Category: Stories

Dr. G. Timothy Johnson on “Healthcare – Free Market or Government Control?”

Former ABC Chief Medical Correspondent and North Park graduate, Dr. G. Timothy Johnson, will be discussing “Healthcare—Free Market or Government Control at 3 pm on Thursday, April 25 in the Johnson Center Boardroom (JC 325).

Announcement

Former ABC Chief Medical Correspondent and North Park graduate, Dr. G. Timothy Johnson, will be discussing “Healthcare—Free Market or Government Control at 3 pm on Thursday, April 25 in the Johnson Center Boardroom (JC 325).

Dr. Tim is a public health expert who has spent decades working as the Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News. Dr. Tim has also been a long-time supporter of North Park University. In 2014, the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, a state-of-the-art science center opened its doors on North Park University’s campus. Don’t miss this special opportunity to hear from an expert on the state of healthcare in the US.

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, News, Stories

North Park University Receives Grant from National Science Foundation

North Park University has been awarded a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to expand pathways for more undergraduate students to meet the nation’s need for well-educated scientists, engineers, and technicians.

North Park University has been awarded a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to expand pathways for more undergraduate students to meet the nation’s need for well-educated scientists, engineers, and technicians.

North Park faculty members Dr. Stephen Ray (principal investigator), and co-principal investigators Dr. Eric Brown, Dr. Elizabeth Gray, and Dr. Sunshine Silver won the grant for their project entitled, Leveraging a STEM-focused Urban Industry Immersion Program to Expand Pathways for Undergraduates into STEM Fields.

“This historic award will be absolutely transformational in the lives of our STEM students,” said North Park University President Mary K. Surridge. “And it represents a tremendous amount of excellent work by our distinguished faculty. This should continue to raise the profile of our outstanding science programs and the overall educational experience at North Park.”

Over five years, this project will fund 20 scholarships for two groups of 10 students who are pursuing baccalaureate degrees in physics/engineering or biology. The project will support science and engineering students as they participate in a new urban-industry experiential immersion program.  This program includes undergraduate research, internships, class projects, job skills development, and opportunities for students to learn about careers in industry. Student cohorts will be guided by faculty to foster strong connections with the industry and to help students develop job skills and knowledge about science and engineering-oriented careers.

The interdisciplinary research team is composed of faculty from the Departments of Physics & Engineering, Biology, Psychology, and Chemistry. To win this substantial grant award, the team leveraged the momentum gained from North Park University’s recently constructed Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, and the University’s newly implemented Chicago-based curriculum, Catalyst 606__.

ABOUT NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY

North Park University is a city-centered, intercultural, and Christian university located in Chicago.

https://www.northpark.edu/

Christopher Childers
Assistant Vice President of University Marketing and Communications
North Park University
773-244-5750
cchilders@northpark.edu

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, News, StoriesTags ,

Exploring Tensions Between Christianity and Literature at Harvard

Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, dean of North Park University’s College of Arts and Sciences and professor of humanities, is co-organizing the international meeting of the Conference on Christianity and Literature at Harvard Divinity School.

Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, dean of North Park University’s College of Arts and Sciences and professor of humanities, is co-organizing the international meeting of the Conference on Christianity and Literature at Harvard Divinity School. The conference, which will take place from March 29-30, brings together more than 70 scholars from the US, Canada, the UK, Kuwait, and India.

“The Problem with God: Christianity and Literature in Tension” explores religious struggles from John Donne to Louise Erdrich and from John Milton to Marilynne Robinson. As the conference website states, “explorations of the problem of God have not been confined to theology and philosophy alone but have also been investigated in literary works. Numerous writers in the Western tradition, especially since the dawn of the Enlightenment period, have produced works of art that reveal religious tensions. Unlike philosophers and theologians, however, literary authors have often written about concrete problems literary characters experience with God. What’s more, literary works self-consciously wrestle with language in a way that can uniquely illuminate limits and generate possibilities for theological language. Countless writers from Goethe to Auden and from Dickinson to C. S. Lewis have investigated problems with the Christian God, doctrine, and practices. To this day, religious struggles have proven to be quite productive in literature.”

Learn More About the Conference   More About Dr. Thuswaldner

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories News, Stories

School of Education Approved for Gateways to Opportunity Credential

As an entitled institution, students at North Park University have the opportunity to qualify for state-recognized credentials as they take courses or complete a degree through the School of Education.

North Park University has been approved as an entitled institution for the Gateways to Opportunity ECE (Early Childhood Education) Credential—Level 5 through 2023. As an entitled institution, students at North Park University have the opportunity to qualify for state-recognized credentials as they take courses or complete a degree through the School of Education.

North Park University is among a select group of institutions in Illinois to be entitled for the Gateways to Opportunity Credentials. All Gateways to Opportunity Credentials have competencies that reflect multiple professional standards, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards. The faculty at North Park University has worked diligently to align their courses with the Gateways to Opportunity competencies.

Dr. Ida Maduram, professor and coordinator of Elementary and Early Childhood Programs, says she is delighted for the opportunity. “The Gateways ECE Credential Level 5 is an additional professional opportunity that we are able to provide for our students in the Early Childhood Studies. As our program is growing, we are delighted that our students will be able to able to empower and invest in the future of young children in traditional and non-traditional learning environments.”

North Park University’s Early Childhood program is a robust teacher education program offering a BA in Early Childhood for students seeking Illinois licensure and a BA in Early Childhood Studies for students interested in a non-licensure degree. In a time when Early Childhood Education is defining itself as a field that promotes professional development, North Park University has become entitled to help further this goal by graduating students ready to provide quality care and education to young children in Illinois.

Gateways to Opportunity, Illinois Professional Development System, is designed to provide guidance, support and recognition to practitioners who serve children and families in Illinois. Gateways to Opportunity is administered by the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) on behalf of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Visit the Gateways to Opportunity website at www.ilgateways.comtoday to learn more.

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, News, Stories

Dean Thuswaldner Elected as Fellow of Royal Historical Society

Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Humanities, was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of humanities, was elected as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, which is based at University College London. Founded in 1872, fellowships are awarded to individuals who made “‘an original contribution to historical scholarship,’ normally through the authorship of a monograph, a body of scholarly work similar in scale and impact to a monograph, or the organisation of exhibitions, conferences, the editing of journals and other works of diffusion and dissemination grounded in historical scholarship. Election is conducted by peer review and all applications must be supported by an existing Fellow.” Thuswaldner has extensively written on Austrian literary and cultural history.

About Dr. Thuswaldner   About the Royal Historical Society

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, News, Profile, Stories

A Hoops Dynasty, Born 50 Years Ago This Month

A glorious period in North Park sports history began 50 years ago this month, when the Men’s Basketball team clinched the CCIW title and headed to the NCAA College Division tournament.

The team: Row 1: (From left): Jim Carroll, Greg Crawford, Paul Rockwell, Paul Zaeske, Rich Hoskins; Row 2: Coach Dan McCarrell, Dwight Nelson, Rich Swanson, Bruce Swanson, Jim Queen, Gary Robinson; (Row 3): Bob Swanberg, John Olson, Larry Anderson, Jim Christopher, Doug Swanson

A glorious period in North Park sports history began 50 years ago this month, when the Men’s Basketball team clinched the CCIW title and headed to the NCAA College Division tournament.

It was the first time any North Park athletic team had won a CCIW championship, and was the prelude to a string of National Championship titles for the Vikings a decade later.

That victorious season was steered in part by players Greg Crawford, now a member of the North Park Board of Trustees, and Paul Zaeske, who went on to play in the NFL. They were coached by North Park legend Dan McCarrell.

In the March 7, 1969 issue of the North Park College News, reporter Dennis Anderson wrote:

“Coach Dan McCarrell seems rather confident of the Park’s prospects, saying ‘These are all tough competitions, but there is nobody in the regional we can’t beat.’ Commenting on the fine 20-4 season he and the Vikings had, McCarrell said ‘The whole thing is an attribute to the players.’”

Although a national championship eluded the 1969 team, the Vikings went on to dominate DIII basketball in the late 70s, winning national championships in 1978, ‘79 and ’80, all under Coach McCarrell. Their dominance returned in the mid- 80s under coach Bosco Djurickovic, when the Vikings captured the championship again in 1985 and 1987.

And of course, NCAA DIII glory returned briefly to North Park in 2017, when the Men’s Soccer team cruised all the way to the National Championship, only to fall 2-1 to Messiah College.

But perhaps, much like McCarrell’s 1969 squad, that was just a preview of national titles to come in the next decade.

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Stories

Science-minded High Schoolers Offered College-level Courses at North Park University’s Summer Science Academy

Back by popular demand, North Park University will open its state-of-the-art science facilities to high schoolers who enroll in our Summer Science Academy, June 17–July 11.

Back by popular demand, North Park University will open its state-of-the-art science facilities to high schoolers who enroll in our Summer Science Academy, June 17–July 11. Now in its fourth year, the Summer Science Academy will offer credit-bearing, university-quality instruction in a supportive, enriching environment.

Some Specifics about Summer Science Academy:

  • June 17–July 11 one- and two-week long courses meet either in the morning or afternoon
  • Course fee $180 per week per course
  • 2-week courses earn North Park credit
  • 10% early-bird discount registration March 31st
  • Priority registration and scholarship application April 30
  • Final registration May 15

Register Now

“All the experiments were very interesting. I had a lot of fun, along with learning a lot,” said one 2018 student participant.

“These courses are a great opportunity for students to experience science as closely as it could be at a college level but with the added guidance appropriate for high schoolers,” said Dr. Yoojin Choi, the program’s director.

New to Summer Science 2019 is Forensic Chemistry, a perfect opportunity to experience North Park’s Chemistry Instrumentation Laboratory. Students learn the chemistry behind techniques utilized in examining physical evidence from crime scenes. Like all Summer Science courses, Forensic Chemistry will use hands-on, experiential learning.

Students can choose from the following courses:

  • Human Anatomy Boot Camp: Department of Biology
  • Fins, Fur, and Feathers: Department of Biology (2 weeks)
  • Genomes from the Chicago River: Department of Biology (2 weeks)
  • Forensic Chemistry: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Body Dynamics and Comfort: Division of Health Sciences

North Park started the program so high schoolers could have access to high-quality, engaging science courses, according to Choi. The idea, she said, is to foster in young people a curiosity about science, which eventually leads to their involvement in science-related careers.

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, News, StoriesTags , , ,

NPR Reports on NPTS School of Restorative Arts

NPR Illinois delivers a powerful report on the program, including an interview with Ro’derick Zavala, a student who is incarcerated at Stateville.

North Park Theological Seminary’s new School of Restorative Arts continues to garner media buzz since its convocation last fall at Stateville Correctional Center. The program is recognized for its unique offering of a Master of Arts in Christian ministry for students who are both free and incarcerated to study together in a cohort setting. Most recently, NPR Illinois delivers a powerful report on the program, including an interview with Ro’derick Zavala, a student who is incarcerated at Stateville. Read the full story or listen to the audio piece recorded with Zavala’s own voice.

Full Story from NPR

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories News, Stories

North Park University to Offer Scholarships for New Pep Band

The new pep band will offer renewable $1,000 annual scholarships to up to 16 students who try out for and join the band in the fall of 2019.

North Park University has announced it will form a new pep band, and will offer renewable $1,000 annual scholarships to up to 16 students who try out for and join the band in the fall of 2019.

The pep band will play at about 15 home football and basketball games throughout 2019-20, and will include “musical, enthusiastic” students who earn their spots through tryouts similar to those held for cheerleading and dance scholarships. University officials hope to eventually increase the pep band to as many as 32 members.

The band will be made up of a rhythm section with an electric guitar, electric bass, and drums, along with a melodic section featuring brass and woodwind instruments such as tuba, trombone, saxophone, clarinet, and flute.

University officials say they expect many band members to be non-music majors who are nonetheless interested in performing with a band.

The scholarship fund will also include a $3,000 stipend for student band leaders. The move is meant to both boost fan support, and student enrollment, according to Jack Surridge, North Park’s Director of Athletics.

Students interested in auditioning should schedule an on-campus audition or submit a recorded audition by April 15. Check out North Park’s Website for more details on talent-based scholarships.

ABOUT NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY

North Park University is a city-centered, intercultural, and Christian university located in Chicago.

https://www.northpark.edu/

Christopher Childers
Assistant Vice President of University Marketing and Communications
North Park University
773-244-5750
cchilders@northpark.edu

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, News, StoriesTags ,

North Park University Announces New Dean of the School of Business and Nonprofit Management

The Office of the Provost at North Park University is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Ann Ownby Hicks as Dean of the School of Business and Nonprofit Management at North Park University, effective July 1, 2019.

The Office of the Provost at North Park University is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Ann Ownby Hicks as Dean of the School of Business and Nonprofit Management at North Park University, effective July 1, 2019.

Dr. Hicks has served as a professor of accounting at North Park University since the early 2000s, and successfully served as the Acting Dean of SBNM throughout the fall semester of 2018. Her selection followed a national search for the Dean’s position. Search committee chair, Dr. Al Kamienski noted: “After a comprehensive search with many qualified candidates, the committee clearly saw Professor Hicks, Ph.D. as the best person to lead the SBNM at this time in its history. She has the requisite skills, experience, and commitment to North Park’s mission. Most impressively, she has nearly two decades of evidence of preparing North Parkers for lives of significance and service confirmed by the loud voices of support for her from current students, faculty, and alumni.”

Provost Emerson added: “Dr. Hicks is the perfect choice for SBNM at this point in its history. She brings a deep understanding of the programs, a proven commitment to excellence, and has demonstrated the ability to lead effectively. She will be ready to hit the ground running on Day 1. We also expect Dr. Hicks to be an innovator and strong collaborator. We look forward to her leadership.”

Congratulations to Dr. Ann Hicks on her upcoming appointment as Dean of SBNM at North Park University.

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Stories