Strategic Plan: Our Mission

The mission of Trinity Christian College is to provide Biblically informed liberal arts education in the Reformed tradition. Our heritage is the historic Christian faith as it was reshaped in the Reformation, and our fundamental basis of governance and instruction is the infallible Word of God as interpreted by the Reformed standards. The Reformed world view affirms the Biblical truths that creation is the work of God, that our world has fallen into sin, and that redemption is possible only through the gracious work of Christ. From these beliefs arise the convictions that those who teach and learn are called to be coworkers with Christ in subjecting all cultural activities to the reign of God, and that genuine education must involve the whole person as a thinking, feeling, and believing creature.

In all programs, including the liberal arts and sciences, professional and preprofessional preparation, we strive to offer the highest quality of instruction to prepare students for excellence in further study and careers beyond Trinity. We seek to graduate students who are well equipped to bring the discipline of rigorous academic work into their chosen vocations and the practice of Christ-like service toward others into their personal and public lives. All programs are grounded on a core of foundational studies that address the enduring issues and questions of human experience and teach students to explore and apply the implications of a Reformed world-and-life view to all areas of learning, living, and working. Students are encouraged to evaluate their lives in relationship to God, to others, and to all of creation. Since we view vocation as a divine calling, we offer in addition to traditional liberal arts and sciences a variety of professional majors, and all professional programs include experiential application in off-campus field education or internships. We actively encourage students to take advantage of the cultural and professional opportunities of the Chicago area and to gain a better understanding of contemporary urban issues.

Our focus is upon those students whose needs, strengths, and goals correlate with our strengths as an independent Christian liberal arts college of Reformed character. Our principal student population will be those of traditional college age, with a large proportion living on campus. A secondary population will be served by programs designed for non-traditional adult learners and graduate students. Although we expect to grow in numbers, we also seek growth in pursuit of academic quality and not simply growth for its own sake.

In keeping with a philosophy of education that is based on these principles, all members of the academic community — faculty, staff, and students — endeavor to provide an educational environment of Christian integrity and love that enhances and supports the entire learning experience. We seek committed Christian faculty members who strive to grow continuously in their faith and Christian perspective on learning, who demonstrate effective teaching skills, who commit themselves to foster the total development of students as individuals, and who practice scholarship as a contribution to the education of a larger constituency.

Because our mission in Christian higher education is not limited by ethnic or cultural differences, we consciously seek to develop a multi-ethnic, multinational, and multi-denominational student body. The major criteria for admission are academic potential, an explicit desire to participate in the unique

Trinity experience, and a readiness to be an active member of a community based on the Biblical requirements of justice, humility, and love.