North Park University
Encyclopedia
North Park University is a four-year university
located at 3225 W. Foster Avenue on the north side of Chicago
, Illinois
in the North Park
neighborhood. It was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church
and shares its campus with the denomination's only seminary
. The university enrolls more than 3,000 students from around the country and the world and offers bachelors and masters degrees.
and began to settle in America
. As the communities, concentrated in the Midwest
with hubs in Chicago and Minneapolis
, began to settle and develop, many things began to happen that would pave the way for North Park University. The denomination that is now known as the Covenant began to organize in the 1880s and soon the education of Swedish immigrants, specifically theological education, became an important issue. E. August Skogsbergh (1850–1939), sometimes called the Swedish Moody for his association with the famous Chicago Evangelist
D.L. Moody, started a school in Minneapolis in 1884 that would serve as a forerunner to North Park in many ways.
By 1891, the Covenant was in agreement that they should formally establish a school of their own. Skogsbergh offered his school, which served as the official Covenant school for three years, from 1891 until 1893. In 1894, the school was moved to Chicago, a move that upset some, including Skogsbergh. It moved to its present location at the corner of Foster and Kedzie, despite its remoteness from the Loop
. It was sited close to then existing Swedish-American villages and the newly established Swedish Covenant Hospital
. Old Main, the oldest building on campus, was erected and dedicated on June 16, 1894. It is at this time that the name North Park was first used to describe the school.
The early years of North Park were marked with both struggles and successes. Both enrollment and funding fluctuated greatly in the early years. An interesting source of both money and headache came from P.H. Anderson, who at the time was serving as a Covenant missionary
in Alaska
. Taking part in the gold rush
of the time, Anderson made a massive find. And though he donated a portion of the findings, questionable circumstances surrounded the claim that created tension among the leadership of North Park.
An early leader at that time was David Nyvall
. He served as president and teacher in the Seminary
for many years. The current seminary building, Nyvall Hall, is named after him. By the turn of the century, North Park could boast of a theological seminary, a prominent and large commercial department, a growing music department, and an academy created in 1894 to better prepare students for the seminary.
Since the early days, the school has developed and changed in many ways. In 1958, North Park Junior College expanded from a two-year college into a four-year program, becoming North Park College. In 1997, the controversial decision was made to again change the name of the school, and North Park University was born. Though North Park still holds on to its Swedish American past and close ties with the Evangelical Covenant Church, it is now a multicultural institution focused on diversity. North Park now proudly describes itself as a Liberal Arts
University that is intentionally urban
, distinctively Christian
, and purposefully multicultural. North Park University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Higher Learning Council. The seminary is additionally accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.
North Park's current president, Dr. David L. Parkyn, was inaugurated in November, 2006.
The North Park University athletics department fields 17 NCAA Division III teams: 8 men's teams and 9 women's teams. The teams compete in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
. Men compete in football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, soccer, and track and field. Women compete in volleyball, basketball, softball, golf, soccer, track and field, cross country, and rowing.
North Park fields club teams for men's and women's ultimate frisbee, men's rowing, and men's volleyball. There is also a healthy Intramural sports
program on campus.
Although the football team has failed to win a conference game in the last 4 years, the women's crew team has done slightly better, repeatedly placing in national regattas. The men's soccer team has also fared better; in 2005, it successfully defended its CCIW
conference title against rival Wheaton, earning their second title in as many years and North Park's first trip to the national tournament. In 2010, after winning the CCIW conference title, the men's soccer team went on to win its first national tournament game in the schools history against Hope College. North Park is also known as having one of the most successful men's basketball programs in all of college athletics. They have won five men's NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship
s since 1978. The baseball program has seen amazing improvements under new leadership by Coach Luke Johnson. Pitcher Mike Giovenco was drafted in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins
, and was drafted again in 2010 by the Kansas City Royals in the 14th round.
The North Park Student Association sponsors many student led organizations on campus. These organizations include the weekly student newspaper
, the North Park Press, the yearbook
known as the Cupola, the North Branch literary magazine
, and Java
Haus, the student-run coffeeshop
in the basement of Burgh Hall.
for each of North Park University's cultural associations. These include:
The Press has seven sections: Arts & Entertainment, Business, Campus, Local, Nation/World, Opinion (a section for opinionated articles by students and staff), and Sports (updates on sports news for NP). While the newspaper is published under the guidance of a Faculty Advisor and the Dean of Students, it is designed and edited by a small team of student journalists. The Press is owned and operated by the Student Association of North Park University.
Students are invited to submit timely articles pertinent to the issues and discourse revolving around the North Park community.
One annual tradition is the Santa Lucia
Festival, held each December in Anderson Chapel. The service follows many Swedish
traditions and is one of the few Santa Lucia Festivals held in the Chicago area. There is also an exchange program with Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola
in Jönköping
, Sweden.
The men's soccer team are blessed with some of the most dedicated fans in the entire country when it comes to College soccer. Calling themselves Foster's Finest, they are with their big numbers, great songs and crazy devotion shown through banners and body paintings always the 12th player of the soccer team.
Another annual tradition is the cafeteria's Thanksgiving dinner. This all-campus event is an opportunity for students to come a receive a free Thanksgiving meal served by both the college's administration and the Residence Life staff.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located at 3225 W. Foster Avenue on the north side of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in the North Park
North Park, Chicago
North Park is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago. It is bordered by the North Shore Channel on the east, the Chicago River's North Branch and Foster Avenue on the south, Cicero Avenue on the west and Devon Avenue on the...
neighborhood. It was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church
Evangelical Covenant Church
The Evangelical Covenant Church is an evangelical Christian denomination of more than 800 congregations and an average worship attendance of 179,000 people in the United States and Canada with ministries on five continents. Founded in 1885 by Swedish immigrants, the church is now one of the most...
and shares its campus with the denomination's only seminary
North Park Theological Seminary
North Park Theological Seminary is a seminary located in the North Park neighborhood of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It is the sole graduate theological school of the Evangelical Covenant Church...
. The university enrolls more than 3,000 students from around the country and the world and offers bachelors and masters degrees.
History
In the later part of the 19th century, thousands of Swedish immigrants left SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and began to settle in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As the communities, concentrated in the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
with hubs in Chicago and Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, began to settle and develop, many things began to happen that would pave the way for North Park University. The denomination that is now known as the Covenant began to organize in the 1880s and soon the education of Swedish immigrants, specifically theological education, became an important issue. E. August Skogsbergh (1850–1939), sometimes called the Swedish Moody for his association with the famous Chicago Evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
D.L. Moody, started a school in Minneapolis in 1884 that would serve as a forerunner to North Park in many ways.
By 1891, the Covenant was in agreement that they should formally establish a school of their own. Skogsbergh offered his school, which served as the official Covenant school for three years, from 1891 until 1893. In 1894, the school was moved to Chicago, a move that upset some, including Skogsbergh. It moved to its present location at the corner of Foster and Kedzie, despite its remoteness from the Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
. It was sited close to then existing Swedish-American villages and the newly established Swedish Covenant Hospital
Swedish Covenant Hospital
Swedish Covenant Hospital is a comprehensive health care facility providing health and wellness services to the communities of Chicago’s North and Northwest sides. As an established academic and community hospital, Swedish Covenant Hospital offers a full range of medical programs, including cancer,...
. Old Main, the oldest building on campus, was erected and dedicated on June 16, 1894. It is at this time that the name North Park was first used to describe the school.
The early years of North Park were marked with both struggles and successes. Both enrollment and funding fluctuated greatly in the early years. An interesting source of both money and headache came from P.H. Anderson, who at the time was serving as a Covenant missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. Taking part in the gold rush
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
of the time, Anderson made a massive find. And though he donated a portion of the findings, questionable circumstances surrounded the claim that created tension among the leadership of North Park.
An early leader at that time was David Nyvall
David Nyvall
David Nyvall was a Swedish immigrant to the United States and church leader who helped shape the Evangelical Covenant Church and establish North Park University in Chicago.-Background:...
. He served as president and teacher in the Seminary
North Park Theological Seminary
North Park Theological Seminary is a seminary located in the North Park neighborhood of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It is the sole graduate theological school of the Evangelical Covenant Church...
for many years. The current seminary building, Nyvall Hall, is named after him. By the turn of the century, North Park could boast of a theological seminary, a prominent and large commercial department, a growing music department, and an academy created in 1894 to better prepare students for the seminary.
Since the early days, the school has developed and changed in many ways. In 1958, North Park Junior College expanded from a two-year college into a four-year program, becoming North Park College. In 1997, the controversial decision was made to again change the name of the school, and North Park University was born. Though North Park still holds on to its Swedish American past and close ties with the Evangelical Covenant Church, it is now a multicultural institution focused on diversity. North Park now proudly describes itself as a Liberal Arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
University that is intentionally urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
, distinctively Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, and purposefully multicultural. North Park University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Higher Learning Council. The seminary is additionally accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.
North Park's current president, Dr. David L. Parkyn, was inaugurated in November, 2006.
Academic programs
- Undergraduate College
- North Park Theological SeminaryNorth Park Theological SeminaryNorth Park Theological Seminary is a seminary located in the North Park neighborhood of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It is the sole graduate theological school of the Evangelical Covenant Church...
- School of Adult Learning
- School of Business & Nonprofit Management
- School of Education
- School of Music
- School of Nursing
- Community Development
Athletics
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Its member teams are located in Illinois and Wisconsin. CCIW schools have won 35 Division III national championships since 1973. The conference was founded in 1946 as the...
. Men compete in football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, soccer, and track and field. Women compete in volleyball, basketball, softball, golf, soccer, track and field, cross country, and rowing.
North Park fields club teams for men's and women's ultimate frisbee, men's rowing, and men's volleyball. There is also a healthy Intramural sports
Intramural sports
Intramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
program on campus.
Although the football team has failed to win a conference game in the last 4 years, the women's crew team has done slightly better, repeatedly placing in national regattas. The men's soccer team has also fared better; in 2005, it successfully defended its CCIW
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Its member teams are located in Illinois and Wisconsin. CCIW schools have won 35 Division III national championships since 1973. The conference was founded in 1946 as the...
conference title against rival Wheaton, earning their second title in as many years and North Park's first trip to the national tournament. In 2010, after winning the CCIW conference title, the men's soccer team went on to win its first national tournament game in the schools history against Hope College. North Park is also known as having one of the most successful men's basketball programs in all of college athletics. They have won five men's NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship
The NCAA holds an annual tournament to determine the Division III Men's Basketball Championship.Since 1996, the Division III men's basketball championship has been held at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia. The event has been hosted by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the City of...
s since 1978. The baseball program has seen amazing improvements under new leadership by Coach Luke Johnson. Pitcher Mike Giovenco was drafted in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, and was drafted again in 2010 by the Kansas City Royals in the 14th round.
Student Association
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, the North Park Press, the yearbook
Yearbook
A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
known as the Cupola, the North Branch literary magazine
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
, and Java
Java coffee
Java coffee is a coffee produced on the island of Java. In the United States the term "Java" by itself is, in general, slang for coffee. The Indonesian phrase Kopi Jawa refers not only to the origin of the coffee, but is used to distinguish the strong, black, very sweet coffee, with powdered grains...
Haus, the student-run coffeeshop
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
in the basement of Burgh Hall.
A&E
The division of the Student Association that is responsible for the Academic life of students is known as Academics and Education. Academics and Education represents the student's voice at faculty meetings, plans fun and educational events, and hosts the now infamous Geek Week. It also oversees North Park's academic clubs, which include:- Society of Physics Students
- Philosophy Club
- Student Arts Organization
- Psychology Club
- Student Nursing Association
- Music Club
- Red Hymnal Society
- Tri-Beta
- History Society
- American Humanics (Non-profit Student Association)
- Gender Studies Organization
- Model UN Club
- Business Club
- Chemistry Club
- African Student Club
ARC
The Student Association also sponsors the Associations Representative Council, which is the umbrella organizationUmbrella organization
An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. In business, political, or other environments, one group, the umbrella organization, provides resources and often an identity to the smaller organizations...
for each of North Park University's cultural associations. These include:
- Black Student Association (BSA)
- Commuter Student Association (CSA)
- Korean Student Association (KSA)
- Latin American Student Organization (LASO)
- Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA)
- Scandinavian Student Association (SSA)
The North Park Press
The primary function of the North Park Press is to serve as a medium in which general campus news, and other relevant information to the university community, is communicated to the student body, staff and alumni. A version of the NP Press is available online http://www.northpark.edu/Current-Students/Student-Community/North-Park-Press.aspx and as of the spring semester of 2010 opened a dedicated news website.http://www.northparknews.net/The Press has seven sections: Arts & Entertainment, Business, Campus, Local, Nation/World, Opinion (a section for opinionated articles by students and staff), and Sports (updates on sports news for NP). While the newspaper is published under the guidance of a Faculty Advisor and the Dean of Students, it is designed and edited by a small team of student journalists. The Press is owned and operated by the Student Association of North Park University.
Students are invited to submit timely articles pertinent to the issues and discourse revolving around the North Park community.
Other traditions
North Park's Swedish-American identity is evident in many different ways. The Swedish–American Historical Society Archives are administered in Chicago by North Park University's Brandel Library. The Center for Scandinavian Studies at North Park is the legal trustee.One annual tradition is the Santa Lucia
Saint Lucy
Saint Lucy , also known as Saint Lucia, was a wealthy young Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint by Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Orthodox Christians. Her feast day in the West is 13 December; with a name derived from lux, lucis "light", she is the patron saint of those who are...
Festival, held each December in Anderson Chapel. The service follows many Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
traditions and is one of the few Santa Lucia Festivals held in the Chicago area. There is also an exchange program with Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola
Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola
Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola is a folk high school located in the town Jönköping, Sweden. In total it has around 300 students.The school offers a number of study programs in different fields: bible, journalism, graphic design and music. It has a program that will ensure a gymnasium diploma in...
in Jönköping
Jönköping
-Notable people:*Lillian Asplund, RMS Titanic survivor*John Bauer, illustrator, painter*Amy Diamond, singer*Agnetha Fältskog, ABBA*Carl Henrik Fredriksson, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Eurozine*Anders Gustafsson, kayaker, Olympian...
, Sweden.
The men's soccer team are blessed with some of the most dedicated fans in the entire country when it comes to College soccer. Calling themselves Foster's Finest, they are with their big numbers, great songs and crazy devotion shown through banners and body paintings always the 12th player of the soccer team.
Another annual tradition is the cafeteria's Thanksgiving dinner. This all-campus event is an opportunity for students to come a receive a free Thanksgiving meal served by both the college's administration and the Residence Life staff.
Other sources
- A History of North Park College by Leland Carlson (a good overview of the first 50 years, 1891–1941)
- Swedes In America. 1638-1938 (1938) by Adolph B. Benson and Naboth Hedin, eds. (The Swedish American Tercentenary Association. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press) ISBN 978-0838303269