INVESTMENT REPORT
Spring 2021
Dear Friends, What a memorable year 2021 has been for us so far. From navigating the reopening of campus for the spring semester amid a global pandemic to shutting down most of campus again due to an unforgettable winter storm in San Antonio, I continue to admire the dedication of our donors, the determination of our faculty and staff, and the flexibility of our students who continue to persevere and come together through unpredictable times. As I think back on Trinity’s founding in 1869, I am reminded of the solid foundation that was created so that Trinity would be able to weather the storms (literally and figuratively) that we face today. Whether through service, gifts, or simple acts of kindness, each contribution has mattered and still matters, collectively making Trinity into the timeless treasure it is today.
Circa 1986: Here I am as a Trinity student reaching out to alumni and friends during our Phonathon. Even then, I always wanted students to have access to the same Trinity education I had.
Thank you for believing, thank you for giving, and thank you for coming together as One Trinity. So many of you united to support the urgent, and often emergency, needs of our students. Your gifts, whether unrestricted and used for our highest needs, or restricted for an area important to you, have made all the difference this year.
Mike Bacon ’89, CFRE Proud Oakmont Member
SAME SCHOOL, DIFFERENT CENTURIES LEGACY CONNECTION FOR ONE STUDENT EXTENDS BACK 100 YEARS Nathan Keplinger ’21, like many Trinity seniors, is preparing for graduation. A physics and Chinese major, he’s applying to graduate school for applied physics, all while navigating the challenges of remote learning and a socially-distanced campus. Exactly 100 years ago, both of Keplinger’s great-grandparents were also preparing to graduate from Trinity.
“I came to Trinity because I had gone to a small high school, and I was really interested in a small community. That’s definitely something I was looking for in my college experience,” says Keplinger, who came to Trinity as part of the 646-person class of 2021. “And my great-grandparents, they also had a super-small class size, but theirs was in the double digits.”
“My great grandparents, Leonard Keplinger and Mary Emily Cornwell, graduated 100 years ago, in the class of 1921,” Keplinger says. “Both of them met in Waxahachie, and I’m fairly sure they were both humanities majors, and I think it’s a fun little coincidence that’s 100 years apart, and now I’m attending the same school.” And with Trinity’s campus wearing masks and socially distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not a far-off comparison to the period of the Spanish Flu in 1918, a similar pandemic requiring masks, which both of Keplinger’s greatgrandparents would have lived through. While Keplinger notes that the resources Trinity offers a century later might be different—more scholarships, facilities, technology, expert professors, research opportunities—much of what makes the University special is still the same.
LEONARD KEPLINGER CLASS OF 1921
MARY EMILY CORNWELL CLASS OF 1921
“Though Nathan never met his greatgrandparents, the connection through time is a reminder of family history and Trinity’s role in shaping our history.” NATHAN KEPLINGER CLASS OF 2021
– John Keplinger P’21
GETTING SCHOOLED
$0.01 for one pencil and $0.28 for a composition notebook
$10 for Mirage yearbook
$1,200 for a laptop
$85 for Mirage yearbook
WRITING HOME AND RIDING HOME
$0.08 for one stamp
$0.36 for a gallon of gas
$0.55 for one stamp
$2.60 for a gallon of gas
FOOD FOR THOUGHT (AND DRINKS TOO)
$0.21 for a hamburger
$0.25 for a gallon of milk
$0.25 for a beer with student ID at Bombay Bicycle Club
$3.99 for a hamburger
$3.54 for a gallon of milk
$3 for a beer during Happy Hour at Bombay Bicycle Club
WHY I GIVE Jennifer Gilmore Adamo, Staff, Risk Management “I give to Trinity because I see it as an investment in the continued education of our students, which directly impacts the continued employment of Trinity faculty and staff.”
2003
Present
Warren Irwin ’98 “I give because I had such a great experience playing football. I also admired our coach so much [and] was well received by my teammates. I give because I’ve always felt Trinity was ahead of the curve. I never felt that Trinity saw itself as running neck and neck with anybody else.” 1998
Present
Vanessa Hammler Kenon ’88, Ed.D.
1987
Present
*Courses of Study Bulletin is the official source regarding degree requirements, academic policies, and academic majors and minors at Trinity University.
“The story behind this Trinity Bulletin* cover exemplifies the reason why I support the Trinity Fund. It shows the work and commitment of some of the finest professors and scholars in the world who work tirelessly to make sure their students are successful, from the classrooms and labs to the gardens as seen in the photo. I know that my gift will help change a young person’s life who might not have the opportunity otherwise to get an outstanding education.”
Office of Alumni Relations and Development One Trinity Place #49 San Antonio, TX 78212-7200 1-888-TU-DONOR trinity.edu