Owen R. Youngman comes from a family of North Parkers. In fact, he and his wife, Linda (Erlandson) Youngman NPC ’75 married in Isaacson Chapel and recently celebrated their 50th anniversary.

At the awards ceremony held during Homecoming, he reflected on his and his classmates’ time at North Park. “It prepared us for lives of significance and service in our careers, our churches, and our communities.”

Youngman is a professor emeritus of journalism at Northwestern University, where he taught the institution’s first Massive Open Online Course. He had a 37-year career at The Chicago Tribune and played a key role in launching its website and RedEye.

Youngman also served on the Evangelical Covenant Church Executive Board, as chair of the North Park University Board of Trustees, and as chair of Libertyville Covenant Church, where he sings in the choir and has led its brass ensemble for 35 years.