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.
After being canceled last summer due to COVID-19, North Park鈥檚 Summer Science Academy (Academy) is set to resume in-person under robust safety measures.
After being canceled last summer due to COVID-19, North Park鈥檚 Summer Science Academy (Academy) is set to resume in-person under robust safety measures.
Since 2016, the summer enrichment experience led by Dr. Yoojin Choi has offered interactive, hands-on courses in biology, biomechanics, physics, chemistry, and psychology to high school students.
Designed to introduce students to college-level classes while nurturing their passion for science, the courses are taught by North Park鈥檚 full-time faculty members. North Park science students and recent alumni also have the opportunity to develop leadership skills through the Academy as teaching assistants.
鈥淚 have found that听Summer Science Academy provides a venue for Chicago-area students from diverse backgrounds to come together and learn鈥攕tudents from selective-enrollment schools to charter
Dr. Yoojin Choi
schools to neighborhood schools to suburb schools, from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, from freshmen to seniors,鈥� said Dr. Choi.
Mira Cechova, a current North Park junior majoring in Biomedical Sciences and Psychology, appreciated the extra preparation before entering college. 鈥淚 truly enjoyed attending Summer Science Academy and meeting the different professors. As a North Park student now, I already got to know in advance the professors that I would have.”
This summer鈥檚 Academy will be held July 12-16, and students have the opportunity to take Forensic Chemistry, Biomechanics of Body Movement, or Human Anatomy Boot Camp.
In Forensic Chemistry, students will get to learn the behind-the-scenes of popular crime television shows by participating in hands-on activities, such as collecting evidence, analyzing samples of blood, drug, glass, DNA, and ink, as well as learning techniques in fingerprinting and chromatography.
Through measuring human movement with video, 3-D motion capture, force plates, and accelerometers, students enrolled in Biomechanics of Body Movement will gain experience with interactions between physics and musculoskeletal anatomy as they relate to human movement in sports performance, injury prevention, and rehabilitation.
Aiming to excite students for careers in healthcare, Human Anatomy Bootcamp explores organ systems of the human body and their connections to nutrition through experiential learning with 3-dimensional models, virtual systems, and human cadavers in the state-of-the-art Johnson Center鈥檚 Cadaver Lab.
Taking necessary precautions, the University plans to closely monitor the pandemic situation both on campus as well as the surrounding area; based on this safety analysis, cancelation of the Summer Science Academy may occur.
Yvonne Renee Watts, an adjunct professor with North Park鈥檚 School of Business and Nonprofit Management (SBNM), joins Crain鈥檚 Chicago Business 2021 list of exceptional leaders in HR.
Dr. Yvonne Renee Watts, an adjunct professor with North Park鈥檚 School of Business and Nonprofit Management (SBNM), joins . To be honored among Crain鈥檚 Chicago Business 49 HR leaders, Dr. Watts had to demonstrate the ability to effect change in a senior leadership role at a company of at least 50 employees.
Dr. Yvonne Renee Watts
Described by her students as full of energy, Dr. Watts teaches Human Resource Management to both undergraduate and graduate students. Teaching at North Park is a natural fit for Dr. Watts. 鈥淎s a Christian, I am surrounded by students, staff, and faculty that share the same faith and values that I follow. North Park鈥檚 vision and commitment to intercultural values allows me to engage and interact with others that are diverse in many ways, resulting in my gaining new insights from multiple perspectives,鈥� said Dr. Watts.
A passion for learning and education, along with a life-long goal to teach at a university, inspired Dr. Watts to pursue a doctorate degree in adult education. With twenty-plus years in various leadership roles, Dr. Watts believes in bringing awareness to the challenges accompanying real life events, imparting to her students the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence that they too will need.
鈥淚 believe my diverse professional background (special education teacher, seminar presenter, licensed administrator, and former US Marine) and my hands-on experiences in workforce management serve as a valuable resource that brings real work scenarios to the classroom,鈥� said Dr. Watts.
In her daytime role, Dr. Watts is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Little City Foundation, a nonprofit serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Over the course of the pandemic, Dr. Watts has effected change to participant safety, transportation and facility use, incorporating CDC protocols.
North Park students benefit directly from the in-the-field experience Dr. Watts has implementing strategies addressing recruitment, retention and performance, resulting in improved quality hires, employee engagement and reduced turnover.
鈥淚 have always seen myself as more than an employee鈥檚 supervisor, which includes not only overseeing or directing the work of others, but to serve as a facilitator in the career or personal development of employees. I apply this same logic to my students,鈥� said Dr. Watts.
萝莉社听and the听University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have co-developed a partnership agreement for selected UIC graduates to gain admission into North Park’s听Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program. Through this agreement, graduating seniors and alumni from UIC’s Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition have the opportunity to join听North Park’s听established MSAT program taught by leaders in the field of athletic training.
萝莉社听and the听University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have co-developed a partnership agreement for selected UIC graduates to gain admission into North Park’s听Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program. Through this agreement, graduating seniors and alumni from UIC’s Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition have the opportunity to join听North Park’s听established MSAT program taught by leaders in the field of athletic training.
The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)听requires students, interested in becoming athletic trainers, to graduate from a CAATE-accredited master’s program to take the Board of Certification (BOC) exam; earning a MSAT will prepare students to pass their BOC exam.听Interest in the partnership program is expected to be high, as Gen Z college students are passionate about pursuing healthcare-related careers working directly with athletes.
“North Park’s听and UIC’s partnership represent the coming together of two higher ed institutions providing students access to a quality education and advance their careers,” said Dr.听Kelly Potteiger,听North Park’s听Professor of Athletic Training.
罢丑别听听equips graduates with tools and experiences to contribute to the evolution of athletic training and societal health. Students learn through clinical experiences and hands-on training 鈥� all taught by a seasoned faculty in the world-class city of听Chicago.
“A MSAT degree gives students the opportunity to develop confidence in a challenging, accredited, competency-based program while simultaneously building preparedness for a direct and clear career path,” said Dr.听Karrie L. Hamstra-Wright, UIC’s Visiting Director of Undergraduate Studies.
听Criteria to the Partnership Program includes
Initial selection materials submitted to UIC faculty and staff selection committee
Final admissions decision and ATCAS voucher generated from听North Park听faculty first week of April
Prerequisites for听North Park’s听MSAT program completed at UIC
Transfer credits approved by UIC to meet course requirements permitted
Benefits of the North Park UIC Admissions Partnership
Seamless transition: all UIC Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition courses meet MSAT admission requirements
Simple application: admission fees are waived for selected UIC graduates
Strong foundation: UIC Kinesiology science-based curriculum prepares students for MSAT program
Pre-health advising: customized to assist students in their academic journey
At the forefront of North Park鈥檚 innovative curriculum is Dr. Suzen Moeller, Associate Professor of Nursing Health Sciences, whose contact tracing course offered this spring focuses on the current COVID-19 pandemic.
At the forefront of North Park鈥檚 innovative curriculum is Dr. Suzen Moeller, Associate Professor of Nursing Health Sciences, whose contact tracing course offered this spring focuses on the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Suzen Moeller
During this accessible online quad A course, students will learn about the spread of the virus, effective strategies to manage infectious disease epidemics鈥攊ncluding the role that contact tracing plays in protecting health in communities鈥攁nd the different methods of contact tracing. Going beyond what most contact tracing courses teach, Dr. Moeller鈥檚 course covers the ethical side of contact tracing, how to talk about contact tracing, as well as the effects that the pandemic has on mental health.
While the focus of the contact tracing course is not on technology, Dr. Moeller plans on teaching students about new apps that are being developed in relation to the process.
鈥淭his course is particularly timely and relevant as public health departments around the country and the entire globe are training more people to do contact tracing,鈥� said Dr. Moeller.
Students can anticipate gaining a better understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic by collaborating with North Park鈥檚 contact tracing team to practice mock contact tracing calls. The course will also offer students practical experience to highlight when applying for internships, volunteer positions, or paid positions as contact tracers.
The course鈥檚 primary goal is to help students better understand why contact tracing is one of the most powerful tools in public health for managing infectious disease epidemics. “Hopefully, this will help us be more receptive to contact tracing and to advocate to others about the importance of contact tracing. This way we can collectively better manage this pandemic and similar ones in the future,鈥� said Dr. Moeller.
As a North Park alum, C’07 G’11, Duffy already had first-hand experience with the quality of education from the School of Nursing. With two degrees earned from North Park, applying to the DNP program was a simple choice. 鈥淚 would do it all again at North Park,鈥� said Duffy.
Jennifer Duffy always knew that should North Park offer a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, it would be no question that she would choose North Park to pursue her degree. As a North Park alum, C鈥�07 G鈥�11 G鈥�20, Duffy already had first-hand experience with the quality of education from the School of Nursing. With two degrees earned from North Park, applying to the DNP program was a simple choice鈥攕he thrived in the small, personal, and supportive environment that extended into the doctorate program. 鈥淚 would do it all again at North Park,鈥� said Duffy.
Jennifer Duffy
The online program, in place prior to COVID-19, worked well for Duffy. 鈥淭here were no issues, even though the DNP is a new program,鈥� said Duffy. 鈥淭he faculty always had their plans set up prior to class starting,鈥� added Duffy.
Now working in the Cancer Center at a Chicago area medical center, Duffy鈥檚 goals of making a difference in quality improvement measures within palliative care have come to fruition. While engaged in the DNP program, Duffy decided to focus her project on Increasing Advance Directive Completion in Cancer Patients in Outpatient Palliative Care.
鈥淚 had all the tools and support I needed to complete my project with success,鈥� said Duffy. Guided by DNP faculty advisor Dr. Trudy DeWaters, faculty consultant Dr. Janice Zeller, and site mentor Dr. Nooshig Salvador, Duffy was able to achieve measurable results with her DNP project.
Advance directives, a term referring to families, patients, and providers making important decisions in a health-related crisis, is an area that Duffy found needed attention especially within palliative care. Recognizing the burden families and healthcare providers encounter when making emergency and quality of life decisions such as do-not-resuscitate (DNR), Duffy homed in on facilitating these conversations through the use of a discussion template.
When Duffy first started the project, the advance directives completion rate was a low 12% and by the time Duffy developed and implemented a discussion template, the completion rate jumped to 67%.
With her DNP degree in hand, Duffy is continuing her work facilitating and documenting these essential discussions between nurses and patients. She also plans to submit her manuscript to a nursing journal for publication and as a long-term goal, Duffy intends to give back and teach the next generation of nurses.
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. 鈥淭he courses were designed to leverage the experience of each group so they could build off of each other,鈥� said Dr. Rholl.
Integrated into the curriculum is the biology of the disease and its history. 鈥淭o 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,鈥� said Professor Olfelt.
As a smaller environment, North Park鈥檚 close-knit community fosters cross-departmental relationships and collaboration among faculty and students. 鈥淪ometimes when we鈥檙e siloed in our own fields, we suffer from blind spots, which basically means that as a microbiologist I don鈥檛 know what history instructors don鈥檛 know. By having a conversation, we can identify those questions and have a much more effective transfer of ideas,鈥� said Dr. Rholl.
Professor Olfelt says students are responding well to the collaborative curriculum, and it has boosted student engagement. “When we鈥檙e studying various diseases and looking at newspaper articles or papers, it鈥檚 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.
Amid the pandemic, Andersonville resident and North Park employee Kristine Aronsson has launched a fundraising effort for a handful of local Swedish businesses, including North Park鈥檚 beloved Tre Kronor restaurant.
Amid the pandemic, Andersonville resident and North Park employee Kristine Aronsson has launched a fundraising effort for a handful of local Swedish businesses, including North Park鈥檚 beloved Tre Kronor restaurant.
Aronsson, Director of Advising for Advanced Education in the Health Professions, recognized that the ban on indoor dining was having a devastating effect on local Swedish businesses. So, she started GoFundMe campaigns for Tre Kronor and Andersonville鈥檚 Svea Restaurant and neighboring Simon鈥檚 Tavern.
Her efforts were noticed by Block Club Chicago, whose subsequent article noted that many of Andersonville鈥檚 stalwart Swedish businesses, including the Swedish Bakery and two delicatessens, have closed in recent years. The loss of Swedish businesses is especially hard because the neighborhood is steeped in Swedish tradition.
Aronsson hopes North Parkers will support the businesses, particularly Tre Kronor.
鈥淚 know that Tre Kronor is a special place for a lot of North Parkers, and they have hired many students from here over the years.鈥�
North Park鈥檚 Associate Professor of Christian Ministries Studies, Dr. Beth Seversen, sits down with Christianity Today to discuss her book听Not Done Yet: Reaching and Keeping Unchurched Emerging Adults, which is based on her research engaging and retaining millennials and Generation Z in the local church.
North Park鈥檚 Associate Professor of Christian Ministries Studies, Dr. Beth Seversen, sits down with to discuss her book听, which is based on her research engaging and retaining millennials and Generation Z in the local church.
Dr. Beth Seversen
Dr. Seversen says she hopes her book will bring North Park students and ministry leaders fresh insights and ideas for authentically caring for and reaching their friends who are 鈥渄one鈥� with church, those who have “been there done that鈥� and didn鈥檛 connect with church and faith in Christ, along with friends who are 鈥渘ones鈥� or don鈥檛 affiliate with any church or religion.
“Lots of young adults look at the church and feel disillusionment, hurt or indifference,” said Dr. Seversen. Based on extensive research Dr. Seversen found many young adults are tossing aside labels like听none and done听and are instead embracing a transformative faith. By welcoming them into community, providing meaningful opportunities to make a difference, and investing in their development, young adults are 鈥渢rying on鈥� Christian identity and finding that it fits.听
While safety measures mean we can only sing in person in small groups for short periods of times behind the barriers of our masks and physically distanced, we have reached out to each other through our vulnerability. Many of the students have worked collaboratively to communicate their own thoughts about isolation through original compositions and spoken word. You鈥檒l hear some of the student stories and others as part of this playlist.
When the pandemic hit, artists around the globe were deeply affected. Choral singers and ensembles have been uniquely challenged as the very essence of our art鈥攇athering in community, breathing together, communicating to audiences in close quarters鈥攈as been centered out as a health risk. But artists throughout history have responded to times of trauma and community devastation by creating, and this is what North Park chose to focus on for its fall choral concert.
Covid-19 has been isolating鈥攆rom the initial shelter-at-home orders to virtual classes, we鈥檝e all been separated. This is especially true for many people who already deal with the isolation of a physical and mental disability, the stigma surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation, who are persecuted for religious beliefs, or who face discrimination for their skin color and racial identity. We continue to witness how Covid-19 disproportionately impacts communities of color and the deep wounds of continuing racial injustice in our country.
The choral students at North Park have been exploring the theme of isolation. We鈥檝e shared photos and personal stories of our responses to Covid-19. We met virtually with Dr. Rollo Dilworth who shared with us the role of the African American spiritual in teaching social justice. We鈥檝e been learning about and singing the music of black composers such as Chicagoan Lena McLin.
While safety measures mean we can only sing in person in small groups for short periods of times behind the barriers of our masks and physically distanced, we have reached out to each other through our vulnerability. Many of the students have worked collaboratively to communicate their own thoughts about isolation through original compositions and spoken word. You鈥檒l hear some of the student stories and others as part of this playlist.
Ultimately, we know we are not alone, even when it feels that way. As North Park professor Dr. Thomas Jefferson sets from Psalm 32 鈥淚 turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble and you fill me with the joy of salvation.鈥� May you find joy in the voices of these remarkable students and the stories that they tell.
North Park senior Jessica Torres, majoring in elementary education with an ESL, Bilingual, and Special Education Endorsement, will be recognized for her excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois.
North Park senior Jessica Torres, majoring in elementary education with an ESL, Bilingual, and Special Education Endorsement, will be recognized for her excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. During the November 10th virtual ceremony, Torres will be honored as a top student among Illinois鈥� colleges and universities, along with a congratulatory statement made by Governor J. B. Pritzker and members of The Lincoln Academy.
Nominees meet the criteria of being a senior in a college of Illinois exemplifying leadership characteristics of Abraham Lincoln: courage, empathy, honesty, and integrity.
When learning about the nomination, Torres felt a great honor to have been selected by her professors in the School of Education. 鈥淎s a first-generation Hispanic college student, I am reminded of all who have encouraged, prayed, and stood by my side these past four years,鈥� said Torres.
Torres will receive a letter and certificate of merit signed by Gov. Pritzker, a Lincoln medallion, a challenge coin, and a $500 check from The Lincoln Academy. Student Laureates are selected by their individual schools. 鈥淚 strongly believe this award is the result of hard work and commitment to my studies and community involvement on and off campus. It is an honor to have been selected out of the many candidates and to be representing this institution,鈥� said Torres.
Torres plans to return to North Park and pursue a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership. 鈥淲ith my graduate studies, I plan to make a difference in our school system, carry-out essential duties for student achievement, and shape young children into future leaders,鈥� said Torres.
Author Ellen AlmerPosted on Categories Stories
Covid-19 has been isolating鈥攆rom the initial shelter-at-home orders to virtual classes, we鈥檝e all been separated. This is especially true for many people who already deal with the isolation of a physical and mental disability, the stigma surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation, who are persecuted for religious beliefs, or who face discrimination for their skin color and racial identity. We continue to witness how Covid-19 disproportionately impacts communities of color and the deep wounds of continuing racial injustice in our country.