North Park has served five generations of students and continues to grow in diversity, academic relevance, and Christian commitment. Our Chicago location is a great asset that reflects the School’s global reach and outlook.
After 125 years, we’ve learned how to streamline the process of helping qualified applicants seek admission to North Park and find affordable ways to attend. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on our website, please contact us directly!
North Park offers more than 40 graduate and undergraduate programs in liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies. Classes average 17 students. 84% of our faculty have terminal degrees. Academics here are rigorous and results-oriented.
North Park Theological Seminary prepares you to answer the call to service through theological study, spiritual development, and the formative experiences of living in a community with others on a similar life path.
The Office of Alumni Engagement fosters lifelong connections by engaging alumni with the university and one another in activities, programs, and services that support the university’s mission and alumni needs.
Axelson Center hosted nearly 130 attendees representing Chicagoland nonprofit organizations at its “Focus on the Important” conference.
Nonprofit Professionals Receive Advice from Chicagoland’s Major Funders
CHICAGO, June 13, 2017—Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management at North Park University hosted nearly 130 attendees representing Chicagoland nonprofit organizations at its “Focus on the Important” conference. The engagement-themed agenda—packed with practical tips on getting the most out of human capital, the importance of relationship-building, and collecting the right kind of data for sound decision making—featured an entrepreneurial keynote speaker, moderators, and funders.
Keynote speaker Jacob Harold, President and CEO of GuideStar is a social change strategist, grantmaker, and author. Attendees absorbed best practices on collecting and utilizing data while Jacob lectured on “Data Scaffolding for Philanthropy – Information and the Marketplace for Good.”
Lisa Brown Alexander, President and CEO of Nonprofit HR followed with a session on employee retention; she offered strategies for leaders to keep employees engaged.
The afternoon panel, “Do Funders have a Secret Sauce?” was facilitated by James Parsons, President of The Brinson Foundation. Engaging discussions ensued from panelists:
Sandra Aponte, Program Officer at The Chicago Community Trust
Donald A. Cooke, Senior Vice President for Philanthropy at the McCormick Foundation
Robin Steans, Executive Director of Advance Illinois and Board Chair of the Steans Family Foundation.
The funders participated in a lively conversation about a range of topics, from the nature of the funder/grantee relationship to the role of foundations in addressing the budget woes in Illinois. They fielded questions during the Q&A on trends for grant opportunities, elements of successful collaborations, and views about sustainability.
The “Ask a Funder” sessions held at day’s end provided attendees with brief appointments to speak with funding representatives, including:
The Brinson Foundation
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago Foundation for Women
Community Memorial Foundation
JPMorgan Chase
Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation
Springboard Foundation
Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management at North Park University hosts conferences, workshops, custom trainings, and a BootCamp for New Nonprofit CEOs that offer learning and networking opportunities. The mission of the Center is to enhance the performance and effectiveness of organizations and individuals in the nonprofit sector through education, service, and resources.
North Park is Chicago’s city-centered, Christian University.
Leadership through idea sharing spearheaded by North Park senior business and economics major.
Leadership through idea sharing spearheaded by North Park senior business and economics major
CHICAGO, May 3, 2017—North Park University today held its first TEDx event, with the theme Shifting Paradigms. Inspired by a lecture in a Principles of Management & Leadership course, North Park student Paul Clines, a senior business and economics major, presented the idea of hosting a TEDx to his professor. “I’ll show you the steps in getting the TEDx license and you gather the students together,” encouraged Professor Hubbard in mentoring Clines.
Seventy student volunteers formed the solid group—ready-to-learn and open to shaping an effective leadership structure. Likened to a start-up company, the leadership structure consisted of complete transparency, cross collaboration, and a de-constructed organizational design omitting conventional vertical lines of direct reports. Six core team members of faculty, staff and students circulated among the volunteers, supporting all members to be part of the decision-making process.
“Every student is talented,” asserts Professor Hubbard. Guided by this belief, a true cross-collaboration effort evolved into a platform for undergraduate, graduate, faculty, staff, and the community to experience empowerment through idea sharing. “There are so many hidden talents at North Park that are now showcased through bringing TEDx to campus,” adds Professor Hubbard.
Passionate about bringing people and ideas together, Clines says TEDx is about making a positive impact. “TEDx provides a partial escapism while forming friendships, bonds, and connections,” expresses Clines.
TEDx North Park University featured voices and ideas from students, faculty, business professionals, and the community. Speakers included:
Soong-Chan Rah, seminary professor
Hardik Soni, fitness guru
Dominique Jordan Turner, nonprofit CEO
Robby Celestin, singer-songwriter
Nestor Gomez, storyteller
Seanna Wong, storyteller
Michelle Clifton-Soderstrom, seminary professor
Bringing the first TEDx event to North Park marks an exciting time in the University’s 125-year history, complemented by earning consistent rankings as one of the “Best Colleges” in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report and named—for the third time—a Top Producer of U.S. Fulbright Students by the U.S. Department of State.
ABOUT NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY
North Park University is Chicago’s city-centered Christian University.
Undergraduate students prepare to launch careers with covetable skills.
North Park is one of the first Universities in Illinois to offer a major in digital marketing. Pioneered by Dr. Trevor James, Chair of SPS business faculty, the curriculum equips students to meet technological advancements in digital and social media. With a network of Chicago-based businesses, the Office of Career Advancement works one-on-one with students to obtain internships and job placement. The digital marketing major joins the suite of quality business programs offered through SPS. The influx of new technology and marketing platforms has created more jobs than there is
The influx of new technology and marketing platforms has created more jobs than there is talent to support this growing industry. “Geared for students with an interest in leading the digital revolution in such positions as a social media manager, digital strategist, or SEO specialist, the BA in Digital Marketing from North Park equips students to get ahead of the learning curve,” says Lori Scrementi, North Park Dean, School of Professional Studies (SPS).
The new degree program is offered beginning fall 2017 and is accepting applications now.
Tim Ahlberg C’13, a business and economics alumnus, shares why he chose North Park.
Tim Ahlberg C’13, a business and economics alumnus, shares why he chose North Park.
Tim chose to attend North Park because he wanted to be in a big city, but at a college that felt personal. “I wanted to have relationships with my professors and mentors, and to live in a close-knit community where I could get to know other students from all different backgrounds,” he says. “And coming from a Covenant Church family, I knew I wanted to attend a Christian school, to be surrounded by others that shared my faith and would help me build and sustain my own faith throughout my formative college years.”
Maybe most important, Tim wanted a college environment that placed focus not just on finding a career, but living a life of significance and service. When he came to North Park, he got that environment—not only in the classroom, but in experiences around the campus and city. “There’s really nothing else like the community there that I’ve experienced before or after North Park. Students and faculty really all-in for your success, both personal and professional.”
He loved taking part in Chapel and College life services; was voted president of the student body; served with homeless ministries; and was captain of the men’s soccer team his senior year, being named an Academic All-American. “North Park is such a personal university that, no matter your area of study, your background, or your future pursuits, the entire campus feels like one community that exists because of and for each other,” Tim says. “I met amazing people who were so different than I was, and we learned so much from each others’ experiences and life stories.”
A business and economics major with a concentration in accounting and a minor in Spanish, Tim got to know his faculty members in North Park’s small class sizes. They encouraged him to study abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico, where he became fluent in Spanish. In his senior year, Tim received a Fulbright Binational Business Exchange Grant, which allowed him to complete a business internship and take MBA classes in in Mexico City. “None of this would have been possible without the support of the faculty and staff of North Park,” he says.
“By the time I started my full-time job in the United States, I was not only prepared with specific business acumen and skills gained through curriculum, but armed with a global perspective and bilingual capabilities that really set me apart in today’s competitive workforce,” Tim says.
As an assurance associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers, he focuses on accounting solutions and business operations improvements. “This includes traveling to business all over the country, and to Mexico, where I have been able to use my fluency in Spanish. I feel like North Park has prepared me beyond my peers for entering the global workforce.”
Chef returns to North Park for 125th Anniversary Alumni Panel
CHICAGO (October 3, 2016) — As a North Park University undergraduate student, Shanna Horner O’Hea had no idea that her major in art and minor in marketing would eventually lead her to competing in TV cooking shows. But while her career has taken an unexpected path, she’s always been driven by a pursuit of creative work.
“My connection with food is very related to art,” O’Hea, a 1994 North Park graduate, said. “Instead of using a paintbrush, I’m using food as my palate.”
Today, O’Hea and her husband, Brian, co-own the Kennebunk Inn and Academe restaurant in Kennebunk, Maine. Academe gained national notoriety when O’Hea’s lobster potpie dish was featured on the Food Network series The Best Thing I Ever Ate and her lobster white pizza made O magazine’s O List. Since then, she has competed on the shows Chopped, Rewrapped, and Beat Bobby Flay.
When she recently returned to campus for the University’s 125th Anniversary Celebration, she spoke at an Alumni Panel session about her experiences as a chef while performing a live cooking demonstration, then distributed toasted s’mores to the audience. “Education is in my bones,” said O’Hea, daughter of former North Park president Dr. David Horner. “My desire to continue to learn is something I absolutely got at North Park.”
We spoke with O’Hea about how staying true to herself led to a career she loved, the ways in which her small seaside town is like North Park, and “the dance” of a kitchen running smoothly.
North Park: How did your time at North Park prepare you for what you do now?
Shanna Horner O’Hea: North Park provided great structure and accountability for me. It’s the first time in your life when you’re really making personal decisions that have consequences. I think that structure reflects my job now because I feel accountable for employees, our reputation, inspiring staff to give it their all.
I also felt a great deal of community in a large city at North Park, which is something rather special about the campus and the people that encompass it. I made lifelong friends at North Park, and I think this feeling of a small community in an interesting area led me to Kennebunk. My job as an innkeeper and chef introduces me to Maine locals, international and domestic tourists, and interns. I love the cultural diversity that this small seaside town can provide, which mirrors my feelings while attending North Park.
NP: Was there a specific moment or experience at North Park that helped kick off the trajectory of your career?
O’Hea: I truly did not understand my direct connection to becoming a chef while at North Park, but I did have an “aha” moment of the importance of pursuing a career in something you love. As a freshman, I started with an art focus because I always loved to create. But I got a little self-conscious with the first classes and wondered if I was good enough to pursue this path. I also fell under some peer pressure of “what kind of job are you going to get after college as an art major?”
I then decided to pursue business and marketing for that post-college job. Although I enjoyed the marketing classes—and the free candy and inspirational videos the instructor had us watch—economics was certainly not my thing. I eventually went back to the arts with encouragement from my mother about truly enjoying my time in college and doing what made me happy. She was right with the advice that keeping true to yourself would lead to a career that I loved.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the dining scene in Chicago. I certainly think going out to eat in such a live culinary city help guide me to becoming a chef.
NP: You mentioned that your connection to food is related to your passion for art. Could you tell us more about that relationship?
O’Hea: Art is about creating and evoking feelings on many levels; this is also true of dining. As a chef, I am constantly creating dishes and recipes by paying attention to colors, textures, temperatures, plating, beverage pairings, and of course, selling it to the customer. Food can make you happy, provide memories, give you comfort—it makes you feel, just like art.
There is also a sense of magic in the kitchen when we are working the line. They call it “the dance.” This happens when a team has worked together for a while, and the timing of courses and expediting is on point. It feels amazing when it happens. It is what keeps me cooking; that adrenaline push when you do a great night of service is wonderful. And finally, some dining experiences can be like going to the theater—and can cost even more. But I love it, on every culinary level.
NP: Do you have a favorite North Park memory?
O’Hea: One of my favorite memories was our art Senior Show. I volunteered to be responsible for the food, which, given my passion for hospitality and culinary arts now, seems rather appropriate. I remember being just as excited about showcasing my art projects as I was about the menu-planning and execution of the show. Another example of the arts and the culinary intersecting.
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CHICAGO (October 3, 2016) — As a North Park University undergraduate student, Shanna Horner O’Hea had no idea that her major in 