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North Park Offers Nonprofit Management Degree Online Beginning Fall 2012
Violet Ricker said she stays in touch with students who studied with her in the SAL undergraduate nonprofit management program.
Undergraduate degree option available through School of Adult Learning
CHICAGO (August 16, 2012) – A popular North Park University bachelor's degree program for professionals who aspire to leadership positions in the nonprofit sector can be completed exclusively online beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year. The University's undergraduate nonprofit management degree will be among other bachelor's degree programs that students can earn online through the School of Adult Learning (SAL).
North Park University is known in the Chicago area for many academic programs, including educational offerings in the nonprofit arena. With this new option, SAL students will be able to earn nonprofit management degrees through a combination of online and in-person classes, or exclusively online. The online option is a plus for students who may not be able to attend classes in-person or who live outside the Chicago area, said Dr. Pamela Ransom, SAL associate professor and chair of the school's nonprofit management and criminal justice majors.
SAL students in nonprofit management gain a foundational understanding of the nonprofit sector, plus specific skills and professional contacts to be successful managers, said Ransom. "What is different about our program is that we have a real-world component, and a real-world focus about not-for-profit management," she said.
SAL nonprofit management students learn how to work with boards of directors, manage volunteers, raise funds, manage finances, organize special events, write grant proposals, and develop advocacy skills for their organizations. Students typically range from young adults to more experienced professionals who want an accelerated program that fits their life schedules.
Students who have earned the degrees have moved into interesting and fulfilling careers. Violet Ricker earned her degree in 2010 through a combination of online and in-person classes, which she took at the University's satellite campus in Grayslake, Ill., and at the Chicago campus. Today, she is executive director of Waukegan Main Street, a nonprofit organization that works for community and economic development in downtown Waukegan, Ill., her hometown. It's part of the Main Street Network that works to revitalize communities across the United States.
Ricker entered the North Park University program from George Washington University, Washington, D.C., where she had been studying political science. While there, she did nonprofit community work, and found that was her calling. Ricker learned of North Park's nonprofit management program through an online search, and returned home to study in the University's program.
The degree program brought together many disciplines, Ricker said. "I understand the connectedness of volunteer development, fundraising, communication, and community outreach," she said. "To have that in a program versus learning on the job is very valuable. The best part for me was collective expertise from my fellow students in the program." Ricker still remains in touch with others who studied with her, trading advice and sharing business ideas.
Lindsay LeVally earned a degree in nonprofit management in 2009 through the SAL, attending classes in-person and taking at least one course online. She is currently in the process of moving to Springfield, Ill., where she will manage a new branch office for Grimco, Inc., a national wholesale sign supply company. LeVally heard about North Park University from a colleague when she was an AmeriCorps volunteer. After AmeriCorps, LeVally worked in different roles, before landing at Grimco, where she got into sales by writing marketing plans for her nonprofit classes.
"I was able to get this job with the degree, and I've been here a year and a half," LeVally said. "I'm now being given a chance to manage a branch in Springfield. I wouldn't even be working for Grimco without this degree. Every paper I did was on my company when I was at North Park."
LeVally began work on a master's degree in management at the University in 2010, part of a "continuum" of education available to University students who want to go further. "Students can get a bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, and then move to the master's program in nonprofit management," Ransom said, "plus, we have the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management for continuing education."
University Scientist Chairs National Meeting on Computer Programming Language
Professor Johnny Lin
Johnny Lin leads 'Python' symposium at New Orleans meteorological meeting
CHICAGO (January 18, 2012) – A North Park University physicist is chairing a national meeting this month devoted to Python, a fast, powerful and versatile computer programming language growing in popularity among people working in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. The symposium and two short courses in uses of Python are part of the annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), Jan. 22-26, in New Orleans.
Dr. Johnny Lin, professor of physics, will teach an introductory short course on Python, and chair the New Orleans symposium, at which scientists from around the country will present papers highlighting the programming language's use in modeling and analysis. Last year, the AMS annual meeting was the site of the first Python symposium which Lin also chaired. Lin, who uses Python in his own teaching and research work at North Park University, helped write the proposal to AMS to create the symposium. At that time, there were virtually no scientific meetings in the atmospheric sciences to discuss Python. Colleagues formerly at the University of Chicago, where Lin did postdoctoral studies, and Lawrence Livermore (Calif.) National Laboratories, worked with Lin to organize the symposium.
The AMS symposium is a place where users can call attention to Python "as a real platform for doing scientific work in the atmospheric sciences," Lin explained. Speakers will share Python techniques and ideas, help build a support community for users, and help grow the language as an atmospheric sciences programming platform, he said.
North Park University also teaches the Python programming language in beginning computer science classes, in part because it's easier for students to learn and apply to other programming languages.
Alan Iliff, North Park University professor of computer science, said he first began teaching the programming language five years ago after a University computer science alumnus suggested he look into it. Students learn how to write computing programs faster using Python, he said. "It's very easy to write programs with Python. What makes it a good teaching language is what makes it popular for programming," he said.
"A real solid approach in teaching computer science is to teach the things that won't change – in Python we teach things that are quite similar in other programming languages. After I use Python first, then I use Java (or another programming language) in the next semester," Iliff added.
Python is also part of the "open source" movement, which allows users access to information about the product's design so they can contribute ideas to its improvement, Iliff said.
Programmers have used Python for nearly 25 years, Lin explained, and the recent development of scientific computing packages in the language has helped increase its use among atmospheric scientists. This has given atmospheric scientists the ability to do their scientific work and couple it with a variety of other computer-based tools and interactive applications, making the science more useful. Python is the "critical glue" that makes it all happen, Lin said. "It's more versatile than anything that atmospheric scientists have used traditionally."
At the New Orleans symposium, a notable expert in the field will speak, Lin said. Already, planning has begun for the 2013 Python symposium at the AMS meeting in Austin, Texas.
North Park University Student Honored by 'Good Morning America'
Marcus Crone, center, was honored on Good Morning America April 9. With him is GMA co-host George Stephanopoulos, left; Mary McComb, second from right, and Crone's prom date, Chelsea McComb, right. (Good Morning America video)
Freshman Marcus Crone recognized for special prom invitation
CHICAGO (April 11, 2012) — Marcus Crone, a freshman at North Park University, Chicago, was stunned April 9 on national TV when Good Morning America named him a winner of the Disney Memory Maker contest for an act of kindness — in which he invited a girl with Down syndrome to her prom last spring after she had been turned down by another young man.
Crone and his mother, Stephanie, were part of the crowd outside the taping of the show when he and several others were called to step forward and told they had been named winners. Each winner was awarded a trip to a Disney theme park.
One of the show’s hosts, George Stephanopoulos, then told Crone, "Your story is so amazing. You had us all just welled up." Stephanopoulos had another surprise: Crone's prom date, Chelsea McComb, and her mother, Mary, appeared from the crowd, and ran to hug Crone.
In a videotaped segment recorded before the presentation, Chelsea said the prom "was the best moment in my entire life."
"He made her feel like Cinderella that night," said Mary, adding that her daughter had never had a date. "When they walked out to the car, I truly, truly don’t believe her feet touched the ground."
Crone, who did not know he had been nominated, was chosen from among several thousand entries. Another member of the Crossroads congregation — Mary McComb — nominated him.
Crone’s mother, Stephanie, was in on the ruse to get him to New York City. She told her son that she had won a contest called Whisk Your Mom Away that awarded her the opportunity to travel and take a family member. The two were treated to limousine service, tickets to live performances, and to Good Morning America.
In an interview, Crone, a former high school state wrestling champion, said, "It was a blessing for me to be able to have the opportunity to take Chelsea to the prom. We danced the entire time. It was so much fun."
Crone says he hopes it can be arranged for Chelsea and her family to travel to Disney World with his family.
The North Park student said he hopes to delay his sophomore year by serving in Asia, Africa, and South America, as part of a mission trip experience with Adventures in Missions.
"Marcus has just been just a key kid in our youth group prior to going to North Park. He would champion youth group Bible study and bring kids left and right," said Crossroads Pastor Russell Blake.
Stan Friedman, news editor for the Evangelical Covenant Church, Chicago, is the writer of this article.
North Park University Choir, Chamber Singers to Tour Northern Illinois
The 2012 University Choir Tour is October 19-21, and will include performances throughout northern Illinois.
October 19-21 tour includes performances in Naperville, Batavia, and Rockford
CHICAGO (October 4, 2012) — North Park University's Chamber Singers and University Choir will perform in northern Illinois congregations in Naperville and Rockford, and at an Evangelical Covenant Church retirement community in Batavia, Ill., during their Fall 2012 tour. "A Choral Celebration" will feature performances of choral works by several international composers.
"The performances include a wide variety of choral repertoire," said Dr. Julia Davids, University director of choral activities, and holder of the Stephen J. Hendrickson Endowed Chair in Music, School of Music. "If you're someone who has heard some choral music before, you will likely recognize some of the music to be performed during the tour."
The 14-member Chamber Singers will perform a capella "Suite de Lorca," a set of poetic pieces by Spanish poet Garcia Lorca, set to music by a Finnish composer, Einojuhani Rautavaara. The Chamber Singers will also perform works such as "If Ye Love Me," by English composer Thomas Tallis; "Ain't Got Time to Die," by American composer Hall Johnson; "Longing," by Matthew Emery, a young Canadian composer; and other compositions. Emery's piece is an unpublished composition that the Chamber Singers have been granted rights to perform, Davids said.
The University Choir will feature a performance of English composer John Rutter's "Te Deum," which Davids characterized as "a great text of praise." The 41-member choir will also perform compositions such as William Byrd's setting of Ave Verum Corpus, and a similar setting by Edward Elgar; "Keltic Song" by Canadian composer Allan Rae, and other compositions. University organist Margaret Martin is featured on some selections, Davids said.
One unusual piece the 41-member choir will perform was written by American composer Gregg Smith, based on Psalm 23. The piece was written for three choirs. "We have three different choirs singing this Psalm in three different keys at one point. On the last page it breaks into 13 parts for the end, and the choir stands in a big circle," Davids commented.
During the tour, the University Choir and Davids will visit Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville October 19 to lead a workshop and perform with the school's choral ensembles. In addition, Davids and the choir will attend the Illinois American Choral Directors Association convention in Naperville October 20. Davids will speak to the conference on vocal technique for choral conductors and singers, and the University Choir will also perform as part of an interactive presentation. Davids recently published a new book on the subject with Stephen LaTour, Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers, and Singers.
The Fall 2012 University Choir Tour is made possible by North Park University. Staff with the University's School of Music will accompany the choir and make recruiting visits. Choir members will stay with host families throughout the tour.
University's Hispanic Heritage Month Observance Begins September 18
Eduardo Arnal Palomera, consul general of Mexico, will speak Sept.18 at North Park University. (Photo courtesy of Consulate General of Mexico, Chicago)
Consul General of Mexico leads month's activities this week
CHICAGO (September 17, 2012) — North Park University will join the official United States celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of free events for students, faculty and staff beginning this week. The University's month-long observance includes addresses on campus by official government representatives of Mexico, Argentina and Colombia, as well as cultural events featuring cuisine, entertainment and music.
Hispanic Heritage Month or "El Mes de la Hispanidad," is observed September 15 through October 15. "It is a time to highlight and share the many cultures of Latin American and Spain," said Dr. Lorenzo R. Florián, North Park University professor of Spanish and faculty fellow for Latin American Initiatives. "This year we are bringing some special events to campus. We have made these events free to all of our students, and many professors are asking of their students to write about the events they attend."
Hispanic Heritage Month is a reflection of the University's multicultural identity, one of its core values. "We hope these events will raise awareness of the struggles of Latinos throughout the Americas and in the United States. We want to show diversity not only compared to other cultures but also within Latin cultures, that will bring an appreciation and an understanding for all."
Three University events are featured during this first week of Hispanic Heritage Month:
Tuesday, September 18, 2012: Eduardo Arnal Palomera, consul general of Mexico, Brorson Lounge, 11:40 am
Tuesday, September 18: Comida Latina, Latin cuisine from around the world, Magnuson Campus Center, 5:00 pm (normal dining hall rates apply)
Thursday, September 20: James Sanders & Conjunto, Afro-Latin jazz concert, Anderson Chapel, 7:30 pm (free for University students, faculty, and staff with ID; $10 general admission for the public)
Later events planned include an address by Marcelo Suarez Savlia, counsel general of Argentina, September 25; Global Giggles: The Other Side of Diversity, comedy, October 4; Fiesta Latina dance lessons, October 5; Latino Chapel, October 10; and an address by José Fernando Gomez Mora, counsel general of Colombia, October 16.
Author Mireille GallegosPosted on Categories Stories
