For Trinity Christian College senior Chase Hadley, the news that his school will close at the end of the 2025–2026 academic year hit close to home, but not in the way it has for many of his classmates.
“I am one of the lucky ones,” said Hadley, 24, of Palos Heights. “My academic career will not be impeded or interrupted by Trinity’s closure because I am graduating. There is, however, a certain finality; a gravity that comes with being the last of anything, that forces me to contemplate legacy. What does it mean to be a part of Trinity’s final graduating class or a part of the last Troll’s baseball team?”
Hadley, a Business Communication major and graduate of Moapa Valley High School in Overton, Nevada, began his college baseball career at Antelope Valley College in Los Angeles. He was recruited to play at Trinity after his sophomore year, bringing his talents and passion for the sport to the Palos Heights campus.
He is set to walk across the stage at Trinity’s final commencement ceremony in May 2026. The small Christian liberal arts college announced that it will permanently close after 66 years, citing financial challenges, enrollment declines, and changes in donor support.
While Hadley’s own studies will continue uninterrupted, he said the emotional weight of the announcement has been heavy across campus.
“It’s one of those things where you never expect it to be happening to you, and now it is,” he said. “I feel for my classmates and friends who are having to find places to transfer in order to finish their degrees. There is an uncertainty that has been created by this definite end, and with it this sense of impending doom; but I think that it also provides us with a continued opportunity to unify as a student body and to make this year more memorable than it would have otherwise been.”
Trinity has said that students who will not graduate in May 2026 will have access to teach-out and transfer opportunities through multiple partner institutions, allowing them to complete their studies on schedule. These include Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, chosen for its similar mission and values as a Reformed university; Saint Xavier University in Chicago, which offers automatic admission and will match out-of-pocket net tuition and fee costs for students in qualifying programs; and Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, which has established a seamless transfer pathway to support Trinity students.
Academic advising, counseling, and other resources are being offered to help guide students and staff through the coming year.
SXU President Keith Elder, Ph.D., said the university’s Catholic and Mercy heritage aligns with Trinity’s faith-based mission. “During this time of transition, our shared faith presents an opportunity to grow together,” Elder said. “We are honored to accompany these students on their continued educational journeys and proud to open the doors to their bright futures.”
Founded in 1959, Trinity Christian College has long been known for its close-knit community and commitment to faith-based education. Located at 6601 W. College Drive in Palos Heights, the college’s campus has served generations of students who came seeking both academic and spiritual growth.
For Hadley, that community is what he will miss most once the campus closes its doors for good.
“Trinity is a special community that tries to emulate the love of Christ,” he said. “Ultimately, I will miss the friendships borne out of that community.”
Though he is still deciding what comes next, possibly law school, Hadley said the college’s final year feels like both an ending and a call to reflection.
“There’s a certain honor in being part of the last class,” he said. “It reminds us to cherish what we have right now, to make the most of every moment, every friendship, every game, every class. Because after this year, it really will be history.”
