The Trinity Perspective | Spring 2018

SPRING 2018

See for Yourself

From stargazing to social justice, experiential learning gives Tigers a unique view of the real world

I’m interested in historic preservation, urban planning, community development, art history—my interests are all over the place.

I really wanted to use the resources available to me at Trinity to place me in internships where I could explore those different interests and potentially pursue those fields. It’s a classic Trinity mindset: What can I be doing, all the time? n ANNE FERGUSON ’17 San Antonio Conservation Society intern Urban studies and Spanish major

The Trinity Perspective magazine is produced quarterly.

Through these pages, explore the many facets of life at Trinity University and get to know the students, faculty, and staff who call Trinity home. With the vibrant city of San Antonio as a backdrop, discover the many benefits and opportunities our community has to offer. Oh, and we may throw in our favorite restaurants around town for you to check out while visiting our 125-acre campus.

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ABOUT TRINITY Trinity University is a private, residential, co-educational institution with an undergraduate focus. So, what does that mean? It means that we are here to focus on YOU. We connect you with the best possible resources, caring and engaged faculty members, committed staff members, and world-class students destined to have a positive impact on our community.

03

Through Different Lenses Physics and mythology collide during summer trip to McDonald Observatory

By Jeremy Gerlach

Deep in the underworld, Isaiah Mitchell ’20 still had a clear view of the stars.

Mitchell, a classical studies major who spent summer 2017 researching the myth of Orpheus—a tragic Greek hero who traversed the depths of Hades— was part of a five-day Trinity experiment in May that sent a mix of classical studies and physics students to the McDonald Observatory in Ft. Davis, Texas, home to the massive, 160-ton Harlan J. Smith Telescope.

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The trip served as a “creative space” for both sets of students to collide.

“Being around that telescope, no matter what you’re studying, gives you a sense of perspective,” Mitchell says.

During the trip, the physics bunch—Matthew Jenkins ’18, Brian Guerrero ’20, Jordan Koeller ’19, Jared Tincher ’20, Marshall Tickner ’19, and Frances Stone ’19—studied supernovae, or titanic explosions from dying stars. The classical studies duo of Ariana Fletcher-Bai ’20 and Mitchell, on the other hand, launched an ongoing project to catalogue thousands of classical literary references, such as names, places, artifacts, or larger themes, in modern science fiction books, movies, and other media. Being at the observatory helped Fletcher-Bai and Mitchell see the real-world science behind these myths, many of which are related to constellations and outer space.

“My physics students got to see how worldclass physics is done with this huge telescope,” says physics professor David Pooley, while classical studies professor Benjamin Stevens notes his pair of students got experience “sifting through massive amounts of data.”

Beyond this research, both teams got a chance to look at the universe through different lenses, says Koeller, a physics major.

“In sciences you think about spatial distance, but Ariana and Isaiah approach the galaxy from a viewpoint of the mythology behind the stars,” Koeller explains.

Both groups seemed starstruck when they arrived at the remote West Texas observatory, Fletcher-Bai says. At night, there are no manmade lights within eyesight.

“You can see these stars that are millions of miles away, but it’s so black outside you can’t see your hands,” Fletcher-Bai says. “It was a kind of spiritual moment.”

The trip wasn’t all glamorous. Just getting to the observatory required the 10-person group to pile into a van for a 10-hour round trip from Trinity, says Stone.

“And once you get there, the actual site is on top of this ‘baby mountain,’” she groans.

“Just stairs, stairs, stairs - and once you get up the hill, more stairs.”

The observatory itself made for an intimidating locale. Looming over both sets of students, like a monstrous cyclops of classical myth or armored behemoth from a sci-fi blockbuster, was the telescope: a 32-foot high, 50-year-old giant, imprisoned for eternity in a 70-foot-tall, glistening-white rotunda.

After the trip ended, both groups went on to 10 more weeks of research as part of Trinity’s summer undergraduate research program, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the McNair Scholars Program, and the T. Frank and Norine Murchison Faculty Development Fund Research Corporation, among other grants.

During this period, long after the trip was over, Pooley and Stevens saw the true benefits of their journey to the observatory shine through.

Being around that telescope, no matter what you’re studying, gives you a sense of perspective.

“Working next to these physics students, watching how rigorous their work habits were, that was enlivening for my two classics students,” Stevens says.

Pooley says his physics students found ways to make their research more accessible.

“Seeing these two very different groups of students come together, and be able to explain their research projects together to the point where everyone could understand each other, that’s incredible,” Pooley says.

Mitchell says he’ll always remember to take a break from the grind of research to look up at the stars.

“When I went home this summer, I started stargazing with my family,” Mitchell says. “As long as it’s dark, you can do that wherever you are.”

05

Jungle Bookin’ Trinity research is unveiling global warming’s effects on tropical mammal populations

By Jeremy Gerlach

Deep in the heart of the central American rainforest, biology professor David Ribble ’82 led 14 students on Trinity’s first-ever excursion to Costa Rica in summer 2017.

Through a course called “Costa Rican Ecology: Monitoring Changing Distributions,” Ribble’s cohort studied the ecosystems of several small mammal populations, all as part of a larger, decade-long project aimed at understanding how climate change affects these species.

Costa Rica, Ribble explains, has incredibly diverse terrain, ranging from low-lying coasts to mountains reaching 12,500 feet; different species are adapted to the habitats at these different elevations, but as climate changes these habitats will change, too, pushing species out of their comfort zones.

“Time will tell what sort of effect climate change is having on these species,” Ribble says. “But you can’t look at that until you’ve done this sort of research.”

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The group spent almost a month waking up at 5 a.m. to observe and document live animals, hiking through challenging, hilly terrain and dealing with extreme temperatures.

Javier De Luna ’20, says the trip was well worth the effort.

“We’re doing research on populations that aren’t that well documented,” he says. “There is plenty of research on climate change’s effect on bats, lizards, or birds, but not so much on small rodents.”

Biology major Bernardo Traversari ’18, who hails from Ecuador, also got a closer look at other fascinating mammals such as pumas and ocelots.

“So much of biology can feel like books and studying, but being in the field is a different way to do science,” Traversari says. “Just knowing how to create procedures and experiments in the field, that’s invaluable, and not all universities can say their students are doing that.”

Biochemistry major Claire Warkentin ’18 plans to go to graduate school and work for a sanctuary or wildlife preserve in the future.

“It was cool to see how our research fit into the world of living things, where everything is constantly moving,” Warkentin says. “This could alter how people view climate change itself.”

Trinity students have the opportunity to contribute to this ongoing research by applying to be part of these summer Costa Rica trips, with all applications due earlier in the academic year.

Monkey Business Indonesian research applies lessons learned from primates to the human brain

By Jeremy Gerlach

The long-tailed macaque, a species of primate known for its inventiveness and mischievous nature, gave psychology professor Kimberley Phillips’ student researchers all they could handle during a summer 2017 research trip to Indonesia.

Anna Rigodanzo ’18 and Ryan Reusch ’18 accompanied Phillips to a small camp on an island off the Indonesian coast. There, the pair of undergraduates had a first-hand look at the macaques’ eccentric behavior.

“We found that if you set down anything—

coffee, your phone, anything—and walked away from it, these monkeys would run off with your stuff,” Rigodanzo says.

Despite these shenanigans, the ongoing research is yielding curious revelations about how hand and finger use is connected to the brain. The study, which still continues, is a collaboration with Randy Kyes at the University of Washington’s Center for Global Study and Entang Iskandar at the Institut Pertanian Bogor in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.

“We’re looking at dexterity, problem-solving,

and what that all can tell us about the brain,” Phillips says. “We basically were getting up close to these animals—who are habituated to humans—and providing them with tasks to solve.”

The 2017 trip was the third year of this study.

In 2015, Phillips conducted basic exploratory work at the base camp, while 2016 saw her group refining their experimental techniques.

“One of the really fun things about working with monkeys is that they will solve things or destroy tasks in ways you’ve never imagined,” Phillips recalls. “In our third year, we were…better prepared for the tricks they might pull on us.”

While Rigodanzo and Reusch were the only undergraduates on the trip, the pair made their mark on the research by coming up with the tasks for the animals to complete.

An example of such a task, Reusch explains, was presenting the macaques with a PVC pipe filled with ketchup, honey, or another treat. The pipe was too narrow for the animals to fit their hands inside, leading them to use a tool. Phillips’ team was mostly interested in observing which hand—left or right—the macaques preferred to use.

“These tendencies can tell us about brain lateralization,” notes Phillips, who also intends to expand her collaboration with Kyes and Iskandar in future years. “We’re still learning things about the brain from these creatures; they can solve problems in ways you’ve never imagined before.

For more information on international research and study abroad opportunities at Trinity, visit the Center for International Engagement at trinity.edu/CIE.

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Fighting for Peace and Justice Senior takes on activism, arts, and culture at grassroots internship

By Katie Middleton ’18

Working for a non-profit has its challenges.

Just ask Clarissa Castañeda ’18.

“You have to be able to do a lot,” says Castañeda, who interned at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center in summer 2017. The non-profit is a grassroots, community-based arts and cultural organization, built around a vision of social justice and cross-cultural understanding that commits itself to serving marginalized communities and preserving San Antonio’s unique cultural heritage.

As a policy and administration intern, Castañeda split her workdays at the Esperanza Center into two sections: one for the different daily tasks and tasks specific to different events Esperanza would host, and the other for community outreach to stay in touch with the “buena gente,” or community members, for whom the Center advocates.

During her internship, Castañeda played an integral role in organizing the Esperanza Center’s Peace Market, where the senior found vendors,

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artists, and co-ops to bring to the annual event in November. Many of these artisans come from Latin America and international sister cities to San Antonio each year.

Castañeda also worked with the San Antonio Free Speech Coalition to try to change the parade march assembly ordinance in San Antonio. After researching ordinances from 30 other American cities, Castañeda found a problem: “San Antonio is one of the largest cities in

the country,” she says, “but compared to the other largest cities it has some of the toughest regulations and it’s hard to get a hold of all of the paperwork.”

While most cities Castaneda researched had permit applications easily available online, San Antonio ordinance requirements kept Castañeda searching for an application through different city offices for more than three weeks.

“Everyone should have the right, regardless of their personal beliefs, religion, political views…to go out in the streets and protest the things that they don’t agree with.” Castañeda says. Throughout her research process she documented the issues she faced and is now thinking about writing an open editorial to build awareness in the community about the restrictions she found.

A triple major in political science; international studies with a concentration in Mexico, the Americas, and Spain (MAS); and Spanish; and a double minor in both communication and history, Castañeda plans to pursue a master’s degree in higher education administration after graduation.

“This internship has shown me that…on the one hand you need the education, but at the same time you need to see how (things) work in the real world,” Castañeda says. “You need a balance of both.”

By The Numbers E XP ERIENT IA L S TATS: MORE THAN

80%

of students complete either an internship or participate in undergraduate research while at Trinity

68%

of all students complete at least one internship (average from 2015-present)

R E S U LTS / OU TCOME S:

$4,000

stipend and free housing awarded to 67 students who received a professional internship fellowship from Trinity University

92%

of 2015 seniors who applied to law school were accepted

in summer 2017

147

students participated in summer research in 2017

89%

of students employed or accepted to graduate school (six months after graduation)

#2 in Texas highest median salary

for graduating students (U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard)

Source: Trinity University Office of Institutional Research

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Asking the Right Questions Daniel Conrad interned for the Rivard Report, a digital news organization just a short bike ride from Trinity’s campus in downtown San Antonio.

Philosophy major shines in the newsroom

Conrad (right) helped the Rivard Report develop its social media outreach, while also contributing his original graphic designs.

By Katie Middleton ’18

After conducting on-campus research in philosophy in the summer of 2016, Daniel Conrad ’18 set his sights on an off-campus internship for summer 2017. Through the Trinity Arts, Letters, and Enterprise summer internship program, Conrad landed a spot at the Rivard Report, a nonprofit, online news source for San Antonio started in 2012.

Conrad served as the publication’s business & development intern, working to help maintain membership with outreach emails and letters to members. He also created his own content in graphic design for social media advertising, which helped promote events and boost posts.

Conrad even suggested, created, and managed a Rivard Report membership group on Facebook, something the publication didn’t have previously.

“The page helps people feel connected to the Rivard Report,” Conrad says. “This also helps us have a pulse on what people care about.”

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Thanks to the Rivard Report’s proximity to Trinity, Conrad also enjoyed biking to work each day.

Along with his daily creative tasks, Conrad learned industry-grade design programs to help understand the needs of the rapidly growing news organization.

“It was great to see not only the editorial work being done at the Rivard Report, but also the advertising and business development side,” Conrad says. “It’s a very good environment for facing challenges.”

Now, Conrad continues to apply this experience as editor-in-chief of the Trinitonian, Trinity’s student-edited campus newspaper. Here on campus, the senior wants to help his staff use

industry tools and professional marketing techniques to “find what people care about” and “tap into what people value” through the campus newspaper’s reporting practices.

And yes, he still bikes to campus, though the commute is shorter.

A philosophy major, Conrad sees his time at the Rivard Report as reinforcement that philosophy and journalism are connected as they are both “all about asking the right questions.” He urges future students not to hesitate to try to pair fields that might seem unrelated at first.

“Be open-minded about how [your] class learning can be applied elsewhere,” Conrad notes.

“It’s better to have to say ‘no’ to opportunities, than to have no opportunities.”

Do you know the best way to determine if Trinity is the right school for you?

Visit our Campus VISIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADMITTED STUDENTS ADMITTED TIGER DAYS Admitted students are invited to attend one of four preview days designed exclusively for future Tigers. Tiger Friday and Trinity 360 programs allow admitted students to meet their future classmates, sit in on sample classes, learn about academic, cocurricular, and social opportunities from current students, and speak one-on-one with Trinity professors.

Plus, parents attend sessions designed just for them.

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. We encourage you and your family to visit Trinity University—meet the people, try the food, see the sights, and explore our beautiful

TIGER FRIDAYS

campus and sunny San Antonio.

March 23 SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT TODAY

VISIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

The Office of Admissions is open Monday through Friday (excluding major holidays) for tours and information sessions and most Saturdays during the academic year. We also host several open house programs annually from June through January.

Spring Break Visit Options │ March 10 – 17, 2018

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR Explore Trinity’s scenic campus online at gotu.us/virtualtour.

The Office of Admissions welcomes you to our campus during our Spring Break (or yours).

Campus tours and information sessions will be offered late mornings and early afternoons Monday through Friday. We will also be open late mornings on Saturdays during Spring Break.

Schedule a visit at gotu.us/visit.

April 6 April 13 TRINITY 360

Saturday, April 21 11

9:1 student-to-

QUICK FACTS

faculty ratio

125 acre campus

located in a residential neighborhood

97% hold doctoral or terminal degrees

Private, residential, co-educational, undergraduate-focused Founded in 1869 10 minutes from San Antonio International Airport Located in America’s 7th largest city

2,430

undergraduates from 48 states and 65 countries 10% international students

77% live on

A D M I T T E D S T U DE N T P ROF IL E Fall 2017 Entry Term

campus

7

minutes from downtown San Antonio

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www.trinity.edu

3.63

30.2

1360

A- grade average

28-33 mid 50%

1280-1450 mid 50%

average GPA

average ACT

average SAT