Autumn provides the wonderful opportunity to welcome to campus the “bookend” generations of the North Park community: our incoming first-year class arriving in late August to begin their North Park experience and our devoted alumni as they travel back to campus for Homecoming to celebrate their reunion with lifelong friends. I was delighted to share in each of these experiences over the last two months, and though it has been my honor to serve North Park in a variety of roles in the past, I now feel the profound responsibility and privilege to accept the role of president at this time in our school’s history.
Throughout North Park’s rich history, generations of students and alumni have provided a legacy that reflects an evolving educational institution—marked by exceptional secondary education during the Academy days, as well as the energy and promise of the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students of today. A snapshot of our “bookends” looks like this:
Homecoming 2018 included the All-Academy Reunion, a celebration for former students, faculty, and staff of North Park Academy. One of the honorees that weekend was Dean Betty Nelson C’44, the beloved professor and dean of women who brought great spirit, humor, and grace to our campus during her 42-year tenure. In recalling her time teaching at the Academy, Betty commented, “There was a warmth and spirit within the student body that made it very special. I felt there was such a beautiful sense of understanding one another, appreciating the talents and gifts that other students had. It just lives on.”
Fast forward to today, when our incoming first-year class arrived as the second largest first-year class in our history. This bright, diverse, and talented class comes to us from 28 different states, 18 countries, 5 continents, and 2 U.S. territories. They study a wide range of disciplines; they live on campus and they commute. Ten have joined CRUX, our living-learning discipleship community, and over one third represent North Park as student-athletes. Some have legacy ties to North Park and some will be the first in their family to attend college.
Even as we advance our mission and face our future together, I am very grateful for the legacy and faithfulness of the past, which gives us a compass to guide our future, pointing our University toward the challenges and opportunities we must be ready to meet.
The summer of transition for our family included time spent with a devoted delegate body at the Evangelical Covenant Church annual meeting, Gather 2018, held in Minneapolis in June. It was a time of introduction and affirmation—I am grateful and encouraged by the support that North Park received there.
I was also grateful to join the North Park delegation at the CHIC gathering this summer in Knoxville, Tenn.—3,000 high school students in one arena, at one time, investing a week of their lives in faith development and service. It was exhilarating and inspiring, and we are energized to continue our renewed and assertive efforts to recruit these students as prospective North Parkers in the future.
And finally, our family experienced a move for the first time in 22 years. We made our way across four blocks of the neighborhood to Hawkinson House, the University’s home and president’s residence. We are humbled and delighted to occupy this marvelous home in service to North Park. In this issue you will learn about the many talented members of the North Park community who contributed to our goal of reflecting the history and legacy of our school while celebrating the students of today and their remarkable accomplishments.
Enjoy this issue, and may God bless your family during this holiday season.
in Christ,
Mary K. Surridge, President