also earned certification as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist and has worked as a personal trainer.  In addition, he has Premier, Advanced National, and National level diplomas from the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA).

Salley is eager to begin his work at Trinity and to start the process of building relationships with the current team members, recruiting for the future, and implementing his vision. He, along with his wife Amanda and son Daven, will make the transition to Trinity this spring and he will assume his coaching duties.

“My vision for the program is to create an environment where everyone involved in the program, starting with me, gives relentless effort and possesses a competitive attitude,” commented Salley. “If we can build that foundation, I am certain we will experience success.”