President’s Newsletter – October 2023
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Dear Trinity Alumnae and Alumni, Family and Friends,
Is college worth it? Almost every news outlet these days seems to have a story amplifying voices that express acute criticism of higher education. Politicians, pundits, parents and the general public all have something to say on this topic. Those of us who care deeply about the critical importance of higher learning for the future of our nation and society know that we have to be more specific about the “value proposition” for our institutions.
At Trinity, we are confident, even fearless, in stating our “value proposition” for the 21st Century, linking across 125 years to the audacious vision of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1897: to provide a great higher education for women that builds their confidence, enlarges their intellect, strengthens their faith and moral backbone, and inspires their passion to be effective leaders for good throughout the communities they serve. In 2023, we build upon that original “value proposition” to include not only the women in our daytime undergraduate college, but also working adults in our coeducational graduate and professional programs, and ambitious high school students in our coed dual enrollment and early college programs.
The success of Trinity’s value proposition is clear in the achievements of our students and graduates across a range of majors and professional endeavors. Read on in this newsletter to learn more about the many ways in which Trinity students and graduates today exemplify the enduring value of a great Trinity education!
Patricia McGuire ’74, President
Trinity Traditions Endure
First-year students sign the Honor Code book in Notre Dame chapel after taking the Trinity Honor Code pledge and receiving their first-year medals during New Student Convocation.
Trinity Science Majors on Summer Research Internships
Quite a few science majors spent the summer of 2023 in major research laboratories working with senior scientists as part of our undergraduate research program. Labs and projects include:
Johns Hopkins University: Seven science majors were selected in a competitive process to work in the laboratories of senior researchers at Johns Hopkins University as part of a program funded through a Sloan Foundation grant at Trinity.
- Arbey Romero, Class of 2024, Biology
- Rosa Lopez, Class of 2024, Biology
- Melanny Lopez, Class of 2025, Biology
- Evelyn Rosales, Class of 2024, Biology
- Mamalee Milton, Class of 2023, Biology
- Andrea Chavez-Romero, Class of 2023, Chemistry and Data Analytics
- Esther Nyarko, Class of 2024, Biology and Data Analytics
Mayo Clinic: Yesica Tumax (pictured left) is a senior majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Bioinformatics and Data Analytics. This summer, she was part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Florida. She wrote of her experience, “During my 10 weeks [at the Mayo Clinic] I worked in a Neuroscience Cancer lab with a graduate student as my mentor. We looked at how radiating glioblastoma cells affected the extracellular vesicles. I had a lot of fun networking and learning new lab skills, such as cell culturing and nanosight tracking. I am so grateful that Trinity taught me many useful lab skills that I was able to use during my internship.”
Nuclear Nonproliferation Fellowship
Oluwafunmilayo “Funmi” M. Ayodeji, Class of 2023 summa cum laude in Political Science, earned a prestigious fellowship to the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in California.
Funmi writes about her fellowship: “My independent project focused on the intersection of human rights and nuclear disarmament. Specifically, I examined the human rights aspect of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is important because it attempts to set a norm that nuclear weapons are unacceptable…My independent project aimed to investigate how human rights can be incorporated into nuclear disarmament discussions…I plan to expand my independent research in law school and get it published.”
Catholic University: Luce Scholars Micheyla Stoney (right), senior Forensic Science major, and Qabso Qinati, senior Biochemistry major, joined Dr. Jandro Abot’s materials engineering laboratory at Catholic University. Dr. Abot specializes in developing carbon-nanotube materials with unique electrical and sensing properties.
Purdue University, National Data Mine Program: Stephanie Matamoros, Qabso Qinati and Esther Nyarko participated in Purdue NDM coursework and training in R and Python. Onjali Mceachin, senior Math major and Data Analytics minor, conducted mathematics research during the summer and will continue an internship with the Data Mining Network.
Howard University, Pharmacology: J’Kaylah Beasley (left), junior Biology major, participated in research at Howard Pharmacology this past summer on triple-negative breast cancer cells and on slowing down Parkinson’s with nicotine.
New York University: Stephanie Matamoros is a junior majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Data Analytics. This summer she was part of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Chemical Biology at New York University (NYU). At NYU, she had the opportunity to explore research in biochemistry where she was investigating the FGFR2 C382R gene phosphorylation, gaining skills working with cells and biochemistry assays.
Vernal Bioscience: Junior Florence Njoroge, Biochemistry major, participated in a summer internship in manufacturing science and analytical development.
“Ewa’s Bill” Becomes Law in Maryland!
Ewaoluwa Ogundana Obatuase, Class of 2021 summa cum laude in Political Science, completed her Master’s in Public Policy at the University of Maryland and took a position as a Higher Education Policy Analyst at the New America Foundation. She wrote a blog post when she was an intern at New America concerning the fact that Maryland, like many states, prohibited undocumented students from obtaining professional licenses to practice in fields like Nursing. As a result of her advocacy, the Maryland state assembly passed a bill granting licensure rights to undocumented persons, and Governor Wes Moore signed “Ewa’s Bill” into law on May 3, 2023.
Annual Fund – Marches toward Million Dollar Goal!
The Trinity Annual Fund raised over $950,000 last fiscal year and is reaching for $1,000,000 in total gifts for fiscal 2023-2024. Annual fund dollars are critical each year in providing student scholarships, faculty research funds, and many other essential items like new technology and program support. Please keep in mind to make your annual fund gift every year, even if you are participating in a reunion or class giving project. The Trinity Annual Fund is the cornerstone of all giving to Trinity, so please know your support, at any level, is truly appreciated.
The Trinity Annual Fund is the cornerstone of all giving to Trinity, even if you are participating in a reunion or class giving project. Your support, at any level, is truly appreciated and makes a tangible difference to our students. All the successes you see in these pages are made possible by your generosity.
Please make your Annual Fund gift today!
Trinity Environmental Science Research
Nakiah Farrell (left), senior Chemistry major, worked with Trinity Chemistry Professor Dr. Shizuka Hsieh on air quality monitoring for communities. Nakiah designed, assembled and tested an oven for preparing solid materials, so they can be used for collecting volatile organics in air. Materials prepared using Nakiah’s method were used in partnership with DC youth to identify chemicals in Brentwood near an asphalt plant, trash transfer stations, warehouses and an auto body shop.
Claudia Rosa-Rivera, junior biology major, opened the door to future student-led or course-based projects using low-cost environmental sensors. She worked independently to figure out which components to purchase, assemble a low-cost sensor to detect ethanol in air, and — with no prior coding experience — program it to output measurements that could be translated to actual concentrations.
Carla Hernandez-Guerrero, junior biology major and chemistry minor, worked on a research project comparing the diversity and abundance of aquatic microorganisms using three different methods and water samples from two different sources. Understanding how well these methods work will be used to develop labs where ENVS 101 students can use aquatic micro-organisms to develop microscopy skills, assess water quality, and see impacts of human actions on water resources.
Trinity Research Projects through the NASA DC Space Grant
Jewel Joyner, junior Biology major, worked with Luce Professor Dr. Kaitlin Wellens on a research project about the use of citizen science on student perceptions and attitudes about primate conservation.
Maria Solache-Nava (right) is a senior majoring in Biochemistry. During the summer, she learned different microbiology and biochemistry laboratory skills as she explored the efficacy of natural compounds found in herbal medicine as alternative antibacterial drugs. Her project focused on developing the methodology to test natural compounds for invitro efficacy on E.coli bacteria. She also investigated the binding of carvacrol and thymol (two natural compounds found in oregano) to A-site ribosomal RNA using fluorescence experiments.
Cecilia Rivas (left) is a junior majoring in Forensic Science. Her summer research focused on analyzing weight loss tea supplements for undeclared chemicals and caffeine using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The methodology that was developed during the summer was written into a laboratory activity that will be used in General and Organic Chemistry this semester for students to learn more about applications of chemistry concepts on real-world applications.
Dulce Andrade-Castillo is a senior majoring in Forensic Science with a minor in Biochemistry. During the summer, Dulce developed a game-based activity for a General Chemistry laboratory where students can review concepts learned during the semester in a fun and engaging environment. She was involved in all aspects of game development. Trinity expects to implement the first version of this game, CHEM Land, in general chemistry this semester.
Young Alumnae On the Move
- Sulma Villatoro, Class of 2021 summa cum laude in Health Services is in the MBA program at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.
- Jennae Whitted, Class of 2023 magna cum laude in Biology has started her Ph.D. program at Rutgers.
- Cindy Mendez Hernandez, Class of 2015 in Psychology, is in the MS Program for Learning Design and Technology at the University of Maryland Global Campus and she is a Learning Experience Designer with the American College of Emergency Physicians.
- Shaundene Peart, Class of 2018 cum laude in Business, completed her MBA at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. Shaundene is a financial analyst with RIT International.
- Rosa Reyes, Class of 2021 magna cum laude in Health Services, earned her MA in Education and Human Development at George Washington University and founded her own wellness company Just Be Well.
Nursing and Health Professions Success!
Trinity’s Nursing Program continues to grow and enjoy tremendous success thanks to great benefactors and partners who support our students and faculty. 100% of the recent Nursing grads who took the NCLEX licensure exam in the spring passed on the first try, a tremendous achievement! And recent data from the U.S. Department of Education on the median earnings of graduates by major 4 years after graduation shows that Trinity Nursing grads earn $92,897, the highest average earnings among all of the Nursing programs in DC!
Not to be outdone by their Nursing colleagues, our students and faculty in Occupational Therapy rejoice at two very successful accreditation reviews for the OTA-Baccalaureate program and the Masters in Occupational Therapy. Both programs received full ACOTE accreditation approval.
October 26 – 28, 2023
The celebration continues as we welcome all alumnae and alumni back to campus for three days of exciting intellectual, academic, social and celebratory events! Our All- Alumnae Reunion takes place on October 26, 27 and 28 with programming for many different interests.Highlights of the full schedule include:
Thursday, October 26 — Alumnae College: Experience Trinity academics today! All alumnae are welcome to sit in on classes and engage with today’s faculty and students across a range of disciplines. The full schedule of classes is posted at www.trinitydc.edu/reunion
Thursday, October 26, 3 pm — Oppenheimer: This lecture with Global Affairs professor Allen Pietrobon will take us back to the dawn of the Atomic Age to explore the Manhattan Project and the people behind it, and the anti-nuclear activism that this birth of the “Atomic Age” spurred, based on Pietrobon’s new book, Norman Cousins: Peacemaker in the A
tomic Age.
Friday, October 27 — Symposium on Artificial Intelligence: A fantastic roster of speakers will engage in teaching about AI, debates about its benefits and risks, and discussion of its impact on everything from education to healthcare to transportation. Visit www.trinitydc.edu/reunion to register.
Friday, October 27, 5 pm — Welcome Reception in Main Hall
Saturday, October 28, 10 am — Cap & Gown Convocation in Notre Dame Chapel: celebrate with our seniors and their families and welcome alumnae to participate in this grand Trinity tradition!
Saturday, October 27, Noon — All-Alumnae Luncheon: Join classmates and friends as we celebrate reunion and salute the 50th Reunion Class of 1973!
Saturday, October 27, 4 pm — Reunion Liturgy: Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala presiding.
Saturday, October 27, 5:30 pm — Farewell Reception on the Front Lawn!
The Campaign for Alumnae Hall Progresses
Vital Support for a Vibrant Campus Center
To date, we have received nearly $10 million toward our $30 million goal for the renaissance of Alumnae Hall. As we are ever so grateful to the benefactors who have already contributed, there is still work to be done!
The plans for the newly re-imagined Alumnae Hall will transform the student/campus experience at Trinity. The vision is to establish a true campus center that is modern, functional, and as vibrant as the amazing classrooms and laboratories of the Payden Academic Center that opened in 2016. It will support all campus constituencies — resident as well as commuter students, faculty and staff, alumnae and alumni, visitors, and conference guests.
Funding for this key institutional priority will ensure that Alumnae Hall becomes the campus center our students and Trinity family so deserve.
To learn more please contact Mr. Patrick Kellogg, Vice President for Development at KelloggP@trinitydc.edu.
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ARCHIVED ISSUES
President’s Newsletter – May 2023
{Full Issue with READ MORE Content, below and HERE.}
Dear Trinity Alumnae and Alumni, Family and Friends,
Spring season at Trinity is a time for many joyful festivities as our seniors look forward to commencement while also indulging in nostalgic memories of their Trinity days. On Founders Day in late April, we gathered once more to remember and celebrate the great women whose courage and creative genius gave life to Trinity 125 years ago. Trinity Founders Sisters Julia McGroarty and Mary Euphrasia Taylor would have thoroughly enjoyed the traditional Founders Day picnic; I am also sure that they were smiling broadly upon the Gold Class of 2023 as we saluted their many achievements in the Senior Award Ceremony.
This edition of the President’s Newsletter shares several of the amazing stories of today’s Trinity students. These profiles reveal the impact of the investments our alumnae and benefactors make in our students. Your gifts to the Trinity Annual Fund provide a portion of the more than $10 million we award annually in Trinity grants and scholarships for worthy undergraduate students with high financial need. Your special gifts support excellence and innovation in our academic programs. For example, recent reunion gifts support our initiatives in Environmental Justice; other alumnae gifts support Political Science and Global Affairs; still others support Nursing and healthcare programs.
I hope you enjoy these stories of the many ways in which today’s students continue Trinity’s grand tradition of academic achievement. And thank you for your Annual Fund gift to Trinity!
STUDENT EXCELLENCE
Andrea Chaves ’23 Heading to Brown University Graduate School
With a major in Chemistry and minor in Data Analytics, Andrea Chavez has been an academic and campus leadership superstar during her student days. In March, she added her crowning achievement: the Health Equity Scholars Award at Brown University that will support 100% of her tuition along with a research assistantship in the Masters in Public Health Program.
A graduate of Oxon Hill High School in Maryland, Andrea has taken full advantage of the great opportunities she found at Trinity. She is currently a research fellow at Johns Hopkins University in a partnership with Trinity, funded through the Sloan Foundation. She previously was a Trinity fellow in a special program with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. A Dreamer Scholar, she is also an active advocate for undocumented students.
Andrea was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in her junior year. After she earns her master’s in public health at Brown, Andrea says, “I plan to come back to D.C. and work on Capitol Hill, influencing health policy and being a voice of change for our community. I want to bring us closer to passing a universal healthcare bill and developing programs to help black and brown communities.”
Myla Johnson ’23 Recognized by American Psychology-Law Society
A Phi Beta Kappa scholar, senior Psychology Major Myla Johnson recently received recognition through the American Psychology-Law Society. Myla received the Access Path to Psychology and Law Experience (APPLE) Program Award for her research study, “Predicting Emotional and Behavior Functioning of African American Boys: The Impact of Absentee Fathers in the Home.” She began her project in fall 2022 and continues to work on it this spring in her undergraduate research psychology course under the mentorship of Psychology Professor Dr. Christopher Bishop (pictured with Myla). She will be presenting her results at the 2024 AP-LS conference.
Myla came to Trinity after earning her associate’s degree at Northern Virginia Community College. Dr. Bishop immediately recognized her talent and approached her about the research project. Myla says that having her academic strengths recognized by a Trinity professor surprised and pleased her. “I can’t remember a time that a teacher or professor reached out to me, and it really boosted my confidence and my commitment to continue my studies in psychology.” She added, “Trinity professors make time for you, and they make it clear that they genuinely want you to succeed academically.” Myla plans to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology, with a specialization in forensics.
Jennae Whitted ’23 Heading to Rutgers for Master’s Degree
Senior and Clare Boothe Luce Scholar Jennae Whitted, a Biology major with a minor in Bioinformatics, has chosen to pursue her master’s degree in Toxicology at Rutgers University. Jennae (pictured) received recognition from the Society of Toxicology for her research abstract, “Associations of Urinary Phthalate Metabolites with Ovarian Volume and Differences by Change in BMI since Age 18.” Jennae conducted the research in summer 2022 at Michigan State University where she was a BRUSHES intern (Biomedical Research for University Students in Health Sciences and Environmental Sciences.) A graduate of Benjamin Banneker High School in Washington, Jennae aims to focus her graduate study on toxicology as a means to identify environmental chemicals that impact human health.
STEM Scholars Take Top Prizes at NASA DC Space Grant Competition
Four Trinity science majors received awards at the NASA DC Space Grant competition in February. Trinity partners with American University for this NASA program. Among the student winners, Biology major Martha Rondon ’23 (pictured) won first prize for her presentation on “Harmful Air Pollutants: PM2.5 and Black Carbon in Washington, D.C., Neighborhoods Impacted by Diesel Truck Traffic.” Other awards went to Trinity student research presentations on patterns of urban wildlife, harmful chemicals in weight loss supplements, and an energy study of carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors.Trinity Students Named Citizens for Global Solutions Fellows
Six Trinity students were chosen as Citizens for Global Solutions fellows in Spring 2023. Led by Global Affairs Professor Dr. Allen Pietrobon, the Trinity delegation traveled to the United Nations headquarters in New York City in March to participate in the Global Futures Forum. During this two-day gathering, Trinity students joined others to discuss policy proposals on a range of issues from climate change to human rights and peacebuilding. Sophomore Skylar Blue wrote about her experience, “This Fellowship is a great opportunity to be able to launch into the political world. It gives me the opportunity to be a part of something to change the world for the good of all. I take this very seriously because these are the first steps we can take to create the bigger change we need.”
(Pictured from left: Trinity students Lexi Bernier and Camila Perez, Dr. Allen Pietrobon, Assistant Professor of Global Affairs, and students Skylar Blue, Sircey Smith, Annissa Young and Elroi Mekonen)
2023 Katherine Johnson Award Winners
Senior Biology major Dongo Kaka (pictured), also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, won this year’s Katherine Johnson Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics. Johnson awards also went to Junior Biochemistry major Yesica Tumax, Sophomore Biochemistry major Florence Njoroge, and First Year Biology major Alejandra Marin Argueta.
The Johnson Award was created by Jurate Kazickas ’64 to inspire Trinity students to emulate the achievements of Katherine Johnson, one of the renowned Black women mathematicians who helped to launch the NASA space program.
15 Students Elected to Phi Beta Kappa
Continuing a grand Trinity tradition since 1971, 15 high achieving students achieved membership in Phi Beta Kappa, one of the most prestigious honor societies in the nation. The students represent a broad range of majors including Biochemistry, Psychology, International Affairs and others with GPAs in the 3.7 to 4.0 range. The new inductees for the Epsilon Chapter include students who have been campus leaders, student journalists, volunteers and women who have made their impact across many activities. 40% are Dreamer Scholars. Four of the new PBK members are graduates of D.C. Public Schools including Banneker, School Without Walls, McKinley Tech and Roosevelt. What an accomplished group!2023 Phi Beta Kappa Inductees:
CAMPUS NEWS & EVENTS
A Conversation with Black Alumnae
In late March, as part of Trinity’s Women’s History Month observance, the Black Student Alliance and Trinity History Project hosted a panel discussion with Black Alumnae.
The Honorable Jeanette Jackson Clark ’70, senior judge of D.C. Superior Court and a former Trinity trustee, joined educators and entrepreneurs Bettie Grant Crawl ’69 and Ara Johnson Bland ’69. Facing considerable racism at Trinity in the late 1960’s, Bettie and Ara led the way in forming Trinity’s first Afro-American student organization, the precursor to today’s Black Student Alliance. Black Student Alliance president Binta Diakite moderated the discussion which highlighted the women’s experiences at Trinity during the late 1960s. Judge Clark specially discussed the aftermath of Martin Luther King, Jr’s death, and her fear of being on a predominately white campus during that time. The intergenerational dialogue provided current students with insights to overcome racism and discrimination in the real world.
The alumnae also spoke honestly and directly with students about barriers of race and gender that continue to exist in professional and community life, and how to surmount the barriers and persist in pursuit of professional and personal success.
Early College Academy: First Cohort Graduates!
The first cohort of the Early College Academy that Trinity conducts in cooperation with Coolidge High School will graduate in May. 36 students will receive their associate degrees, completing their first two years of college even while completing high school. Early College graduate Karla Azucena Amaya Rodriguez receives her acceptance to Trinity from President Patricia McGuire and Dean Sita Ramamurti (pictured).
Dr. Sita Ramamurti, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences who oversees the program, declares that, “These students have developed higher levels of academic and social competencies and they are well prepared to intellectually engage with diverse issues and challenges facing today’s society. I am confident that as they begin the next phase in their lives, the path they will pursue will continue to make Trinity proud.”
Reunion and 125th Anniversary Celebration
October 26-28, 2023
Register Now!
Mark your calendar for an unforgettable weekend: raise your spirits, stimulate your intellect, and reconnect with lifelong friends! Registration for Fall 2023 Reunion is now open!
Three Captivating Days of Celebration!
- Alumnae College on Thursday, October 26 – Today’s faculty and students are eager to welcome alumnae to class! You will be able to choose from classes offered in many disciplines, then enjoy lunch with friends and students in Alumnae Hall.
- Symposium and Reception on Friday, October 27 – Trinity’s academic excellence will be on display at the Symposium on Artificial Intelligence. You are invited to lunch in Alumnae Hall, then enjoy strolling campus and a lovely Welcome Reception on the Marble Corridor.
- Convocation and All-Alumnae/i Reunion Luncheon, Saturday, October 28 – Reunion begins with Senior Cap & Gown Convocation in Notre Dame Chapel followed by the annual Reunion Luncheon for all alumnae and alumni, class activities, Well Sing, Reunion Liturgy, and then closes with a Farewell Reception on the lawn.
Trinity’s Anniversary Era Has More to Come! Mark your calendars for the next two years of 125th Anniversary and All-Alumnae/i Reunion celebrations: October 24-26 , 2024 and October 23-25, 2025.
YOUR Annual Fund Gift Supports Student Achievements!
The highly accomplished seniors profiled in this newsletter are just several of the nearly 2,000 students pursuing their degrees at Trinity. Their achievements are possible, in part, thanks to the generosity of our many donors supporting the Annual Fund or scholarships, the excellence of our faculty supported by grants for research and professional development, and the quality of our laboratories and instructional environment requiring continuous upgrades.
Our goal for the 2022-2023 Annual Fund is $1 million.
Help Trinity reach our goal and provide invaluable aid to our dedicated students.
Make YOUR Annual Fund gift today!