As Mary Surridge begins her term as North Park’s 10th president, she takes us inside Hawkinson House, the University’s longtime presidential residence. Working with staff from Physical Plant and the University Archives to update the interior, President Surridge has created a home that she plans to share with her family, as well as the University’s students, faculty, and alumni.
The house on the corner of Spaulding and Berwyn has seen plenty of North Park history. Just a block north of campus, it was originally the home of Jim and Alyce Hawkinson before they sold the home to the University in the early 90s and it became the official president’s residence.
With its newest occupants—President Mary Surridge; her husband, Jack, North Park’s athletic director; and their daughter, Jessie, a college student—the house will begin a new chapter in North Park’s history.
“We were convinced the house should reflect the rich legacy of North Park,” President Surridge says on a recent tour of the home. “As you enter, I hope you will know immediately that this is a North Park home.”
With Gather 2018 (the Covenant Annual Meeting), CHIC, and a seminar for new presidents at Harvard University consuming much of her summer, President Surridge knew she would need assistance in putting the new house together. Working closely with North Park staff in Physical Plant and the University Archives, Surridge and her family worked diligently to put a North Park stamp on the converted brick three-flat.
While the first and third floors have been designated for the family’s personal living space, the second floor of the home is where President Surridge plans to host many North Park events.
At the top of the stairs, visitors are greeted by a large photo of Old Main flanked by two seasonal photos of campus that will rotate depending on the season. The main living room, with clean-lined modern sofas and arm chairs, is painted a marine blue. A chair rail and intricate picture frame molding, painted white, was installed by John Creely, a Physical Plant staffer who happens to be a Master Carpenter.
“What we know is that we have talented carpenters, electricians, and artisans of all kinds all on our staff,” Surridge says. “From landscaping to choosing paint colors and furniture selection, we incorporated all their expertise, and what you see is the marvelous result.”
The “less is more” aesthetic throughout the house reflects not only the Surridge family’s taste but also has a distinctly Scandinavian feel. President Surridge took a hands-on approach, often choosing furniture and décor from modest local sources.
But the real project manager was Joshua Hickok C’08 G’11, assistant director of Physical Plant. He would send President Surridge photos of tables, tiles, or chandeliers—although he usually provided limited choices, knowing that one was likely to please the Surridges.
Because President Surridge has worked with Hickok and his staff for years on campus, she implicitly trusted them and gave them a great deal of freedom with the décor.
One thing she was sure about, though, was that the artwork hanging in the house should reflect North Park’s past, present, and future. For that, she enlisted the help of Director of Archives Andy Meyer C’06 and Joanna Wilkinson C’08 G‘18, head of User Experience at the Brandel Library.
“If you were a chemistry major or a music major or attended the Seminary, you’ll find yourself in this home,” President Surridge says.
Each room has a predominant theme. The side sitting room is the music room, featuring pictures of musical performances and prominent graduates.
The family room is the designated sports room, where championship team photos will hang next to portraits of current North Park athletes. In the adjoining casual dining room, the walls are lined with photos of noteworthy alumni.
These alums range from Dr. G. Timothy Johnson C’56 S’63, the former ABC medical correspondent and doctor, to Dean Betty Nelson C’44, longtime teacher and dean of women in the Academy and College, to Dr. Janice Phillips C’76, a Chicago health specialist, to distinguished Seminary alum Rev. Dr. Mary Miller S’80.
In the kitchen, the Surridges will make family dinners and host gatherings for faculty, staff, and Trustees, the artwork here will feature alums who have made a mark in the culinary world, including Shanna Horner O’Hea C’94, a Maine chef and historic inn owner who has appeared on popular cooking shows Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, and Unwrapped.
Meyer and Wilkinson engineered the selection, printing, and framing of the artwork, leaning heavily on longtime North Park staffer Chuck Olson, who is retired but spends several hours a week volunteering in the archives. Meyer calls Olson’s institutional knowledge of places, people, and events “immensely valuable.”
Meyer says the goal of his team was to find artwork that could tell the story of North Park while also being aesthetically pleasing. For his part, Meyer’s favorite artwork includes architectural renderings of Caroline Hall and maps of campus plans, many of which never came to fruition.
“It speaks to both the history and the future of North Park and the dreams that those before us had for the campus,” Meyer says.
President Surridge and her team used local businesses as much as possible for other touches, as well. Local florist Tea Rose provided fresh flower arrangements for Homecoming, while Wilkinson chose Lake View Art Supply, a Foster Avenue business, to make the frames for the archival photos. Work that couldn’t be completed by Physical Plant staffers was outsourced to a neighborhood contractor.
The result is a home that will suit the Surridge family’s needs, along with the University’s. One of President Surridge’s favorite pieces of art is a photo of part of Micah 6:8, which is etched on the stone sitting wall at the center of campus: “Walk humbly with your God.” It’s located at the top of the stairs, and President Surridge sees it every time she leaves the house.
“I like to look at that in the morning. I feel it’s a great way to start my day and defines my attitude for the entire day.”