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University’s Axelson Center Accepting 2013 Nonprofit Awards Applications

University's Axelson Center Accepting 2013 Nonprofit Awards Applications

Modesto Tico Valle accepts the Alford-Axelson Award, which was presented to the Center on Halsted in 2012 at the annual Axelson Symposium in Chicago.

Modesto Tico Valle accepts the Alford-Axelson Award, which was presented to the Center on Halsted in 2012 at the annual Axelson Symposium in Chicago.

Applications due February 1; two awards to be presented at annual symposium

CHICAGO (January 11, 2013) — The Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management at North Park University is accepting nominations and applications through February 1 for its prestigious Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence. The Axelson Center will present two awards of $7,500 each, sponsored by Fifth Third Bank—one to a nonprofit with an annual budget under $3 million, and another to a nonprofit with an annual budget exceeding $3 million.

The award honors and continues the legacies of Nils G. Axelson, a devoted community health care leader and visionary, and Jimmie R. Alford, a leading contemporary thinker and practitioner in the nonprofit arena.

"For more than 10 years, the Axelson Center has awarded the Alford-Axelson Award to two exceptional Chicago-area nonprofit organizations," said Dr. Pier Rogers, the center's director. "But this isn’t about the Axelson Center so much as it is about an elite group of 22 past award winners who represent the 'best of the best' in terms of nonprofit management structure and leadership. Without these organizations, Chicago wouldn’t be the same vital city that it is today."

Previous recipients of the award confirm its value for promoting overall organizational excellence and for improving staff. In 2012, Center on Halsted, Chicago, was the award winner for large nonprofit organizations. Modesto Tico Valle, chief executive officer, said the center's executive team invested several months in the award process by reviewing and improving organizational practices. "Auditing our practices really helped us as an organization," he said. "Whether we won or not, it was good to pause and reflect, and audit our work internally. Organizations should do that on a regular basis."

Center on Halsted has about 70 employees, full- and part-time, and provides social service and public programs. It provides direct services annually to about 35,000 people, Valle said. The organization used its cash award to help senior staff improve a variety of management skills. The recognition has challenged the staff to be innovative and employ best practices regularly. "It was an honor to receive this in our fifth year of service, Valle added. "For me it also means, 'What does the next five years look like?' and 'How do we reflect that behavior and excellence in our work?'"

Lincoln Park Community Shelter, Chicago, was the 2011 award recipient for small nonprofits. Two years earlier, the awards committee had given the shelter's application an honorable mention, a catalyst to continue improving administrative practices, said Erin Ryan, the shelter's director. Among the changes the organization made when it tried for the award again were refocusing its board on strategic planning and hiring a business manager to help realign administrative duties.  

"The application process is rigorous. It made us think hard and examine our processes," Ryan said. "It's easy for a small organization to assume it is 'too small,' but the application process dispels that myth. We can function as a bigger organization, be good stewards of money we raise and good stewards of the services we provide." The shelter serves about 400 people living with homelessness, and provides assistance to relocate people into permanent housing with support services. It has about 12 full- and part-time employees, plus volunteers. The shelter used its cash award to hire a social work intern for a summer, a helpful step for staff and clients, Ryan said. The award has helped donors trust that the organization is efficient administratively, and that its resources are well-managed, she said. This year, the shelter will enter into its first government contract to provide permanent shelter and temporary services to clients.

A selection committee will determine this year's Alford-Axelson Award recipients. "We established a set of seven hallmarks of nonprofit managerial excellence, and organizations that exhibit strength in all seven areas are recognized by their peers as leaders in our sector. The selection committee is made up of Chicago-area nonprofit and civic community leaders. They have the formidable task of selecting each year’s winners," Rogers added.

To be considered, applicant organizations must be defined as 501(c)3 organizations, with their primary mission focus benefiting Chicago and/or its surrounding communities. The Axelson Center will accept nominations for the award by email or by phone, however organizations do not need to be nominated to apply. Recipients will be recognized at the annual Axelson Symposium, June 4, 2013, in Chicago.

 


Use @npunews to follow North Park University News on Twitter. For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, via email or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more about North Park University.

Next Steps

Learn more about the Axelson Center's professional development workshops and its professional certificate program in nonprofit management.

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Fifth Annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference Addresses “Achieving Peace by Embracing Diversity”

Fifth Annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference Addresses "Achieving Peace by Embracing Diversity"

Kanyere Eaton

Rev. Kanyere Eaton

Rev. Kanyere Eaton challenges students to lead in an "edgy time"

CHICAGO (November 14, 2013) — Nearly 600 students, faculty, staff, and organizational leaders from across the country gathered at North Park University Saturday, November 2, for the fifth annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference. North Park’s Office of Diversity, under the leadership of Dr. Terry Lindsay, provides this event to equip college students as effective leaders and agents of change on their campuses. The conference goal is that each student would be equipped to return to their college or university and engage their peers in conversations and activities that create multiethnic cooperation and increase intercultural competency.

Dr. Kevin Kruger, the president and CEO of NASPA, brought a message of encouragement for young peoples’ roles in inspiring students of color to see college as a realistic option for their futures. NASPA, a national association of student affairs professionals in higher education, sees that the demographics of American students are changing, bringing new challenges for college preparation and success, especially around issues of diversity and intercultural cooperation.

According to Kruger, research reveals that, in about ten years, more than 50 percent of college graduates will be students of color. He called on the students gathered to see themselves as crucial role models and mentors for these future students. “You are tomorrow’s leaders and will be part of the solution,” he said.

Rev. Kanyere Eaton, pastor of Fellowship Covenant Church in the Bronx, New York, gave Saturday’s keynote address. Speaking on the conference theme, “Achieving Peace by Embracing Diversity,” Eaton said that “we have inherited all kinds of attributes and attitudes” from previous generations that now must be negotiated. “What are we going to do with what they left us?” she asked. In our current, changing culture and demographics, she said, today’s students must transform the reality they’ve inherited into the future they desire. As geographic and demographic boundaries are being moved, attitudes toward diversity have not yet caught up.

Eaton charged the students in attendance to recognize themselves as leaders chosen to help shape the legacy for future generation. “You could have been someone very different,” she said, “but you are who you’re supposed to be. And you’re supposed to lead.”

“You’ve also been privileged,” she added, noting that information, connections, opportunities, and responsibilities are part of the package of a college education. “We live in an edgy time,” Eaton concluded, “and consciousness has not caught up with our condition. We’ve got to work with what we have, and take seriously the responsibility to leave things better than we found them.”

The North Park University gospel choir ensemble, step teams from North Park and Bethel University, and two African dance troupes gave inspired performances to round out the plenary activities. Following the session, conference attendees spent the afternoon at more than 30 workshops, with topics ranging from leading conversations on diversity, to developing safe, inclusive communities, to understanding the current national atmosphere of race relations.

The next Student Diversity Leadership Conference at North Park University will take place on Saturday, November 1, 2014.
 


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Explore student life and organizations at North Park University.

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North Park University Student Earns Fulbright Grant, Headed to Turkey

North Park University Student Earns Fulbright Grant, Headed to Turkey

Bailey Schwartz

Bailey Schwartz C'12 learned this month she was a granted a Fulbright award and will be working as an English Teaching Assistant in Turkey.

Bailey Schwartz among 11 University Fulbright grantees in five years

 

CHICAGO (May 30, 2013) — When she was a student at North Park University, Bailey Schwartz took a class taught by Dr. Susan Rabe, professor of history, about the history of the Ottoman Empire from the 15th century to the end of World War I. That class struck a chord with Schwartz, who developed a strong interest in Turkish history, culture, and the historic city of Istanbul. With a grant she earned from the U.S. Fulbright Student Program, she will now explore the area firsthand as she lives and works in Turkey for nearly a year beginning this fall.

Schwartz learned this month that she was awarded a grant to work as an English Teaching Assistant in Turkey, the precise location yet to be determined. She joins two other University students who were earlier awarded Fulbright student grants earlier this spring. The program has awarded 11 of its prestigious grants to North Park University graduates in the past five years.

For Schwartz, getting a chance to live in Turkey is like reading the sequel to good book. "I'm excited about the prospect that I can actually go to this place, and walk the streets that we had talked about in class," she said. Schwartz, who grew up near Lake Geneva, Wis., transferred to North Park after one year at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse because she wanted to attend college in Chicago. She graduated from the University in December 2012 with a bachelor's degree in history. Schwartz also earned certification to teach secondary education and an endorsement for English as a Second Language. Her mother, Denise, lives in Colorado. She has a brother, Robert, who lives in Wisconsin, and a sister, Samantha, of Chicago.

Rabe, who was a reference for Schwartz's Fulbright application, said she was an exceptional, motivated student, and is a great Fulbright candidate. "In a 30-year teaching career, she is one of the best students I've ever had," Rabe said. "She stands out not just for her intellectual capacity, which is considerable, but because of her motivation, her discipline, and maturity. She's an incredibly mature young woman."

Turkey is an excellent place to study history and learn, Rabe said. "You see whole span of history from ancient to the present, and you see it in a place where there is a rich culture between continents. It's a country that is such mixture of identities in its own right. It's a fascinating study in humanity, a fascinating study in human history. And it's beautiful," she said.

Schwartz wants to return from her Fulbright experience next year and teach history in a Chicago public school, and later, possibly attend graduate school. The Fulbright program attracted her because she will gain some valuable teaching experience, share U.S. history and culture with Turkish students, and learn about their lives, she said. "I'm sure they have an idea of or an assumption of what it means to be an American," she said. "Any interaction I have with anyone there is going to form the basis of their opinion, and hopefully, I can help it be positive."

Two other North Park graduates were informed earlier this spring about their Fulbright student grants, which begin this fall. Sam Auger of Chicago will work as an English Teaching Assistant in a high school in Haskovo, Bulgaria. Timothy Ahlberg, Perrysburg, Ohio, was awarded a Binational Business Exchange Grant, and will work in a business in Mexico City.

 

 


Use @npunews to follow North Park University News on Twitter. For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, via email or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more about North Park University.

Next Steps

Learn more about the experiences of North Park's previous recipients of Fulbright grants.

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North Park University to be Site of Wheel Gymnastics World Championships

North Park University to be Site of Wheel Gymnastics World Championships

International Wheel Gymnastics Championship

Athletes coming to Chicago July 8-14

CHICAGO (July 3, 2013) — The 10th Wheel Gymnastics World Championships are coming to Chicago July 8–14, with much of the competition happening on the campus of North Park University. This unique form of gymnastics originated in Germany, putting athletes inside a large wheel, known as a Rhönrad, to perform exercises in categories that include straight line, spiral, and vault.

Hosted by the USA Wheel Gymnastics Federation and American Sokol, the championships feature more than 130 athletes from 17 nations. General admission tickets are available, and can be purchased online. Competition will be divided between males and females, and junior and senior competitors. Awards will be given for best all-around, spiral, straight line, vault, and mono wheel competitions. This is the first time the competition has been held outside of Europe.

Prior to the world championships, the 8th USA Wheel Gymnastics Open Championship and first ever qualification trials for TEAM USA Wheel Gymnastics took place March 7–10, 2013. Dubbed the “Chicago Big Wheel Weekend,” the USA Wheel Gymnastics Federation and American Sokol hosted this weekend of training courses and competition trials to qualify for TEAM USA in the July World Championships.

About the Wheel Gymnastics World Championships

In 1924 Otto Feick invented and built the Rhönrad (the German Wheel), and began traveling all over Europe and to the United States to promote the newly-created sport of wheel gymnastics. After a surge in popularity following World War II, the Internationaler Rhönradturn-Verband (IRV) was formed to oversee all international competitions and training. Seven member countries comprise the IRV and approximately 25 nations participate in the sport, with international training camps and World Championships being hosted in alternate years. The initial World Championship was held in Den Helder, Netherlands, in 1995.


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Marketing Transformation Driven by New Tools, New Behaviors, Says Graduate

Marketing Transformation Driven by New Tools, New Behaviors, Says Graduate

Renee Borkowski

Today's marketers face a "paradox of choice," said Renee Borkowski C'90.

Razorfish VP speaks at North Park University Breakfast Series

CHICAGO (May 24, 2013) — There has been an incredible transformation in marketing practices in the past 15 years, much of it driven by dramatic shifts in how consumers use digital devices and experiences to fulfill their information and entertainment needs. The result is that there are many players in the marketing landscape today, creating a "paradox of choice" for many marketers.

"Deciding where to pay attention, where to spend, and how and where to stay connected with consumers is increasingly complex," said Renee (Johnson) Borkowski, Chicago, group vice president of strategic marketing for Razorfish, a global digital agency. Borkowski, a 1990 North Park graduate in physics and marketing, spoke to an audience of about 80 people at this spring's Breakfast Series event in Chicago, sponsored by the University and the School of Business and Nonprofit Management. Her topic was "Marketing Transformation in the Post-Digital Era." Borkowski, a member of the University's board of trustees, brings 20 years of experience working with top-name brands.

Agencies today are challenged to cover all bases—search engine optimization, web and customer analytics, email marketing, marketing automation, social media, social marketing and multi-channel marketing management—along with many traditional forms of communication. With the growth in marketing, channels, and agencies working in the field, "we as marketers are at the intersection of decision-making, of managing our budgets, of figuring out what is going to get us the most for our money in the midst of a very confusing landscape," Borkowski said.

What has changed for marketers? Borkowski suggested several possibilities:

  • Planning is now a continuous and cyclical process. Insights are required to inform annual, quarterly, and daily decision cycles.
  • Digital marketing is experiential. As evidence, she pointed to changes in retail marketing, where shopping is mobile-enabled or occurs in "virtual" stores. More consumers are using multiple devices at home at the same time, including televisions, tablets, and smartphones.
  • Marketing is happening in real-time more than ever. Social media demands quick, short-term, relevant messaging, but must be done responsibly. "The volume and velocity of social online behaviors requires that break-through brands adopt a real-time mindset, and establish 'always-on' teams," she said.
  • New skills and vocations are emerging in marketing. There are growing needs for "data scientists" and "chief marketing technologists."

For nonprofits and mission-driven organizations with smaller budgets, Borkowski suggested an emphasis on social media-fueled experiences, coupled with highly targeted search capabilities to help organizations set themselves apart from others. Digital storytelling can also be more powerful by inviting members and followers to capture video with smartphones and making video blogs highlighting service projects, she said.

Despite the need for real-time marketing, decision-making and communication must be considered carefully and align with business and brand objectives, Borkowski said. "Organizations that take their cues solely from their audiences or cultural happenings without a true brand purpose end up diluting or damaging their brands," she added.


Use @npunews to follow North Park University News on Twitter. For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, via email or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more about North Park University.

Next Steps

Learn more about the accredited academic programsin the School of Business and Nonprofit Management.

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North Park Recognizes Minnehaha Academy Centennial

North Park Recognizes Minnehaha Academy Centennial

Minnehaha Academy

The Minneahaha Academy Redhawks' varsity basketball team earned the Minnesota Class 2A championship this year, under the leadership of Lance Johnson a 1983 North Park alum.

CHICAGO (May 5, 2013) — North Park University recognized the 100th year of Minnehaha Academy,Minneapolis, Minn., a school for students in preschool through grade 12. Many graduates enroll at North Park, and University graduatesare among the school’s faculty and staff.

President David Parkyn was among the speakers April 28 at the Academy’s Centennial WorshipCelebration. In addressing the faculty, past and present, he said,“It is because you have been faithful in your calling as teachers thatwe can be here today. May God bless Minnehaha Academy withgreat teachers for the next century just as we have been blessedthrough the century past.”

The convocation was attended by TedAnderson C’37, son of Theodore W. Anderson, the school’s firstpresident and North Park Junior College graduate. The school’scurrent president, Dr. Donna Harris, is a member of the Universityboard of trustees. Lance Johnson C’83 led the Redhawks’varsity basketball team to the Minnesota Class 2A championshipthis year.

The University and Minnehaha Academy are affiliatedwith the Evangelical Covenant Church.


Use @npunews to follow North Park University News on Twitter. For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, via email or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more about North Park University.

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University Awards Degrees to 412 Students at Spring Commencement Ceremonies

University Awards Degrees to 412 Students at Spring Commencement Ceremonies

Eboo Patel speaks at North Park University's spring commencement.

Eboo Patel spoke to the graduates May 11 following presentation of the David Nyvall Medallion.

Nyvall Medallion presented to Eboo Patel, outstanding students honored

 

CHICAGO (May 13, 2013) — North Park University awarded degrees May 11 to 412 graduates at three commencement ceremonies, culminating the 2012-2013 academic year. Events were held for students who earned undergraduate degrees, students who earned graduate degrees and degrees through the School of Adult Learning, and for graduates of North Park Theological Seminary. Combined with the winter commencement held last December, degrees were presented to 657 North Park University graduates this academic year.

Preceding graduation was a baccalaureate service May 10 at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago. In an address, Dr. David L. Parkyn, president of North Park University, drew a comparison between the graduates and the words of Psalm 1. "Once you came to North Park, a sapling asking to be planted by the river, to be tended and nourished, to be pruned and watered," he said. "Tomorrow you will leave North Park. Tomorrow you will be uprooted—for this is why you were planted. Tomorrow is the day of your transplanting."

At its undergraduate commencement May 11, the University presented its David Nyvall Medallion to Eboo Patel, Chicago, founder and president of the Interfaith Youth Core, an organization that promotes interfaith cooperation by motivating young adults through service. Named for the first president of North Park University, the medallion is presented for distinguished service to the people of Chicago.

In response, Patel told stories of his own youth as the son of Indian immigrants, and how he learned to build bridges and form relationships with people, instead of building barriers. "We live in a world with people of all different backgrounds," he told the graduates. "As you are yourself in this world—giving expression to the formation you've received in your homes, in your churches, and at this university—are differences going to be opportunities for barriers or bridges?" In encouraging students to build bridges, Patel drew attention to Jesus’s words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5—7): "Blessed are the peacemakers."

He reminded the students that leaders build bridges and "carve out" common ground for successful relationships—and that a significant part of their North Park education—focused on lives of significance and service, is about leadership. Patel added that one of the most important gifts of a Christian liberal arts education "is the gift of perspective—a warm, loving perspective on a roiling world."

The University presented 262 bachelor's degrees. The Ahnfeldt Medallion, this year presented to two seniors with the highest grade point averages, went to Waseem Sous, Lincolnwood, Ill., bachelor of science in biology, and Miranda VanderMey, Mount Vernon, Wash., bachelor of arts in sociology. North Park's 2013 Fulbright Student Award winners were introduced, Timothy Ahlberg, Perrysburg, Ohio, and Samuel Auger, Chicago.

Several students from the North Park College (now University) class of 1963 were recognized as they celebrated the 50th anniversary of their graduation.

Four graduates addressed the afternoon commencement ceremony for graduate programs and the School of Adult Learning (SAL), sharing the ways in which their University education shaped their lives and careers. Carlina Gonzalez-Allen, Joliet, Ill., an SAL graduate with a bachelor of arts in criminal justice, told the graduates that having "a vision" helped her keep studying, and made the sacrifices worthwhile. "Vision takes ordinary people and leads them to lives of true significance," Gonzalez-Allen said. Other speakers were Sherida Hudak, Chicago, master of management, School of Business and Nonprofit Management; Toni Poteres, Niles, Ill., master of arts in education, School of Education; and Berrie Anderson-Gwinn, Lake Zurich, Ill., master of science in nursing, School of Nursing.

At the Seminary commencement, which honored 37 graduates, Erik Borggren, Chicago, master of divinity, was presented the Ahnfeldt Medallion for the highest grade point average. In addition, academic awards were presented to several students.

Dr. Carol Noren, the Seminary's Wesley W. Nelson Professor of Homeletics, presented the commencement address at the Seminary. She commented on Paul's sermon at Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17), pointing out that the first few lines of his sermon were especially memorable. She urged the graduates, who want to begin their church careers well, not to forget "to what end you have been called."

"Do not be deceived into thinking that success or faithfulness can be measured only by your relevance to the surrounding culture, your ability to speak the local dialect, or how quickly opportunities come to you … It is our God who will remain unknown unless we dare proclaim Christ crucified and risen, ascended and coming to judge the quick and the dead," Noren said.

Rev. David W. Kersten, dean of North Park Theological Seminary, presided at the Seminary commencement. Graduates were also greeted by the University president.

 


Use @npunews to follow North Park University News on Twitter. For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, via email or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more about North Park University.

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Interested in a pursuing a degree program North Park University?  Learn more.

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University Convocation Recognizes Faculty Achievements

University Convocation Recognizes Faculty Achievements

University Convocation, September 16, 2013

More than 40 members of the University faculty and staff were honored for their recent publications, exhibitions, performances, and other scholarly achievements at Monday's Convocation.

North Park University celebrates promotions, tenures, publications, and more

CHICAGO (September 17, 2013) — The North Park University community gathered in Anderson Chapel Monday, September 16, to honor the achievements of faculty and staff at University Convocation.

“This is a day of grand celebration,” said Dr. David Parkyn, University president, as he welcomed colleagues and students to the ceremony. He noted that the annual Convocation recognizes the work that many individuals do in walking alongside students in and out of the classroom, as well as honoring the call to “spread knowledge, discover knowledge, and teach it to others.”

The ceremony announced newly promoted and tenured faculty; recognized faculty and staff who have recently published books, articles, and other scholarly and creative work; and formally installed Dr. Jodi Koslow Martin as the vice president for student engagement.

Under the direction of Dr. Julia Davids, the Chamber Singers performed an original composition by Thomas W. Jefferson, who accompanied the group on piano. Jefferson is an adjunct faculty member in the School of Music and was among the recent authors recognized during the ceremony.

Faculty promotions celebrated include:

Traditionally, the University has recognized faculty authors and editors with books published over the previous calendar year. This year’s Convocation expanded this recognition to include faculty and staff who have published books, articles, chapters, plays, reviews, and recordings; and staged exhibitions, art installations, and other creative performances. A full list of these accomplishments is available online.

Earlier this fall, the University welcomed new faculty and staff at Gathering Day festivities. New faculty welcomed were:

 


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North Park University Continues to Be Counted Among Best Midwest Schools

North Park University Continues to Be Counted Among Best Midwest Schools

John Hjelm teaches at North Park University

North Park University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a range of fields, preparing students for lives of significance and service no matter their career choices.

U.S. News and World Report college rankings released

CHICAGO (September 10, 2013) — North Park University again appeared in the top tier of Midwest regional universities in U.S. News and World Report’s 2014 edition of the annual “Best Colleges” rankings, released on September 10. The University is tied for 53rd among 147 ranked institutions.

“We are pleased to be among the top tier of Midwest universities,” said Nate Mouttet, vice president for enrollment and marketing. “We are in a part of the country with other great schools, and this ranking showcases the excellent programs and unique community that are hallmarks of a North Park University education.”

“As a school that strives to prepare students for lives of significance and service, we also strive to grow in ways that will help us fulfill that mission.” Mouttet added. “We’re confident this work and momentum will continue to be reflected in the service and success of our students and alumni, as well as in rankings like the U.S. News and World Report list.”

North Park University, founded in 1891, offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and programs in the liberal arts, sciences, and pre-professional preparation; adult degree-completion options that include nonprofit and nursing programs; and graduate degrees and certificates in business, education, ministry, music, nonprofit, nursing, and theology.

U.S. News and World Report designates schools as regional when they provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs but offer few doctoral programs. These schools, including North Park, are ranked against others by region of the country: North, South, Midwest, and West. Criteria used in these rankings include peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving.
 


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North Park University Faculty Revises Core Curriculum for Fall 2013

North Park University Faculty Revises Core Curriculum for Fall 2013

General Education at North Park University

North Park University Core Curriculum requirements have been revised for undergraduate students beginning with the fall semester, 2013.

Curriculum revision groups courses in tiers

CHICAGO (April 8, 2013) — The faculty of North Park University approved a revised Core Curriculum—the University's general education requirements—for new students entering the University this fall. The revision will better align the liberal arts character of the University's academic mission, Core Curriculum learning outcomes, and academic requirements, according to a report from a committee that developed the revision.

"We want to communicate to students how valuable their liberal arts and sciences education will be for enriching their lives after college and for preparing them for a variety of careers,” said Dr. Karl Clifton-Soderstrom, assistant professor of philosophy and director of general education. "Such an education is essential because, most of the time, complex, real-world problems are not solved by one discipline alone but by people working across disciplines." 

The revision consists of 46 semester hours, and groups current Core Curriculum courses into three tiers: Foundations, Explorations, and Capstones. In Foundations, courses will provide literacies, skills, and values basic to a Christian liberal arts education, and are ideally taken in a student's first three semesters, Clifton-Soderstrom said. The signature course in this sequence is "Cornerstone Seminar: A Life of Significance," in which students explore the big questions of "What does it mean to be human?", "Who am I?", and "How does the answer to these questions help me think about what I want out of my advanced education?"

Other Foundations courses include topics such as writing, math, biblical studies, modern languages, and a new global histories course. "Early in a student's career, this history course gives students a global and multicultural perspective on how key themes in human societies can be compared across time and cultures," Clifton-Soderstrom said.

In Explorations, courses are focused in certain disciplines, such as art, theology, the sciences, culture and society, and ethical reasoning. In Capstones, students will take two courses, usually in the junior or senior year. One course, "Capstone Seminar: A Life of Service," brings together different skills and values and applies them to real-world settings. A second capstone is a course, project, or performance that integrates advanced learning to the student's major.

The Core Curriculum revision places greater emphasis on writing and ethics, which, in most cases, can be taken up in a student's major, or in other departments. Faculty report that improved writing is critical for upper-level students, and employers say they want students who possess good writing skills. Ethics-related courses will be available to most students in their majors.

The Cornerstone Seminar and Capstone Seminar cross academic disciplines, engage the perspectives of many cultures, and emphasize writing and critical analysis. The courses are important to the University's Core Curriculum, said Dr. Reinhold Dooley, professor of English and a committee member. Students should consider the Core Curriculum their "first major," before they move into a specific degree program, he added. "You want to make a living, but you also want to make a life," said Dooley.

Faculty will benefit from a clear set of expectations and ways to achieve desired outcomes in the new Core Curriculum, said Dr. Mary Trujillo, professor of communication arts, and a committee member. "The revision also provides increased opportunities for faculty collaboration across disciplines. For example, we are already seeing increased opportunities for service-learning courses and synthesis-type courses that engage faculty and students," she said. The revision, developed in collaboration with the faculty, also brings North Park into closer alignment with peer colleges and universities, Trujillo said.

The Core Curriculum revision took more than two years to develop, and involved extensive research into current trends in higher education, post-college employment, and the North Park community’s own academic vision. In September 2011, the University faculty asked for a revised set of common Core Curriculum learning outcomes. A committee was appointed, which proposed changes endorsed by the faculty in April 2012. The faculty asked the committee to determine how to implement the revised curriculum, and secure departmental commitments and funds. The committee's proposal was adopted overwhelmingly at the faculty's February 2013 meeting.

 


Use @npunews to follow North Park University News on Twitter. For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, via email or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more about North Park University.

Next Steps

Learn more about Core Curriculum requirements and options.

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