The best of two worlds is coming together for Anika Wicker as she readies to use her special education major from Trinity Christian College for a stint helping in the classroom and student teaching at Elim Christian Services, then teaching there after graduation.
It’s all possible after Trinity and Elim formed a partnership, offering paid tuition for juniors and seniors majoring in special education to learn by doing at Elim.
But it’s not the money that attracted Wicker, a senior at Trinity, whose parents also attended the Palos Heights college. Wicker started out as a psychology major, being fascinated by the brain’s workings, but switched to special education because she also loves teaching.
“To me it was something God just placed in front of me kind of unexpectedly,” said Wicker. “I love Elim and I am passionate about students with special needs and especially those with more need, students with low incidence disabilities who need more severe care.
“I think Elim does a really fantastic job of that intentional and specialized care,” she said.
Wicker has given presentations at Elim as part of her classwork and enjoyed designing mock lessons with functional skills for the special-needs students when they came to visit Trinity. She also volunteered at Bethshan Association, a residential care program in Crestwood that has clients who attended Elim.
“I think my biggest excitement is the mentorship I’m going to get through the program, getting support from teachers and staff there and learning from them,” said Wicker.
The partnership between the two nearby institutions actually started much earlier when the Alexander DeJong Center for Special Education at Trinity was formed in about 2006.
The center offers the Bloom program, which gives Elim staff a two-year pathway to obtain six college credits at Trinity, as well as Trinity general admissions partnership, where Elim staff can enroll in various Trinity programs at a reduced rate.
“Our two schools are both Christian institutions with similar missions and our locations are very close together,” said Christine Scholma, associate professor of special education.
She is also co-director of the Alexander DeJong Center for Special Education at Trinity with Xan Nikchevich, director of learning and organizational development at Elim.
“One of the initial purposes of the center was that Elim was needing well-trained, qualified special education teachers and we were an institution of higher education that had a special education program.
“We felt like if we partnered together we could live out our missions more fully than alone,” said Scholma.
But the Elim-Trinity sponsored degree program is its newest and biggest venture.
“This was another way we could partner in a meaningful way,” said Scholma. “I think it really aligns closely with Trinity’s mission and strategic plans right now — looking to help students be able to graduate debt free.
“I think it is also a great way to address the nationwide special education teacher shortage,” Scholma said.
Scholma said she also holds Elim dear because of her teaching experience there for 12 years before her nine years at trinity.
“I loved teaching at Elim and I think it really provides a strong educational environment for students with more significant disabilities,” said Scholma. “Every student is viewed as a person with a value and purpose, no matter whatever their ability is.”
Nikchevich was drawn to Elim because of a personal connection when his brother attended there. He also worked there as a paraprofessional.
“I know firsthand the impact that a place like Elim can have on students and their families,” said Nikchevich. “My brother was really able to thrive because of that.”
Having teachers experienced in the field was crucial.
“This is a very unique environment that doesn’t exist everywhere,” said Nikchevich “Students have some pretty severe needs.
“It’s a population that requires a certain skill set and having teachers who are equipped with those skills is really important for us and it benefits students and staff alike,” he said.
Sky Johnston, assistant professor of history and manager of admissions partnerships at Trinity, said the newest initiative was exciting for both institutions.
Johnston said Trinity has been intentional about being a hub where stakeholders from higher education, organizations and businesses can think and dream together about ways to configure resources and talents to create mutual good.
“I think it’s really important to remember that it’s not just bad actions that have consequences,” he said. “Good actions have good consequences.”
The partnership is mutually beneficial, said Vanessa Scott-Thompson, vice president of program and people at Elim.
“At Elim we get an employee who is going to have more education to serve our students better and the Trinity student will be able to work right in the field they have been studying, which is special education,” said Thompson. “I think it is innovative for a nonprofit and a college to create ways to leverage the mission and vision of both organizations.”
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
