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.
Students can access one of four 3D printers for free in the Johnson Center’s engineering hub.
Four 3D printers are available for students to use.
What do a plastic Samurai sword, a trophy, and dentures have in common? They’re all items students can (and have) printed for FREE using one of four 3D printers available in the Johnson Center engineering hub. The printers are managed by North Park Engineering Club execs who said they want more students to know about the free option to print whatever they’d like.
“Your imagination is really the limit,” said junior Cbten Alyasiry
Students can print any object they’d like, within reason. Free websites online provide 3D files for figurines, game pieces, and club trophies. From there a student will have their design approved, find a time to come in and get their object after about two to eight hours of print time.
“People think it’s just for engineering students but it’s for everyone,” said engineering club co-president Connor Elliott. “I want to help 3D print some cool stuff.”
The Engineering Club is hosting a meeting Wednesday morning at 11:30 a.m. to show students how to utilize the printer programs.
Amidst a year of record undergraduate enrollment, North Park University has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a top Regional University and one of the best schools for Social Mobility and Undergraduate Teaching.
A record 476 first-year students enrolled for the fall 2022 semester despite challenges including the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a decrease in the number of high school graduates choosing to attend college.
“This incoming class [of 476 students] means that we have put together back-to-back classes at this level, with record numbers of first-time, first-year students,” said North Park President Mary K. Surridge. “In the current higher education landscape and recruiting space, this is a significant achievement and indicates several encouraging things.”
“North Park is a compelling university of choice for prospective students, and our recruitment staff has done a great job of identifying and cultivating new students,” President Surridge said. “Students have choices, and they are choosing North Park.”
This is the second year in a row that North Park’s incoming class has broken enrollment records, with the school welcoming 464 first-year students in 2021. This year’s class includes students from 30 countries and 30 states, with the majority coming from Illinois.
In the U.S. News and World Report annual rankings, North Park was ranked #39 for best Regional Universities in the Midwest (a position it has held since 2020); #15 for Top Performers on Social Mobility; and #20 for Best Undergraduate Teaching.
The social mobility ranking means North Park excels at helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds enroll and finish college.
In its latest annual ranking, U.S. News and World Report took into account 17 measures of academic quality at 1,500 degree-seeking institutions. The magazine also considers student satisfaction, attending costs, and campus life in determining its rankings.
North Park University’s School of Professional Studies (SPS) will partner with the College of DuPage (COD) in Glen Ellyn in a program that guarantees COD transfer students admission to North Park.
Even before students transfer to North Park, the two schools will collaborate to seamlessly guide students from their associate degree at COD to completing their bachelor’s degrees at North Park.
“This agreement formalizes and elevates an excellent new partnership that gives students of the College of DuPage an opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degrees at North Park University, in the world-class city of Chicago,” said North Park President Mary K. Surridge. “We are delighted to provide this life-changing opportunity for so many students.”
SPS Dean Lori Scrementi said the two schools “hope to create a community of learning for all, not only with fellow students but with faculty and staff, to build a strong, supportive network before, during, and after their time at North Park University.”
Scrementi said that with its integration of Christian, intercultural, and city-centered values, SPS gives students tools for lifelong learning and a strong sense of community-focused decision-making. Faculty and staff bring the wisdom gained from their professions and vocations into their positions at North Park.
COD’s provost, Mark Curtis-Chávez, said the institutional partnership between the schools “reflects our mutual and intentional level of commitment to providing students a clear pathway towards a timely degree in a growing number of academic programs.”
He added: “We look forward to continued collaboration with North Park as we develop new ways to best support students.”
Founded in 1967, the College of DuPage is a community college serving students in Chicago’s western suburbs. Firmly rooted in its community, it is also committed to reflecting the needs and demands of an ever-changing world.
North Park University has received a $35,000 grant from the federal government’s Increase and Diversify Education for U.S. Students (IDEAS) initiative, which will be used to fund virtual and in-person study abroad opportunities for underserved students.
North Park University has received a $35,000 grant from the federal government’s Increase and Diversify Education for U.S. Students (IDEAS) initiative, which will be used to fund virtual and in-person study abroad opportunities for underserved students.
As part of the grant, North Park faculty and staff will partner with Nepal-based The Green Program (TGP) to develop custom study-abroad programs that tie climate, energy, and environmental-related subject matter to relevant topics in their disciplines.
“I’m excited by the opportunities afforded by the IDEAS grant and what we’ll be able to achieve through partnership with TGP,” said Tessa Zanoni, North Park’s Director of the Office of International Affairs.
“As a small university with limited study abroad funding and staffing, this grant will make it possible for us to increase resources and programs for our faculty and students,” Zanoni said. “I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to achieve our ultimate goal of expanding access to study abroad programs for all North Park students.”
As a recently designated Hispanic Serving Institution and majority commuter campus, North Park is actively working to expand study abroad opportunities for underrepresented students. The long-term goal of North Park’s partnership with TGP is to increase student participation in study abroad programs, as well as increasing student understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The IDEAS Grants are administered by the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). This year, ECA awarded the grant to 44 US colleges and universities to create, expand, and diversify their study abroad programs.
The Green Program provides hands-on courses on topics such as renewable energy innovation and sustainability. Students who participate in the 8–10-day programs receive a Smart Certificate. This year’s course takes place in Iceland in cooperation with Reykjavik University.
North Park University is launching a new graduate degree program for students and career changers—a Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. The program will prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to provide safe, competent, and compassionate care to patients.
“This new program is a perfect example of North Park University’s ability to capitalize on our historic strength in nursing and health sciences education,” said North Park University President Mary K. Surridge. “We are building new capacity to educate and equip more and more highly skilled and ethical professionals to positively impact the city of Chicago and beyond.”
Students in the five-semester program will complete clinical rotations that align with their coursework and prepare them to enter the field with skill and confidence. All clinical rotations are held in hospitals and community sites recognized for nursing excellence, including Swedish Hospital, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Lawndale Community Health Center, and others.
After completing the degree requirements through North Park’sDirect Entry Master of Science in Nursing program graduates will be qualified to apply for the professional nurse licensing examination, the NCLEX-RN. Graduates who pass this exam become licensed registered nurses (RNs) and are eligible to work in a healthcare setting. Graduates will also have the academic foundation necessary to pursue further education in the field, such as a post-master’s certification in an advanced practice specialty, nursing leadership, and management, or earning your Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
North Park Provost Michael Carr said graduates of this program “will have learned to Integrate core scientific and ethical principles, advanced nursing knowledge, professional values, and clinical excellence in a nursing practice that reflects the Christian principles of the philosophy of the North Park University School of Nursing.”
The Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing at North Park University is designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in another academic major. Students can apply to the program through NursingCAS, the centralized application for nursing programs. Application fee waivers are available for those who qualify.
Looking to work alongside an already booming gaming industry located in Chicago, North Park University (North Park) is excited to add Esports as the institution’s first coed and 19th overall sport. Recruiting for incoming student-athletes will begin immediately, with competition to start fall of 2023.
“We are excited to add Esports to the athletic department,” said John Born, North Park Assistant Vice President, Director of Athletics. “It is a great opportunity to meet current demand and add to the diversity of the institution. The combination of an emerging sport and the resources of Chicago is a definite win-win scenario.”
Esports, a form of competitive, organized video gaming, is most often used in a “multiplayer” setting. As a fan-friendly sport when it comes to viewership and streaming, Esports is expected to net 29.6 million monthly viewers this year, up 11.5% from 2021, according to estimates done by Insider Intelligence.
Chicago has been a hotspot for Esports for many years, and North Park is well-situated with its Chicago campus to be in the epicenter of this growing sport. The League Championship Series for high-level League of Legends players will take place at the United Center September 10–11. Additionally, Chicago’s City Council approved a $30 million dollar arena, “Surge” Esports Stadium, to be built in Bronzeville. Investments like these will provide North Park students ample opportunity to expand their abilities and pursue longer-term career options in the field.
Though exploding in popularity, including the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has not officially sponsored Esports for intercollegiate competition. However, North Park will join the National Association of College Esports, the largest member association of college and university-sponsored Esports programs that promote student education and development through intercollegiate Esports.
“Meeting students where they are at is what we aim to do at North Park, and offering Esports as an official varsity program is no exception. As a university, we are fortunate to have the resources to have this dream come to fruition. This is a great day for North Park.”
For questions about the program, contact Peter Casella, Director of Esports.
Shi: What being a Fulbright ETA means to me is to become a part of the community that I’m placed in and to serve the community by teaching English. It’s to be engaged in a continual process of understanding how my own cultural background and identity influences my interactions with the land, culture, and people, and to approach these interactions with openness, curiosity, and sensitivity; it’s to savor new foods and sights and to learn about the history and language of the country; it’s to cultivate meaningful relationships and share experiences and perspectives with those around me and to appreciate living everyday life in the community. Overall, I’m incredibly thankful for this opportunity and it’s an exciting journey that’s really going to change my life.
What was your experience like applying for a Fulbright scholarship?
Victoria Shi
Shi: I began the application pretty early in the summer (June 2021) and had finished it while I was studying abroad in Thailand (October 2021). It was a long and sometimes stressful process, but I learned a lot from the experience. I received incredible support from faculty, friends, and family, whether that be pointing me to resources that would help better develop my application, working through different peer review stages for my essays, writing letters of recommendation, or simply giving encouragement and having faith in me to pursue this goal. I couldn’t have done it without the people in my life.
How has North Park prepared you to pursue your future plans?
Shi: The faculty members in my department and throughout the university as well as classes I’ve taken have really shaped my understanding of the world and sharpened my critical thinking skills. They’ve helped me find what I’m interested in and passionate about and given me guidance and assurance throughout my undergraduate education.
North Park University School of Restorative Arts held a graduation ceremony at Stateville Correctional Center for 28 resident scholars in honor of earning their Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from North Park Theological Seminary. Two students began the program inside Stateville and, upon release, completed their studies on North Park’s campus.
The graduation was the first of its kind in an Illinois Department of Corrections facility and represents a profound commitment to liberative and restorative education. Commencement speaker Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly M. Foxx, who was invited to speak by the students, acknowledged that while she was not the obvious choice, she identified with the graduates in powerful ways, saying, “I am you.”
The inaugural graduating School of Restorative Arts (SRA) cohort brings together free and incarcerated students to study in the shared Stateville on-site space— unifying a transformative learning experience for all. In his remarks during the June 15th ceremony, SRA inside student Jamal Bakr said, “We are receiving our master’s degree because our potential is not defined by our worst mistakes. Let today’s event be an example of what happens when opportunities are created, potentials are unignored and complete restoration is always the aim of justice.”
This one-of-its-kind master’s degree, offered in prisons throughout Illinois, prepares individuals for restoration ministries in contexts impacted by violence and generational trauma through non-violent communication and trauma-informed healing. The four-year degree is offered to over 100 Stateville and Logan Correctional Centers students.
Many graduates share how they’d grown throughout the program. “I’m bringing the knowledge of my degree to all those I meet in this prison, this knowledge is so badly needed here,” said William Jones.
The faith-filled celebration was attended by North Park President Mary K. Surridge and the seminary faculty. “Some might doubt that love and beauty could be so evident in such a dreary setting, but all who were present witnessed how creative collaboration, belief in the transformative power of God’s spirit, and tenacious commitment to justice can accomplish what might first appear to be impossible,” said North Park’s Rev. Dr. Dennis R. Edwards.
When hard-working and ambitious North Parkers Victoria Shi, Macayla Dowling, Sara Luna, and Aidan Nyquist applied for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program (Fulbright Program) award earlier this Spring, they had to wait until close to the end of the school year to find out the exciting news. The Fulbright Program announced its funding grants for international study/research projects or English teaching assistant abroad programs in early May 2022 along with the Fulbright Finalist, Alternate, and Semi-Finalists–each having to be recommended by the National Screening Committee.
Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service. Shi, Dowling, Luna, and Nyquist, all have future plans in place to continue to live their lives of significance and service–domestically and abroad.
For Shi, she received the exciting news as the Fulbright Finalist and plans on applying the Fulbright award towards being an English teaching assistant in Taiwan. As a Fulbright Finalist, Shi’s teaching English in Taiwan will go a long way in sharing her educational experience formed at North Park and fostering meaningful connections across communities in the United States and Taiwan. By accepting the grant, Shi is now considered an official Fulbright Student.
“Being a Fulbright Student means becoming a part of the community that I’m placed in and serving the community by teaching English. It’s to be engaged in a continual process of understanding how my own cultural background and identity influences my interactions with the land, culture, and people, and to approach these interactions with openness, curiosity, and sensitivity; it’s to savor new foods and sights and to learn about the history and language of the country; it’s to cultivate meaningful relationships and share experiences and perspectives with those around me and to appreciate living everyday life in the community,” said Shi.
Victoria Shi
The two Fulbright Alternates – awarded to Dowling and Luna – both have goals to teach English: Dowling in Spain and Luna in Bulgaria.
Macayla DowlingSara Luna
Fulbright Semi-Finalist, Nyquist, who applied for an open study/research award in Sweden, remains grateful for having come this far. “Despite not being a finalist, I am really glad I went through the Fulbright process. It helped me solidify my decision, so I feel confident going forward with a master’s degree in Theoretical Physics at Uppsala University in Sweden,” said Nyquist.
Aidan Nyquist
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments, host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The Program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
North Park University has appointed Rev. Dennis R. Edwards, PhD as Dean of North Park Theological Seminary and Vice President for Church Relations. He will report directly to North Park President Mary K. Surridge and serve as a member of her senior leadership team, beginning August 1, 2022.
Rev. Dennis R. Edwards
Rev. Dr. Edwards, ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church, is a highly accomplished New Testament Scholar with more than 25 publications to his credit, most recently on Biblical affirmation that black lives matter.
“We are blessed indeed to have Rev. Dr. Edwards in this position,” President Surridge said. “I have full confidence in his leadership, his discipleship and our partnership. I know he will continue the Seminary’s entrepreneurial spirit while assuring an exceptional educational experience for each and every student. And I look forward to the strategic and innovative thinking, and the pastoral presence, that he will bring to the senior team.”
The Seminary is well known for innovation in higher theological education. In addition to the residential campus in Chicago, and online classes, the Seminary has several forward-thinking programs including a master’s degree through its School of Restorative Arts (SRA), which operates inside two correctional facilities within the Illinois Department of Corrections. The SRA is a unique educational opportunity where inside and outside students study together in the same classroom inside the prisons.
Edwards has served as a professor of Biblical studies at eight institutions of higher learning over the past 24 years, including his first service to North Park Theological Seminary, where he taught Mobilizing for Justice in spring 2013 and has served as associate professor of New Testament since August 2019.
Edwards has written more than 25 publications: “1 Peter,” part of the Story of God Bible Commentary series; “What is the Bible and How Do We Understand It?”; and “Might from the Margins: The Gospel’s Power to Turn the Tables on Injustice”. He is also a frequent contributor to Christianity Today magazine. His extensive professional activities also include lectures and presentations, podcasts and webinars, and service on numerous boards and steering committees.
Dean Edwards served for three decades in urban pastoral ministry. He was senior pastor of the Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis; founding pastor of Peace Fellowship Church in Washington, DC; associate and then lead pastor of Washington Community Fellowship on Capitol Hill; and founding pastor of New Community Church in Brooklyn, New York.
He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, his Master of Divinity (Urban Ministry) at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and both a Master of Arts and PhD in Biblical Studies from Catholic University of America.
“As I follow Jesus, I am continuing to grow in my love for God and love for my neighbors,” Edwards said. “I hope to encourage others to grow similarly in such love and trust that my decades of pastoral ministry along with my scholarly work will be helpful in this new opportunity at North Park. I look forward to working with the Seminary students, faculty, and staff, with the President and her senior team, and with the Covenant in this vital role.”
Jay Carstenbrock, chairman of the search committee and vice chairman of the North Park Board of Trustees, said Rev. Dr. Edwards “was the unanimous choice of the search committee, and strongly supported by faculty and staff at the Seminary. As an accomplished scholar, gifted teacher, collaborative leader, and dedicated Christ-follower, we have great confidence in his ability to lead North Park Theological Seminary as it carries out its mission: ‘With Christ at our center, we seek to educate and form missional leaders for the global church’.”
North Park is the University of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). The Seminary dean is the senior administrative officer of the University’s Seminary, responsible for assuring effective student learning, advancement of faculty scholarship, and stewardship of financial resources. As vice president for church relations, the dean is the primary liaison to the ECC in areas related to the education of ministerial candidates.
Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories News, Stories
