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’s global reach and outlook.
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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.
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’s mission and alumni needs.
ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï plans to be open Friday, April 19, for classes and other activities at all locations, and all University offices will be open. The University’s Emergency Management Team said the Chicago campus experienced minor flood damage. Cleanup has begun in buildings that took on water.
The University is advising students and employees of the following area traffic concerns:
Cars parked on streets along the Chicago River are being towed and relocated to the Salvation Army parking lot, 5040 N. Pulaski Road.
Sandbags are being placed on streets adjacent to the Chicago River.
A portion of Foster Avenue has been closed near Pulaski Road.
Please use caution when traveling to and from the University for classes tomorrow.
Update: 11:00 am, Thursday, April 18
The ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï Emergency Management Team closed the Chicago campus April 18, canceling daytime and evening classes, plus other activities, because of area flooding. Students, faculty, and staff were informed via text and email messages earlier today.
The University community was advised to follow for further updates and information.
The Emergency Management Team determined that high water around the campus made it advisable to close so students and employees could avoid flood dangers. Students who are on campus should use caution when approaching the North Branch of the Chicago River, and any standing water.
For students at the campus today, please note the following announcements:
Helwig Recreation Center is open and observing normal hours.
ARA, Aramark food service, is serving meals in the cafeteria.
The Library will be open from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.
In addition, the University announced all evening classes April 18 at the Grayslake Campus were canceled.
Use @npunews to . For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more .
Next Steps
For a in 2008 and 2013 in the North Park area, see a report from , professor of physics.
University's Axelson Center Accepting 2013 Nonprofit Awards Applications
Modesto Tico Valle accepts the Alford-Axelson Award, which was presented to the Center on Halsted in 2012 at the annual Axelson Symposium in Chicago.
Applications due February 1; two awards to be presented at annual symposium
CHICAGO (January 11, 2013) — The at ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï is accepting nominations and through February 1 for its prestigious . The Axelson Center will present two awards of $7,500 each, sponsored by —one to a nonprofit with an annual budget under $3 million, and another to a nonprofit with an annual budget exceeding $3 million.
The award honors and continues the legacies of Nils G. Axelson, a devoted community health care leader and visionary, and , a leading contemporary thinker and practitioner in the nonprofit arena.
"For more than 10 years, the Axelson Center has awarded the Alford-Axelson Award to two exceptional Chicago-area nonprofit organizations," said , the center's director. "But this isn’t about the Axelson Center so much as it is about an elite group of 22 past award winners who represent the 'best of the best' in terms of nonprofit management structure and leadership. Without these organizations, Chicago wouldn’t be the same vital city that it is today."
Previous recipients of the award confirm its value for promoting overall organizational excellence and for improving staff. In 2012, , Chicago, was the award winner for large nonprofit organizations. , chief executive officer, said the center's executive team invested several months in the award process by reviewing and improving organizational practices. "Auditing our practices really helped us as an organization," he said. "Whether we won or not, it was good to pause and reflect, and audit our work internally. Organizations should do that on a regular basis."
Center on Halsted has about 70 employees, full- and part-time, and provides social service and public programs. It provides direct services annually to about 35,000 people, Valle said. The organization used its cash award to help senior staff improve a variety of management skills. The recognition has challenged the staff to be innovative and employ best practices regularly. "It was an honor to receive this in our fifth year of service, Valle added. "For me it also means, 'What does the next five years look like?' and 'How do we reflect that behavior and excellence in our work?'"
, Chicago, was the 2011 award recipient for small nonprofits. Two years earlier, the awards committee had given the shelter's application an honorable mention, a catalyst to continue improving administrative practices, said , the shelter's director. Among the changes the organization made when it tried for the award again were refocusing its board on strategic planning and hiring a business manager to help realign administrative duties.
"The application process is rigorous. It made us think hard and examine our processes," Ryan said. "It's easy for a small organization to assume it is 'too small,' but the application process dispels that myth. We can function as a bigger organization, be good stewards of money we raise and good stewards of the services we provide." The shelter serves about 400 people living with homelessness, and provides assistance to relocate people into permanent housing with support services. It has about 12 full- and part-time employees, plus volunteers. The shelter used its cash award to hire a social work intern for a summer, a helpful step for staff and clients, Ryan said. The award has helped donors trust that the organization is efficient administratively, and that its resources are well-managed, she said. This year, the shelter will enter into its first government contract to provide permanent shelter and temporary services to clients.
A selection committee will determine this year's Alford-Axelson Award recipients. "We established a set of seven hallmarks of nonprofit managerial excellence, and organizations that exhibit strength in all seven areas are recognized by their peers as leaders in our sector. The selection committee is made up of Chicago-area nonprofit and civic community leaders. They have the formidable task of selecting each year’s winners," Rogers added.
To be considered, applicant organizations must be defined as 501(c)3 organizations, with their primary mission focus benefiting Chicago and/or its surrounding communities. The Axelson Center will accept nominations for the award by email or by phone, however organizations do not need to be nominated to apply. Recipients will be recognized at the annual , June 4, 2013, in Chicago.
Use @npunews to . For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more .
Rev. Kanyere Eaton challenges students to lead in an "edgy time"
CHICAGO (November 14, 2013) — Nearly 600 students, faculty, staff, and organizational leaders from across the country gathered at ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï Saturday, November 2, for the . North Park’s , under the leadership of Dr. Terry Lindsay, provides this event to equip college students as effective leaders and agents of change on their campuses. The conference goal is that each student would be equipped to return to their college or university and engage their peers in conversations and activities that create multiethnic cooperation and increase intercultural competency.
Dr. Kevin Kruger, the president and CEO of , brought a message of encouragement for young peoples’ roles in inspiring students of color to see college as a realistic option for their futures. NASPA, a national association of student affairs professionals in higher education, sees that the demographics of American students are changing, bringing new challenges for college preparation and success, especially around issues of diversity and intercultural cooperation.
According to Kruger, research reveals that, in about ten years, more than 50 percent of college graduates will be students of color. He called on the students gathered to see themselves as crucial role models and mentors for these future students. “You are tomorrow’s leaders and will be part of the solution,” he said.
Rev. Kanyere Eaton, pastor of Fellowship Covenant Church in the Bronx, New York, gave Saturday’s keynote address. Speaking on the conference theme, “Achieving Peace by Embracing Diversity,” Eaton said that “we have inherited all kinds of attributes and attitudes” from previous generations that now must be negotiated. “What are we going to do with what they left us?” she asked. In our current, changing culture and demographics, she said, today’s students must transform the reality they’ve inherited into the future they desire. As geographic and demographic boundaries are being moved, attitudes toward diversity have not yet caught up.
Eaton charged the students in attendance to recognize themselves as leaders chosen to help shape the legacy for future generation. “You could have been someone very different,” she said, “but you are who you’re supposed to be. And you’re supposed to lead.”
“You’ve also been privileged,” she added, noting that information, connections, opportunities, and responsibilities are part of the package of a college education. “We live in an edgy time,” Eaton concluded, “and consciousness has not caught up with our condition. We’ve got to work with what we have, and take seriously the responsibility to leave things better than we found them.”
The ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï ensemble, step teams from North Park and Bethel University, and two African dance troupes gave inspired performances to round out the plenary activities. Following the session, conference attendees spent the afternoon at more than 30 workshops, with topics ranging from leading conversations on diversity, to developing safe, inclusive communities, to understanding the current national atmosphere of race relations.
The next Student Diversity Leadership Conference at ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï will take place on Saturday, November 1, 2014.
ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï Student Earns Fulbright Grant, Headed to Turkey
Bailey Schwartz C'12 learned this month she was a granted a Fulbright award and will be working as an English Teaching Assistant in Turkey.
Bailey Schwartz among 11 University Fulbright grantees in five years
CHICAGO (May 30, 2013) — When she was a student at ºÚÁϳԹÏ, Bailey Schwartz took a class taught by , professor of , about the history of the from the 15th century to the end of World War I. That class struck a chord with Schwartz, who developed a strong interest in Turkish history, culture, and the historic city of . With a grant she earned from the , she will now explore the area firsthand as she lives and works in Turkey for nearly a year beginning this fall.
Schwartz learned this month that she was awarded a grant to work as an in Turkey, the precise location yet to be determined. She joins two who were earlier awarded Fulbright student grants earlier this spring. The program has awarded 11 of its prestigious grants to ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï graduates in the past five years.
For Schwartz, getting a chance to live in Turkey is like reading the sequel to good book. "I'm excited about the prospect that I can actually go to this place, and walk the streets that we had talked about in class," she said. Schwartz, who grew up near Lake Geneva, Wis., transferred to North Park after one year at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse because she wanted to attend college in Chicago. She graduated from the University in December 2012 with a bachelor's degree in history. Schwartz also earned and an . Her mother, Denise, lives in Colorado. She has a brother, Robert, who lives in Wisconsin, and a sister, Samantha, of Chicago.
Rabe, who was a reference for Schwartz's Fulbright application, said she was an exceptional, motivated student, and is a great Fulbright candidate. "In a 30-year teaching career, she is one of the best students I've ever had," Rabe said. "She stands out not just for her intellectual capacity, which is considerable, but because of her motivation, her discipline, and maturity. She's an incredibly mature young woman."
Turkey is an excellent place to study history and learn, Rabe said. "You see whole span of history from ancient to the present, and you see it in a place where there is a rich culture between continents. It's a country that is such mixture of identities in its own right. It's a fascinating study in humanity, a fascinating study in human history. And it's beautiful," she said.
Schwartz wants to return from her Fulbright experience next year and teach history in a Chicago public school, and later, possibly attend graduate school. The Fulbright program attracted her because she will gain some valuable teaching experience, share U.S. history and culture with Turkish students, and learn about their lives, she said. "I'm sure they have an idea of or an assumption of what it means to be an American," she said. "Any interaction I have with anyone there is going to form the basis of their opinion, and hopefully, I can help it be positive."
Two other North Park graduates were informed earlier this spring about their Fulbright student grants, which begin this fall. Sam Auger of Chicago will work as an English Teaching Assistant in a high school in Haskovo, Bulgaria. Timothy Ahlberg, Perrysburg, Ohio, was awarded a Binational Business Exchange Grant, and will work in a business in Mexico City.
Use @npunews to . For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more .
Next Steps
Learn more about the experiences of North Park's of Fulbright grants.
ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï to be Site of Wheel Gymnastics World Championships
Athletes coming to Chicago July 8-14
CHICAGO (July 3, 2013) — The are coming to Chicago July 8–14, with much of the competition happening on the campus of ºÚÁϳԹÏ. This unique form of gymnastics originated in Germany, putting athletes inside a large wheel, known as a Rhönrad, to perform exercises in categories that include straight line, spiral, and vault.
Hosted by the and , the championships feature more than 130 athletes from 17 nations. General admission tickets are available, and can be . Competition will be divided between males and females, and junior and senior competitors. Awards will be given for best all-around, spiral, straight line, vault, and mono wheel competitions. This is the first time the competition has been held outside of Europe.
Prior to the world championships, the 8th USA Wheel Gymnastics Open Championship and first ever qualification trials for TEAM USA Wheel Gymnastics took place March 7–10, 2013. Dubbed the “Chicago Big Wheel Weekend,” the USA Wheel Gymnastics Federation and American Sokol hosted this weekend of training courses and competition trials to qualify for TEAM USA in the July World Championships.
About the Wheel Gymnastics World Championships
In 1924 Otto Feick invented and built the Rhönrad (the German Wheel), and began traveling all over Europe and to the United States to promote the newly-created sport of wheel gymnastics. After a surge in popularity following World War II, the (IRV) was formed to oversee all international competitions and training. Seven member countries comprise the IRV and approximately 25 nations participate in the sport, with international training camps and World Championships being hosted in alternate years. The initial World Championship was held in Den Helder, Netherlands, in 1995.
Marketing Transformation Driven by New Tools, New Behaviors, Says Graduate
Today's marketers face a "paradox of choice," said Renee Borkowski C'90.
Razorfish VP speaks at ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï Breakfast Series
CHICAGO (May 24, 2013) — There has been an incredible transformation in marketing practices in the past 15 years, much of it driven by dramatic shifts in how consumers use digital devices and experiences to fulfill their information and entertainment needs. The result is that there are many players in the marketing landscape today, creating a "paradox of choice" for many marketers.
"Deciding where to pay attention, where to spend, and how and where to stay connected with consumers is increasingly complex," said Renee (Johnson) Borkowski, Chicago, group vice president of strategic marketing for , a global digital agency. Borkowski, a 1990 North Park graduate in and , spoke to an audience of about 80 people at this spring's event in Chicago, sponsored by the University and the . Her topic was "Marketing Transformation in the Post-Digital Era." Borkowski, a member of the University's , brings 20 years of experience working with top-name brands.
Agencies today are challenged to cover all bases—search engine optimization, web and customer analytics, email marketing, marketing automation, social media, social marketing and multi-channel marketing management—along with many traditional forms of communication. With the growth in marketing, channels, and agencies working in the field, "we as marketers are at the intersection of decision-making, of managing our budgets, of figuring out what is going to get us the most for our money in the midst of a very confusing landscape," Borkowski said.
What has changed for marketers? Borkowski suggested several possibilities:
Planning is now a continuous and cyclical process. Insights are required to inform annual, quarterly, and daily decision cycles.
Digital marketing is experiential. As evidence, she pointed to changes in retail marketing, where shopping is mobile-enabled or occurs in "virtual" stores. More consumers are using multiple devices at home at the same time, including televisions, tablets, and smartphones.
Marketing is happening in real-time more than ever. Social media demands quick, short-term, relevant messaging, but must be done responsibly. "The volume and velocity of social online behaviors requires that break-through brands adopt a real-time mindset, and establish 'always-on' teams," she said.
New skills and vocations are emerging in marketing. There are growing needs for "data scientists" and "chief marketing technologists."
For nonprofits and mission-driven organizations with smaller budgets, Borkowski suggested an emphasis on social media-fueled experiences, coupled with highly targeted search capabilities to help organizations set themselves apart from others. Digital storytelling can also be more powerful by inviting members and followers to capture video with smartphones and making video blogs highlighting service projects, she said.
Despite the need for real-time marketing, decision-making and communication must be considered carefully and align with business and brand objectives, Borkowski said. "Organizations that take their cues solely from their audiences or cultural happenings without a true brand purpose end up diluting or damaging their brands," she added.
Use @npunews to . For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more .
Next Steps
Learn more about the accredited in the School of Business and Nonprofit Management.
North Park Recognizes Minnehaha Academy Centennial
The Minneahaha Academy Redhawks' varsity basketball team earned the Minnesota Class 2A championship this year, under the leadership of Lance Johnson a 1983 North Park alum.
CHICAGO (May 5, 2013) — ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï recognized the 100th year of ,Minneapolis, Minn., a school for students in preschool through grade 12. Many graduates enroll at ºÚÁϳԹÏ, and University graduatesare among the school’s faculty and staff.
President David Parkyn was among the speakers April 28 at the Academy’s Centennial WorshipCelebration. In addressing the faculty, past and present, he said,“It is because you have been faithful in your calling as teachers thatwe can be here today. May God bless Minnehaha Academy withgreat teachers for the next century just as we have been blessedthrough the century past.”
The convocation was attended by TedAnderson C’37, son of Theodore W. Anderson, the school’s firstpresident and North Park Junior College graduate. The school’scurrent president, Dr. Donna Harris, is a member of the University. Lance Johnson C’83 led the Redhawks’varsity basketball team to the Minnesota Class 2A championshipthis year.
The University and Minnehaha Academy are affiliatedwith the .
Use @npunews to . For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more .
University Awards Degrees to 412 Students at Spring Commencement Ceremonies
Eboo Patel spoke to the graduates May 11 following presentation of the David Nyvall Medallion.
Nyvall Medallion presented to Eboo Patel, outstanding students honored
CHICAGO (May 13, 2013) — ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï awarded degrees May 11 to 412 graduates at three commencement ceremonies, culminating the 2012-2013 academic year. Events were held for students who earned , students who earned graduate degrees and degrees through the , and for graduates of. Combined with the held last December, degrees were presented to 657 ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï graduates this academic year.
Preceding graduation was a baccalaureate service May 10 at , Chicago. In an address,, president of ºÚÁϳԹÏ, drew a comparison between the graduates and the words of . "Once you came to North Park, a sapling asking to be planted by the river, to be tended and nourished, to be pruned and watered," he said. "Tomorrow you will leave North Park. Tomorrow you will be uprooted—for this is why you were planted. Tomorrow is the day of your transplanting."
At its undergraduate commencement May 11, the University presented its David Nyvall Medallion to , Chicago, founder and president of the , an organization that promotes interfaith cooperation by motivating young adults through service. Named for the first president of ºÚÁϳԹÏ, the medallion is presented for distinguished service to the people of Chicago.
In response, Patel told stories of his own youth as the son of Indian immigrants, and how he learned to build bridges and form relationships with people, instead of building barriers. "We live in a world with people of all different backgrounds," he told the graduates. "As you are yourself in this world—giving expression to the formation you've received in your homes, in your churches, and at this university—are differences going to be opportunities for barriers or bridges?" In encouraging students to build bridges, Patel drew attention to Jesus’s words in the Sermon on the Mount (): "Blessed are the peacemakers."
He reminded the students that leaders build bridges and "carve out" common ground for successful relationships—and that a significant part of their North Park education—focused on lives of significance and service, is about leadership. Patel added that one of the most important gifts of a Christian liberal arts education "is the gift of perspective—a warm, loving perspective on a roiling world."
The University presented 262 bachelor's degrees. The Ahnfeldt Medallion, this year presented to two seniors with the highest grade point averages, went to Waseem Sous, Lincolnwood, Ill., bachelor of science in , and Miranda VanderMey, Mount Vernon, Wash., bachelor of arts in . North Park's 2013 were introduced, Timothy Ahlberg, Perrysburg, Ohio, and Samuel Auger, Chicago.
Several students from the North Park College (now University) class of 1963 were recognized as they celebrated the 50th anniversary of their graduation.
Four graduates addressed the afternoon commencement ceremony for graduate programs and the School of Adult Learning (SAL), sharing the ways in which their University education shaped their lives and careers. Carlina Gonzalez-Allen, Joliet, Ill., an SAL graduate with a bachelor of arts in , told the graduates that having "a vision" helped her keep studying, and made the sacrifices worthwhile. "Vision takes ordinary people and leads them to lives of true significance," Gonzalez-Allen said. Other speakers were Sherida Hudak, Chicago, master of management, ; Toni Poteres, Niles, Ill., master of arts in education, ; and Berrie Anderson-Gwinn, Lake Zurich, Ill., master of science in nursing, .
At the Seminary commencement, which honored 37 graduates, Erik Borggren, Chicago, master of , was presented the Ahnfeldt Medallion for the highest grade point average. In addition, academic awards were presented to several students.
, the Seminary's Wesley W. Nelson Professor of Homeletics, presented the commencement address at the Seminary. She commented on Paul's sermon at Mars Hill in Athens (), pointing out that the first few lines of his sermon were especially memorable. She urged the graduates, who want to begin their church careers well, not to forget "to what end you have been called."
"Do not be deceived into thinking that success or faithfulness can be measured only by your relevance to the surrounding culture, your ability to speak the local dialect, or how quickly opportunities come to you … It is our God who will remain unknown unless we dare proclaim Christ crucified and risen, ascended and coming to judge the quick and the dead," Noren said.
, dean of North Park Theological Seminary, presided at the Seminary commencement. Graduates were also greeted by the University president.
Use @npunews to . For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more .
Next Steps
Interested in a pursuing a degree program ºÚÁϳԹÏ? Learn .
University Convocation Recognizes Faculty Achievements
More than 40 members of the University faculty and staff were honored for their recent publications, exhibitions, performances, and other scholarly achievements at Monday's Convocation.
ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï celebrates promotions, tenures, publications, and more
CHICAGO (September 17, 2013) — The ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï community gathered in Anderson Chapel Monday, September 16, to honor the achievements of faculty and staff at University Convocation.
“This is a day of grand celebration,” said , University president, as he welcomed colleagues and students to the ceremony. He noted that the annual Convocation recognizes the work that many individuals do in walking alongside students in and out of the classroom, as well as honoring the call to “spread knowledge, discover knowledge, and teach it to others.”
The ceremony announced newly promoted and tenured faculty; recognized faculty and staff who have recently published books, articles, and other scholarly and creative work; and formally installed as the vice president for student engagement.
Under the direction of , the performed an original composition by Thomas W. Jefferson, who accompanied the group on piano. Jefferson is an member in the and was among the recent authors recognized during the ceremony.
Faculty promotions celebrated include:
, professor of education
, associate professor of philosophy
James Dekker, professor of youth ministry studies, tenure
, professor of nonprofit management
, professor of accounting
, professor of ministry
, professor of finance, tenure
, professor of business and nonprofit management, tenure
, associate professor of athletic training, tenure
, associate professor of psychology
, associate professor of education
Traditionally, the University has recognized faculty authors and editors with books published over the previous calendar year. This year’s Convocation expanded this recognition to include faculty and staff who have published books, articles, chapters, plays, reviews, and recordings; and staged exhibitions, art installations, and other creative performances. A full list of these accomplishments is .
Earlier this fall, the University welcomed new faculty and staff at Gathering Day festivities. New faculty welcomed were:
, assistant professor of sports management
Wanda Burns, assistant professor of nursing and coordinator of the
ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï Continues to Be Counted Among Best Midwest Schools
ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a range of fields, preparing students for lives of significance and service no matter their career choices.
U.S. News and World Report college rankings released
CHICAGO (September 10, 2013) — ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï again appeared in the top tier of Midwest regional universities in U.S. News and World Report’s 2014 edition of the annual “” rankings, released on September 10. The University is tied for 53rd among 147 ranked institutions.
“We are pleased to be among the top tier of Midwest universities,” said Nate Mouttet, vice president for enrollment and marketing. “We are in a part of the country with other great schools, and this ranking showcases the excellent programs and unique community that are hallmarks of a ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï education.”
“As a school that strives to , we also strive to grow in ways that will help us fulfill that mission.” Mouttet added. “We’re confident this work and momentum will continue to be reflected in the service and success of our students and alumni, as well as in rankings like the U.S. News and World Report list.”
ºÚÁϳԹÏ, founded in 1891, offers more than 40 in the liberal arts, sciences, and pre-professional preparation; options that include nonprofit and programs; and graduate degrees and certificates in , , , , , , and .
U.S. News and World Report designates schools as regional when they provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs but offer few doctoral programs. These schools, including North Park, are ranked against others by region of the country: North, South, Midwest, and West. Criteria used in these rankings include peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving.
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