Dear Members of the Trinity Western University Community,
Among the best seasons in the life of a university is the season we're in now.
Not many months ago, we warmly welcomed students, staff and faculty into a brand-new 2021/22 academic year—the first year in which Trinity Western began to pursue our new vision to see "every graduate equipped to think truthfully, act justly, and live faithfully for the good of the world and the glory of God."
How incredible to see that we have now arrived at the fruitful completion of this term.
This past weekend, we had the honour of celebrating one of the largest graduating classes in Trinity Western's history. Over 750 students from the undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible for graduation this spring. We are absolutely delighted to share in their joy and the joy of their friends and families.
Robert G. Kuhn Centre update
As many of you may know, for the past two years, Trinity Western has been working towards the completion of the Robert G. Kuhn Centre. The four-storey mass timber atrium building at the entrance of the Langley campus is the new home of the School of Business, GLOBAL and Student Life’s Global Engagement Office (GEO)—and it serves as a multi-functional facility for all students, staff and faculty.
We are excited that starting this month, the Robert G. Kuhn Centre will begin to host its first classes.
We thank our donors and friends of the University, whose generous and faithful support has enabled Trinity Western to open this beautiful $35 million Robert G. Kuhn Centre—debt-free. Moreover, we thank all our colleagues who have worked so hard on this project over the past many months.
Together, we look forward to the enriched learning, collaboration and ideas that will be fostered in this spectacular and inspiring space.
TWU announces two new deans
Trinity Western is thrilled to welcome two new academic leaders with impressive track records in leadership and academia, who are extremely well-prepared to advance TWU's scholarship, education and Christian commitment.
Dr. Lara Ragpot is TWU's new Dean of the School of Education, commencing August 16. We are honoured to have such a remarkable individual in this position of strategic leadership for the University. Dr. Ragpot is uniquely equipped to use her exceptional gifts, experience, passion, leadership abilities and deep faith to advance key University priorities, including Indigenizing the curriculum, encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations, and developing global and culturally inclusive perspectives in education.
Dr. Shawna L. Nist is the new Dean of GLOBAL, commencing August 1. Dr. Nist brings 28 years of university leadership experience serving in administrative and faculty capacities within Christian institutions in Canada and the United States. Her impressive record of Christ-centered, student-focused innovative program and curricular design positions her well to contribute to the work of an existing cohort of talented, diligent and Christ-centered academic deans at TWU.
International opportunities for students of business and engineering
In today’s digital, global knowledge economy, broad international experiences and education in innovative and culturally-diverse institutions help graduates to stand out in the job market.
That is why Trinity Western University is partnering with Baylor University, a leading Christian institution with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship, to provide students of both universities with high-quality global educational experiences, increased breadth of program options, and greater access to post-graduation pathways.
Through this partnership, business students who complete undergraduate studies at Baylor University can advance onto graduate studies in Canada and pursue an MBA degree at TWU. Meanwhile, engineering students who complete their pre-engineering studies at Trinity Western can advance onto engineering studies at Baylor.
Scholarships for students whose lives have been disrupted by war
The tragic war in Ukraine continues to have a significant global impact. In response, Trinity Western has expanded our scholarship support for students in need. The TWU Scholarship for Displaced Persons exists to assist students whose lives have been upended by war and conflict in their home countries.
This scholarship initiative was partly inspired by Marko Zolotarov, a first-year TWU student from Ukraine. You can listen to his personal story here.
Continually seeking to address the issues of affordability and access, TWU launched its first-ever Day of Giving on April 20. Thanks to our many generous donors and supporters, over the past two weeks, TWU has raised $136,772 towards scholarships and aid for TWU students, including those whose lives have been disrupted by war and global conflicts.
What's next
This summer, Trinity Western looks forward to continuing our Strategic Planning process, which launched in January 2022.
Over 200 staff and faculty participated in four campus-wide Strategic Planning sessions led by strategy planning experts at Fuller Higher Ed Solutions. The results of these discussions have now been distilled into three main themes. Mirroring this, three focused theme teams are now working to develop actionable initiatives to achieve the goals under each theme. We look forward to providing you more updates as their work bears fruit.
Here at Trinity Western, we have so many reasons to give thanks, to reflect upon God's goodness to us in recent months and to anticipate with hope and excitement our days ahead.
As one season draws to a close, another is already beginning.
Having seen the joyful faces and listened to the cheers and laughter of many TWU families in recent days, I am deeply moved by the evidence of God's good work among us, leading us to serve one another well and to bless our societies and communities.
Thank you for journeying together with us as we seek to equip our graduates for life.
Grace and peace,
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca.
Photo credits: Kayla Bock