A casual student of North Park University history might be forgiven for thinking that one requirement to be its president was to be named David. After all, for more than 50 of our 127 years—including most of the past 30, and starting with founding president David Nyvall—“David” has been the name on (or outside) the presidential office door.
No wonder so many people took note when our 10th president assumed office in August: Mary Karsten Surridge.
President Surridge is off to a great start, which comes as no surprise to those of you who have come to know her since 1996, most recently in her role as Vice President of Advancement. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to invite you—and every member of our many communities of friends, alumni, and supporters across the worldwide North Park community and the Evangelical Covenant Church—to join us in Chicago later this academic year to mark her formal inauguration.
Events will be held on campus throughout the week of Feb. 12–16, 2019, and as our planning process moves forward, you can stay up to date on the details by visiting www.northpark.edu/inauguration. But if you can’t be with us in Chicago, we invite you to watch a live stream of the Inauguration ceremony itself at 2 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, Feb. 16. (Details about just how to do so will be posted on that same web page.)
A task force composed of students, faculty, staff, and board members has been working since the beginning of the academic year to plan events that reflect both the excitement and the solemnity of this occasion. A few of the highlights we know about so far:
• An all-campus worship service on Wednesday morning
• A lunch in honor of President Surridge to which all faculty, staff, students, and guests are invited
• An academic symposium focused on the intersection of Christian higher education and the city of the 21st century
• A Thursday evening “Showcase of the Arts” featuring students from our music, art, and theatre programs
• As mentioned, the formal Inauguration ceremony on Friday afternoon, with associated celebrations in the evening
Other exciting events are still in the early stages of planning, so please stay tuned!
Oh, and by the way, if you’re nostalgic for presidents named David, don’t worry. One of them will introduce President Surridge at the ceremony on Friday afternoon: David Horner, who brought her to campus in July of 1996 and started her on the path that eventually would lead her into his own job.
Grace and Peace,
Owen Youngman