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.
Chicago Intensive program part of University curriculum combining classroom and experiential learning
CHICAGO (October 21, 2016) 鈥� 萝莉社鈥檚 is a semester-long urban experiential program with all classes and hands-on learning focused on the city of Chicago. Designed to foster learning in the context of relationships, students in the program share the same curriculum, with opportunities for group discussion and interaction.
Intended for students in their second year at North Park鈥攁fter they鈥檙e comfortable with the university experience, but before being fully immersed in their major classes鈥攖he program鈥檚 cohort serves and learns together. Courses address the urban context, students volunteer with community-based organizations across Chicago, and faculty facilitate firsthand exploration of the city.
The Chicago Intensive first ran as a pilot program last spring, continues this fall, and will expand next semester. Here, Provost shares his thoughts on the nature, history, and future of the program.
What was the thinking behind launching the Chicago Intensive?
I believe it鈥檚 important to find meaningful ways to engage North Park students with the world around them鈥攂ut also to bridge the gap between theory and practice. There鈥檚 plenty of valuable learning happening in the classroom, but with North Park situated in Chicago, it鈥檚 a terrific opportunity for students to get to know the city and our world on a much deeper level.
What is the Chicago Intensive concept?
The concept is likened to study abroad, where students have the opportunity to learn about something entirely new in a hands-on experiential learning format. The program taps into the city right here, and engages our students in a unique way not found in the classroom.
Will it take longer to complete my undergraduate degree?
The curriculum is designed to work in conjunction with meeting general education requirements, so there is no time lost in completing your degree.
What does the Chicago Intensive curriculum entail?
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the cohort takes classes together on campus. The curriculum is designed around best practices of educational goals鈥攂oth in-the-classroom academic and hands-on experiential learning鈥攁nd each course is focused in some way on Chicago. On Mondays and Fridays, the students spend time in their assigned nonprofit organizations, organizations striving for a better Chicago. On Wednesdays, the cohort travels together with their instructors to visit specific sites, and then spends time processing the experience and talking about how it all fits together.
听What kind of outings do students go on?
Students have had hands-on learning experiences ranging from community-based organizations like urban gardening to business-oriented subject matter like visiting a downtown courtroom.
How does the Chicago Intensive tie into North Park鈥檚 Christian, urban, and intercultural mission and values?
The origin of the program is very much connected to our Christian tradition and commitment to intercultural community. Students engage the city not just through academics, but by serving its people through our ministries, and learning from the diverse people of Chicago.听The Chicago Intensive is designed to provide ample opportunities for students to focus on the meaning of living a life of significance and service.
What is behind North Park鈥檚 focus on students having a complete and fulfilling college experience?
Our faculty is here to teach and prepare the next generation. The student body is diverse, and as a society, we need to educate a broader base of students鈥攖he educators at North Park are in tune with what鈥檚 needed for a thriving society, and recognize that the status quo of only educating the elite is something we need to be active in demystifying.
What type of student will get the most out of the Chicago Intensive?
Students who are motivated by justice and making the world a better place. We鈥檙e here to teach and support students in being part of a team to make a real difference.
Why is North Park investing in this program, without a tuition increase?
We care deeply about our students and their success and are always looking for ways to provide our students the highest quality comprehensive college experience, expanding academics, faith, and exposure to hands-on learning off-campus. Our Christian values are rooted in making a high-quality education accessible to a student body made up of diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Because Chicago is a world-class city, our students will benefit greatly from understanding it and learning from it. They will be prepared for today鈥檚 global world.
Given your background as an urban sociologist, what are your thoughts on how living and working in a major metropolitan city influences a career?
Studies have shown that students who have their first job in large cities like Chicago鈥攔egardless of their actual job or title鈥攔ise up the ranks faster, are promoted more often, and earn a higher wage. This is because the best and brightest are attracted to global cities, and they are the sites of the world鈥檚 innovation, creativity, and inventions.听 Rubbing shoulders with such people and organizations benefits students for a lifetime.
How far back do North Park鈥檚 roots go to being in a major metropolitan city?
North Park just celebrated its . Over the years, the University was offered land outside the city, but the decision was made in 1980 to stay in our original urban location. This decision was thoughtful and deliberate, as North Park鈥檚 identity as an Christian, urban, and intercultural institution has remained consistent鈥攕tudents and graduates develop real connections with the city, the people around them, opportunities for career growth, and opportunities for truly rich, meaningful lives in service to others.
How is being in a cohort part of the Chicago Intensive experience?
In a cohort, you learn from one another鈥檚 strengths, and in the same way, students get to role model their strengths鈥攊t鈥檚 a win-win where students serve as leader and learner. And together, the cohort works to problem-solve, a valuable skill, transferable as students and graduates pursue their career paths.
How does the Chicago Intensive contribute toward growing Illinois鈥檚 workforce and building an engaged citizenry?
Participating in the Chicago Intensive is engaging in nature, where students are exposed to the complexities of community-related and real business issues, requiring creative thinking, problem solving, and polished communication skills to work together in a team environment. The hope and goal is for students to form relationships within the community, build a connection to Chicago, and find good and meaningful careers and vocations.
What faculty members are leading the program?
, professor of mathematics, and , Urban Outreach coordinator with University Ministries, launched and lead the Chicago Intensive and continue to monitor learning best practices.
Author, reporter Natalie Moore calls students to ask challenging questions
CHICAGO (October 17, 2016) 鈥� For more than a decade, 萝莉社鈥檚听听program has been a key part of its undergraduate experience. Beginning in 2003, a yearlong series of events, lectures, and discussions has occurred across campus around a central question of the human experience. Meant to connect students from a variety of disciplines in a common pursuit, recent themes have included ,听, and听.
This year鈥檚 theme, What Is Beauty?, marks the second year of a cycle in the Campus Theme series. Beginning last year, four questions鈥擶hat Is Truth? What Is Beauty? What Is Good? What Is Sacred?鈥攚ill be asked over four years. After that, the same cycle questions will begin again over the following four academic years.
鈥淪ince most undergraduate students are here for four years, our Campus Theme committee discussed the idea of a common set of questions,鈥� said听, associate professor of听听and the director of the Campus Theme program. 鈥淭he shared experience of a single question happening across campus is essential to Campus Theme, and this allows us to enhance the shared experience across different classes and perhaps even generations of North Park graduates.鈥�
The pursuit of What Is Beauty? is already underway. On September 20, poet and translator Mark Tardi spoke on 鈥淭he Beauty of Mathematics and Poetry鈥� in Nyvall Hall, and on September 23, Clifton-Soderstrom moderated a panel of alumni artists addressing beauty.
鈥楾he Beautiful City鈥�
Last Friday, students, faculty, staff, and guests gathered in Anderson Chapel to hear from Natalie Y. Moore, South Side bureau reporter and author of The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation.
Moore’s book The South Side is the University鈥檚 Common Read selection this year.
Moore鈥檚 lecture, 鈥淭he Beautiful City,鈥� was particularly meaningful for North Park, as The South Side is the University鈥檚 Common Read selection this year. The Common Read program, similar to initiatives like听, is in its fourth year as part of the Campus Theme. Through the program, incoming first-year students have a shared experience of reading the same book鈥攕elected based on the Campus Theme鈥攁nd then gather throughout the year to discuss its meanings and implications.
鈥淐hicago can be very tribal,鈥� Moore told the audience, 鈥渨hich in some ways can be negative, but there are also a lot of positives about it. There are a lot of long-lasting, deep connections in Chicago, and I think we should celebrate that. There鈥檚 so much other beauty that鈥檚 on the surface and below the surface.鈥�
Moore sees segregation as the defining issue of the region. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more important than pensions, violence, or income inequality,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the common denominator in many of the issues we鈥檙e facing here in Chicago. We can鈥檛 honestly talk about unemployment, crime, violence, or food justice without addressing segregation.鈥�
So how does Chicago become a more beautiful city? By asking how it can become desegregated, Moore said. 鈥淪egregation can seem so intractable, so cemented. A lack of creativity continues to stifle Chicago and the greater metropolitan area. Until policies address exclusionary isolation, it will continue. This is about proximity to power and resources鈥攚e have to create just and fair standards.鈥�
When Moore completed her book, she was more hopeful than when she began, she said. While 鈥渢here鈥檚 no silver bullet,鈥� many potential solutions have been offered, particularly within Chicago’s universities, like North Park, she said. 鈥淚 am a person of faith, and I have faith in humanity. Chicago is beautiful. You can have strife and loveliness coexist. I love my city, and I always want it to do better.鈥�
Events throughout the year
Campus Theme events will occur throughout the year, with most of them free and open to the public. Beginning November 4, the work of Milwaukee artist Lois Bielfield will be displayed in the installation 鈥淏eauty Conventions鈥� in Carlson Tower Gallery. In the spring, the University will also welcome, among others, Dr. Reggie Williams of McCormick Seminary, addressing 鈥淏eauty, Identity, and Social Change.鈥�
Other guests will include gospel musician Jonathan McReynolds; origami artist Robert J. Lang; Amazing Grace author Aaron Cohen; and Dr. Gabriel Richardson Lear of the University of Chicago, addressing 鈥淏eauty and the Good Life.鈥�
More events related to Campus Theme will be announced throughout the year. Please visit听听for updates and more information.
Chef returns to North Park for 125th Anniversary Alumni Panel
CHICAGO (October 3, 2016) 听鈥� As a 萝莉社 undergraduate student, Shanna Horner O鈥橦ea had no idea that her major in and minor in would eventually lead her to competing in TV cooking shows. But while her career has taken an unexpected path, she鈥檚 always been driven by a pursuit of creative work.
鈥淢y connection with food is very related to art,鈥� O鈥橦ea, a 1994 North Park graduate, said. 鈥淚nstead of using a paintbrush, I鈥檓 using food as my palate.鈥�
Today, O鈥橦ea and her husband, Brian, co-own the Kennebunk Inn and Academe restaurant in Kennebunk, Maine. Academe gained national notoriety when O鈥橦ea鈥檚 lobster potpie dish was featured on the Food Network series The Best Thing I Ever Ate and her lobster white pizza made O magazine鈥檚 O List. Since then, she has competed on the shows Chopped, Rewrapped, and Beat Bobby Flay.
When she recently returned to campus for the University鈥檚 , she spoke at an session about her experiences as a chef while performing a live cooking demonstration, then distributed toasted s鈥檓ores to the audience. 鈥淓ducation is in my bones,鈥� said O鈥橦ea, daughter of former North Park president Dr. David Horner. 鈥淢y desire to continue to learn is something I absolutely got at North Park.鈥�
We spoke with O鈥橦ea about how staying true to herself led to a career she loved, the ways in which her small seaside town is like North Park, and 鈥渢he dance鈥� of a kitchen running smoothly.
North Park: How did your time at North Park prepare you for what you do now?
Shanna Horner 翱鈥橦别补: North Park provided great structure and accountability for me. It鈥檚 the first time in your life when you鈥檙e really making personal decisions that have consequences. I think that structure reflects my job now because听I feel accountable for employees, our reputation, inspiring staff to give it their all.
I also felt a great deal of community in a large city at North Park, which is something rather special about the campus and the people that encompass it. I made lifelong friends at North Park, and I think this feeling of a small community in an interesting area led me to Kennebunk. My job as an innkeeper and chef introduces me to Maine locals, international and domestic tourists, and interns. I love the cultural diversity that this small seaside town can provide, which mirrors my feelings while attending North Park.
NP: Was there a specific moment or experience at North Park that helped kick off the trajectory of your career?
翱鈥橦别补: I truly did not understand my direct connection to becoming a chef while at North Park, but I did have an “aha” moment of the importance of pursuing a career in something you love. As a freshman, I started with an art focus because I always loved to create. But I got a little self-conscious with the first classes and wondered if I was good enough to pursue this path. I also fell under some peer pressure of “what kind of job are you going to get after college as an art major?”
I then decided to pursue business and marketing for that post-college job. Although I enjoyed the marketing classes鈥攁nd the free candy and inspirational videos the instructor had us watch鈥攅conomics was certainly not my thing. I eventually went back to the arts with encouragement from my mother about truly enjoying my time in college and doing what made me happy. She was right with the advice that keeping true to yourself would lead to a career that I loved.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the dining scene in Chicago. I certainly think going out to eat in such a live culinary city help guide me to becoming a chef.
NP: You mentioned that your connection to food is related to your passion for art. Could you tell us more about that relationship?
翱鈥橦别补: Art is about creating and evoking feelings on many levels; this is also true of dining. As a chef, I am constantly creating dishes and recipes by paying attention to colors, textures, temperatures, plating, beverage pairings, and of course, selling it to the customer. Food can make you happy, provide memories, give you comfort鈥攊t makes you feel, just like art.
There is also a sense听of magic in the kitchen when we are working the line. They call it “the dance.” This happens when a team has worked together for a while, and the timing of courses and expediting is on point. It feels amazing when it happens. It is what keeps me cooking; that adrenaline push when you do a great night of service is wonderful. And finally, some dining experiences can be like going to the theater鈥攁nd can cost even more. But I love it, on every culinary level.
NP: Do you have a favorite North Park memory?
翱鈥橦别补: One of my favorite memories was our art . I volunteered听to be responsible for the food, which, given my passion for hospitality and culinary arts now, seems rather appropriate. I remember being just as excited about showcasing my art projects as I was about the menu-planning and execution of the show. Another example of the arts and the culinary intersecting.
Organization of Educational Historians focus on 鈥楶osition of Place in History of Education鈥�
CHICAGO (September 30, 2016) 鈥� Since 1965, the Organization of Educational Historians has brought together a wide range of scholars to examine the history of education through a broad framing of perspectives and possibilities.
The at 萝莉社 is sponsoring this year鈥檚 annual conference of the Organization of Educational Historians, held today and tomorrow on North Park鈥檚 campus.
Historians from institutions such as Texas A&M University, the University of Chicago, Baylor University, Indiana University, the University of Oklahoma, and 萝莉社 will be presenting on a variety of historical topics related to women in higher education, race and schooling, higher education during wartime, religion and education, and many others.
The theme of the 2016 conference, 鈥淭he Position of Place in the History of Education,鈥� directs attention to the importance of examining local dynamics as they relate to education.
鈥淐entering inquiry on particular contextual understandings brings with it the potential to shape and reshape educational history based on cultural experiences, sociopolitical landscapes, community, time, and scale,鈥� said , assistant professor of education at North Park and president-elect of the Organization of Educational Historians. 鈥淎s historians of education shift their inquiry to more localized treatments, new perspectives in the field can provide meaningful insights into the power of place in education.鈥�
Keynote speaker Dr. Ann Marie Ryan, associate dean of academic programs and associate professor of education at Loyola University Chicago, will deliver an address titled 鈥淐hicago Educators鈥� Responses to the Standardization and Measurement Movements of the Early 20th 颁别苍迟耻谤测.鈥�
For more information, visit the . North Park faculty and students interested in attending any session may pick up a program and name badge in Hamming Hall.
CHICAGO (September 27, 2016) 鈥� Generations of North Park alumni returned to campus over the weekend to celebrate the University鈥檚 and to share in festivities.
There were several听, including an alumni art exhibit, the River Run 5K, and Homecoming Fest. Alumni were also听听from both soccer teams, including a men鈥檚 2-1 victory over conference rivals Carroll University, and a 2-2 tie against Carroll by the women鈥檚 team.
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At Homecoming Brunch, all past recipients were invited to celebrate the accomplishments of this year鈥檚 designees. Four alumni were honored for their contributions to the North Park community and for leading lives of significance and service, exemplifying the University鈥檚 mission:
Theodore Ernst A鈥�51 C鈥�54, U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame inductee, Distinguished Academy Alumnus
Dr. Janice Phillips C鈥�76, director of government and regulatory affairs for CGFNS International, Distinguished University Alumna
Mary Helwig C鈥�06, one of just over 115 women to finish the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Distinguished Young Alumna
Joanna (Ericson) Kanakis C鈥�06, vice president and account executive at Societe Generale Americas Securities LLC, Distinguished Young Alumna
125th Anniversary Celebration
On Friday of Homecoming weekend, alumni, families, students, faculty, and staff came together to honor North Park鈥檚 125-year legacy and to celebrate its future with events throughout the day.
A history and heritage exhibit, Cultivating Great Intellects & Great Hearts: 萝莉社鈥檚 Quasquicentennial, traced the evolution of the University through text by North Park historians and photographs from the . The exhibit, displayed in the Johnson Center, also included University artifacts and publications from the Archives.
Three concurrent featured North Park graduates sharing about their accomplishments in the fields of entrepreneurship, health professions, and the arts鈥攊n which chef Shanna Horner O鈥橦ea performed a live cooking demonstration and distributed toasted s鈥檓ores to the audience. 鈥淓ducation is in my bones,鈥� said O鈥橦ea, daughter of former president Dr. David Horner. 鈥淢y desire to continue to learn is something I absolutely got at North Park.鈥�
Following the Alumni Panels, two were held, featuring three concurrent classes taught by current and former faculty members on their areas of expertise. 鈥淲hen we say we want to be the leading city-centered Christian university, it鈥檚 because the world desperately needs that,鈥� said Provost , describing North Park鈥檚 engagement with the city of Chicago, in the 鈥淯rban Sociology and Context鈥� session.
The day concluded with an evening concert and program featuring performances by the Alumni Choir, under the direction of Associate Professor of Music , Professor Emeritus Gregory Athnos, and former professor Dr. Rollo Dillworth, respectively. also led the University Choir in a performance of his commissioned piece in honor of the 125th anniversary.
In addition to the musical performances, the David Nyvall Medallion for Distinguished Service to 萝莉社 was presented to former board chair and two-time interim University president Bruce Bickner and former board chair Stanley Helwig. Former North Park presidents William Hausmann (1980鈥�1986) and Horner (1987鈥�2004) also shared remarks about their time serving the University.
鈥淲e are living in a global world, and it surrounds our campus,鈥� said Hausmann. 鈥淚 like to think that we started to build bridges to this world back in the 1980s. Our decision (in 1980) to stay in Chicago was the most important in North Park鈥檚 history, next to its founding.鈥�
Film producer returns to North Park for 125th Anniversary Panel
CHICAGO (September 22, 2016) 听鈥� When North Park alumnus Joshua Musil Church returns to campus this week for the University鈥檚 , he鈥檒l be doing so as a graduate with a particularly unique career trajectory.
鈥淚 never thought that helping run the service at North Park would lead to working with Pee-wee Herman,鈥� Church says, 鈥渂ut that’s听exactly what happened.鈥�
After graduating in 2000, Church moved to Los Angeles and found a job working for writer-director Judd Apatow on the TV series Undeclared. From there, he joined Mosaic Media Group, where he worked as a producer on several of Will Ferrell鈥檚 films, including Step Brothers and Talladega Nights. He is now head of development and production for Apatow Productions, where he has served as executive producer onPee-wee鈥檚 Big Holiday and co-producer on Trainwreck, among other movies.
Ahead of North Park鈥檚 125th Anniversary 鈥攚here Church will speak on his career in the arts鈥攚e caught up with him about working in comedy, how his experience at North Park led to his job, and why serving on the Chapel team is like being a Hollywood producer.
North Park: How did your time at North Park prepare you for what you do now?
Joshua Church: One of the main roles of a producer is to work behind听the scenes to pull together complicated TV series or movies. North Park afforded me the opportunity to become very involved in many different areas of campus life, from serving on听the Chapel team to being vice president. Looking back, it’s clear to me听that those were my first producing jobs.
NP: Was there a specific moment or experience at North Park that helped kick off the trajectory of your career?
Church: I don’t think that there was a specific moment听where听it all “clicked in” and I knew听what I wanted to do, career-wise. It was probably a combination of a bunch of moments. I always had fun听performing in comedy sketches, and my advisor, , worked with me to ensure that I听could spend a semester at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, which was an important step in me deciding to move to L.A. after college.
NP: Did you know that you wanted to work in comedy, and in production specifically?听
Church: Like many people, I grew up loving comedy. I’d watch episodes of Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Saturday Night Live. To be honest, at the听time, growing up in Maine, I听never really thought听about the fact that there were jobs in comedy. It听seemed so far away. But as I learned more about the film industry in college, I realized that there was a world out there of听people helping make comedy. I decided, probably sophomore year,听that I wanted to eventually move to L.A. and try to get a job in the comedy film or TV industry.
NP: Do you have a favorite North Park memory?
Church: I have so many great memories of being at North Park. My best friends and I lived in an on-campus house called the Arena, and I probably听laughed听more in听that house than on any movie set I’ve been on, and those friendships have continued to this day.
When I was student body vice president, the student body president and I were invited to a meeting with then-President Dr. David Horner at his home. We were really nervous鈥攚e were used to meeting with other students at night while drinking coffee in . But this seemed like a big step, a meeting with an adult before 10:00 a.m.
To prepare, we had to set our alarms to make sure we were up by 9:30, which was a big change from our normal schedule. We borrowed an iron for our shirts, and practiced saying things that we imagined adults said, like, “The markets are fluctuating, how’s your portfolio doing?” or “I’m not sold on NAFTA, I worry it will do more harm than good.鈥�
Confident we had mastered the art of faking adulthood, we showed up at his house, only to find Dr. Horner standing in his听bathrobe while he studied up for his fantasy baseball draft, which was in an hour. Dr. Horner was not interested in discussing NAFTA at all. But at least our shirts were ironed.
Ceremony includes recognition of scholarly works and installation of new administrators
CHICAGO (September 19, 2016) 鈥� The 萝莉社 community gathered in Anderson Chapel Monday, September 19, for its University Convocation, an annual ceremony honoring the achievements of faculty and staff.
鈥淲e often talk on our campus about preparing students for lives of significance and service,鈥� said University President Dr. David Parkyn. 鈥淏ut how does that walk take place? How is it that individuals can work with others and mentor them along the way?鈥� This is accomplished largely through the work of faculty, he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our joy today to celebrate that preparation. To come together to acknowledge professional accomplishments and share in applause about the scholarship, artistic creativity, and other good things that go into being an academy.鈥�
The ceremony announced newly promoted and tenured faculty, and recognized faculty and staff who have recently published books, articles, and other scholarly and creative work, including plays, reviews, recordings, staged exhibitions, art installations, and other performances.
The听University Choir and the听Chamber Singers听each听performed during the ceremony, under the direction of Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of Music Dr. Julia Davids, who was also recognized for receiving tenure.
CHICAGO (September 13, 2016) 鈥� Selected undergraduate students have concluded research from a mentor-mentee structured, eight-week summer program. Made possible by support from 萝莉社鈥檚 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 graduate and NPRESS participant Ana Liz Castillo embraced the mentor-mentee framework. 鈥淭hroughout 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,鈥� said a pleased Castillo.
North Park faculty members and NPRESS co-directors and developed the program to offer undergraduate students a comprehensive and hands-on learning experience, encompassing research, writing, and presenting. 鈥淣PRESS gives students the full experience as an undergraduate while also providing students a sense of graduate-level research,鈥� said Johnson.
Inspired by the program, participants like Castillo plan to extend their academic studies into post-undergraduate work. 鈥淣PRESS helped me to generate the first findings of a research area that I want to focus on in graduate school,鈥� remarked Castillo. 鈥淭his past experience with NPRESS听instilled research habits that will become extremely useful for me to excel in my graduate studies.鈥�
Commitment to the program is significant, with a minimum of 40 hours of research per week. 鈥淪tudents have regular weekly check-ins with their co-directors and mentors throughout the eight weeks,鈥� 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 .
This year鈥檚 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鈥檚 commitment to using Chicago as our classroom, participant Hannah Hawkinson researched feminist readings of Mary Shelley鈥檚 Frankenstein and of three Gospel narratives, comparing them to the experiences of five immigrant and refugee women in Chicago.
鈥淣PRESS gave听me time and space to develop my听research skills and听academic writing abilities while also supporting听engagement听with social justice issues here in Chicago,鈥� said Hawkinson, an听听and 听major. The NPRESS experience 鈥渁fforded the opportunity to explore these passions in tandem through my research project,鈥� 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. 鈥淢y mutual passions for feminist theology and social justice听were not only allowed, but encouraged, to come together in the pursuit of significance and service,鈥� 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. 鈥淭he students are excited about the possibility of doing more,鈥� 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鈥檚 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) 鈥� We鈥檝e 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鈥攖he fully charged runner, steady walker, balanced walker-jogger combo, intense sprinter鈥攅ach 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鈥檚 career with transferable skills and degree in-hand.
Today鈥檚 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. 萝莉社鈥檚 , 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). 鈥淭he closer we thought about what an adult learner is, we realized it鈥檚 more about the learner as an adult than age itself,鈥� said Dean of the School of Professional Studies .
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 credit to leverage learning from previous work and other experiences鈥攖hese 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. 鈥淭he SPS student thrives in our supportive environment, where they receive personal instruction and advising,鈥� said Associate Director and Assistant Professor .
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. 鈥淔rom day one, the staff listened to what my goals were and helped me to be successful,鈥� said 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. focused on the private, public, and nonprofit sectors are designed to meet the students鈥� 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. 鈥淢any of my professors have worked, or still do, in marketing, so I鈥檓 up-to-date on the latest developments,鈥� 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 (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鈥檚 success rate of going from degree-completion student to new graduate鈥攎ore than 56 percent of recent SPS alumni earn their degrees once enrolled, nearly double the for nontraditional students. 鈥淒egree-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,鈥� added Scrementi.
Graduation day is one of life鈥檚 many marathons鈥攂ut it鈥檚 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.
An Tran C鈥�14 earned first prize at the 2016 Hamilton International Guitar Festival and Competition
CHICAGO (August 3, 2016) 鈥� Class of 2014 萝莉社 graduate An Tran听 at the 2016 Hamilton International Guitar Competition last month in Ontario, Canada, earning a cash prize, a custom handmade guitar, and an appearance at the 2017 Hamilton Guitar Festival.
Tran received first prize in the Vietnam National Guitar Competition at the age of 12; Vietnam鈥檚 Best Overseas Student Award in 2010; a certificate of merit granted by Vietnam鈥檚 vice president in 2010; first prize in the 2013 Society of American Musicians Guitar Competition; and first prize in the 2013 萝莉社 Performance Awards. In 2013, he was by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois.
After earning a with classical guitar as his major instrument, Tran was accepted into the Yale School of Music, where he earned a master of music this spring. 鈥淵ale has an amazing guitar graduate program, one of the best in the world,鈥� he . 鈥淭here were 200 applicants from all over the world, and they chose two. I am very lucky and honored to be one of them.鈥�
A native of Hanoi, Vietnam, Tran was invited to perform Rodrigo鈥檚 Concierto de Aranjuez with the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra last year. As a senior at North Park, he toured Vietnam on behalf of the Red Cross Society, performing charity concerts.
While at Yale, Tran served as a teaching artist for the Music in Schools Initiative. He will return to the Chicago area this fall to pursue a doctor of musical arts at Northwestern University. 鈥淚 want to become a professor to teach music and guitar, and also continue to provide music for people,鈥� as a North Park student in 2013. 鈥淚 want to share with others what I am learning from my teachers right now.鈥�
CHICAGO (October 21, 2016) 鈥� 萝莉社鈥檚 is a semester-long urban experiential program with all classes and hands-on learning focused on the city of Chicago. Designed to foster learning in the context of relationships, students in the program share the same curriculum, with opportunities for group discussion and interaction.
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CHICAGO (October 17, 2016) 鈥� For more than a decade, 萝莉社鈥檚听听program has been a key part of its undergraduate experience. Beginning in 2003, a yearlong series of events, lectures, and discussions has occurred across campus around a central question of the human experience. Meant to connect students from a variety of disciplines in a common pursuit, recent themes have included ,听, and听.
Last Friday, students, faculty, staff, and guests gathered in Anderson Chapel to hear from Natalie Y. Moore, South Side bureau reporter and author of The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation.
CHICAGO (October 3, 2016) 听鈥� As a 萝莉社 undergraduate student, Shanna Horner O鈥橦ea had no idea that her major in and minor in would eventually lead her to competing in TV cooking shows. But while her career has taken an unexpected path, she鈥檚 always been driven by a pursuit of creative work.
CHICAGO (September 30, 2016) 鈥� Since 1965, the Organization of Educational Historians has brought together a wide range of scholars to examine the history of education through a broad framing of perspectives and possibilities.
On Friday of Homecoming weekend, alumni, families, students, faculty, and staff came together to honor North Park鈥檚 125-year legacy and to celebrate its future with events throughout the day.
CHICAGO (September 22, 2016) 听鈥� When North Park alumnus Joshua Musil Church returns to campus this week for the University鈥檚 , he鈥檒l be doing so as a graduate with a particularly unique career trajectory.
CHICAGO (September 19, 2016) 鈥� The 萝莉社 community gathered in Anderson Chapel Monday, September 19, for its University Convocation, an annual ceremony honoring the achievements of faculty and staff.
CHICAGO (September 13, 2016) 鈥� Selected undergraduate students have concluded research from a mentor-mentee structured, eight-week summer program. Made possible by support from 萝莉社鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.
CHICAGO (September 2, 2016) 鈥� We鈥檝e 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.
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. 鈥淔rom day one, the staff listened to what my goals were and helped me to be successful,鈥� said graduate Cameron Sweeney.
CHICAGO (August 3, 2016) 鈥� Class of 2014 萝莉社 graduate An Tran听 at the 2016 Hamilton International Guitar Competition last month in Ontario, Canada, earning a cash prize, a custom handmade guitar, and an appearance at the 2017 Hamilton Guitar Festival.