Category: Stories

Ellucian Go Receives Major Upgrade for Even More Convenience

Ellucian Go, a mobile version of WebAdvisor/Self Service, now makes it easy for students to take care of important administrative business on the go.

Ellucian Go, a mobile version of WebAdvisor/Self Service, makes it easy and convenient to register, pay, review financial aid documents and more. Now students can use their mobile device to take care of important administrative business.

Aaron Schoof, Senior Director of Data and Administrative Services remarks, “The Ellucian Go app allows students incredible convenience and flexibility in interacting with North Park for all of their student administrative needs. At their fingertips will be the ability to check their schedule, grades, or billing statement, and make transactions that will help students continue to move toward their goal of earning their degree.”

The streamlined menu’s user-friendly navigation makes registering, paying, and reviewing documents all that more accessible. Schoof hopes that the students find Ellucian Go beneficial and convenient as they start the new school year.

Download the app for free:

1. For iOS (Apple) devices, go to the App Store/For Android devices, go to the Google Play Store.

2. Search for Ellucian Go.

3. Install Ellucian Go.

Author onlinemediaPosted on Categories Announcement, Stories

Parent of a Prospective Checklist

Prepare with your high schooler for the next steps.

As a parent, it’s an excitedly sad time when your child is off to college. Most likely, they’re moving out of the house and living on their own for the first time. There are multiple things that you can do to help your new college student be prepared for this next great step in their life and to ease your own mind too.

Here are some things to do during your student’s upper-class years:

  • Meet with a high school guidance counselor to make sure that your student is on track with his or her course schedule.
  • Make a list of colleges that are of interest.
  • Plan a visit.
  • Narrow down the list of colleges to those that the student plans to apply to.
  • Keep a calendar of application/scholarship deadlines.
  • Begin applying.
  • Contact teachers, counselors, etc., for recommendations.
  • Request that transcripts and test scores be submitted to colleges where your student has applied.
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Check application statuses online.
  • Contact the Office of Admissions with questions.
  • Wait for admission decisions to arrive by mail.
  • Celebrate!
  • Start packing; remember not to over pack, most dorms aren’t spacious, and if your child has or knows their roommate, have them coordinate what to bring.
Parents and students sit together in Carlson gym during convocation.

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Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Blog, StoriesTags , ,

Summer Science Academy: Q&A with Dr. Yoojin Choi

This is the Academy’s third year running, and North Park caught up with Dr. Choi to discuss this year’s program.

North Park’s Summer Science Academy runs for four weeks and includes six courses for high school juniors and seniors. Dr. Yoojin Choi, associate professor of biology at North Park, is the program coordinator of Summer Science Academy and regularly teaches classes on anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, and cancer biology. This is the Academy’s third year running, and North Park caught up with Dr. Choi to discuss this year’s program.

NP: Why is it important that North Park offer the Summer Science Academy?

Dr. Choi: The first and foremost goal of the program is to serve the local community. North Park is situated in a very diverse neighborhood; diverse in all kinds of measures. A lot of the students don’t have this kind of high-quality STEM experience. In any public school setting, there is a limited amount of time and resources. Having previously taught at the high school level, I know that with a mandated curriculum, it is sometimes difficult to do “fun things.” So we want to give these students a high-quality experience in their local neighborhood; that’s our main goal.

Two students work together in the physics hub.

NP: How many students participated this year?

Dr. Choi: This year we had 36 students, filling 41 seats. This means that multiple students took more than one course. We attracted a few more students than last year, and we are drawing from more schools than last year as well. When I look at where the students live, they’re mostly from around the neighborhood, but they go to school all over Chicago.

One exciting and interesting case this year is that we had a student from Jamaica. She found us on the internet, and she came from Jamaica to attend a course.

NP: How is STEM at North Park related to the Summer Science Academy?

Dr. Choi: In the big scale, all of STEM fields need more diversity—gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic. North Park is contributing to increasing the diversity in STEM fields. Exposing our neighbors to STEM early on, they’ll be encouraged to pursue an education in STEM fields. The expectation is that when these students see our facilities and interact with our professors, that they will become excited about STEM.

We do rely on donations year by year to allow the program to financially support those in need. Last year the Provost stepped up, and this year a retired professor funded scholarships. Last year we supported four students, this year five, and they are need-based.

NP: What kind of student would benefit from the Academy?

Dr. Choi: Our acceptance rate has been high because many of the students are so well qualified. The application website states that students who will do well and take the most advantage of the program have received A’s and B’s in their science courses. So far, with a couple exceptions, all have been A and B students.

We want to keep our class sizes small. The point of the program is to give students very hands-on, interactive experiences, and we can’t do that in a class size of 30-40 students. We cap the classes at 16 students; that is our maximum.

NP: The Academy takes place in the Johnson Center; what’s the utility of this building?

Dr. Choi: Another goal of ours is to use the state-of-the-art facilities North Park has to serve our community. You know, we built this fabulous new building, and it was underutilized during the summer months, so this gets students into and using the resources here. Utilizing the building during the summer when there aren’t many classes. It would be a waste not to use these great facilities.

Each course is not intended to be an extensive, in-depth kind of thing. We have a morning and an afternoon course, and each is only two and a half hours each day. We have two different types of courses, one that runs for four days, and one that runs for eight days. The schedule was constructed in such a way that if a given student wants to take every course, they can. This way, we also keep the Johnson Center facilities in use all day during the summer time.

NP: Do you incorporate faith into the Summer Science Academy?

Dr. Choi: In a direct way, we do not. However, during our first class this year, taught by Dr. Linda Vick, the first words to come out of her mouth was about God. All of our full-time faculty are Christians, and we are active in our faith lives, and I think that just rubs off. Faith is not a primary component of Summer Science Academy, but we rely on these personal interactions anyway.

NP: What is the benefit for North Park student teachers?

Dr. Choi: We have TAs for the programs. We have full-time professors teaching the courses with some help from North Park students working as TAs. It is a goal of mine to get more students involved for each course. The struggle we run into is that it is hard to get students to stay over the summer for just one week to be a TA while receiving minimal compensation. I am hoping to attract more funds so that we can train and mentor our North Park students and they, in turn, can mentor the high school students.

A synergy between this program and secondary education majors who are interested in science would be most ideal. Last year we had one Secondary Education and Biology student who did her NPRESS research on Summer Science Academy students; this is the synergy I want to see more. My hope is that we can groom the program so that it is a learning experience for our North Park students as well. The TAs will gain experience in mentoring, teaching some of the material, preparing and gaining knowledge on how labs and experiments are taught.

NP: What is your favorite Summer Science course?

Dr. Choi: That’s like asking to pick your favorite child! What our students like the best are the hands-on and inquiry-based classes. Then again, all of our courses are hands-on in one way or another. The biology, chemistry, and physics/engineering classes are by default hands-on. Our psychology and mathematics courses are hands-on in a different way, with lots of discussion and problem-solving. Students love courses in which they can take ownership of the lab, and not scripted activities. The complaint that I received last year was that the students wanted more time in the lab. This is an opportunity for the students to do their own experiments, with the time they need, something that they are unable to do in school.

learn More about summer science academy

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

When You Visit a College Campus

There’s no better way to find out if a school is a good fit than to visit. Here are some tips on what to do when you visit a campus.

College fairs, checklists, and website research all help you prepare for college and assist in making an informed decision. While these are all great ways to get to know a university, visiting a school is an entirely different experience.

By visiting, you get a better understanding of the layout, you can ask students questions, and you can see if their facilities are right for studies that interest you. Visiting every school that you’re interested in is a great idea, but it can be expensive and time-consuming. Whether you’re visiting one or ten colleges, here are a few things to keep in mind to maximize your time there.

Set up a tour

Call ahead and set up a campus tour. It will likely take place with an admissions officer or a Student Ambassador. Some schools will also have preview days or group tours. North Park has certain days when students can take a campus tour and spend the night with a current student in a dorm; it’s a great way to ask the student questions and explore the surrounding neighborhood or city.

Never be afraid to ask lots of questions

Spend your time asking every question you can think of. The more information you get, the more informed your decision will be. And make sure you ask to see the places where you might spend most of your time: the gym, lab spaces, or the campus hot spot.

Get a feel for the environment

This will be your home for the next few years as you earn your degree. Use your visit to see how other students and professors interact with each other; then match your personality and desires against your experience there.

Take notes and pictures

Chances are, you’re looking at multiple colleges and universities, and it’s easy to get your memories mixed up. Notes and pictures will help you remember what you did and didn’t enjoy about the school.

Visit North Park

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Author Ana FundukPosted on Format AsideCategories Blog, StoriesTags ,

Advice for Writing Your Personal Essay

Learn about the kind of impression you want to make when writing your personal essay for college applications.

The purpose of a personal essay is to position yourself as the prime candidate to be picked for admission.

Why are personal essays needed?

Personal essays allow the school to gauge you and your abilities on a non-academic basis. It is easy for us to see how well you’ve done in school, but personal essays provide a secondary window for the admissions counselors to get to know you better and gauge your potential to thrive. It helps to bring depth and understanding to a transcript, allowing you to offer more than your GPA and test scores.

What should I include in my essay?

Your personal essay should begin by capturing attention. This is where you make yourself stand out from the crowd. Tell us something unique about yourself! Expand on this and other parts of your story. A funny story is great, but keep it short. Finally, let the reader in on something important about yourself that they couldn’t glean from your application. Remember, the purpose of the essay is to show that you’re able to communicate well, and to help the reader understand you, your ambitions, and how you’d fit into the school’s environment. A well-structured and grammatically-correct essay will go a long way, but don’t fret over absolute perfection . . . this isn’t a thesis paper!

How long should the essay be?

As long as you feel you need to showcase yourself! However, multiple page essays generally contain more information than the admissions counselors need. Remember to highlight yourself and achievements in a thoughtful and deliberate way. A concise essay which clearly defines you is perfect!

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Two students study together at a table with their silver laptops.
Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Blog, StoriesTags ,

Advice for Standing Out On Your College Application

More students than ever are applying to schools for undergraduate degrees. Learn what you can do to stand out.

Male students sit at a round table and study.

More students than ever are applying to schools for undergraduate degrees. Ivy League schools still have acceptance rates in the single digits. Most other four-year colleges and schools still admit only two of every three applicants.

So what can you do to increase your odds of catching the admissions counselor’s attention? How can you stand out?

Personal essays are always great places to stand out. Admissions counselors want to get to know you, to see if you would be a good fit for the community at the school, and to see what you can add to the campus community. The best ways to do this are through your application, transcripts, and personal essay.

Take your time creating your application. Make sure you stay above the minimum word count for responses, but below the maximum. Find ways to present yourself in as many quality words as possible.

Don’t skip the extracurricular activities section. List all that you participated in throughout your high school career. This section and your transcripts show the counselors what kind of drive you had both inside and outside of school. In high school, take as many Advanced Placement or challenging courses as you can, and take them seriously.

Not only do schools want students who can take the challenge of college-level academics, they also want students who can get the most out of the school’s resources, and students who give back to the school. Colleges are looking for students who want to use their higher education to become leaders and enact change.

This is exactly how North Park sees its role in higher education, to prepare students for lives of significance and service.

Apply to North Park

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Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Blog, StoriesTags ,

NPRESS Presentations Bring Summer to a Close

On Friday July 28, 12 North Park research summer students presented their findings to close out 2017’s summer NPRESS Program (North Park Research Experience for Summer Students).

On Friday, July 28, 12 North Park summer research students presented their findings to close out 2017’s summer NPRESS Program (North Park Research Experience for Summer Students). Dr. Boaz Johnson began his opening remarks in the Helwig Boardroom in the Johnson Center: “These students have had the opportunity to work alongside the best professors in the world, and I have been all over the world, so I can say that.”

In this highly competitive program, only 12 students were chosen to participate in summer research. These students are provided with on-campus housing and a $3,500 stipend to accompany their 40-hour work weeks of PhD-level research. “As in the past, students have said that this has been their most intense and yet most enjoyable experience at North Park. They get a professor to work with them, all by themselves,” says Dr. Johnson.

Presentation Abstracts

 

ABOUT NPRESS

The NPRESS (North Park Research Experience for Summer Students) program provides opportunities for North Park students to conduct research with a North Park faculty mentor for eight weeks over the summer. It was the brainchild of a core group of faculty and funded by a small group of donors, allowing students to dive into a topic in a way that the constraints of an academic year do not always allow. Students received a $3,500 stipend and were given the opportunity to live on campus, making it possible for them to focus solely on research.

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

Book Announcement: Just Debt by Ilsup Ahn, Carl I. Lindberg Professor of Philosophy at North Park University

Baylor University Press to release on October 15, 2017.

Baylor University Press to publish Just Debt: Theology, Ethics, and Neoliberalism by Ilsup Ahn, Carl I. Lindberg Professor of Philosophy at North Park University and Carnegie Council Global Ethics Fellow.

Dr. Ahn’s Profile

From the publisher

From the publisher:

“Debt—personal, corporate, governmental—is so pervasive in contemporary economies, with its moralistic logic nearly unquestioned. Debt’s necessity renders it morally neutral, absolving it of the dehumanizing effect it brings in unbridled financialization.

In Just Debt Ilsup Ahn explores ethical implications of the practice of debt. By placing debt in the context of anthropology, philosophy, economics, and the ethical traditions provided by the Abrahamic religions, Ahn holds that debt was originally a form of gift, a gift which was intended as a means to serve humanity. Debt, as gift, had moral ends. Since the late eighteenth century, however, debt has been reduced to an amoral economic tool, one separated from its social and political context. Ahn recovers an ethics of debt and its moral economy by rediscovering debt’s forgotten aspect—that all debts entail unique human stories. Ahn argues that it is only in and by these stories that the justice of debt can be determined. In order for debt to be justly established, its story should be free from elements of exploitation, abuse, and manipulation and should conform to the principles of serviceability, payability, and shareability.

Although the contemporary global economy disconnects debt from its context, Ahn argues that debt must be firmly grounded in the world of moral values, social solidarity, and political resolution. By re-embedding debt within its moral world, Just Debt offers a holistic ethics of debt for a neoliberal age.”

Baylor University Press

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, StoriesTags , , ,

North Park University Cadaver Lab Opens Its Doors Bright and Early to All Interested Undergraduates

During the near-dawn hours, North Park’s Coordinator of Anatomical Resources Dr. Jeff Nelson leads visits to the Cadaver Lab—as early as 6:30 am.

Students have all different ways of starting their morning. Some with a cup of java or a work-out at Helwig Recreation Center or hitting snooze a couple of times. But for both the science-driven major as well as any student interested in anatomy, the morning starts with access to North Park’s Cadaver Lab.

Study in cadaver lab with Dr. Jeffrey Nelson

During the near-dawn hours, North Park’s Coordinator of Anatomical Resources Dr. Jeff Nelson leads visits to the Cadaver Lab—as early as 6:30 am. “This time of day is perfect for students to openly converse which also sets the tone for professionalism,” says Dr. Nelson.

Learning together early in the morning, when all is quiet on campus and classes have not yet started, distils distractions and focuses the learning experience on exploring anatomy. Supervised by Dr. Nelson, students meet two times a week and every three to four weeks where fellow students can see the work to-date and refresh their knowledge of anatomy. Dr. Nelson readily greets the groggy-eyed yet ready-to-learn undergrads from a variety of majors—psychology to art to health sciences—opening the doors into the world of anatomy where students learn by conversing, observing, handling, and exploring.

If a student is interested in optometry, they can study the eyes; if there’s an interest in physical therapy then they can look at the muscles. To keep track of the areas of the body already studied, students maintain their own logs. In the Cadaver Lab, it’s the students who are actually doing the work with the cadaver. “There’s an element of discovery and mystery that’s experienced during these wee hours of the morning that gets students to start thinking about their interests and career path,” says Dr. Nelson.

Dr. Nelson encourages students to have their own experience with anatomy. For many, being in the Cadaver Lab is about having their first patient experience and for others, it’s about what is yet-to-be-discovered. Modeling the peer-teaching style, students prepare to teach to their fellow classmates, a necessary skill developed in medical school.

North Park University is unique in having its own cadaver lab for undergraduate students. Located in the basement level of the state-of-the-art Johnson Center, the Cadaver Lab provides students with hands-on learning experiences found right here on campus. Before the Cadaver Lab existed on campus, students traveled to nearby hospitals such as Rush Medical Center to receive this sophisticated level of learning most often found in graduate schools.

“North Park is fortunate to have the Cadaver Lab on campus and the students really enjoy expanding their knowledge and skills alongside their peers,” remarks Dr. Nelson.

To participate in a Cadaver Lab session with Dr. Nelson, set your alarm and look for the sign-up sheet outside his office in the Johnson Center, room 020.

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

Making the Most of Your Education: Kathleen Dillon C’11

Kathleen Dillion C’11, English literature alumna, shares about growing into her professional life and giving back to her community.

Kathleen Dillion, C'11, graduated with a degree in English Literature and minored in Politics and Government. She participated in multiple clubs and organizations including NPU Press, was Secretary of the Queers and Allies group, and was a member of both Sigma Tau Delta and Pi Sigma Alpha.

North Park will forever be the place where I met lifelong friends and mentors. It will also always represent challenge and growth for me. The most valuable lesson I learned at North Park is that your education, and your life in general, is what you make of it! Though I was a transfer student and rather shy, I put myself out there and made friends with whom I am even closer today.

I spent my first summer after graduation working for Shoreline Sightseeing downtown and having a wonderful time just enjoying living in the city. I then moved back to Michigan to begin a position as a substitute teacher. I had been unsure as to what was next for me and wanted to gauge my interest in returning to school for a teaching certificate. After taking on multiple paraprofessional roles, I decided that I would like to go back to school for a Master’s in English. I knew that I wanted to teach at the college-level. Loyola University Chicago, in Rogers Park, had a ‘teaching track’ for their Master’s in English program.

I found a graduate assistantship as a Tutoring Coordinator with the TRIO Student Support Services program on campus–Achieving College Excellence (ACE), which serves students who are the first in their family to go to college, have higher financial need, and/or have a documented disability. After graduating from Loyola, I went on to teach College Composition at College of Lake County, and Developmental Writing at North Park! It was so very interesting teaching in the same classroom in which I took so many of my undergraduate courses.

I later applied for a new Academic Counselor position ACE wrote into their grant. I got the job and have been with ACE as a full-time staff member for over a year now. I am the academic counselor and primary first and second year advisor for a group of about 70 students. I see myself as an advocate, ally, and, along with the rest of ACE, a support system for our students, who need guidance in navigating college life. I also teach two sections of UNIV 101, supervise a staff of ACE students who have trained to be peer mentors, and supervise the graduate assistant Tutoring Coordinator, my former position.

At North Park, because it’s small, students, staff, and faculty wear multiple hats–I can juggle multiple positions and projects because of my time at North Park and the opportunities I was given there. My time as a Writing Advisor, under the guidance of the great Carol Martin, gave me the experience I needed to work as an English Language Arts paraprofessional for at-risk students, which lead to Loyola’s English Master’s program and positions at TRIO.

My position with the North Park Press, political philosophy courses, and summer internship in D.C. prepared me for community organizing. I am now a Community Organizer in Rogers Park, am on the Steering Committee for our independent, progressive ward body, and am the Political Coordinator at the Heartland Cafe. This experience has been invaluable and I am putting my education and values into action.

One of the best things you can do, in my view, to give back to North Park University is to go on and be a credit to the University’s mission. Are you a person of character, compassion, and common sense? Think through what it means to live a life of significance and service. It can feel like a corny line sometimes when you are in college, but I find myself reflecting on these values every day now. Folks who live lives of significance and service are so desperately needed in this world.

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Profile, StoriesTags , , ,