The Trinity Perspective - Summer 2022

SUMMER 2022

Find Your “Why” Trinity’s Class of 2021 hits highest placement rate in University history

Within six months of graduating, more than 98% of Trinity’s Class of ’21 were either employed, continuing their education, or engaged in military/volunteer-oriented service.

This 98% placement rate is the highest in University-recorded history, and it’s no anomaly—it’s the culmination of a rising, multi-year trend of Trinity graduates outperforming the national placement rate average by double figures.

What makes Trinity students so special?

We’ve known that for a long time. Across an impossibly varied and diverse set of new jobs and internships, postgraduate studies, and service opportunities, Trinity graduates have been able to combine specialized skills and knowledge with the universal values of a liberal arts degree: problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking.

But Trinity is also a perfect place to find your WHY—the motivation that drives you. This could be a calling to service, the chance to create something new, or the thrill of re-inventing yourself.

Don’t have your “why” yet? That’s OK, too. Flip through these pages to see how our students have found theirs.

The Trinity Perspective magazine offers a glimpse into the many ways Trinity University prepares students to lead lives of meaning and purpose. Trinity is known for its stimulating, resourceful, and collaborative environment, filled with students who want an education that instills confidence, inspires curiosity, and ignites change. Flip through these pages to see for yourself!

Get Connected Join the conversation: Facebook: @TrinityUniversity Twitter: @Trinity_U and @TrinityU_Admiss Instagram: @trinityu and @trinityuadmissions

Have a question for a current student?

Email your questions to our current students at AskATiger@trinity.edu.

Have a question for an admissions officer, faculty member, or other staff member?

Email us at admissions@trinity.edu and we’ll get it answered.

THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS Trinity University One Trinity Place San Antonio, Texas 78212 admissions@trinity.edu www.trinity.edu/admissions 1-800-TRINITY

About Trinity Trinity University is a private, residential, co-educational institution in the heart of vibrant, intercultural San Antonio.

Trinity offers its 2,500 undergraduate students a hands-on education rooted in the liberal arts and sciences that integrates conceptual and experiential learning, emphasizes undergraduate research, and develops strong leadership skills.

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Serving, Healing, Growing Pre-med student called to save and improve lives

by Jeremy Gerlach

Devon Patel ’21, a neuroscience major from Las Vegas, Nevada, knew he wanted to be a physician before coming to Trinity.

At Trinity, Devon discovered that his “why”—why he wanted to be a physician—was the fuel he needed to get through some tough times.

“At a lot of schools, you might see pre-meds who aren’t really into it. They’re just doing [pre-med] because their parents told them to or it is expected of them,” says Devon, now in medical school at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences in Ohio.

“But when you know who you are, and why you’re doing what you’re doing, that’s what’s really helpful when times get hard and it enables you to persevere.”

Devon keeps his “why” on a small sticky note above his desk. It reads, simply: ‘To make a positive difference.’

At Trinity, Devon had access to the University’s prehealth professions program, a collaborative liberal arts curriculum, and strong faculty support, all of which helped him maintain sight of that motivation.

There were plenty of moments of doubt for Devon.

“I remember pretty much failing my first Organic Chemistry II test,” he says, “and being on the phone crying with my mom, asking, ‘How am I going to be a doctor if I can’t do this and pass these tests?’”

But for each one of these moments, Devon found new sources of support at Trinity. As an underclassman, he connected with the Health Professions Advising Committee, which matches pre-med students with mentors and partners to explore healthcare professions, offer invaluable advice about managing undergraduate course loads, and help participants connect with opportunities for service, clinical shadowing, and networking.

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Devon then became interested in neuroscience, enjoying classes with professors such as Kah-Chung Leong, who became Devon’s research principal investigator. In Leong’s lab, Devon worked to understand the neural mechanisms involved in issues of addiction. Devon also discovered interests outside of STEM, taking an Asian religions course with Randall Nadeau that he says helped him reconnect with a bit of his family heritage.

Even as a global pandemic disrupted Devon’s world, he emerged from his time at Trinity all the more ready to make an impact. “Seeing the immense burden that has been put on the healthcare system recently and all of the people that do need help, it’s actually re-invigorating,” Devon says. “I’m (going into medicine) so I can go out there and help people.”

In Toledo, Devon is already getting the chance to volunteer with other students in his program at the city’s system of CommunityCare Clinics, one of the largest student-run free health clinics in the nation. “It is amazing to be a part of, especially now that I know all the work these clinics are doing during the pandemic,” he says.

Devon urges future Trinity students to find their “whys,” too.

“When you’re struggling, you naturally ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’” Devon says. “And in that moment, I remember it’s because I want to help people. I want to engage in the scientific community and work to improve the human condition. Something I experienced at Trinity is that there are always going to be tough times.

No matter what. It is important to persevere and constantly return back to your why.”

Hungry To Do More Anthropology major ready to fight injustice in food, health, and nutrition

by Jeremy Gerlach

Paige Wallace ’21, an anthropology major from Austin, Texas, came to Trinity without knowing how—or where— she wanted to make a difference in the world.

Paige just knew that she wanted to make one, and that’s a start. “I didn’t even have anthropology on my radar at all,” she says.

As a first-year student, she enjoyed taking her First-Year Experience (interdisciplinary courses required of all entering students) on the topic of social justice with sociology and anthropology professor Alfred Montoya. “The way that he introduced these topics of racism and sexism—all the ‘isms’—as things we could work to dismantle and change, he framed it in a way that really was a call to action, and it was just really inspiring to me. That just clicked. And I thought, ‘This is what I want to spend my life working on and thinking about.’”

Spurred by this experience, Paige went on to focus on medical anthropology, which examines how structural systems affect health, as well as taking on a minor in gender studies.

As an undergraduate at Trinity, Paige had opportunities to explore these subjects beyond the classroom, too. She interned with various social justice nonprofits such as The Borgen Project, The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, and The Food Policy Council of San Antonio.

And that’s all while balancing her time between multiple interests: as a student-athlete, she played goalkeeper for Trinity’s soccer team; as a student journalist, she covered sports for the Trinitonian, the University’s campus newspaper; and she also found time to serve as a social justice tutor for her peers.

Paige also enjoyed Trinity’s unique approach to Greek life (Trinity has no nationally-affiliated chapters, focusing instead on a collection of independent sororities and fraternities), where she joined the Spurs sorority. She also joined campus organization Partners in Health Engage, a student group committed to making health a human right by advancing the goals of the global health organization Partners in Health, and enjoyed studying abroad in Switzerland as part of a Global Health and Development Policy program.

After graduating, Paige’s experiences within the nonprofit sector prompted her to pursue an AmeriCorps VISTA position with Feeding Texas, a nonprofit that works with 21 member food banks across Texas to eliminate hunger in the state. AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program where members help similar organizations working to alleviate poverty.

At Feeding Texas, Paige works with the Community Health and Nutrition team to develop, evaluate, and monitor nutrition education and health programs that member food banks implement within their communities. “When I was younger, I was just trying to understand why this is even happening: How do people not have access to food? How can food not be a basic human right? Why is this something that’s up in the air for millions of people? This is so fundamentally wrong that I couldn’t sit by and do nothing.”

Paige says she is now moving from asking “why” to a more important step.

“Now that I’ve graduated, I’m still continuing to learn and grow. But I’m less in a space of asking why our world is the way that it is,” she says, “and more in a space where I have the tools to start doing something about it.”

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Key Change

Music major finds new way to launch entertainment career

by Jeremy Gerlach

Ethan Jones ’21 had his future as an aspiring performance pianist taken away.

A music major from Fort Worth, Texas, Ethan developed tendonitis in his wrists while at Trinity-a cruel twist of fate for someone who says he “loved playing the piano, loved playing the double bass in the orchestra, and loved ringing bells in the handbell ensemble.”

So, in true Trinity fashion, Ethan simply created a new future for himself. From scratch, he built a unique, interdisciplinary second major in entertainment business. “I really looked at myself in the mirror and said, ‘Well, I have my tendonitis and I can’t pursue music as much as I wanted to anymore. What else am I really passionate about that I can lean into?’ And it morphed into my fascination with the business of Hollywood and understanding of how access to streaming viewership and theatrical box office data is truly disrupting film and television consumption.”

Creating this second major involved “a little bit of everything” that Ethan had already started at Trinity, where Trinity’s approach to the liberal arts creates countless opportunities to combine disciplines in unique ways. He folded in a research component, combined elements of Trinity’s communication and music departments, such as media classes and performance courses, and also leaned on the

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professional experience of Trinity’s Arts, Letters, and Enterprise program, a unique, interdisciplinary Trinity experience that helps students (usually in the humanities and social sciences) find ways to integrate business with their primary areas of interest.

This pivot ended up landing Ethan a spot as a graduate student in Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious entertainment industry management program.

As a graduate student, Ethan is part of the 31% of his graduating class who are continuing their education after leaving Trinity. (In case you’re wondering, about 75%of all graduating Trinity students pursue graduate school within five years of graduation). Ethan also works remotely as a growth marketing strategy intern at HBO Max, where he’s in charge of looking at viewership data for shows such as Euphoria, Insecure, and Succession, uncovering insights that will ultimately expand the subscriber base for HBO Max. Ethan is even going to intern at the Cannes Film Festival in France this summer, then he plans on moving to Los Angeles to intern for United Talent Agency.

If that sounds like the coolest thing ever: “Well, that’s because it is,” Ethan says. “It truly does feel like a dream come true, thanks in part to the astute mentors and irreplaceable friends I gained at Trinity.”

Finding Your Missing Piece

Psychology student balances nonprofit experience with graduate school goal

by Jeremy Gerlach

Elsie Duran ’21, a psychology major from Managua, Nicaragua, came to Trinity to solve a very specific type of puzzle.

“What I like the most about psychology is being able to sit with a person and fully understand how their actions affect them,” Elsie says. “It’s like being able to pull apart pieces of a puzzle that make up a person.”

Now an alumna, Elsie is applying to graduate programs to pursue her master’s degree so she can become a clinical psychologist. But her interest in psychology isn’t about pulling people apart: it’s about building them up.

This drive is why Elsie has dedicated much of her life so far to nonprofit work and service. Right now, she’s also working with community mentorship program Big Brothers Big Sisters of Texas in San Antonio. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, Elsie works as an outcomes manager, supporting services and performing data interpretation of mentor and mentee surveys that help the “bigs” and “littles” manage their partnerships. She also helps the nonprofit’s alumni program track the progress of youths after they depart the nonprofit.

This line of work is right in line with how Elsie spent her time at Trinity, where it seems there wasn’t a nonprofit or volunteer opportunity she didn’t take.

“I grew up volunteering my whole life. Every single club I was in high school had to have a service portion to it.

It was a big influence on me when I came to Trinity,” says Elsie, who went on to join and eventually become president of Trinity University Volunteer Action Community (TUVAC), Trinity’s student-led service organization.

“Being the president of TUVAC was instrumental to learning how a successful organization should be run,” she says. “It essentially prepared me for my current role (at Big Brothers Big Sisters). I hadn’t realized how well connected I became in the SA community by working at TUVAC and going to Trinity.”

Elsie says balancing her psychology major with her nonprofit activity made her time at Trinity “challenging, yet rewarding.”

“I feel like I hadn’t realized how tough Trinity can be,” Elsie says. “It’s a really academically rigorous school.”

But Elsie says that Trinity still ended up being the perfect piece to her puzzle.

“At the same time, working this hard teaches you discipline. But Trinity also has this support system, which I think of as my professors, my friends and tutors. And I enjoyed the fact that I was at a small school, but I also hadn’t really realized how my relationships with all these people have been able to help me [after graduating]. I’m able to reach out to my professors now, and they still know exactly who I am.”

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Creative Computing

Computer science major builds new version of himself to land Amazon job

by Jeremy Gerlach

Emerson Spradling ’21, a computer science major from Austin, Texas, could have gone to school anywhere to learn how to program and code.

But he came to Trinity because he wanted to build a better version of himself in a residential, liberal arts environment—which means not having to give up any of his diverse interests. This well-rounded experience, Emerson says, was a key factor in him landing a big-time job as a software development engineer at Amazon.

“I love creating applications that solve real-world problems, especially when I can see the direct impact,” Emerson says of his work with software.

At Trinity, Emerson says he found opportunities to reach beyond his computer science (CS) major. “When I looked at Trinity, their Pathways curriculum really spoke to me. I would be able to branch out and not have my experience focus solely on CS,” he says. “My mindset was that a more well-rounded education would provide long-lasting benefits.”

“Now that I’m in the professional world, I still find myself constantly using the liberal arts skills that I learned at Trinity,” Emerson says. For example, “I didn’t think that, as a CS major, I’d be writing in my day-to-day. But in reality, I spend a significant amount of time explaining complex code design. Communication and writing skills are huge.”

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That well-rounded experience meant Emerson was able to pursue music—his other passion—while at Trinity, too. He joined Trinity’s handbell ensemble, played the french horn in the orchestra and band, and even found time to explore other aspects of music, such as taking a class that allowed him to regularly attend performances at the San Antonio Symphony. This drive to explore came full circle for his own CS major, as he gained the confidence to venture into new, niche subjects, such as the more specialized realm of big data and machine learning.

Emerson also points to his positive experience with Residential Life as vital to his success. “As an RA [resident assistant], I also developed interpersonal skills that are so crucial to the way I communicate,” Emerson says. “I loved Res Life at Trinity.”

Branching out and collecting well-rounded skills wasn’t an optional update for Spradling 2.0—it was essential to creating the version of himself that landed the Amazon job.

“Big data and machine learning isn’t in the general CS curriculum. It’s something you seek out because you’re really interested in it,” Emerson says. “So, I branched out and I took (classes on those subjects). I think I learned a lot, and it’s influenced the way I approach problems at Amazon.”

Coding for the People

Human resources major utilizes all Trinity has to offer

by Matilda Krell ’23

There’s a people person, and there’s a people’s person—and Meghan Desai ’21 is both. After a month of traveling and spending time with family and friends, Meghan jumped into her full-time role as the people operations coordinator for Codeup in July 2021. Based in San Antonio, Codeup is a career accelerator/boot camp that helps adults launch careers in the technology industry. Meghan supports the staff in all things human resources—benefits, learning and development, growth, engagement, and celebrations.

The working environment at Codeup is ideal for Meghan.

“I love being part of a small, growing company because the opportunities to make an impact are endless,” Meghan says.

“It’s truly rewarding to see and interact with our staff and students and feel a part of an amazing culture and mission of empowering life change.”

Meghan earned her bachelor’s degree in human resources management, a new major under Trinity’s Neidorff School of Business. The major was designed with input from professional human resources managers and is accredited by CSB International and the Society for Human Resource Management. The tailored courses use projects and experience-based learning to prepare students for the HR certification exam and for their careers beyond Trinity.

For example, the senior capstone project assigns groups of students to local nonprofits that do not have full-time HR

managers. This real-world experience gives students the experience of working in a professional setting.

In addition to earning her degree in HR, Meghan also participated in Students + Startups, a program that matches students with San Antonio startups for summer internships.

“The Students + Startups internship program matched me with Codeup my sophomore year and led to my first role that allowed me to get experience in the operations of a business and apply what I was learning in the classroom,” Meghan says. “It also ultimately led to my full-time role as I continued to work with the company for my final two years at Trinity.”

Meghan also utilized the resources provided by Trinity’s Center for Experiential Learning and Career Success in her job hunt. “Career Services definitely played a part in helping me land that role [the full-time job at Codeup]—between resume review and interview prep, I’d be remiss not to thank them,” she says.

Meghan’s time at Trinity was packed with other activities, too. She was involved with the Student Programming Board, CliftonStrengths Peer Educators, HOPE Hall, and various on-campus jobs. “Inside and outside of the classroom, [Trinity] allowed me to grow and develop both personally and professionally, and I’m beyond grateful for those opportunities.”

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How Can CELCS Help You Achieve Success?

Career Exploration Evaluate your interests, values, and skills, and match these to career-related options.

Service Learning Service learning combines classroom learning with meeting community needs.

Project-Based Learning Earn academic credits for internships that complement your academic program.

Internships Search for internships and workshops to boost your hands-on experience.

Undergraduate Research Undergrads work directly with faculty members in innovative research.

Job Search Connect with employers and discover job search resources.

Interview Preparation Learn ways to put your best foot— and résumé—forward.

Graduate School Work with a career adviser on graduate school strategies, plans, and applications.

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A One-Stop Shop

Experiential Learning and Career Success connects students with opportunities during and after college

by Matilda Krell ’23

The Center for Experiential Learning and Career Success (CELCS) at Trinity University helps prepare and empower Tigers for life after Trinity—from their first day on campus to the first day of their career and beyond.

CELCS’s dedicated staff works with students to prepare them for job interviews, review résumés and grad school applications, connect them with employers, and much more. In the 2020-21 academic year alone, despite the pandemic, CELCS engaged 70% of the student population through more than 3,400 appointments and helped review more than 2,400 resumes, cover letters, grad school statements, and professional documents.

And CELCS is not limited to helping juniors and seniors get jobs or apply to grad school.

More than 20% of their interactions are with first-years and sophomores. Students coming to CELCS can get help with finding volunteer opportunities, micro-internships, internships (including those for credit), work-study opportunities, and undergraduate research openings, and they can use other Career Services offerings such as career exploration, interview preparation, graduate school applications, and more.

CELCS also offers two signature programs: Tigerworks and 1869 Scholars. Tigerworks is a program of real-world, remote projects designed to supplement a student’s summer experience while helping out area small businesses and nonprofits. 1869 Scholars is a mentorship program focused on building meaningful and intentional relationships between Trinity students and alumni. This program allows current students to explore their interests and reflect upon their skill-building experiences in one-on-one interactions with an alumni mentor.

Interested in Becoming a Tiger?

Apply Early!

Applications open for first-year students applying for the Class of 2027 on August 1, 2022, via the Common Application, the Coalition Application, and Apply Texas.

Visit Trinity University It’s important to take the time to visit the college campuses you’re interested in—there’s no better way to get a true sense of what it’s like to be a student there. Trinity offers both in-person and virtual visit experiences for prospective students.

Daily Campus Visits Learn more about Trinity’s distinctive educational experience and campus community directly from current students and admissions counselors during one of our summer visit opportunities.

Open House Events Trinity In Focus programs are open to all prospective students and their families.

Tour campus, hear from current students about their experiences, and learn about admissions, financial aid, and scholarships.

Information Sessions and Campus Tours: Monday–Friday 9:20–11:15 a.m. (Except University holidays) 1:50–3:45 p.m. (Fridays only)

Trinity In Focus Dates: July 9 September 10 November 12 Can’t make it to campus for Trinity In Focus? Join us for our Virtual Trinity In Focus on Monday, Oct. 10.

Explore all visit options at gotu.us/visit.

Join Us for Summer Interviews Attention rising seniors! This summer, we encourage you to meet one on one with a representative of Trinity University, in person or virtually, for an opportunity to distinguish yourself in Trinity’s competitive applicant pool and learn more about the many academic and co-curricular options available to Trinity students.

Select the appointment time that works best for your schedule. Register online at gotu.us/interviews.

The College Search An experience for the whole family The college search can be a fun and exciting time for students and families.

Students get to celebrate their academic and co-curricular accomplishments and reflect upon their experiences as they chart their journeys forward.

Throughout this process, we encourage future Tigers to discover new interests, grow existing passions, and become empowered citizens of the global community. Seek support from your friends and family along the way. They can help you with your essays, be another set of eyes and ears on a campus visit or virtual tour, and guide you through the tough decisions that come along with the many opportunities in your future.

Coming this summer!

Follow Trinity Admissions on Instagram (@trinityuadmissions) for videos that can help you with the college search process, including writing your college essay, funding your education, and more. Hear from current students about what they wish they knew during their senior year!

QUICK FACTS Private, residential, co-educational, undergraduate-focused Founded in 1869 6 minutes from San Antonio International Airport Located in America’s 7th largest city

2,582

9:1 student-to-

undergraduates from 47 states and 48 countries

faculty ratio 97% of faculty hold doctoral or terminal degrees

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125 acre campus

located in a residential neighborhood

minutes from downtown San Antonio

A D M I T T E D S T U DE N T P ROF IL E Fall 2021 Entry Term

3.75

31.8

1407

3.6–4.0 grade average

30–34 mid 50%

1340–1480 mid 50%

average GPA

9,626

applications

Follow us on social media! @trinityuniversity

@Trinity_U and @TrinityU_Admiss

/trinityuniversity

@trinityu and @trinityuadmissions

www.trinity.edu

average ACT

average SAT

34%

admit rate