North Park has served five generations of students and continues to grow in diversity, academic relevance, and Christian commitment. Our Chicago location is a great asset that reflects the School’s global reach and outlook.
After 125 years, we’ve learned how to streamline the process of helping qualified applicants seek admission to North Park and find affordable ways to attend. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on our website, please contact us directly!
North Park offers more than 40 graduate and undergraduate programs in liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies. Classes average 17 students. 84% of our faculty have terminal degrees. Academics here are rigorous and results-oriented.
North Park Theological Seminary prepares you to answer the call to service through theological study, spiritual development, and the formative experiences of living in a community with others on a similar life path.
The Office of Alumni Engagement fosters lifelong connections by engaging alumni with the university and one another in activities, programs, and services that support the university’s mission and alumni needs.
North Park Ensures Equitable Access to Higher Education for 2020-2021 Applicants.
North Park University has long reviewed its applicants on a holistic basis—grade point average, rigor of high school curriculum, perseverance, extra-curricular activities, and standardized test scores are all considered towards meeting admission criteria.
With the onset of COVID-19 shelter-in-place across the country, students who didn’t already take the SAT and ACT in the Fall 2019 or early Winter 2020, were not able to sit for the exam in Spring 2020. Re-instated test dates for Summer and Fall 2020 still have the potential to be canceled.
The decision for North Park to go test-optional was approved by North Park University President Mary K. Surridge to accommodate all students. The decision is a natural one. North Park is an institution that has always valued the diverse strengths of its student body that come in many forms—academics, athletics, intercultural background, drive to succeed, and contributions to society.
The application process for 2020-2021 will emphasize the whole student, as it always has, just without an SAT/ACT test score. The University not only rewards what students accomplish in the classroom and their test scores but also what they bring outside of the classroom and to their communities.
The decision to go test-optional for 2020-2021 admissions is about ensuring equitable access to higher education. “We want all of our students to have the ability to apply, be admitted, and receive financial aid without a test date dictating this timeline,” said Anthony Scola, North Park’s Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing.
By removing the SAT/ACT requirement, North Park is honoring what can be an obstacle in meeting admission criteria. “Many students have had their SAT/ACT canceled and we want our applicants to know we recognize this challenge,” said Scola.
Dropping the SAT/ACT removes a barrier to entry, an ongoing higher education debate. Going test-optional long-term is yet to be determined. What North Park admission’s committee does recognize is the 2020-2021 class experienced significant change in their learning.
“The 2020-2021 class offers unique qualities in its own way by having to pivot its learning platform during an unprecedented time,” said Scola.
Every state, every school—from A to Z—celebrated high school and college 2020 graduates on Facebook Live and Instagram Live. When it was Illinois turn, North Park University was joined by Northeastern Illinois University in celebrating its 2020 graduates.
Every state, every school—from A to Z—celebrated high school and college 2020 graduates on Facebook Live and Instagram Live. A commencement address by Oprah Winfrey was joined by other celebrities including Usher, Matthew McConaughey, and Jennifer Garner. When it was Illinois turn, North Park University was joined by Northeastern Illinois University in celebrating its 2020 graduates. Also featured for Illinois was Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson and the Special Olympics. Jackson expressed that the 2020 graduates represent a unified generation.
The live event, focusing on being all about the students, reiterated the strength and resilience of the 2020 graduating class. “You made it. You graduated. Don’t take that lightly. Do it with conviction and do it with integrity,” said Usher.
In a video featuring North Park’s School of Education, Dr. Rebecca Nelson congratulated the graduates from the School of Education and the entire North Park class of 2020, offering her best wishes.
Dr. Max Lee, North Park’s Associate Professor of the New Testament, has been selected by the Carl F.H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding to receive the 2020-2021 Henry Resident Fellowship.
Dr. Max Lee, North Park’s Associate Professor of the New Testament, has been selected by the Carl F.H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding to receive the 2020-2021 Henry Resident Fellowship.
Oriented towards the welfare of the church, the Fellowship supports and encourages the connection between evangelical scholarship and modern science to address questions related to the goodness of creation. As a part of the scholar-in-residence program, Dr. Lee will develop his research project in a collaborative environment on Trinity Evangelical Divinity School’s Deerfield campus during the 2020-2021 academic year.
In his research project, Natural Desire as a Moral Index of What is Good, Dr. Lee will explore the theory and theology of pleasure and how to enjoy the gifts of God while avoiding idolatrous practices. Uniting natural order with moral order, his project begins with a biblical-theological framework on the purposes of pleasure while also examining how pleasure operates in an interdisciplinary dialogue with the health sciences. It engages Scripture, theology, medical studies on trauma, the psychology of addiction, and the neuroscience of mimesis.
Expressing his gratitude, Dr. Lee says, “Many thanks also to North Park Theological Seminary and North Park University who have made provisions for my sabbatical year and for their communal support.”
Taking the event on-line this year, the event was broadcasted on Facebook Live—where the Multicultural Student Leader recognition, Champion of Diversity Award, and Office of Diversity and Intercultural Life Director’s Award were presented.
North Park’s Office of Diversity and Intercultural Life honored student leaders, faculty, and staff for their diversity efforts of significance and service in its Annual Multicultural Celebration. Taking the event on-line this year, the event was broadcasted on Facebook Live—where the Multicultural Student Leader recognition, Champion of Diversity Award, and Office of Diversity and Intercultural Life Director’s Award were presented.
Multicultural Student Leader Recognition
The Multicultural Student Leader recognition honors graduating seniors who are currently or previously executive members of North Park’s cultural clubs; student workers with at least one and a half years of service in the Collaboratory or the Office of Diversity; or prior Diversity Representatives in the Student Government Association.
Award recipients included:
Sheyla Castellanos
Mara Franzen
Ashorina Houma
Elena Lawando
Hannah Lewis
Elsie McConaughey
Shalini Mody
Kosi Okeke
Esther Upturi
Sheyla Castellanos
Mara Franzen
Ashorina Houma
Elena Lawando
Hannah Lewis
Elsie McConaughey
Shalini Mody
Kosi Okeke
Esther Upturi
Champion of Diversity Award
Highlighting North Park’s faculty, staff, and administration, the Champion of Diversity Award is presented to those who have conducted exceptional work in the areas of interculturalism, restorative justice, or racial reconciliation. Richard Kohng and Dr. Gwendolyn “Dr. P” Purifoye received the Champion of Diversity Award, for their contributions and leadership.
Rich Kohng, Director of Civic Engagement, Catalyst Hub
Gwendolyn Purifoye, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Office of Diversity and Intercultural Life Director Award
The Office of Diversity and Intercultural Life Director Award recognizes a person or group’s involvement in fostering an inclusive and intercultural campus culture.
This year, the award went to North Park’s Women’s Basketball Team, honoring:
A Q&A guide for students regarding transition to virtual instruction and housing updates.
For ongoing updates regarding COVID-19 and how it affects North Park’s campus, please visit www.northpark.edu/covid-19.
Q&A for Students Regarding COVID-19 on North Park Campus
Q: I’m a residential student – what do I need to do? A:ALL RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS must complete the Resident Student Registry Form. This form must be completed prior to Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 10pm. Students who believe they have a compelling reason to return to campus housing should provide a thorough explanation as to why on the form. Students will be notified via email of the status of their application as soon as possible.
Q: How and when can I get my belongings from my on-campus housing? A: For safety and security purposes, please contact your Resident Director via email prior to returning to campus. You may return to campus any time between now and Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 10pm to collect your belongings, including academic materials and personal items. You may not stay overnight in your campus housing during this window of time without prior approval from your Resident Director or the Office of Residence Life and Housing. If you have a reason to remain in campus housing overnight between now and Sunday, March 15, 2020, please note this request on the Resident Student Registry Form. Access to the residence halls, apartments, and houses will not be available after Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 10pm.
Q: What if I need to stay on campus because I’m an international student, or I am student teaching, or I have no other place to stay? A: Please fill out the Resident Student Registry Form and explain your current situation. The University will review your case and try to accommodate special circumstances. We will respond to your request by Tuesday, March 17.
Q: Will planned student activities still be taking place? A: Most campus activities, including all Catalyst and Chapel events, have been postponed or canceled. This decision is in keeping with CDC recommendations that large, non-essential gatherings be suspended or canceled. As this is a fluid situation, please check here for updates as specific event dates approach.
Q: I’m a commuter student. Will I be able to use campus facilities during the next few weeks? A: We hope to keep some facilities open, but as this is an ever-changing situation, facility availability might change on a daily basis. Please, check back here for updates.
Q: How will online instruction work? A: Starting today, and through April 9, there will be no more in-person classes. All coursework will be conducted online. Your professors will use Canvas to keep you informed, and will notify you via email about how your course will be structured, and what you can expect in terms of assignments and tests.
Q: How do I stay updated on how COVID-19 and its impact on North Park’s campus? A: Security, support services, and staff will remain on campus to assist you throughout this challenging period. Please reach out to individual departments for any assistance you might need. In addition, we will be making constant updates on this webpage. Please monitor email and social media as well. Thank you for your patience on this matter. Please consult the Faculty and Staff directory to find contact information.
Like other universities in Chicago and across the nation – and based on the latest advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – North Park University has canceled all university-sponsored international spring break travel due to the rapidly evolving nature of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.
North Park Cancels International Spring Break Trips Due to COVID-19 Virus
Check back here for future updates about the COVID-19 virus and how it is affecting North Park University’s students, faculty, and staff.
March 5, 2020: Like other universities in Chicago and across the nation – and based on the latest advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – North Park University has canceled all university-sponsored international spring break travel due to the rapidly evolving nature of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.
Domestic travel will take place as planned.
Health Advice
There are simple actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. It cannot be emphasized enough that good self-care habits are vitally important, including:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Wash your hands often with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
Cover your cough with your sleeve, not your hands
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
Don’t share food or drinks
If you get sick, stay home and rest
All daily operations on the campus will continue. The University will provide regular e-mail updates to students, faculty and staff.
North Park University has been named a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education, a designation that recognizes North Park’s commitment to equitable outcomes for Hispanic students.
North Park University has been named a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education, a designation that recognizes North Park’s commitment to equitable outcomes for Hispanic students.
“The Hispanic-Serving Institution distinction is an enviable one, sought by many institutions, and we are proud of this designation,” said North Park President Mary K. Surridge. “Most important, though, is our striving for equitable outcomes as we live into our intercultural distinctive. And that is the effort these federal grant dollars will fund on this campus.”
With the designation, North Park is now eligible to apply to federal funding opportunities that are only available to Hispanic Serving Institutions, according to Renee Cox, North Park’s Government, Corporate, and Foundation Relations Manager. Over the next year, North Park hopes to explore funding opportunities that are now available at the U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
Sharee L. Myricks, M.Ed, North Park University Director of Diversity and Intercultural Life, says the designation underscores North Park’s commitment to diversity.
“North Park University has a long history of supporting a diverse and intentionally intercultural student population. North Park’s recent designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution enables us to expand future opportunities that supports student recruitment, retention, and completion further,” Myricks said.
To become a designated HSI, an institution’s undergraduate enrollment must be at least 25% Hispanic (defined as an individual of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin).
Hispanic Serving Institutions were created in 1995 to expand the educational opportunities of the country’s rapidly growing Hispanic population and to improve Hispanic students’ measures of academic attainment.
In the past two years, Dr. Purifoye has analyzed how public transportation creates transit boundaries that support the boundaries of racial segregation.
Professor Gwendolyn Purifoye
While working towards her PhD five years ago, Dr. Gwendolyn Purifoye, a sociology professor at North Park, completed a small project regarding public transportation, specifically how people behave badly in wide open public spaces. The research, which later became the basis of her dissertation, took a new turn because of her frequent use of public transportation.
Soon, her use of CTA trains and buses inspired her to study confined, mobile spaces, resulting in “Examining Racial Residential Segregation Through Public Transportation in Chicago.”
Dr. Purifoye completed field research by riding and studying six bus lines, two Metra lines, and two CTA lines for a few years.
“Doing that,” she says, “I paid attention to who was getting on, but also where the rides were going.” She also researched CTA and Metra archives, studying how they distribute their services and resources.
In the past two years, Dr. Purifoye has analyzed how public transportation creates transit boundaries that support the boundaries of racial segregation. Through her research, she noticed favoritism toward wealthier, predominantly white communities. For instance, the CTA services the suburbs better than they do the South Side of Chicago, and transit-dependent communities are provided with fewer resources and older buses. She notes how these transit inequalities are keeping low-income racial minorities unable to get the places they need to be.
Metra Ogilvie Station
“For Chicago to really move as a city and to grow as a city, transit equity needs to be a part of that conversation,” Dr. Purifoye says. In order to see change, she explains that the conversation needs to take place city-wide, not just at the community level.
Train station servicing south side and south suburbs
Dr. Purifoye presents her research in her urban sociology class to teach students about the intricate connections between transit, housing, education, and government, as well as their influences on cities. Engaging with North Park’s core values of being Christian, city-centered, and intercultural, she hopes to show that “justice is for everyone, and we all do better when we all do better.”
Dr. Purifoye recently presented “Examining Racial Residential Segregation Through Public Transportation in Chicago” at the American Association of Geographers Conference in Washington D.C. and plans to continue researching mobility and inequality.
In his book, Dr. Johnson intricately connects the suffering of the women in the Bible to the current #MeToo movement, but instead of telling a story of weakness, he tells a story of strength and resilience.
While growing up in the slums of New Delhi, India, North Park Professor Dr. Rajkumar Boaz Johnson witnessed a great deal of suffering. He recalls thinking, “I am going to get out of this slum, and when I grow up, I’m going to do something about it.” Dr. Johnson found strength and did just that, ultimately becoming a professor of Hebrew Bible and Theological Studies.
Professor Boaz Johnson
During a sabbatical, Dr. Johnson visited the Kakuma refugee camp of 800,000 refugees. There, he experienced narratives of suffering very similar to those of his childhood, sparking the idea for his book, The Marys of the Bible: The Original #MeToo Movement. “The word ‘Mary’ means suffering,” he explains, “one who endures bitterness.”
In his book, Dr. Johnson intricately connects the suffering of the women in the Bible to the current #MeToo movement, but instead of telling a story of weakness, he tells a story of strength and resilience.
After researching ancient religions—including Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Roman—Dr. Johnson discovered that the issues the #MeToo movement raises are not new, they have been persisting for thousands of years. “In all of these religions and civilizations,” he says, “women have always been taken advantage of.”
He emphasizes, though, that women have persevered throughout history. He discusses how women of the Bible—such as Tamar, Esther, Ruth, and the Marys—do not let themselves succumb to victimization. “The overarching principle is that the Bible takes those aspects which society would regard as weaknesses and transforms them into paradigms of strength.”
Dedicating his book to Bindulata Barik, one of his PhD students in India, Dr. Johnson includes her writings of her #MeToo experiences as well as those of his colleagues, Ingrid Faro and Elizabeth Pierre, in the foreword. He aspires for his book to be a tool that both women and men use to engage in the issues that the Bible and the #MeToo movement share in common—both understanding the origins of suffering and re-emerging with strength.
Discussing his most important goal for The Marys of the Bible: The Original #MeToo Movement, Dr. Johnson said, “My hope is that groups of women will gather together and use this book as the basis of forming support groups in order to find healing.”
Dr. Johnson’s book is published in India and the U.S. He has recently done book signings at Chicago-area Barnes and Noble stores.
President Mary K. Surridge served as the keynote speaker at the University Club of Chicago to address preparing graduates with skills matching employer needs. As part of a new initiative, North Park is partnering with the Alliance of Businesses and Colleges in Illinois.
November 13, 2019–CHICAGO — North Park University President Mary K. Surridge opened the conversation about how to prepare students for in-demand careers at a roundtable sponsored by the Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI) last Friday at the University Club of Chicago.
North Park is leading the way in a new initiative, the Alliance of Businesses and Colleges in Illinois. The initiative is inspired by Capital CoLAB in the Greater Washington, D.C area, which pairs colleges with the tech industry to equip graduates with skills matching employer needs.
“We are gaining a closer understanding of what employers want and how we as institutions can better prepare our students,” said Gregor Thuswaldner, North Park’s Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.
The roundtable included local business representatives, who agreed students should develop a career plan prior to graduation, and to think of how they can apply their major to an actual job.
Recruiter Kate Rinnan with Starcom Worldwide offered, “invite industry to co-develop a curriculum.”
“Our mission is very sound: we leverage every aspect of the city and prepare our students to be innovators as they study, live and work in an intercultural environment,” said Surridge, referring to North Park’s city-centered mission.
President Mary K. Surridge
Integrating in-the-classroom with off-campus experiential learning opportunities shows students first-hand how to apply their skills to meet real business needs.
“As a Christian, city-centered, intercultural university, our faculty and staff are committed to graduating students to be ethically sound, while balancing both independent and collaborative decisions,” Surridge said.
Equipping students with resources like resume writing, internships, and interview preparedness is important.
“Graduates emerge strong and inspired with skills to make an immediate contribution,” Surridge said.
Darrell Radson, Dean of the Goodwin College of Business at Benedictine University, encouraged students to create a career roadmap.
“More talk about careers and less on majors can match skill development with career development,” Radson said.
To address these needs, North Park has instituted a hands-on experiential learning curriculum.
“With the pressure of justifying the value of a degree, we make it a priority to offer students in-the-field learning experiences to take back to their current and future employers,” Surridge said.
Author Ana SeklerPosted on Categories Announcement, News, Stories
Oriented towards the welfare of the church, the Fellowship supports and encourages the connection between evangelical scholarship and modern science to address questions related to the goodness of creation. As a part of the scholar-in-residence program, Dr. Lee will develop his research project in a collaborative environment on Trinity Evangelical Divinity School’s Deerfield campus during the 2020-2021 academic year.
