North Park has served five generations of students and continues to grow in diversity, academic relevance, and Christian commitment. Our Chicago location is a great asset that reflects the School鈥檚 global reach and outlook.
After 125 years, we鈥檝e learned how to streamline the process of helping qualified applicants seek admission to North Park and find affordable ways to attend. If you don鈥檛 see what you鈥檙e looking for on our website, please contact us directly!
North Park offers more than 40 graduate and undergraduate programs in liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies. Classes average 17 students. 84% of our faculty have terminal degrees. Academics here are rigorous and results-oriented.
North Park Theological Seminary prepares you to answer the call to service through theological study, spiritual development, and the formative experiences of living in a community with others on a similar life path.
The Office of Alumni Engagement fosters lifelong connections by engaging alumni with the university and one another in activities, programs, and services that support the university鈥檚 mission and alumni needs.
黑料吃瓜 announces Dr. Peter K. B. St. Jean’s appointment as its new College of Arts and Sciences dean.
黑料吃瓜 announces Dr. Peter K. B. St. Jean’s appointment as its new College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) dean. With more than 20 years of higher education experience, St. Jean brings a bold vision for the college, emphasizing the real-world application of liberal arts education.
As the associate dean of humanities and social sciences (HaSS) and interim CAS co-dean, he was vital in improving faculty morale and fostering community. During this time, St. Jean led several successful initiatives, including the Tour de HaSS, CAS Welcome Assembly, CAS in Practice, CAS Send-Off, and Black Peace in the City and was an early leader in the Practical Liberal Arts initiative.
He has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Arts in Criminology, and a听Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He will soon earn a Master of Organizational Leadership from North Park with a certificate in nonprofit management; an executive certificate in diversity, equity, and inclusion; and a certificate in conflict management.
St. Jean’s deep connection to North Park’s mission, scholarship, and service鈥攁nd his commitment to interculturalism听and community engagement鈥攎ake him an ideal leader for CAS.
Archivists in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 F. M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections will preserve history this fall by digitizing 63 sermons by Rev. Douglas Cedarleaf.
Archivists in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 F. M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections will preserve history this fall by digitizing 63 sermons by Rev. Douglas Cedarleaf, a Covenant pastor known for addressing racism and other issues of his era.
A $3,100 grant from the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board will fund the project led by Digital Processing Archivist Sarah Hawkinson.
Cedarleaf, who died in 2000, was a prominent Covenant pastor active from the 1940s to the 1980s known for supporting the civil rights movement and issues of acceptance and diversity. The idea for the project came about when Hawkinson and Director of Archives Andy Meyer were sorting through materials.
鈥淲e had these audio recordings in our backlog, and we鈥檇 always been interested in taking the next step in preserving them,鈥� Hawkinson said. When the grant became available, 鈥渨e decided this would be the perfect marriage of that aspiration with bringing more attention to this historical person.鈥�
Hawkinson said a Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. sermon is in the files. However, whether it鈥檚 an original recording or a copy cannot be confirmed until the metadata is analyzed.
When Hawkinson and Meyer finish the work by the end of this year, the sermon will be available on North Park鈥檚 archives website.
North Park Theological Seminary’s School of Restorative Arts, a program that offers a master’s degree to incarcerated students, is temporarily moving to Illinois River Correctional Center.
North Park Theological Seminary’s School of Restorative Arts (SRA), a program that offers a master’s degree to incarcerated students, is temporarily moving to Illinois River Correctional Center while the previous location, Stateville Correctional Center, is demolished and rebuilt.
Under the SRA program, free and incarcerated students work to earn degrees for ministries in contexts susceptible to violence. Coursework centers on trauma, race relations, nonviolent communication, and transformative justice, along with Bible, theology, and history classes.
Students who complete the four-year program receive a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry with a Restorative Arts concentration. Since its founding in 2015, SRA has granted degrees to men at Stateville Correctional Center, later expanding the program to include women at Logan Correctional Center.
“I’m grateful that most of our students who were inside Stateville are able to continue their education and their ministries at River Correctional Center,” said Seminary Dean and Vice President for Church Relations Dennis R. Edwards. “I’m proud of how our current students and alumni are adjusting to a different setting so far away from their families and support systems.”
Edwards said the warden and staff at Illinois River have warmly received the SRA participants and that the third cohort of students will graduate in spring 2025.
“We ask that you please join us in prayer for our students and alumni during this significant transition,” Edwards said. “We are grateful for your ongoing support as we work to maximize student well-being and continuity of learning.”
The October Cafe owners, who are North Park alumni, have operated the viral, fall-themed cafe for just over a year.
Nobody walks into October Cafe without hearing, “Hi, Pumpkin!”听
Owners Michelle Gonzalez BA ’21, MA ’22 and Audrey Borden BA ’22 have owned and听operated the fall-themed cafe out of a refurbished home in Norwood Park for a year and a half. Shortly after opening its doors, the cafe gained viral popularity from fans who love autumnal drinks, decor, and local goods.听
“It’s October forever here,” said Gonzalez.听
Gonzalez graduated from North Park with a bachelor’s in early childhood education and returned for her master’s in education. Borden earned a bachelor’s in sociology. While their majors didn’t lend themselves to business, the pair said they’ve always been business-minded and held leadership roles in various North Park clubs, including the Latin American Student Organization and Queers & Allies.
The most popular menu item is the “We Fell in Love in October” fall flight, a tray of six drinks of varying flavors to be shared with “someone you love,” according to Gonzalez.听
The fall flight is particularly special to the couple, whose first date was an October pumpkin painting in Brandel Library and who married in October 2023.听
Gonzalez said they weren’t shocked by the cafe’s success, as the area previously lacked locally owned coffee shops and community spaces. The couple wants October Cafe to be a place where people can come to work, go on a date, or fill up on fall vibes. For the entire month of October, it will feature weekly themes with a rotating menu of fall and Halloween drinks.听
In addition to coffee, the cafe serves vegan baked goods, sandwiches, and art crafted by local jewelers and other small businesses. Every day, small businesses are welcome to set up at the cafe entrance and sell their items to customers.听听
“I’m just thrilled we could create something so needed,” said Gonzalez. “It’s so important to move money around your community. Why would you want to be the only one on top?”
John Anderson BA 鈥�89 has been named President of Trustmark Voluntary Benefits.
John Anderson BA 鈥�89 has been named President of Trustmark Voluntary Benefits. He will oversee three of Trustmark Mutual Holding Company鈥檚 operating divisions.
Anderson has worked in various roles at the company鈥攚hich offers specialized expertise in voluntary benefits鈥攕ince 1990, gradually rising through the ranks from contract analyst to his latest role as executive vice president.
鈥淛ohn is an experienced and tested leader with a passion for Trustmark, its partners, and customers,鈥� Trustmark CEO John Slawin said in a statement. 鈥淥ver the course of his career, John has led two of Trustmark鈥檚 three businesses and delivered record results.鈥�
Anderson, who majored in math at 黑料吃瓜, said he鈥檚 honored to take on his new position. 鈥淚鈥檝e always believed that what differentiates Trustmark is our mission: helping people increase well-being and financial security, and how we live that mission by building trusted relationships and delivering caring service,鈥� Anderson said in a statement.
Aayesha Memon, a third-year 黑料吃瓜 student, was featured on CBS News Chicago for her role as a fellow with America Needs You.
Aayesha Memon, a third-year 黑料吃瓜 student, was featured on for her role as a fellow with (ANY). Nationally, only 28% of first-generation college students graduate. ANY, a nonprofit, helps them succeed through mentorship and professional development. As a result, 85% of their fellows become college graduates.听
Memon discovered ANY through North Park鈥檚 Career Development Office, where Director Cristina Ricano, a former ANY fellow, referred Memon to the program. Memon soon begins her second internship while attending North Park, and she credits ANY with guiding her.
North Park proudly hosted its annual Service Day this month, uniting 230 students, faculty, and staff in a shared commitment to community engagement and social responsibility.
North Park proudly hosted its annual Service Day this month, uniting 230 students, faculty, and staff in a shared commitment to community engagement and social responsibility.
University Ministries (UMin) organized the event under the joint leadership of Ben Swihart, coordinator of global partnerships and community outreach, and third-year student Davianna Schuh. They began planning months ago, organizing lists of local volunteer sites, recruiting volunteers, and communicating with local aldermen and community groups.
鈥淭he groups we landed on took inspiration from the climate survey,鈥� Schuh said, referring to the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Survey conducted in spring 2023. 鈥淎cross all demographic backgrounds, students wished they had more opportunities to give back to their communities.鈥�
Many North Parkers are commuter students from nearby neighborhoods, so Swihart and Schuh chose organizations primarily on the North and West Sides. Volunteers could choose from sites such as Concordia Place, Nourishing Hope, and Sarah鈥檚 Circle, a women鈥檚 shelter with multiple locations on the North Side.
鈥淓veryone has something they can feel excited about helping with,鈥� Swihart said. Several students addressed their concern for the disadvantaged by aiding refugees and the homeless while the environmentally minded cleaned the Chicago River.
Swihart said he hopes this year鈥檚 event is the first of many and that 黑料吃瓜 continues to build long-term relationships with its partner organizations.
鈥淭he idea is for them to get to know us, to say, 鈥極h, this North Parker came and built this shelving unit for us last year, or painted this room,鈥� and they trust us and what we do,鈥� he said, adding he hopes the service also leads to internships and other opportunities for students.
Service is a core pillar of NPU鈥檚 mission, which is to foster a culture of empathy and civic responsibility that encourages the campus community to engage with local organizations, thus enhancing our students鈥� educational experiences and making a tangible impact on the neighborhoods we serve.
North Park鈥檚 Brandel Library has received a grant from the Illinois State Library to fund four faculty-led projects that will result in new Open Educational Resources.
North Park鈥檚 Brandel Library has received a grant from the Illinois State Library to fund four faculty-led projects that will result in new Open Educational Resources (OER) that will be available free of charge to North Park students with open access to the public through the internet.
The two-year, $142,000 grant, managed by the state library鈥檚 OER initiative, will be used to create an introductory anatomy lab manual, a statistics workbook, a text about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and a fundamentals of financial marketing book. All the resources will be created by North Park faculty鈥擠r. Al Kamienski, Dr. Marie-Elene Roberge, Dr. Peter St. Jean, Dr. Kurt Sheu, and Dr. Chrystal Ho Pao.
鈥淭his has been a long-term focus for us at Brandel,鈥� said Evan Kuehn, assistant professor of information literacy and the head of teaching and learning services. “Open educational resources support the curriculum without the need for students to purchase expensive textbooks or other resources.”
Professors will spend this year creating and editing their resources with the support of Brandel Library staff, with two of the books going into circulation in the fall of 2025, and the other two in fall 2026. Kuehn said he thinks North Park, as a Hispanic Serving Institution, is especially well-positioned to author the DEI text.
The grant is part of $3 million set aside by the state to help lower the cost of educating Illinois college students. Matthew Ostercamp, director of Brandel Library, says the process of getting the grant was competitive, with only about half of all applicants receiving a grant.
鈥淭he cost of textbooks has long been a barrier,鈥� Ostercamp said. 鈥淒oing projects like this removes that barrier and develops resources that are both rigorous and easily available.鈥�
Forbes Advisor recently ranked 黑料吃瓜 as one of Illinois’s top ten online colleges for 2024 for its School of Professional Studies (SPS) undergraduate programs.
recently ranked 黑料吃瓜 as one of Illinois’s top ten online colleges for 2024 for its School of Professional Studies (SPS) undergraduate programs. It noted SPS’ Credit for Prior Learning and generous scholarships as reasons for its selection. Forbes Advisor is dedicated to providing unbiased information; its ranking methodologies use听National Center for Education Statistics data.
North Park’s 99th annual Homecoming schedule is filled with events designed to allow students, alumni, faculty and staff, and neighbors to celebrate together.
North Park’s 99th annual Homecoming schedule is filled with events designed to allow students, alumni, faculty and staff, and neighbors to celebrate together. “In the planning process, we asked ourselves, ‘Who is Homecoming for?’ and created programming inclusive of all North Park community members,” said Jasanna Tayler, alumni engagement manager.
The 2024 festivities kick off Thursday, October 10, and include a tour of North Park’s architecture, an alumni art exhibition, a music showcase, an alumni award ceremony, and a handful of sporting events. The weekend’s highlight is the Homecoming Festival on Saturday, one of the events intended to integrate Vikings of all ages and backgrounds. The festival will feature yard games, face-painting, mini-golf and food from local favorites Tre Kronor and Los Asadores Mexican Grill.
Tickets are $40 when purchased online between now and September 30, with tickets purchased onsite costing $50. Children under 18 are admitted free with a ticket holding adult. All Homecoming passes include a free sweatshirt designed by Emerson Cobbley BA ’24.
To register and for a complete schedule of events, click .
Author Megan VoypickPosted on Categories Stories
