萝莉社

Tag: liberal arts

TEDx Recap: Paradigms Shifted

Shifting Paradigms, the theme of the event, challenged the attendees鈥� views on social and political issues.

CHICAGO, May 18, 2017 鈥� 鈥淲hen I first heard the title Shifting Paradigms, I had to look up what 鈥榩aradigm鈥� meant,鈥� began Mark Gavoor鈥檚 speech, a professor in the School of Business at 萝莉社. 鈥淪ee here鈥檚 what I thought it was,鈥� he said, pointing to聽a pair of dimes at the top of the screen. The next slide showed the dimes move to the bottom of the screen, 鈥渁nd now they鈥檝e shifted!鈥�

萝莉社 held its inaugural TEDx event. The 鈥渪鈥� is an indicator of an independently organized TED event. Students spearheaded this first of a promising many annual TEDx events. Student Paul Clines along with Faculty member Dr. Christopher Hubbard were the initiators of the event.

鈥淭his is a great day at North Park,鈥� Dr. Hubbard stated in his opening remarks to kick off the event of the first session. Speakers such as North Park鈥檚 Drs. Soong-Chan Rah and Michelle Clifiton-Soderstrom spoke alongside change-makers Dominique Jordan Turner and Amy 鈥楬ope Dealer鈥� Williams. Shifting Paradigms, the theme of the event, challenged the attendees鈥� views on social and political issues such as making 鈥淧eace Profitable,鈥� the Silent Movement of disability, labels such as 鈥渢hugs, gangster,鈥� and poverty. 鈥淧overty has the power to change the world,鈥� was the premise of Turner鈥檚 argument for highlighting the skills of those surrounded by poverty.

Interlaced among the live speakers were videos of other TED talks in which speakers from around the globe gave five-minute talks on a variety of topics. Three of North Park鈥檚 own students were also among those who spoke: Seanna Wong, Melanie Lofgren, and Azat Toroev. Seanna Wong, a theater and communications double major and ethnographic storyteller, presented her piece about the 鈥淟istening Loop鈥� and performance, stating that her passion 鈥渨eaves together lives.鈥� Azat Toroev, an exchange student at North Park with world-wide experience, gave a compelling speech on those with disabilities, and how disabilities do not limit possibilities.

萝莉社 was proud to see students take initiative, and is excited for the next TEDx event held on campus likely to be held in 2018.

Related:

INAUGURAL TEDX NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY NURTURES TALENTS OF ITS STUDENTS

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories News, StoriesTags , , , , ,

Student Blog: North Branch Literary Journal Issue Release is Coming Soon

I am so excited for everyone on campus to see the best poems, prose, paintings, drawings, and photography that the North Park student body has to offer.

This is a student blog post submitted by Kelsey Wilp聽C’17. Kelsey is聽an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing. She is the Senior Editor of the North Branch Literary and Fine Arts Journal.

North Branch senior staff: Jonathan Love, Zoe Larson, and聽Kelsey Wilp.

Greetings from the Wilson Hall Computer Lab!

My name is Kelsey Wilp and I am the Senior Editor of the North Branch Literary and Fine Arts Journal. You may have seen me at one of our two incredible on campus events earlier this school year. I read alongside my fellow staff members from my cringe-worthy high school diary at 鈥淢ortified 萝莉社鈥� and read a piece detailing my hatred for Middle School dances at our Anti-Valentine鈥檚 Day Extravaganza 鈥淪tupid Cupid!鈥� We like to laugh at our pain here at the North Branch.

This is my second and final year working on the recently-revived literary and fine arts journal and I have to brag that the North Branch has gone through a lot of changes. Since last year, our staff has grown from four to twenty-four and the number of submissions received was at an all-time high. We have been working hard to forge a stronger bond between the English and Art departments by including more art majors on staff and collaborating with our events and in the process of selecting pieces for the journal. There are also students from other majors on staff whose different perspectives and talents are welcomed.

Spring semester is the busiest time for the North Branch. We began advertising for submissions in the fall and Senior Lit Editor, Jonathan Love, and I made promotional videos that Professor Reinhold Dooley gave 鈥淭wo thumbs way up!!!!鈥� Those short films can be found on the North Branch Facebook page. We celebrated the end of the submissions process with our 鈥淪tupid Cupid!鈥� event which drew a large crowd of lonely souls who needed a place to haunt on Valentine鈥檚 Day.

The literature admissions process began the week of February 20th and was directed by Jonathan Love. He kept the staff on track and was able to get us through the process in three evening meetings. The staff met on the second floor of Brandel Library and read each individual written piece aloud and took a vote on what should be included in the journal this year. The next week, the art admissions process began, directed by Senior Art Editor Zoe Larson who got us through one single meeting in Brandel to choose the artwork that will be included in this year鈥檚 journal.

Now that the admissions process is complete, my staff and I are beginning the process of designing the journal, which will be sent off to the printer soon. Zoe and Jonathan worked together to weave the art and literature in one cohesive order so that thematic elements of both will complement each other.

Once the copies return to campus, we will have a distribution celebration in the form of our highly-anticipated release party! Like last year, there will be readings, live music, snacks, laughs, and good times. Be there!

I am so excited for everyone on campus to see the best poems, prose, paintings, drawings, and photography that the North Park student body has to offer.

Questions? Email northbranchsubmissions@gmail.com.

Related:

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, Blog, StoriesTags ,

Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner Inaugurated into the European Academy of Sciences and Arts

Thuswaldner is dean of arts and sciences and professor of humanities at 萝莉社.

Thuswaldner is聽dean of arts and sciences and professor of humanities at 萝莉社.

He is now an active member of the Academy鈥檚 Class I (Humanities). The ceremony took place at the University of Salzburg, Austria. The European Academy of Sciences and Arts promotes excellence in fields such as the humanities, medicine, arts, sciences, economics, law, and religion.

The European Academy of Sciences and Arts’聽1,900 members include 29 Nobel Prize recipients and former Pope Benedict XVI. The members of the Academy have a distinguished academic publication record and an impeccable reputation in academia. The Academy鈥檚 nominating committee nominates potential members who are then voted on by the Senate of the Academy. Funded by the European Union, the Austrian State as well as by private donors, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts is one of the biggest academic think tanks in the world that is dedicated to interdisciplinary research and regularly discusses pressing issues in the academy and civic society.

Being voted into the European Academy of Sciences and Arts is regarded as a great honor.

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories Announcement, StoriesTags , , , ,

North Park鈥檚 Liberal Arts, Experiential Learning Curriculum Aim to Keep Graduates Working in Illinois

萝莉社 President David L. Parkyn addresses the City Club of Chicago on how liberal arts education keeps an engaged citizenry working and living in Illinois.

CHICAGO (January 6, 2017) 鈥� On Thursday, January 19,聽聽President David L. Parkyn, along with Dominican University President Donna Carroll, will speak at an event . The day鈥檚 topic is the national challenge of growing tomorrow鈥檚 workforce, as well as the state-wide challenge of keeping Illinois鈥� graduates here post-degree. The panelists will explore how a liberal arts education prepares students with the in-demand skills that keep businesses competitive鈥攁nd the programs they implemented to help students build ties with the community.

Building an Engaged, Employable Citizenry through Experiential Curriculum

For Parkyn, 鈥渃onnecting college students to the world that surrounds them is key to building an engaged citizenry.鈥� 萝莉社 recognizes a close link between students engaging in hands-on experiential learning opportunities and building a connection to their surroundings. The University has established meaningful learning opportunities outside the classroom that help students become active citizens, who contribute to Illinois鈥� workforce by landing jobs in the state.

North Park鈥檚 experiential learning curriculum鈥攐ffered through programs including Engage Chicago, the Chicago Intensive, and CRUX鈥攑repares students to work in diverse environments. These hands-on experiences teach students how to be agile in diverse settings鈥攕kills transferable to the workforce. Situated in an urban setting, North Park embraces the city of Chicago as part of its curriculum. Students enjoy direct experience working with partner organizations, including nonprofits and civic organizations. 鈥淗aving the chance to be part of the inner-workings of an organization prepares undergraduates with an understanding of what it means to make a contribution as they enter the workforce,鈥� says Dr. Parkyn.

Value in the Liberal Arts

By way of example, professional services like accounting and tax firms are increasingly changing their business models. Many manual tasks have been eliminated by technology and automation. However, these businesses still need to stay connected with their clients to understand their needs and build trust. The client-service relationship requires strong interpersonal communication abilities. An education in the liberal arts, among other foundational skills acquired, provides a well-developed repertoire of soft skills transferable to in-demand jobs.

Soft skills cultivated from a liberal arts education are used in business settings to understand client needs and respond to them strategically, creatively, and with thoughtful communication. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at North Park, points out, 鈥淎 history major, for instance, learns to digest disparate information, analyze outcomes, and form an analysis to build a case for consideration; an art major must be original in his or her creativity, thinking about how the audience will receive the art form and how to connect with their audience.鈥�

鈥淎 liberal arts education is one that stretches the mind to use creativity and critical thinking to solve complex problems,鈥� says Dr. Parkyn. 萝莉社 designs its liberal arts academic programming so that graduates are well-prepared to make a noticeable contribution to the workforce as engaged citizens with transferable, in-demand skills.

Learn more about North Park’s academic programs.

聽Watch the Address

from on .

Author Ana FundukPosted on Categories News, StoriesTags , ,