Trinity Christian College will never go away

Trinity Christian College will always have a special place in my heart. I'll never forget talking to a representative from Trinity during my senior year of high school. At the time, I thought I wanted to be a secondary history teacher, probably due to my love of all the social studies classes and teachers I had throughout my time at Richards High School.

This is me about fifteen years ago signing my first book, 20 Something, in my Trinity Christian College shirt.

When I visited Trinity for the first time as an 18-year-old, I fell in love with the small-knit community, the way it was tucked away behind bustling suburbia, and the way everything just seemed right for me there. For one reason or another, I did not end up entering Troll Nation that year; instead, I walked onto Moraine Valley Community College's grounds.

The same day I started classes there, I stepped inside the offices of the Moraine Valley Glacier newspaper, where, within two weeks, I was named the News Editor. The following year, I was running the show as Editor in Chief. I fell in love with journalism, and my desire to be a high school history teacher was but a distant memory. There was something about the satisfaction of pursuing the truth, honing my writing skills, being around like-minded individuals who shared that drive, and putting it all together on deadline that pushed me forward. So, when I was offered a summer scholarship to attend Eastern Illinois University, I didn't hesitate.

Wait a minute, Kevin. I thought you were going to write about Trinity. I'm getting there...I'm getting to it!

Like Trinity, I have fond memories of EIU, and I will always consider myself both a Panther and a Troll. Eastern's newspaper, The Daily Eastern News, didn't just inform, but it reminded everyone to "Tell the truth and don't be afraid." It's a motto that has stuck with me to this day as a journalism instructor, a role I have held for the last ten years at Crete-Monee High School.

My professors at Eastern were top-notch. They challenged you, respected you, and were always there for you. I have always recommended that school to anyone looking to go into that field. And I hope EIU can one day return to having a program as strong as it was when I was there. But that's a blog for another day.

As much as I loved my pursuit of the truth, something felt empty in my senior year at EIU. While I enjoyed writing, and still do (obviously, I am an author), I found what gave me the most pleasure in journalism was helping others grow in their crafts. One night, I had a dream, and in the dream, God came to me. I was sitting in an EIU classroom, and He said, "You shouldn't be here. You should be teaching English." It was the epiphany that I so desperately needed. Now, did I listen to Him right away? Of course not. I left EIU and tried my hand at a few different newspaper jobs, which had their moments, but they did not give me the fulfillment that I had hoped.

But that voice still stuck with me in the back of my head. Eventually, I found my way to Trinity, and it was like a breath of fresh air. For the last few years, I had grown apart from my faith. Trinity renewed it. In classes, we prayed before we began instruction. We took courses such as "Christian Worldview" and "Biblical Studies" as required under the education curriculum. I would argue that they were just as important as any other class I took. Like at EIU, the professors were caring, supportive, and challenging. Some even keep in touch with me to this day!

It was because of Trinity that I was referred to a position at Elim Christian Services, where I began a path working with a student who opened my eyes to a whole new faith and love for humanity. I developed a bond there that I will always cherish, and for those who know who I am referring to, you know.

Trinity was more than just a place; it was and will forever be the school that established who I am as an educator. I learned that I, like Jesus Christ, will show others respect in the classroom. I will humble myself to learn about others' pain and suffering. I will see the good in people and will strive to continue to embody the Trinity spirit in all that I say and do.

The world is broken, and we can see it when a wonderful little college, so much more than that, closes down. Students and staff walked by and greeted you with a smile. Their doors were always open. Bootsma Bookstore Cafe welcomed you with a fire and a treat. It provides an education not just for four years but for a lifetime, and I hope that all those who were there can continue to spread its message long after it's gone. Because like I said, once a Troll, always a Troll. God had a special place in mind for me. He knew that I should be a teacher when he sent that representative in high school, and he was just waiting for me to find my way.