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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.
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Dr. Jon Peterson, assistant professor of politics and government
Faculty aim to engage civically active student body in political science studies
CHICAGO (November 25, 2015) 鈥� 鈥淣orth Park students are politically engaged in all kinds of fields,鈥� says Jon Peterson, assistant professor of politics and government at 萝莉社. Surveys conducted by students in Peterson鈥檚 research methods class find that North Park students of various majors are 鈥渇ar more involved in political activities than their peers,鈥� he says, attributing the University鈥檚 location for cultivating their political engagement. Students regularly head downtown and across Chicago to demonstrate, march, sign petitions, and volunteer with organizations.
One of two faculty members teaching the University鈥檚 politics and government majors, Peterson is proud to watch many of his current students working in political offices across Chicago. 鈥淚n the last six years, we鈥檝e had 17 students in political internships, working for both of our U.S. senators, four congressional offices, and two Chicago aldermen,鈥� Peterson says. 鈥淣orth Park students are doing political work.鈥�
Peterson has watched his students go on to careers with nonprofits, ministries, and businesses. He鈥檚 seen some go on to law school. Over the last few years, in line with a campus-wide push to emphasize academic and research writing in all North Park curriculum, the department has been intentionally nurturing scholarly engagement among its students through a writing intensive and writing research courses.
On Saturday, November 7, 2015, the school had a unique opportunity to host the annual Illinois Political Science Association conference, 鈥淧romoting Scholarship in the Social Sciences and Humanities.鈥� This event regularly draws political science professors from across Illinois schools, as well as graduate and undergraduate students, and North Park was honored to be chosen among three Chicago campuses as an ideal location. Lectures and panels at this year鈥檚 event covered topics from Middle East dynamics to corruption in Chicago politics.
But what excites Peterson about the University hosting a conference like this is developing student interest in scholarship. The department hopes to host again next year, as the size of the conference makes it an ideal place for undergraduate students to step out and practice writing and presenting research to professionals in the field. Peterson says, 鈥淭his is the kind of opportunity that would allow us to show students what research science in this field looks like, to get them thinking about teaching and graduate school.鈥�
Five Viking Student-Athletes Earn CCIW All-Conference Honors
Junior midfielder Pedram Tahmi-Masoleh of Stockholm, Sweden
CHICAGO (November 23, 2015) — Five 萝莉社 student-athletes were named to the 2015–2016 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference team this fall, across three different sports. The honors cap off a strong season for Viking athletics.
‘The most prolific goal-scorer in North Park history'
As the Vikings’ strongest midfielder in 2015, junior of Stockholm, Sweden, not only led the men’s soccer team in every offensive category, but also broke the team record for goals scored in a season.
“Pedram has proven to be the most prolific goal-scorer in North Park history,” said Head Coach . “He was continually targeted by the opposing defense, yet still managed to find the back of the net. His stellar play this season certainly deserves to be honored and celebrated.”
Tahmi-Masoleh was a unanimous All-CCIW First Team honoree, his second straight selection. He finished 2015 ranked in the top 10 nationally in four categories, including goals per game (1.8, second), shots per game (5.29, fourth), goals scored (20, fifth), and points per game (2.47, ninth) in all of NCAA Division III.
“I love to score goals, and I think when you have that mindset that you want to score and you know you can, the goals come,” Tahmi-Masoleh said. “I just tried to be a good teammate to everyone else because they set me up.”
One season, nine shutouts
Freshman defender Ricky Pimentel of Franklin Park, Ill.
Tahmi-Masoleh’s teammates and also received recognition for their work on the field. Pimentel, of Franklin Park, Ill., became the first Viking freshman to earn All-CCIW First Team honors since 2011, while senior Lashlee, of Denver, earned Second Team honors in his third consecutive selection.
As one of the Vikings’ premier defenders this year, Pimentel was a key player in the team’s nine recorded shutouts. On October 6, he was named CCIW Defensive Player of the Week after helping lead the Vikings to a 1-0 win over nationally ranked University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and a 2-0 triumph over Millikin University in the conference season opener. Pimentel put away his first collegiate goal in a 6-2 victory over Illinois Wesleyan University October 14.
Senior midfielder Diego Lashlee of Denver
Despite an injury that sidelined him for six matches, Lashlee recorded eight shots, one goal, and an assist in the last five games of the campaign. He assisted on the second goal in the Vikings’ 3-0 Homecoming win over the University of California, Santa Cruz, on October 16, then earned his first goal of the season against Carthage College five days later. Lashlee finished 2015 with seven shots on goal and three points.
The team ended the year with an overall record of 12-4-2 and 3-2-2 within the CCIW.
A premier hitter
Although only in her freshman year, has become one of the premier women’s volleyball hitters in the CCIW. Wiltsie was named an All-CCIW Third Team selection after helping lead the Vikings to one of their most successful seasons in recent memory.
Freshman outside hitter Lauren Wiltsie of Elgin, Ill.
As the team’s top outside hitter, Wiltsie led the team with 363 kills, averaging just under four per set at 3.36. She finished the season with a team-best 26 serving aces and was second on the team in digs with 376, averaging 3.48 per set. She also totaled a team-best 16 double-doubles in kills and digs. Wiltsie, of Elgin, Ill., ranked among the conference elite, ranking in the top three for total kills and kills per set, and in the top 10 for total digs and digs per set.
The team ended with a 13-17 record, its best overall since 2011. The Vikings earned their best CCIW finish in the last nine years under first-year Head Coach .
Momentum continues
Sophomore earned CCIW All-Conference Second Team honors for the women’s tennis team, her second straight All-CCIW honor after being recognized as the CCIW Newcomer of the Year last season. Daniels, of Cape Town, South Africa, finished the year with a 5-4 overall record at No. 1 singles.
Sophomore Lisa Daniels of Cape Town, South Africa
“We are very proud of Lisa’s inclusion in the all-conference team,” said Head Coach . “From her start here last year, she has had an impressive career as our number one singles player. It’s a tough position to be in, because in every match, you are playing one-on-one against the best singles player at each school. This year, the CCIW was much tougher at their top positions. Lisa had a solid year against the new level of competition, and will only become a better player because of it.”
As part of the No. 1 doubles duo with , Daniels earned three victories, including two straight wins over Olivet Nazarene University and conference foe Illinois Wesleyan. “The team momentum continues, and we look for more great things to come from Lisa and her teammates,” said Clifton-Soderstrom.
The team finished with a 5-5 overall record, a three-match improvement from its inaugural season last year. They earned a fifth-place finish in the CCIW postseason tournament, which the team entered with a number six seed.
萝莉社 Unveils Kathy J. Holmgren Nursing Simulation Lab
Simulation Lab named in honor of Class of 鈥�69 graduate and longtime supporter of University
CHICAGO (November 20, 2015) 鈥�听In a special ceremony held the morning of Friday, November 20, 萝莉社 unveiled a new name for its state-of-the-art nursing facilities, the Kathy J. Holmgren Nursing Simulation Lab. Holmgren, who graduated from North Park with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing in 1969, has been a longtime supporter of the University, including the recently opened Johnson Center for Science and Community Life.
Before a small group of friends and faculty of the , Holmgren expressed her gratitude for the and its long history of benevolent care, as well as what she called the 鈥渇orward-thinking faculty鈥� at North Park.
After Holmgren earned her degree from North Park, she went on to receive a master鈥檚 degree in oncology nursing from Brigham Young University, and a master鈥檚 degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin鈥揗ilwaukee.
Dr. Linda Duncan, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and a classmate of Holmgren鈥檚, reminisced in remarks to the audience about how far North Park had come in terms of nursing education. Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Mary Surridge, in welcoming the crowd, praised Holmgren for a life of service and devotion to faith, family, nursing education, and healthcare.
Holmgren鈥檚 interest in medical mission work in Africa twice led her to work and serve in Congo, first in 1969 and again in 2006, alongside her daughter, Dr. Calla Holmgren. Additionally, Kathy has provided volunteer medical care in Rwanda, Romania, Mexico, Uganda, and every U.S. city in which she has lived, while supporting her husband, Mike, and his work in the National Football League.
The 3,000-square-foot nursing lab at 萝莉社 opened in 2011 along Foster Avenue.
鈥淲e proclaim here at North Park that how we live as individuals arises from the commitment to serve for God鈥檚 glory and neighbor鈥檚 good,鈥� said University President David Parkyn. 鈥淲e are delighted to name this sacred space of learning after Kathy, a woman who has dedicated her entire life to God鈥檚 glory and neighbor鈥檚 good. Nursing students today as well as generations to come will know the name Kathy Holmgren. Through knowing her name, they will know her life story. And through knowing her life story, they will be inspired to identify their own journey into a life of significance and service.鈥�
Holmgren also served as a member of the North Park Board of Trustees for two terms between 1992 and 2004, and in 2006 received the 萝莉社 She and Mike are the parents of four daughters, Calla, Jenny, Emily, and Gretchen, all of whom attended North Park.
The high-tech in a 3,000-square-foot, ground-level space on Foster Avenue. It includes four simulation rooms, two control rooms, and a conference room where students debrief their class experiences.
Holmgren鈥檚 ties to North Park go back generations. Her grandmother earned a nursing degree at nearby Swedish Covenant Hospital in 1903, which for many years collaborated on the education of nursing students. Her grandfather, Arthur Bowman, was pastor of nearby North Park Covenant Church, a congregation that many generations of North Parkers have called home.
鈥淚 am the most fortunate of people,” Holmgren said. “I feel so honored today.” In closing her remarks, she laughed, “All four of my children have gone to North Park. And it is Mike鈥檚 and my hope to have all nine grandchildren attend North Park as well.鈥�
The University will host Juan Felipe Herrera November 12–13 for a lecture, a reading, and a class.
Juan Felipe Herrera on campus November 12–13 for event series
CHICAGO (November 9, 2015) — Juan Felipe Herrera spent his early childhood living in the tents and trailers that dotted the fields of Southern California’s farmland. The son of Mexican migrant farmworkers, Herrera would move with his family as the seasons and crops changed. Those years instilled in him a passion for fairness and justice, and a desire to tell the story of the migrant and indigenous experiences. Herrera was honored for how he has told that story when he was inaugurated as the first Mexican-American U.S. poet laureate on September 15.
萝莉社 will host Herrera on November 12 and 13 for a series of on-campus events, connected to this year’s program, “It is an honor to have the poet laureate here,” said , associate professor of and the director of the Campus Theme program. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for our students to encounter a preeminent artist of our time. Mr. Herrera also shares with our campus a commitment to social justice, which shows up both through his artistic voice and in his own advocacy work.”
Prior to his inauguration, Herrera served as California State poet laureate, from 2012 to 2014. He is the author of many collections of poetry, novels, and children’s books, and the recipient of several prestigious literary awards and fellowships. Although Herrera recently retired as a professor of creative writing at the University of California, Riverside, his work as an artist and activist continues.
“Poetry is a call to action and it also is action,” Herrera told NPR just before his inauguration. “Sometimes we say, ‘This tragedy, it happened far away. I don't know what to do. I'm concerned but I'm just dangling in space.’ A poem can lead you through that, and it is made of action because you're giving your whole life to it in that moment. And then the poem—you give it to everyone. Not that we're going to change somebody's mind—no, we're going to change that small, three-minute moment. And someone will listen. That's the best we can do.”
On Thursday evening, Herrera will give a reading, followed by a discussion and book signing, in Isaacson Chapel at 7:00 pm. On Friday morning, he will deliver a lecture, “Truth-Telling and the Role of the Artist in Society,” in Anderson Chapel at 10:30 am. Herrera will also lead a private writing workshop for students on Friday afternoon.
“We have designed two events that each serves a different purpose,” said Clifton-Soderstrom. “Together, they allow us to interact with both aspects of his work. Both should be wonderful.”
The University’s Campus Theme program offers a yearlong series of events, lectures, and discussions across campus around a central question of the human experience. When the program committee decided on the theme of What Is Truth?, members felt that Herrera was an obvious fit. “There are a host of truths that Mr. Herrera’s work confronts us with,” Clifton-Soderstrom said.
The Campus Theme program, which hosted events throughout fall, will continue to explore the question "What Is Truth?" in the spring semester.
Throughout human history, he offered, debates have raged about whether art reveals or distorts the truth. But alongside the skepticism and scorn that artists have often historically faced, “there is also a tradition that claims the artists in society are the prophets, the seers, the diviners of the truths that reason, logic, and science cannot see,” Clifton-Soderstrom said. “Most notably, we might say that Mr. Herrera’s work confronts us with the truth, lies, revelations, and deceptions around the topics of cultural identity, geographical migration, and our own relationship to the land.”
Herrera plans to use his role as poet laureate as a platform for examining truth through storytelling. “I’m here to encourage others to speak,” he earlier this year. “To speak out and speak up and write with their voices and their family stories and their sense of humor and their deep concerns and their way of speaking their own languages. I want to encourage people to do that with this amazing medium called poetry.”
Herrera’s two campus events are free and open to the public. Location details are .
Herrera read from his latest collection, Notes on the Assemblage, during a November 13 lecture in Anderson Chapel.
Juan Felipe Herrera calls North Park students to be 鈥渧isible and visibilizers鈥�
CHICAGO (November 16, 2015) 鈥� The story of our nation鈥檚 first Mexican-American poet laureate is one of humble beginnings. Juan Felipe Herrera was born into a family of migrant farm laborers, but often heard his mother recite poetry. He was captivated by it, though too nervous to try his hand. The words that catalyzed him came from his third grade teacher: 鈥淵ou have a beautiful voice.”
Recalling this story to 萝莉社 students last week, Herrera said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I鈥檓 here, actually. I鈥檓 here to tell you that. You have a beautiful voice.鈥�
Wearing his signature fedora (this time a royal blue) and turquoise rings, Herrera read poems and shared the stories behind them. It was a blustery Thursday evening in Chicago when students, faculty, and community members gathered in North Park鈥檚 Isaacson Chapel. Herrera was there for a series of on-campus events connected to this year鈥檚 Campus Theme program, which asks the question, 鈥�What Is Truth?鈥�
Earlier in the day, Herrera lead a private writing workshop with creative writing students. Participant Ashley McDonald (a double major in philosophy and English, with a creative writing emphasis) was surprised by Herrera鈥檚 approachability. 鈥淗ere’s the poet laureate of the United States鈥攖he officialness of it made us think it was going to be a serious, academic, deep, demanding workshop, I think,鈥� McDonald said. 鈥淎fter he told us a bit of his story about how he became a poet鈥攈e decided he wanted to start telling the truth about who he was, which prompted him to join the school choir and eventually begin writing鈥攈e had us brainstorm words related to submarines. The poem that came out of that was hilarious.鈥�
McDonald also walked away with a sense of the power of community in writing. 鈥淲orking in a group on a poem added levity to the endeavor that isn’t always there when you write alone,鈥� she said. This was a central theme for Herrera, who, throughout the events, explained that his development as a writer happened within a community of writers, and for the sake of the Latino community: 鈥淚 was a poet for the community, in the community, by the community.鈥� Herrera opened his comments Thursday with a bilingual poem, 鈥�,鈥� which demonstrates his passion to tell the truth about a community while also calling it to action.
Herrera turned the conversation to global citizenship, sharing poems from his most recent collection, Notes on the Assemblage. 鈥淎yotzinapa,鈥� told from the perspective of the 43 victims of the 2014 Iguala mass kidnapping in Mexico, closes, 鈥渨e are/not disposable.鈥� 鈥渋 am Kenji Goto鈥� honors Japanese journalists Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa, murdered by ISIS. Multiple students in attendance described these works as 鈥渞eally inspiring.鈥�
Justice also shaped Herrera鈥檚 remarks to the student body gathered at Anderson Chapel on Friday morning for a lecture titled 鈥淭ruth-Telling and the Role of the Artist in Society.鈥� Herrera urged the students to 鈥渉ave a fire for truth,鈥� to look beyond the messages of consumerism and ask, 鈥淲hat is my truth?鈥�
鈥淚t takes a long time to find your truth,鈥� Herrera said, remembering a college experience that shaped him. As an Anthropology student, Herrera learned about a people group in Mexico that had dwindled to a population of 250, and he was charged for their cause. 鈥淚t all came together when I learned [that]. I wasn鈥檛 just going to accept that and let it go.鈥� Frustrated by the apathy of other students, Herrera recalled saying, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to talk about it. I want to do something about it. I want to go face-to-face, not face-to-book.鈥�
Looking at North Park鈥檚 students, Herrera asked, 鈥淗ow can truth be truth if it鈥檚 just for you or me?鈥� He called the students to work that makes them both 鈥渧isible and visibilizers.鈥� This is at the heart of Herrera鈥檚 project as poet laureate, , which he invited students to participate in by submitting 200 characters or less of poetic lines. Herrera said that the project is intended to 鈥渇eed the hearth and the heart of our communities with creativity and imagination.鈥�
Herrera closed his time on campus by sharing 鈥�30 Steps I Took Towards Truth-Telling,鈥� written for the event, prefacing his list with this remark: 鈥淏efore I recite these to you, let me just say that it has become all about kindness. I think kindness is the direct path to truth . . . kindness is the way.鈥�
City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Cheryl Hyman, a 2004 North Park Unviersity graduate in the master of arts in community development program, joined Mayor Rahm Emanuel and representatives from universities to announce the expansion of the Chicago Star Partnership initiative. Twelve Chicagoland schools have committed to providing scholarships for Star students to earn four-year degrees.
Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and City Colleges Chancellor Cheryl Hyman announce more universities providing scholarships for Star students to earn four-year degrees
CHICAGO (November 6, 2015) — Mayor Rahm Emanuel and City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) Chancellor Cheryl Hyman announced on Thursday that five additional colleges have joined the Chicago Star Partnership, a group of four-year colleges and universities who have committed to providing scholarships to Chicago Star Scholars following their graduation from CCC.
University of Chicago, Columbia College, Northeastern Illinois University, 萝莉社, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago have joined seven other Chicago colleges and universities signing on to offer Star Scholars—high-achieving Chicago Public Schools (CPS) graduates who earn associate degrees and other certifications at City Colleges—with financial support to continue their education.
“By breaking down financial barriers to a college education, the Chicago Star Scholarship is opening up more pathways to the middle class for hardworking Chicago students and by expanding this partnership, we are taking our city’s commitment to making college more affordable to the next level,” said Mayor Emanuel. “I want to thank these 12 university partners for helping Chicago’s Star Scholars gain access to a four-year degree. We must continue working to ensure that a college education is within the reach of every hardworking Chicago student, regardless of their ability to pay.”
These institutions join DePaul University, Governors State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola University, National Louis University, Roosevelt University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Chicago Star Partnership.
In its inaugural year, the Chicago Star Scholarship has enabled nearly 1,000 CPS graduates to pursue their degrees from City Colleges free-of-charge. This expansion of the Chicago Star Partnership ensures Star Scholars will have further opportunities to pursue a four-year degree at a significantly reduced cost after successfully completing associate degrees at one of the City Colleges of Chicago.
“Most of the time, a high school diploma simply doesn’t cut it anymore,” said City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Cheryl Hyman. “Not only can City Colleges of Chicago equip these high-achieving students with an associate degree at an affordable price, but these partnerships will significantly reduce the cost of attaining a bachelor degree that employers in many industries increasingly want to see on an applicant’s resume.”
Each of the 12 university partners have committed to creating an opportunity that will allow Star Scholars to continue their college education following a successful completion at CCC. These packages range in monetary value between $2,500 and $25,000 each year. Some of these awards are merit-based and some are needs-based, but all are “last dollar” scholarships that may be applied in addition to other financial aid awards earned. Furthermore, each of the partners has committed to providing Star students transferring in with advising and transition supports.
The Star Scholarship for Chicago Public School (CPS) graduates was established in 2014 to ensure that all hard-working students would have an opportunity to pursue college coursework at the City Colleges, despite any financial barriers they might face.
Mayor Emanuel and CCC launched the Star Scholarship in 2014 to ensure that all hard-working students would have an opportunity to pursue college coursework, despite any financial barriers they might face. To qualify, CPS students must meet specific criteria to be chosen as Star Scholars at City Colleges of Chicago. These students must graduate with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, demonstrate “completion ready” ability with an ACT math and English score of 17, and enroll in one of CCC’s structured, relevant pathways.
Students meeting these criteria will be offered waivers for all tuition and books for up to three years at City Colleges of Chicago. For students who did not meet the completion-ready criteria but have achieved a 3.0 GPA, they may participate in remedial coursework until they demonstrate college-readiness, and will then receive the scholarship and tuition waiver.
The Star Scholarship program is one of many reforms created under the City College’s Reinvention effort. Since the Reinvention began in 2010, CCC has made significant investments in all seven colleges to ensure that all degrees and certificates are made relevant to the demands of the workplace and four-year institutions, and to deliver enhanced academic supports for students to ensure that they have the tools and support they need to be successful in their pathway of choice. This year, CCC realized its highest graduation rate on record—17 percent—which is more than double the rate since the launch of the Reinvention effort.
For more information about the Chicago Star Scholarship at City Colleges of Chicago visit .
Dr. Terry Lindsay, North Park鈥檚 dean of diversity and intercultural programs and associate professor of cultural studies, also leads the , which through a series of events and experiences offered each year, seeks to sustain a campus community that appreciates diversity and embraces our differences as well as our similarities.
Q&A with Dr. Terry Lindsay ahead of the Seventh Annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference
CHICAGO (October 29, 2015) 鈥� For the first time in the history of 萝莉社 there is no racial or ethnic majority in the school鈥檚 undergraduate population. No group of students, including white students, reaches above fifty percent, highlighting the University鈥檚 commitment to creating a diverse campus community.
鈥淥ur student body reflects Jesus鈥檚 vision recorded in the Gospel of Luke in which 鈥榩eople will come from the east and west, north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God,鈥欌�� said University President David Parkyn in a recent address. 鈥淥ur founding President David Nyvall had a vision for 鈥榟armony in the midst of diversity,鈥� and with Christ at the center of North Park we stand with our arms wide open.鈥�
Diversity as a theme has been present across campus this academic year. North Park Theological Seminary hosted its annual , with a focus on 鈥淩ace and Racism.鈥� The University also hosted the Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) , where hundreds of faculty and staff from Christian higher education institutions gathered for a series of workshops aimed at creating inclusive communities.
This year鈥檚 Campus Theme program, , has also provided students an opportunity to learn and engage alongside a diverse set of voices. On Friday, October 9, students, faculty, and staff gathered in Anderson Chapel to hear from Gerardo C谩rdenas, a Mexico City-born writer and journalist who now lives in Chicago. His book Our Lady of the Viaduct is the University鈥檚 Common Read selection this year, where incoming freshmen 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.
The focus on diversity will continue next week as North Park hosts its . On November 7, college students and staff from around the country will gather for leadership development training and a series of workshops centered around equipping a generation of leaders who can be change agents for their communities.
The Seventh Annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference takes place at North Park on Saturday, November 7. Registration is still available. For more information, visit .
Ahead of the conference, we sat down with Dr. Terry Lindsay, North Park鈥檚 dean of diversity and intercultural programs and associate professor of cultural studies, for a conversion about diversity on campus.
North Park: When you hear the statistics about the changing demographics at North Park, what鈥檚 your reaction?听
Terry Lindsay: I鈥檓 actually not surprised. I knew that the University was heading in that direction for a number of reasons, one of them being that the country as a whole is shifting and changing demographically. There are more Latino students all across the country for a variety of reasons. Europeans are not coming to the country in the same kinds of numbers as they used to in the 鈥�50s, 鈥�60s, 鈥�70s. There鈥檚 also a that indicated that for the first time in the history of this country there are now more children of color born in the U.S. each year than white children. So the country is changing and I鈥檝e always thought that North Park would eventually change in demographics as well. And it鈥檚 exciting for everybody.
gave a speech at our last full faculty meeting and he talked about North Park becoming the next great university as it relates to urban education. And I think that鈥檚 what we can do with this change in demographics. We are ideally positioned in terms of our demographic makeup to prepare students for the global world that we鈥檙e graduating them into. And we don鈥檛 have to take them somewhere else to do that. They can do it right here on campus by virtue of the interactions that they will have in the classroom, , in co-curricular activities, , and in our leadership opportunities. We are perfectly positioned and ideally situated to prepare students who are interculturally competent.
NP: What has North Park done in recent years to help facilitate a diverse community?听
Lindsay: First I have to credit our colleagues over in the admissions office. They have made a concentrated effort towards the recruitment of underrepresented students. They鈥檝e developed relationships with organizations that serve these students, including , , and the , among others. We also have our own programs, like , which, partnering with the Evangelical Covenant Church, sponsors regional events aimed at creating pathways for underserved students to start imagining college in their futures. So there are a number of organizations that we are deliberately and intentionally developing a partnership with and spreading the word about North Park.
The reality is, a number of underrepresented students don鈥檛 know a lot about North Park. But when they come beyond those gates and they see the beautiful campus that we have and they interact with some of our own underrepresented students, they can鈥檛 help but go back and talk about what a terrific experience it was.
NP: When you think about American higher education in general, there are some schools, I imagine, who are doing this work better than others. Where do you see the gaps and also the potential in higher education moving towards the creating of a more diverse learning community?
Lindsay: I do a lot of traveling to other college campuses for diversity conferences and I am shocked when I get to these campuses to see that they are still majority-white. And when I say 鈥渕ajority-white,鈥� I mean eighty to ninety percent white. I鈥檓 like, 鈥淵ou won鈥檛 be sustainable doing this!鈥� Some secular institutions are doing a better job. North Park and a few others are leading the way in terms of Christian schools recruiting underrepresented students. We still have a ways to go in creating a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible environment for the students that we have. We still need to work on that. But in terms of going out and recruiting underrepresented students, we have not mastered it, but we are moving in the right direction.
NP: And there are programs in place here once students come to campus, things like , , , and others.
Lindsay: After you鈥檝e recruited these students, you need to make sure that it鈥檚 an environment that will adjust to the differences in their learning styles, to the differences in the way they access the place, and to the fact that many of these students are the first in their family to go to college. Many underrepresented students don鈥檛 know how to seamlessly transition to campus. So we need to provide programs that will aid in the acclamation to the institution. We have the Latino student orientation, 笔谤别辫谩谤补迟别, that brings Latino students to campus before the start of opening week to get them more acclimated to the institution. You have the COMPASS program, which takes academically at-risk students who were admitted provisionally, and provides an enriched experience for them. There are a number of programs that have been developed to help these students ease into the college environment.
I recently met with a group of Latino students who participated in 笔谤别辫谩谤补迟别. And a young woman said, 鈥淭he Latino orientation was so helpful for me because it allowed me to experience the college before the pressure of everything else happened. I didn鈥檛 know if I was good enough, But the Latino orientation program gave me the confidence that I needed and it was just so useful for me.鈥� That鈥檚 what these programs do and I am in support of them all.
NP: The Student Diversity Leadership Conference is in its seventh year. What are you looking forward to?
Lindsay: I look forward to the fact that every year, the conference is a vehicle that provides nourishment to the participants who are going to be here. People are traveling from far and near to come, including Seattle and Omaha. This conference will help them to develop the intercultural competency skills that they need to go back to their campuses and communities to be agents of change. So we work hard to make sure that happens.
NP: Over the years as conference attendees have gone back to their campuses to do the work of diversity leadership. Have you been able to see some of that change implemented?听
Lindsay: It鈥檚 always fun to go to a campus that has been to your conference and to see how they鈥檙e applying what they have learned. Recently I went down to Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., and one of their faculty members had come to our conference. She met with me and said, 鈥淲e want to do some of these things that I learned.鈥� And so she began the process of pulling together a diversity committee on her campus. She brought me down for an entire day and I met with the provost, academic deans, vice president for student affairs, students, and the university committee. It was really nice to talk with them about the future of Christian higher education as it relates to diversity and the role that they can play and what we鈥檝e all learned from the diversity conference at North Park.
The Seventh Annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference takes place at North Park on Saturday, November 7. Registration is still available. For more information, .
萝莉社 Honors Three Alumni at Annual Homecoming Breakfast
Distinguished Young Alumni Award winner Deborah Wanderley dos Santos C’10 performed at Saturday's Reunion and Awards Breakfast.
Awards presented for commitment to lives of signifigance and service
CHICAGO (October 22, 2015) — At the annual Reunion and Awards Breakfast, held this year on Saturday, October 17, three for leading lives that represent the mission and spirit of the University. Honorees included Déborah Wanderley dos Santos, Megan (Streedain) Tamte, and Peter Tufo.
Wanderley dos Santos, recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Young Alumni Award, graduated from North Park in 2010 with a bachelor of music in performance. Since then, she has performed in major music halls worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Festival Hall in London, and Konzerthass in Vienna. Currently she is a violinst in the São Paulo Symphony, considered the top orchestra in Brazil and South America. She is also pursuing her master’s degree at SãoPaulo State University in strings pedagogy.
“One of the things I so appreciate about Déborah’s story is that it reminds me that while we have all called North Park home, our paths here and our paths since our time here often look very unique,” said Melissa Vélez Luce, director of alumni relations, in presenting Wanderley dos Santos the award. “Déborah is someone whose musical talent is impressive enough to stand on its own. However, it is her tenacity and determination, in addition to her deep commitment to serve others, that truly embody what it means to live a life of significance.”
This year’s recipient of the 萝莉社 Distinguished Alumni Award was Megan (Streedain) Tamte. Less than 10 years after graduating from North Park with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and Spanish, Tamte co-founded the retail clothing chain Evereve, formerly known as Hot Mama. Since its first store opened in 2004 near Minneapolis, the company now has 60 locations across 21 states, with more than 1,000 employees.
“Megan allowed her faith in God to guide her home, her family, her decision-making, and her successful business,” said Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Mary Surridge. “Megan can say with conviction and confidence that the platform she occupies as CEO of Evereve allows for the broad and deep sharing of her faith, her gifts, and her story with clients, colleagues, and friends.”
Although Peter Tufo, 2015 North Park Academy Distinguished Alumni honoree, was unable to attend Saturday’s breakfast, his commitment to a life of significance and service was celebrated by the North Park community. Tufo, a 1955 graduate, served as the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary from 1997–2001. Before that, he enjoyed a long career in public service, including serving as chair of the New York City Board of Corrections and the New York State Thruway Authority.
“The trajectory of Peter’s life journey brought together a commitment to make things happen at the highest levels of corporate business with a corresponding commitment to attend to neighbor’s good," said 萝莉社 President David Parkyn. "He was able to do so through some of the most challenging assignments in public service in New York City. It is our honor today to recognize him, 60 years following his graduation from North Park, as the 2015 Academy Distinguished Alumnus.”
For the third year in a row, North Park’s football program earned a win in front of the Homecoming crowd, delivering a dominant 24-14 victory over CCIW foe Elmhurst College.
Alumni honored as part of Homecoming weekend
CHICAGO (October 20, 2015) — Generations of North Park alumni returned to the corner of Foster and Kedzie this weekend to reconnect with the campus community as part of the .
There were , including a faculty showcase from the School of Music, an alumni art exhibit, and the annual Golden Circle reception in honor of alumni who graduated at least 50 years ago.
Alumni were also from women’s volleyball and both soccer teams. And for the third year in a row, North Park’s football program earned a win in front of the Homecoming crowd, over CCIW foe Elmhurst College.
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As part of Homecoming week, several alumni were honored for their contributions to the North Park community and for leading lives of significance and service, exemplifying the University's mission.
Distinguished Young Alumni Award winner Deborah Wanderley dos Santos C’10 performed at Saturday's Reunion and Awards Breakfast.
Three North Park alumni were honored at Saturday’s Reunion and Awards Breakfast:
Peter Tufo A’55, U.S. Ambassador to Hungary from 1997–2001, Distinguished Academy Alumnus
Megan (Streedain) Tamte C’95, co-founder and CEO of Evereve, Distinguished University Alumna
Déborah Wanderley dos Santos C’10, São Paulo Symphony violinist and founder of the YOURS project, Distinguished Young Alumna
萝莉社 athletes were inducted into the Viking Hall of Fame on Friday, October 16. This year’s inductees included:
Arriel Gray Jr. C’81, football and track and field
Rich Mahoney C’69, football, baseball, and coaching
Prof. Tony Quinn, coaching and teaching
Megan (Slattery) Nikiel C’06 G’10, basketball
The 2004 Women’s Novice 4+ Rowing Team, which won the national championship during their inaugural season: Corianne (Bowman) Courtney; Allison (Koubsky) Ford C’07 G’10; Erikka (Treatch) Hedberg C’07; Rebecca (Bowman) Langworthy C’05; Annika Safstrom C’07; Tim Grant, coach
of the Hall of Fame ceremony, including speeches from a few of the honorees.
萝莉社's Gospel Choir Touring Ensemble will visit three churches in the Minneapolis area as part of its fall tour, October 23–25.
Fall tour October 23–25 to feature 33 student singers
CHICAGO (October 19, 2015) — There’s a refrain in the Gospel song “We Have Overcome” by Jay Wade that includes the lines, “We have overcome by the blood of the lamb that was slain.” The song is among the repertoire that the 萝莉社 Touring Ensemble will perform this weekend when they travel to Minnesota for a series of concerts. Dr. Helen Hudgens believes those lyrics resonate deeply with the tour’s theme, “Celebrating the Resurrected Jesus.”
, an associate professor of at North Park who serves as co-director of the choir, traces the lyrics to Scripture, as well as to the black church experience. “That line originally comes from the book of Revelation,” she says. “In the text, at the end of history, believers who had been martyred gather before God. The idea is that there’s this underlying power that brings people through. That they’ve found the ability to see the power of God carrying them through that. It’s saying, ‘I have overcome difficulties—even to the point of death.’”
Choir Director , worship coordinator for , agrees. “We celebrate with this music the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, which resides in all who believe,” Kelly says in his program notes. “This power unites us as brothers and sisters to bear his image through how we love him and each other.” There’s a history and a communal context to the theme, “and that matters as we sing these lyrics,” Hudgens adds. “We always try to bring that to our concerts.”
The ensemble will visit three Minnesota congregations of the October 23–25, during the University’s fall break. They will perform full concerts at and , and sing in worship during two Sunday morning services at .
“We celebrate with this music the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, which resides in all who believe," says Choir Director Stephen Kelly, who also serves as the worship coordinator for North Park's University Ministries.
One of the School of Music’s most popular ensembles, the Gospel Choir’s performances are perennial favorites on campus. The Touring Ensemble draws students from around the country and the world, featuring 33 singers accompanied by instrumentalists. North Park’s touring ensembles regularly visit parts of the country with concentrations of alumni and Evangelical Covenant Church congregations.
The ensemble will perform 14 compositions during performances and a handful of songs during worship services. Other song highlights from the tour include “Sow in Tears” by Gospel legend Richard Smallwood; the traditional spiritual “Done Made My Vow,” arranged by Nolan Williams Jr; and “Grateful” by popular singer and pastor Hezekiah Walker. “There’s a theme of looking to Jesus as the one who has walked that road before,” Hudgens says. “We follow in his footsteps, but it doesn’t mean that the road is going to be easy.”
“Sow in Tears,” with its lines “Tears may flow, but don’t let go,” doesn’t deny that there will be difficulty and sorrow in that walk. But it also refers to tears as cleansing and created by God. “It’s a word of encouragement in the struggle,” says Hudgens.
Another prominent aspect of the walk with God explored in these songs is the necessity of committing to the journey. “In ‘Done Made My Vow,’ there’s something that the person has to do—God isn’t going to do it for you,” Hudgens says. “It says that Jesus is walking in front of you, but you still have to walk the road. Hopefully you’ve had experiences which have convinced you of the fact that if you walk that road, God will be with you, but you have to make that vow.”
Despite the struggles of the African American experience that the songs are rooted in, the joy and gratefulness embedded in the music are just as central to the tour’s theme. The chorus of “Grateful” is simply that word repeated over and over. “It’s about beginning with gratitude and always remembering,” Hudgens says. “That’s where you have to start.”
All performances are free and open to the public: • Friday, October 23, 7:00 pm, at Rochester Covenant Church, Rochester, Minn. • Saturday, October 24, 7:00 pm, at Excelsior Covenant Church, Excelsior, Minn. • Sunday, October 25, 8:45 and 11:00 am, Redeemer Covenant Church, Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Dr. Jon Peterson, assistant professor of politics and government
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