Two alums say they wouldn’t be where they are in their careers — or even married to each other — if it wasn’t for Notre Dame (and Irish soccer).
While Valentine’s Day 2016 has come and gone, for Nick Trentacost, a 2006 NDP graduate, and Kaitlin (Cooper) Trentacost, who graduated from Notre Dame a year later, the annual one-day celebration of love is a great opportunity for them to not only reminisce about how they met—at Notre Dame, of course—but to remember and reflect on what their high school meant to them.
Nick currently is a marketing coordinator with Los Angeles-based AEG Live, the second largest concert promoter in the world. He says his time at Notre Dame allowed him to develop a real work ethic that helped get him through college and then on to early success in the working world. Kaitlin is a nurse at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak and currently only a month or so away from a Doctorate of Nursing degree from the University of Michigan, which will allow her to continue her nursing career as a nurse practitioner. She says Notre Dame instilled in her the ability and the will to study hard and get the most out of her time in college.
Notre Dame’s alumni association managed recently to get these two lovebirds to spend a few minutes together in order to update the Notre Dame community on what they’ve been up to college- and career-wise, and perhaps to discuss how important their high school alma mater was—and is—to them.
Can you two give us a summary of your college experiences and how Notre Dame may have influenced your education after high school?
Nick: I entered Columbia College Chicago with an expectation of endless hours of studying, countless overlapping projects, and daunting presentations. Though I wasn't met with challenges of this magnitude at my particular institution, I was prepared for it and knew I would only be fulfilled by achievement as the result of hard work. So I took to filling my schedule with a multi-day internship, job, and immersed myself in the music community amidst full-time class enrollment. Notre Dame nourished a work ethic that has helped bless me with a job and early success in a very competitive field. My time there showed me that it's not just about what is learned in class, but outside of it as well. My high school years were spent developing one music project after another and I felt that my teachers' inquiries on progress and support of my efforts fostered additional learning opportunities. It also drove me to seek more of my college professors at any occasion. In fact, several have become peers who offered stepping-stones to help progress my career.
Kaitlin: I had an amazing four years at Hope College. Before I even began my college career, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in nursing. The Hope College Nursing Program was competitive, as most nursing programs are, and the acceptance into the program relied heavily on the grades achieved in my first semester at Hope. There was no pre-acceptance and no option to reapply if I was not chosen as one of the 32 students. Turns out I was accepted into the nursing program in my second semester and received the Pre-Nursing Award for achieving the highest GPA of nursing program applicants. Thinking back to this time, it is still one of my proudest moments and my career as a nurse has been better than I could have imagined. That first semester at Hope was the most challenging of the four years, the transition of being away at school and the pressures of acceptance to the nursing program were stressful. Yet, I did feel that my time at Notre Dame prepared me to dive right into hours of studying and lengthy papers. Studying was not the only activity that kept me busy in college. I participated in multiple medical-mission trips, held an active role in a sorority, led a Bible study, played intramural sports, worked as a tour guide, and was part of campus boards/councils. My full schedule at NDP with academics, sports, and other various extracurricular activities equipped me to get the most out of my time in college. Hope challenged me to grow not only intellectually, but also emotionally and spiritually. Notre Dame truly led and prepared me for my success at Hope College.
Kaitlin (Cooper) Trentacost ’07 (NDP) said her time at Notre Dame prepared her to dive right into hours of studying and lengthy papers.
Nick: I think it all started when I was in high school and taking on the "manager" role within my various bands, though I had no idea that's what I was doing at the time. The business side—the behind the scenes—was always most intriguing and I knew it could offer more career stability in the long run over actually performing. In college at Columbia College Chicago I learned in my first class on my first day what an artist manager really is. Soon after I started an internship at an artist-management company in Chicago, which I held for three years, eventually landing my first full-time gig, which led to me being able to now co-manage an international touring rock act. While in college, I worked as a show runner at a music venue as well as for a concert promoter. A few months after graduating from College, I took the aforementioned full-time gig selling merchandise on tour for a metal band, crossing the U.S. five times, Canada twice, and UK/Europe once. When deciding to move back to Michigan to eventually marry my high school sweetheart, I fell into a job as a marketing coordinator at a concert promoter called The Crofoot, which has a deep history in Detroit live entertainment. I spent a year there before accepting a marketing coordinator position with AEG Live, the second largest concert promoter worldwide, for about 200 live events each year, ranging from 150-person capacity clubs to 18,000-attendee festivals.
Kaitlin: I graduated with my bachelor of science in nursing in 2011. During my time in the Hope nursing program I learned about the role of a nurse practitioner and realized quickly that it was a perfect fit for me. It captured the caring heart of nursing while elevating the role to include diagnosing and prescribing medical treatment. I applied to nurse practitioner programs while I finished my degree at Hope. Prior to my graduation I was accepted to multiple programs and decided to advance my degree at the University of Michigan-Flint in a Doctorate of Nursing Program to obtain my DNP designation. While completing my doctorate, I have been working full-time at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak with an encouraging and intelligent team who have all supported me in one way or another as I completed a full-time doctorate while maintaining full-time work hours. My time as a bedside nurse will come to an end this April as I graduate with my DNP, at which time I will step into my new role as a nurse practitioner. Working as a nurse at Beaumont has opened many doors and I have been able to participate in a magnet-status recertification, shared governance council and process-improvement initiatives.
What has been most influential in driving your aspirations toward college or your career? And what skills and strengths do you possess that you think will make you successful in this field?
Nick: My parents and my wife in their own unique ways. Both parents bypassed college and chose to build skills which would become the foundation for a successfully owned craftsmanship business of 35 years and a life-long career at General Motors. They always valued secondary education for me, though, and instilled a desire in me for both education and practical skills. They were persistent in helping me build the skills and knowledge that would be desirable to future employers, a message I vehemently pass on to all those inquiring about a path in this industry. Kaitlin, on the other hand, has always had the admirable quality of enjoying whatever it is she's doing. Her positive outlook and determination inspires me through uphill battles and long hours day in and day out. Pursuing a job I am fulfilled by does not come without costs, however, but both my parents and wife have offered the support I needed and influenced my desire from the very beginning.
Kaitlin: I love to help people. Nursing is my perfect fit because I am able to help others on a daily basis. I am hopeful that my optimism and ability to see the best in people will help me sustain momentum on this career path. Nursing is both physically and emotionally exhausting. Some days end in tears, but I find my strength and peace knowing that I was able to make a difference in someone else’s life. I also love to study. My interest in research and finding answers has kept me engaged in learning throughout my DNP program and will help me to advance my career once I am in practice.
Do you have a favorite memory and/or favorite teacher from Notre Dame? Also, do you miss anything about NDP?
Nick: I have great memories of conversations shared with Mr. Osiecki, Mrs. Bembas, and John Smith, but I'm not one to reminisce. One thing that's hard not to miss though is being with so many friends for eight hours a day, 5 days a week. I feel that I made some great friendships and experiences at Notre Dame and there are so many people I will never forget—for one reason or another.
Kaitlin: ND soccer! Wow, I loved my soccer team and I miss that green turf. I actually met my husband playing soccer at Notre Dame, so I am eternally thankful that and for ND soccer camp. I also made so many amazing friends through the hours we spent on the field, running deuces, and riding the buses to games. The value of teamwork and hard work that coach Green inspired in me is something I still have today and I miss being part of something so powerful.
As alumni, do you think it’s important to support your alma mater, and if you do, what do you think is the best way to support it?
Nick and Kaitlin: We have always felt connected to the people and places we spend time with. Notre Dame is no different. Without the school we would be very different people and it's hard to turn a blind eye to that kind of experience. Many have a love/hate relationship with their high school years, but we choose to remember it favorably and honor it with our words and giving whenever possible.
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.