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On April 21, at the opening ceremony of OPUS, Trinity’s Ethnic Diversity Committee presented the 2014-2015 Catherine Yonker Awards to the Dean of Students Mark Hanna, social work major Noel Huddleston ’17 of Homewood, Illinois, and history education major Christian Perry ’16 of Palos Heights.

Hanna, also former chair of the Ethnic Diversity Committee, was unanimously selected for his commitment to building healthy relationships among all students.

Huddleston’s work as the leader of Multicultural Clubs has led her to initiate and promote events that encourage unity and conversation. Likewise, Perry has served as the leader of the Black Student Union where he has planned several events that promote community engagement.

“While they are both gifted leaders, I believe their greatest gift is their love and respect for humanity,” said Dr. Jacqueline Moses, ethnic diversity committee chairperson. “Both Noel and Christian are image bearers of Christ in that they seek to know people as God does–with the heart–with no regard of race or ethnicity.”

The Ethnic Diversity Committee unanimously selected this year’s recipients after carefully reviewing each nomination. The committee seeks nominees who have made significant contributions toward accomplishing Christian race relations and cross-cultural understanding on campus.

Jessica Bordenaro ’15 of Lockport, Illinois, was recently selected from School District 146 for the South Suburban Reading Council Patricia Burnette Rising Star Award.

The award recognizes a student teacher who displays outstanding attributes. The recipient receives $250 toward building a future classroom library, as well as a one-year paid membership to the South Suburban Reading Council.: Student Teacher Receives Rising Star Award

 “Jessica took the initiative to learn the curriculum and came up with excellent ideas to make the students engaged learners. She was organized with her work and willing to share with colleagues. She related to the students well and made the classroom a fun place to learn,” said Bordenaro’s cooperating teacher, Mrs. Dian Schulz.

Bordenaro, or Miss B. as her students called her, completed two semesters at the Fierke Education Center in Oak Forest. One hundred hours of novice teaching in the fall led directly into a semester of student teaching in the spring.

 “I absolutely loved my time in 5th grade with Mrs. Schulz. Fierke is a wonderful school, and after my time there I feel much more confident and prepared as a teacher,” she said.

Bordenaro attended a dinner on April 22 to accept the award.

“Jessica did an excellent job in her student teaching role, and I knew she would be an outstanding candidate for the award,” Schulz said.

Ben Hoekstra ’17 of Andover, Minnesota, recently spoke alongside Chaplain Bill VanGroningen, Ph.D., at the Christian Reformed Church’s recent Prayer Summit conference at All Nations Christian Reformed Church in Lake View Terrace, California, from April 13-15.

Pastors and prayer leaders from across the United States and Canada gathered together to unite through prayer, in hopes of spurring a renewed movement in CRC churches across both nations.

“It was a unique and amazing opportunity to co-present at a conference with a member of Trinity’s staff,” Hoekstra said.

He and VanGroningen spoke of both the advantages and disadvantages digital natives face in regard to prayer and the technological landscape. They focused on the advantages of global connectivity and the possibility of praying over social media, but also the disadvantages of identity issues, the challenge of vulnerability, and loneliness.  

Hoekstra, head of the recently reinstated Prayer Ministry on campus, was grateful for the experience to share some of his insights.

“The ability to start a conversation about a topic that’s not necessarily being talked about yet was a meaningful experience to me,” Hoekstra said.

Hoekstra also presented his portion of the presentation at this year’s OPUS event.

The annual Celebration of Asia honored and showcased Asian culture with traditional cuisine and cultural performances on May 4. China, Burma, Korea and other countries were represented in the array of authentic dishes, including sushi, mochi, and kimichi.

After dinner, students sported the traditional attire of their respective countries. Students also performed a variety of traditional dances and music selections that showcased Chinese instruments.

The evening, which was hosted by the Asian American Alliance, included interactive activities, like creating origami, and ended with a time of praise and worship.

“The celebration was a huge success,” said Claire Edwards ’18 of Stevenson Ranch, California. “We were so fortunate to have so many people show up eager to learn about Asian culture and what Triple A is all about.  The performances were great; we even got a surprise performance of taekwondo.”

On April 27 and 28, Trinity welcomed 247 students from 12 different elementary and middle schools to campus in celebration of the annual Young Authors’ Festival.

The two day event has a 24-year history at Trinity. This year’s festival offered a packed schedule that included a meet-and-greet with guest speaker and children’s author Marissa Moss. On Tuesday, students who had won Young Authors’ awards returned to campus to participate in a day of celebration.

“This event takes a ton of collaboration between the schools that are participating, Trinity students and faculty, and the featured author,” said Kelly Lenarz ’99, assistant professor of Adult Studies Education.

“It is so great to see how we can all come together and work together in a positive way to make an impact on all those involved.”

Many of Trinity’s education students had the opportunity to teach and interact with the children.

“They were enjoying the event,” said So Hye Park ’15 of South Korea. “Sometimes some of the students looked like it was challenging [for them] to write a story, but they all made a wonderful story with their imaginations.”

The children were able to watch their stories be performed by Trinity’s improv team. They also participated in a writing workshop and attended a session with Moss as she spoke on creating storyline endings.

Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, associate professor of education, praised Moss’s efforts at the festival.

“Marissa did a fantastic job of connecting with students into the Monday night sessions,” Boerman-Cornell said. “She talked about her process of writing and illustrating books. During the Tuesday sessions, the activity she did with the students seemed to open them up to the possibilities of telling an illustrated story.”

About the Author

Marissa Moss has been publishing books for a long time. She has over 40 published stories, but is far from finished. She is always working on multiple projects at once, and loves finding the challenge in each new story. Moss is best known for her Amelia’s Notebook series, but also writes and illustrates a variety of other pieces including historical journals and young adult novels.

On May 6, Trinity student-athletes, coaches, and support personnel gathered for the 2015 Athletics Awards Night. The program included a review of the year’s sports season, reflections by two senior athletes, and an awards presentation that included recognition of Dennis Harms ’89, who has served as the men’s golf coach for the past four years, and the Athletic Department’s special awards. 

The Women’s Athletics and the Keith Albers Memorial Awards, the department’s highest honors, are career awards given to a female and male athlete who exhibit exemplary play on the athletic field, high achievement in the classroom, and leadership in campus activities. This year’s selections were Anna Bos ’15 of Rockford, Michigan, and Logan Vos ’15 of Ripon, California.

Bos is a four-year cross country and track runner. In cross country, she is a four-time NAIA national qualifier, a four-time all-conference selection, the 2015 CCAC Runner of the Year, an All-American, and the school record holder. On the track she holds school records in the multiple distance events. She has earned all-conference honors and is an indoor and outdoor season All-American. As a biochemistry major, she has excelled in the classroom and received scholar-athlete honors.   

Vos is a four-year athlete in both golf and men’s basketball. He led the golf team with the low average in each of his four years and for his career posted a 79.4 average. This past fall he made school history as the program’s first NCCAA national qualifier. On the basketball team, he was a team leader and a starter in his senior year. Academically, Vos, an accounting major, was a member of Trinity’s Honors Program and earned scholar-athlete honors.

For their outstanding individual accomplishments this year, volleyball and basketball player Erynn Schuh ’15 of Frankfort, Illinois, and cross country and track runner Cody Velthuizen ’17 of Lynden, Washington were named Athletes of the Year.  

As setter, Schuh led the team to a record number of victories and the program’s first NCCAA national title. She received highest honors as NCCAA National Player of the Year, as well as Conference Setter and Player of the Year. In addition, she was NCCAA and NAIA (Third Team) All-American and a scholar-athlete. For the year, she set school season records in assists and total serves. On the basketball team, Schuh started in nine basketball games and averaged 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds. 

Velthuizen led the men’s cross country team as the top runner in every meet. He was a NAIA national qualifier, and earned all-conference and NCCAA All-American honors. He was a NCCAA national qualifier in indoor track and placed third in three events at the outdoor CCAC Championships for all-conference honors.  

Recognizing a member of the Trinity community who has made a significant contribution to the athletics department, the Rich Kooy Award was presented to Tim Timmons, physical plant director. Over the past few years, Timmons, along with his staff, have done an outstanding job of meeting the extra demands faced with the construction and maintenance of the DeVos Athletics and Recreation Center and Schaaf Athletics Complex.   

Guest speakers, film, and interactive theater were all highlights of the English department’s biennial English Festival on April 30 and May 1.

Faculty and students welcomed Dr. Okaka Dokotum, a Ugandan professor and Fulbright Scholar at Northern Illinois University. Dokotum’s research focuses on African film adaptations of African literary work. He visited campus last December for a conversational interview time with host Dr. Michael Vander Weele, professor of English.

The festival began with a viewing of Djiril Diop Mabety’s film “Hyenas” on Thursday evening. Friday followed with a lecture by Dokotum, a luncheon in the Fireside Room, and a poetry reading. During the lecture, Dokotum spoke about his research on Hollywood and African films. He read various selections of poetry on the themes of politics and love.

On Friday evening, students attended a theater performance by Albany Park Theater Project in Chicago. The play, “Learning Curve,” takes the audience through an immersive experience of a Chicago public high school.

“I enjoyed the English festival because of the variety of events offered,” said Sara Henreckson ’15 of Hillpoint, Wisconsin. “Dr. Dokotum’s involvement ranged from a lecture to poetry reading. It was interesting to see both the depth and breadth of his work.”

Trinity’s Honors Society Committee recently hosted the 5th annual Trinity Scholars’ Dinner, celebrating the work of both Vander Velde Scholars and senior students in the Honors Program. The keynote address was presented by Trinity’s Samuel McCune ’06, collections manager and preparator for the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation.

The evening began with a gallery of scholarship showcasing student research projects for classmates, faculty and staff, and alumni to view.

The Outstanding Alumnus Research Award was presented to McCune and Professor John Bakker, professor of art and design. The award recognizes a Trinity graduate who demonstrates faithful service, outstanding scholarship, and successful research, as well as collaborative partnership between faculty and student.

During his presentation, McCune said that he came to Trinity knowing he wanted to focus on conceptual art. He showed some of the work he did during college, along with his VanderVelde Scholarship work with Bakker.

More about Samuel McCune ’06

McCune graduated from Trinity (Summa Cum Laude) with a double major in art studio and philosophy. Upon graduating, he had the opportunity to work with artist Sol Lewitt as a draftsman for one of his conceptual drawings – a highly competitive position.

While in New York, McCune met and married Karis Medina. Medina is an art historian and fiber artist.  Soon after they married, Sam was offered a job as the collections manager and preparator for the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation in Bethany, Connecticut. As such, he travels all over the world installing the works of Albers for various shows and exhibitions. The Foundation also offered his wife a position as a curatorial assistant.

McCune has also worked for Helly Nahmad Gallery in New York City, the studio of Spencer Finch, and the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

Gallery of Student Scholarship

Vander Velde Scholars

Susannah Strange
“Relationality and Reason in Reformed Philosophy”
Dr. Aron Reppman, mentor

Cassandra Nelson
“Chanting the Church Year: Theology and Practice”
Dr. Mark Peters, mentor

Joe Andringa
“The Effects of Vitamin D on Breast Cancer Cells”
Dr. Clay Carlson, mentor

Anna Bos and Jonathan Koonce
“Enhancing Lanthanide Binding Affinity and LRET of Proteins”
Dr. Michael Bosscher, mentor

Patrick Page
The Effects of Oxygen Levels, Serum Concentration, and Heat Inactivation on mRNA Expression of “Paracrine Factors in Mesenchymal Stem Cells”
Dr. Bob Boomsma, mentor

Honors Students

Molly Gobelli and Rebecca Vannette
“Effects of Perceived Stress & Coping Methods – A Study of of Trinity Christian College Nursing Majors”
Professor Tina Decker, mentor

Kaitlyn Claerbaut
“Depression in Cardiopulmonary Illness”
MaryAnn Colletti, mentor (adjunct professor of nursing)

Hannah Wasco
“1800 U.S. Presidential Election”
Dr. John Fry, mentor

Kerry Garrison
“Participating in Chicago Theatre through Directing”
Dr. John Sebestyen, mentor

Matthew Wydra
“Organizational Consulting Team Leadership”
Dr. Rick Hamilton, mentor

Michael Kunnen
“Christian Ethics on the Field of Metagenomics”
Dr. Clay Carlson, mentor

Taylor Boice
“Organizational Consulting: Learning & Leading”
Dr. Rick Hamilton, mentor

Logan Vos
“Organizational Consulting”
Dr. Rick Hamilton, mentor

Kathryn Woodside
“Gender Dominance in Student Choice Book Awards”
Dr. Bill Boerman-Cornell, mentor

Adam Suwyn
“The Dilemma of Non-Profit Strategy”
Dr. Rick Hamilton, mentor

Jessica Jacobi
“DNA: The Code of Life”
Dr. Clay Carlson, mentor

Simona Sidaugaite
“Race Issues”
Samantha Schultz, mentor (adjunct professor of political science)

Kristen Blok
“Mindfulness & Food: A Calling to Intentional Living”
Dr. Mary Lynn Colosimo, mentor

Biology major Jessica Jacobi ’15 of San Marcos, California, recently hosted the Junior Trolls Science Fair as part of the honors work for her major project.

Held in Trinity’s Heritage Science Center, the fair welcomed 60 students from Daystar Academy, Masters Academy, and a local homeschool group and focused on DNA in the fields of physics, chemistry, molecular biology, and ecology.

“To be able to teach students about how crazy awesome God’s creation is through science and to shape their understanding of the world is something that makes me really excited,” Jacobi said.

“The students had a great time making DNA models, seeing the greenhouse in the science center, and mimicking different experiments that helped discover DNA,” Jacobi said.

Jacobi, who plans to someday teach science at the high school level, decided to host the fair as a culmination of her passion for education and science. She credits the success of the fair to the planning, organizing, and communicating of all the people who helped her create the event.

Chaplain Bill VanGroningen’s Spiritual Formation class travelled to Breakthrough Ministries this month to help prepare and serve a meal for guests.

The ministry, located in Chicago’s East Garfield Park, seeks to be a positive influence, serving thousands of youth and homeless each year.  

Students observe a number of spiritual disciplines, including prayer, scripture reading, fasting, worship, and service. Classroom practices involve dwelling on a portion of Psalm 119, taking turns leading prayer, and offering testimonies.

The students have participated in individual acts of service, but the group intended this opportunity to be one of communal service.

“We offer ourselves, to serve on terms set by others,” said VanGroningen.