Trinity scholarship competition draws top students from across the nation

The Trinity College Academic Scholarship Competition Jan. 27-28 included 44 high school seniors from 14 states, each of whom competed for the University's top scholarships.

Among the competitors was Nick Baldado, who has made two 8,500-mile round trips to Deerfield from his home in Honolulu in the past seven months.

Baldado, who wants to study history with a secondary licensure in education, applied to several schools on the west coast, but prayed for direction about his college choice. Soon afterward, an invitation arrived to a newly formed 360 Leadership Institute on Trinity's Deerfield campus, which he attended last June.

"Praying about school and then getting that sort of opportunity - that's a big deal," Baldado said. "The 360 conference gave me a new perspective. Seeing that knowledge could be used to glorify God was a whole new way of thinking for me."

Baldado and the other campus visitors competed Jan. 27-28 for awards such as the Presidential or Kantzer Scholarships to Trinity College (covering tuition, room, board, and required fees), the Regents or Ruud Scholarships (full tuition and required fees), the Dean's Scholarships ($20,000), and the Faculty Scholarships ($17,000). The awards are annual and renewable if the students maintain quality grades.

Judges evaluated each contestant in three settings: a personal interview, participation in a group discussion of prominent public issues, and a timed essay-writing assignment. Some students who could not visit campus competed via email and teleconferencing. Award announcements are expected early next month.

"These are outstanding students who have attractive options available to them," Director of Undergraduate Admissions Jordan Bryant said. "We enjoy hosting them and getting to know them. It's a great way to show them how they can benefit from a Trinity education."

Invitees automatically qualify for the competition if accepted into the Trinity College Honors Program. They can also qualify for an invitation if they have earned a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.75 on a four-point scale, as well as a score of 28 or higher on the ACT, or at least a 1240 score on the SAT critical reading and math sections.

These students are in high demand, and often weigh several attractive scholarship offers from colleges and universities before making final choices. Many express specific and strong preferences in what they seek in an institution. Competition weekend helps them narrow their choices.

"It can be nerve-racking because of the high stakes," said Kristen Paraskevas, a high school senior in the competition from nearby Arlington Heights, Ill. "It was definitely a lot more relaxed and fun than I expected. Everyone does a nice job of making you feel at home. I know I'm competing, but I also feel like I'm here making friends."

Paraskevas, who wants to pursue a career in Christian counseling, said Trinity offers the type of preparation that would serve her well after graduation.

"I don't believe you can counsel people without having the knowledge of Christ," Paraskevas said. "I want to go to a school where the focus is on Christ, so that when I go out into the world, my focus will be on Him."

For more information about admission to Trinity College and available financial aid, go to tiu.edu/admissions.