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Dean Edwards Reflects on Theological Education’s Current Crossroads

Megan Voypick — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:33:21 +0000

In light of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School’s recent announcement that it will close its Chicago-area campus and move to and merge with its sister institution in Canada, North Park Theological Seminary’s dean and vice president for church relations, Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards, shared his thoughts on the state of theological education in the United States.

In his essay, Edwards addresses the challenges facing evangelical seminaries while emphasizing theological education’s lasting importance, specifically for encouraging spiritual formation, critical thinking, and character building. To read the blog post, visit the Evangelical Covenant Church’s .

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Intercultural Awards Ceremony Honors North Park Students, Faculty, Alumni

Megan Voypick — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:16:38 +0000

The North Park community gathered in early April to celebrate those who have significantly contributed to campus diversity. In his opening remarks, Director of Intercultural Student Affairs Rashad Hanna praised the assembled crowd for being committed to “doing life together.”

“We’re creating spaces where students feel like they belong, and together we’re committed to ensuring that interculturalism will remain the centerfold of our university community,” Hanna said.

In her remarks, President Mary K. Surridge said the intercultural distinctive is important because it reflects the Biblical principles at North Park’s foundation.

The awards and their recipients were as follows:

Champion of Diversity Award: Evelyn Aucutt, senior director of academic engagement and student success
Impactful Alumni Award: Barrington Price BS ’06, CEO of Dominican University’s Chicago campus
Honors Convocation Award: Fidelie Futi, ɫ��̳ senior
Director’s Award: Yamileth Gonzalez, ɫ��̳ senior
Registered Student Organization of the Year: Latin American Student Organization

The ceremony ended with student leaders receiving their colorful, hand-stitched graduation stoles. As Hanna presented the stoles alongside President Surridge, he said, “These represent the weight of what you’ve carried as student leaders.”

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North Park to Launch Women’s Flag Football Team in Spring 2026

Megan Voypick — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 17:43:03 +0000

In response to the growing national popularity of women’s no-tackle football programs, ɫ��̳ will start its own 25-player team to begin competing next year.

North Park alumnus Ramon Palma BS ’22 MBA ’24, a former four-year football player at North Park, has been named the team’s head coach. He has begun recruiting students with plans to hold practices in the fall 2025 semester before finalizing a schedule of games to be played in spring 2026.

“Flag football is an exciting opportunity for both me as a coach and for North Park,” Palma said. “I’m extremely thankful for the belief that the leadership team here at North Park have put in my ability to recruit and develop athletes. Being inaugural head coach of this program is proving to be one of my most exciting endeavors at North Park.”

Flag football will become North Park’s 20th varsity sport, with the team expected to join 20 other NCAA institutions in competition. Play consists of seven players from each side vying to score a six-point touchdown, with the opportunity to add one or two extra points with set plays. The sport has become increasingly popular in recent years, with the number of participants at the high school level doubling to 42,955 students from 2023–24.

John Born, assistant vice president for athletics and sport management, said Palma was a natural choice to coach the team.

“Ramon brings a wealth of experience, an unmatched work ethic, and an entrepreneurial spirit. We could not have picked a better person for this position,” Born said.

After Graduating in 2022, Palma began working at North Park in the admissions department, while continuing to be a part of NPU football as an assistant coach and the team’s social media manager. He worked with both offensive and defensive lines as well as curated content in various formats across NPU football’s ever-growing social media pages.

For more information about the women’s flag football team, go to .

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North Park Alumnus Named CEO of Interfaith America

Megan Voypick — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:34:14 +0000

Adam Phillips MDiv ’06 has been named CEO of Interfaith America, a nonprofit organization that strives to strengthen the country by building relationships between diverse faith communities.

Phillips has more than 25 years of leadership experience, having founded church congregations and most recently serving in the Biden-Harris administration as executive director of local, faith, and transformative partnerships at the United States Agency for International Development.

“It’s pretty exciting to see how we’ve more than doubled in size and scope in the past few years,” Phillips said in a statement. “[We’ve become] an industry leader in interfaith diversity work in corporate America and a national leader in seeking the promise of America’s diverse democracy through our civic partnerships.”

Interfaith America was founded in 2002 with the idea that religious differences should serve as a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. Read more .

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Life Worth Living Co-author Visits ɫ��̳��

Megan Voypick — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:01:44 +0000

Dr. Ryan McAnnally-Linz, associate director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Life Worth Living, visited ɫ��̳ on March 26 for an event series with the theme “What Makes Life Worth Living?”.��

North Park’s Center for Civic Engagement, Office of Intercultural Student Affairs, Office of the Provost, and University Ministries hosted the series inspired by McAnnally-Linz’s book, which is based on Yale University’s most in-demand course of the same name.��

The events open to the campus community included a chapel service, Catalyst on Campus, and Fika Forum, at which the discussions encouraged participants to consider their own definitions of a meaningful life and how their values shape their choices. Later in the evening, select students shared a meal and conversation with McAnnally-Linz to dive even deeper into the theme.��

Life Worth Living—and, by extension, the event series—is significant to North Park, as all three co-authors have connections to the Evangelical Covenant Church. By weaving perspectives from multiple faith and philosophical traditions, the book and events invited individuals to explore what it means to live purposefully.��

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North Park Theological Seminary Partners with Seminary Now for New Course

Megan Voypick — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:11:05 +0000

North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS) and Seminary Now announce the release of a new streaming video course featuring Dr. Max Lee, the Paul W. Brandel Chair of Biblical Studies at NPTS. Titled Colossians: A Disruptive Display of Christian Imagination, the course will be available beginning April 9 through .

As a leading New Testament scholar and dedicated educator, Lee is passionate about preparing students and ministry leaders to teach and apply Scripture faithfully. His course provides historical context and theological depth, making it an essential resource for pastors, teachers, and lifelong learners.

Key themes covered in the course include:

God as Creator and Redeemer
A call to faith and ministry
Building your life in Christ and His mission
A theology of the cross

In a world of chaos and uncertainty,��Colossians��continues to speak powerfully across the ages, calling believers to respond to the God revealed in Christ with dynamic faith and worship. Lee’s course provides a historical, theological, and pastoral introduction to this essential New Testament text, equipping learners to engage it for study, teaching, and personal devotion.

This course is part of Seminary Now’s growing library of streaming theological content. The digital learning platform provides accessible, high-quality education for church leaders and Christian communities.

North Park Preps for 10th Annual Blue & Gold Day

Megan Voypick — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:01:42 +0000

North Park will celebrate its 10th annual 24-hour day of giving on April 24 with a week’s worth of activities, including a dodgeball tournament, a party on the Green Space in front of the Johnson Center, and a virtual North Park history lesson.

Events kick off on April 22 and continue throughout the week with on-campus happenings like yoga, wall-climbing, plogging, and a special chapel service and a virtual historical overview of North Park’s campus with archivist Andy Meyer. View the .

Friends and alumni are encouraged to participate in person or remotely by donating funds, wearing blue and gold, and sharing their Viking pride on social media. Funds will benefit the North Park Fund, Student Care Fund, and the Viking Club, providing students with financial assistance and infrastructure improvements to promote academic and athletic excellence.

North Park appreciates gifts of any size, as each makes a difference in students’ lives. Donate and follow the action .

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North Parker Directs Feature Film Green and Gold

Megan Voypick — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 15:11:37 +0000

Anders Lindwall NPU ’05 made his directorial debut with Green and Gold, a feature-length film released in January.��

Based on true events, the movie stars Craig T. Nelson and tells a heartfelt story about a Wisconsin farmer who risks everything by betting on the Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl. Audiences have praised it for its emotional depth and strong character-driven narrative.��

Rooted in their upbringing within faithful Christian communities, Lindwall and his brother Davin Lindwall—who produced the film—prioritized subtly yet meaningfully incorporating their faith into the story. Their father, Edward Lindwall BA ’77, is a North Park graduate alongside their sister Krista Lindwall BA ’07, BS ’07.��

In characteristic North Parker spirit, local alumni gathered to watch the premiere at a nearby theater.��

North Park Hires Advisor to Support and Retain First-Year STEM Students

Kennedy Murphy — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:32:12 +0000

North��Park University��has received a prestigious grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create a new advisor position dedicated to supporting first-year students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

The three-year,��$500,000��NSF grant will fund the hiring of��Claudia Gonzalez, who has a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling, as the advisor for first-year STEM students. As a former admissions counselor at��St. Augustine College, Gonzalez is well-equipped to guide students through the challenges of their demanding majors.

“At North Park, we are dedicated to providing our students with the tools, mentorship, and faith-centered support they need to succeed,” said Matthew Schau,�� professor of biology. “Claudia’s experience and passion for helping students navigate the complexities of college life will have a lasting impact on the success of our first-year STEM students.” Schau was assisted in securing the grant by��Evelyn Aucutt, senior director of academic engagement and student success,��Kurt Sheu, assistant professor of mathematics, and��Ekaterini Koutsouris, advisor for advanced education in the health professions.

Gonzalez will provide personalized guidance to students as they adjust to the demands of college coursework. Her efforts will focus on enhancing retention rates, which is crucial given the national trend of high attrition rates among STEM students—especially women and students of color. According to 2024 data from the American Society for Engineering Education, nearly 13% of STEM majors leave their programs after the first year.

“It’s critical to create an environment where students feel supported and connected from day one,” Gonzalez said. “Having someone help them with everything from academic challenges to personal concerns can make all the difference. As a first-generation college student, I know how important it is to have a support system.”

Gonzalez will also teach an introductory psychology course to help students develop the foundational skills they need to succeed in college. Topics will include everything from navigating a syllabus to understanding the importance of faculty office hours.

ɫ��̳��offers a wide variety of STEM majors, including pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, biochemistry, and biotechnology. It remains committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and faith-centered environment where all students can succeed.

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North Park and Illinois College Partner in Guaranteed Admission for Athletic Training Program

Brett Ravitz — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:02:35 +0000

ɫ��̳ has reached an affiliation agreement with Illinois College in which North Park will guarantee admission for two Illinois College graduates into North Park’s Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program each academic year.

Viable candidates must graduate from Illinois College, located in Jacksonville, Illinois, said Andrew Lundgren, North Park’s athletic training program director and an associate professor of athletic training.

As part of the program, Illinois College faculty will recommend candidates for North Park’s MSAT program for the two guaranteed spots. Then, those chosen must go through the same application process as other candidates.

“We have found there are students drawn to North Park’s program because we’re in Chicago,” Lundgren said. “We have so many professional sports teams and clinical opportunities, and that’s a huge draw for athletic training students.”

Partnering with trusted institutions allows North Park to recruit strong applicants, said Lundgren, who is in talks to enter partnerships with additional schools. North Park is uniquely positioned to offer a high-quality MSAT degree, with its Chicago location, cutting-edge facilities, and hands-on training.

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