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.
February 14–May 11, the North Park community has the exciting opportunity to attend original art exhibits featuring North Park’s very own senior art majors.
Interested in exploring local artistic talent but not sure where to start? February 14–May 11, the North Park community has the exciting opportunity to attend original art exhibits featuring North Park’s very own senior art majors. Every week the spotlight will shine on one senior’s solo art show. The exhibits are held in Carlson Gallery located in the Carlson Tower lobby. Closing their solo shows, each talented artist will hold a reception where they provide insight and lead discussion regarding their work.
The tradition of senior solo exhibitions is relatively new; until 2012, the senior shows were held as group exhibitions. According to Tim Lowly, gallery director and assistant professor of art, the shift from group to solo exhibitions gives seniors the opportunity of exhibiting more ambitious and expansive work—a challenge they’ve risen to year after year. Professor Lowly says, “It never ceases to amaze me to see the diversity of the work being produced by NPU art majors. This year is certainly indicative of that variety and creativity,” making this year’s senior art exhibitions a series of events you won’t want to miss.
2019 Senior Art Major Exhibitions
Ethan Oliver: February 14–21
Reception: February 21, 5–7 pm
“A display of antique phenomenon and nostalgia, Ethan has composed a compilation of fish and cigarettes strewn across grandma and grandpa’s house.”
Jessica Doering: February 21–28
Reception: February 28, 5–7 pm
“A nostalgic nosedive into the inner workings of a creative psyche. Bring your imagination.”
Samantha Gee: February 28–March 7
Reception: March 7, 5–7 pm
“Magic? Madness? Magicness.”
Lina Granberg: March 7–21
Reception: March 21, 5–7 pm
“As a curatorial studies art major, I am presenting an exhibition of work by two Chicago artists—Shannon Downey and Beverly Nash.”
Rebekah Law: March 21–28
Reception: March 28, 5–7 pm
“An abstracted study of the effects of trauma through monochromatic acrylic paintings of individuals.”
Michaela Scholte: March 28–April 4
Reception: March 29, 5–7 pm
“I want viewers to see how my paintings physically feel; I use paint to map texture and give an understanding of touch and implication of dimension.”
Mee-Joo Kong: April 4–11
Reception: April 5, 5–7pm
“Being real and true is a part of everyone’s humanity; showing that through film is one part of a unique identity.”
Arturo Valadez: April 11–18
Reception: April 18, 5–7pm
Maria Flores de Leon: April 18–25
Reception: April 25, 5–7pm
“Children’s day should be a day where kids are celebrated by their uniqueness, their interests, their personality and so much more!”
Amy Ryzewicz: April 25–May 2
Reception: May 2, 5–7 pm
“Nature is understood through science, replicated by artists and designers, and embellished upon by writers.”
Emmanuel Garfias: May 2–11
Reception: May 9, 5–7 pm
“My art consists of a coalition of familiar forms that hopefully lead the viewer to start foreshadowing.”
The second annual Taste of the Pacific event featured singing, dancing, and storytelling celebrating the heritage of North Park University’s Pacific Islander students.
More than 100 students and faculty members attended the second annual Taste of the Pacific event December 1, a festival featuring singing, dancing and storytelling that celebrated the heritage of North Park University’s Pacific Islander students.
“We are far away from home, but we have created a home here; we’re not a club, we’re a family,” said Rakiiba Va’alele, one of the founders of the Pacific Cultural Association, the group that put on the event.
The performances were designed to showcase the cultures of several Pacific Island nations, including Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti and Samoa.
“God and family—in that order—is the way of Polynesian Culture,” said Michael Conway, the event’s honorary speaker and also NPU’s head football coach. Conway and his wife, Beth, NPU’s project manager for student engagement, are longtime supporters of the PCA. “I’m thankful for you all, and I’m thankful for these young people.”
Throughout the night, students used song and dance to tell stories of their island nations’ cultures. Performers dressed in traditional garb, changing each time the audience “traveled” along to another island.
According to founders Va’alele and Leautea Faiai, the PCA’s vision is to see the Pacific Islander Community at North Park connected, empowered, and cared for academically, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
The event was sponsored by the Office of Diversity and the Student Government Association. A portion of the proceeds from the $7 admission price went toward NPU’s tuition assistance fund for Pacific Islander students.
SGA Vice President, Anosh Wasker, said the event showcases the best of NPU.
“Events like these bring out what North Park stands for, which is being multi-cultural,” Wasker said at the end of the night. “They show their own culture, they preserve their own culture, but also help others experience their culture.”
70 years ago, Rev. Eric Hawkinson and North Park College students, family, and friends stood over a bronze plaque on the back side of campus, inscribed: “Dedicated to the Memory of Alumni and Students of North Park College Who Gave Their Lives in the Service of Their Country During World War II.”
70 years ago, Rev. Eric Hawkinson and North Park College students, family, and friends stood over a bronze plaque on the back side of campus, inscribed: “Dedicated to the Memory of Alumni and Students of North Park College Who Gave Their Lives in the Service of Their Country During World War II.” After a number of years, the plaque was removed from its stand and placed into storage.
Names included on the plaque are: John Alfons, Quinton Almquist, Robert A. Anderson, Glenn Asp, Arthur F. Bailey, Louis Ballard, Bruce Birk, Harvey M. Brandriss, Bruce Brink, John Cadwallader, Irving Colburn, Bernard Corman, Thomas Couston, Roger Cross, David Duket, Paul Duncan, Philip A. Erby, Roy W. Erickson, Roger Fischer, William Gibhardt, Walter Goeske, Rolland Gustafson, Robert J. Hensel, Howard Hirsch, Robert Horn, James E. Ireland, James Johnson, Elmer Julius, Socrates Limber, Donald Lindquist, H. Burton Lovgren, Robert J. Margolis, Walter McGaw, Spero Melidones, Allan Peterson, Judson Richter, Glenn Rohden, Robert Schmidt, Roger Schoessling, William Schulze, Robert Stetson, Donald Sundstrom, William Swanson, Charles Taylor, and Robert Whiting.
During Dr. John Laukaitis’ research on North Park in the Second World War, he stumbled upon this artifact in the school’s archives. “I came across the World War II memorial plaque in the F.M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections last summer. Removed at some point and stored, the memorial plaque, heavily tarnished, showed its age,” said Dr. Laukaitis in an article he wrote to be published for the Covenant History Newsletter, used by his permission. This research and discovery of the plaque drove Dr. Laukaitis into writing a chapter in a book he is editing, Denominational Higher Education During World War II (Palgrave Macmillan).
“I shared drafts of the chapter with colleagues and students, including student veteran Nico Canete,” said Dr. Laukaitis. Nicholas Canete, Class of 2018, is a student veteran, who served in the Navy, beginning his school career in 2015 after his enlistment contract expired. “Nine months before my arrival on campus, I was on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf as we were launching air strikes against ISIS every day. Suddenly, I was sitting in the comfort of a college classroom where the conversation was mostly theoretical,” Canete wrote for the same article. When he heard of the plaque, Canete jumped on the opportunity and spoke to interim President Carl Balsam to have the plaque restored and reinstalled.
Canete also wrote about his transition from fighting ISIS on an aircraft carrier to sitting in a lecture hall, “what made that first year easier for me was the people at North Park. North Park’s community has welcomed me to the fullest extent of its hospitality. The reinstallation of the World War II memorial plaque is an example of this generosity. For my fellow student veteran friends and me on campus, some of whom have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, the plaque represents the University’s commitment to honoring and supporting those who have served.”
Dr. John Laukaitis and Nico Canete invite you to join with them and the North Park Community for a rededication on the 70th anniversary of the plaque’s initial instillation. The ceremony will be held at Isaacson Chapel at 6 pm on September 15 where each of the 45 fallen will be honored by name and any other information available.
Author Ana SeklerPosted on Categories Announcement, News, Stories
The performances were designed to showcase the cultures of several Pacific Island nations, including Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti and Samoa.
According to founders Va’alele and Leautea Faiai, the PCA’s vision is to see the Pacific Islander Community at North Park connected, empowered, and cared for academically, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
SGA Vice President, Anosh Wasker, said the event showcases the best of NPU.
