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鈥檚 global reach and outlook.
After 125 years, we鈥檝e learned how to streamline the process of helping qualified applicants seek admission to North Park and find affordable ways to attend. If you don鈥檛 see what you鈥檙e 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鈥檚 mission and alumni needs.
North Park Theological Seminary’s School of Restorative Arts, a program that offers a master’s degree to incarcerated students, is temporarily moving to Illinois River Correctional Center.
North Park Theological Seminary’s School of Restorative Arts (SRA), a program that offers a master’s degree to incarcerated students, is temporarily moving to Illinois River Correctional Center while the previous location, Stateville Correctional Center, is demolished and rebuilt.
Under the SRA program, free and incarcerated students work to earn degrees for ministries in contexts susceptible to violence. Coursework centers on trauma, race relations, nonviolent communication, and transformative justice, along with Bible, theology, and history classes.
Students who complete the four-year program receive a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry with a Restorative Arts concentration. Since its founding in 2015, SRA has granted degrees to men at Stateville Correctional Center, later expanding the program to include women at Logan Correctional Center.
“I’m grateful that most of our students who were inside Stateville are able to continue their education and their ministries at River Correctional Center,” said Seminary Dean and Vice President for Church Relations Dennis R. Edwards. “I’m proud of how our current students and alumni are adjusting to a different setting so far away from their families and support systems.”
Edwards said the warden and staff at Illinois River have warmly received the SRA participants and that the third cohort of students will graduate in spring 2025.
“We ask that you please join us in prayer for our students and alumni during this significant transition,” Edwards said. “We are grateful for your ongoing support as we work to maximize student well-being and continuity of learning.”
The October Cafe owners, who are North Park alumni, have operated the viral, fall-themed cafe for just over a year.
Nobody walks into October Cafe without hearing, “Hi, Pumpkin!”听
Owners Michelle Gonzalez BA ’21, MA ’22 and Audrey Borden BA ’22 have owned and听operated the fall-themed cafe out of a refurbished home in Norwood Park for a year and a half. Shortly after opening its doors, the cafe gained viral popularity from fans who love autumnal drinks, decor, and local goods.听
“It’s October forever here,” said Gonzalez.听
Gonzalez graduated from North Park with a bachelor’s in early childhood education and returned for her master’s in education. Borden earned a bachelor’s in sociology. While their majors didn’t lend themselves to business, the pair said they’ve always been business-minded and held leadership roles in various North Park clubs, including the Latin American Student Organization and Queers & Allies.
The most popular menu item is the “We Fell in Love in October” fall flight, a tray of six drinks of varying flavors to be shared with “someone you love,” according to Gonzalez.听
The fall flight is particularly special to the couple, whose first date was an October pumpkin painting in Brandel Library and who married in October 2023.听
Gonzalez said they weren’t shocked by the cafe’s success, as the area previously lacked locally owned coffee shops and community spaces. The couple wants October Cafe to be a place where people can come to work, go on a date, or fill up on fall vibes. For the entire month of October, it will feature weekly themes with a rotating menu of fall and Halloween drinks.听
In addition to coffee, the cafe serves vegan baked goods, sandwiches, and art crafted by local jewelers and other small businesses. Every day, small businesses are welcome to set up at the cafe entrance and sell their items to customers.听听
“I’m just thrilled we could create something so needed,” said Gonzalez. “It’s so important to move money around your community. Why would you want to be the only one on top?”
John Anderson BA 鈥�89 has been named President of Trustmark Voluntary Benefits.
John Anderson BA 鈥�89 has been named President of Trustmark Voluntary Benefits. He will oversee three of Trustmark Mutual Holding Company鈥檚 operating divisions.
Anderson has worked in various roles at the company鈥攚hich offers specialized expertise in voluntary benefits鈥攕ince 1990, gradually rising through the ranks from contract analyst to his latest role as executive vice president.
鈥淛ohn is an experienced and tested leader with a passion for Trustmark, its partners, and customers,鈥� Trustmark CEO John Slawin said in a statement. 鈥淥ver the course of his career, John has led two of Trustmark鈥檚 three businesses and delivered record results.鈥�
Anderson, who majored in math at North Park, said he鈥檚 honored to take on his new position. 鈥淚鈥檝e always believed that what differentiates Trustmark is our mission: helping people increase well-being and financial security, and how we live that mission by building trusted relationships and delivering caring service,鈥� Anderson said in a statement.
Aayesha Memon, a third-year 萝莉社 student, was featured on CBS News Chicago for her role as a fellow with America Needs You.
Aayesha Memon, a third-year 萝莉社 student, was featured on for her role as a fellow with (ANY). Nationally, only 28% of first-generation college students graduate. ANY, a nonprofit, helps them succeed through mentorship and professional development. As a result, 85% of their fellows become college graduates.听
Memon discovered ANY through North Park鈥檚 Career Development Office, where Director Cristina Ricano, a former ANY fellow, referred Memon to the program. Memon soon begins her second internship while attending North Park, and she credits ANY with guiding her.
North Park proudly hosted its annual Service Day this month, uniting 230 students, faculty, and staff in a shared commitment to community engagement and social responsibility.
North Park proudly hosted its annual Service Day this month, uniting 230 students, faculty, and staff in a shared commitment to community engagement and social responsibility.
University Ministries (UMin) organized the event under the joint leadership of Ben Swihart, coordinator of global partnerships and community outreach, and third-year student Davianna Schuh. They began planning months ago, organizing lists of local volunteer sites, recruiting volunteers, and communicating with local aldermen and community groups.
鈥淭he groups we landed on took inspiration from the climate survey,鈥� Schuh said, referring to the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Survey conducted in spring 2023. 鈥淎cross all demographic backgrounds, students wished they had more opportunities to give back to their communities.鈥�
Many North Parkers are commuter students from nearby neighborhoods, so Swihart and Schuh chose organizations primarily on the North and West Sides. Volunteers could choose from sites such as Concordia Place, Nourishing Hope, and Sarah鈥檚 Circle, a women鈥檚 shelter with multiple locations on the North Side.
鈥淓veryone has something they can feel excited about helping with,鈥� Swihart said. Several students addressed their concern for the disadvantaged by aiding refugees and the homeless while the environmentally minded cleaned the Chicago River.
Swihart said he hopes this year鈥檚 event is the first of many and that North Park continues to build long-term relationships with its partner organizations.
鈥淭he idea is for them to get to know us, to say, 鈥極h, this North Parker came and built this shelving unit for us last year, or painted this room,鈥� and they trust us and what we do,鈥� he said, adding he hopes the service also leads to internships and other opportunities for students.
Service is a core pillar of 萝莉社鈥檚 mission, which is to foster a culture of empathy and civic responsibility that encourages the campus community to engage with local organizations, thus enhancing our students鈥� educational experiences and making a tangible impact on the neighborhoods we serve.
North Park鈥檚 Brandel Library has received a grant from the Illinois State Library to fund four faculty-led projects that will result in new Open Educational Resources.
North Park鈥檚 Brandel Library has received a grant from the Illinois State Library to fund four faculty-led projects that will result in new Open Educational Resources (OER) that will be available free of charge to North Park students with open access to the public through the internet.
The two-year, $142,000 grant, managed by the state library鈥檚 OER initiative, will be used to create an introductory anatomy lab manual, a statistics workbook, a text about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and a fundamentals of financial marketing book. All the resources will be created by North Park faculty鈥擠r. Al Kamienski, Dr. Marie-Elene Roberge, Dr. Peter St. Jean, Dr. Kurt Sheu, and Dr. Chrystal Ho Pao.
鈥淭his has been a long-term focus for us at Brandel,鈥� said Evan Kuehn, assistant professor of information literacy and the head of teaching and learning services. “Open educational resources support the curriculum without the need for students to purchase expensive textbooks or other resources.”
Professors will spend this year creating and editing their resources with the support of Brandel Library staff, with two of the books going into circulation in the fall of 2025, and the other two in fall 2026. Kuehn said he thinks North Park, as a Hispanic Serving Institution, is especially well-positioned to author the DEI text.
The grant is part of $3 million set aside by the state to help lower the cost of educating Illinois college students. Matthew Ostercamp, director of Brandel Library, says the process of getting the grant was competitive, with only about half of all applicants receiving a grant.
鈥淭he cost of textbooks has long been a barrier,鈥� Ostercamp said. 鈥淒oing projects like this removes that barrier and develops resources that are both rigorous and easily available.鈥�
Forbes Advisor recently ranked 萝莉社 as one of Illinois’s top ten online colleges for 2024 for its School of Professional Studies (SPS) undergraduate programs.
recently ranked 萝莉社 as one of Illinois’s top ten online colleges for 2024 for its School of Professional Studies (SPS) undergraduate programs. It noted SPS’ Credit for Prior Learning and generous scholarships as reasons for its selection. Forbes Advisor is dedicated to providing unbiased information; its ranking methodologies use听National Center for Education Statistics data.
North Park’s 99th annual Homecoming schedule is filled with events designed to allow students, alumni, faculty and staff, and neighbors to celebrate together.
North Park’s 99th annual Homecoming schedule is filled with events designed to allow students, alumni, faculty and staff, and neighbors to celebrate together. “In the planning process, we asked ourselves, ‘Who is Homecoming for?’ and created programming inclusive of all North Park community members,” said Jasanna Tayler, alumni engagement manager.
The 2024 festivities kick off Thursday, October 10, and include a tour of North Park’s architecture, an alumni art exhibition, a music showcase, an alumni award ceremony, and a handful of sporting events. The weekend’s highlight is the Homecoming Festival on Saturday, one of the events intended to integrate Vikings of all ages and backgrounds. The festival will feature yard games, face-painting, mini-golf and food from local favorites Tre Kronor and Los Asadores Mexican Grill.
Tickets are $40 when purchased online between now and September 30, with tickets purchased onsite costing $50. Children under 18 are admitted free with a ticket holding adult. All Homecoming passes include a free sweatshirt designed by Emerson Cobbley BA ’24.
To register and for a complete schedule of events, click .
The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) will partner with the Firehouse Community Arts Center of Chicago to empower youth and young adults in Chicago’s Black churches.
With the support of a $1.125M grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., North Park’s Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) this fall will partner with the Firehouse Community Arts Center of Chicago, led by Rev. Phil Jackson, to empower youth and young adults in Chicago’s Black churches.
The five-year project, Elevating Church Outreach (ECHO) for the Next Generation Black Church, aims to harness the creative energy of youth and young adults to create programs that encourage churches to be more involved in their communities.
North Park’s CCE will use the funds, in part, to offer mini-grants that support 20 youth-led, church-based social impact projects addressing anything from food insecurity to gang violence to youth homelessness, according to Rich Kohng, assistant vice president for civic engagement.
“In concert with our partners, our goal is to elevate youth voices within the church context,” Kohng said. “With the Firehouse as local convener and model, we hope the project will offer more avenues and resources so the local youth can dream of ways their churches can further impact their communities. This grant allows them to envision how they can do that.”
萝莉社 faculty and staff involved in the project include project evaluator Dr. Amy Governale, co-evaluator Dr. Michelle Dodson, and faculty advisor Dr. Dan White-Hodge.
A group of local pastors and faith leaders who have built and sustained social impact programs across the city will serve as coaches for the youth and young adult teams.
“They’ll be there to help the groups talk about messaging, how to allocate funds, make a budget, and organize volunteers,” Kohng said.
The main goal of the ECHO initiative is to see youth and young adults thrive as leaders in the church, which in turn can stimulate new energy in local congregations while leading to increased community appreciation of their importance and relevance.
Kohng said, “It’s about building on the legacy of local congregations as significant agents of change and transformation in their communities.”
North Park’s University Ministries has received two separate grants to create student internships in local churches and expand its Sankofa program, which promotes racial reconciliation.
North Park’s University Ministries (UMin) has received two separate grants to create student internships in local churches and expand its Sankofa program, which promotes racial reconciliation.
The $50,000 grant from the Educating Character Initiative of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University will create a credit-bearing course related to North Park’s Sankofa trip. During this annual sojourn, students, faculty, and staff travel to different parts of the U.S. to learn about various aspects of the country’s often contentious history of race relations.
Tony Zamble, director of UMin, said the grant will help create an interdisciplinary course combining philosophy and psychology to teach compassion.
“Our argument is that character is social, so you can’t have people of character who don’t care about the suffering of those around them,” Zamble said. “Sankofa helps develop compassion, empathy, and a keen sense of justice.”
A separate $40,000 grant from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) will help pay the salaries of 16 students who will intern at local churches over two years. Beginning this fall, UMin will deploy four music-oriented and four service-centered interns to local churches each year.
“Students are a little bit jaded by the church, especially those who didn’t necessarily grow up in it,” Zamble said. “We want them to see the real church in action and how they address justice and helping the poor.”
Author Megan VoypickPosted on Categories Stories
