SPRING 2022
Heart of the Matter Trinity startup wants to make studying aerosols affordable
See for Yourself
Life on Trinity University’s campus is bright, vibrant, and engaging, with countless ways to connect and explore. But don’t just take our word for it—visiting Trinity, whether virtually or in person, is the best way to get to know our community. In-Person Visits Visit sunny San Antonio and tour Trinity in person. Explore our beautiful campus, meet with knowledgeable admissions representatives, and discover more about Trinity by talking with the people who know it best—our current students.
Visit Programs Trinity offers in-person and virtual visit programs, where you can learn what makes Trinity’s educational experience distinctive. Tour campus, hear from current students and faculty, and learn about admissions, financial aid, and scholarships.
Virtual Visits Take our virtual campus tour to check out our students’ favorite spots and amazing panoramic views of the campus. You can also join student tour guides Logan Felton ’20 and Enrique Alcoreza ’20 for an immersive 360º video tour of Trinity’s campus, or take a self-guided virtual campus tour on your own.
Admissions Interviews Meet one-on-one with a Trinity admissions representative in our admissions interviews, where you can distinguish yourself in Trinity’s competitive applicant pool, learn more about the admissions and scholarship process, and gain further insight into the many academic and co-curricular options available to Trinity students.
Flip to page 11 for more information about visit programs.
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!
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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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Game, Set, Past
Four students help shine light on history of Trinity’s women student-athletes by Brian Yancelson ’22
While many students may run away from school the moment finals end, four Trinity University students used the summer of 2021 to dive headfirst into the University’s past. Thanks to the Trinity University Mellon Initiative Summer Institute, Zoe Grout ’22, Samantha Henry ’22, Ardi Saunders ’22 and H Walker-Tamboli ’23 spent the summer contributing to the Trinity University Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics (TUWIA) History Project. This project aims to highlight the experiences of women student-athletes at Trinity, especially in the decades after the landmark Title IX passed in 1972. “What drew me to this project was my connection to the idea. I am a studentathlete with an anthropological background, so I had a perspective that could contribute to the project,” says Samantha, who is also a member of Trinity’s women’s basketball team. Mentored by Trinity’s archivist and two history professors, the students pro-
duced a directory of Trinity’s women’s sports teams, a timeline of women’s athletics at Trinity, and two digital exhibits that explore the inequities women athletes faced and how Title IX, along with playing in Division III, impacted women student-athletes at Trinity. Their work will be turned into a book published by Trinity University Press in late 2022. According to Zoe, who took the lead on creating the timeline, deciding which events across several decades were substantial enough to highlight proved to be a tough task. “It was really difficult because you’re having to decide, ‘I think this is most important,’ but it’s just me. I feel like I’m the one writing history,” Zoe says. The students also transcribed 25 oral history interviews about women’s athletics at Trinity and made them accessible to the public. “You’d think that 25 hours of oral histories would be absolutely daunting, but you just get to hear about people’s lives,
top A Trinity women’s physical education class stretching in the early ’60s. center Women’s basketball team in Sams Center in 1975. bottom Two Trinity volleyball players block at the net in the early ’90s. Photos courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Coates Library.
left to right Trinity archivist Abra Schnur, Ardi Saunders ’22, Zoe Grout ’22, history professor Lauren Turek, Samantha Henry ’22, and H Walker-Tamboli ’23 worked on the Trinity University Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics History Project last summer.
My biggest takeaway is that pioneer women truly fought for women like myself to be able to compete in sports at a high level today. – Samantha Henry ’22 and in a strange way it felt like a family reunion because [I] got to hear about them from birth to what they are doing now with things that they really love to talk about, these little niche stories,” Ardi says. H charged ahead with many of the nittygritty processes that require lots of time and patience, such as scanning images, converting them into the right files, and inputting the metadata to ensure every detail is noted correctly. “It was nice to get to sit down, work with the data, and just be able to be detailoriented and really precise about it,” H says. “That was also kind of fun because you would always be missing some information, and you would have to go hunting through old books and photos to find it.”
The group of student researchers consisted of two student-athletes—Ardi from the cross country and track & field teams and Samantha from the women’s basketball team—along with two non-studentathletes. Having this balance between those familiar with sports and those not as familiar helped bring various perspectives to the project. “I don’t know much about sports, but I do know about women,” Zoe says. “I thought it was really interesting to start to think about those stories and how they intersect with the history of feminism and the history of the United States, so it was just a really good fit.” For Samantha, looking back at those words and getting a sense for what women
student-athletes once dealt with at Trinity makes her appreciate the opportunities she’s been given to compete today. “My biggest takeaway is that pioneer women truly fought for women like myself to be able to compete in sports at a high level today,” Samantha says. “Without their fight, strength, and empowerment, women’s sports would not have achieved the success that it has.” Explore the TUWIA History Project at playingfield.coateslibrary.com.
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Josefina Hajek-Herrera ’22 (right) and chemistry students review data together in Professor Ryan Davis’ lab.
Heart of the Matter
Trinity startup MicroLev wants to make studying aerosols affordable by Jeremy Gerlach
Aerosols, or particles suspended in the air by gas, are all around us. They include harmful pollution such as smog and smoke. For more than a year, they’ve also been at the forefront of the COVID-19 discussion as tiny, virus-laden particles from sneezes and coughs are flung into the air around infected persons, putting those within 6 feet at risk. Needless to say, studying aerosols is a vital process for scientists—but also a costly one. Aerosol research devices that can detect and categorize these particles cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, Trinity University startup MicroLev is aiming to build a more affordable one. The MicroLev instrument allows researchers to capture a single particle, levitate it, and categorize it. It operates on standard electrostatic principles: using an electric charge to suspend particulate matter.
And it’s a tool that MicroLev founders—Trinity chemistry professor Ryan Davis, Ph.D., and Trinity students Josefina Hajek-Herrera ’22 and Bene Snyder ’22— hope to bring to classrooms and labs across the country, thanks to Trinity’s Stumberg New Venture Competition, a two-part event where Trinity student startups compete against each other for funding and resources to take their ideas to the next level. MicroLev took home $25,000 this past fall as the winners of the 2021 Stumberg Competition. This award is the culmination of more than a year of hard work for the MicroLev team, which started the Stumberg Competition process by taking home seed money from the spring’s preliminary round, then honed their business model during Trinity’s Summer Accelerator. This 10-week phase gave each team member summer housing, access to alumni
above Davis (left) and Hajek-Herrera examine their MicroLev instrument. right MicroLev took home $25,000 as the winners of the 2021 Stumberg New Venture Competition.
consultants, business crash courses, and salaries, all in preparation for the finals. “Our team has been working towards this goal for so long, and it feels incredible to have it all be affirmed in such a great way,” Bene says. “This money will help us apply for a utility patent, which will be instrumental in allowing us to grow. We are so grateful for everyone who has helped us get here.” At first glance, MicroLev might seem like the type of company founded by advanced chemistry minds—and Professor Davis is certainly one. At Trinity, Professor Davis’ research focuses on the chemistry and physics of aerosol particles and micro-droplets to address global issues in environmental and public health. But MicroLev is also an interdisciplinary group, with Josefina, a business administration major in Trinity’s Neidorff School of Business, and Bene, a business analytics and technology major who specializes in data science. Josefina started in Professor Davis’ lab as a chemistry major early in her Trinity journey. Even though she shifted to business, she enjoyed the research so much that she stayed on with the lab. “Dr. Davis actually suggested we launch this startup and patent our device as a way for me to fit right in with my business skills,” Josefina says. “This is an opportunity you don’t get at most universities. I couldn’t
have asked for a better professor to work with, because I’m pursuing my passions, and I’m having a blast doing it.” The group brought on Bene, Josefina’s former roommate, for an accounting and financial skillset. “As someone who, just a year ago, did not have a heavy scientific background, I can tell you it has been an incredibly exciting journey learning more about how aerosols affect the world around us,” Bene says. “This is a topic most of us have no clue about, but that’s where MicroLev fits in. By making analytical instruments more accessible, we can get closer to understanding threats like COVID-19 and climate change that affect us all. So when I see how these instruments are so expensive, I know how meaningful it will be to create a more accessible one.” Trinity has long enjoyed a rich environment for collaboration due to its 9:1 student-faculty ratio and nationally recognized faculty. But to Josefina and Bene,
MicroLev represents something beyond having accessible office hours or an active email chain: the startup represents a true partnership between faculty and students.
By making analytical instruments more accessible, we can get closer to understanding threats like COVID-19 and climate change that affect us all. – Josefina Hajek-Herrera ’22
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Bold Voice Communication major channels his skills for radio, TV, and more by Jeremy Gerlach
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At Trinity University, students like Devan Karp ’22 get a chance to have their voices heard across multiple channels. Devan, a communication major from Kingwood, Texas, has become an instantly recognizable voice on Trinity’s campus. He’s an anchor and executive producer with TigerTV, Trinity’s student-run television station, and he works on KRTU, Trinity’s jazz radio station—and these aren’t the only places you’ll hear his voice. He’s also a beatboxer for Trinity’s all-male a cappella group, the Trinitones. “I really wanted to go to a school that would match my interests and my personality, a place where you can have multiple interests—that’s why I ended up at Trinity,” Devan says.
At Trinity, the Department of Communication is a perfect place to develop a versatile skill set that can lead to a wide range of promising careers. Communication is one of the most popular majors on campus and, as Devan says, is chock-full of amazing professors, networking opportunities, and chances to get real-world experience. “The communication department is appealing because there’s such a wonderful array of subjects that you can really sample everything you want,” Devan says. “I’ve taken TV classes and radio classes, I’ve analyzed films and studied public relations, marketing, advertising, and fundraising, and I’m doing academic research. There’s just so much you can do here.”
I really wanted to go to a school that would match my interests and my personality, a place where you can have multiple interests—that’s why I ended up at Trinity.
Communication students can expect to take lots of entry level classes on all types of communication, “which gives you a great look at everything the field has to offer,” Devan says. “And the great thing about these classes is that even in the entry levels, your professors are always keeping an eye out for really great talent.” There’s also a strong set of scholarship opportunities for communication students at Trinity, both institutional and external, Devan says. “I’ve earned a series of Texas broadcasting scholarships, and I’m also on the President’s Scholarship for my academic merit. There’s a need-based scholarship, and I’m a recipient of the Kemper-DealJames-McRory endowed journalism scholarship. If you want to study here, there are
scholarships for you,” he says. “Our professors are great about letting students know when these scholarships become available, and they’ve also been happy to help me with applications.” Devan has enjoyed getting back into Trinity’s fully-equipped, state-of-the-art Richardson Communication Center, which includes an interactive multimedia lab, two television studios with control rooms, a radio studio for KRTU-FM, and work stations for digital design, journalism, and gaming. This is where Devan, as an anchor, helps put together TigerTV. This operation runs three shows: Newswave (hard news, where Devan is the anchor and executive producer), Studio 21 (entertainment news), and the Not So Late Show (sketch comedy). While Devan uses the full range of his skills as a communication major on TigerTV, he also points out that the station draws on majors outside the department, too. “It takes a lot of different people to put a show together,” Devan says. “You’ve got art majors helping with design, STEM majors bringing analytical perspectives. You need people with the skillset to help put things together technically. And that’s important, because we’re not just making TV for communication students—we’re making TV for Trinity.” Devan has found that his communication major also plays well with his political science minor, where he has enjoyed taking classes focusing on local and national politics. Last year, Devan took a special topics course on mayoral problem solving, working with San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg ’98 to explore how local government produces meaningful work through red tape.
Outside the classroom, Devan says that Trinity creates strong opportunities for undergraduate research and internships. “I’ve had a wonderful experience with internships at Trinity,” he says. “I’ve interned with the marketing department of the San Antonio Symphony, managing social media and fundraising. I’ve interned with (local TV station) KSAT 12 ABC, and I got the chance to go out into the field with reporters, pitch stories to editors, and write copy for anchors.” Most recently, Devan got a chance to put his research, journalism, and writing skills together for a project that hit close to home: the Voices Program. As part of a national team of undergraduate and graduate reporters, Devan helped produce an investigative piece examining diversity in collegiate newsrooms. “We say the best journalism is done by people who truly represent the community, but no one has taken a look at college newsrooms, where many reporters get their start,” Devan says. “We got to be the first in the country to take a look at the ‘pipeline.’” As Devan prepares for a busy transition into life as a journalist after graduation— when he’s not filming with TigerTV, he’s completing his senior capstone reporting on homelessness in San Antonio during COVID-19—Devan also notes that Trinity is a place where his side interests don’t get drowned out. “This is a place where, even when I’m busy, I still get the chance to explore my passions,” Devan says. “I don’t know a lot of other schools where you can be involved in so many different organizations and still do well in class.”
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Charting Your Course Trinity’s advising team helps students plan their academic paths With hundreds of courses to choose from, dozens of programs to major in, and a whole slew of new vocabulary to learn, the switch from high school to college academics can be dizzying. Enter Trinity University’s Office of Academic Advising. Led by the office’s director, Lapétra Bowman, Ph.D., the team of six dedicated academic advisers begin guiding new students through Trinity’s curriculum before they even set foot on campus. Trinity’s academic advisers serve as a touch point for incoming students and as a resource for students registering for classes and taking on the process of exploring and declaring their major. Once students declare their major, they transition from working with an academic adviser to receiving guidance from a faculty adviser in their academic area of interest. While each adviser has specialties, it’s OK to not know what you want to study yet! The advisers are all well-versed in Trinity’s entire curriculum and can help guide you no matter where you are in your academic journey.
Lapétra Bowman, Ph.D. Director of Academic Advising
Meet Trinity’s academic advisers. Sinclair Preston Ceasar III
Jennifer Reese
Soleil Gaffner ’19
Regina Romero
Julia Poage ’19
Katie Welch ’18
Areas of Advising: Biology, Biochemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Health Professions, Neuroscience, and Physics
Areas of Advising: Liberal Arts, Health Professions, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Areas of Advising: Liberal Arts, Health Professions, Humanities, and Social Sciences
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Areas of Advising: Engineering Science, Health Professions, Mathematics, Mathematical Finance, and programs in the Neidorff School of Business
Areas of Advising: Biology, Biochemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Health Professions, Neuroscience, and Physics
Areas of Advising: Engineering Science, Mathematics, Mathematical Finance, and programs in the Neidorff School of Business
ADMITTED STUDENTS Admitted students are invited to attend in-person and virtual events throughout the spring, where they can learn about academic, co-curricular, and social opportunities directly from current students and faculty.
TIGER FRIDAYS Admitted students and two guests can attend a Tiger Friday preview day on campus, designed exclusively for future Tigers. You’ll meet fellow admitted students, get your questions answered by current Trinity students, and take a sample class for a preview of the academic experience. Upcoming Tiger Fridays March 18, 2022 March 25, 2022 April 8, 2022 April 22, 2022 Registration closes the Wednesday prior to each event. Can’t make it to a Tiger Friday? Explore options for admitted students to visit during the week or on select Saturdays at gotu.us/AdmittedTigers.
Experience Trinity University It’s important to take time to explore 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 visit experiences for prospective and admitted students. Visit our campus in sunny San Antonio, or take a virtual campus tour online.
Explore all visit options at gotu.us/visit.
VIRTUAL TIGER CONNECTIONS IN-PERSON CAMPUS VISITS •
Explore campus and talk with current Trinity students in a primarily outdoor campus tour, held in small groups.
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Trinity is following safety protocols, including wearing a mask indoors and practicing social distancing.
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Tours are offered Monday through Friday and select Saturday mornings.
Admitted students have an exclusive opportunity to meet with faculty, staff, and students online to get in-depth information about Trinity’s academic disciplines, student life, and campus resources. Join Us for Tiger Connections Saturday, April 2, 2022* * Register by Thursday, March 31, 2022
Space is limited for Tiger Fridays and Tiger Connections. Explore your options and register early at gotu.us/AdmittedTigers.
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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