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Three CCIW All-Conference Honors Cap Positive Year for Vikings Basketball
Liz Rehberger, sophomore guard from Chicago
Liz Rehberger and Jordan Robinson earned third-team honors; Juwan Henry named first-team All-Conference
CHICAGO (March 2, 2015) — Three 萝莉社 basketball student-athletes were named to the 2014–2015 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference team. The honor caps off a successful season for the women and men’s teams, who both improved on last year’s records, including the men having their best season in five years.
, a sophomore guard from Resurrection High School in Chicago, earned third-team honors, finishing in the top-10 in conference in points per game (14.8), steals per game (2.2), and total three-point field goals. A foot injury sidelined her for the final four games of the season, where the team went 1-3 in her absence. Overall, she helped lead the team to a 13-12 record on the season, and a fifth place conference finish.
“You can see how valuable Liz is to our team with those last four games,” said women’s head coach Amada Crocket. “She is someone who leads by example, and with a lot of returning players next year, I see us continuing to improve and make it into the postseason conference tournament.”
Jordan Robinson, freshman forward from Schaumburg, Ill.
A bright future
Two members of the Viking’s men’s basketball team earned CCIW honors, leading the team to within on game of a trip to the postseason.
, a freshman forward from Schaumburg, Ill., earned third team honors after playing a key role in North Park’s 6-2 finish to the season. He averaged 16.3 points and nearly 6 rebounds per game over that stretch, which included three wins over nationally ranked opponents.
“The immediate impact Jordan had on our program was a pleasant surprise,” said men’s head coach Tom Slyder. “We expected him to contribute, and now that he has, he will be a marked man going into next year. He’ll have to learn to handle different types of defenses and raise his game. Hopefully we’ll be able to add more pieces to the team, and as guys develop, it will take the pressure off everyone.”
Juwan Henry, sophomore guard from Chicago
It was the second consecutive year a freshman basketball player earned All-Conference honors. , a sophomore guard from Bogan High School in Chicago, followed up last year’s third-team honors with a place on the All-Conference first team. A three-time conference Player of the Week, Henry led the team and the conference in scoring, averaging 22.5 points per game. He also ranked in the CCIW top-five in assists (4.0), steals (1.8) and blocked shots (1.3) per game. Twice Henry scored 30 or more points in a game, including a season-high 34 in North Park’s season finale against North Central College.
“The best thing for Juwan this season was that he had quality players around him so he could elevate his game,” said Slyder. “His overall demeanor and maturity really developed this year as well. He’s not a finished product, none of us are, but his development in that area allowed him to excel.”
The men’s team finished 15-10 on the year, its best finish since 2010–2011, and its six conference wins were the most since 2009–2010.
Dr. Jacqueline Berning, Professor and Dietitian, to Discuss Food as Fuel
Dr. Jacqueline Berning, professor and chair of health sciences at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, teaches professional athletes, Olympians, and students how to make wise food choices for increased performance.
Friday, February 20, 10:30 am in Johnson Center 314—the next event in North Park’s Campus Theme, ‘What Is Food?’
Chicago (February 19, 2015) — Last year, Dr. Jacqueline Berning, professor and chair of health sciences at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, took a few dozen young men grocery shopping. It was part of an award-winning project, “,” that aimed to teach football players from the University of Colorado how to shop, prepare, and cook nutritious food that would provide the proper nutrients to optimize athletic performance.
She showed them how to read food labels, calculate calories from fat, and examine ingredients. Berning then brought the food back to a kitchen and taught the players how to prepare it.
“What happens is a lot of young people don’t know how to shop or basic cooking skills, so they turn to pre-prepared food,” Berning says. “Most athletes are motivated to increase their performance, and this project provided them an opportunity to improve their performance through food.”
This Friday at 10:30 am, Berning will visit 萝莉社 to give a lecture about eating for optimal performance on the field and in the classroom. She will focus on the physiological side of food—the energy necessary to maximize potential in all facets of life.
It is the next event in North Park’s yearlong , which brings the North Park community together for a series of events, lectures, and discussions around a central question of the human experience. A tradition for more than a decade, this year’s question, “What Is Food?” marks a different approach from year’s past.
“Traditionally, the Campus Theme has been about a value or idea, for example, ‘What Is Community?’ ‘What Is Justice?’ ‘What Is Peace?’" said , associate professor of and the director of the Campus Theme program. “This year we wanted to address something more tangible. Eating is a daily human experience that all of us share. It is the most provocative of questions because first, it is so fundamental to human life, and second, because it bears directly on other values that we care about here at North Park—justice, compassion, community, theology, and cultural diversity.”
In addition to her work with the University of Colorado football team, Berning has also served as nutrition consultant for the Denver Broncos, nutrition coordinator for USA Swimming, and sports dietitian for the Cleveland Indians and the Colorado Rockies.
She is the author and editor of several books, including Training Nutrition and Nutrition for Sport and Exercise. She earned her PhD in nutrition at Colorado State University, and is a registered dietitian and certified board specialist in sports dietetics, as well as an advisory board member at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
While much of Berning’s work deals with nutrition for athletes, she also stresses the importance of proper eating for optimal performance in the classroom and beyond. Much of what happens on the field, in the classroom, and in life, comes down to solving problems. The preparation for solving those problems is essential.
“If class starts at 8:00 am, how many students show up without breakfast and expect to have the brain to be able to recall all the things that they’ve been studying?” Berning asks. “It’s like driving your car to campus with the empty light flashing at you. Once it starts flashing you haven’t got very much time until it shuts down and stops. How many students are still showing up with no fuel and wondering why they can’t focus or figure out particular problems?”
All Campus Theme events are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit .
Crendalyn McMath Fitzgerald, 49, served as associate professor of marketing at 萝莉社 since 2002, after a long and successful career in marketing and entrepreneurship.
Associate professor of marketing in the School of Business and Nonprofit Management specialized in entrepreneurship and advertising
Chicago (February 18, 2015) — Crendalyn McMath Fitzgerald, known as “Cren” to her students and colleagues, passed away last Friday, February 13. As associate professor of marketing and advertising since 2002 in the School of Business and Nonprofit Management, Fitzgerald, 49, leaves a legacy of inspiring undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders in their communities.
“Cren was able to connect with her students because she taught from her own experience as a leader in education, marketing, and entrepreneurship,” said , dean of the . “She was also a mentor to her colleagues, modeling how to balance work and family life. It is difficult to imagine our faculty without her.”
Fitzgerald served as faculty lead in the undergraduate advertising major, challenging students to look beyond their own experiences and gain a broad understanding of the role culture plays in people’s decision making. Before coming to North Park, Fitzgerald served as the founding director for the Center for Urban Business at the University of Illinois at Chicago, founded and ran a television and video production company, and was president of Kennedy Taylor Corporation.
“Professor Fitzgerald was a very kind and attentive instructor,” said Colleen Atwell, one of Fitzgerald’s students in the graduate nonprofit management certificate program. “She showed a personal interest in our assignments, our places of work, and each of us as individuals. She was very interactive and always available to her students.”
Fitzgerald grew up in an Evangelical Covenant Church on the South Side of Chicago, learning her entrepreneurial drive from her family’s neighborhood restaurant. She went on to earn a bachelor of science in marketing and a master of business administration from the University of Illinois Chicago.
“The passion our faculty show their students is the heart and soul of our University,” said 萝莉社 President David Parkyn. “Cren was a shining example of that, and our prayers and sympathy extend to her family and loved ones.”
Cren is survived by her husband, Ephriam, daughters Eren and Courtney, and her parents.
A visitation will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at Mt. Holy Rock Missionary Baptist Church, 11441 S. Wentworth Ave., Chicago, IL 60628, with the funeral service immediately following.
A memorial service for the 萝莉社 community to celebrate the life and memory of Crendalyn will be held at 3:30 pm on Tuesday, February 24 in Isaacson Chapel. A light reception will follow in Olsson Lounge.
Messages of condolence may be sent to: Ephriam Fitzgerald, 8304 S. Calumet, Chicago, IL 60619.
萝莉社's Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life Achieves LEED Gold Status
Sustainability features include a "green roof" on the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, which not only promotes stewardship but provides a real-life laboratory for environmental science students at 萝莉社.
CHICAGO, IL (Feb. 10, 2015) – Completed last year, the $45 million at 萝莉社 was recently awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, which establishes criteria for the construction of sustainable buildings.
“We are very pleased to have been awarded LEED Gold,” said David Parkyn, President of 萝莉社. “The building is not only esthetically beautiful, but also functions efficiently and plays an important environmental role. That’s especially rewarding on our urban campus, and consistent with North Park’s mission as a Christian institution and stewards of the environment.”
Through its achievement of LEED Gold status, 萝莉社 is able to provide the best environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors, while also minimizing waste, reducing toxins, lowering potential energy bills and operating costs, and achieving healthier indoor air quality.
“LEED Gold is an outstanding accomplishment and shows ” said Susan Heinking, Vice President & Sustainability Leader at VOA Associates Inc., longtime architectural partners with the University.
As sustainable administrator, Heinking’s role was to facilitate the sustainable design throughout the design and construction process. "Each element—from the external shades on the facade allowing daylight in while blocking out heat gain, to the green roof that reduces building stormwater run-off—was selected to meet sustainability requirements," said Heinking.
The Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life
Throughout the design process various stakeholders, which included scientists, faculty, staff and administrators, and students, gave input to the architectural team for the design of a building that would create a space for all students, optimize outdoor space and daylight, and meet sustainability goals.
Some of the sustainable features of the Johnson Center include: reducing heat island effect with green roofs and high albedo hardscapes; promoting alternative transportation methods; promoting ongoing building recycling; incorporating recycled and regional materials; and promoting healthy indoor environment via low emitting materials. Sustainable design and construction of the Johnson Center also means increased air filtration, increased air ventilation; and occupant comfort is increased via thermal comfort measures and lighting controls. Additionally, the building produces 30% water savings, 26% energy savings, and 75% waste diverted.
Nonprofit Professional Development: Axelson Center Spring Workshops
Workshops and webinars for nonprofit professionals now open for registration
CHICAGO (February 3, 2015) — Finding new real estate for your nonprofit, conflict resolution, metrics, mergers, planned giving, and managing across generations are just a few of the topics that will be covered in the Spring 2015 workshop series hosted by the , a capacity-building center located at 萝莉社.
The Axelson Center offers professional development on timely topics featuring expert speakers and powerful, relevant takeaways. Nonprofit professionals of all types—from program managers to executive directors—will benefit from these upcoming learning opportunities.
Workshops are held on Wednesday mornings at North Park's campus on the northwest side of Chicago. The series kicked off on Wednesday, January 28, 2015, with "There's No Place Like Home: Finding New Real Estate for Your Organization." Other highlights of the series include “Stewardship Thinking: Ensuring the Future of Your Organization” on February 11, “Planned Giving BootCamp” on February 18, “Navigating Your Way through Conflict” on March 25, and “Valuing the Knowledge of How Things Get Done” on April 8. , including registration details for each individual event.
The Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management at 萝莉社 is the source for informative and engaging nonprofit professional development in the Chicago region. Through , an , and an , the Axelson Center delivers a superior educational experience for nonprofit leaders, volunteers, and frontline staff, covering a vast array of topics from program evaluation to strategic planning, and communications to development. The valuable information presented through these programs enhances the impact of both the nonprofit sector and its staff. Visit for more information, including a full schedule of upcoming programs.
Dr. Mary Trujillo is one of the primary faculty members for the conflict transformation studies program, teaching courses that include Conflict and Community and Mediation.
Conflict transformation studies major launched in Fall 2014
CHICAGO (January 29, 2015) — For North Park students, the second weekend of May is often one of celebrating the close of the school year with friends and family. Many pack up to head home for summer jobs or move to new places to begin careers after graduation.
This year, for 15 students, that weekend will begin a unique international study trip to Northern Ireland—the first trip offered as part of the University’s new . Students and faculty in the International Conflict Transformation course will dive deeply into the forces of history, religion, and art in the experience of conflict. The group will partner with the Junction, a peacebuilding and community service organization in Derry, Northern Ireland. Their itinerary includes walking tours of public murals that are statements of both suffering and transformation; experiences of how music and art interact with spiritual dynamics in conflict; and conversations with community leaders and ex-combatants on trauma, understanding, healing, and reconciliation.
“We’re going to listen, to learn, and to observe,” says , professor of communications and co-director of the conflict transformation studies program. He hopes this trip will be an academic experience that builds connections between theory, practice, and the real-life complications of creating peace in a challenging landscape.
The questions in conflict
Conflict transformation studies began as an undergraduate certificate at North Park ten years ago and transitioned to a full undergraduate major in Fall 2014. The major offers interdisciplinary courses that tackle the pressing questions that emerge out of conflicts in places from Northern Ireland to Chicago, and the Middle East to Ferguson, Missouri: How do communities in conflict begin the process of healing? Where do individuals find safe avenues to express the experience of living through conflict? What good can come out of tension, anger, or misunderstanding? Can we really create peace?
“Conflict is a universal experience—even though we don’t want it to be,” says , professor of communications and co-director of the program. Students who are drawn to conflict transformation studies are expressing their desires to “change the world” and are people of compassion, grounded in a belief that there can be a way in the world better than conflict, she says.
Carmen Velazquez, a junior in the program, agrees with Trujillo’s assessment. “Conflict is part of our everyday life. It doesn’t matter what socioeconomic class you belong to, your gender, the color of your skin, or your race: conflict will always be around,” she says. “Conflict transformation teaches us to not try to remove conflict but to transform it into something positive and greater.”
Working for justice in communities
David Potter is one of the first conflict transformation studies majors at North Park and will graduate in December 2015. He came to the University after working at a nonprofit organization with youth and under-resourced communities. “While I was not aware of it at the time, the opportunities to work in several marginalized and neglected domestic communities—from large- and small-scale urban areas, to Native American reservations and Appalachian coal mining towns—instilled a desire to create healing spaces of justice and restoration.”
Velazquez also identifies a desire for social justice work as the driving factor in choosing the conflict transformation studies major. She grew up in an immigrant community in the Central Valley of California, and is preparing for a career in community organizing to advocate for her people. “This program has allowed me to realize the many issues in my own community; it has empowered me to strive for positive change.”
The work that Potter and Velazquez dream of is what is often referred to as “track two diplomacy,” or public diplomacy and hands-on conflict transformation efforts, according to Hostetter. Conflict transformation students learn the relational skills that allow them to work in long-term, sustainable community initiatives, not necessarily high-level political diplomacy that is focused on negotiation and resolving conflict. “We call this a conflict transformation program—not conflict resolution—because it is relationally focused,” he says. “Relationships are transformed, not resolved.”
Creative approaches to hard questions
provides a rich backdrop for students to gain hands-on experience learning about conflict in urban and international relationships. Students in the Community and Conflict course organize an annual one-day peace conference. The Performance and Social Change class does an ethnographic study of personal experiences around a particular topic in order to create a public performance that sparks conversation and action.
“Conflict transformation is evolving as we speak,” Trujillo says. New relational and creative approaches continue to emerge as the field broadens. Along with studying the history and context of global conflicts, courses provide opportunities for students to conduct research and analysis, and gain more self-awareness in an effort to pursue creative, nonviolent approaches to help in conflict situations.
In one course, Trujillo has her students create three-dimensional models that represent peace. “I tell students, ‘You’ve imagined it, you’ve created it with your hands. Now we’re going into communities to work on peace with people.’ I really believe that we can make a difference, that students can create peace,” she says.
Professors Trujillo and Hostetter invite their students to explore creative models of strategic peace building like these with the hope of equipping students to be advocates for positive change in global, national, and local communities.
Though the major is new, Velazquez’s testimony affirms that the program is on the right track. She says her courses have opened her eyes to conflict outside of her personal experience. “Coming from a rural community, I wasn’t aware of major conflicts that happen throughout the United States or all the injustices in the city of Chicago. Knowing that there are others also fighting for social justice helps me to acknowledge the power of my own voice and actions.”
North Park Commemorates Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Call to Action
Social justice leaders from the Chicagoland area conducted civil rights discussions with North Park students.
Worship service and ‘teach-ins’ led by students, faculty, and staff
CHICAGO (January 21, 2015) — With recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City, 萝莉社’s annual commemoration of the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday focused on the opportunities presented in this particular moment in history
“We know there is work to be done because there is inequality in our nation,” said Rev. Velda Love, director of justice and intercultural learning at 萝莉社, in her welcome address to the audience in Anderson Chapel. “We know there is work to be done because there is police brutality in communities of color.”
Ramelia Williams, a student at , echoed the call to action. “If we paid attention we might see the miracle of this millennial moment, a moment that has raged righteous anger like a fire storm across this nation.”
Their voices were part of Monday’s event, “What is Civil—What is Right? A Millennial Response.” The day included a worship service with music from the 萝莉社 Gospel Choir and guest musician Bryan Johnson from . An emotional rendition of Sweet Honey in the Rock’s “The Women Gather,” performed by North Park students and staff, opened the service.
, pastor of pastoral care and administration at Second Baptist Church in Evanston, Ill. spoke on the importance of intergenerational leadership in building momentum within a new social movement.
Students from 萝莉社 Gospel Choir performed with Bryan Johnson during the worship service celebrating Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Out of the context of the perilous moments of 2014—which you have already heard here today—came a movement led by a new generation,” said Mosby. “I believe the legacy of Dr. King demands that we stop looking for another King and begin embracing the prophets that God has raised up in this millennial generation. To do so we must be willing to stop looking at the mountain tops long enough to gaze into the streets and classrooms where God is doing a new thing.”
Following the service, North Park students gathered in discussion groups guided by social justice leaders from organizations including the and Trinity United Church of Christ. Sessions included, “Civil Rights Movement: Then and Now,” “Millennial Activism is Here to Stay,” and “De-Spiritualizing Non-Violent Resistance.”
“This movement is not led by the voice of the majority race or minority race,” Ramelia Williams said. “Millennials move forward in persistence with a proactive voice that is louder and stronger than their individual voice.”
North Park Senior Presents Summer Research at Physics Conference
Olivia Chisman, a senior in North Park’s physics program, also presented her work in October at an American Physical Society Division of Nuclear Physics meeting in Hawaii.
Olivia Chisman's research recreates the conditions of the early universe to try and explain the world around us
CHICAGO (January 19, 2015) — Olivia Chisman spent the summer watching millions of tiny particles moving close to the speed of light crash into one another. It was part of a research program at UCLA, where she joined nearly 500 physicists from around the world in observing the outcomes of a particle accelerator that spans 2.4 miles underground.
“I got to be part of weekly phone meetings with expert physicists and present my research,” said Chisman, a senior in 萝莉社’s . “The work is known as fundamental physics. By recreating the conditions of the early universe a few microseconds after the Big Bang, we can try to understand what makes up the world around us.”
Chisman was invited to present her research this past weekend at the , hosted at Purdue University. The goal of the conference was to support women physicists as they transition from a major to a career, and help combat the recent decline of women in the field. After a four-decade trend since 1965 that saw the percentage of women in physics rise from 5 to nearly 25 percent, that number has regressed to below 20 percent, . Joining Chisman, who also presented her research to an American Physical Society Division of Nuclear Physics meeting this fall in Hawaii, were three additional students from North Park’s physics and programs, Anika Zima, Azra Dizdarevic, and Nayelii Duran.
"Research experiences for undergraduates and giving papers at national conferences are incredible opportunities for our students," said , assistant professor of physics at North Park. "The American Physical Society conference allows the students to make connections with well-known physicists from around the country. It also let’s them meet other young women who are sharing their same experiences and worries about their future. It helps knowing that you are not the only one."
Chisman's research, explained in the above video, included observation of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider in Upton, New York.
Like a number of students, Chisman did not take a direct route to a career in physics. “Since I was young I wanted to be a nurse, and I came to North Park as a ,” Chisman said. During her sophomore year, she read some books and watched a few movies about cosmology and astrophysics, and then decided to have a conversation with McDonald. “I asked her what I could do with a physics career,” Chisman said. “She told me my options were limitless.”
Chisman recently submitted applications for a PhD in physics, and hopes to begin a program after her graduation from North Park this May. She is looking to continue the research she began last summer in the field of relativistic heavy ion physics and experimental nuclear physics. Chisman credits North Park’s science programs for preparing her for graduate school and beyond.
“The small class sizes and the way that North Park teaches physics forces students to take responsibility for their own learning, which is something that was infinitely important to my research this summer,” Chisman said. “I’ve been able to have direct contact with my professors, and as a result, they know me very well.”
McDonald is also excited to hear about Chisman's next steps in terms of education and research. "One of my joys is when alumni come back and tell me all about the things they are doing," McDonald said. "I know that North Park makes a difference in the world, and it is great to see it in action with people like Olivia."
萝莉社 Confers 254 Degrees at 2014 Winter Commencement
Graduating students were encouraged to reach beyond their future professions to find the essence of the image of God in every person they meet.
Graduates called to find God in their neighbors
CHICAGO (December 15, 2014) — A festive crowd gathered on Friday night in the North Park gymnasium to celebrate the achievements of students from across the University.
Students were led into the gymnasium by a procession of flags of the countries and territories in which graduates were born, are citizens, or have been residents. The flags of the United States, the city of Chicago, and 萝莉社 led the procession, followed by the flags of Ecuador, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Romania, South Korea, Sweden, and Ukraine.
Serving as the culmination of the fall semester, 萝莉社 awarded bachelor’s degrees to 182 students, including graduates from the . Seventy-two graduate degrees were awarded to 68 students from across the , , , and .
In his commencement address to graduates and their friends and family, University President Dr. David L. Parkyn told the story of . A North Park alum, Carlson was featured on the cover of and magazines 50 years ago this month after he was tragically killed while providing medical care in the Congo.
“What Paul Carlson discovered during his two years at North Park was a commitment to find God in his neighbors,” Parkyn said. “He was not a saint; he didn’t set out to be martyred and become a hero with his portrait in the national press. He simply set out to find and serve God in every person he met.”
Parkyn urged graduates that although they are not expected to meet the same fate as Dr. Carlson, the example he provided is what the University means in its mission of preparing students for lives of significance and service. “Become a teacher or a nurse, a social worker or psychologist, a research scientist or a community organizer, an artist or a programmer, a musician or a preacher, an entrepreneur or a business leader. Develop a command of digital design, market messaging, financial portfolios, political structures, or information systems. Make any one of these your professional goal,” Parkyn said. “Yet don’t stop with this. Reach beyond these good and honored professions and be a person, like Paul Carlson, who sets out to find the essence of the image of God in every person you meet.”
Katherine Patterson, biology major, was awarded the Ahnfeldt Medallion for the highest undergraduate GPA in the graduating class.
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In addition to awarding degrees, the University also presented the Ahnfeldt Medallion, given to the undergraduate with the highest GPA, to , a biology major who graduated a semester early. In addition to her studies, Peterson was also active in North Park’s and served as a peer-writing mentor on campus. Patterson also spent multiple summers at the and volunteered at Chicago’s .
“Katherine’s love for nature stems from her love for God and the things God created,” said Bruce Bickner, chairman of the Board of Trustees, who presented the award. “Her sense of wonder and awe leads her to a mission field of woods and streams.”
The commencement program also included a reading from Proverbs, choral performances by the , a graduation litany, and a presentation of degrees by University deans.
The commencement ceremony also featured a benediction from , read by graduates in seven languages, including Arabic, Hindi, Tagolog, Swedish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Norwegian.
Peer-Mentoring Programs Responding to the Needs of Students
"After participating in the mentor program, I have so many faculty and staff members who believe in me and push me to go the distance,” said 萝莉社 junior Tatianna Hughlett at ACI's annual public forum.
COMPASS and Lighthouse shared as models for student success at Associated Colleges of Illinois’s annual public forum
CHICAGO (December 10, 2014) — In recent years, 萝莉社’s peer-mentoring programs, and Lighthouse, have served as models for student success among area colleges and universities. In collaboration with the , North Park joined two additional higher education institutions in building a “relationship bridge” between low-income, minority, and first-generation college students, the campus community, and the college’s social, academic, financial, and multicultural support services, with goals of college readiness and completion.
On Tuesday at ACI’s annual public forum at the Union League Club of Chicago, representatives from 萝莉社, including University President , Director of Student Success Dr. Barrington Price, and two students from the mentor program, junior Tatianna Hughlett and freshman Devin Childress, shared details about the programs and the impact they are making on the lives of students to an audience of community and higher education leaders.
For more than 10 years, North Park’s COMPASS program has brought select students to campus 10 days before orientation to prepare them for the academic and social challenges of college and adjust to life on campus. Students participate in mini-classes in the sciences and English, and form small cohort groups led by upperclassmen mentors that provide support throughout the year. This past summer, students studied toxicity levels in the Chicago River, read a book about the river’s history, met the book’s author, and participated in environmental service projects. In addition, over the course of the year students take a class in foundations for academic success and then a class in career planning, helping to identify a major and career path early in their journey.
“We focus on identifying student needs, helping them understand who they are, what their skills, interests, and abilities are, and find social and academic opportunities that lead toward students feeling a fit at the University,” said Price. “We work with many students who operate under the premise that they can’t do something, so a lot of our work involves restructuring that premise.”
Hughlett, who began her freshman year at North Park as a mentee in the program, now serves as a mentor to incoming freshmen. “Growing up I didn't have the best role models around me,” she told the audience. “I didn't have people telling me that I could be more successful. After participating in the mentor program, I have so many faculty and staff members who believe in me and push me to go the distance.” Hughlett is now considering graduate school after graduation in 2015.
“At the colleges and universities of the Associated Colleges of Illinois, we feel an obligation and a deep responsibility to open the doors to higher education and upward mobility,” said Parkyn. “At 萝莉社, we are especially proud of our peer-mentoring programs, and the talented and dedicated students who are nurturing one another as they progress toward success.”
North Park is one of 23 institutions that together form ACI, a network of private, nonprofit, residential colleges and universities that works with business and community leaders to design and implement programs tohelp underserved students prepare for and successfully graduate from college.
Nearly 79 percent of mentored freshmen from 2013–2014 returned for their sophomore year this fall, higher than the 74 percent national retention average of all students, and significantly higher than the average retention rate of low-income, minority, and first-generation students. This fall, North Park welcomed its largest-ever COMPASS class of 54 students. In addition, North Park’s newer initiative, Lighthouse, reciprocates COMPASS with a smaller cohort of students over the entire four years of an undergraduate degree with the additional support of scholarship funding. The program will soon be graduating its first seniors with a retention rate above 90 percent, and this year’s freshman Lighthouse cohort also welcomed its largest-ever class of 15 students.
“萝莉社’s mission claims that we prepare students for lives of significance and service, and these mentor programs reflect our commitment to student preparation,” said Dr. Jodi Koslow Martin, vice president for student engagement. “Students who are mentored become acclimated to college life by their peers so that they find both academic and social success during their first year, which will lead to discovering how they will live a life of significance and service after they graduate.” Koslow Martin added that the retention rate of students in North Park’s programs reflect that the programs, under the guidance of Barrington Price, are working. “It shows how students who receive personal attention from mentors can find a fit at 萝莉社.”
Price and colleague Pasi Musaindapo, career programs manager at North Park, have been asked to speak further about North Park’s mentor programs later this week at the Illinois ACT State Organization conference.
“What North Park is doing represents a real victory,” said Price. “It is an accomplishment that will have lasting impact on the lives of the students we serve, will change the face of the communities in which they live, and, ultimately, will strengthen our economy and our society.”
As 萝莉社 freshman Devin Childress told the audience, “I can only go forward. I cannot go back."
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