Academic and Co-Curricular Activities

For Trinity students, an active life outside of the classroom is an integral part of the college experience. Many choose to explore the varied cultural, historical, and community events that Washington, D.C., offers. A student can research her family tree at the National Archives, attend a play or hear a symphony at The Kennedy Center, see heads of state, visit the White House, or serve as a Smithsonian volunteer.

The campus itself provides a wide range of activities. Students who join the athletic teams face physical challenges together. Attending a lecture by a Supreme Court justice can offer new insights into how legal precedents are set. Helping at a local shelter often leads to a new understanding of human needs and perseverance. Trinity provides a variety of programs to meet the needs of its diverse community, which includes weekday, weekend, and graduate students; commuter and resident students; and national and international students. When these groups work together, there is a dynamic opportunity for sharing insights and experience.

The Student Association and The Honor System

The Student Association (SA), through its three parts -- the Student Government Association (SGA), the Judicial Association (JA), and the Community Activities Association (CAA) -- represents the student body. The SGA acts as the policy making branch of the SA. Weekday, weekend, and graduate students each elect a Student Government Association. The presidents of these SGAs meet as the SA's Federation of Leaders. The JA has a dual role. One is to disseminate information and engage the community in discussions about the Honor System; and two, to act as the official hearing committee for students accused of violating College rules and regulations. The CAA represents more than 20 student organizations, and facilitates campus activities and club programming.

All members of the Trinity community -- students, faculty, and staff -- are expected to uphold a way of life that embraces personal integrity and responsibility, the foundation of the Honor System. The Honor System has been part of Trinity since 1913. Each person accepts the responsibility to uphold the Honor System. This includes the corresponding obligation to assist others to maintain the standards. Thus, the Honor System involves both personal and community participation and commitment. Working together, Trinity students achieve individual integrity, a shared trust among all members of the community, and a shared sense of responsibility to uphold the Honor System.

"I realize the responsibility involved in membership in the Trinity College community. I agree to abide by the rules and regulations of this community. I also affirm my intention to live according to the standards of honor, to which lying, stealing, and cheating are opposed. I will help others to maintain this responsibility in all matters essential to the common good of the community."

Student Traditions

Trinity celebrates many traditions. Class colors -- red, blue, green, and gold -- were chosen by the first four graduating classes. At the end of the year, graduating seniors bequest their color to the incoming first-year class, creating a common bond between every fourth class. During the academic year there are special days for the celebration of individual classes according to "class color."

Other long-standing traditions at Trinity include: the First-Year Medal Ceremony, Sophomore Pin Ceremony, Junior Ring Mass, Cap & Gown Sunday, Founders' Day, Family Weekend, and Well Sings.

Campus Ministry

As a Catholic college, Trinity supports the belief that God renders ultimate meaning to our lives and endeavors. Trinity's mission envisions women as leaders in church and society acting on the values of justice and freedom. Trinity College Campus Ministry opens doors of opportunity for the continued growth of students of all faiths. By offering students faith-filled opportunities to pray, to question, and to analyze the world, Campus Ministry sponsors programs on justice education, leads community and volunteer service, plans regularly scheduled and special liturgies, and organizes retreats.

Student Involvement, Leadership, and Community Service

Trinity offers a variety of opportunities for learning and experience outside the classroom. Through the Office of Student Activities and the Student Government Associations, student organizations conduct campus-wide events for entertainment, cultural enrichment, political awareness, and charitable service. Student-run clubs such as the College Democrats and College Republicans, the Black Student Alliance, the Athletic Association, and the Latin American Association sponsor specific programs relevant to their missions. Trinity students manage three publications: The Record (literary magazine), Trinilogue (yearbook), and the Trinity Times (newspaper). Trinity also has chapters of two national honor societies -- Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Sigma Lambda.

Athletics

Trinity offers many opportunities for women athletes to excel and develop the necessary skills for competition in intercollegiate athletics. Dedicated coaches bring years of experience, knowledge, and motivation to the program, and their coaching philosophy encourages athletes at all skill levels to participate.

Trinity's athletic program was elected by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a Division III provisional member. Trinity participates in six intercollegiate sports: crew, field hockey, indoor track and field, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis. Trinity is a founding member of the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference. All of the intercollegiate teams, with the exception of crew and indoor track and field, compete in this conference. Trinity's teams abide by the rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and are members of the US Women's Lacrosse Association, US Rowing Association, US Field Hockey Association, the US Track and Field Association, and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. In addition, Trinity Recreational Sports (Rec Sports) offers opportunities for students to participate in a variety of sports.

Resident and Commuter Policies

Because Trinity's educational mission and philosophy extends well beyond the classroom to include a range of learning opportunities and developmental experiences, Trinity encourages all weekday students to live on campus. Residential living enables students to explore the rich dimensions of community life and embark on their own personal development with the guidance of professional staff.

All students in residence must be on a meal plan provided by the College. The Dean of Student Services may grant exemptions from the meal plan for documented health reasons for which a diet prescribed by a physician cannot be accommodated by food services.

Lockers and mailboxes are available to all weekday commuter students. Lounges are available in Main Hall to mingle, study, and relax.

Reservation Deposits: Returning Undergraduate Resident Students

Returning resident students deposit $100 each year on or before March 30; no refunds of this deposit will be made after May 1. Room contracts for students will not be issued until this payment is received; it will be credited to spring semester expenses of the following year.

Returning students choose their rooms each spring, and new students are assigned rooms. Students must vacate residence halls 24 hours after the last day of the examination period unless special permission has been granted. The room will be checked by the residence director when the student is ready to leave. Any charges, either for damages or for cleaning, will be placed on the student's account.

Shuttle Service

Shuttle services are extended as a free service to the entire Trinity community. Transportation is provided from the Main Building to the Brookland/Catholic University Metro station parking lot. Schedules are available from the Campus Safety Office.

Health and Counseling Services

The Health and Wellness Center provides primary health care and health education for students. The overall goal of the Health and Wellness Center is to educate the community about healthy life choices. Before entering the College, each student age 26 and under must complete and submit a medical questionnaire, a physical examination report, and a record of all immunizations to health services. All students are required to carry their own, or purchase college-sponsored health insurance. A registered nurse and a part-time medical doctor are on staff to care for students.

Emphasizing a wellness approach to health care, a full-time personal counselor is available to students in the Health and Wellness Center. The counselor can provide confidential assessment and referral services. Outreach workshops and programs focus on personal growth and developmental issues.

Enrollment Services

Enrollment Services is primarily responsible for assisting and supporting Weekend College, Graduate, and "returning women" weekday students in planning their academic careers at Trinity. The staff is available to meet with students for program advisement, registration, schedule adjustments, declarations of majors, and to review core and major requirements. In addition, the office coordinates orientation for Weekend College and Graduates students, manages the Trinity Experiential Lifelong Learning (TELL) program and all prior learning assessment, and provides a bi-weekly newsletter called The Grapevine.

Academic Support Center

The Academic Support Center provides programs which support the academic mission of the College. To be certain that education is accessible to Trinity's diverse population, the center offers services for all students and provides special support for selected students. The general services offered include: learning skills assessment and workshops, advising, life skills workshops, and tutoring services across al disciplines.

Career Services

Career Services provides co-curricular programs which focus on the development of leadership, life skills, and life-long learning. Because women serve in many roles in society, career services offers diverse career planning programs designed to help support and empower women as they make life choices and/or transitions. Services are available to all students and alumnae/alumni.

Computer Classrooms and Labs

Trinity College has Macintosh and IBM-compatible computer classrooms for Macintosh and Windows based instruction. In addition to computers in the classrooms, there are computers in the Computer Labs, the Library, and the Writing Center.

The Writing Center

The Writing Center is open during day, evening, and weekend hours to give all students individual feedback about their writing. During one-to-one conferences, students can discuss specific assignments, share developing drafts, and ask basic questions about writing. The Writing Center is staffed by faculty members and peer advisors who can carefully review student writing and offer specific recommendations for improvement.

The Writing Center also offers free evening and weekend writing workshops in organization, revision, grammar, punctuation and documentation.

On-line help is available, for students who have access to a computer and a modem. Via electronic mail (e-mail), students can ask writing-related questions and even send and receive drafts of papers.

Sister Helen Sheehan Library

The Sister Helen Sheehan Library houses approximately 150,000 volumes with an on-line public access catalog system and access to the World Wide Web. The Sheehan Library is affiliated with the Washington Research Library Consortium, which provides students access to a catalog of more than five million volumes in the libraries of American, Catholic, Gallaudet, George Mason, George Washington, Marymount, and the University of the District of Columbia. The library also enjoys a reciprocity agreement with Georgetown University, which gives students and faculty direct access to Georgetown's collection.

The library home page and TRON (Trinity Research Online Network) are available through http://library.trinitydc.edu.

Child Care

Trinity College operates a Child Activity Center on its campus to provide quality child care for children of Trinity students, faculty, and staff. To obtain a fee schedule or arrange for child care, contact the Child Activity Center at (202) 884-9593. Please note that unless a child is enrolled in the Child Activity Center or some other formally organized program of Trinity College, children should not be present on Trinity's campus.