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.
Dr. Jodi Koslow Martin greeted students and their families as they arrived to campus for Welcome Day during last week’s new student orientation activities.
Vice President for Student Engagement encourages students to get involved in the year ahead
CHICAGO (August 27, 2013) 鈥� When Dr. Jodi Koslow Martin was an undergraduate student, she felt that her student government advisor had 鈥渢he best job in the world,鈥� she said. After one meeting with the advisor during her senior year, Koslow Martin thought, 鈥淗ey, maybe I could do that.鈥� That realization would eventually set her on a path toward graduate school and a career in higher education and student services.
Koslow Martin, who was, chooses to work in higher education for the students, she said. This was obvious when Koslow Martin greeted incoming students on the University鈥檚 Welcome Day last week, sharing her excitement about the year ahead. 鈥淚 view my work on a college campus as a gift that I鈥檝e been given,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o be a part of this special time in people鈥檚 lives and watch them grow and develop into the people that they want to become is incredibly rewarding.鈥�
As new University students settle into campus in the coming days, Koslow Martin encouraged them to not only dive into their classes, but challenged them to consider student organizations and activities that they could be involved in. 鈥淔all is a season of hope and excitement on an academic campus, and of promise,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 encourage students to look into student groups to determine what their place might be, and to join something, to become connected to others within the larger North Park community. There are a lot of ways to help figure out who you are at this small school in a big city.鈥�
Koslow Martin told students that the University鈥檚 Student Engagement offices will be a resource to them as they find their fit during college. 鈥淚 made the decision to work in this area and lead student engagement because I know that the college experience doesn鈥檛 just happen within the walls of the classroom,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t happens with the development of new friendships and in relationships with faculty and staff. Students will learn about themselves, and also about how the world works and their place within it.鈥�
Part of the reason Koslow Martin was drawn to North Park was to serve as a source of students鈥� spiritual growth. 鈥淚 appreciate the opportunity for students to grow their faith as part of their college experience,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think that goes hand in hand with figuring our your purpose in life, which is often what college becomes a time to do. It鈥檚 a time when students may start to sense where God is leading them in life, beyond school.鈥�
Empowering students to understand 鈥渉ow you get from the opening convocation to the graduation stage鈥� is an essential part of the work that the University鈥檚 Division of Student Engagement will do under Koslow Martin鈥檚 leadership, she said. 鈥淪tudents have to find a fit,鈥� she continued. 鈥淲hat helps them find a fit is when their expectations are met, and when they are open to new experiences.鈥�
University staff will serve as a resource to students as they achieve their goals, Koslow Martin said. 鈥淎s a university, we don鈥檛 believe in the promise of a North Park education if you don鈥檛 finish what you start. It鈥檚 not just important that you got admitted and you start, but that you finish your degree with us,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, my work as the leader of the Student Engagement Division is about programmatic opportunities and providing for students a community of care that ensures they reach that graduation stage.鈥�
Dr. Koslow Martin, vice president for student engagement, oversees a number of areas that come alongside students in their academic and social lives, providing a well-rounded college experience.
Among the areas that Koslow Martin oversees鈥攕uch as Student Success, , and the 鈥攕he is eager to further develop聽, , , and Residence Life. She is also excited to take advantage of the newly renovated this year and connect with students there. 鈥淭he brand new dining hall is for both resident and commuter, undergrad and grad, all the students that come to North Park, so that they can share a meal together and break bread in the place where they learn,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to eat lunch there as much as I possibly can, so that students can see faculty and staff having their meals in the same space as they have it.鈥�
Like many in the University community, Koslow Martin is also excited for the opportunities that the will afford. Opening in fall 2014, the Johnson Center will house the new Center for Student Engagement, with enhanced services for students. Citing the intentionality of the space, Koslow Martin said, 鈥淲hile it will be great to be in new offices, it will be even better to symbolize the kind of collaboration that our offices will engage in, in order to give students a well-rounded college experience.鈥�
The Center for Student Engagement will also provide a place for students to wrestle with big questions, Koslow Martin said. 鈥淚t will present students with a space where some tough questions can be answered for them, whether it be 鈥榃hat am I supposed to do with my life?鈥� or 鈥楽hould I take this internship or not?鈥� Whether it鈥檚 鈥楬ow am I going to make it through my class?鈥� or 鈥楬ow am I going to employ these new test-taking strategies when I鈥檝e never been faced with this kind of challenge before?鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all those kinds of questions. The people that work in the Center are there to help you answer those questions.鈥�
But perhaps most important to Koslow Martin is her belief that the University will experience growth as mentoring relationships are developed. In addition to improved campus facilities, she said, 鈥淚 think where we will also grow is in nurturing the ways in which we develop relationships on campus. When a student is new to North Park, it鈥檚 important that they receive the right advice and learn what it takes to make it work here.鈥�
As she did with her college advisor, Koslow Martin wants University students to learn how to become good mentees. 鈥淭hey learn from mentors what it means to seek out good mentoring,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd they know it isn鈥檛 just going to come to them, and that someone isn鈥檛 just going to give them an internship鈥攖hey have to be open and seek some things out.鈥� In the coming year and beyond, Koslow Martin doesn鈥檛 want to focus only on 鈥渕ore,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to think about the quality of the relationships that students have on campus, among each other, and with the faculty and staff.鈥�
University Hosts 'In Search of Genius' School Science Competition
A student in the May 16 ISOG competition at 萝莉社 shows her weather project to a volunteer judge.
Program designed to teach elementary school students about science, technology
CHICAGO (May 22, 2013) — 萝莉社 hosted hundreds of Chicago elementary school students from at least 17 schools May 16 in a competition designed to show what they have learned in a school-based science enrichment program, "" (ISOG).
ISOG provides students who live in under-served areas with opportunities to learn about science and related disciplines in enrichment sessions during regular school hours or in after-school programs. University faculty and staff became interested in the program as a way to possibly connect University students with neighborhood schools, and as a way to introduce potential students to the University, especially when it opens the new, state-of-the-art in 2014.
One of the volunteer judges was Rob Davies of Winnetka, Ill., a sophomore major at North Park. Davies said he volunteered for the experience, and recalled his own excitement about science at a young age. "The students get a great learning experience, and they learn how to use their knowledge in the field," he said. "It's also a prerequisite to how they're going to work in the field in the future."
Earlier this year, some 萝莉社 faculty and staff went to in Chicago to observe the ISOG program. "Students were excited to be involved in science," said one of the observers, , professor of chemistry and Chemistry Department chair. "It was also hands-on. This after-school program gave the students a chance to really explore science and do experiments in a way that got them very excited about science." The students were also curious and wanted to learn more, he added.
The North Park faculty and staff who went to the Rogers school were told there is a waiting list for students to join the ISOG after-school program, said , assistant professor of . "When we're looking at what is exciting students about the sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics, we're looking at what gets students invested and engaged. We saw that with ISOG," he said. Laukaitis added that "a collaborative relationship between 萝莉社 and ISOG has the potential to help prepare student teachers for their future careers by helping them learn many best instructional practices in teaching science."
, ISOG founding director, Chicago, said North Park's interest in science and related fields, plus its city location, made it a natural to host the competition. He said the ISOG curriculum focuses on ""—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—because science education today includes these disciplines. "In Search of Genius is a unique, living example of how to involve several generations, including the youngest at a key age, with STEM," he said.
Joining the University as cosponsors of the 2013 ISOG competition were several corporate and community-based organizations. Among those who welcomed the students were , University provost, and , Cook County board president, who reminded the students she was a schoolteacher for 10 years before her political career. "It's great to see so many young people out here today. I came to encourage and support you, and wish you all very good luck. I want to thank the teachers and staff who are here, and parents who enabled our young people to participate in this program," she said.
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 Offers New Master's Program for Aspiring Illinois School Principals
The School of Education's new MAEL program begins in July with the first cohort.
Principal endorsement, MAEL program cohort launches July 13
CHICAGO (May 2, 2013) — This summer, 萝莉社's will begin preparing certified teachers to "think like a leader, act like a leader, and be a leader," a phrase that appears throughout its new academic program for aspiring school principals. Beginning July 13, the University will offer a new program that enables a certified teacher to earn a principal endorsement on the new , and earn a (MAEL) degree.
The new degree program is a successor to the Type 75 general administrative certificate program, which is being phased out by the State of Illinois, said , dean of the School of Education and associate professor of education. The new state-approved MAEL program "is absolutely a missional match because preparing people to serve in leadership roles is congruent with North Park's mission," she said. Students who will enter the MAEL program are highly motivated, and want to learn as much as they can about the demanding and complex jobs of school principals, Nelson added.
Meeting in cohorts, students will learn through classroom instruction taught by educators and other professionals, plus an internship experience. While other colleges and universities may offer similar programs to prepare school principals, North Park offers smaller cohorts and individualized support for students in its MAEL program. "Small class sizes during the coursework sessions allow us to have a lot of dialogue, interaction, and feedback," said , MAEL program coordinator, and associate professor of education. "During their internships, we go to their schools and meet with them on-site, and in our classes, we discuss what they're learning through their internship experiences." The University's program also provides instruction in ethical leadership, and its instructors are all current or retired public school administrators in Illinois, she added.
MAEL classes will meet on Saturdays, with summer-intensive classes. The program can be completed in 22 to 24 months, including the internship. The first cohort for North Park's MAEL program will start with an accelerated educational leadership course that will meet at the University's on three successive Saturdays: July 13, 20, and 27. That course is intended to provide a foundation for what it means to be an educational leader. Students will also begin to develop a portfolio reflecting experience and achievement, Pryor said.
"The state requires that teachers who enter these programs be able to demonstrate they have had a positive impact on student achievement in two of the last five years of their teaching experience by showing growth," Pryor said. "They must demonstrate they have had leadership opportunities in their teaching positions, and how they've done that."
As part of its MAEL program, the University is working with three Illinois partner schools that helped develop the educational program, and will aid in instruction and the program's ongoing evaluation. The schools are , Park Ridge, , Skokie, and, River Grove.
Meanwhile, students in the final cohort of the old Type 75 program begin internships this month and are expected to finish no later than June 30, 2014. Sixty people went through North Park's program to earn administrative certificates, Pryor said. North Park students who took the Type 75 exam have all passed. "They're telling us that they feel very well prepared based on what they've learned in the program. They go into interviews with confidence and are able to convey the knowledge and skill they have, as well as the heart to be a principal," 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 .
Chicago Public Library Offers Bookmobile in University Parking Lot
Temporary library located at 5151 N. Kimball Ave.
CHICAGO (August 13, 2013) — The City of Chicago is now offering public library services to the Albany Park neighborhood through a temporary bookmobile located in 萝莉社’s parking lot at 5151 North Kimball Avenue. The Albany Park branch of the Chicago Public Library is being rebuilt, scheduled to open in 2014. “The bookmobile will provide residents with essential library services right in their neighborhood until the completion of the new Albany Park library,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a press release. Updated progress and details about this project are available from the .
The bookmobile will offer a small selection of books for all ages, including bestsellers, and will also allow patrons to pick up holds of requested books from other library branches. It will operate on a limited schedule:
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday: 10:00 am–2:00 pm
Tuesday, Thursday: 3:00–7:00 pm
Friday, Sunday: Closed
Nearby library branches—Budlong Woods, Independence, Mayfair, Sulzer Regional Library, and others—continue to offer full library services. Full details are available from the .
Richard Carlson, professor emeritus of ministry, at North Park Theological Seminary's commencement celebration in May 2012.
CHICAGO (July 29, 2013) — Richard W. Carlson, professor emeritus of ministry at North Park Theological Seminary, died Friday after a long battle with esophageal cancer.
Carlson, 73, came to in 1975, where he taught spiritual formation and ministry courses until his retirement in 2012. He served as the director of field education for more than 25 years and was integral in launching the Seminary’s , of which he served as director in recent years.
Throughout his years as a faculty member at the Seminary, Carlson was “a pastor among pastors, a scholar among scholars—widely read with tremendous expertise in the field of ministry—but probably best known for his care and mentoring of students,” said , dean of North Park Theological Seminary. “He gave the most significant portion of his vocational life to the Seminary and the formation of a whole generation of Covenant ministers.”
“I would not be in ministry today if he hadn’t guided and mentored my early and difficult years in ministry,” Kersten added.
Carlson was known for his eloquent turns of phrase, the cadence of his voice, and his unique approach to and style of teaching and ministry. As both professor of ministry and director of field education, he became a “master of instruction through case studies,” Kersten said, valuing the importance of experience and learning through doing. In many ways, “Richard taught ministry through his own ministry to students and ongoing ministry to serving pastors,” Kersten added.
In a letter to just before his retirement, Carlson wrote, “It will be hard to leave North Park. Here has been much of my vocational life. In fact over 70% of my adult life has been spent on this campus as a college student (Class of ’62), physical plant worker, dorm receptionist, first director of the campus center, Seminary orientation student, and for the last thirty-four years as Seminary professor.
“North Park and its peoples, students, staff, administrators, fellow alumni, and faculty colleagues have all been grace-bearers in my journey as a Christian pilgrim and constant source of delight and gladness as fellow human beings,” Carlson wrote.
Beloved by students, Carlson was their professor, mentor, friend, and even coach of the school’s Covenant League softball team. Over the weekend, an outpouring of memories and photos surfaced on social media as students honored his memory.
“Thank you for modeling what it means to live a God-led, spirit-filled life. Your life taught and touched so many. You will truly be missed!” wrote Nicole Bullock, pastor of Blue Oaks Church in Brooklyn Park, Minn., on Carlson’s Facebook page.
“Richard was a students’ teacher,” said Jay Phelan, former president and dean of the Seminary. “Richard focused on the students and not just his topic. And students flocked to his office for counsel, encouragement, and support. Generations of students benefited from his compassion, his gentleness and his firmness.”
As President Parkyn shared Carlson’s retirement words with the Seminary community at the 2012 commencement celebration, he encouraged the graduates to take note of their professor’s embodiment of the gospel. “Simply faithful. Faithful in risk, faithful in dreaming, faithful in trusting, faithful in hearing God’s call, faithful in taking the first step, and then another, and still another,” he said, drawing a parallel between Carlson’s journey and Jesus’ words in .
Carlson earned his bachelor’s degree in history from North Park College in 1962; a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1965; and his doctor of ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago in 1975.
He was ordained as a minister in in 1967 and served Immanuel Covenant Church in Bronx, New York; Trinity Covenant Church in Livingston, New Jersey; and Douglas Park Covenant Church in Chicago.
A memorial service for Carlson is planned for Sunday, August 11, at 2:30 pm, in 萝莉社’s Anderson Chapel. Messages of condolence may be sent to Rev. Jolene Bergstrom-Carlson at 121 S. East Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302.
University Art Professor Uses Public Spaces to Create Artistic Pieces
Tim Lowly works on "Bower" on the third floor of Brandel Library. He plans to take the painting to at least two exhibitions this year.
Brandel Library to host exhibition by University art faculty
CHICAGO (February 18, 2013) — is preparing an exhibition of his art pieces this spring, which includes a large piece he's painting on a plywood frame mounted on a wall on the third floor of 萝莉社's . With permission from the library staff, Lowly chose the library location because he needed a wall big enough to hold his creation, "Bower," and because it seemed fitting in his role as the University's artist-in-residence.
"What that has meant is just being present to students as a professional artist in addition to being a teacher," said Lowly, assistant professor of art. "It's intentional so that the making of art becomes 'present,' so that people just walking by can see how a work of art comes into being." Lowly's creative work in public places such as the Carlson Art Gallery, , and now, Brandel Library, has resulted in opportunities for conversation with students, faculty, and staff. In this case, some have inquired about "Bower," while he paints. They often describe to him what the painting means to them, Lowly said.
"Bower" is an artistic depiction of Lowly's daughter, Temma, a frequent focus of his work. The larger-than-life image of her, with head bowed, is the result of a photograph with a texture overlay. Temma, 27, lives with physical and mental impairments.
As he looked at the photographic image he created, Lowly said he wondered how it would look if it were a 10-foot tall painting. "It becomes really powerful for me because you have this person who is utterly humble, and she's bowing to you," he said. The size of the piece also tends to make viewers think about scale, the size of life, and the close proximity of the painting's subject, he added.
Lowly started his artistic creation in the gallery last summer before relocating it to the library where he has worked on it since. In March, he will take "Bower" to an exhibition at the College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Mo. This fall, it will be part of a large, one-person exhibition at the , Sioux Falls, S.D., Lowly said.
Sally Anderson, Brandel Library director, said she was happy to make it possible for Lowly to create the painting in the library for all to see. "Other artists have displayed artwork in the library, but we've not had someone actually working on a piece in the library," she said. "We see this as part of the library's mission."
Art faculty exhibition to open February 22
When he began working on his art piece in Brandel Library, Lowly asked if art faculty could display original pieces on the library's walls, Anderson said. Currently, the library displays art pieces in the second and third floor gallery areas, she said.
Beginning February 22, Brandel Library will display about 20 original pieces throughout the building, the creations of seven University faculty members: Kristen Althoff, Deb Hendriksma-Anderson, Josh Ippel, Tim Van Laar, , , and .
"It's really exciting for students who are studying here to see original work. They will walk down the library hallway, and see something unexpected," said Joanna Wilkinson, the library's technical services and digitization coordinator. Wilkinson is responsible for art installations in the library.
The faculty art exhibition will remain in the library through the spring semester. A reception to open the exhibition will be held on the first floor of Brandel Library from 4:30 to 5:30 pm on Friday, February 22.
Use @npunews to . For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more .
Nyvall at 150: The Founding President's Enduring Impact at North Park
Alumnus Dr. Scott Erickson will present a lecture on the legacy of 萝莉社's founding president David Nyvall on Thursday, October 10.
Dr. Scott Erickson to Give Lecture on University President David Nyvall
CHICAGO (September 25, 2013)—In honor of the 150th anniversary of the birth of early leader and founding 萝莉社 president David Nyvall (1863–1946), University alumnus and leading Nyvall scholar Dr. Scott Erickson C'89 S'93 will present a lecture on the leadership role Nyvall played at the University, and how his influence continues to shape its mission and culture.
Presented by the and the Zenos E. Hawkinson Covenant Heritage Fund, Erickson’s lecture, "," will also explore the ways in which Nyvall's strong character and resolve helped him withstand external pressures to conform to the religious and cultural landscape. This ensured the University would endure and, in turn, inspire others to leadership and “the life of the mind and heart,” according to Erickson.
The presentation is free and open to the public, and will be held on Thursday, October 10, at 6:00 pm in the University’s Hamming Hall. Erickson’s lecture coincides with the opening of “David Nyvall: 150 Years Young,” a special exhibit on display during the 2013–14 academic year in the lower level gallery of . A light reception in the gallery will follow the lecture.
Erickson is head of school at the Phillips Brooks School in Menlo Park, Calif. An Episcopal priest, Erickson earned his undergraduate degree in music at 萝莉社 and a master of divinity from North Park Theological Seminary, followed by a post-doctoral program at Harvard Divinity School.
Erickson’s doctoral dissertation at Uppsala University, Sweden, focuses on David Nyvall and draws on voluminous primary sources housed at the F.M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections.
Memorial Service for Darlene Kelley Planned for Thursday, December 12
Dear friends:
North Park Theological Seminary and University mourn the death of alumna Darlene Kelley, a 2012 master of divinity graduate. Darlene hailed from the Boston area and began studying at North Park in 2008. While a student, she was involved with University Ministries working with commuter and transfer students to increase their sense of community belonging. She also worked with the Collaboratory for Intercultural Learning, participating in their events and leading workshops for the Student Diversity Leadership Conference.
Darlene’s life and death remind us that life is fragile and requires great care. It also reminds us that we have suffered the losses of other students in recent years. As we remember the loss of these friends, we also recall that the gospel calls us to a faith beyond what we can see, and to a hope that reaches beyond the finality of death. May God grant us grace in this season of mourning, and may God grant peace to the memory of Darlene Kelley.
A memorial service to honor Darlene’s life will be held Thursday, December 12, at 7:00 pm in Isaacson Chapel, North Park Theological Seminary. A coffee reception will follow in Olsson Lounge.
Dave Kersten, Dean of North Park Theological Seminary
萝莉社 Professor Working in International Bible Translation Project
Recordings for the Bible translation project are being produced at this recording studio in Nagpur, India. (Photo provided by Dr. Rajkumar Boaz Johnson.)
Project seeks to translate Bible into common language, original poetry form
CHICAGO (January 21, 2013) — A 萝莉社 professor is working with a team of people to create a version of the Christian Bible written in —a common Indian language—and express it in a poetic form so it can be sung. , professor of , used part of a sabbatical in 2011 to begin translating the Bible. The translation in poems, "seeks to be faithful to how the text is intended to be sung," he said.
Johnson, a native of India, developed an interest in translating the Bible into poems during his doctoral studies, when he read original biblical texts, including ancient interpretations found in the and interpretations before the time of Christ. He learned that the ancient biblical texts were poems—nearly all of the Bible except for . " seeks to understand the poetry, and bring that into English," Johnson said. "Unfortunately the later translations of the Bible into English have lost the poems."
In addition to the translation and poetic expression, recordings have been made of the first five chapters of , which describe the creation story and God's initial dealings with humanity, and first five chapters of the Gospel of John, an account of the public ministry of Jesus, Johnson explained. "We're trying to do is what the biblical texts originally intended," Johnson said. "Prose was not originally conceived in the early church. In its original form, the gospels are songs, and were sung by the early church."
Johnson, who travels often to India, has researched tribal societies in India and lived among them. He chose to translate into their language because they worship using poems, he said. "Poets or village bards sing songs, and the people respond. They've been doing this in worship for a long, long time," he said.
Collaborators in this unusual Bible translation project include , who co-founded , an international organization that advocates for lower-caste people living in India. The project's purpose is to bring the Bible to millions of people who have no access to it because of language barriers, he said. "They don't have a book of their own," Sardar said in a telephone interview from Delhi. "The language is not the same." Sardar explained that most lower-caste people don't understand the higher-caste Indian language in which the Bible has been published previously. But they do understand the poetic language of the Bible written in Hindi.
Sardar said that when he met Johnson, they each learned the other had concluded the need to translate the Bible and put it into its original poetic expression. "It was like a meeting of the minds, a "God thing." It was the right time, and the right message. God has baptized us with this project," he said.
"Now is the time to get the whole Bible in both the language of the people and in the language of poetry," Sardar added. "People love to have this book. We can hardly keep up with the sales."
In addition to recording biblical poems in Hindi, Johnson said he hopes to publish the poems in English. He is also working with students to turn the poems into music familiar to them, such as rap. "I think this a project for the future of the church. Young people want to use their own theologies. This is a way to do it, to give them texts of the Bible in a genre that was originally intended."
Use @npunews to . For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, or at (773) 244-5522. Learn more .
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University President Addresses Student Recruitment, Planning, New Construction
Construction on the Johnson Center is in full swing. The new building is expected to be ready in fall 2014.
David Parkyn welcomes University community to spring semester
CHICAGO (January 30, 2013) — 萝莉社 faculty and staff returned to the campus for the spring semester amid a strengthened effort to recruit students for future years, a long-range institutional planning process, and sounds of new construction as the foundation is prepared for the .
Faculty and staff gathered January 25 for worship, and , University president, provided updates on campus initiatives. "Being together at the beginning of the spring semester reminds us of our common purpose, and I trust renews within each of us our common commitment to this purpose," he said.
The University welcomed 105 new undergraduate students for the spring semester, up from 91 new undergraduate students in 2012. Retention of returning students was also strong for the spring, Parkyn reported. For the upcoming academic year, the number of undergraduate applications is high, and this spring, North Park will host several . Parkyn urged faculty and staff to help in recruiting students and "warmly welcome each one."
The North Park president also addressed other topics:
Strategic planning continues: In January and February, Parkyn said he will meet with 20 groups of faculty and staff to discuss the strategic and long-term direction for the University. Planning documents will be revised and combined with information learned through a planning process underway with , a higher education consulting firm.
Continued fundraising: Staff with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations is working on concluding aspects of , a comprehensive fundraising effort, and developing a robust post-campaign effort, Parkyn said. "Our donors are optimistic about North Park’s future, and for this we are deeply thankful," he said.
New construction in full swing: Parkyn noted that center of the campus is noisy and filled with construction activity at the Johnson Center building site. Regular communication will be provided to North Park community with updates on building progress, he said. The building is expected to be ready for use in Fall 2014.
Campus leadership transition: Parkyn announced that , vice president of student development and dean of students, will leave the University in mid-February to assume a new role in the Office of Student Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The president said he has appointed Elizabeth Snezek, assistant dean of student development, as interim dean of students through the end of the academic year.
New faculty and staff who joined the University community for the spring semester were introduced:
Janet Cullen, visiting assistant professor, nursing and biology
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