Driving through the suburb of Palos Heights, Illinois, a visitor could very easily pass the campus of Trinity Christian College and not even realize that he/she had done so. Tucked between a small patch of woods and a quiet subdivision, the beautiful campus stretches over what used to be a golf course. The college is not only a home to students, but many small critters would like to call it home as well. In fact, I think there might be more squirrels than students. It’s quite hard to find such a place so close to the “Windy City,” Chicago, Illinois.
The factor that attracted me to Trinity is that it is a small Christian liberal arts college.
First a word on the size. There are approximately 550 to 600 students at Trinity. About two-thirds of the students live in the three spacious dorms, while the remaining one-third commute. As you can imagine, it doesn’t take very long to get to know most everybody. It is definitely not a place to go if you want to get lost in the crowd.
However, attending a small college creates some advantages in receiving a quality education. Most of the class sizes are quite small. Although you might find some core classes with forty to fifty students, a majority of the classes, particularly the concentrated classes, have between five to twenty students. This type of class size allows for more open discussions, and one on one teaching, than you would find in larger classes. The professors are very willing to continue discussions outside of the classroom. It is up to the student as to how he/she will use this opportunity to further his/ her education.
Secondly, Trinity is a Christian College. Although classified as non-denominational for support reasons, most of the professors are Christian Reformed or Reformed. This becomes quite evident through their lectures. Whether the class is Bible, English, Nursing, or Business, the teachings in and outside of the classroom bring up Christian ethics with a Reformed perspective on that particular subject. In my business classes, I was taught how to view different situations in the workplace from a Biblical perspective. Personally, I think this is one of the most important things to look for in a college.
And finally, Trinity is a liberal arts college. Although it doesn’t have as many programs as larger colleges or universities, Trinity offers all of the basic degrees. Nursing and Business are two of the stronger fields of study, which stems from being so close to Chicago. This allows for students to participate in internships in local hospitals and businesses. This provides for excellent hands-on training to go along with the book knowledge.
If a student applies himself/herself correctly, the future Trinity graduate will have a solid college education.
I thoroughly enjoyed my four years at Trinity, and I recommend it as an excellent place for a Christian young person to further his studies and receive a solid education.
Kevin Van Overloop is a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Walker; Michigan.