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.
“Studying abroad at Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola (SVF) in 2007 allowed me to interact with people with different backgrounds from my own as I traveled around Europe.”
Christine Wallace, C’10, Education
“Studying abroad at Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola (SVF) in 2007 allowed me to interact with people with different backgrounds from my own as I traveled around Europe. My favorite part was when SVF Program Director Hans Nilsson took us to Greece and knew more than the tour guides. Anders Andersson, the head of the school, welcomed us Americans with open arms, and many of my classmates invited us to their homes in Sweden to share fika, where I learned the value of conversation.
“I learned from many great teachers, like Hans, Kurt Peterson, and Sven-Olof Josefsson. They stood out to me because I loved the way they told stories. I’m a teacher now myself, teaching middle school English and US History, and I draw from those experiences as I teach my own students; I get to be the storyteller.”
We’re celebrating 130 years of North Park community. You’re invited to share your own story at www.northpark.edu/share130
“As an Orientation Leader during Threshold Orientation, it was our role to welcome and include the incoming freshman.”
Julie Bodiwala, C’21, Nursing
“I will always associate my time at North Park with sitting on the green-space in the warm Chicago weather. Watching others sitting on picnic blankets, resting or studying, hanging hammocks in the trees, and skateboarding, I would feel a sense of belonging and content. As an Orientation Leader during Threshold Orientation, it was our role to welcome and include the incoming freshman. I was blessed to engage and facilitate honest conversations with new students as they navigated their nervousness for the start of the semester.
“This experience helped me realize how vital communication is—how initiating a sympathetic conversation can ease another person’s stress. I was reminded of the skills I have been developing through the nursing program and how achieving trust and compassion can provide a safe space for empathic communication. Being an Orientation Leader has further inspired me to help my community through becoming a nurse who can advocate for my patients.”
We’re celebrating 130 years of North Park community. You’re invited to share your own story at www.northpark.edu/share130
The Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award is granted to an outstanding senior exemplifying passion for learning and giving to the community.
Over the course of Ellen Hilbrands’ academic career at North Park, she has distinguished herself as a top academic student with a 3.965 GPA and as an active participant in campus and community life. The 2021 Lincoln Academy Laureate and Sociology senior actively participates in her learning by staying after class engaging in deep conversations with her professors, elevating her knowledge in areas of interest such as research methods.
“It’s really encouraging to me that my professors nominated me and saw my dedication on- and off-campus,” said Hilbrands.
To be nominated, Hilbrands had to meet the criteria of being a senior in a college of Illinois exemplifying leadership characteristics of Abraham Lincoln: courage, empathy, honesty, and integrity. On December 1, 2021, President Mary K. Surridge presented in-person and on-campus to Hilbrands the 2021 Lincoln Academy Laureate award, a signed letter from Governor Pritzker, and a $500 check.
President Mary K. Surridge and Ellen Hilbrands
“This is a really big honor which comes with great endorsement and pride and delight,” said President Surridge.
An ever-present inquisitive mind Hilbrands approaches her classes with a committed-to-learn work ethic. In her Justice in Education course, the first as a Sociology major right after switching from Elementary Education, she left each class with more questions than answers. “I was excited to attend the next class and anticipate what new conversations and insights we would have together,” said Hilbrands.
Well-regarded across campus, the Grand Rapids, MI, native connects with her peers taking on a variety of leadership roles including: organizing events such visiting art exhibits and touring Cabrini Green’s gentrification process; partnering with UMin for Friday Night Street Ministry; and serving as a University Ambassador for Admissions, SGA’s Religious Life Representative, Senior Class Senator, and Sociology Club Treasurer.
Doing more than expected is Hilbrands’ trademark. In her Methods of Social Science Research course, Hilbrands took on extra work to prepare her class research paper to be presented at the Midwestern Sociological Society’s 2021 Conference in Chicago March 2022.
Inspired by engaging in conversations about the ways to support one another in the community, Hilbrands generously gives back to the community sharing her passion for learning and own knowledge as a fifth grade reading tutor at Hibbard Elementary School and establishing an online, inter-generational book club.
“Thank you for your commitment to the classroom and on a co-curricular basis, which we will honor at the Spring Convocation,” Surridge said.
Hilbrands is a member of the Gospel Choir and has spent her summers as Kids College Camp Counselor, Kids College Camp Teacher, and Youth Services Intern at World Relief. Post-graduation, Hilbrands plans to stay and work in Chicago in a school or non-profit environment and then attend graduate school.
Hilbrands is already preparing how she can apply her Sociology degree towards realistic solutions to social issues. “I am excited to make a difference in how humanity can continuously work together to combat injustices in a way that preserves the dignity of each and every person,” said Hilbrands.
About the Lincoln Academy of Illinois
Each fall, an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award and thereby becomes a Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois…In the spirit of Lincoln, Student Laureates are honored for their leadership and service on campus and beyond in the pursuit of the betterment of humanity, and for overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities. Nominees demonstrate strong leadership aptitude and the characteristics of Abraham Lincoln that made him someone who inspired and transformed the world for generations: integrity, courage, honesty, and empathy.
“During my time at NPU, I had an opportunity to intern at Immanuel International church in Stockholm, Sweden.”
Fanchon Kelley, S’19, Master of Divinity
“During my time at NPU, I had an opportunity to intern at Immanuel International church in Stockholm, Sweden. One Sunday when I first got there, I was at the church’s worship service. In the beginning of the service, they asked for first-time visitors to share where they are from and what brought them to Immanuel church. Many people got up and I was amazed that people were literally visiting from around the world. People stated they were from Africa, Asia, America, and Europe. Literally almost every continent was represented in the church.
The first song that we sang was a familiar hymn called “How Great Thou Art.” When everyone joined in, you could hear the different accents and dialects of people as they sang. It was a great representation of the diversity within the body of Christ. Even though we were from all over the world we were able to come together and sing to God. It is a memory that I always hold on to and that helps me appreciate our differences.
I learned that even though cultures and relationships can be different, God is the common denominator that can bring us all together. We may worship differently and have different views, but this is what makes the church special and unique. We can’t be who we are without each other and our differences.
Being part of the North Park community means that I am part of an organization that has deep roots in the Christian faith and a history that tells the story of individuals who saw the importance of Christian education. I believe that the history and growth I am part of has propelled me in my own growth and journey with God. I feel equipped and academically trained because of this community.”
We’re celebrating 130 years of North Park community. You’re invited to share your own story at www.northpark.edu/share130
“As I sat at my desk busily writing in a frantic effort to complete my exam, some students had already finished theirs, threw their blue books on the professors’ desk, and ran out to see what was happening.”
Rollin A. Swanson, C’57, S’63
“In June, 1956 I was completing my freshman year at North Park. The old gymnasium had been set up as a large classroom with desks for students to take their final exams. While writing blue book essays, we heard a sudden explosion from across the street, and an odor of smoke wafted through the open windows of the gym. Within a few minutes, there were screaming sirens and reflections of red flashing lights against the classroom windows. What was happening!? Fire! Fire! But where and what? It must be right across the street from campus!
“As I sat at my desk busily writing in a frantic effort to complete my exam, some students had already finished theirs, threw their blue books on the professors’ desk, and ran out to see what was happening. Completing mine with a hurried ending and hoping for a passing grade, I headed for the exit. Seeing Lambert’s Sports and Men’s Wear Shop engulfed in flames and smoke along with six Chicago Fire Department trucks, police, and ambulances blocking all of Foster Avenue, I ran to my dorm room in the old Spaulding Building and grabbed my camera.”
“I shot these photos with my Kodak 35 of a fire which turned out to be both destructive and spectacular, but with no injuries of which I was aware nor loss of life. And the exam I wrote that day in my blue book? I passed it! It was an afternoon which now, after 65 years, I still remember.
As for my North Park experience, I was challenged academically by stimulating lectures in American and world history by Zenos Hawkinson, enjoyed so much the Swedish language class taught by Martin Soderback, botany with Carroll Peterson, and basic Christian beliefs taught by Chaplain Irving Erickson. I must hasten to speak of the many friendships I made—the rich social and spiritual life with my fellow students—these I will never forget. Above all, the Sunday morning worship experience at North Park Covenant Church and the inspired and intellectually challenging preaching by the Rev. Douglass Cedarleaf—sermons which I have long remembered. Under Pastor Cedarleaf’s influence, I sensed the clear and definite call of God to enter the pastoral ministry—and so I did, serving God in the parish for sixty years.”
We’re celebrating 130 years of North Park community. You’re invited to share your own story at www.northpark.edu/share130
Having recently retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander, Charles Sikorski C’99 shows us that anything is possible with enough persistence and determination.
Charles Sikorski, C’99
We’re celebrating 130 years of North Park community. You’re invited to share your own story at www.northpark.edu/share130
“One of my favorite memories from North Park is from my first year and in Linda Parkyn’s SPAN 2010 class.”
Kelli Swanson, C’15, Spanish and K-12 Education
“North Park is special to me for so many reasons. Both my grandparents, my aunt, and my uncle are all graduates of NPU, so I am a third-generation graduate. My grandparents, Armour and Beverly Swanson, have a corner of the library and a classroom in the Johnson Center dedicated to them. There was no pressure for me to go to North Park but the second I walked onto campus for a tour, I leaned over to my sister and told her it was where I wanted to be.
One of my favorite memories from North Park is from my first year and in Linda Parkyn’s SPAN 2010 class. One day Professor Parkyn had us singing Christmas carols, in Spanish of course, at the tops of our lungs in Carlson Tower. This memory is just one of many that showed me I was in the right major.
North Park’s School of Education prepared me to be the teacher I am today, and I am genuinely thankful for the professors that guided me to success. Because of North Park, I officially earned my tenure status, completed five years of service at my school, and have a Master’s of Education in Education Technology.“
We’re celebrating 130 years of North Park community. You’re invited to share your own story at www.northpark.edu/share130
“Earning my MBA at North Park University gave me a full understanding of how business operates.”
Kahlil O. Crawford, G’19, MBA
“Earning my MBA at North Park University gave me a full understanding of how business operates. Previously, I would have business experiences with little or no awareness of their mechanics. However, that changed significantly while learning from Dr. Kasthuri Henry. She invested her personal time in identifying my passions and honing my interests. Her humanitarian approach to accounting gave me a holistic appreciation for business management that I otherwise would not have had. In Dr. Henry’s accounting class, I gained a better understanding of the processes behind financial transactions, how they fit into the larger structure of budgeting, and how that ultimately drives capitalism.
Due to my North Park experience, I now enter business situations with a fully informed awareness of their value and overall significance to the greater good. Therefore, I unequivocally declare that North Park’s School of Business & Nonprofit Management (SBNM) is one of the business world’s best-kept secrets because our community:
Embodies humble excellence & strives toward it daily.
Values & prioritizes the development of human character.
Provides a well-balanced intellectual calm in the eye of today’s ideological storms.
Pragmatically integrates the tenets of The Gospel into our collective vision & values.
Has an unparalleled commitment to urban education in the City of Chicago & beyond.“
We’re celebrating 130 years of North Park community. You’re invited to share your own story at www.northpark.edu/share130
“The School of Music at North Park University provided me with endless opportunities to not only grow as a musician, but as a leader.”
Ashley Rewolinski, C’14, Music in Violin Performance
“The School of Music at North Park University provided me with endless opportunities to not only grow as a musician, but as a leader. As a violinist and arts administrator, I look back at my time at North Park with so much gratitude for my experiences that are extremely rare for an undergraduate music major. I performed a hidden gem of the violin repertoire and my personal favorite violin concerto, Louis Spohr’s Violin Concerto no.8, with the University Orchestra during my sophomore year. Taking music compositions in the later part of my undergraduate studies helped me reach my creative potential and learn so much about myself as a musician. I will never forget performing my own compositions during my senior recital. Those pieces were so distinctively me, and I love sharing them in my professional life to this day.
“My very first solo performance as a North Parker was just one month into my first semester! It was a chamber music concert off campus, and I was one of the soloists in Vivaldi’s Concerto for Three Violins where I would be performing with my violin professor. An hour before the concert started, I was the first to arrive at the venue and received a frantic call from my violin professor who had lost his sheet music for the concert. I quickly acquired music from our pianist and created parts for my professor to use. It was a true sheet music emergency! Back in 2010, a career as an Orchestra Librarian wasn’t even on my radar; now that I work full time as an Orchestra Librarian for the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, I look back on that moment proudly saying that is where it all began!“
We’re celebrating 130 years of North Park community. You’re invited to share your own story at www.northpark.edu/share130
14 of North Park’s pre-health students serve as ambassadors to Chicago-based Faith in the Vaccine Outreach Program.
Up and running at North Park since June 2021, Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) has 14 of North Park’s pre-health students serving as ambassadors to Chicago-based Faith in the Vaccine Outreach Program. Partnering with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) and the IFYC, student ambassadors receive training and a stipend to promote COVID-19 vaccine trust and access.
Mentored by Health Professions Advisor Kristine D. Aronsson, 14 volunteer participants representing 12 languages were selected through an extensive interview process. Reaching out to cultural and religious groups where they have existing relationships, the COVID-19 vaccinated ambassadors are taking with them IFYC’s mission: Getting the vaccine is loving thy neighbor. The proverbial and relatable message is being brought to churches, places of worship, and student organizations.
“Among certain vaccine hesitant groups, ‘getting the vaccine is loving thy neighbor,’ has been an effective message,” said Aronsson.
As trained educators, student ambassadors distribute fact sheets printed in several languages including Spanish and Arabic, while talking with communities about vaccine hesitancy such as how mRNA vaccines work and what vaccines are not doing to your body. In addition to gaining vaccine trust, ambassadors promote within their communities access to receiving the vaccine, and removing common barriers like costs of transportation to/from a vaccine site and childcare. Ambassadors extend their outreach efforts to working on-site at mass vaccination clinics held at North Park’s campus, Lake County Fairgrounds, and Swedish Hospital.
The 14 student ambassadors continue to actively engage and serve their communities in innovative and culturally sensitive ways — all while allowing students to volunteer and acquire real work experience in healthcare. Since hospitals are highly selective with who they bring on-board because of COVID-19, students will be able to reference specific work experiences and why they would be a good fit in the healthcare area they are interested in pursuing.
“I am so proud of all the student ambassadors and the important work they’re doing reaching out to their communities,” said Aronsson.
For additional health professions information, contact Dr. Keith Boyd in Health Sciences.
Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Blog, Stories
“In June, 1956 I was completing my freshman year at North Park. The old gymnasium had been set up as a large classroom with desks for students to take their final exams. While writing blue book essays, we heard a sudden explosion from across the street, and an odor of smoke wafted through the open windows of the gym. Within a few minutes, there were screaming sirens and reflections of red flashing lights against the classroom windows. What was happening!? Fire! Fire! But where and what? It must be right across the street from campus!
“The School of Music at North Park University provided me with endless opportunities to not only grow as a musician, but as a leader. As a violinist and arts administrator, I look back at my time at North Park with so much gratitude for my experiences that are extremely rare for an undergraduate music major. I performed a hidden gem of the violin repertoire and my personal favorite violin concerto, Louis Spohr’s Violin Concerto no.8, with the University Orchestra during my sophomore year. Taking music compositions in the later part of my undergraduate studies helped me reach my creative potential and learn so much about myself as a musician. I will never forget performing my own compositions during my senior recital. Those pieces were so distinctively me, and I love sharing them in my professional life to this day.