March 28, 2023
Trine University’s Christian Campus House honored university President Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., for his support and Justin Bock, assistant professor in Trine University’s Franks School of Education, as its Distinguished Faculty member during its 37th annual banquet on Saturday, March 25.
Travis Wilhelm, lead campus minister and university chaplain, and Dwight Savage, CCH Board President, presented Brooks, who will retire at the end of May, with an engraved crystal and Bible for his faithfulness in serving Trine University and his support of the ministry of the Christian Campus House.
Wilhelm noted that Brooks’ 23-year tenure at Trine has seen the university add more than $175 million in state-of-the-art facilities, expanded degree programs to meet the needs of students and industry, and graduate programs. Trine also has experienced record enrollment and a graduate employment rate greater than 99%.
“These things have made Trine an amazing place, and I think it’s because there is an amazing president leading the way,” Wilhelm said.
Brooks praised CCH for its “tremendous outreach and service to our students and our campus community.”
“While this award means a great deal to me, I want to, in turn, thank CCH,” he said. “A great deal has happened in 23 years, but all of it is because we together have elected to serve students.”
Distinguished Faculty Award
The CCH senior class selected Bock to receive the organization’s annual Distinguished Faculty Award.
Bock has been at Trine since 2016, and taught for 19 years at the Fremont School Corporation prior to joining the university. In 2022, he was recognized by Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly’s Education Awards for his career as Fremont High School baseball coach, which included 200 wins, three sectional titles and one conference title.
He earned his Bachelor of Science from Taylor University and his Master of Education from Taylor University.
“In a world where education seems to always be redefined, Professor Bock is a rock for the Franks School of Education and Trine University,” said Zac Thomas, a senior majoring in social studies education. “His dedication, work ethic, leadership and servant's heart are all things that set him apart as an exceptional Trine University professor.”
“In the Franks School of Education, we have a handful of CCH members that we get to spend a lot of time with, and they’re a different breed,” Bock said in accepting the award. “They’re beacons on campus. And with the education majors, they’re not only beacons on campus, but we see that same positivity and that same care for more than just teaching a discipline, but a care for teaching individuals.”
“We’re grateful for the Trine professors who work to ensure their students are performing well academically and enjoying a well-rounded college experience,” said Wilhelm. “The award is one way to recognize top individuals on the Trine campus.”
CCH seeks to help Trine University better the student community as a whole by creating a ministry that serves their spiritual needs.
Matthew Liberatore, Ph.D., chair of Trine University’s McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, received a national award and gave several presentations during the annual meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), held Nov. 1-4 in Boston.
The Trine Sales and Marketing Association held its third annual KSB Collegiate Sales Cup on Nov. 12. The event gives students from all majors the chance to showcase their sales skills.
Trine University chemical engineering graduate Parker Reichhart has earned national recognition, receiving two awards in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Student Design Competition. The awards were presented during the 2025 Annual Student Conference, held Nov. 1–4 in Boston, Massachusetts.