Meet the Class of 2028

Even before stepping foot on campus, the Class of 2028 has already begun distinguishing itself. Read about the experiences and ambitions of 11 outstanding students from this remarkable class below.

Gavin Chan | Eastvale, California

 

 

From a young age, Gavin Chan has been captivated by the freedom and challenge of creating things. “Whether I was building intricate Lego airplanes or track systems for toy trains, I always found immense joy in turning materials into something functional,” he says. 
 

Chan’s passion deepened when he discovered 3D modeling in a computer class during middle school. In high school, Chan explored his passion further through mechatronics classes and a small research project focused on 3D-printed prosthetics. His research taught him the profound difference custom designs can make in a patient’s comfort and utility. “One of the most significant aspects of 3D printing is the heightened freedom it provides to engineers, allowing them to adapt solutions to meet different needs,” he says. “Even slight modifications to finger orientation gave each prosthesis unique advantages.” 

Chan was the co-founder and vice president of his high school’s Maker Club from his sophomore year until graduation. Every Friday, he got to share his passion with his peers. “We designed numerous projects, from paper airplanes to 3D-printed battle bots, and I enjoyed working with our members while applying design principles I had previously learned in class,” he says. “With research opportunities and clubs like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and TU Formula Racing, I want to continue to find exciting ways to apply technology and what I've learned about it.”

Chan plans to major in engineering science since it combines his passion for invention with the potential to create meaningful change. He hopes to continue researching with professors and contribute to many more projects in Trinity’s Makerspace.

Michael Compton | Winnetka, Illinois

 

 

Last summer, Michael Compton had the opportunity to go abroad on a volunteer trip to Lourdes, France. The volunteer trip is part of the Chicago church pilgrimage to a shrine in Lourdes in which volunteers help the local sick and elderly visit the shrine.

Compton went on a second volunteer trip this summer as a group leader. “This year, I got to reunite with an old woman that I had helped the last time I went on this trip,” he says. “Getting to help her experience the shrine for a second time was extremely rewarding.”

Compton wants to help people flourish in the workplace. This passion has inspired him to major in human resource management and psychology, since the intersection of these two disciplines can help him better understand how to make individuals perform at their best in the workplace. 

All things Trinity excite Compton. He is looking forward to pursuing all sorts of activities and organizations, and he is especially excited about joining the Spanish club and being a Tiger Assistant. “I was just offered the job as a Tiger Assistant in the Office of Admissions,” he says. “I’m looking forward to assisting prospective students and helping the admissions counselors with all sorts of projects.”

Addison Doss | Sugar Land, Texas

 

 

Addison Doss is beyond excited to be immersed in Trinity’s environment this fall. She already has her sights set on participating in Greek Life, advocacy work, and the TU Coffee Club.

Doss will be involved in athletics as a pole vaulter. She is ecstatic about having a support team and a consistent training schedule. “In high school, the facility I practiced at was over an hour from my house, so I could only pole vault once a week, so being able to vault on a consistent, daily basis is incredibly exciting,” she says. “I can't wait to see what heights this year holds for me. Hopefully, it includes a new school record.”

In the summer of 2023, Doss had the opportunity to participate in a Spanish language immersion program in Spain. The experience was beyond anything she could have imagined. “Studying in Spain was incredible,” she says. “I learned so much in a short amount of time, and I grew a fond love for the people and culture.” 

While she is officially undecided, Doss is considering studying biology. She enjoys the complexity of living organisms and how they interact to create the world around us. This mindset also expands past biology and intertwines with her interest in going abroad. “I love interacting with the people of the world, and I will absolutely participate in a study abroad program at Trinity,” she says. “I plan to learn about everything this world has to offer.”

Mehmet Berke Dur | Izmir, Turkey

 

 

During a visit to his father’s village, Mehmet Berke Dur witnessed the impacts of climate change on his uncle’s farm firsthand. “The once-promising watermelons, victims of scorching heat, painted a vivid picture of devastation,” he says, “It became a powerful reminder of climate change.”

Dur was committed to finding a solution to the catastrophic drought he witnessed. After being admitted to BILSEM, a government-funded educational institution, Dur created the “Prediction of Atmospheric Drought with Machine Learning Methods: The Case of Izmir” project. Dur aimed to design an algorithm to provide farmers and regional authorities with timely warnings and preventative measures relating to droughts. By working with his geography and computer science teachers and utilizing data from the Gediz Delta in Izmir, Dur’s algorithm has predicted drought severity over subsequent months with up to 86% accuracy.

Dur plans to explore Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to visualize solutions for urban and rural challenges. “For example, by analyzing a city lacking green spaces, I could compare it to other ‘green’ cities using GIS data and then propose new parks and green spaces through AI-driven insights,” he says.

Trinity’s dedication to blending the liberal arts and sciences resonates with Dur. “While AI, geosciences, urban studies, and STEM may seem unrelated, I’ve found ways to blend them, like with my drought prediction project,” he says. “I’m excited about how Trinity will offer me even more opportunities to explore and combine my interests in creative ways.”

Mariia Ilchenko | Dnipro, Ukraine

 

 

Mariia Ilchenko’s life in Ukraine was completely uprooted, forcing her to flee to Portugal. “I couldn’t believe what was happening, that my country was at war and I was a refugee,” she says. “War had always seemed like something distant, something you read about in history books or hear in the news.” 

For a long time, Ilchenko had longed for nothing more than to return to her old life and often dwelled on the cards she had been dealt. After a few months of this, she made a conscious effort to focus on the positives and work towards the future, no matter how hard it was. She slowly rebuilt her life by volunteering, making new friends, and exploring Portugal.

Being fluent in Russian, English, and Ukrainian, Ilchenko used her skills to teach Ukrainian children English to help them adapt more easily. “I enjoyed making lessons engaging and fun for the kids. It was incredibly rewarding to see their excitement and interest in learning, especially as they didn’t see it as just another boring lesson, but rather something enjoyable and fascinating,” she says. “Watching their progress and knowing I played a part in helping them was truly gratifying.”

Ilchenko plans to major in mathematical finance as she has a passion for working with numbers, analytical challenges, business, and investment strategies. This also aligns with the future she sees for Ukraine, as she hopes to establish a construction company to attract foreign investments to fund projects to rebuild her country. 

Ilchenko is excited about joining Alpha Kappa Psi, Trinity’s International Club, and delving into American culture once she sets foot on Trinity’s campus.

Kate Johansson | McKinney, Texas

 

 

Kate Johansson has always been interested in women’s health, but hearing her mother’s story captivated her even more. “At 44, my mom gave birth to triplets, me and my sisters, and experienced a difficult delivery which caused internal bleeding. The doctors had missed this, and it resulted in my mother needing a 10-day induced coma and 12 blood transfusions,” she says. “My mother’s story set off my passion for women’s health, specifically to empower women and bring awareness to mothers who have high-risk pregnancies.”

In high school, Johansson took part in a mentorship program that allowed her to research and develop two projects under the guidance of a nurse practitioner and doctor in obstetrics and gynecology. In her first year, she created a case study of four diseases in women’s health, including symptoms, diagnostics, and treatments for all illnesses. In her second year, Johansson created a survey that included broad and specific questions regarding menstruation and, with information from volunteers in the McKinney/Dallas area, constructed an infographic on menstruation. “I wanted to raise awareness of information regarding menses that isn’t discussed in public enough due to the embarrassment and taboo society has attached to menstruation.”

Johansson will be studying biology to pursue medical school and a career in different specialties of women’s health, such as infertility treatment and high-risk pregnancies. She is beyond excited to delve into her studies and take advantage of Trinity’s prestigious research opportunities that empower underclassmen to research at a university level. Additionally, Johansson is considering joining the Trinity Community Garden Club.

Greta Kenaston | Fairbanks, Alaska

 

 

Managing her school’s football team was one of the highlights of Greta Kenaston’s high school career. “I got to be part of an athletic team and get that sense of community that sports provide while not having to do the athletic part of it,” she says, “Trinity actually came on my radar for possible schools to apply to because it’s one of few liberal arts colleges with a team, so I am absolutely hoping to manage the team here as well.”

Football wasn’t the only thing Kenaston was managing, as she was also her high school’s student body president. “I really enjoyed developing fun activities and creating a safe environment for students so they felt like they could have a break from the weight and stress of their classes,” she says. At Trinity, Kenaston is looking forward to expanding her leadership skills by participating in the Student Government Association (SGA).

Alongside SGA and sport management, Kenaston is also excited to explore all kinds of clubs and organizations at Trinity. She is especially considering being part of the CAT Alliance as she has three cats of her own.
 

Antonio Laguna | Weston, Missouri

 

 

Antonio Miguel Laguna is planning on majoring in anthropology since he has always been interested in history and learning about other cultures. “It is gratifying to pursue a major that will help broaden my worldview and better understand the people that make up the world around me,” he says. “My ultimate goal is to be an archaeologist, which combines my passions of traveling, being outside and working with my hands, and learning about history.”

The rich history in Laguna’s over 180-year-old hometown allowed him to delve into his passion for history even before arriving at Trinity. Laguna was working with the Weston Chamber of Commerce when he got an opportunity to give a group of RV campers a tour of Weston’s historic downtown. Laguna arranged a route that included the main street, historic homes, churches, and a cemetery. The tour was a success, and Laguna proposed to his boss that they continue the tours as a booked service, creating Weston Walking Tours.

To Laguna, the most challenging part of the project was fitting every destination into a succinct, pedestrian friendly route. Nevertheless, it was worth it since he was able to get people interested in history. “Once, I gave a tour to a couple who have been visiting Weston for over 20 years. They were impressed that someone my age was researching and sharing history. They learned things they hadn’t previously known,” he says, “and that experience alone made my effort worth it.” 

Laguna is excited to meet people at Trinity who can challenge his worldviews, delve into academics, and join the Trinity choir.

Pilar Mier | El Paso, Texas

 

 

Pilar Mier’s resounding passion for helping people has motivated her to major in political science while also following a pre-med track. Mier enjoys stepping into other people’s shoes, as it helps her understand the perspectives of other people. She believes this is essential in politics as it allows for decisions to be made that can benefit the country as a whole.

Mier’s passion for government stems from her sophomore year of high school when she decided to run for a chair position in her school’s student government. Mier was elected for a chair position in her junior year, and eventually, she became president in her senior year. “I loved the reward that came with participating in student government,” she says. “Every aspect of it, from simply interacting with my community to advocating for the student body, made the hard work worth it.”

Mier hopes to participate in Trinity’s Student Government Association (SGA) not only as a general member but also as a class senator. Additionally, Mier also hopes to immerse herself in Trinity’s diverse environment by partaking in cultural clubs and events.

Arseny Mingajev | Tokyo, Japan

 

 

Arseny Mingajev was born in Tokyo and is fully Russian. “My father works for a Russian Federal news agency and reports from the Pacific Region, which is why he is stationed in Tokyo,” he says. “My family loves our home country, and Japanese culture and life is amazing.”

Mingajev has a unique eagerness for math, which has allowed him to start research before getting to Trinity. 

Mingajev’s mentor, Alexey Yakovlevich Kanel-Belov, a Moscow State University professor, gave him a problem to solve that had been sitting in a mathematical journal for 18 years. Given a finite number of integral inequalities, he had to prove that a function wouldn't approach infinity at zero. “It turned out the problem’s formulation had a slight mistake that prevented others from solving it,” he says, “so I wrote a counterexample to the original statement. At times, I thought I’d never solve it, but eventually, I came up with an original proof of the corrected statement.”

Mingajev also researched affine plane arrangements. “I found the formula for the complement to a given arrangement when it is homotopy equivalent to a bouquet of spheres, and also found a generic formula for the topological type of a complement to an arbitrary arrangement of lines in real space of dimension greater than three,” he says. He is excited to continue research under the guidance of Trinity professors.

Any math-related club at Trinity is on Mingajev’s radar, especially the Putnam Exam Preparation Club. Other than math, he enjoys playing the guitar and hopes to join the Jazz Ensemble and possibly the Powerlifting Club.

Chance Tyler Wales | Austin, Texas

 

 

Theatre has always brought Chance Tyler Wales immense comfort. “I have to thank my first-ever theatre teacher, Ms. Vitris, for exposing me to the art,” he says. “I’ve met all of my best friends inside of the theatre community, and being part of the theatre arts has always brought me joy.”

Wales, a recipient of the Baker Duncan Theatre Scholarship, is looking forward to pursuing his passion with Trinity’s theatre department, but he isn’t limiting himself to just the stage; he has a vision for utilizing his performance skills in the classroom.

Wales has always wanted to do something with people and performance. So, when considering what to study in college, he realized sales itself is a performance. “In sales or marketing, you are entertaining an audience, capturing their attention to convince them of something,” he says. “In that sense, it is just like theatre.”

In his eyes, the audience should be left with something of value at the end of a performance. “For theatre, this can be food for the soul. Marketing accomplishes something similar by convincing someone to purchase something that can benefit them,” he says.“With the parallels, I can’t see a reason not to combine theatre and marketing.”

Alongside theatre and marketing, he is also interested in exploring sports clubs like pickleball, basketball, and baseball at Trinity.