The UD MBA became his chance to fill in the gaps.

“I’d learned markets and trading on the job, but the MBA showed me how everything connects,” Trinker said. “It gave me the vocabulary and structure to understand what I already knew, and to see the bigger picture.”

He’s also seen the value of getting involved beyond the classroom. Student organizations like the Delaware Blue Hen Investment Club offer hands-on exposure to real-world situations, and it’s something Trinker now encourages students to seek out.

The club turned out to be where his path to giving took shape. Trinker was looking to network in the broader financial space when he found himself curious about the people who manage university endowments. He emailed the UD Investments Office team to ask about their work, and the connection led him to the Blue Hen Investment Club. Word of his growing involvement eventually reached the Lerner College NYC Dean's Council, and he was invited to join. He's now one of its youngest members.

Watching how others on the council gave back helped Trinker figure out what he wanted his own gift to look like. For him, it came down to opportunity.

"The most valuable thing I could do was give someone a chance at the same opportunities I've had," he said. "I wanted to do something more tangible, where I could see the impact it's having."

Beyond the gift itself, mentorship has become a meaningful part of staying connected to UD, something he enjoyed even before he joined the council. It's part of why he believes recent graduates have something to offer now, not just later in their careers.

Trinker says people often assume making a difference takes a lot of time or effort. His experience has been the opposite.

"It doesn't take as much as people think to make a difference," he said. "It's been more rewarding than I expected going in — probably more than most people realize."