Troll Talks

Holding a microphone and reporting the news can look easy when you know what you are doing. Now working at Univision Chicago, former Communication Arts major Rosario Dominguez shares about her path into journalism and the experiences that helped shape her faith and ignited a passion for telling stories to keep others in her community informed.

Lots of kids dream about playing professional baseball. Zack Jones '17 talks about his experience getting to play with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization and shares a few stories about bubble gum, breaking in a wood bat and how to sleep on a bus. 

"Teaching for me was never a product. It was trying to think together with our full lives." Professor Emeritus Michael Vander Weele shares about his life long love of English and teaching students at Trinity. He recounts a few stories along the way about being a student in the 70's, the Grateful Dead and and offers his unbiased opinion on C.S. Lewis.

In November 2020, the alumni board hosted an equity and inclusion town hall that was streamed live via Facebook to provide a conversation on race, identity and belonging. Alumni board president, Christian Perry '16 moderated the dialogue from alumni. Participants in the panel included:

• Dymica Brown '94
• Myron Graham '04
• Marlin Exton '07
• Crystal Allen '11
• Justin James '12
• Dominique McGee '14
• Noel Huddleston '17
• Josiah Rosario '18

Part I of the discussion focuses on each of the panelists sharing what it meant to them to belong at Trinity as they reflect on their experiences that span the past 30 years.

Part II takes a deeper look at this sense of belonging and discusses some of the opportunities that exist for faculty, staff, alumni and administrators to help current and future black and brown students find a deeper sense of belonging at Trinity.

In November 2020, the alumni board hosted an equity and inclusion town hall that was streamed live via Facebook to provide a conversation on race, identity and belonging. Alumni board president, Christian Perry '16 moderated the dialogue from alumni. Participants in the panel included:

• Dymika Brown '94
• Myron Graham '04
• Marlin Exton '07
• Crystal Allen '11
• Justin James '12
• Dominique McGee '14
• Noel Huddleston '17
• Josiah Rosario '18

Part I of the discussion focuses on each of the panelists sharing what it meant to them to belong at Trinity as they reflect on their experiences that span the past 30 years. 

Part II takes a deeper look at this sense of belonging and discusses some of the opportunities that exist for faculty, staff, alumni and administrators to help current and future black and brown students find a deeper sense of belonging at Trinity.  

Josh shares about his unique work in urban planning and why a kid from Southern California decided to go to school in Chicago. He also dialogues about the benefits of being an English major in his work and offers a restaurant recommendation for the next time you're in the Pilsen neighborhood. 

As a part of the Fusion Friday series on campus, Lawrence Weller '06 speaks with Haley Heeg '20, Trinity's Entrepreneur in Residence about his career path that took him from Michigan to San Diego, CA in the middle of the 2008 recession. Lawrence shares about his passion for personal finance and wealth management and offers some tips and guidance for students who might be looking to own their own business some day.

Ever wonder what it's like to work for Amazon? Al Roberto shares his insights on working at the company as well as his story from finding Trinity as a high school student in Brazil to working in supply chain management. 

While Home Education and E-learning are not the same, there are some great insights one can take away from a parent who educated all three of her children in the home and saw those kids choose Trinity! Allison Meyrick shares about her family's decision to home educate and reflects on some of the ways her kids were able to learn and grow in ways that can't always be covered in a textbook.

Nursing is not just a job, it's a calling. Leah Ipema moved to Baltimore, MD on March 15, 2020 to pursue her Nurse Practitioner degree at Johns Hopkins University. Little did she know that her time in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the University of Maryland would change immediately as the Coronavirus pandemic escalated. 

Leah shares how Trinity prepared her for the work she is doing and offers ways alumni and friends can support nurses and health care workers during this time. 

As she wraps up her final year of teaching at Trinity, Dr. Helen VanWyck talks about her love of music, those that helped shaped her as a professor and conductor, and reflects on some memorable moments in her thirty-two years at Trinity.

Latishia Elliott offers some insights as a personal counselor on how to navigate anxiety and reflects on her days as a Residence Director in Alumni Hall. 

Joe Wathen, Assistant Vice President with Merrill Lynch and financial adviser talks about going back to school to finish his degree in Trinity's Adult Undergraduate program, and offers some advice on meeting your financial goals. 

Joe Velderman, Vice President of Innovation at Cypress Living in Fort Myers, FL  shares how technology is making a difference in the senior living community, helping residents thrive in their environment while also giving more peace of mind to family and friends back home.

Jesse VanMaanen talks about his Trinity experience, his calling as a doctor and surgeon and what it's like to come down with Coronavirus. 

Curious what Troll Talks is all about? Director of Alumni and Family Engagement, Jeremy Klyn, overviews the purpose of the podcast, its origins, and how you, too, can get involved.