Why I Chose Trinity
Tight-knit community, limitless opportunities
Trinity University
attracts top-tier talent across athletic teams, academic disciplines, and the performing arts.
What makes these students confident that Trinity is the right college for them? What makes Trinity a special place to study and grow?
Keep reading to hear directly from students in some of our most popular majors how Trinity’s small class sizes, tight-knit community and connections, and acclaimed faculty and resources make all the difference when pursuing a passion.
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
Follow Trinity University on social media and join the conversation.
Have a question for a current student?
Email your questions to 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 1 Trinity Place San Antonio, Texas 78212 admissions@trinity.edu www.trinity.edu/admissions 1-800-TRINITY
Trinity University is a private, residential, co-educational institution in the heart of vibrant, multicultural San Antonio. Trinity offers its nearly 2,500 undergraduate students an education rooted in the liberal arts and sciences that prioritizes hands-on learning, emphasizes undergraduate research, and develops strong leadership skills.
Why Bocar Diagana ’26 Chose Trinity for Athletics
Former Trinity track and field team captain made connections across campus and disciplines
by Kate Klein ’26
All I knew was that I wanted to compete at a higher level, and I knew that Trinity had the resources both on and off the track to help me grow and reach my goals.
Meet Bocar Diagana ’26, a recent Trinity University graduate from Edina, Minnesota, and former captain of the men’s track and field team.
Bocar chose Trinity after visiting the campus because it already “felt like home,” and he knew it would be a great place to continue his track and field career. “All I knew was that I wanted to compete at a higher level, and I knew that Trinity had the resources both on and off the track to help me grow and reach my goals,” he says.
On the track, Bocar led by example, pushing himself and his teammates toward excellence with support from a close-knit team and coaching staff.
“Being part of this team has taught me how to work collectively toward something bigger than myself,” he says. One of Bocar’s favorite Trinity memories came during his first year, when the team won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship. “Sharing that moment with my teammates was unforgettable,” he says. “It motivated us to keep raising the standard and working harder every season.”
Outside of athletics, Bocar led his fellow students as chief of staff for the Student Government Association and president of the French club (Bocar’s first language—he knows six!).
Bocar even found a mentor in French Studies Professor Maxence Leconte, Ph.D. “He was one of the first faculty members I met at Trinity, and he looked out for me ever since,” Bocar says. “A lot of students at Trinity have a faculty member who is always in their corner and significantly contributes to their success.”
In the classroom, Bocar took advantage of Trinity’s liberal arts curriculum, pursuing disciplines he was passionate about from two different schools. “I chose accounting as a major because I felt like I was decent with numbers and good with people. I also chose a political science minor because I am a bit of a nerd for global politics and the way different political systems work,” he says.
Those combined interests helped Bocar secure a position this summer with KPMG in strategic corporate tax in its Minneapolis office. After that, he plans to return to Trinity to pursue a Master of Science in Accounting and sit for the CPA exam.
On the track and across campus, Bocar made lasting connections that will propel him as he takes the next great leap in his life.
At Trinity, our students don’t just excel academically—they compete, connect, and experience nature through varsity athletics, intramurals, club sports, and Outdoor Recreation.
• Compete and win across 18 varsity teams, supported by state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated coaching staff.
• Meet new friends, and push yourself! Try our intramural program, with sports ranging from sand volleyball and racquetball to 3-on-3 basketball.
• Choose from 26 club sports to play what you love without the pressure of varsity competitions.
• Relieve stress and experience the outdoors with Outdoor Recreation, camping under the stars, paddling scenic rivers, and climbing high mountains in Texas and surrounding states.
21% of Trinity students are varsity student-athletes
Nearly 50% of Trinity students engage in sports or recreation Top 10 Nationally for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships 10 Learfield Directors’ Cup School out of 400+ NCAA DIII programs #
70+ Academic All-Americans 450+ All-Americans
Diagana ’26
Why Adeline Mai ’28 Chose Trinity for Pre-Med
Trinity researcher finds support and community in and out of the lab by Jeremy
Gerlach
Adeline Mai ’28, a neuroscience major on the pre-med track from Houston, says Trinity University was the right choice for her because it’s given her access to hands-on learning, a robust support network, and a tight-knit community. Adeline found those opportunities in the lab of Physics Professor Kwan Cheng, Ph.D., where she investigates neurodegenerative diseases.
Mai ’28
As a first-year student, Adeline emailed Professor Cheng and asked to meet him. “I introduced myself, saying that I was interested in joining and was wondering if there would be anything for me in the lab, since I had no prior research experience,” she recalls. “And after he gauged what I was interested in, he had a project for me.” She has worked in his lab ever since.
Last summer, Adeline spent 10 weeks working with Professor Cheng through Trinity’s fully funded Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), which includes on-campus housing plus a stipend for travel and presentations. She’ll be working with him again this summer on an expanded version of their research.
“I’ll be transitioning into our wet lab work, where I’ll be working with cell assays to create tau buildup (one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease) and then testing the inhibitors we identified through our virtual screening last summer and throughout this past academic year,” Adeline says. She’s looking forward to presenting her lab’s findings at the Biophysical National Conference in February 2027.
Adeline’s research journey has set her up for success in her next big step: applying to med school. “I’ve had the chance to develop both technical skills and meaningful connections in the lab and beyond with scientists and physicians involved in this research,” she says. “More importantly, this work has helped solidify my interest in pursuing medicine, particularly in fields like pathology and psychiatry, where understanding disease mechanisms at a molecular level is so important.”
While the pre-med journey won’t ever be stress-free, pursuing it at a place like Trinity can make all the difference in being successful and happy.
All the pre-med students here are able to really connect and create relationships that are healthy.
“Never once have I felt things get too competitive here,” Adeline says. “All the pre-med students here are able to really connect and create relationships that are healthy, which I really liked. When I was applying to other universities, there were some that were very competitive when it came to pre-med. And I just knew that I would drown in all that noise. But here, that wasn’t the case.”
At Trinity, students can conduct research as early as their first year!
• Work side-by-side with faculty experts on relevant, timely research projects.
• Answer questions and question answers in state-of-the-art facilities.
• Explore an area in depth or discover interdisciplinary connections.
• Conduct research year-round or during the summer.
• Expand your research into a senior thesis or capstone.
• Co-author papers published in leading academic journals.
• Give presentations at state and national conferences.
>$ 5.8M # 16 # 10 # 30 in research and development expenditures in 2024
Most Innovative Schools national liberal arts colleges
U.S. News & World Report, 2026
Undergraduate Research / Creative Projects in the nation
U.S. News & World Report, 2026
Best Science Lab Facilities in the nation
The Princeton Review, 2026
$ 5K stipend for students participating in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program
Adeline Mai ’28 has conducted research with Physics Professor Kwan Cheng since her first year at Trinity.
Why Sean McDermott ’26 Chose Trinity for Finance
Recent Trinity graduate made big decisions and small-school connections
by Jeremy Gerlach
Sean McDermott ’26 didn’t wait for graduation to start making real decisions in finance. Before he crossed the stage this May, he had already executed a $500,000 trade through Trinity’s Student Managed Fund (Representing $18 million of the University’s endowment, Trinity has the largest student-managed fund run by an undergraduate class in the country.) and secured a highly coveted full-time position with banking powerhouse Stephens Inc. A finance and economics double major from Southern California, Sean came to Trinity as a recruited student-athlete for baseball and was drawn to the warm weather, rigorous academics, and competitive tuition costs.
McDermott ’26
He fell in love with finance after taking his first financial accounting class, where he was intrigued by the idea of understanding a company’s financials and higher-level valuations. “Once I took corporate finance and really started to understand more of the intricacies of financing a business, I really enjoyed it,” he says.
Sean particularly enjoyed working with Finance Professor Dante Suarez, Ph.D. “He guided me through portfolio allocation, looking at broad sector thought, broad macroeconomic trends, and intrinsic valuation, but also looking at management cases and figuring out what makes a company unique or undervalued in its industry,” Sean says.
But faculty and on-campus opportunities aren’t the only resources that make Trinity a good investment, Sean says. He credits the University’s passionate, tight-knit alumni network with helping him connect with Stephens Inc. and secure his role as an investment banking analyst in their oil and gas group.
Trinity is a small school, but that means our alumni are very interested in helping Trinity students as much as they can.
“Trinity is a small school, but that means our alumni are very interested in helping Trinity students as much as they can,” he says. “At Stephens, the guy who ended up hiring me is a Trinity alum, and he got the job originally because another Trinity alum referred him.”
During Sean’s networking efforts, he says he spoke with several Trinity alums across investment banking and private equity roles. Those relationships, he believes, are part of what sets Trinity apart from bigger schools.
“This industry really comes down to what kind of connections and relationships you can build,” Sean says, “and Trinity’s network is just so passionate that it really punches above its weight in that category.”
As Sean reflects on his decision to attend Trinity, he’s excited about the next wave of finance majors who are considering a similar path.
“If you’re looking to get into a competitive industry, like investment banking, obviously one of the most competitive industries to get into, Trinity can place you very well,” he says.
Ready
Business
Here at Trinity University’s AACSBaccredited Michael Neidorff School of Business, internships and in-class consulting projects with real-world clients ensure you graduate ready to start your career with confidence at the nation’s most prestigious firms.
Best Undergraduate Business School in the nation
Poets&Quants, 2026
positive outcomes rate for Neidorff graduates in the Classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 of Neidorff graduates in the Class of 2025 had at least one internship during their time at Trinity
Top 5
Neidorff Internship Employers
• Dell Technologies
• Deloitte
• EY
• KPMG
• Valero Energy Corporation
Notable Neidorff Postgraduate Employers
• Bain & Company
• Bank of America
• Capgemini
• Dell Technologies
• Deloitte
• EY
• Frost Bank
• Goldman Sachs
• KPMG
• McKinsey & Company
• PwC
• Valero Energy Corporation
Taking a Step Outside
Trinity’s ¡Hola, San Antonio! program helps students engage with the rich cultural offerings of San Antonio
by Anais Moreno-John ’29
Just five minutes from Trinity University’s campus lies downtown San Antonio. During the day, the city boasts historic sites and intriguing museums. At night, the bright lights come alive, and so does the city’s vibrant arts scene.
Trinity’s ¡Hola, San Antonio! program ensures students of any major can easily access all that San Antonio has to offer. Sponsored by the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities, the program introduces students to the city’s culture and creative expression through visits to art exhibits, films, dance performances, orchestra concerts, theatrical shows, and more throughout the year.
“Trinity is unusual in that it’s a small liberal arts college in a big city, and the program helps to take advantage of the sorts of events that a city provides,” says Classical Studies Professor Thomas Jenkins, Ph.D., who helped establish this program. “It also helps to pop the ‘Trinity bubble’ and to encourage undergrads to start a lifelong journey of appreciating the arts in their communities.”
¡Hola, San Antonio! not only keeps students informed about off-campus events but also helps pay for tickets and provides affordable, accessible transportation.
The program has helped first-year Mary Katherine Schmidt ’29 feel more connected to San Antonio. “I will keep going because it provides me with different ideas, performances, and art that I never would have experienced before,” she says.
Eva Cheng ’26 is especially grateful for how the program is making these events more accessible.
“Tickets can be really expensive, so I was really excited to see that ¡Hola San Antonio! was covering the costs of these kinds of events and also transportation costs, because I do not have a car on campus,” Eva says. ¡Hola, San Antonio! allowed her to attend both The Nutcracker and Giselle in the city with her friends, free of charge, and reimbursed her for her rideshare expenses.
Trinity is unusual in that it’s a small liberal arts college in a big city, and the program helps to take advantage of the sorts of events that a city provides.
Explore and Experience
Our Campus, Our City
Plan a family trip to San Antonio—there’s so much to see and do! Have some fun at Six Flags Fiesta Texas or SeaWorld. Then check out downtown’s colorful River Walk and the locally owned shops and restaurants at The Pearl, a former brewery turned trendy destination, both of which are just a short drive away from Trinity’s campus. We can’t wait to show you around!
Trinity In Focus Open House
Tour campus, hear from current students, chat with faculty, and learn about admissions and financial aid.
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Information Sessions and Campus Tours
Trinity’s student-led campus tours and sessions with an admissions representative are available most weekdays year-round, as well as select Saturdays in the fall and spring.
Summer Schedule
Monday-Friday (except University holidays) 9:20-11:15 a.m.
APPLY EARLY!
Applications open for first-year students applying for the Class of 2031 on August 1, 2026, via the Common Application, the Coalition Application powered by SCOIR, and ApplyTexas.
KNOW EARLY!
Is Trinity your top choice? Apply Early Decision I (ED) to lock in your admissions decision and scholarship eligibility by December 1.* As you explore Trinity, we encourage you to start reviewing the benefits of applying ED at gotu.us/ earlydecision. You can even request an early financial aid estimate!
*This program is a binding agreement. Students are ethically bound to apply ED to only one school and will be expected to attend if offered admission.
Attention rising seniors:
Don’t miss your chance to stand out in the admissions process!
This summer, we encourage you to meet one-on-one with a representative of Trinity University, either in your hometown or virtually. Students should interview before their intended application deadline. Fall interviews will be very limited, so schedule your interview today! To view interview dates and register, visit gotu.us/interviews.
QUICK FACTS
9:1 student-tofaculty ratio
2,423