For Ida Hiben BA ’12, MOL ’17and Josh Hiben BA ’12, MDiv ’18, North Park University (NPU) has been at the heart of their personal and professional paths. They first met at Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola (SVF) in Jönköping, Sweden, in 2009 when Josh was an exchange student.

The following semester, Ida came to study at NPU, where she stayed until 2018 when the couple returned to Jönköping to settle.

Maturing in NPU’s intercultural environment expanded the couple’s worldviews. For Josh, experiences like University Ministries’ Sankofa and Zambia trips—and the SVF program—helped form much of the way he continues to see the world. “I began thinking about how to move forward as a person and what it means to be part of a diverse community,” said Josh.

Today, Josh, who serves as associate pastor of Immanuel Church in Jönköping, continues that intercultural journey. “My whole life is in Swedish, but there are always nuances within a language, especially when talking with worshippers who are grappling with questions on life, death, and birth. That has been a wonderful challenge,” he said.

I find purpose in providing our intercultural students with a meaningful experience, one that will influence their trajectory and give them new insights.

—Ida Hiben

“North Park instilled in me the value of building community. In my work, we value coming together, sharing meals, and doing it in a grounded way with the story of God behind it,” Josh said.

As international relations manager at Jönköping University, Ida helps exchange students from around the world navigate Swedish culture and academic life. “I find purpose in providing our international students with a meaningful experience, one that will influence their trajectory and give them new insights,” she said.

Josh described NPU as their guiding light. “We grew up here, and it continues to be foundational. From being open and curious to thinking critically and being reflective, all these qualities were founded early on at North Park,” he said.