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Admissions Staff Biographies
Aspen Gonzalez '96
Director of Admissions
aspen.gonzalez@trinity.edu
After 4 years of undergraduate study at Trinity and 12 years of working in the Admissions office, I can definitely say that Trinity has had a profound and positive influence on me. I remember the excitement I felt when I first walked on the campus my senior year of high school, and realized that it was the college for me. And I haven't looked back since. Trinity has given me so many opportunities to grow and learn.
In addition to having a job that provides a lot of personal satisfaction, I love a life of activity... spending quality time with my husband and kids, home improvement projects (such as painting our new tree house!), and trying to squeeze in time to run and cycle. Metro San Antonio and Trinity are wonderful places to engage in a variety of activities, and I like to take advantage of it...I hope you will too!
Justin Doty
Associate Director of Admissions
justin.doty@trinity.edu
The minute I stepped onto the Trinity campus in June of 2000, I knew this would be an ideal place to work. I was immediately welcomed by faculty, staff, and most of all, the Trinity students. It became very easy to feel “at home” in the tight-knit Trinity community despite the fact that I didn’t even graduate from here. During my time spent at Trinity, I have had the opportunity to play on a faculty/staff (AKA the old guys) intramural basketball team that competes against students, participated in a choir that involves faculty, staff, and students, and even took a trap and skeet shooting course for fun. But I promise, I work full time too!
Outside of work, I take any chance I get to spend time outdoors. I love camping at many of the beautiful state parks Texas has to offer and I almost always try to find time to go fishing. I also love spending quality time with my better half, Brittany and our daughter Jocelyn. We are also very excited to be expecting another little Doty in January 2010. Needless to say, this will be a busy year for me! While I tend to travel quite a bit for work, I also find myself traveling for pleasure as my family is spread out from south Texas to Bangor, Maine.
Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with so many talented prospective students and watching many of them become Trinity students with their own stories to tell. I hope our path's will cross this year.
Eric Maloof
Associate Director of Admissions and
Director of International Admissions
eric.maloof@trinity.edu
Originally from Plymouth, New Hampshire and educated in NH public schools, the University of Vermont, and Harvard University, one could argue that I took the road less traveled before arriving at Trinity. Before Trinity, I worked as an administrator, college counselor, teacher, and coach at The Antilles School on the island of St. Thomas (Virgin Islands). Arriving in St. Thomas days after my college graduation, I welcomed the opportunity to work in a different culture and way of life.
Between taking advantage of the island's outdoor offerings and traveling the world, I found time for my teaching, counseling, and coaching responsibilities. While living in St. Thomas, my appreciation for internationalism and its place in education grew, and I found myself looking stateside for university jobs centered around my newfound appreciation.
Trinity's commitment to internationalizing its campus community was an instant draw. Both the university and San Antonio were perfect matches for me, as the former offers a world-class education with a diverse student body, and the latter, wonderful year-round weather and big-city convenience. Six years later, I feel blessed I made the move to Trinity, as it has afforded me many of the same great opportunities that it affords its students – 10% of whom hail from overseas making Trinity’s undergraduate international student population one of the most robust amongst liberal arts institutions in the United States.
My main responsibililties at Trinity are coordinating international student recruitment and financial aid. Please feel free to contact me, and I would be happy to help you learn more about Trinity and its programs.
Jeremy Johnson ‘02
Assistant Director of Admissions
jeremy.johnson@trinity.edu
When I was a kid I went to pre-school at Trinity Day School in Beaumont TX—so I guess it was fate of sorts that I later decided to attend Trinity University.
I had the benefit of learning about different colleges when my older sibling was considering schools. Although she went to a different university, the personal attention she received from Trinity really stuck with me. And from the moment that I set foot on campus, I knew Trinity was the place for me.
As a student, I was involved with many different extracurricular groups including IMs (that’s Trinity-speak for intramurals), FCA, and I was a resident assistant for two years, not to mention my various work-study positions all over campus. Although I graduated (with a BS in engineering science and a minor in mathematics) in ’02, I still get to play IM’s with the students, except now you can find me on “The Administrators” basketball team with a few other admission counselors and staff members.
In my off time you’ll find me playing soccer in a couple of the San Antonio community leagues or just playing fetch with my weimaraner, Stormy. I also enjoy hiking and camping with my wife whenever I get the chance, and like watching sports of all kinds—I’m a big fan of the Buffalo Bills, our hometown Spurs, and of course, all Trinity teams.
I hope that we get the chance to talk either here on campus or on the road.
Sara Newhouse '00
Associate Director of Admissions
sara.newhouse@trinity.edu
Originally from Tyler, TX I have come to love living in San Antonio. With just the right pace, the warm and charming city offers something for everyone. My husband (also a Trinity grad) and I love the entertainment offered by the San Antonio Spurs, the Riverwalk and the Majestic Theater (to name a few) as well as the accessibility to great and economical cuisine of all kinds including our favorite delicacy - the breakfast taco.
I was excited to join the Trinity Admissions staff in June of 2003 after 4 years on campus as an undergrad, and a 3 year foray into the world of advertising. During my tenure in the Admissions Office, I have had the opportunity to work with a myriad of very interesting, bright, and compelling students who remind me why admissions counselors do the work we do. Introducing a student to the tremendous value of a Trinity education and familiarizing them with the numerous opportunities outside the classroom afforded by our robust and vibrant campus and San Antonio communities is tremendously rewarding. The best part of my job is seeing a student with whom I’ve worked for a year or more on the hallmark days in their Trinity career: first year move-in day, going to an internship, award ceremonies, and graduation.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you have about Trinity University. I look very forward to working with you.
Sara Christiansen
Assistant Director of Admissions
sara.christiansen@trinity.edu
Being a native Minnesotan, my early years were spent participating in cold weather activities: I was captain of the cross-country ski team, I played a stint on a women’s ice hockey team, and I participated in annual broomball tournaments. I do none of these activities in San Antonio. But San Antonio and Trinity have quickly become home to me.
I attended Kenyon College in Ohio where I majored in Art History and studied Italian. After working in a museum in New York City, I accepted an admissions position at my alma mater where I worked for five years. I now come to Trinity having just completed my master’s in higher education at the University of Michigan. I love helping students through the college search process, and I’m excited to be working with prospective students at Trinity.
When I’m not traveling for admissions, I love to travel with my husband and explore parts of the world where I’ve never been before. I also enjoy being in the outdoors whether I’m camping, hiking, gardening, or relaxing with a good book. I look forward to pursuing these activities all year long given the fantastic San Antonio weather. I’m also excited to take advantage of all Trinity has to offer- a diverse and interesting student body and faculty, a phenomenal lecture series with speakers from all over the world, excellent student productions, and a wide range of community service initiatives on-campus and in the San Antonio area. I look forward to hearing from you!
Kindel Hollis ‘07
Admissions Counselor
Khollis@trinity.edu
I am so excited that you are interested in Trinity! As a 2007 Trinity grad, I’m thrilled to help you navigate the college admissions process. Trinity couldn’t have been a better fit for me. I was looking for a strong liberal arts school that offered me opportunities to figure out what my future might bring. I also wanted a school that would allow me to participate in a variety of different activities, particularly in the arts, before I selected a major. It’s because of that experience that I hope Trinity might be a good fit for you.
I received a bachelor of arts in English with minors in Medieval and Renaissance Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. Quite the mouthful, and not quite what my mom wanted to hear when I came home for the holidays. Fortunately, Trinity offered me multiple internship opportunities so that I could find the right career path after graduation! I also actively participated in the Trinity Choir, joined a sorority, held positions on several University committees, helped out with several volunteer groups, and worked as a research assistant in the library. Throw in late night snack runs and my schedule was rather full.
These days I love to read and travel, and you can spot me tubing the Comal or Frio rivers with other Trinity alumni on a regular basis. I also like to check out local plays, hit up art museums, and scout out new local bands on the weekends. I hope to have the chance to meet with you this year, and please don’t hesitate to send me your questions!
Sarah Fischer
Assistant Director of Admissions
Sarah.Fischer@Trinity.edu
When I first developed an interest in college admissions, a friend told me to only work for a school where I would want to be a student—and that is precisely why I chose to come work at Trinity University.
I view both San Antonio and Trinity as my home, even though I am neither a Trinity graduate nor a native Texan. I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but my family moved to San Antonio shortly after my high school graduation. While I moved north to pursue my undergraduate education at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, I spent every summer in Texas, working at Trinity in various campus offices in addition to teaching tennis to children alongside the coach of the women’s team. This allowed me to interact with Trinity students, faculty, and staff—who aptly demonstrated all that the University has to offer. I was further able to learn about the experiences of Trinity students through my brother, a recent Trinity graduate and an enthusiastic supporter of the school.
I graduated from Carleton with a degree in American Studies, a concentration in Educational Studies, and a thick skin for cold weather. I am thrilled to return to San Antonio and work as an admissions counselor at Trinity and I look forward to unveiling the exciting opportunities available here to prospective students and their parents. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about Trinity. I’d love to hear from you!
Christopher J. Ellertson
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
admissions@trinity.edu
With parents who once worked as college professors, I feel destined to work in education. Though originally from Texas, I was practically raised on the campus of Muskingum College in New Concord, OH, attending lectures and fine arts and athletic events. As a result of this wonderful experience, I wanted to remain part of the educational community.
After receiving my B.A. from Otterbein College and M.A. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, I returned to Texas for my first job, working at Texas Christian University in the Offices of Admissions, Development, and Financial Aid. I was grateful to spend a decade at TCU, and even recruited one of my own sisters from Ohio to attend the university.
In 1993, I joined the Whitman College Office of Admission as Associate Director, and then was appointed Director of Admission in 1997. I greatly enjoyed my years at Whitman, and remain nostalgic about the school and Walla Walla.
After serving three years as director at Whitman, I was fortunate to join Trinity University as Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. I was drawn to the university because it combined much of what I appreciated most about my previous schools. Trinity, with an $851 million endowment for 2,500 undergraduates, has the resources per student to offer many of the benefits of a larger university, while maintaining the personal attention of a small liberal arts college. Trinity is blessed with a beautiful physical plant and, as its greatest asset, a gifted and caring faculty. In addition, it is located in San Antonio, one of my favorite cities. Now, after seeing several classes that I helped recruit graduate, I know the quality of a Trinity education first-hand. The students have had exceptional experiences. As early as their first year they had access to academic, campus, and leadership opportunities. Their curiosity, joy, and accomplishments have made my job most rewarding.
I am pleased that in the last nine years at Trinity, we have enrolled increasingly diverse students in areas of interests, talents, backgrounds, and perspectives. I look forward to learning about you, and helping you research whether Trinity would be a good option for your interests.
Brady Kosel
Admissions Counselor
brady.kosel@trinity.edu
During my college search I knew two things – I wanted to attend a university far from home, and I wanted to be a varsity gymnast. With the help of my best friend and an injury that ended my gymnastics career, my criteria changed at the end of my senior year. So I spent the next 4 years of my undergraduate studies, and the beginning of my professional career, in San Antonio, just 170 miles west of my hometown in Katy, Texas. Luckily, Trinity turned out to be the perfect school for me.
Some of my TU highlights include winning Conference Championships all 4 years as part of the varsity diving team, pursuing 3 different fields of study that I never considered in high school, getting to stand on the NCAA Final Four basketball court as a part of an internship, spending a semester abroad in Paris, France, and meeting some of the coolest people around. When my parents announced that they were moving to China during my senior year, I was so glad that I had a new place to call home.
I landed a job in Office of Admissions after a number of conversations with my academic advisor and taking a career and personality test. (They are pretty fantastic and available in TU’s Career Services Office.) Currently, I work with current students who are Tour Guides and Overnight Hosts. I also get to travel all around the US and share my Trinity experience with students from parts of the Midwest and Dallas, here in Texas.
I am really excited to learn more about your interest in Trinity and share a little bit about my time here. Please let me know if there is any way I can make this process easier for you and your family. I hope to meet you in person very soon.
Zina Wormley
Assistant Director of Admissions
zina.wormley@trinity.edu
I was excited to join the Trinity family when I moved here in July 2005. Previously I worked in admissions with Tulane University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am originally from Fort Worth and earned degrees from Tulane University and the University of New Orleans. After earning my master’s degree in education, I am happy to finally be back home in Texas. When not traveling for Trinity, I love to hang out with my husband and two children, and additionally enjoy reading and watching my favorite television program, The Amazing Race, of which I hope to one day participate as a contestant!
When I first joined Trinity University, one thing immediately caught my attention. The university has a sincere interest in preparing students to lead and contribute to the world around them. Trinity excels at this with superior academics, top professors, and fostering an engaged campus with numerous cultural pursuits and dedication to service within the community. A truly special place! I hope to meet you when I travel around the country and please say hello when visiting our friendly and warm San Antonio.