For more than 120 years its name was derived from and referred to the "tri-state" area because of its location in Indiana with proximity to Michigan and Ohio.

[5][6] In 2002 the school joined the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), and, coinciding with the opening of the $650,000 Ketner Sports Complex, Tri-State attained NCAA Division III provisional membership.

[16][17] Trine’s College of Health Professions is currently located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, at 1818/1819 Carew Street on the Parkview Hospital Randallia Campus.

[32] The sites offer students the opportunity to earn a master’s degree through Trine University in a hybrid format.

[33] Trine continues to expand its engineering and technology programs, most recently adding majors in mechatronics and robotics[34][35] and extended reality.

[40][30][31] It also offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the broad categories of business administration, engineering and technology, general students, healthcare, leadership and justice and psychology through TrineOnline.

Several individual programs are also accredited by programmatic accreditors:[43] More than 2,200 students live on the Angola campus which hosts approximately 60 varied campus groups from professional or major-specific clubs, recreational sports, religiously affiliated groups, and an array of hobby or interest clubs.

The Thunder previously competed as an NCAA D-III Independent during the 2003–04 school year; in the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1992–93 to 2002–03; and in the NAIA's Mid-Central College Conference (MCCC; now currently known as the Crossroads League since the 2012–13 school year) from 1959–60 to 1980–81.

Trine competes in 36 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling; while women's sports include acrobatics & tumbling, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, triathlon, volleyball, and wrestling.

[54] On June 7, 2023, the Trine University softball team finished the season as the NCAA Division III National Champion, defeating Salisbury 1-0 on a walk-off RBI.