The newest cohort of Trinity Fellows arrived at Marquette this fall ready to pair graduate study with meaningful work in the Greater Milwaukee area.
Over the next 21 months, members of the Class of 2028 will pursue master’s degrees in one of 16 fields of study while working alongside Milwaukee based nonprofit organizations addressing issues related to educational access, food security, community development, cancer support and advocacy.
The Trinity Fellows Program supports emerging leaders committed to social and economic justice. Across degree programs and placements, Fellows come together to reflect on what they are learning—in class, at work, in Milwaukee and from one another. They examine their values, the systems shaping their work and how they want to lead.
This year, 12 new Fellows join nonprofit partners in professional roles shaped by the organizations’ priorities, expertise and community relationships.
At the Benedict Center, Fellow Elena Hochheiser serves as a community justice policy strategist, supporting an organization whose work centers on women affected by the criminal legal system. At the LOTUS Legal Clinic, Fellow Ana Pendergast works as a strategic programs and impact coordinator, supporting survivors seeking justice and healing. Fellow Alyanna Torres hosted by the Milwaukee Public Library, serves as a LibraryNow project specialist, connecting students to free 24/7 digital access to educational resources. The organizations and job titles vary, but each placement gives a fellow the opportunity to apply graduate-level skills to work rooted in the needs of the community.
Meet the Class of 2028
For Trinity Fellow Edith Duran-Reyes, who is pursuing a master’s degree in corporate communication and serving as a communication fellow at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, the program is also an opportunity to deepen a longstanding commitment to her hometown.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Edith entered the Trinity Fellows Program with previous volunteer and professional experience in the nonprofit sector. Those experiences, she says, strengthened her appreciation for service and helped her better understand the role nonprofit organizations can play in their communities.
“I was born and raised in Milwaukee, and I have always felt a strong connection to the city and the people who call it home.”
At Cristo Rey, Duran-Reyes is now applying that perspective through her work in communications. Her role involves sharing the experiences and achievements of students while helping build awareness of the school’s mission and educational model.
“Effective communication is about more than sharing information. It is about telling stories that demonstrate the impact of an organization’s mission.”
Edith Duran-Reyes 2028 Trinity Fellow
Returning to Marquette as an alumna, Fellow Valeria Martinez-Cabrera mentions her time at MU shaped the way she viewed service. When she discovered Trinity Fellows’ profound commitment to serving Milwaukee’s nonprofit community, she decided to apply. Now she is advancing her education in business administration and cultivating leadership skills at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation as a Technology and Administration Coordinator. Her previous experience working with nonprofits has also shaped how she approaches community-based work, particularly the importance of sustainability, relationship-building and working alongside communities to understand the issues that affect them most.
At her host organization, Martinez-Cabrera hopes to bring that perspective to her role by using data to support decision-making and strengthen the organization’s work in cancer research, care and prevention.
The Class of 2028 also learns from second-year Trinity Fellows , who offer peer support as the new cohort navigates graduate study, placements and life at Marquette. The Princeton Review recently ranked Marquette as the nation’s No. 1 university for student engagement in community service for the third consecutive year. The newest Trinity Fellows bring their own experiences and commitments to be interwoven into Marquette’s wider culture of service.
For the Trinity Fellows, service minded leadership will be a part of their daily lives for nearly two years — in classrooms, nonprofit offices, neighborhoods and communities throughout Milwaukee. By the time their fellowships conclude, members of the cohorts will leave with master’s degrees and professional experience. But the larger ambition of Trinity Fellows is more enduring: Fellows prepare to lead beyond the classroom – they are to serve and inspire others with their commitment to social and economic justice.
Interested in becoming a Trinity Fellow?
Applications are open for the next cohort. Fellows receive a tuition scholarship while pursuing their degrees and working with Milwaukee nonprofit partners.
