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.
Pastors receive financial management and leadership training through School of Business and Nonprofit Management, Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management, and the Seminary.
Pastors receive financial management and leadership training through School of Business and Nonprofit Management, Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management, and the Seminary.
Published by PR Newswire
CHICAGO (February 14, 2017) — Lilly Endowment’s National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders awarded North Park University with a $750,000 grant to provide specialized curriculum and programming geared for pastors and church leaders. To lead financially strong congregations, pastoral leaders need to be well versed in accounting, finance, human resources, and operations. As such, the seasoned educators from North Park University’s School of Business and Nonprofit Management (SBNM) and the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management (Axelson Center) will work with North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS) to readily offer pastors financial management and leadership training.
North Park joins other higher education grant recipients Northwestern, Villanova, and Seton Hall universities, as well as magazine and online publication Christianity Today. Rev. Dr. David Kersten, dean of North Park Theological Seminary and vice president of church relations remarks, “I hope this national effort will form a closer relationship between business schools and seminaries.”
With North Park’s existing dual master degree program in seminary and business, the University is well-positioned to provide immediate instruction to pastoral leaders. In courses from both the business and nonprofit management school and seminary, students acquire the business skills they need to run financially strong congregations, in conjunction with their calling to serve the church.
Coursework includes language and content unique to churches, pastors, and church leadership. Several flexible learning options featuring the dual focus in business and church leadership, include:
Master’s degree in church administration
Doctoral degree in Church leadership
Joint MDiv and MBA or MNA programs (dual degree program in seminary and business/nonprofit management)
School of Business and Nonprofit Management five-course certificate program in
Church administration
Human resource management
Nonprofit financial management
Nonprofit marketing analysis and consumer behavior
Principles of church administration
Nonprofit board governance and volunteer management
Non-credit options include:
Custom-designed workshops for specific organizations and/or groups
Annual conference
BootCamp and workshops
“We encourage pastors and lay leaders to consider our offerings as they are further developed over the coming three-year period. We will offer a continuum of educational opportunities, both credit and non-credit, to strengthen financial and leadership capacity,” says Wesley E. Lindahl, North Park’s Dean of the School of Business and Nonprofit Management.
Resources at North Park: School of Business and Nonprofit Management (SBNM), North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS), and the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management (Axelson Center)
Another resource within SBNM is the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management (Axelson Center). Founded in 1999, the Axelson Center offers expertise in teaching a wide range of management and leadership topics on a non-credit basis. That expertise has often been directed towards faith-based nonprofit organizations and will be joined with that of SBNM and NPTS to ensure the provision of a wide range of opportunities for faith leaders through this new initiative supported by the Lilly Endowment.
Scholarships Available
In concert with North Park’s philosophy of offering access to quality higher education, participants are eligible to receive 50 percent scholarships towards certificates and custom workshops.
North Park University celebrates Black History Month with series of concerts, poetry readings, lectures, and art exhibits
North Park University celebrates Black History Month with series of concerts, poetry readings, lectures, and art exhibits
Published in PR Newswire
CHICAGO (February 2, 2017) — North Park University, Chicago’s urban, intercultural, Christian university, is hosting events centered around the ultimate question of the human experience. Surrounding the campus theme, What is Beauty?, are a variety of events which are open to the public and run February 3 through April 5 on North Park’s campus in Chicago.
North Park invites the community to experience these expressions of words, songs, and art, while recognizing Black History Month with performances by GRAMMY-nominated gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds and poet Jackie Perry.
Dr. Reggie Williams, Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics, McCormick Seminary speaking on how the revolution in conventions of beauty were integral to the social changes that occurred in the Harlem Renaissance.
Performance by GRAMMY-nominated gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds headlines this concert sponsored by the Office of Diversity. Poet Jackie Perry will also perform along with other artists and musicians from across Chicago.
Tickets are $20 (discounted for North Park students and faculty).
All proceeds go to North Park’s Office of Diversity.
Purchase tickets online.
Aaron Cohen, author of Amazing Grace, explores the making of Aretha Franklin’s double platinum 1972 gospel album Amazing Grace. This event includes a Gospel Choir concert.
Immigrant, refugee, undocumented, Dreamer, Muslim: You are welcome at North Park.
As a Christian university we acclaim—shout loudly from the cupola of Old Main—our enduring welcome. Immigrant, refugee, undocumented, Dreamer, Muslim: our campus is yours; our classroom doors are flung wide open for you to enter. You are invited to learn with us. You are welcome at North Park.
President David L. Parkyn
CHICAGO (January 31, 2017) — On Saturday afternoon, I attended a memorial service for Professor Frank Steinhart. Others from North Park joined me, including a group of students and many of our faculty and staff. Frank was our teacher, colleague, and friend. Dr. Steinhart began teaching at North Park University in 1973. He planned to retire this summer after more than four decades of service as a sociology faculty member, registrar, and assistant dean. Professor Steinhart loved North Park, completely.
Yet there is something more. I learned at this service that Frank was born in Latvia. When he was six months old his mother (along with his aunt, grandmother, and great-aunt) fled with Frank from their home, reaching Hamburg, Germany. For several years, little Frank and his mother lived in camps for displaced persons. They were refugees who eventually settled in Chicago when Frank was eight years old.
Is it any surprise that Professor Steinhart’s doctoral work at Loyola University Chicago focused on immigrant single mothers with children?
I now know why Frank loved North Park so completely. He saw himself reflected in the lives of so many of his students; his story as a refugee immigrant to America alone with his mother was also their story.
Professor Frank Steinhart
In a twist of irony, on the same weekend as Frank’s memorial service, our nation imposed an indefinite halt of immigration for citizens from Syria, a 90-day suspension of immigration for citizens from seven countries, and a 120-day suspension of refugees from anywhere in the world. While sitting in the service on Saturday afternoon, hearing these stories about Frank, I was struck clearly: if eight-year-old Frank and his mother, refugees immigrating to America, landed at O’Hare Airport today, they would be turned away, sent back, not welcomed in our country. Any potential little Frank held for teaching students at North Park for 44 consecutive years would be crushed, forsaken, quashed.
As students and educators at North Park, we have little immediate influence over executive orders issued in Washington, D.C. What we can do, and must do, is ensure that North Park continues to be a place of welcome to all who desire to study with us.
Recent changes in our national policy and practice relative to those who come to America from other countries raise real and significant concerns for some students on our campus today. This is true for international students who study with us for one or more semesters. It is disproportionately true for students recently new to America, those who have come with their families over the past decade or two. Documented or not, they face increased uncertainty about the level of welcome they can expect from America. It is also true for Muslim students whose religious commitment has been so mistakenly and despicably caricatured as inherently violent and terroristic.
As a Christian university we acclaim—shout loudly from the cupola of Old Main—our enduring welcome. Immigrant, refugee, undocumented, Dreamer, Muslim: our campus is yours; our classroom doors are flung wide open for you to enter. You are invited to learn with us. You are welcome at North Park.
It is for this reason that some weeks ago I signed a letter, along with presidents of 600 other colleges and universities across the country, to affirm our support for the continuation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, and in support of our undocumented immigrant students.
We must do more than acclaim, however. We must turn our rhetoric into reality by actually receiving and welcoming all who study at North Park and whose residency in our country may be uncertain. Though meaningful, a signed letter is far from a sufficient institutional response. More significant is the daily care we extend to each other on campus. As president, I’m calling on all of us at North Park to be especially alert to the uncertainty and fear that now unsettles and disrupts the lives of some who study with us this year. We must care for each other.
Later this week I’ll be meeting with students who have expressed interest in having North Park declared as a “sanctuary campus.” Some colleges and universities across the country have already identified themselves in this manner, others have considered it and opted for alternative ways to support students, and many others are actively considering the potential for responding in this or other ways. I’m grateful for the initiative of our students to prompt this topic for discussion by our campus; certainly, it merits careful deliberation both for its real and symbolic value. Perhaps other students (as well as faculty and staff) will want to add their voice to that of these students as our campus discussion unfolds. In doing so we may also find other ways to stand by those students who are personally unsettled today.
Why should North Park care in this way? Perhaps because if Frank Steinhart were here he would be a champion of refugees, both documented and otherwise. Or perhaps because David Nyvall, the founding president of our school, deeply believed that at North Park “hospitality should be especially insisted upon.” Both are good reasons.
Yet there is a deeper reason for loving the stranger among us—the immigrant, displaced person, refugee, Dreamer, or person of a faith different from my own. Simply this: Jesus calls us to love God and love our neighbor.
Who is our neighbor? Our neighbor is the person in need within our reach. This commitment to the care for others is a common thread in Scripture.
“The alien who resides with you in your land . . . shall be to you as the citizen among you.”
“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
“Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”
This week, this semester—let’s love God and welcome our neighbors as Jesus taught us to do. May God’s light, enkindled through our lives, shine brightly along Foster Avenue.
New award recognizes leader in restorative justice
New award recognizes leader in restorative justice
CHICAGO (January 26, 2017) — At North Park University’s January 16 Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, called “The Movement Continues,” Dr. Mary Trujillo was honored with the University’s inaugural MLKJ Award.
Dr. Trujillo says she’s “deeply honored to have my work mentioned in the same sentence with Dr. Martin Luther King,” as she’s been greatly influenced by the work, life, and teachings of Dr. King.
Dr. Trujillo is a communication arts professor, focusing on intercultural communication and conflict transformation. Preparing students to examine the idea of community in the context of urban, religious, and international conflict, she’s committed to restorative justice and nonviolence. She teaches students to identify their own approaches to conflict transformation and to apply their strategies to bring peace to Chicago.
“I pray that Dr. King’s commitment to social justice will always be the standard to which North Park aspires,” she added.
The honoree, who has been at North Park since 2002, is currently training to become a certified Kingian nonviolence trainer and practitioner. In 2014, she was selected to attend the James Lawson Institute, where she studied nonviolence with Rev. Lawson, a strategist for Martin Luther King Jr. and leader of desegregation sit-ins in Nashville during the civil rights movement.
Jacqueline Strapp C’08 created the MLKJ Award shortly after joining the staff in fall 2016 to lead the Office of Diversity. She says that she wanted to highlight people on campus and recognize those who are doing exceptional work in the area of restorative justice and racial reconciliation.
Also at the event, Rev. Neichelle Guidry offered a keynote address that reclaimed the prominent role of women in the civil rights movement. Recording artist Corey Barksdale brought inspiration with two songs, and film director and alumna Tanika Carpenter delivered a call to hope after sharing a preview of her documentary film, Farewell Obama.
North Park University’s Office of Diversity seeks to sustain a campus community that appreciates diversity and embraces differences as well as similarities. It maintains a climate that values diversity through programming, outreach, and support for all members.
How the Univerity is cultivating an intercultural learning environment through student support
How the University is cultivating an intercultural learning environment through student support
CHICAGO (January 25, 2017)—Walking alongside students—academically, emotionally, and spiritually—this defines North Park University. The faculty and staff at North Park are guided by a core principle: exemplary student support and access, which improve a student’s experience and create a sense of persistence toward graduation. Support comes in many forms, from cohorts to affiliations with nonprofits like One Goal, Bottom Line, Noble Network of Charter Schools, and the Associated Colleges of Illinois. The end goal is simple, says Vice President for Student Engagement Jodi Koslow Martin, “We are contributing towards ensuring all students have access to a college education.”
What Support Looks Like
North Park’s professors and advisors take cues from students to understand pathways to success and respond to specific areas of need. In this ‘responsive model’ support can look different from student-to-student. For some, it comes in the form of scholarships, for others, it’s about embracing the relationships North Park has formed with nonprofits and community partners, and for others, who benefit from a close network, there are on-campus cohort groups like COMPASS which align skills, abilities, and interests.
Lucia Tejada, North Park senior and biology major, spent nine days just prior to her freshman year in the University’s COMPASS program. “Support is there from the beginning and advisors want you to succeed as a person,” says Tejada. Those first nine days created a long-term sense of community for Tejada where she has grown from being a participant to now serving as a mentor in the program.
Taking a Stand for Our DACA Students
President David L. Parkyn
The core commitment behind all these support efforts—granting personalized pathways for each student—prompted North Park’s President David L. Parkyn to sign a Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program and our Undocumented Immigrant Students. This statement, spearheaded by Pomona University in California, has already collected over 600 signatures from college and university presidents from an array of institutions including private, public, faith-based, and community colleges in 44 states and the District of Columbia.
Vice President for Student Engagement Jodi Koslow Martin
“DACA has become a higher education issue, especially as the doors to higher education have widened,” says Koslow Martin. At North Park, deep learning comes from being in an intercultural environment formed by students from many backgrounds. “In the spirit of generosity and hospitality, supporting DACA aligns with our mission and Christian approach to advancing efforts in accessing higher education,” adds Koslow Martin.
Tejada, also a DACA student, says the North Park community has been there for her throughout her college journey, “I’ve received support from the very beginning.” Tejada adds, “There are people at North Park who are there for you and help you no matter what.”
Committed to granting higher education to a diverse student population, President Parkyn states, “North Park signed the Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program and our Undocumented Immigrant Students to influence the continuation of DACA and encourage our government leaders to keep DACA in place.” This action is well received on campus. Sophomore psychology major and president of the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) Genesis Rivera-Lucero expresses her appreciation towards President Parkyn signing the letter, “I am grateful President Parkyn has chosen to show his support.”
Ensuring DACA Student Success
North Park plays an active role in positioning all students for success with academic preparedness and transition programs, and providing necessary pathways where DACA students have the same access to earning their college degrees. The campus community, including faculty, staff, and student peers remain fully committed to welcoming and supporting DACA students. “North Park’s faculty and staff are well-prepared to work with students who are undocumented and meet the criteria of DACA,” reassures President Parkyn.
Tejada, who’s been in Chicago since 2011 and was 10 years old when she came to the United States, encourages all her classmates to know the resources available to them. “It’s good to use the teachers and staff as much as you need them because they will be there for you,” says Tejada.
Partnering with the Community to Support DACA Students
While the application for admission to North Park neither solicits nor requires notification of DACA status, the University has programs in place that address academic preparedness for higher education coursework. And for those DACA prospects who do declare their status, North Park works alongside community partners to remove financial barriers that undocumented students often face when attending college.
When Tejada was just a day away from paying for her tuition at a local community college in Skokie, she received a call from North Park saying that she was being offered a scholarship. “North Park is willing to take DACA students and help financially which made a difference in my whole college career,” says Tejada.
Specifically designed to serve the undocumented student population interested in earning a college degree, North Park partners with Noble Network of Charter Schools through Pritzker Access Scholarships. In this collaborative program designed to help meet financial needs, students attending and graduating from Noble Network of Charter Schools are eligible to qualify for the Pritzker Access Scholarship. In this way, North Park University enrolls students who receive scholarships from the Pritzker foundation, which account for the financial aid that would have come from Pell federal grant dollars and state MAP grants. With this nearly full-ride scholarship, students must maintain a minimum of a 2.5 GPA in college. This kind of partnership with local high schools comes naturally to North Park as it reflects the University’s desire to attract and retain students from the city of Chicago.
Students Standing by their Fellow Classmates
Rivera-Lucero says learning the stories of DACA students has moved her. “Knowing what my friends and classmates have experienced has made me want to stand up for change.” And having relationships with student advisors who keep their doors ‘always open’ to discuss their thoughts together, helps Rivera-Lucero to keep going as she leads the Latin American Student Organization. “There’s so much we can do with our voices as part of the student community,” says Rivera-Lucero. She adds, “I am grateful to collaborate with faculty and staff.”
For Further Support
Cities like Chicago are deeply rooted in immigrant communities, which contribute to North Park’s vibrant student body. North Park DACA students, alongside their peers, represent the University core values as Christian, City-centered, and Intercultural. Rivera-Lucero agrees, “To uphold the urban and diverse as part of North Park’s core pillars is to keep our DACA students part of our community,” asserts Rivera-Lucero. And, getting to graduation all starts with making a college education accessible—it’s about providing the pathways to higher education. “The fact I was able to go to college at a private school was huge,” says Tejada.
For some students, this pathway starts much before the first day on campus and for others, it’s having support services available once already enrolled. Just months away from graduating, North Park’s soon-to-be-alumna Tejada is interested in being a marine biologist and is starting to think about graduate school. Her first stop is North Park’s career development office, where she’ll be working on getting her resume ready for the next stage in her career.
The 1980 MDiv graduate and trailblazer was called to ministry at childhood.
The 1980 MDiv graduate and trailblazer called to ministry at childhood.
CHICAGO (January 18, 2017) — A calling to ministry can come at different stages in life, but for North Park Seminary alumna Rev. Dr. Mary Miller, it came early. Rev. Dr. Miller’s calling to serve the Lord and the church was simple—she “loved the church to start with” and “absolutely loved confirmation.” The love of the Lord and people has been part of her as long she can remember.
During her undergraduate years at Western Illinois University, Rev. Dr. Miller (Miller) knew she wanted to go deeper into her Chrisitian faith, but learning opportunities were limited to one course on the works of C. S. Lewis. Shortly following graduating, Miller enrolled at North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS). At the time, few women were in seminary and Miller had an 89-mile commute from Rockford, Ill. to North Park’s Chicago campus. Instead of letting these obstacles deter her, Miller, who describers herself as “game to grow at any point,” overcame them with characteristic strength and determination.
North Park’s commitment to hospitality and educational access empowered Miller throughout her three years studying for her master of divinity. Fellow classmates welcomed her into their homes to lessen the frequency of commuting. “I slept on my friends’ couches,” recalls a grateful Miller. Though she was one of the first five female students to enter the seminary in 1977, Miller was surrounded by supportive professors. Encouraging faculty like Professor Klyne Snodgrass jested with the young seminarian: “Don’t let fear of studying Greek scare you.”
At NPTS, Miller thrived—and reveled—in the variety of Bible courses available to her. “It was like being in a deli—after state school, where there were no Bible classes offered,” says Miller, who still has all her lecture notes. When Dr. C. John Weborg retired from teaching at North Park, Miller was able to send him a copy of the notes she took on her very first day of his class.
Taking with her the practical skills and knowledge rooted in Christian classics, Miller was propelled into a career in ministry. “North Park prepared me for different ministry roles–in practical ways and of course through lifelong friendships,” says Miller. In her first call after seminary, Miller served as associate pastor at Faith Covenant Church (Farmington Hills, Mich.). In the years that followed, Miller also served the congregations of First Wayne Street United Methodist Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Evangelical Covenant Church (Donaldson, Ind.), and Bethel Evangelical Covenant Church (Floosmoor, Ill.). In addition, Miller contributed as a writer for The Covenant Companion and authored Devotions for Those Living with Loss (Covenant Publications, 1991).
When asked about how she has navigated different roles and served congregations ranging in size from 110 to 1,500, Miller sensibly explains, “It’s about drilling down into what really matters and not just focusing on what’s demanding your attention.” This pragmatic approach has served Miller well—notably as a trailblazer for women entering the Seminary, as the first female vice president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, as the co-chair of the Biblical Gender Equality Commission, and as a recipient of the Evelyn M. R. Johnson Leadership Award from the Association of Covenant Clergy Women in 2008.
Currently serving as Chaplain at Covenant Village in Cromwell, Conn., where she preaches to congregants ages 64 to 107, Miller refers to this stage of her life as “an interior journey.” Miller teaches “Aging as Spiritual Journey,” while making time to garden, volunteer regularly in her community, read Christian classics, which she calls “food for the soul,” and be with her two dogs. Reflecting on a career serving the church spanning close to four decades, Miller advises those who are interested in going into ministry, “Pursue ministry if God won’t allow you to let that calling go.” She also encourages those she mentors to take on challenges that might feel daunting, as she was advised early in her career. “Put on a suit that’s too big for you and grow into it,” asserts Miller.
During the evening worship at the January 31, 2017 Midwinter Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Louisville, Ky., Miller will receive the 2017 North Park Theological Seminary Alumni Award for Distinguished Service. Following the award presentation, North Park is hosting a reception open to all in attendance. North Park Vice President for Church Relations and Dean of the Seminary Rev. Dr. David Kersten expresses his appreciation for Miller’s legacy: “Mary’s lifelong dedication to ministry and leadership is important to recognize and on behalf of North Park Theological Seminary, North Park University, and the Evangelical Covenant Church, we are thrilled that she has been selected to receive this award.”
Mary K. Surridge, Vice President for Advancement, adds, “On behalf of the entire alumni community of North Park Theological Seminary, we congratulate Rev. Dr. Miller and offer our deepest thanks for her extraordinary life of service and leadership.”
Recognized as a true leader with a style that’s both equipping and encouraging, and with ministry gifts in teaching and pastoral care, Miller has served North Park on the Board of Trustees and Seminary Board of Advisors. Miller concludes, “I am deeply honored to receive this award.”
North Park University President David L. Parkyn addresses the City Club of Chicago on how liberal arts education keeps an engaged citizenry working and living in Illinois.
CHICAGO (January 6, 2017) — On Thursday, January 19, North Park University President David L. Parkyn, along with Dominican University President Donna Carroll, will speak at an event hosted by the City Club of Chicago. The day’s topic is the national challenge of growing tomorrow’s workforce, as well as the state-wide challenge of keeping Illinois’ graduates here post-degree. The panelists will explore how a liberal arts education prepares students with the in-demand skills that keep businesses competitive—and the programs they implemented to help students build ties with the community.
Building an Engaged, Employable Citizenry through Experiential Curriculum
For Parkyn, “connecting college students to the world that surrounds them is key to building an engaged citizenry.” North Park University recognizes a close link between students engaging in hands-on experiential learning opportunities and building a connection to their surroundings. The University has established meaningful learning opportunities outside the classroom that help students become active citizens, who contribute to Illinois’ workforce by landing jobs in the state.
North Park’s experiential learning curriculum—offered through programs including Engage Chicago, the Chicago Intensive, and CRUX—prepares students to work in diverse environments. These hands-on experiences teach students how to be agile in diverse settings—skills transferable to the workforce. Situated in an urban setting, North Park embraces the city of Chicago as part of its curriculum. Students enjoy direct experience working with partner organizations, including nonprofits and civic organizations. “Having the chance to be part of the inner-workings of an organization prepares undergraduates with an understanding of what it means to make a contribution as they enter the workforce,” says Dr. Parkyn.
Value in the Liberal Arts
By way of example, professional services like accounting and tax firms are increasingly changing their business models. Many manual tasks have been eliminated by technology and automation. However, these businesses still need to stay connected with their clients to understand their needs and build trust. The client-service relationship requires strong interpersonal communication abilities. An education in the liberal arts, among other foundational skills acquired, provides a well-developed repertoire of soft skills transferable to in-demand jobs.
Soft skills cultivated from a liberal arts education are used in business settings to understand client needs and respond to them strategically, creatively, and with thoughtful communication. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at North Park, points out, “A history major, for instance, learns to digest disparate information, analyze outcomes, and form an analysis to build a case for consideration; an art major must be original in his or her creativity, thinking about how the audience will receive the art form and how to connect with their audience.”
“A liberal arts education is one that stretches the mind to use creativity and critical thinking to solve complex problems,” says Dr. Parkyn. North Park University designs its liberal arts academic programming so that graduates are well-prepared to make a noticeable contribution to the workforce as engaged citizens with transferable, in-demand skills.
Performances by Chicago Children’s Choir and North Park’s Gospel Choir, Touring Ensemble, and Orchestra highlight Advent themes.
CHICAGO (December 15, 2016) — North Park University presented its annual Festival of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, December 4, 2016, at St. Hilary Catholic Church in Chicago. The Advent service was a collaboration of more than 175 North Park musicians and the Chicago Children’s Choir—Albany Park Division.
The title of the program, Angel Voices Ring, was taken from the finale piece Carol to the King by Mack Wilberg. The performance featured a wide variety of music, sung in multiple languages, as well as original pieces.
Highlights included musical pieces arranged, composed, or conducted by North Park students, staff, and alumni. Stephen Kelly, worship coordinator in North Park’s University Ministries, composed Magnificat, which was performed by the North Park University Gospel Choir Touring Ensemble and Band. The University Choir and the Orchestra performed Glory to God, a piece written by North Park composition student Eric Pearson. “There were people standing on the outskirts of pews, all of them waiting to hear our voices. The faces of the crowd responded to our cries,” said Hannah Geil, a member of the Touring Ensemble.
“We especially rejoice at the hospitality of the Church of St. Hilary. May the light of Advent kindle our lives this night,” President David L. Parkyn said as he addressed the audience. “Let us make this church, dedicated to St. Hilary, resound most gladly with our carols and praise.”
Originally held on Christmas Eve in 1918 in Cambridge, England, the Festival of Lessons and Carols service comes from the Anglican tradition. An alternating series of Scripture readings and music tell the story of Christ, from the creation of the world to the birth of Jesus. Geil summed up the evening, “All I could do was smile, because it was clear that God had used us that night.”
North Park University and Illinois State Legislative Black and Latino Caucuses came together as a community in a time of political polarization.
CHICAGO (December 13, 2016) — In a forum moderated by Illinois Business Immigration Coalition’s Executive Director Rebecca Shi, Illinois State Legislators engaged the North Park University community on tensions surrounding the past election cycle. To foster a time of healing and reconciliation, the Illinois State Legislative Black and Latino Caucuses along with North Park sought to embody a spirit of hospitality to all students and the community.
Confirmed Legislators
Bringing a unique lens as public officials, Illinois legislators explored concerns the political process has caused among their constituents. Legislators attending the forum included:
Ill. State Representative of the 24th District: Elizabeth Hernandez, Illinois Legislative Latino caucus member
Ill. State Representative of the 30th District: William Davis, Illinois Legislative Black caucus member
Ill. State Representative of the 13th District: Gregory Harris
Building an Engaged Citizenry Through Open Conversation
As part of North Park’s experiential learning philosophy and curriculum, “the forum aims for students to become active participants in the democratic process, one of the hallmarks of a meaningful education,” says North Park University’s Urban Outreach Coordinator, Richard Kohng.
Event Details
This free, ticketed event, along with a dinner, was held Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 6:00–7:30 pm on North Park’s campus at Hamming Hall.
It’s launch week! We at University Marketing and Communications have been working hard on a new Northpark.edu for several months, and we wanted to share with you a few features we think you’ll love.
1. Mobile-Responsive Design.
First and foremost: the new website works on your phone. No more squinting, flipping your phone horizontal, and trying to zoom in. The site responds beautifully to different devices, so you can easily navigate to all the resources you need—on the fly.
2. Reimagined My North Park.
When we kicked off this project, we held meetings to hear from faculty, staff, and students. We asked questions like, “What was most frustrating on the website? What were you looking for in the new site?”
We heard you loud and clear: Navigating to your email, WebAdvisor, Moodle, and other vital resources was difficult. My North Park was a major source of frustration.
Introducing . . . myNPU! We spent a lot of time prioritizing, reorganizing, and decluttering. Then we represented it in a visual, clean way.
You can now select your profile as Student, Faculty, or Staff Member, and you’ll be served the resources that are most useful to you. Your browser should even remember who you are.
We hope this makes your busy NPU life just a little bit easier.
3. Awesome. Content. While our on-campus constituents were a major priority while redesigning the website, our number-one goal was to help prospective students get to know North Park more easily—and consider it as a choice for their college education.
To that end, we put together some pretty cool new content to roll out with the new site, which you can enjoy too:
4. Find Your Faculty. We’ve put together a streamlined faculty and staff directory, where you can get to know (and easily reach) North Park’s accomplished professors and professionals.
5. #NPUBrandNew. Alongside the website project, we’ve also been rebranding the University. You’ve probably seen our new logo by now. This website is our first major, public rollout of the new brand. We hope you enjoy the visual identity and feel it’s a great representation of NPU.
Honorable Mention Ever get frustrated figuring out who to call or email with your question? We’ve put together a comprehensive contact list for all the departments and resources on our campus. So you can call, email, or get to know whomever you’re looking for!
Author onlinemediaPosted on Categories News, Stories
CHICAGO (January 26, 2017) — At North Park University’s January 16 Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, called “The Movement Continues,” Dr. Mary Trujillo was honored with the University’s inaugural MLKJ Award.
CHICAGO (January 18, 2017) — A calling to ministry can come at different stages in life, but for North Park Seminary alumna Rev. Dr. Mary Miller, it came early. Rev. Dr. Miller’s calling to serve the Lord and the church was simple—she “loved the church to start with” and “absolutely loved confirmation.” The love of the Lord and people has been part of her as long she can remember.
