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Trinity Christian College has been ranked one of the 2016 Best Colleges in Illinois by Niche. The rankings are based on a blend of statistics and student reviews.
“The Best Colleges ranking provides a comprehensive assessment of total quality of the education and experience provided by the college. This grade takes into account key factors such as the strength of the academic program, the aptitude of professors, the quality of campus amenities, the general character of student life, as well as student reviews in an attempt to measure the overall excellence of the college experience,” Niche says on its website. The analysis is based on records for 1,713 public and private, traditional four-year colleges and universities across the United States.
The latest report follows several other rankings that have highlighted Trinity, including recognition by The Economist, U.S. News & World Report, and MONEY.
Through prayer, song, spoken word, monologues, reflections, gospel music, and interpretive dance, Trinity Christian College celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream in the Ozinga Chapel on Jan. 18.
President Kurt D. Dykstra welcomed the hundreds of people of all ages who took part in the celebration. Dykstra shared one of King’s last prayers before his assassination on April 4, 1968: “God grant that we will be participants in this newness and this magnificent development. If we will but do it, we will bring about a new day of justice and brotherhood and peace. And that day the morning stars will sing together and the sons of God will shout for joy.”
Professor of History Dr. David Brodnax, Sr., reflected on King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. “We often focus on the end, but the beginning is not nearly as well known,” Brodnax said. King began his famous speech with a remembrance of Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, 100 years before King delivered his speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. King then discussed the state of affairs in 1963. “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free,” King said then.
Brodnax urged the audience to think about what King would find if he were alive today, where chain gangs have been replaced by school-to-prison pipelines and lynch mobs have been replaced by a mass murderer in a Charleston, S.C., church. Brodnax urged everyone to honor King’s legacy and continue his work.
Along with celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Black Student Union also recognized Assistant Professor of Psychology and Director of Adult Studies Psychology Program Tiffany R. King for her support.
Anyone who has watched all seven of the Star Wars films knows that the three prequels are “terrible,” Trinity Christian College President Kurt D. Dykstra told those at Chapel on Jan. 13. While the movies are terrible on many levels, the most egregious problem is the failure to convincingly demonstrate how Anakin Skywalker turned from the light side of the Force to the dark side to become Darth Vader—a villain so dastardly, he has been reproduced among the grotesques at the Washington National Cathedral. “It’s not a natural progression,” he told students, faculty, staff, and members of the Trinity community. “They failed to get to the point for two and a half movies, and then rushed in the last movie to make it work.”
According to Dykstra, that’s not a mistake the Psalmist makes in Psalms 1, which describes how the ways of the righteous and the wicked differ. Dykstra encouraged everyone to use the Psalms to guide their prayers. “Read the Psalms, pray the Psalms and make the Psalms your own,” he urged. “Grab hold of the Psalms and pray them.”
Dykstra also delved in to the Lord’s Prayer, and how the disciples may have reacted when hearing it for the first time. When considering the Lord’s Prayer, many often turn to the slightly longer version that appears in Matthew 6. Dykstra focused instead on the version that appears in Luke 11.
While the Matthew version appears as part of the Sermon on the Mount, Luke’s version follows a request by the disciples to Jesus to teach them to pray. “Luke gives us context,” Dykstra said. Yet the prayer Jesus taught his disciples would have a familiar ring to it—the sections of praise, petition, and thanks closely follow the structure of the Hebrew prayer Shemoneh Esrei, which Jesus’ followers would have heard their entire lives, said Dykstra.
Dykstra closed his meditation by performing a solo version of the Lord’s Prayer. He called it part of his own New Year’s resolution to sing more, and encouraged the Trinity community to expand on what they are, and can be, in 2016.
Chapel is held every Wednesday and Friday at 10am in the Auditorium at Ozinga Chapel.
Despite all our human intelligence, we have a desire for a higher entity. Associate Professor of Art and Design and Department Chair Ryan Thompson is expressing that desire through his piece “Hot Rocks,” which is part a German art gallery exhibit that opens on Jan. 14. The exhibit, “Echo of untouched matter,” is at the Lothringer13 Halle in Munich. “Echo of untouched matter tells of the curious human urge to act, to know, and to create,” according to the institution’s website. “It pursues ideas of friendly and humble co-existence. Two American, two Japanese, and two Munich artists act with a curious, respectful, or puzzled view of our relationships with other and unfamiliar life forms.”
Thompson takes seriously his responsibility as a Christian to promote renewal in work and life, bear witness to God’s grace, and encourage the exploration of belief, knowledge, and the physical world. As he says on his faculty homepage, “As an artist and educator, I continually seek out ways to promote renewal in the world, both in my personal practice and in my interactions with students.”
Thompson has visited the theme of “hot rocks” before. In 2014, he co-authored a book with Phil Orr called “Bad Luck, Hot Rocks: Conscience Letters and Photographs from the Petrified Forest.” The book brings together so-called conscience letters — the correspondences that former visitors to the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona send when they return stolen, and notoriously unlucky, rocks. In a review, “Los Angeles Times” book critic David L. Ulin described “Bad Luck, Hot Rocks” as “my favorite sort of book: a collection of detritus, overlooked and long forgotten, that adds up to an unexpected narrative.”
Along with Thompson’s piece, the exhibit includes works by Atsushi Wada, Jason Fulford, Katrin Petroschkat, Shimabuku, and Ulrich Gebert. “Echo of untouched matter” is scheduled to run through March 20. Lothringer13 Halle is an institution for international, contemporary art run by Jörg Koopmann and Dana Weschke and funded by the city of Munich.
For the Trinity Christian College community, 2015 was a year full of learning, growing, serving, and fun student activities.
We welcomed a new president and rejoiced in the beginning of a new era for the College. Students experienced learning outside the classroom throughout the Chicagoland area, some visited the great cathedrals of Europe, and many performed service work. Trinity Christian College was recognized as one of the top 25 regional baccalaureate colleges by U.S. News and World Report. Our Nursing program graduates celebrated an exceptional NCLEX-RN passing rate of 100%. We expanded our academics through new majors in bioinformatics, environmental science, and music production; we also enhanced our athletics by debuting intercollegiate men’s volleyball and women’s golf teams. We cheered proudly as our baseball, men’s golf, women’s volleyball, and women’s soccer teams, as well as individual cross country and track runners, advanced to national championships. Our students organized and played in a charitable dodgeball tournament, participated in a real-life version of Shark Tank, rocked out at the annual Black Light Dance, and did much, much more.
Here are just some of the highlights from 2015.
In its first-ever list of college rankings, The Economist magazine has placed Trinity Christian College among the top 15 colleges in Illinois for value.
Leveraging information from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard website for four-year non-vocational colleges, The Economist created its rankings based on the premise that the “economic value of a university is equal to the gap between how much money its students subsequently earn, and how much they might have made had they studied elsewhere.”
The Economist analyzed the class of 2001’s median income 10 years after graduation. It considered a variety of factors, including gender, race, the size of the college, average SAT scores and the number of students receiving Pell Grants for working-class students.
Based on multiple factors and analysis, The Economist found Trinity Christian College provides one of the best values in Illinois.
When George Edwin Taylor ran for president in 1904, fewer than 2,000 people voted for him. But as the first African American to run for the nation’s highest office, his bid was an historic one–even if it is little remembered. Professor of History Dr. David Brodnax, Sr., recently helped bring Taylor’s story to a wider audience during a discussion with NPR’s Linton Weeks.
Taylor ran for president as the candidate of the National Negro Liberty Party, sometimes known as the National Liberty Party. According to Brodnax, neither of the major parties would have considered nominating an African American candidate at that time. “Taylor, who had first been a Republican and then a Democrat, was the first to run for president because he was the first black politician who (1) no longer cared about what either major party thought of him and (2) was able to find allies among progressive whites who took the incredibly bold step of nominating him,” Brodnax told Weeks.
Yet despite Taylor’s ground-breaking candidacy, Brodnax said his story demonstrates that little has changed since then. “Today, African Americans overwhelmingly vote for a party that has been accused of taking their votes for granted while the other party seems to not at all support issues that matter to them. Most African Americans will not cast ballots for a third party, even when it nominates black candidates; for instance, the Green Party ticket of Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente in 2008, although to be fair in that campaign, black voters had the unprecedented choice of two different parties that had nominated a black person for president.”
As students, faculty, and staff returned for the first Chapel of the spring semester, Rev. Willis Van Groningen, Ph.D., Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Formation, reminded those in attendance that we are entering the season of Epiphany and that “God really is with us.”
Van Groningen’s message, entitled “A More Excellent Way,” made frequent references to popular television shows and even the latest “Star Wars” movie. But along with humor, he encouraged the Trinity community to remember the words of the Psalmist, who in Psalms 1 and 36 urges everyone to turn away from the ways of the wicked and towards the Lord. Van Groningen suggested five guidelines to accomplish that:
- We need to confess that we need to dethrone ourselves
- It would do us well to remember that we belong to God
- We need to participate in activities and practices that keep us focused on God’s ways in the world
- Be genuinely nice
- Screen your connections and delve more deeply in the world
Chapel is held every Wednesday and Friday at 10am in the Auditorium at Ozinga Chapel.
Written by Ellie Sterenberg ’17
With the institution of the alumnus of the year award in 1981, Trinity Christian College has sought to specially recognize graduates who have made an outstanding contribution to Trinity, their families, and their local communities. The College also recognizes as honorary alumni those who did not attend Trinity but have made similar lasting impacts. The criteria for both awards are
Excellence in vocation – this person stands out as an asset in their profession
Spiritual impact – this person is a Christian role model for students, nurturing faith and facilitating spiritual growth
Concern for students – this person is concerned with the welfare of the students, eager to help them learn and grow
Lasting influence – this person has a continuing influence on former students and has demonstrated a love for Christian higher education at Trinity
Trinity is proud to announce the winners of the 2015 Alumni of the Year Awards.
Alumna of the Year
Trinity Christian College has named Amy Nagelkirk ’92 the 2015 Alumna of the Year.
As a graduate of the College’s nursing program, Nagelkirk has proven to be an excellent example of a person who deeply cares about her profession and Trinity as an institution. After graduating, Nagelkirk sought to maintain connection with Trinity and provide a valuable resource to nursing students who would complete the rigorous program after her. Volunteering her own time and efforts, Nagelkirk helped create and now serves as the president of the new Trinity Alumni Nursing Association (TANA). The mission of TANA is to support the Department of Nursing through student-related activities, public relations, and fundraising, and to foster personal and professional relationships among alumni.
Nagelkirk largely credits the instruction and inspiration of her professors at Trinity as the reason she is in this spot today. Connected to professors like Lois Roelofs, Patsy Klaasens, Betty Doig, Connie Turner, and Kathy Sliekers, Nagelkirk states that even though she has not seen all of them in the past twenty years, the knowledge she received from them has informed every shift she has ever worked.
Nagelkirk’s first job out of college was at Loyola University Medical Center in the pediatric unit. From there, she spent eight years working in a family practice. For the past fourteen years, Nagelkirk has cared for patients in the family birth center at Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital.
Currently living in Western Michigan with her family, Nagelkirk hails from Wisconsin. She has been married to her husband Tom (also a ’92 graduate) for twenty-two years. They have three children: Drew, a current freshman at Trinity, Carly, and Trevor.
Trinity Christian College is pleased to honor Nagelkirk with this recognition.
Honorary Alum of the Year, Staff Category
The 2015 recipient of the Honorary Alum of the Year, Staff category is Nancy Kwasteniet.
Kwasteniet has been a valuable asset to Trinity Christian College for twenty years, first serving as a Special Education professor and later moving to the Office of Learning Services.
Because of her involvement in many different areas in the Trinity community, she has been a positive influence on a wide range of people. Over the course of her career, Kwasteniet has led students on eight interim trips throughout the world to India, Egypt, the Philippines, Central America, and South America.
A dedicated professional, Kwasteniet has presented at many conferences and participated on many committees at Trinity. Through her hard work in the Office of Learning Services, she facilitated and implemented the Bridge program and worked closely with many students who benefited from academic assistance.
The College thanks Kwasteniet for her dedication and extensive contribution to the Trinity community.
Honorary Alum of the Year, Faculty Category
The 2015 recipient of the Honorary Alum of the Year, Faculty category is Associate Professor Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell.
Previously an adjunct professor, high school teacher, and consultant, Boerman-Cornell joined Trinity’s full-time faculty in the education and English departments in 2005. While serving his first year at Trinity as the Director of Publications and Publicity, Boerman-Cornell earned his master’s degree. He completed his doctorate in literacy studies from The University of Illinois – Chicago in 2011.
The Trinity community holds a special place in Boerman-Cornell’s heart—as he battled cancer for the past five years, he felt the prayers that surrounded him.
One of Boerman-Cornell’s favorite memories from his time at Trinity was an interim class that he taught called College Pranks, in which students honed their prank-pulling skills and were able to implement them around campus for two weeks.
Boerman-Cornell continues to mentor his students with a touch of humor and a full heart of love and dedication. He greatly appreciates Trinity’s deep commitment to the liberal arts, and his own commitment to Trinity’s mission is clearly evident through his work.
The College thanks him for his efforts and is proud to recognize him as an honorary alum.
Honorary Alumni of the Year, Friends Category
Trinity Christian College recognizes Friends of the College Bill and Deb (Meyers) Davids as 2015 Honorary Alumni.
Bill was initially connected to Trinity through his father, who had been assisting Trinity with landscaping through the years. He attended night class at Trinity after he graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Horticulture and Landscape Nursery Management. Bill also continued to work with Trinity by serving its growing landscaping needs.
Trinity has been a blessing to Bill and Deb; they attend many events and are happy to see its growth, especially the addition of the new athletic fields. One of their fondest Trinity memories was the College’s 35th anniversary, held at the Chicago Symphony Center. They have been involved with and have enjoyed the company of each president, as well as Dr. Bootsma and Rick Van Dyken, faithful representatives of the College.
Bill grew up in Evergreen Park, Illinois, while Deb grew up in Palos Heights. This year, Bill celebrates his 40th anniversary with Clarence Davids & Company, where Deb works part-time as well.
The Davids have four adult daughters, three of whom are married. They have six grandchildren, three boys and three girls. Their greatest enjoyment comes from traveling to visit their children and grandchildren. They are active and involved members of Palos Heights Christian Reformed Church.
The Davids say they are blessed and humbled to receive this award. The College is equally blessed to honor them as honorary alumni.
Trinity had a total of 25 athletes earn scholar-athlete honors for the fall sports. Of those athletes, 15 were juniors or seniors academically with a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.4 and eligible for NAIA and NCCAA scholar-athlete recognition. An additional ten athletes were added to the list for the CCAC All-Academic Teams which also includes sophomores and has a 3.25 GPA standard. The list consists of student-athletes from both varsity and junior varsity programs.
Scholar-athlete honors went to athletes from the six fall sports teams.
Men’s Cross Country
Michael Potter (Kentwood, Michigan)
Women’s Cross Country
Jessica Disselkoen (Walker, Michigan)
Nicki Jager (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Leah Van Tol (Rock Valley, Iowa)
Golf*
Spencer Ten Haken (Sheboygan, Wisconsin)
Sam Andringa (Sheboygan, Wisconsin)
Jared Wallace (Crete, Illinois)
(*NCCAA scholar-athlete only, as NAIA and CCAC honors are released in the spring.)
Men’s Soccer
Ben Tjoelker (Johnstown, Ohio)
Chris Paepke (Brookfield, Wisconsin)
Maurcio Salgado (Wauconda, Illinois)
Jared Mulder (Delavan, Wisconsin)
Max Lucas (Hobart, Indiana)
Women’s Soccer
Liz Schutte (Grandville, Michigan)
Brenna Cesmat (Gilbert, Arizona)
Caitlin Smith (Riverside, California)
Tarryn South (Zeeland, Michigan)
Allison Rigg Gazdziak (Milton, Wisconsin)
Halie Wisse (Oostburg, Wisconsin)
Beth VandeGriend (Rock Valley, Iowa)
Jessica Slinkman (Orland Park, Illinois)
Caitlin VerVelde (Cedar Grove, Wisconsin)
Mariah Blasé (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Volleyball
Tori Mantel (Gainesville, Florida)
Michelle Busscher (Holland, Michigan)
Danielle Oeverman (Byron Center, Michigan)