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.
Viking Preview Days offer you a firsthand taste of the North Park University experience by allowing you to connect with our community and learn about our vibrant student life. Viking Preview Days are an ideal opportunity for students to take the next step in their college journey and discover what makes North Park special.
Highlights:
-Attend “Coffee with Coaches” and learn more about Viking Athletics (optional)
-Are you a first-generation college student? Attend a session designed just for you! (optional)
-Connect with faculty from your intended major
-Explore our campus oasis on a tour led by North Park students
-Get all your questions answered about your admissions application and financial aid
“I left India when I was 17 to start college. Initially, it was hard to be away from home, but I was intentional about becoming involved with the campus community. As an international student, I don’t have family here, but North Park has become a family to me.”
Esther Uputuri is a Junior earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. She is also a resident assistant, student ambassador, president of the South Asia Cultural Club, and member of the Nonprofit Club and International Justice Mission.
“I left India when I was 17 to start college.
I always thought I would come to the U.S. for my masters or for vacation, but I never expected to for my undergrad. It was definitely God-led. God, at the right time, brought people into my life to encourage me. When I arrived on my flight ten days before the semester started, it was a new beginning, and I was looking forward to seeing how my life would play out.
Living and studying in the middle of a large, world-class city has given me an opportunity to experience an urban perspective on life—to study and understand the fast-paced lifestyle and socio-economic diversity. City life gives me endless opportunities; whether they be vocational or educational, arts or entertainment, work or worship, I get to have a hands-on experience in the city. Access to more internships and other career-boosting experiences also adds to the appeal.
North Park is equipping me with resources to overcome challenges, better myself, and move one step closer to my dream every single day. My professors are amazing, especially the nursing and nonprofit professors. They are very encouraging and willing to help. Initially, it was hard to be away from home, but I was intentional about becoming involved with the campus community. As an international student, I don’t have family here, but North Park has become a family to me.
Living by yourself will challenge you in a lot of ways, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and it helps you reflect on who you are and what you have learned. It’s a tough world, and North Park is preparing me to be more independent.”
“For a while, I was dead-set on moving away. Then I visited North Park as a prospective student. That was when I realized that I could make my own experience here and do my own thing.”
Sarah Hawkinson is a history and secondary education major. She is also a desk attendant, writing advisor, participates in the women’s chorale, and tutors students from Peterson Elementary school.
“North Park went from being my last choice to the perfect choice for me. My family has a lot of history and connections at North Park, so it had been in my life so much already and for a while, I was dead-set on moving away. Then I attended a scholarship event; it was my first time visiting as a prospective student. I had fun meeting other people I would potentially go to school with, and the idea of coming to North Park began to feel more real. That was when I realized that I could make my own experience here and do my own thing.
The interactions I had with professors, even before attending North Park, were really encouraging because it seemed like they already wanted to be invested in their students—to be more than just professors but mentors who are there to help you make choices. That’s what I love about North Park now. Having the opportunity to get coffee with my professors and take extra time outside of the classroom is something that I feel my friends at other schools don’t get. And now that I am getting to the core of what I want to study, my professors are ready and eager to challenge me, especially when I’ve shown that I’m invested and interested in their class.
Another aspect of North Park that I’ve grown to appreciate is its location in the city, which has helped me to continue in my faith life by learning more about cultural and religious diversity. I’m definitely growing and having positive and new experiences in this city setting. It has been important for me to get to know others and hear about a variety of experiences; it’s enhancing my faith-life and the way I see the world.
I’ve realized being close to home has more benefits than drawbacks. I can go home every weekend or once a semester. I’ve been very happy with my decision to go somewhere which happened to be close to home, but really my decision was more multi-faceted than that. It was the opportunity to grow at a school where professors and students encourage faith, growth, and learning. Plus, I get to keep my winter clothes at home during the spring.”
Three students share how getting involved on campus has shaped their experience at North Park University.
Lydia Vander Stelt
Junior, Double Major in Business & Economics and Nonprofit Management
From Grand Rapids, MI
“I chose North Park because of its location. I wanted to set myself far enough away from home to be able to grow, but not have a hard time getting home. The best characteristic of North Park is that it is city-centered and we have the Catalyst 606__ program. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have had to grow in my faith both in and outside of the city. North Park is good at providing opportunities for students to grow in their faith, but not forcing that growth, which I think is key in the transition from high school into college and becoming an adult.
As a freshman, I decided to take the time to breathe and not get involved in many activities. When I participated in the Catalyst 606__ Semester, it opened a lot of doors for meeting new people and friends, which was crucial to my getting involved. Now I’m the communications director for the Student Government Association. I work to make the Student Government more transparent and accessible to the student body. What is so unique about the student government is that I have been able to get to know the University administration and act as the liaison so that students are heard.”
Betty Rodriguez
Junior, Biology Major and Pre-Med
From Mexico and Chicago, IL
“Being a part of Rising Dreamers United means being informative about issues in the immigration community. It isn’t just about DACA students or immigrant students on campus, but a variety of students on campus that people need to know about. These issues affect thousands of students and many more families.
I have also been involved in the Student Government Association (SGA) since last year, and I’ve stayed involved because it allows me to help others wherever they are struggling. I am able to share with other students what SGA is working on, and sometimes students come to me with issues.
My first impression of North Park was when I came for the Lighthouse Scholarship meeting (a cohort program for first-generation college students) and I was like ‘wow, this is where I want to be.’ The family and community that you can build here is something that I love. You can always count on someone on campus.”
Jared Koehler
Senior, Double Major in Business & Economics and Politics & Government
From Kukana, WI
“My curiosity brought me to North Park, and I’m really glad that I came here because it expanded my world view. I made a lot of international friends which pushed me to study abroad, something I might not have done if I hadn’t gone to North Park. I’ve learned that the world is such an amazing place. It has made me more open-minded and instilled in me a better understanding of others.
Next to the international focus, the student-faculty relationship is the best thing about North Park. I feel that education should not only be to hear something but to practice it through discourse. North Park has an intense mission to bring students and professors together and to facilitate conversation. Because of that, I have met some professors who have helped me both to improve my skills and to network.
North Park is a great transition from leaving high school to becoming someone who is truly prepared, not only for the work force but for relationships with people who are different from oneself. It is a good fit for anyone who is curious to learn about others and the value of diversity in opinions and cultures.”
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.”
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.
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.
