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From the Midwest to Trinity: A Convergence of Values

By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
"I lived for five years in the Midwest, and I loved it. The people were so nice. The people were so open."
— John Irving, author
Residents of the midwestern portion of the United States are traditionally known for being neighborly, altruistic, and tough, among other positive qualities. These traits are three of our T.I.T.A.N.S attributes that we celebrate in our community every day. And currently, we have five faculty and staff transplanted from the middle of the country. Coincidence? Maybe not.

These five faculty hailing from the heartland of America were drawn to Trinity by its sense of community, its welcoming spirit, and the everyday values that harken to their home states.

Adam Banwarth, Trinity’s Strength and Conditioning coach, is from Dubuque, Iowa. Like many from the Midwest, Banwarth has a strong sense of pride about his hometown and home state. My first meeting with Banwarth resulted in a geography lesson quickly scrawled on a whiteboard. In the decade he has been a Titan, Banwarth has educated hundreds about the finer points of the great state of Iowa, and we are all better for it. “Iowa is wonderful because it is full of communities who would do almost anything to help their neighbor,” he says. “It has diverse topography (more than you would think), including rolling hills, river bluffs, and wide river valleys. It is a place where kids are allowed to find themselves and discover their own interests.” Sounds a lot like Trinity!

Banwarth says he sees parallels between the welcoming culture of the Midwest and Trinity: “You are always welcome in any space at campus at any time. You can just stop by a classroom and you are welcomed in.”

Banwarth also brings his midwestern work ethic to the weight room, where he encourages athletes to be Iron Titans and push themselves to be their best. He has coached hundreds of athletes with his non-nonsense mien and his belief in their abilities. He perpetuates the same welcoming atmosphere in the weight room that he appreciates in Trinity’s classrooms. “The weight room is open to anyone who is willing to work hard and do their best,” he says.

Director of College Counseling Dan Geary echoes the sentiment of hard work as a midwestern value. Geary, from Wisconsin, grew up on significant acreage that required daily maintenance and intentionality (another T.I.T.A.N.S. attribute). “There was a series of tasks to be done, and you had to be methodical in completing them,” he remembers. Geary also got his first job at age fourteen and held the same job through high school and college, taking pride in moving up the ranks. When you see him on campus, you can see this work ethic is very much intact, as he is in perpetual motion working to guide students on their college journey.

In his youth, Geary enjoyed the midwestern ethos of making the most of community offerings, and he implores Trinity students to do the same with their time on campus. “Trinity has so much to offer and you can engage at whatever level is comfortable,” says Geary. “That is a great aspect of the school.

Physics teacher Elizabeth Kelley wears her Cleveland, Ohio pride on her sleeve, literally. She often unites with fellow Cleveland sports fans, needing only to see their sweatshirt to form a bond. Altruism and enthusiasm remind Kelley of her roots when she sees them reflected at Trinity. “I like to be part of a group, rather than an individual,” she says. “I’d much rather stand behind an entire science department than be singled out as a physics teacher.”

Kelley says giving back and community service were ingrained in her upbringing: “I was raised to support others, to bring others together.” Kelley has been involved with Special Olympics of Virginia (SOVA) for past eight years and her daughter, Anna, has been the race director for the SOVA one-miler that happens on campus every fall.

Kelley is also co-faculty sponsor of Trinity’s Richmond Forum pages program, which again, emphasizes service. Trinity provides the volunteer forum pages for each event. She also is the faculty sponsor for Trinity’s Science Society. Of giving back, Kelley says: “That has been a goal for my own family and also for the Trinity family. I love being a part of events where you leave feeling better than when you arrived.” And as for her enthusiasm, her catchphrase, well-known to her students, is, “High-five, knuckle-knock, let’s go!”

English teacher Stefanie Jochman came to Trinity by way of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, a city of 50,000 residents known for its friendliness. Jochman was thrilled to find a similar welcoming spirit here at Trinity. “The friendliness and the familiarity of everyone reminds me of home,” she says. Jochman remembers how nice that felt on her first day at the school, “Everyone knew me and my background as I began.”

She also appreciates the southern hospitality of the city. “The friendliness of Richmond appealed to me,” she says “And admittedly, I feel a sense of camaraderie when I see people wearing clothes from the midwest. I may even shout out ‘Go Packers!’ to a fellow fan,” something that makes her laugh because she used to cringe in embarrassment when her father would do the same. “I am becoming my father!” she says with proud amusement.

Jochman also appreciates Trinity’s supportive atmosphere. “Student support of one another and of their interests and activities is something I appreciated locally in Green Bay and Sheboygan,” she says. “I see that here [at Trinity].”

Finally, she revels in working with students who are willing to take on whatever task needs to be completed without question or a desire for recognition. “It makes my heart happy to work with the students who will do whatever is needed — the ‘chip-in’ mentality is very midwestern,” she says.

Chemistry teacher Laura Swiatek moved to Richmond from Toledo, Ohio, this summer. She felt drawn to Trinity during her interview process. “It was clear to me that this was a place where people cared about each other from the first time I stepped on campus,” she remembers. “When I interviewed, everyone was friendly and engaged me in conversation and made me feel welcome.”

Once on campus, Swiatek has appreciated the freedom she is afforded as a teacher coupled with tremendous support to explore. “I feel so empowered here as an educator by the other faculty,” she says. “I have been encouraged to be a pioneer in my classroom. I can try things that I know will be good for kids, but I may not have been able to try them in another setting.”

Swiatek says this creates a positive cycle in her classes: “I so appreciate the fact that every time I try something different in my classroom, all I get is positive encouragement from other faculty, and it then encourages me to try other things that I have not tried.” That sense of exploration and pioneering certainly harkens to the Midwest and its settlement as well as Trinity’s motto of “Discover Your Path.”

Swiatek sums up the midwestern parallels well by saying: “I sometimes forget that I am not in Ohio anymore because the feeling on campus is very homey to me. I am reminded that I am not in Ohio, though, when I hear people say “y’all’.”
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About “Connections”

Connections is a regular online column, written from the first-person perspective of Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement:

In this space, I have the privilege of sharing stories of Trinity students, alumni, and faculty and staff who are carrying our mission beyond the boundaries of campus. Many of these stories might not make the headlines, but they will illustrate how every member of the Trinity community has a unique path to discover, and the ability to make an impact on both the Trinity community and the world beyond.

I am fortunate to have been a part of this community since my own adolescence. I have been a student, a teacher, a coach, and an administrator, and in these roles I have witnessed the school’s growth and evolution through the years. We have grown in size as well as spirit.

Stories here will capture how seeds planted at Trinity have taken root and flourished into full-grown passions. You’ll also read stories of those in our community who bring their gifts from outside to help us learn. At Trinity, we seek to develop lifelong learners, and stories here will illustrate real-life examples of that beautiful symbiosis.

Read more "Connections"

List of 10 news stories.

  • Paying it Forward

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Drawing strength from personal challenges, Rosie Williams ’26 works to inspire and mentor hearing impaired youth
    Read More
  • Wider Exposure

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    From the photography darkroom to the rapids of the James River, Thomas Clarkson ’24 finds finds creative ways to view and explore the world
    Read More
  • Independent Streak

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Sam Aisenberg ’24 is riding high in the saddle both in the equestrian ring and in her school community
    Read More
  • Balancing Act

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Olivia Rodenhaver ’26 makes time for competitive gymnastics — and sticks the landing
    Read More
  • photo courtesy of jshfoto

    Team First

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    With trademark unselfish play, Colin Flood ’23 leads Titan Soccer to historic highs 
    Read More
  • In Her Own Voice

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Sadie Holloway ’24 steps into the spotlight as both a singer and a leader
    Read More
  • Hanging Tough

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Reaching beyond challenges, Van Malkie ’24 pulls himself up to the next level
    Read More
  • Growing in Leadership

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    As Richmond Forum Scholar and Trinity student leader, Layal El-Ayoubi ’23 looks for ways to collaborate, encourage others and grow global awareness
    Read More
  • Odds on Favorites

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Two Trinity seniors rise to the top of national youth investment and finance competition
    Read More
  • Three Months, Two Thousand Miles, One Path

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Pushing herself through the entire Appalachian Trail, Perry ’17 discovers more than just beautiful wilderness
    Read More
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