SUPPORTIVE, SUPPORTING
Parents and Families: Committed to You
Trinity University Parent and Family Programs partners with families to promote and cultivate student learning, development, and success. Our Engagement Programs encourage active involvement in the University’s mission to provide an excellent liberal arts and sciences education for our students.
Parent Giving Programs
Support Trinity's tradition of excellence through investment in our students.
Parent Volunteer Programs
Make a difference through active and exciting volunteer engagement.
Stay in Touch!
Aliza Holzman-Cantu
Director for Parent Giving and Engagement
210-999-7410
aholzman@trinity.edu
Nicole Fratto Garcia '13
Senior Assistant Director for Admissions
210-999-7275
nfrattoo@trinity.edu
Demi Brown
Dean of Students
210-999-8843
dbrown7@trinity.edu
Parent Giving Programs
Support Trinity’s mission through Parent Giving Programs by increasing family involvement and philanthropic support.
EVERY dollar raised is used to:
- Provide meaningful programming for students and parents;
- Support Trinity’s tradition of excellence through investment in our students, the University, the community, and the future; and
- Foster the unique Trinity experience—from faculty mentors to service learning projects to studying abroad and everything in between.
Parents Fund
The Trinity University Parents Fund enables parents to make a significant and immediate impact on the educational experience of their son or daughter. An investment in the Parents Fund supports the University’s greatest priorities—from recruiting top faculty to service learning projects to the Student Success Center and everything in between. Last year gifts from parents added up to more than $600,000 in support of the unique Trinity experience.
Parent Associates
Parent Associates are individuals or couples that make a leadership gift to the University. Associate gifts of $1,000 or more are made annually and enrich the student experience at Trinity through scholarship assistance and through support of the Trinity Fund, or any other designated university fund, while enhancing personal engagement with the University through special on-campus and regional events.
Designated Gifts
Giving to a restricted fund allows donors to designate their gifts to a particular use. Trinity also allows donors to direct their gifts to currently endowed funds (if applicable). Designated gifts include those made to a particular sport program or department and vary in size. Designated gifts of $1,000 or more enroll the donor in the Parent Associates program.
Parent Volunteer Programs
Make a difference in the lives of current students and alumni through active and exciting engagement with the University. Trinity parents are extremely generous with their time. Some get involved in their local area through the admissions office and others help with Trinity gatherings in their home or workplace.
Parent Ambassadors
Become an ambassador to prospective parents and families.
As a Parent Ambassador, you will have the opportunity to share your love of Trinity with those researching our educational and campus community. Your efforts will ensure that we continue to enroll talented and diverse students. Volunteering as a Parent Ambassador is a meaningful way to remain engaged with the University and have an impact on its future.
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Parent Panels
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Campus visit programs attract prospective students and their families from around the world. An important part of these programs is the opportunity to hear from various panels made up of current students, alumni and Trinity parents. Participating parents are asked to attend a brief training on the day of the event and then sit on a panel to answer questions from an audience of prospective parents.
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Interviews
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Interviews are conducted in major cities across the country with Admissions staff members. While the prospective students are being interviewed, parent volunteers are asked to mingle with families in the waiting area. Participating parents share their Trinity experience and help the families feel comfortable, while educating them about the University.
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Receptions
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Trinity may sponsor events or receptions that provide opportunities for prospective or incoming first year students and their families to meet alumni, current students, Trinity parents and other Trinity prospective students. Examples of events include large hotel receptions, winter gatherings and smaller gatherings of admitted students. These events help engage applicants, assist in final decision making and acclimate first years before they arrive on campus. Parents may volunteer to host or attend these events.
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Summer Calling Campaigns
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Parents may contact parents of enrolled students in the summer before their first year. The purpose of these calls is to welcome families into the Trinity community and share any advice gained from your own Trinity parent years.
Parent Council
As a member of Trinity's Parent Council, you make a difference in the education your student receives, while building a strong community among Trinity families.
Through this partnership with the University, Parent Council members create a sense of community among Trinity families past, present, and future, and strengthen the University by providing valuable insight from a parent perspective, helping promote professional networking and internships for students and graduates and providing support through annual gifts.
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Membership
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The Council is comprised of parents or guardians of currently enrolled or graduated Trinity students. Members are invited to insider conversations to learn about the objectives of the University, and they will assist with specific tasks and goals designed to have the maximum impact on the University and their students’ education.
Responsibilities of membership:
- Serve a two year renewable term, meeting twice annually
- Make an annual gift (the amount is at the parent’s discretion) to our Trinity Fund or a Trinity fund of their choice
- Actively serve on a committee or committees
- Participate in Parent Council events and special activities
- Share personal expertise and skills
- Represent the Council by attending events and connecting with other parents to build a supportive community
- Attend Parent Council meetings on campus (as able)
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Committees and Chairs
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Parent Council Chair
Wendy Dominguez P’22
Outreach Committee
Chair: Melissa Stone Myers P'24
- Create a welcoming environment for all families
- Host or attend regional events for prospective or admitted families
- Assist with or host events for current families
- Attend events on behalf of Parent Council
Athletics Committee
Chair: Carol Gress P’22
- Welcome and engage parents of student-athletes
- Welcome parents and assist at Family Weekend tailgates
- Keep Trinity parents aware of sporting events and parent events during parent and alumni weekends through the “TU Parents” Facebook page
Career Services and Experiential Learning Committee
Chair: Rupert Dominguez P’22
- Identify and share internship, research, and job openings
- Discuss your employment or graduate school experience with students
- Assist with, attend, or host parent and student career-related discussions and workshops
- Participate in CELCS opportunities with students
Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Chair: Paty Pavon-Keene P'23
- Provide advice on issues related to diversity and campus climate
- Welcome parents and families from underrepresented populations during orientation and other parent weekends
- Promote programs and events for parents
- Serve as a contact for first generation families
Philanthropy and Giving Committee
Chair: Shawn Stephens P’23
- Provide insight on parent campaigns
- Send thank-you notes to donors on behalf of the Parent Council
- Assist with, attend, or host parent donor receptions
- Be the voice of parent giving campaigns
Family Program Committees
Mission Committee
Rather than a designated office, Trinity Parent and Family Programs is a constellation of services, programs, and resources in place to connect families to the University.
The offices of Admissions, Alumni, Career Services, Dean of Students, Strategic Communications and Marketing, and Student Involvement comprise the Parent Relations and Communications Committee. This committee works collaboratively to develop and execute various family and parent programs.
Diversity Committee
As a result of a 2016 Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) professional standards review, Trinity created a Diversity Committee for parents and families.
This committee was created to examine the following: ensuring that communications are varied and accessible; discuss diversity and inclusion as a standing Parent Council committee; ensure the use of inclusive language in communications; and to explore the creation of more events.
For our purposes, diversity is defined broadly to include culture, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, ability, sex, and gender. The reasons for this recommendation are as follows:
- To promote the ideals of diversity, equity, and access as recommended by CAS.
- To show prospective and current families that diversity and inclusion are institutional priorities.
- To demonstrate, through action, that international and national social justice issues are a part of the campus educational environment.
- To give voice to families who may otherwise feel shut out of traditional parent and family programs.
- To invite participation from parents of under-represented groups to guide University staff in ensuring that all aspects of the University and parent programs are inclusive.