What happens when students leave for the summer? Olympics, bike rides, concerts, and so much more. Hear what TWU has been up to for the last four months:
TWU in the Rio Olympics
Five TWU alumni represented Canada in the 2016 Rio Olympics this summer. Adam Froese played for the men’s field hockey team; Chaim Schalk for the men’s beach volleyball team; and Rudy Verhoeff, Steve Marshall, and Dan Jansen Van Doorn for the men’s volleyball team. Our alumni made up a total of 25 per cent of the men’s Olympic volleyball team, inspiring CBC to nickname us the “Canadian Volleyball Factory”. The games concluded with “our” teams ranking 11th or higher in their sport.
Touring with Hillsong
It was a summer of concerts! We got the opportunity to travel across North America with Hillsong, Chris Tomlin, Lecrae, and Switchfoot. TWU had the opportunity to meet many people who share our heart and mission, talk to prospective students, and support Christian artists.
Hanson Garden Chapel
The Hanson Garden Chapel was finished and dedicated at the beginning of the summer. The structure stands as a symbol of the gospel at the heart of campus, and honours the vision of Calvin and Muriel Hanson, who pioneered the TWU mission so many years ago. The walls of the chapel are built with the bricks that once stood in the original Hanson Chapel.
Wonder in the woods
Trinity Western University’s Ecosystem Study Area was filled with the voices of children during the month of May. The Salmon in the Valley program brought together students from local schools to learn about living organisms, food chains and natural processes found in the forest.
Law school decisions
We reached several milestones on the road toward TWU’s School of Law. We appeared in appeal courts in Nova Scotia, B.C. and Ontario. Following the proceedings, a decision against TWU graduates came from the Ontario Court of Appeal, and a ruling in favour of TWU graduates came from the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. TWU is still waiting on the B.C. decision but anticipates appearing in the Supreme Court of Canada in 2017. More details are available here.
Science students working on research
The bustle may have died down over the summer, but several students continued to work behind the scenes. Thirty-three students worked on scientific research in the Neufeld building in our chemistry, biology, and computing science labs. They got the opportunity to work with TWU professors on high-level projects that range from the study of glacial flow to the analysis of the properties and components of Honduran soapberries.
Tour De Fox
TWU hosted the Tour de Fox bike ride, a fundraiser for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, in August. The Pacific Northwest ride started and finished on TWU campus and raised a total of $145,244 for Parkinson’s research. Team TWU was made up of 17 riders from the TWU community and raised $19,323—more than any other team!