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.
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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.
How the Univerity is cultivating an intercultural learning environment through student support
How the University is cultivating an intercultural learning environment through student support
CHICAGO (January 25, 2017)—Walking alongside students—academically, emotionally, and spiritually—this defines North Park University. The faculty and staff at North Park are guided by a core principle: exemplary student support and access, which improve a student’s experience and create a sense of persistence toward graduation. Support comes in many forms, from cohorts to affiliations with nonprofits like One Goal, Bottom Line, Noble Network of Charter Schools, and the Associated Colleges of Illinois. The end goal is simple, says Vice President for Student Engagement Jodi Koslow Martin, “We are contributing towards ensuring all students have access to a college education.”
What Support Looks Like
North Park’s professors and advisors take cues from students to understand pathways to success and respond to specific areas of need. In this ‘responsive model’ support can look different from student-to-student. For some, it comes in the form of scholarships, for others, it’s about embracing the relationships North Park has formed with nonprofits and community partners, and for others, who benefit from a close network, there are on-campus cohort groups like COMPASS which align skills, abilities, and interests.
Lucia Tejada, North Park senior and biology major, spent nine days just prior to her freshman year in the University’s COMPASS program. “Support is there from the beginning and advisors want you to succeed as a person,” says Tejada. Those first nine days created a long-term sense of community for Tejada where she has grown from being a participant to now serving as a mentor in the program.
Taking a Stand for Our DACA Students
President David L. Parkyn
The core commitment behind all these support efforts—granting personalized pathways for each student—prompted North Park’s President David L. Parkyn to sign a Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program and our Undocumented Immigrant Students. This statement, spearheaded by Pomona University in California, has already collected over 600 signatures from college and university presidents from an array of institutions including private, public, faith-based, and community colleges in 44 states and the District of Columbia.
Vice President for Student Engagement Jodi Koslow Martin
“DACA has become a higher education issue, especially as the doors to higher education have widened,” says Koslow Martin. At North Park, deep learning comes from being in an intercultural environment formed by students from many backgrounds. “In the spirit of generosity and hospitality, supporting DACA aligns with our mission and Christian approach to advancing efforts in accessing higher education,” adds Koslow Martin.
Tejada, also a DACA student, says the North Park community has been there for her throughout her college journey, “I’ve received support from the very beginning.” Tejada adds, “There are people at North Park who are there for you and help you no matter what.”
Committed to granting higher education to a diverse student population, President Parkyn states, “North Park signed the Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program and our Undocumented Immigrant Students to influence the continuation of DACA and encourage our government leaders to keep DACA in place.” This action is well received on campus. Sophomore psychology major and president of the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) Genesis Rivera-Lucero expresses her appreciation towards President Parkyn signing the letter, “I am grateful President Parkyn has chosen to show his support.”
Ensuring DACA Student Success
North Park plays an active role in positioning all students for success with academic preparedness and transition programs, and providing necessary pathways where DACA students have the same access to earning their college degrees. The campus community, including faculty, staff, and student peers remain fully committed to welcoming and supporting DACA students. “North Park’s faculty and staff are well-prepared to work with students who are undocumented and meet the criteria of DACA,” reassures President Parkyn.
Tejada, who’s been in Chicago since 2011 and was 10 years old when she came to the United States, encourages all her classmates to know the resources available to them. “It’s good to use the teachers and staff as much as you need them because they will be there for you,” says Tejada.
Partnering with the Community to Support DACA Students
While the application for admission to North Park neither solicits nor requires notification of DACA status, the University has programs in place that address academic preparedness for higher education coursework. And for those DACA prospects who do declare their status, North Park works alongside community partners to remove financial barriers that undocumented students often face when attending college.
When Tejada was just a day away from paying for her tuition at a local community college in Skokie, she received a call from North Park saying that she was being offered a scholarship. “North Park is willing to take DACA students and help financially which made a difference in my whole college career,” says Tejada.
Specifically designed to serve the undocumented student population interested in earning a college degree, North Park partners with Noble Network of Charter Schools through Pritzker Access Scholarships. In this collaborative program designed to help meet financial needs, students attending and graduating from Noble Network of Charter Schools are eligible to qualify for the Pritzker Access Scholarship. In this way, North Park University enrolls students who receive scholarships from the Pritzker foundation, which account for the financial aid that would have come from Pell federal grant dollars and state MAP grants. With this nearly full-ride scholarship, students must maintain a minimum of a 2.5 GPA in college. This kind of partnership with local high schools comes naturally to North Park as it reflects the University’s desire to attract and retain students from the city of Chicago.
Students Standing by their Fellow Classmates
Rivera-Lucero says learning the stories of DACA students has moved her. “Knowing what my friends and classmates have experienced has made me want to stand up for change.” And having relationships with student advisors who keep their doors ‘always open’ to discuss their thoughts together, helps Rivera-Lucero to keep going as she leads the Latin American Student Organization. “There’s so much we can do with our voices as part of the student community,” says Rivera-Lucero. She adds, “I am grateful to collaborate with faculty and staff.”
For Further Support
Cities like Chicago are deeply rooted in immigrant communities, which contribute to North Park’s vibrant student body. North Park DACA students, alongside their peers, represent the University core values as Christian, City-centered, and Intercultural. Rivera-Lucero agrees, “To uphold the urban and diverse as part of North Park’s core pillars is to keep our DACA students part of our community,” asserts Rivera-Lucero. And, getting to graduation all starts with making a college education accessible—it’s about providing the pathways to higher education. “The fact I was able to go to college at a private school was huge,” says Tejada.
For some students, this pathway starts much before the first day on campus and for others, it’s having support services available once already enrolled. Just months away from graduating, North Park’s soon-to-be-alumna Tejada is interested in being a marine biologist and is starting to think about graduate school. Her first stop is North Park’s career development office, where she’ll be working on getting her resume ready for the next stage in her career.
The 1980 MDiv graduate and trailblazer was called to ministry at childhood.
The 1980 MDiv graduate and trailblazer called to ministry at childhood.
CHICAGO (January 18, 2017) — A calling to ministry can come at different stages in life, but for North Park Seminary alumna Rev. Dr. Mary Miller, it came early. Rev. Dr. Miller’s calling to serve the Lord and the church was simple—she “loved the church to start with” and “absolutely loved confirmation.” The love of the Lord and people has been part of her as long she can remember.
During her undergraduate years at Western Illinois University, Rev. Dr. Miller (Miller) knew she wanted to go deeper into her Chrisitian faith, but learning opportunities were limited to one course on the works of C. S. Lewis. Shortly following graduating, Miller enrolled at North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS). At the time, few women were in seminary and Miller had an 89-mile commute from Rockford, Ill. to North Park’s Chicago campus. Instead of letting these obstacles deter her, Miller, who describers herself as “game to grow at any point,” overcame them with characteristic strength and determination.
North Park’s commitment to hospitality and educational access empowered Miller throughout her three years studying for her master of divinity. Fellow classmates welcomed her into their homes to lessen the frequency of commuting. “I slept on my friends’ couches,” recalls a grateful Miller. Though she was one of the first five female students to enter the seminary in 1977, Miller was surrounded by supportive professors. Encouraging faculty like Professor Klyne Snodgrass jested with the young seminarian: “Don’t let fear of studying Greek scare you.”
At NPTS, Miller thrived—and reveled—in the variety of Bible courses available to her. “It was like being in a deli—after state school, where there were no Bible classes offered,” says Miller, who still has all her lecture notes. When Dr. C. John Weborg retired from teaching at North Park, Miller was able to send him a copy of the notes she took on her very first day of his class.
Taking with her the practical skills and knowledge rooted in Christian classics, Miller was propelled into a career in ministry. “North Park prepared me for different ministry roles–in practical ways and of course through lifelong friendships,” says Miller. In her first call after seminary, Miller served as associate pastor at Faith Covenant Church (Farmington Hills, Mich.). In the years that followed, Miller also served the congregations of First Wayne Street United Methodist Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Evangelical Covenant Church (Donaldson, Ind.), and Bethel Evangelical Covenant Church (Floosmoor, Ill.). In addition, Miller contributed as a writer for The Covenant Companion and authored Devotions for Those Living with Loss (Covenant Publications, 1991).
When asked about how she has navigated different roles and served congregations ranging in size from 110 to 1,500, Miller sensibly explains, “It’s about drilling down into what really matters and not just focusing on what’s demanding your attention.” This pragmatic approach has served Miller well—notably as a trailblazer for women entering the Seminary, as the first female vice president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, as the co-chair of the Biblical Gender Equality Commission, and as a recipient of the Evelyn M. R. Johnson Leadership Award from the Association of Covenant Clergy Women in 2008.
Currently serving as Chaplain at Covenant Village in Cromwell, Conn., where she preaches to congregants ages 64 to 107, Miller refers to this stage of her life as “an interior journey.” Miller teaches “Aging as Spiritual Journey,” while making time to garden, volunteer regularly in her community, read Christian classics, which she calls “food for the soul,” and be with her two dogs. Reflecting on a career serving the church spanning close to four decades, Miller advises those who are interested in going into ministry, “Pursue ministry if God won’t allow you to let that calling go.” She also encourages those she mentors to take on challenges that might feel daunting, as she was advised early in her career. “Put on a suit that’s too big for you and grow into it,” asserts Miller.
During the evening worship at the January 31, 2017 Midwinter Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Louisville, Ky., Miller will receive the 2017 North Park Theological Seminary Alumni Award for Distinguished Service. Following the award presentation, North Park is hosting a reception open to all in attendance. North Park Vice President for Church Relations and Dean of the Seminary Rev. Dr. David Kersten expresses his appreciation for Miller’s legacy: “Mary’s lifelong dedication to ministry and leadership is important to recognize and on behalf of North Park Theological Seminary, North Park University, and the Evangelical Covenant Church, we are thrilled that she has been selected to receive this award.”
Mary K. Surridge, Vice President for Advancement, adds, “On behalf of the entire alumni community of North Park Theological Seminary, we congratulate Rev. Dr. Miller and offer our deepest thanks for her extraordinary life of service and leadership.”
Recognized as a true leader with a style that’s both equipping and encouraging, and with ministry gifts in teaching and pastoral care, Miller has served North Park on the Board of Trustees and Seminary Board of Advisors. Miller concludes, “I am deeply honored to receive this award.”
North Park University President David L. Parkyn addresses the City Club of Chicago on how liberal arts education keeps an engaged citizenry working and living in Illinois.
CHICAGO (January 6, 2017) — On Thursday, January 19, North Park University President David L. Parkyn, along with Dominican University President Donna Carroll, will speak at an event hosted by the City Club of Chicago. The day’s topic is the national challenge of growing tomorrow’s workforce, as well as the state-wide challenge of keeping Illinois’ graduates here post-degree. The panelists will explore how a liberal arts education prepares students with the in-demand skills that keep businesses competitive—and the programs they implemented to help students build ties with the community.
Building an Engaged, Employable Citizenry through Experiential Curriculum
For Parkyn, “connecting college students to the world that surrounds them is key to building an engaged citizenry.” North Park University recognizes a close link between students engaging in hands-on experiential learning opportunities and building a connection to their surroundings. The University has established meaningful learning opportunities outside the classroom that help students become active citizens, who contribute to Illinois’ workforce by landing jobs in the state.
North Park’s experiential learning curriculum—offered through programs including Engage Chicago, the Chicago Intensive, and CRUX—prepares students to work in diverse environments. These hands-on experiences teach students how to be agile in diverse settings—skills transferable to the workforce. Situated in an urban setting, North Park embraces the city of Chicago as part of its curriculum. Students enjoy direct experience working with partner organizations, including nonprofits and civic organizations. “Having the chance to be part of the inner-workings of an organization prepares undergraduates with an understanding of what it means to make a contribution as they enter the workforce,” says Dr. Parkyn.
Value in the Liberal Arts
By way of example, professional services like accounting and tax firms are increasingly changing their business models. Many manual tasks have been eliminated by technology and automation. However, these businesses still need to stay connected with their clients to understand their needs and build trust. The client-service relationship requires strong interpersonal communication abilities. An education in the liberal arts, among other foundational skills acquired, provides a well-developed repertoire of soft skills transferable to in-demand jobs.
Soft skills cultivated from a liberal arts education are used in business settings to understand client needs and respond to them strategically, creatively, and with thoughtful communication. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at North Park, points out, “A history major, for instance, learns to digest disparate information, analyze outcomes, and form an analysis to build a case for consideration; an art major must be original in his or her creativity, thinking about how the audience will receive the art form and how to connect with their audience.”
“A liberal arts education is one that stretches the mind to use creativity and critical thinking to solve complex problems,” says Dr. Parkyn. North Park University designs its liberal arts academic programming so that graduates are well-prepared to make a noticeable contribution to the workforce as engaged citizens with transferable, in-demand skills.
Graduates receive timeless words of wisdom: “Remember who you are.”
CHICAGO (December 20, 2016) — North Park University culminated the 2016 academic year by awarding degrees to 259 students.
One combined commencement ceremony for students earning degrees from undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs was held on campus Friday evening, December 16, in Carlson Gymnasium. Deans representing their respective colleges presented degrees to the new graduates.
Dr. Julia Davids, Associate Professor of Music, and John Sherer, University Organist, led the University Choir.
Traditional undergraduate degrees were awarded to 139 students and non-traditional degrees were awarded to 37 students from the College of Arts and Sciences; School of Business and Nonprofit Management; School of Education; School of Music, Art, and Theatre; School of Nursing and Health Sciences; and School of Professional Studies.
North Park deans also presented 80 students with their graduate degrees from School of Business and Nonprofit Management; School of Education; School of Nursing and Health Sciences; and School of Professional Studies; as well as four degrees to North Park Theological Seminary students.
Academic Procession | The evening began with a standing, vibrant Procession of Colors, displaying the flags of the United States of America, the city of Chicago, and North Park University, followed by flags representing the countries and territories in which graduates were born, are citizens, or have been residents: Albania, American Samoa, Assyria, Brazil, Cherokee Nation, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, India, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and Wales.
In Memory of Quinton Rodgers
President David L. Parkyn began his commencement welcome by bringing attention to the recent passing of North Park student Quinton Rodgers. “His was a life that ended much, much too soon,” President Parkyn said. Prior to commencement, Rodger’s parents shared their support, encouraging President Parkyn and graduates: “Go to graduation.” Following a silent prayer for Rodgers, President Parkyn proceeded with the commencement ceremonies.
Remember Who You Are
President Parkyn began his comments by noting the importance of good stories, because “they’re something we can remember.” Reflecting on raising his own children and instilling a set of familiar rules to guide their behavior, the very phrase he used—Remember who you are—came full circle when he started a new job of his own. When his son, at that time a recent college graduate, advised him with all sincerity to Remember who you are, he felt compelled to pass on these words of wisdom to the Class of 2016. President Parkyn continued, “Yes, remember who you are. But this begs a question, doesn’t it: Who are we?”
Loving Your Neighbors
Building on Remember who you are, President Parkyn continued with the questions asked of Jesus millennia ago: “Who is my neighbor?” “Who is the one I am to love?” Rather than relying on social media and determined algorithms, President Parkyn encourages new graduates to, “Love God. Love thy neighbor.” He added, “this defines who we are.”
Ahnfeldt Memorial Medallion Presented to Rachel Boge
The Ahnfeldt Memorial Medallion, given to the senior with the highest grade-point average, was presented to media studies major Rachel Boge. Serving the school in exceptional ways and graduating with a 3.937 grade-point average, Boge was called a “role model and a friend” by her advisor Dr. Robert Hostetter, professor of communication arts. Four years after arriving at North Park from her hometown of Rockford, Ill., Boge plans to remain in Chicago and continue doing video production with a local company. Her long-term goal is to develop her own brand of video production.
Charge to Graduates
President Parkyn reminded students, as in their studies here at North Park, “Go everywhere; meet everyone; be neighbors to all. And above all, when institutions or organizations or governments fail us, as they surely will, remember who you are and let your life shine—always for God’s glory and neighbor’s good.”
North Park University and Illinois State Legislative Black and Latino Caucuses came together as a community in a time of political polarization.
CHICAGO (December 13, 2016) — In a forum moderated by Illinois Business Immigration Coalition’s Executive Director Rebecca Shi, Illinois State Legislators engaged the North Park University community on tensions surrounding the past election cycle. To foster a time of healing and reconciliation, the Illinois State Legislative Black and Latino Caucuses along with North Park sought to embody a spirit of hospitality to all students and the community.
Confirmed Legislators
Bringing a unique lens as public officials, Illinois legislators explored concerns the political process has caused among their constituents. Legislators attending the forum included:
Ill. State Representative of the 24th District: Elizabeth Hernandez, Illinois Legislative Latino caucus member
Ill. State Representative of the 30th District: William Davis, Illinois Legislative Black caucus member
Ill. State Representative of the 13th District: Gregory Harris
Building an Engaged Citizenry Through Open Conversation
As part of North Park’s experiential learning philosophy and curriculum, “the forum aims for students to become active participants in the democratic process, one of the hallmarks of a meaningful education,” says North Park University’s Urban Outreach Coordinator, Richard Kohng.
Event Details
This free, ticketed event, along with a dinner, was held Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 6:00–7:30 pm on North Park’s campus at Hamming Hall.
Author Ana SeklerPosted on Categories News, Stories
CHICAGO (January 18, 2017) — A calling to ministry can come at different stages in life, but for North Park Seminary alumna Rev. Dr. Mary Miller, it came early. Rev. Dr. Miller’s calling to serve the Lord and the church was simple—she “loved the church to start with” and “absolutely loved confirmation.” The love of the Lord and people has been part of her as long she can remember.
