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.
Jordan Carmon (’17) and Onella Piyatilake (’16, MA ’19) took wedding photos on campus where they met eight years ago.
Jordan Carmon (’17) and Onella Piyatilake (’16, MA ’19) returned to campus to take wedding photos eight years after they met at Hanson Hall.
“NPU is such a big part of our love story, it’s in the center of it really.”
Jordan Carmon (’17) and Onella Piyatilake (’16, MA ’19) met at Hanson Hall in 2014. The two became fast friends with their inverted majors and minors — Carmon, a business major with a music minor, and Piyatilake a vocal performance major and business minor.
Their friendship evolved while performing together across concert band and choir and the pair began dating. After their June 11 wedding, Piyatilake said both she and Carmon knew exactly where to take their wedding pictures:
One feature of the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center is a green roof that covers the top of the sustainably built structure with native plants and shrubs, cooling the ceilings below and slowing rainwater from running off the building.
Some of the effects of the Johnson Center’s green roof include reduced noise, cooler temperatures, and better air flow.
Did you know: the city of Chicago can be more than twodegrees hotter than the surrounding suburbs due to a “heat island effect”? The effect describes the phenomenon of large cities trapping heat within their crowded streets and tall, metal buildings. While two degrees may not sound like much, the slight change in temperature can heat up buildings and waterways just enough to harm the animal and human life that live within them. One feature of the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center is a green roof that covers the top of the sustainably built structure with native plants and shrubs, cooling the ceilings below and slowing rainwater from running off the building. The added landscaping gives water enough time to cool down before draining back into the nearby river. Students can feel the effects of the green roof—such as reduced noise, cooler temperatures, and better air flow–while walking around the Johnson Center.
Student Government hosted a 90-minute self-defense workshop with IMPACT Chicago.
SGA hosted a 90-minute self-defense workshop for students.
“You don’t want to be the aggressor, but you do want to show that you’re ready,” said IMPACT Chicago instructor Deb Mier to a group of 20 North Park students at a self-defense class Wednesday.
The 90-minute workshop was hosted by SGA and was highly requested by students.
“We’ve been trying to pay attention to issues on campus and what we found was that many particularly female-identifying students didn’t feel safe at times,” said SGA President Labrene Efstathiou. “That is not so much a North Park issue, but an issue with living in a big city.”
Students at the event were taught how to use their verbal skills first, walk with confidence, and practiced kicking and striking pads.
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.
Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories News, Profile, Stories
