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.
Through the cross-disciplinary lenses of history and science, Professor and Lecturer in History Peter Olfelt and Associate Professor of Biology Drew Rholl, shared their expertise to offer an innovative curriculum teaching North Park students about pandemics.
Through the cross-disciplinary lenses of history and science, Professor and Lecturer in History Peter Olfelt and Associate Professor of Biology Drew Rholl, shared their expertise to offer an innovative curriculum teaching North Park students about pandemics.
Professor Olfelt teaches a hybrid class called Pandemics in History, where he juxtaposes three historical periods in the context of pandemics including the plague pandemics, the 1918 influenza outbreak, and AIDS. Students learn how pandemics have been perceived differently in these historical periods as well as the short-term and long-term effects the diseases have had on our society and culture.
Peter Olfelt, Professor and Lecturer in History
In the sciences, Dr. Rholl teaches about microbes, how they grow, and how they affect the human body in his online course, Advanced Topics in Biology: Pandemics. With a specialized focus on the spread of diseases, the course explores the nature of organisms that cause disease, what different diseases look like, how they can be treated, and how the body is working.
Although the classes are not synchronous, students engage with both the history and science perspectives through shared video presentations. “The courses were designed to leverage the experience of each group so they could build off of each other,” said Dr. Rholl.
Integrated into the curriculum is the biology of the disease and its history. “To really dig into the nature of the disease, where it comes from, how it spreads, and the various strains of it, I find that that has made my classes even better,” said Professor Olfelt.
As a smaller environment, North Park’s close-knit community fosters cross-departmental relationships and collaboration among faculty and students. “Sometimes when we’re siloed in our own fields, we suffer from blind spots, which basically means that as a microbiologist I don’t know what history instructors don’t know. By having a conversation, we can identify those questions and have a much more effective transfer of ideas,” said Dr. Rholl.
Professor Olfelt says students are responding well to the collaborative curriculum, and it has boosted student engagement. “When we’re studying various diseases and looking at newspaper articles or papers, it’s easy to engage the class with how this relates to their own personal experience,” says Professor Olfelt, who’s excited to be teaching at this particular moment in time.
Thanks to the collaboration between Professor Olfelt and Dr. Rholl, these innovative courses are creating additional learning opportunities for students to make connections between the classroom and real-world experiences.
Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was recently invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).
Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was recently invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).
Founded in 1754 by William Shipley, the RSA has included leading intellectuals such as Benjamin Franklin, Charles Dickens, Nelson Mandela, and Stephen Hawking. Fellows come from a wide range of fields, including literature, business, science, art, education, and journalism. Today, the RSA has over 29,000 Fellows in Britain and all over the world. The mission of the RSA is “to enrich society through ideas and action. Fellows have access to the brightest new ideas, innovative projects, a diverse network of like-minded people and a platform for social change.”
“Chicago is an arts powerhouse and global cultural destination . . . I’m passionate about making the arts and local culture available to Chicagoans and visitors.”
“Chicago is an arts powerhouse and global cultural destination . . . I’m passionate about making the arts and local culture available to Chicagoans and visitors.”
—Jamey Lundblad C’95: Chief Marketing Officer, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
Jamey Lundblad C’95 loves Chicago. As chief marketing officer for the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, his job is to promote the city’s many cultural offerings. It’s one he relishes.
“Chicago is an arts powerhouse and a global cultural destination—the birthplace of the skyscraper and modern architecture, storefront theatre, improv, the urban blues, and more,” Lundblad says. “I’m passionate about making the arts and local culture available to Chicagoans and visitors, and I love going to see exhibits, theatre, and dance myself—every chance I get. So, I’m grateful that my job allows me to advocate for the arts and Chicago every day.”
The communication arts and Swedish double major says North Park prepared him well for his high-profile position with the city, where he’s responsible for marketing Chicago’s many festivals and promoting Millennium Park, the number-one tourist attraction in the Midwest.
“My classes at North Park were terrific and provided a solid foundation for my career,” says the Minnesota native. “But what really shaped me were my experiences outside the classroom and around the world,” including his semester in Sweden and his role as Student Government president his senior year.
“My study abroad in Sweden gave me confidence and a more expansive worldview,” says Lundblad, who was mentored by many beloved North Park professors and staff, including David and Sue Horner, Melissa Morris-Olson, and Charles Peterson, among others.
After graduation, Lundblad got his career off the ground as an editor and event planner for North Park. Then he moved on to roles at marketing agency VSA Partners and as director of marketing for the Chicago Public Library.
Now a frequent world traveler, Lundblad also serves on the board of directors of Edgar Miller Legacy, a group whose mission is to preserve the architect’s “handmade homes” throughout the country, but especially in the Chicagoland area.
In fact, Lundblad and his husband, Bill Melamed, held their recent wedding in the R.W. Glasner Studio, a building designed by Miller, who was known as a master painter, wood carver, and stained-glass maker. Lundblad and Melamed are committed to supporting the arts, as well as a variety of LGBTQ causes.
Lundblad hails from a long line of North Park alumni: his aunt, uncle, brother, and sister-in-law all attended North Park.
“I’m proud to call myself a North Park Legacy,” Lundblad says.
Newly released by NYU Press is Market Cities, People Cities: The Shape of Our Urban Future, co-authored by Michael Emerson, Provost of North Park University, and Kevin T. Smiley.
“An in-depth look at the urban environments of Houston and Copenhagen
How are modern cities changing, and what implications do those changes have for city inhabitants? What kinds of cities do people want to live in, and what cities do people want to create in the future? Michael Oluf Emerson and Kevin T. Smiley argue that western cities have diverged into two specific and different types: market cities and people cities. Market cities are focused on wealth, jobs, individualism, and economic opportunities. People cities are more egalitarian, with government investment in infrastructure and an active civil society. Analyzing the practices and policies of cities with two separate foci, markets or people, has substantial implications both for everyday residents and future urban planning and city development.
As twenty-first century cities diverge, Market Cities, People Cities is essential for urban dwellers anxious to be active in their pursuit of their best cities, as well as anyone looking to the future of cities around the world. ”
Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of Arts and Sciences, was elected President of the Austrian Studies Association, a member institution of the American Council of Learned Societies.
Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of Arts and Sciences, was elected President of the Austrian Studies Association, a member institution of the American Council of Learned Societies. Thuswaldner will serve a two-year term as President. The US-based Austrian Studies Association was founded in 1961 to promote the study of Austrian, Austro-Hungarian, and Habsburg culture, literature, history, and politics. The Austrian Studies Association publishes a quarterly scholarly journal, the Journal of Austrian Studies (University of Nebraska Press) and organizes annual conferences. As President, Thuswaldner also serves as the association’s Chief Executive Officer Liaison to and ex-officio Board Member of the American Council of Learned Societies.
North Park Senior Renee Baker is nominated for the prestigious Glenn T. Seaborg Science Scholarship after completing an internship with NASA.
North Park Senior Renee Baker has been nominated for the prestigious Glenn T. Seaborg Science Scholarship, an honor bestowed upon an outstanding natural science major at one of the six colleges recognized by the Swedish Council of America as a Swedish Heritage College. North Park is recognized as such an institution because of its active connection with modern Scandinavia, via its language studies and academic exchange programs.
“I’m so incredibly honored to be nominated for this scholarship,” said Baker, an environmental science major, of the award named for the famed Swedish chemist.
She’s certainly worthy: while many college kids spend their break on the beach or working a part-time job, Baker was doing test flights with NASA. Last summer, Baker spent two months in California interning with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, tagging along on plane rides, collecting atmospheric data and learning how various instruments worked.
The Carol Stream, Illinois native actually applied for the NASA internship on something of a whim. “I honestly just got an email from [chemistry professor] Dr. Rienstra-Kiracofe, and I applied because, why not?” Baker says. Rienstra-Kiracofe provided a letter of recommendation, and the next thing Baker knew, she was on her way to Irvine, Ca.
In addition to the flying experience, Baker spent several weeks on campus at the University of California, Irvine, where she learned how to use tools to perform remote sensing and took a trip to the Jet Propulsion Lab. At the end of the internship, she and her group presented to a group of NASA employees and fellow students.
Ultimately, Baker, a physics minor, plans to pursue a career in alternative energy and biomimicry engineering, a field of science that seeks sustainable solutions to human-generated problems by copying patterns in nature. For instance, scientists who specialize in biomimicry are testing new plumbing and electric systems that mimic the branch-like structure of trees and leaves, as they may be more efficient than pipes positioned at right angles.
Baker will find out in March if she has won the coveted Seaborg prize, which includes airfare to Sweden, a living stipend, and participation in December’s Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar, a weeklong series of events arranged in connection with Nobel Peace Prize activities.
As University Dean, Dr. Liza Ann Acosta’s hope is to facilitate the work of faculty development—with a student body comprised of a diverse population and mirrored by a diverse faculty.
“I am invested in the wellbeing of my students and my colleagues. Being asked to do more with little is overwhelming, but my colleagues’ dreams for our students are on my mind every single day. My wish is to make those become real possibilities. An investment in our faculty is an investment in our students.”
Facilitating Faculty Development
As University Dean, Dr. Liza Ann Acosta’s hope is to facilitate the work of faculty development—with a student body comprised of a diverse population and mirrored by a diverse faculty, so that all our students can see themselves reflected in the people who teach them. A new mentorship program for first-year and ongoing rising faculty and a partnership with the Faculty Senate and Office of Institutional Effectiveness for the inclusion of adjunct faculty development are among the initiatives supporting Dean Acosta’s vision of having a well-rounded, diverse faculty at North Park.
Retention and Recruitment of Faculty of Color
Dean Acosta has initiated efforts to more effectively recruit and retain faculty of color who can and do impact the student learning experience through expertise, mentorship, and role-modeling. In these efforts, Dean Acosta advises and serves on search committees, advocates for faculty and staff of color, and leads monthly meetings for faculty and staff of color for community-building.
Helping Students Have an Enriching Intercultural Experience
Dean Acosta is encouraged every day by North Park students as she observes them make connections between classroom and world. “Preparing students to contribute in real possible ways—through the arts, life sciences, technology—is what we seek at North Park, with faculty who have a passion for planting a seed and watching students grow.”
At North Park, Dean Acosta continues to teach, advise, and mentor students. She is also part of the Council on Diversity Equity and Inclusion whose central role includes bias reporting. “I am always thinking of ways that North Park’s faculty, as a collective, can be even better in their respective specialty fields, and how we can help students have an enriching, intercultural experience,” said Dean Acosta. Academic programs are structured in a way to reflect both a rigorous learning experience in the classroom and experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom when engaging how the diverse city of Chicago functions and thrives.
Core principles guide Dean Acosta: encouraging creativity, providing resources for continuous improvement and innovation, documenting and learning from best practices in research and teaching, advocating for a diverse faculty, and nurturing professional development for all faculty members. Meeting the needs of both students and faculty is an ongoing process—a role that for Dean Acosta is always evolving.
Nineteen North Park students enrolled in Methods in Social Research will attend the 2017 Illinois Sociological Association, seven of whom will present original research.
Nineteen North Park students enrolled in Methods in Social Research are heading to the 2017 Illinois Sociological Association meeting on November 17th, 2017. The students will share seven presentations based on original research ideas developed in the course and as part of activities conducted through the Urban Peace Lab— established and run by their instructor, Dr. Peter K. B. St. Jean, Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of Criminal Justice at North Park. Seven research abstracts were accepted for presentation on one panel and one roundtable.
On the panel, Dr. St. Jean will present a paper entitled, “Conducting Better News Research,” which will provide the general conceptual framework for the students’ research. Dr. St. Jean will also introduce the students presenting on the following topics:
I AM NOT GOING BACK: Recidivism and Social Environment in Chicago
REVENGE WITHOUT VIOLENCE: How Residents of Chicago’s High Crime Neighborhoods Avenge Victimization Without Violence
PEACE WITHOUT GUNS: How Chicago Residents Within High Gun Violence Neighborhoods Resolve Conflicts Without the Use of Guns
THE UPRISE: Youth and Gang Avoidance in Chicago
POVERTY AND PEACE IN CHICAGO: Voices on the Ground
IN SPITE OF IT ALL: Triumph After Human Trafficking
Also attending and presenting papers on Visual Urban Peaceology are North Park alumnus and current University of Chicago graduate student, Eirik J. Berger, and current NPU Theatre and Communications student, Seanna Wong. The panel will be led by Dr. St. Jean’s presentation entitled “Introduction to Peaceology and Urban Peaceology: Findings from Multi-methods Research in Chicago.” Eirik J. Berger and Seanna Wong will then present their papers respectively:
VISUAL URBAN PEACEOLOGY: Understanding and Amplifying Peace Intelligence in the Urban Context Through the Use of Visual Tools, Ethnography, Qualitative Data, and Media Research
THE ROLE OF THEATRE IN VISUAL URBAN PEACEOLOGY: Findings from Ground-Breaking Ethnographic Research and Activism in Chicago
“I’m happy that these students get this opportunity to make history by being part of the research team that collectively introduces Peaceology, Urban Peaceology, and Better News Research for the first time to an academic conference. They have been working hard to conduct the best presentations, and I am confident that they will do well,” said Professor St. Jean, chairperson of the Sociology Department at North Park.
Palgrave Macmillan to publish The Hermeneutics of Hell: Visions and Representations of the Devil in World Literature, edited by Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Humanities at North Park University.
“This collection of essays analyzes global depictions of the devil from theological, Biblical, and literary perspectives, spanning the late Middle Ages to the 21st century. The chapters explore demonic representations in the literary works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Dante Alighieri, Charles Baudelaire, John Milton, H.P. Lovecraft, and Cormac McCarthy, among others. The text examines other media such as the operas Orfeo and Erminia sul Giordano and the television shows Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and Mad Men.
The Hermeneutics of Hell, featuring an international set of established and up-and-coming authors, masterfully examines the evolution of the devil from the Biblical accounts of the Middle Ages to the individualized presence of the modern world.”
Thuswaldner is dean of arts and sciences and professor of humanities at North Park University.
Thuswaldner is dean of arts and sciences and professor of humanities at North Park University.
He is now an active member of the Academy’s Class I (Humanities). The ceremony took place at the University of Salzburg, Austria. The European Academy of Sciences and Arts promotes excellence in fields such as the humanities, medicine, arts, sciences, economics, law, and religion.
The European Academy of Sciences and Arts’ 1,900 members include 29 Nobel Prize recipients and former Pope Benedict XVI. The members of the Academy have a distinguished academic publication record and an impeccable reputation in academia. The Academy’s nominating committee nominates potential members who are then voted on by the Senate of the Academy. Funded by the European Union, the Austrian State as well as by private donors, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts is one of the biggest academic think tanks in the world that is dedicated to interdisciplinary research and regularly discusses pressing issues in the academy and civic society.
Being voted into the European Academy of Sciences and Arts is regarded as a great honor.
Author Ellen AlmerPosted on Categories Stories
Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was recently invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).
“An in-depth look at the urban environments of Houston and Copenhagen
North Park Senior Renee Baker has been nominated for the prestigious Glenn T. Seaborg Science Scholarship, an honor bestowed upon an outstanding natural science major at one of the six colleges recognized by the Swedish Council of America as a Swedish Heritage College. North Park is recognized as such an institution because of its active connection with modern Scandinavia, via its language studies and academic exchange programs.
