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.
North Park University held a candlelight vigil on the steps of Old Main on February 20, 2017.
President Parkyn welcomed students, faculty, staff, and the public to a candlelight vigil on February 20, 2017, called “Hope Has a Home Here.” Held in response to the travel ban issued several weeks previously by President Trump, the vigil tapped into the movement “Hate Has No Home Here,” created by a North Park alumnus.
Candles were lit starting from the center candle, and the light moved through the crowd, each person giving light to the next. A series of litanies were performed by students and faculty, led by Professor Boaz Johnson and Student Body President Steve Smrt, with an audience response of “Hate has no home here” and “Hope has a home here.”
“We remember,” said Faith and Justice leader Jorie Dybcio, “our own immigrant origins, and the origin of North Park University as a Christian institution that, from the beginning of its existence, has sought to empower and give voice to all.”
“Hope has a home here!” the audience responded.
Dr. Helen Hudgens performed a rendition of “This Little Light of Mine” substituting some of the lyrics to reflect the current events, such as the DREAMers act, and calling out prominent political figures, letting them know that her light will continue to shine. This was followed by a multi-lingual reading—including in English, Spanish, German, Korean, Afrikaans—of Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (NIV).
Although the night was windy, and multiple candles were blown out, there was always someone nearby to share their light. It characterized the attitude of those who attended: they were there to help re-light the candle that had been snuffed out in others’ lives.
“The Hope Candlelight Vigil was an attempt for us to follow the teaching and example of Christ, to love our neighbor—the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the Samaritan. . . . My hope and prayer is that we’ll continue to be a community which keeps doing this. In doing so, we will be more like Jesus, and truly a Christian community,” said Dr. Boaz Johnson.
Remembering the Resurrected One is what will bring true reconciliation and freedom.
This is a student blog post submitted by Marcus Payne II, C’17. Marcus is a communications and biblical and theological studies major.
What is at the heart of being free as a black man?
That has been on my heart for a while. This passion to be more than a statistic started at the first college I attended, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). There, for the first time in my life, I had a black male professor, and it was one of the most mind-blowing and enriching experiences I ever had. He constantly made us aware of our vulnerability as black men, and how the world expected us to fail. He made sure we were aware that all 25 of the black men in that class could be more than the next rapper and ball player.
These experiences led me to a phase in life where I want to pair racial reconciliation with the truth of the Gospel.
In America, oppression and marginalization exist even while people claim the country to be Christian. I feel that this is the direct opposite of how Christ envisioned the kingdom of God. Lupe Fiasco says in his song Strange Fruition: “Now I can’t pledge allegiance to your flag because I can’t find no reconciliation with your past / When there was nothing equal for my people in your math / You forced us in the ghetto and then you took our dads.”
As a black man, my life is honestly expendable to America. However, North Park showing a sign that they care for people who look like me, by hosting a Black Lives Matter rally—that was a step back into the realm of reconciliation and the Gospel’s true message of liberation.
In today’s society, there is an obvious lack of love and that is what is missing in the reality true freedom. For author and pastor Dwight Hopkins, love is freedom and allows oppressed and marginalized people to find their true image, which is the Imago Dei. For Hopkins, both love and freedom are keys to having a healthy theological anthropology that pushes us to the image of God and directs Christians towards God’s mission. “‘Freedom and justice for all’ isn’t a reality for people of color because there is a lack of love in society,” he writes.
So what is the solution? In his book A Black Theology of Liberation, James Cone uses the resurrection of Christ to show the need to liberate those who are oppressed. For Cone, Christ’s resurrection is the theme that shows the ultimate power over oppression. “To say no to oppression and yes to liberation is to encounter the existential significance of the Resurrected One.”
Easter is approaching and, from a Christian perspective, remembering the Resurrected One is what will bring true reconciliation and freedom.
Listening to his peers in a campus rally opened one student’s eyes.
This is a student blog post submitted by Stephen Nielsen, C’19. Stephen is an English major with a concentration in creative writing.
Listening to his peers in a campus rally opened one student’s eyes.
North Park University held a Black Lives Matter rally on campus back in November of 2016. The first of its kind on campus, it highlighted injustices faced by students of color. Students stepped up to the mic and told the stories of their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
Having grown up in Denmark for most my life, I’ve been ignorant of the challenges facing people of color in America, and of the privilege afforded to me because of the color of my skin. I heard stories, saw the news, but never experienced it first-hand. I’m not oppressed, and I don’t find myself an oppressor, so it doesn’t affect me. I could watch from the sidelines, I could claim my ignorance, and chalk it up to my time spent in a foreign country; it’s not my problem. Emily Bourne, seminary student and resident director of Ohlson Hall says otherwise. “Oppression affects all of us whether we realize it or not; whether conscious of it or not. To hear another people group cry out and say their lives seemingly don’t matter; this should be something that we pay attention to.”
Although the civil rights movement made great strides for racial justice, profiling is still prominent in American culture. Black Lives Matter intends to expose the injustices facing black Americans today. “We’re not walking around in chains, but we still have a lot of things that are causing us to be held down in bondage, and to still have these systems of oppression,” remarked Jacqueline Strapp, director of diversity at North Park University.
I finally understood why racial problems still exist as I stood in Anderson Chapel, as it overflowed with an arresting array of faces. Why had so many entered this place of raw peace and genuine expression, gathered in the name of Christ? “Because change doesn’t happen without your participation, because it shows your support to those who are suffering, and especially because we’re a diverse community, it’s also empowering yourself to learn how to make change,” said Michael Emerson, Provost, North Park University.
There is work to be done, but making change isn’t complicated. Stephen Kelly, worship arts coordinator for University Ministries at North Park University says that “for there to be racial reconciliation it has to be a re-humanization.”
“Even if you don’t agree,” Strapp said, “you should at least listen,” because ignorance doesn’t solve problems. Choosing to ignore the social and racial injustices still affecting black people across the country won’t make the movement stop. I’m not saying that you must become an activist, I’m not saying that because these issues have deeply affected me, that they should affect you too. However, like Strapp told me, “be educated so that you can be informed when you choose a side. Don’t choose because it’s always been this way for you. Choose it because you have heard both sides, and understand why you are the way you are.”
The stories of injustice I heard from those who spoke and those I interviewed were horrible and troubling. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I want to change something, I want to help the current change happening across America; the change on campus. The opportunity to participate in Sankofa, a University Ministries led trip, arose and I accepted.
The account of my Sankofa experience will be the topic of a future post.
Carmen Velazquez-Alvarez C’16, conflict transformation studies alumna, shares why she chose North Park.
Carmen Velazquez-Alvarez C’16, conflict transformation studies alumna, shares why she chose North Park.
I was looking for a Christian university with a personal touch. I attended a Covenant church in California’s Central Valley, and a member of my church—who was also my chemistry teacher and my mentor—urged me to apply to North Park.
I have a heart for the underserved and now serve California Central Valley’s large immigrant community. I plan to earn a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) and leverage my experience in the Valley to start a nonprofit organization.
It was as a student at North Park that I discovered my passion for service and realized I have the power to make a difference in others’ lives. I served as the president of the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) and cofounded a mentorship group for Latina students. I also served in campus ministry and interned at the YWCA.
At every step along my journey North Park, I was encouraged. I’m incredibly appreciative of the support I received and relationships I developed.
Recognized for the third time, North Park has current Fulbright students in Macedonia, Mexico, and Peru.
Recognized for the third time, North Park has current Fulbright students in Macedonia, Mexico, and Peru.
CHICAGO (February 21, 2017) — North Park University, Chicago’s intercultural, Christian university, has been named a Top Producer of U.S. Fulbright Students for the third year. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced the U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2016–2017 Fulbright U.S. Students. North Park was named alongside two other Illinois institutions, University of Chicago and Northwestern University. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Top-producing institutions are highlighted annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Three students from North Park University won Fulbright awards for 2016-2017: Katie Bast, Bethany Joseph, and Elizabeth Wallace. Read more about their stories.
North Park also has four semi-finalists for the 2017–2018 academic year, who are awaiting their final status from the respective countries.
“I am so very proud of our students and our Fulbright Committee,” said Dr. Linda Parkyn, professor of Spanish, who spearheads North Park’s efforts around Fulbright awards, serving as mentor and encourager to student applicants. She has been a Fulbright Scholar and twice a Fulbright Senior Specialist, and readily admits to having “Fulbrightis.” Good candidates, Dr. Parkyn says, have stellar grades, a keen interest in some other part of the world, involvement with immigrants and/or refugees at home, and knowledge of another language. “Fulbright is a prestigious award,” says Dr. Parkyn. “But to have this experience early in your life, to give back your first year out of college and become an American ambassador sharing language and culture, it will affect your career choices for the rest of your life—and affect change for good in our world!”
Dr. Linda Parkyn expressed deep pride and joy over the honor of North Park being named a Top Producer of U.S. Fulbright Students three times. Since 2008, the school has produced 19 Fulbright Student awards and leads its category—Master’s Institution— in Fulbright Student award winners.
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 370,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential—with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Over 1,900 U.S. students, artists, and young professionals in more than 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English, and conduct research annually. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in over 140 countries throughout the world. Lists of Fulbright recipients are available at www.fulbrightonline.org/us.
The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the United States Congress to the Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.
In the United States, the Institute of International Education administers and coordinates the activities relevant to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program on behalf of the Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.The Fulbright Program also awards grants to U.S. scholars, teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, some 4,000 new foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study for graduate degrees, conduct research and teach foreign languages.
The Fulbright Program also awards grants to U.S. scholars, teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, some 4,000 new foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study for graduate degrees, conduct research and teach foreign languages.
It’s launch week! We at University Marketing and Communications have been working hard on a new Northpark.edu for several months, and we wanted to share with you a few features we think you’ll love.
1. Mobile-Responsive Design.
First and foremost: the new website works on your phone. No more squinting, flipping your phone horizontal, and trying to zoom in. The site responds beautifully to different devices, so you can easily navigate to all the resources you need—on the fly.
2. Reimagined My North Park.
When we kicked off this project, we held meetings to hear from faculty, staff, and students. We asked questions like, “What was most frustrating on the website? What were you looking for in the new site?”
We heard you loud and clear: Navigating to your email, WebAdvisor, Moodle, and other vital resources was difficult. My North Park was a major source of frustration.
Introducing . . . myNPU! We spent a lot of time prioritizing, reorganizing, and decluttering. Then we represented it in a visual, clean way.
You can now select your profile as Student, Faculty, or Staff Member, and you’ll be served the resources that are most useful to you. Your browser should even remember who you are.
We hope this makes your busy NPU life just a little bit easier.
3. Awesome. Content. While our on-campus constituents were a major priority while redesigning the website, our number-one goal was to help prospective students get to know North Park more easily—and consider it as a choice for their college education.
To that end, we put together some pretty cool new content to roll out with the new site, which you can enjoy too:
4. Find Your Faculty. We’ve put together a streamlined faculty and staff directory, where you can get to know (and easily reach) North Park’s accomplished professors and professionals.
5. #NPUBrandNew. Alongside the website project, we’ve also been rebranding the University. You’ve probably seen our new logo by now. This website is our first major, public rollout of the new brand. We hope you enjoy the visual identity and feel it’s a great representation of NPU.
Honorable Mention Ever get frustrated figuring out who to call or email with your question? We’ve put together a comprehensive contact list for all the departments and resources on our campus. So you can call, email, or get to know whomever you’re looking for!
CHICAGO (September 13, 2016) — Selected undergraduate students have concluded research from a mentor-mentee structured, eight-week summer program. Made possible by support from North Park University’s donors, students accepted into the program receive a $3,500 stipend, plus $500 for materials and free on-campus housing, to participate in the North Park Research Experience for Summer Students (NPRESS).
The program started in 2015, and since then, word-of-mouth has made getting a spot in NPRESS increasingly competitive. This year, 13 students were chosen out of 30 applicants. For both the student and the faculty member, the one-on-one mentor-mentee framework, along with a student cohort model, is unique, as this type of relationship is traditionally seen at the graduate and doctorate level.
May 2016 business graduate and NPRESS participant Ana Liz Castillo embraced the mentor-mentee framework. “Throughout the summer, we all faced many challenges, such as how we were going to interpret the data to get the best results, or getting results that were statistically not significant. Having the support of our individual mentors, and the professors from other majors, helped us overcome those walls,” said a pleased Castillo.
North Park faculty members and NPRESS co-directors Dr. Rajkumar Boaz Johnsonand Dr. Aaron Kaestner developed the program to offer undergraduate students a comprehensive and hands-on learning experience, encompassing research, writing, and presenting. “NPRESS gives students the full experience as an undergraduate while also providing students a sense of graduate-level research,” said Johnson.
Inspired by the program, participants like Castillo plan to extend their academic studies into post-undergraduate work. “NPRESS helped me to generate the first findings of a research area that I want to focus on in graduate school,” remarked Castillo. “This past experience with NPRESS instilled research habits that will become extremely useful for me to excel in my graduate studies.”
Commitment to the program is significant, with a minimum of 40 hours of research per week. “Students have regular weekly check-ins with their co-directors and mentors throughout the eight weeks,” said Kaestner. At the end of the eight weeks, students are well-prepared to present to a packed room of faculty, advisors, peers, members of the board of trustees, and donors, held on campus at the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life.
This year’s July 29 and August 31 presentations covered a broad array of research topics from the various divisions of the College of Arts and Sciences and other schools at North Park. NPRESS recipients covered such wide-ranging subjects as Independence Movements in Catalunya and the Emergence of Populism in Espana: A Political Analysis; How Prayer Takes Us Beyond Onto-theology; and Exploring the Relationship Between Inventory Turns on Gross Profit Margin Measures.
NPRESS students agreed that while research is hard work, they welcomed the challenge of combining disparate subject matter. Influenced by North Park’s commitment to using Chicago as our classroom, participant Hannah Hawkinson researched feminist readings of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and of three Gospel narratives, comparing them to the experiences of five immigrant and refugee women in Chicago.
“NPRESS gave me time and space to develop my research skills and academic writing abilities while also supporting engagement with social justice issues here in Chicago,” said Hawkinson, an English literature and biblical and theological studies major. The NPRESS experience “afforded the opportunity to explore these passions in tandem through my research project,” added Hawkinson.
Each of the chosen topics, with a clear set of goals initiated by the students and supported by the mentor-mentee relationship, reflects the North Park mission to prepare students for lives of service and significance. “My mutual passions for feminist theology and social justice were not only allowed, but encouraged, to come together in the pursuit of significance and service,” remarked Hawkinson.
As for the future of NPRESS, Johnson is particularly excited about taking the educational experience to a different and higher level, where research becomes a central component of the North Park experience. “The students are excited about the possibility of doing more,” he said.
The NPRESS Committee also expressed their gratitude to the donors and the board for making the program possible and for providing North Park students with another avenue to connect academic interests with real-life experiences.
Acceptance into NPRESS is based on student merit, outcome, and commitment, and evaluated by North Park’s Undergraduate Research Committee (URC). The application deadline for Summer 2017 will be this spring, and applications are open to faculty and undergraduate students of all disciplines. Inquiries can be made with URC Chair Dr. Jonathan Rienstra-Kiracofe at jrienstra-kiracofe@northpark.edu.
School’s new name more accurately reflects profile of adult learner
CHICAGO (September 2, 2016) — We’ve heard the metaphor before that life is like a marathon. The finish line is commonly perceived as the ultimate goal, yet the journey we take to get there is important too, and can vary from person to person. For some, speed and making good time is a motivator, while others find themselves having to adjust the pace as life just happens.
Different styles and abilities comprise the pack—the fully charged runner, steady walker, balanced walker-jogger combo, intense sprinter—each as equally goal-oriented as the other. When thinking about post-secondary education and earning a degree, while speed may very well be a factor, at the core is being prepared to advance one’s career with transferable skills and degree in-hand.
Today’s students have a variety of options as they evaluate how to embark on their educational journey, from the traditional four-year path, to fully online, to a hybrid of online and in-classroom. North Park University’s School of Professional Studies, now celebrating its 25th year, is fully committed to offering this group of motivated students a quality education to prepare for the finish line and beyond as they seek career advancement and growth.
North Park has been active in providing programming to degree-seeking adults since 1991, embracing the characteristics of the adult learner. What faculty and staff have learned is that their average 25-and-up adult learner has significant and credit-qualifying life and work experience, and is actively pursuing a particular interest and degree. This student profile is telling, as this fall, North Park has renamed its degree-completion and graduate program the School of Adult Learning as the School of Professional Studies (SPS). “The closer we thought about what an adult learner is, we realized it’s more about the learner as an adult than age itself,” said Dean of the School of Professional Studies Lori Scrementi.
The name change more accurately reflects the full makeup of the SPS, since most of its students transfer to North Park with previous college credit of one kind or another. Flexible options for degree completion such as two quads that start within each of the three semesters, and generous Prior Learning Assessment credit to leverage learning from previous work and other experiences—these are the very ways in which SPS provide a solid foundation to students who are pursuing their degree in a format that suits their lifestyle. “The SPS student thrives in our supportive environment, where they receive personal instruction and advising,” said Associate Director and Assistant Professor Judson Curry.
North Park is a close community, offering support and opportunity to develop personal and professional connections. So adding more services for SPS students reentering a college-level learning environment, like personal advisors, comes naturally to the North Park culture. “From day one, the staff listened to what my goals were and helped me to be successful,” said counseling psychology graduate Cameron Sweeney.
Understanding that various life circumstances brought students to a nontraditional path of earning their degree is foundational to the SPS program, which seeks to meet the interests and demands of the adult learner and continue to add value to their lives.Majors focused on the private, public, and nonprofit sectors are designed to meet the students’ interests and equip them with coveted transferable skills to attract employers and ultimately land in-demand jobs.
SPS instructors hold credentials on par with faculty serving traditional degree-seeking students and often work outside the University within their fields, weaving real-world experience into the classroom. “Many of my professors have worked, or still do, in marketing, so I’m up-to-date on the latest developments,” said business administration graduate Chad Woehrle.
As an inclusive community that engages the city and offers open enrollment to SPS students, the University shares its resources to further enhance the educational experience for SPS students. For instance, the Center for Online Education (COE) is now located in close proximity to SPS offices, to further support the needs of students taking online courses.
SPS graduates have secured jobs in a wide variety of fields, including IT, psychology, and nonprofit management. The proof is in SPS’s success rate of going from degree-completion student to new graduate—more than 56 percent of recent SPS alumni earn their degrees once enrolled, nearly double the average national graduation rate for nontraditional students. “Degree-seeking students are to be celebrated for their dedication to completing their degree, and their success rate is indicative of access to a quality education,” added Scrementi.
Graduation day is one of life’s many marathons—but it’s an important milestone. The SPS faculty and entire learning community at North Park are committed to offering a quality learning experience, so students can get to the finish line feeling strong, believing in themselves, and ready to apply their confidence and skills.
Nyvall Medallion presented to campus architecture designers
CHICAGO (May 16, 2016) — North Park University culminated the 2015–2016 academic year last weekend by awarding degrees to 467 students, including 318 bachelor’s degrees.
Three commencement ceremonies were held Saturday, May 14, for students from all undergraduate and graduate programs, including North Park Theological Seminary. Combined with the winter commencement held last December, degrees were presented to 682 North Park University graduates this academic year.
The weekend began with a baccalaureate service for all graduates, their families, and friends Friday, May 13, at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago. “Tonight, take with you two lessons taught by North Park University’s first president, David Nyvall, in the very earliest days of our university’s history,” said President Dr. David L. Parkyn in remarks to graduating students. “First, our knowledge of truth is imperfect. Second, our response to this imperfect grasp of truth should be to welcome others in, to insist on hospitality.”
“If you have learned these two lessons in the course of your days at North Park, you are ready to graduate,” Parkyn continued. “Everywhere you go, and with everyone you meet, remember that you know only in part, and then in humility and grace, open your arms to all others—always for God’s glory and neighbor’s good.”
‘Commit yourself to work that really matters’
At its undergraduate commencement ceremony Saturday morning, the University presented its David Nyvall Medallion to Paul Hansen, William Ketcham, Douglas Hoerr, and Carl Balsam, four individuals who have served the school in exceptional ways over the past 20 years. Named for the University’s first president, the medallion is presented for distinguished service to the people of Chicago.
Hansen, Ketcham, and Hoerr, the University’s three architects over the last two decades, have worked closely throughout that time with Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Carl Balsam, whose leadership has been instrumental in this work. “Three architects and an administrator. Which one of these is not like the other?” Balsam joked in his remarks as he accepted the award.
Balsam worked with Hansen on designing and building Brandel Library, beginning in 1999. At the time, Hansen recommended closing the partial city street that the previous library faced, opening up a space to create a center for the campus. “That appeared wise then, but today, it seems brilliant,” Balsam said. Hoerr then created landscape design for that central campus area, which Balsam called “landscaping of striking beauty.” Next, the University worked with Ketcham on the design and construction of the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life. “The Johnson Center stands as a testimony to William’s vision,” Balsam said. “Their work has created a great treasure on the North Side of our city of Chicago.”
Balsam told graduating students the satisfaction he’s found in his work has come as he discovered his calling and worked collaboratively on that calling. “Because of your study at North Park, you have begun to discover your unique gifts, and hopefully you’ve begun to gain an understanding of the world’s needs in a way that stirs your passion,” he said. “Class of 2016, my hope for you is that you will find your special calling, and that you will realize great success as you work in community with others. Commit yourself to work that really matters, and to work that serves others.”
The Ahnfeldt Medallion, given to the senior with the highest grade point average, was presented to Alanna Dwight, Turlock, Calif., bachelor of science in mathematics. North Park’s 2016 U.S. Fulbright Award winners Katherine Bast, Holland, Mich., bachelor of arts in secondary education and English literature; Elizabeth Wallace, Oak Lawn, Ill., bachelor of arts in Spanish with K–12 teaching license and an ESL/bilingual teaching endorsement; and Bethany Joseph, Grand Rapids, Mich., a 2015 recipient of a bachelor of arts in Spanish and communication studies, were also recognized.
Eighteen students from the North Park College (now University), Academy, and Seminary classes of 1966 marched in gold caps and gowns and were recognized for celebrating the 50th anniversary of their graduation. When these alumni graduated in 1966, North Park College was celebrating its 75th anniversary.
‘Because you don’t know you can’t’
Four graduates addressed the afternoon commencement ceremony for graduate programs, the School of Adult Learning, and the RN-to-BSN completion program, sharing the ways their North Park education shaped their lives and careers. Heidi Bush, Chicago, a School of Business and Nonprofit Management graduate with a master of nonprofit administration, spoke about taking on difficult tasks, not because you will always know how, but “because you don’t know you can’t,” she said. Bush challenged her peers to take on the impossible with that attitude, just as they had done in their studies at North Park.
Laura Clarizio, Chicago, a School of Nursing and Health Services graduate with a master of science in nursing, shared thoughts on a philosophy of nursing and a life of service. “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” she said, quoting Maya Angelou.
Dean of North Park Theological Seminary Rev. David W. Kersten presided at the Seminary commencement, which honored 29 graduates. The Ahnfeldt Medallion was presented to the graduate with the highest grade point average, Michael Hertenstein, Chicago, master of arts in theological studies. In addition, academic awards were presented to several students.
An honorary doctor of divinity was conferred to Rev. Edward Delgado, president of the Hispanic Center for Theological Studies (CHET), a North Park University and Theological Seminary subsidiary. Prior to his current position, Delgado served as the director of evangelism and prayer for the Evangelical Covenant Church. “Thank you for this honor. May God continue to bless and guide you in your ministries ahead,” Delgado told the group of graduates. “That they would include challenges, and they would include adventure.”
Rev. Dr. Catherine Gilliard, senior pastor of New Life Covenant Church, Atlanta, delivered the commencement address, in which she called graduating students to become “disturbers of the city,” as Paul and Silas are described in the book of Acts. “This has been a season of preparation. But tomorrow, the work begins,” said Gilliard. “You are being sent out to lead God’s people in a new way of being. You are ambassadors of hope.”
Gilliard, who received a master of divinity and a doctor of ministry in preaching from the Seminary, emphasized the lessons found in the service’s New Testament reading, Acts 16:16–34. “About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them,” Gilliard said, quoting the passage. “My resolve today is to encourage each one of you to remember that in the days ahead you will face in your ministries, you will have to write your own midnight words. Midnight gives way to a new day where God’s hope is evident.”
“I pray God’s blessings on each of you as lead,” said Gilliard. “I pray God’s power on each of you as you become disturbers of your city. And I pray God’s anointing as you leave this place to make a difference in the world.”
Bast, Wallace, and Joseph to teach in Macedonia, Peru, and Mexico, respectively
CHICAGO (May 4, 2016) — North Park University continued its record of Fulbright success this spring, when the U.S. Fulbright Program awarded overseas teaching opportunities to two University students and one alumna.
Seniors Katie Bast and Elizabeth Wallace and 2015 graduate Bethany Joseph were awarded English Teaching Assistantships (ETA) in Macedonia, Peru, and Mexico, respectively. Combined with previous awards, 19 North Park students and three faculty members in the past eight years have earned Fulbright grants.
A double-major in English literature and secondary education, Bast will serve as an ETA for a nine-month placement in Macedonia this September. Although the specifics of her grant haven’t yet been announced, Bast expects to be teaching English reading, writing, and vocabulary in a secondary school or university setting while also engaging in educational outreach programs.
“North Park has given me opportunities to step into leadership positions, and I have gained the skills to think critically due to my experiences,” Bast says. “Translating this into the classroom has benefitted my teaching greatly. I’ve learned how to teach English in different contexts because of the varying schools I have taught in through my placements with the School of Education.”
A native of Holland, Mich., Bast participated in a wide variety of both academic and non-academic activities during her time at North Park. She served as a writing advisor for three years, took trips with Global Partnerships and the Sankofa Experience, and played Ultimate Frisbee. “These groups have all helped me develop and grow, and I’ve loved all the relationships that have flourished due to all of these different experiences,” Bast says.
“Katie is a dedicated, intellectually curious, and broadly accomplished student who is committed to sharing her love for language and literature,” says Professor of English Dr. Nancy Arnesen. “She is an organizer, a doer, a truly unflappable, unstoppable force for the better.” At last month’s University Honors Convocation, Bast was recognized as the English department’s outstanding senior.
When Bast completes her program, she plans to return to Chicago to teach English in a middle or high school, either in Chicago Public Schools or in the suburbs. “I am excited to see how I grow as a teacher through the Fulbright experience and to be able to apply what I learn in the classroom upon my return,” she says.
‘A wide range of experiences and adventures’
Wallace will graduate this month with a bachelor of arts in Spanish, a K–12 teaching license, and an ESL/bilingual teaching endorsement. In March 2017, she will travel to Peru to serve as an ETA through next December. She will most likely be teaching at a university.
Wallace’s experience studying abroad was an important part of her time at North Park. “Studying in Cuenca, Ecuador, had such a positive impact on me, and helped me develop deep friendships that I may not have otherwise,” she says. “It prepared me through the wide range of multicultural experiences and adventures that we had.”
Wallace, of Oak Lawn, Ill., also feels prepared for her Fulbright position because of her experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. “North Park has prepared me thoroughly through my classes, but also my clinical experiences,” she says. “During student teaching, I worked with students in the classroom and after school, helping direct a play. It is by these real-life experiences—that were challenging and fun—that I feel prepared to teach in Peru.”
Dr. Linda Parkyn, professor of Spanish and Fulbright program associate, agrees. “Elizabeth just finished student teaching with an excellent record of captivating classroom assignments and many kudos from her students,” she says. “After study abroad last year in Ecuador, I am sure Peruvian students will be impressed as well!”
After her time in Peru, Wallace plans to return to the United States and teach Spanish. She looks forward to exploring teaching all grades, and hopes to eventually teach in a bilingual school.
A ‘significantly expanded worldview’
Joseph, who majored in both Spanish and communication studies, will begin her 10-month ETA placement in Mexico this August. Like Wallace, Joseph’s experience studying abroad helped her determine her plans following graduation.
“I participated in the study abroad program during my junior year, spending a semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina,” says Joseph. “It filled me with enthusiasm for Latin America, for its culture, warmth, and color. It reminded me of the beauty of intercultural friendships.” She finds that North Park “significantly expanded my worldview. I am a more open person because of the classes I took as an undergrad.”
While Joseph, of Grand Rapids, Mich., hasn’t yet received the details of the age group she will be teaching, she has a sense of what some of her work will involve. “Each Fulbright applicant is required to describe the unique teaching style that they would apply to the job, and to propose a side project that will be conducted in addition to the teaching,” she says. “Long story short, I will be doing a lot of songwriting and cartooning in Mexico.”
Parkyn attests to Joseph’s creativity. “Bethany is an inventive student who will excel in the Mexican classroom,” she says. “Her Spanish skills and her tutoring experience at North Park will help her to teach English with a fluency that is hard to match. She will thrive.”
Eventually, Joseph expects to work in a nonprofit environment, whether in Latin America or in the United States. “I am interested in community engagement and in working with people,” she says. “I anticipate being part of an organization that provides services to lower-income families.”
The Fulbright program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1946, and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. It is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.
Author Ana SeklerPosted on Categories News, Stories
CHICAGO (September 13, 2016) — Selected undergraduate students have concluded research from a mentor-mentee structured, eight-week summer program. Made possible by support from North Park University’s donors, students accepted into the program receive a $3,500 stipend, plus $500 for materials and free on-campus housing, to participate in the North Park Research Experience for Summer Students (NPRESS).
This year’s July 29 and August 31 presentations covered a broad array of research topics from the various divisions of the College of Arts and Sciences and other schools at North Park. NPRESS recipients covered such wide-ranging subjects as Independence Movements in Catalunya and the Emergence of Populism in Espana: A Political Analysis; How Prayer Takes Us Beyond Onto-theology; and Exploring the Relationship Between Inventory Turns on Gross Profit Margin Measures.
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