North Parker Winter 2018

WINTER 2018 VOLUME 78/NUMBER 1

Instilling Values.

Advancing Care.

Page 10

FIRST WORD A YEAR OF TRANSITION

NORTH PARKER

Over the years, I’ve welcomed the opportunity to report to you in the North Parker about our strategies for financial health along with major campus developments, including our work to design and build new facilities such as the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life.

Editorial Board

In my new role as interim president, I return to the North Parker on another assignment from the Board of Trustees, which is to ensure a strong framework for our University in preparation for new leadership, beginning next July 1.

The Board is clear about the priorities we all must focus on: Improve institutional enrollment. Balance the budget. Successfully implement Catalyst 606_ _ to promote engagement with Chicago. Develop new net revenue-producing programs, including advancing STEM and the health sciences. Continue selective campus development. Strengthen our relationship with the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Carl E. Balsam Interim President Mary K. Surridge Vice President for Advancement Christopher Childers Director of University Marketing Melissa Vélez-Luce C’04 G’12 Director of Alumni Relations

Editorial Staff Mary Nowesnick Editor Ellen Almer News Editor

This issue shares just some of our outcomes, beginning with the cover story on our School of Nursing & Health Sciences (see page 10). As this School marks its 50th anniversary (see page 18), Dean Linda Duncan looks ahead to new academic programs, including our first doctoral program and expansion into the health sciences, while sustaining its commitment to a vital legacy: ensuring a values-based, Christian worldview for premier learning in our world-class city.

Daniel Olsen Online Editor

What’s exciting for me, as a long-time North Parker, is seeing what so many of you—our cherished alumni—are accomplishing throughout the world. Homecoming (see page 24) brought many of you back to campus. During that weekend, we were pleased to present annual alumni awards (see page 28) and welcome back Dr. Tim Johnson C’56 S’63 to meet with current students to discuss healthcare reform and offer some predictions for the next decade (see page 20).

Laura Bencur Martha Pfister Designers

The coming year will be very significant for us all as we welcome the 10th president of our great University. The 15-member Presidential Search Committee, under the direction of its chair and Board member Owen R. Youngman, continues to lead an open and transparent process that aims to engage you and the entire University community (see page 22).

I have often said that North Park’s best days lie ahead, which means that we are always striving to grow even stronger. The reason is to fulfill our mission in the best way: to prepare our students to follow so many of you into lives of significance and service. Thank you for your devotion to our mission, our students, and our University.

Carl E. Balsam Interim President

On the cover: North Park celebrates a 50-year legacy of nursing education and a strong future for the School of Nursing and Health Sciences (see page 10).

Patty O’Friel Lead Designer

Chris Kim Tricia Koning Chris Padgett Tramaine Stallworth Photographers

2 Across Campus

Unique Cadaver Lab Chicago is our classroom 2017 Viking Hall of Fame Learn about CRUX

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I nstilling Values Advancing Care

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Dean Linda Duncan C’69 on nursing’s vital legacy and focus on a strong future.

Celebrating Nursing

A campus celebration marked the 50th anniversary of nursing at North Park.

U.S. Healthcare: A Prediction

Dr. G. Timothy Johnson C’56 S’63 joined students to discuss the future of American healthcare.

Enjoy the North Parker online, too, with back issues for reading or download at www.northpark.edu/northparker

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The Presidential Search

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Homecoming 2017

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Giving

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Honors

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Alumni Notes & In Memoriam

Search Committee Chair Owen R. Youngman reports on the process to choose our next President.

Football, face paint, food, and plenty of fun and friends.

The 2017 Honor Roll and new Promise Scholarships.

Meet our 2017 Alumni Award honorees.

The North Parker is published twice a year for alumni and friends of North Park University, 3225 West Foster Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625-4895.

For mailing list adjustments, address changes, questions, or suggestions, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (773) 244-5273.

ACROSS CAMPUS CLOSE-UP

From Dissecting to Drawing, Cadaver Lab Promotes Unique Learning 75-year-old man who died of congestive heart failure, the other a woman in her 60s whose cause of death is unknown.

Today, the learning began at 6:30 a.m., as it does each Tuesday and Wednesday, when Dr. Jeffrey Nelson opens the lab to any interested students or staff who sign up ahead of time. Instead of a formal class, Dr. Nelson reserves this time to show off the lab to those who wouldn’t normally use it or have classes there.

“It’s magical,” says Dr. Nelson, a biology professor who runs the lab. “With dissecting, there’s nothing like doing it yourself. No book, no fancy technology, nothing is ever going to replace finding, on your own, a cancer or a coronary bypass, like our male donor has.”

What’s even more valuable, says Dr. Nelson, is the camaraderie that forms among the students as they work around a body.

Students gather around the metal table as Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology Lindsey Alexander unzips a large body bag, carefully peeling back a sheet to reveal an arm. Gently parting the skin, Dr. Alexander points to various muscles as the anatomy students try to identify them.

“Bicep?” says one student.

“Flexors?” guesses another.

It’s just another day in North Park University’s Cadaver Lab, located in the lower level of the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life. At the center of the lab are two cadavers, or donors, as they are known here as a sign of respect. One is a

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“The other day, we had three young women in here talking and just really learning from each other in a way that doesn’t happen in most classrooms,” Dr. Nelson says.

And the cadaver lab isn’t just for health sciences students. Nelson says art professors have used the donors to teach drawing. “The students might study Michelangelo. Then they come here and see the real thing, and they might end up drawing it a little different than before,” Nelson says.

Nelson also has invited students from nearby high schools such as Von Steuben and Northside College Prep into the lab.

“We’re not the only university to have a cadaver lab,” says Nelson, “But the

Dr. Jeffrey Nelson

access we allow is not typical.” In addition, North Park students have more opportunities to actually dissect bodies, as opposed to schools where donor bodies arrive already cut open.

“Our female donor has a hip scar. I can’t wait for these kids to begin the dissection and see an artificial hip,” says Nelson, who also teaches at Rush University Medical Center, a connection that provides a pipeline to donor bodies that are not dissected.

The bodies often last for several years because of the special care Dr. Nelson takes to preserve them, covering them with dampened microfiber cloths after each session.

Dr. Nelson sees the lab as one of NPU’s most valuable new assets. “This is the way to learn, period,” he says, referring to the open, collaborative feeling in the lab. “Not just about anatomy, but about everything.”

Read more at www.northpark.edu/across-campus

ACADEMICS

Students In New Catalyst 606_ _ Program Gain In-Depth Learning Throughout Chicago Wednesdays at North Park often mean fewer students on campus. That’s because North Park’s new Catalyst 606_ _ program takes students beyond North Park and across the city, from seeing brain dissections at Northwestern Memorial Hospital to retracing the steps of a 19th century union laborer along the streets of Chicago’s historic Pullman neighborhood.

For students in Catalyst 606_ _, Chicago is their classroom, says Provost Michael Emerson, who spearheaded this unique Chicago-based learning for North Parkers.

“Catalyst offers tangible opportunities to see firsthand the diverse fabric of the city through its residents, walking tours, museums, performances, and local dining,” says the program’s director, Richard Kohng.

Catalyst 606_ _ is North Park’s innovative, Chicago-based curriculum that redesigns the University’s weekly schedule to encourage students to learn outside the classroom—and in the city—at least two Wednesdays per semester. During Catalyst courses, students explore the city during staff- and faculty-guided group excursions.

Catalyst courses are all credit-bearing core classes.

The program places students in cohorts according to academic interest. In addition to classwork, the cohorts are dispatched to various community-based companies and organizations, where students do real-world work while gaining valuable career experience. North Park’s Chicago setting (the 606 is a nod to the first three digits of all Chicago ZIP codes) provides a rich variety of work sites, from nonprofit foundations to Fortune 500 companies.

The Catalyst Hub is the command center for the entire Catalyst initiative, including Catalyst courses, the Catalyst Semester, and Catalyst on Campus.

Ideally, by graduation, students will have gained not only hands-on experience in their chosen field, but also real-life connections and a broad network of contacts in their industry.

Learn more about Catalyst 606_ _ at www.northpark.edu/catalyst.

What is Good?

North Parkers Explore Campus Theme Amid Current Racial Turmoil More than 100 students and faculty gathered to hear North Park professors discuss this year’s campus theme, “What is Good?” in light of the violence in Charlottesville, Va., and the NFL’s national anthem protests.

Professors Nancy Arnesen (English), Gwendolyn Purifoye (Sociology), Ilsup Ahn (Philosophy), and former NPU dean and history professor Kurt Peterson analysed the panel’s theme: “From Charlottesville to DACA: How Do the Humanities Point Us to the Good in our Public Discourse.”

The panel discussed the recent rise of the “alt-right,” a white nationalist movement.

Dr. Ahn questioned the notion of a neutral concept of “good” when we live in a

country where huge income gaps, gun violence, and forced migration of the poor are the norm.

Dr. Purifoye stated: “How can we be a Christian nation when we’re cool with some of these things?” She noted that the United States still struggles with racism even after electing President Barack Obama, a man of color.

“We try to tell ourselves America is post-racial,” Dr. Purifoye said. “That’s part of the story we tell ourselves.”

In examining the symbols, imagery, and logos used by the KKK and the “alt-right” movement, Dr. Arnesen found that the groups borrowed heavily from Medieval

ages. She noted how symbols such as the swastika, which once symbolized peace before being co-opted by the Nazis, could be corrupted through misuse.

“Context is everything,” Dr. Arnesen said.

“What does it mean to have your hand on your heart during the national anthem this week as opposed to several weeks ago?” she asked, referring to the recent NFL “take a knee” controversy.

Ultimately, Dr. Peterson, director of development for the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago, challenged students to make a difference: “Who will you be in a world where racial violence is normative?” he asked. “Be a source of healing, not violence.”

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ACROSS CAMPUS VIKINGS

2017 Hall of Fame Inductees During Homecoming 2017, George Esplin C ’69, Amanda Klufetos-Moran C’05, Brian McCaskey C’82, Lee Sundholm C’64, and Alan Williams C’71 were honored at the Viking Hall of Fame induction ceremony led by North Park Athletic Director Jack Surridge.

women’s volleyball team. Klufetos-Moran earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2001 and served as the team’s co-captain in 2003 and 2004. She holds the school record for career digs with 2,813 and the season record with 873.

George Esplin C’69

As the head student athletic trainer for both football and basketball throughout his four years at North Park, McCaskey also supported multiple fundraising events for the University. Now Vice President of the Chicago Bears, McCaskey serves as a frequent guest speaker and board member for North Park’s sports management program.

Hurler Esplin was a Viking starting pitcher for three years, notching a 1.74 earned run average between 1967-69. A two-way player who earned team MVP honors in both 1968 and 1969, his .308 batting average and .423 slugging percentage were second on the team in 1968. Esplin, who coached 15 years for the Lake Forest Baseball Association, founded North Park’s sports management program. Esplin is a vice president at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

Amanda Klufetos-Moran C’05 One of North Park’s most decorated female student-athletes, Klufetos-Moran lettered four times during her North Park years and was a two-time MVP for the Viking

Brian McCaskey C’82

one individual national championship in track and field, six CCIW baseball championships, and six NCAA tournament appearances, as well as four conference titles for men’s soccer and six national tournament appearances. Sundholm is a professor in the School of Business and Nonprofit Management.

Alan Williams C’71

Lee Sundholm C’64 Since 1967, Sundholm has served the athletic department as North Park’s faculty representative for the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. During his tenure, the Vikings produced three CCIW men’s basketball titles, two national titles and three NCAA appearances,

A two-sport athlete and multiple letter winner in both football and basketball, Williams earned team MVP honors as the co-captain of the football team in 1969. He was a four-year letter winner and averaged 6.4 yards per carry throughout his Viking football career. Later, as a head softball and football coach at Mt. Vernon High School in Washington, Williams had a 397-243 overall record in softball with state playoff appearances in 1987, 1988, 1990-1995, including a state title run in 1995, and 2010.

As a football coach, his team won nearly 60 games and reached the state semifinals in 1983.

McCaskey

Esplin Klufetos-Moran

Williams Sundholm

ACADEMICS

DIALOGUE

New Majors Respond to Emerging Business Trends

North Park Inspired This Alum’s Path as Professor and Dean

This fall, North Park launched a new digital marketing major to address a growing demand in the workplace.

Students who graduate with a degree in digital marketing find jobs as content managers, social media managers, digital strategists, or SEO specialists.

Professors who have real world experience share the most current trends to help students “learn to think like a digital marketing professional,” says Lori Scrementi, dean of the School of Professional Studies.

Also, beginning in fall 2018, students can choose a major in location intelligence, a field with wide-ranging applications in today’s high-tech job market.

The emerging field, which combines aspects of natural and technical sciences, along with business principles and the latest in spatial technology, prepares students for many careers, including cybersecurity, urban planning, and financial services.

“Location intelligence has applications to almost any discipline and is one of the most cutting-edge fields today,” says Scrementi, adding that both paid internships and full-time jobs in this field are plentiful but unclaimed because there are not enough qualified candidates for the jobs.

Peter C. Nelson C’84 is the Dean of the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Engineering and professor of computer science. He has received more than $40 million in research grants. Under his leadership, computer science has become the fastest-growing program at the school.

North Parker: Tell us about your career path after North Park.

Nelson: After graduating from North Park, I went to Northwestern University and received my MS and PhD degrees in computer science. My original plans were to go into industry after my graduate studies, most likely to AT&T Bell Laboratories where I had worked during the summers. Instead, I joined UIC as an assistant professor, expecting to stay three to four years, but I really enjoyed the work. In 1991, I founded the UIC artificial intelligence laboratory and served as chair of our department of computer science prior to becoming dean.

NP: How did North Park prepare you for your career?

Nelson: North Park professors’ care and concern for me as a student and person has served as a great model for me to see how professors should treat their students.

NP: What is your favorite North Park memory?

Nelson: Freshman year including living in Sohlberg Hall and taking freight train trips with my friends, including getting caught in Tennessee. My advice to current students, including my son Chad: Never ride a freight train!

NP: What are your hopes for North Park’s future?

Nelson: I would like to see North Park leverage its Chicago location even more by expanding internship opportunities so every student gets this experience before graduating. And, given today’s world, I hope every undergraduate takes at least one computer science or data science/ analytics course.

Photo courtesy of Crain’s Chicago Business and photographer Manuel Martinez

Alex Bolotin, a second-year North Park nursing major, stunned the cycling world when he took third place in both National Junior Track National Championships and the Collegiate Nationals. For more on his achievements, visit www.northpark.edu/cyclingchampion.

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ACROSS CAMPUS CAMPUS LIFE

CRUX: New Residential Discipleship Program Helps First-Year Students Strengthen Their Faith Launched this fall, CRUX is a residential discipleship program for first-year Christian students at North Park who desire to grow deeper and wider in their personal relationship with Christ. The program aims to foster the spiritual life of participating students who spend their first year on campus living, attending classes, and serving their community together.

The CRUX program affirms the biblical scriptures and works to advance the Kingdom of God through a commitment to shared practices that include: • Intentional personal and communal discipleship • Practical Bible teaching • Creative opportunity for worship and service • Creating authentic community

CRUX, which means “cross,” refers to the walk of discipleship students experience in their journey guided by faith.

In addition to their classes and other campus activities, CRUX students: • Connect with and attend a local Evangelical Covenant Church • Share Sunday night dinner • Attend weekly Bible study • Worship in Chapel and CollegeLife • Have daily devotions • Participate in service opportunities

Emily C’13 and Ben C’08 Wickstrom, interim co-directors of CRUX, note that the program builds off North Park’s mission to prepare students for lives of significance and service.

Living in the CRUX community, students are able to apply faith to all aspects of their lives, both during and after college.

“Christian faith is the foundation of their education,” says Emily, who, with husband Ben, is attending North Park Seminary.

“CRUX is a springboard for our students to become a Christian nurse, a Christian accountant, or wherever God leads them.”

CRUX coursework focuses on building a biblical foundation, acquiring the necessary skills for intercultural communication and community building, and providing an introduction to evangelism and mission. The CRUX curriculum is designed to work in

conjunction with meeting general education requirements, so students can remain on track for completing their degree.

In addition, CRUX students have the opportunity to interact with community leaders through teachings, and to attend retreats as well as local and international mission trips. In February, students will participate in Sankofa, a racial reconciliation trip that brings students to important locations related to the U.S. civil rights movement.

Each week, students meet one-on-one with their Seminary Ministry Coach (SMC) to connect and check-in. Once a month scheduled events are held outside campus and around the city in the spirit of less-work, more-play.

“It has been a joy to witness community develop among the students,” says Wickstrom, “and to see continued partnerships grow between the University and the denomination through this program.”

Learn more about CRUX at www.northpark.edu/crux.

H Students worship at New Community Covenant Church with Zachs Gaiya, community life pastor (at center).

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North Park Faculty Authors

Reflecting the breadth of expertise and areas of interests at North Park, the following University faculty authored books on a wide range of topics.

Boreal Rose: Contemporary Sami Poetry

by Charles Peterson Contemporary Mathematics: Knots, Links, Spatial Graphs, and Algebraic Invariants

by Aaron Kaestner, E. Kaplan, and S. Nelson Formal and Informal Education During the Rise of Greek Nationalism

by Theodore G. Zervas Hip Hop’s Hostile Gospel

by Daniel White Hodge Korean Art Songs: An Anthology and Guide for Performance and Study, Volumes One and Two

by You-Seong Kim and Moon Sook Park Making Sacrifices: Visions of Sacrifice in European and American Cultures

by Gregor Thuswaldner and Nicholas Brooks Reading Paul with the Reformers: Reconciling Old and New Perspectives

by Stephen Chester Restored to Freedom from Fear, Guilt and Shame: Lessons from the Buddhist World

by Paul H. de Neui Statistics Tools, Third Edition Pre-Calculus for College Students, First Edition

by Alice Gorguis

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ACROSS CAMPUS

BY THE NUMBERS Here’s a snapshot of North Park’s focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

41 years

Dr. Linda Vick’s career teaching biology at North Park

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85%

Medical school acceptance rate for NPU students vs 46% nationally

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101,000 sq. ft.

Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life

STEM-related academic programs

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2017

Pre-professional tracks from dentistry to veterinary medicine

6:30 a.m.

Opening time for Cadaver Lab tours in the Johnson Center

50 degrees

Water temperature in Haigh Quarry, where marine biology students practiced scuba diving before a research trip to the Bahamas

State-of-the-art science labs and classrooms in the Johnson Center

Launch of North Park’s B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

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Students paired with industry mentors by engineering professor Dr. Stephen Ray

New Faculty & Staff Join North Park North Park University welcomed new full-time faculty and staff as the 2017-2018 academic year began. They were introduced to the community on August 22 at the annual faculty and staff Gathering Day. New University and Seminary faculty members include Keith Bakken C’85 (1), associate professor of health sciences; Keith Boyd, professor of health sciences; Carolyn L. Poterek Dallas C’99 S’05 (2), assistant professor of education and coordinator of secondary and K-12 programs; Hauna Ondrey C’03 S’11,

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assistant professor of church history; Melissa A. Pavlik (3), director of the Writing Center and assistant professor of English; Elizabeth Pierre (4), assistant professor of pastoral care; Gwendolyn Y. Purifoye, assistant professor of sociology; Daniel Walsh, associate professor of education and coordinator of MAEL; Jessica Kuehnau Wardell (5), assistant professor of theatre, and director of design and production; and Charles F. Terry, associate professor of education.

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For a complete list of new staff members, please visit www.northpark.edu/stories/ gathering-day-fall-2017.

In addition, the University installed three new administrators at the annual Academic Convocation in September: Carl E. Balsam, interim president, Scott Stenmark C’91, CFO and vice president for finance and administration, and Dwight Perry (6), dean of Seminary faculty and professor of homiletics and leadership.

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Advancing STEM On October 8, North Park welcomed high school juniors and seniors to campus to learn more about opportunities as students and future professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Students toured the Johnson 2

Center for Science and Community Life and met with professors, including Alan Bjorkman, biology, and Isabel Larraza, chemistry, who demonstrated our nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) machine (1); Linda Vick, biology (2); and (far l.)

Timothy Lin, biology (3). Visiting students also talked with North Park students about the advantages of studying at a science-focused, city-centered Christian University.

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Instilling Values Advancing Care

As nursing at North Park marks its 50th anniversary, Dean Linda Duncan C’69 says the School of Nursing and Health Sciences remains committed to teaching clinical excellence with a strong Christian worldview to prepare competent and compassionate healthcare professionals.

Ahead of the September 15 events on campus to celebrate 50 years of nursing at North Park (see pages 18-19), Linda Duncan C’69, Dean and Gretchen Carlson Professor of Nursing, talked with the North Parker about the school’s valued legacy and its strategic focus on the future of nursing and the health sciences to ensure that students succeed in an ever-changing landscape.

North Parker: As nursing at North Park celebrates its 50-year legacy, what distinguishes today’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences?

Dean Linda Duncan: I think tenacious adherence to our value base is a critical factor. Swedish Covenant Hospital, where our nursing program began 50 years ago (see page 16), was certainly committed to its mission as a Christian institution to meet people’s needs, and we brought that foundation with us here.

Today, we are still very committed to teaching and training our students to develop excellent skill sets, but we also infuse a strong Christian value base into

our educational process, which informs how our students learn and practice. We maintain the Christian worldview of the dignity of mankind. This means all people have worth.

Often, what I hear from employers is that North Park students bring a different value base to the bedside. And that’s what we want our students to understand while they are here: To see every patient as a valuable individual and as part of God’s creation, regardless of race, background, and so on.

As nurses, our goal is to stand alongside you in challenging times to help you make good health choices.

Delores Johnson (first chair of North Park’s Department of Nursing) was very clear about all of this when the school was founded in 1967. It has not changed. And may it never change.

NP: How has nursing education at North Park evolved over 50 years?

Duncan: What has changed significantly is our physical space, the increase in the number of students we educate, and the availability of graduate nursing programs.

We are a very different school today, with much broader programs, reaching different populations. The first classes had 10-15 students. Today, we admit 100 undergraduate nursing majors a year, and we may see that increase to 112.

The school started with one lab on the fifth floor of Carlson Tower. Now, our labs fill the fifth floor and half of the second of Carlson, plus dedicated space for the simulation lab on Foster Avenue. Also, we look to the potential expansion of the health sciences and other major areas.

In Carlson, we have labs dedicated to skills development. In addition, the Kathy J. Holmgren Nursing Simulation Lab, (Continues on page 13)

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JOHNSON & JOHNSON & JOHNSON: Nursing Bonds Three Brothers Scott C’13, Neal C’11, and Bryan C’09 Johnson have gotten used to the raised eyebrows and curious looks they get when they tell people what profession they’re in.

All three are nurses.

“I sometimes get that look of sympathy,” says Neal, 28, a former ICU nurse who is now pursuing certification as a nurse anesthetist.

“There’s really no getting around the cliché.”

While the brothers are still among a handful of male nurses at their respective workplaces (90% of nurses are women), their ranks are growing: The percentage of male nurses in the workforce has tripled since 1970, from 2.7% to 9.6%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. And, says Dean Linda Duncan, men now account for 20% of every nursing class in North Park’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences.

The brothers, who were raised by missionary parents in the United States and Guatemala, became nurses because they wanted to help others. Their nursing degrees also have laid the groundwork for immediate and rewarding careers.

“With some majors, you’re not sure where you’re going to end up,” says Bryan, 31, a pediatric nurse at Lurie Children’s Hospital. “With nursing, there’s a direct path to get a job.”

Scott (L to R), Neal, and Bryan Johnson

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Men make up % of every North Park nursing class

The brothers saw North Park’s location in Chicago as another bonus. All three know nurses who trained at other schools, some in

rural locations, who didn’t graduate with the same broad-based perspective and deep experience that North Park offers.

“I have some friends who, in school, only did rotations at an adult hospital,” Bryan says. In contrast, North Park nursing students get a wide range of experience in everything from pediatrics to emergency care, and at a variety of world-class Chicagoarea hospitals that work closely with North Park.

In addition to putting their professional training to work, the brothers say they are called upon, from time to time, to use their size and strength on the job.

Scott, 39, an emergency room nurse at Evanston Hospital, says supervisors often seek his help to assist with distressed patients.

“Sometimes, a patient might need to be restrained for various reasons, and I’m the one they call on.”

In Lurie’s pediatrics department, Bryan says that many young patients are more comfortable relating to nurses in their gender.

“Teenage boys are glad when I walk in the room. It can be easier for them to ask me questions or tell me what’s wrong.”

Similarly, Neal says he’s the one to lean on for his frail, elderly patients who have trouble getting around.

They feel at ease relying on him for support.

“It’s nice to be able to help people feel safe,” Neal says.

opened in 2011, features four simulation rooms, two control rooms, and a conference room where students and faculty can debrief class experiences using video and audio tools. Students also have the opportunity to work with actors posing as patients and to practice skills with SimBaby and SimMan, which are realistic patient simulators.

There’s been significant advancement over the decades in our graduate programs; today, we offer five master’s degree programs, along with post-master’s certificates. We’re very excited about the fall 2018 launch of our first doctoral program, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). We have potential for continued growth in our graduate programs.

NP: What strengths and advantages does the School offer to prospective students in nursing and the health sciences?

Duncan: In addition to our commitment to values, we are located in Chicago. The city has everything. Draw a one-mile circle around North Park and just count how many languages you’ll hear, and the different cultures you’ll experience.

Chicago offers rich resources for training citywide, thanks to our strong relationships with many leading healthcare and community institutions: Northwestern, Advocate, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Lawndale Community Center, and so many more. All offer our students excellent opportunities to work with a wide variety of patients.

Great opportunities for jobs are available throughout Chicago. Undergraduates do very well in job placements here and around the country. For instance, one of our male nurse students did clinical work in

the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Northwestern. After graduation, he relocated to Florida, where he was immediately hired to work at a NICU there because of his North Park education and excellent experience here in Chicago.

This is just an exciting city. Students can get involved in so many different things around Chicago—theater, the arts, sports, and so much more.

NP: How have North Park nursing students changed over the years?

Duncan: Today’s students are very different from classes years ago that were filled with only 22-year-old female students.

Many nursing undergraduates are older when they start, and graduate nursing students are returning to school at younger ages. More people are coming back to nursing as a second career. Currently, we have 11 veterans (10 men and one woman) studying nursing. One of our veterans did two tours in Afghanistan. These individuals are different students than what we saw years ago. We also now see a lot more people come into nursing because they feel they can go in a variety of directions with their degree—administration, advanced practice, leadership, and so on.

Men make up 20% of every class (see page 12). Men certainly see nursing as a viable career option. I think we’re well aware of the stigma nursing had in the past as “the nurturing role” and “just a woman’s career.” The change in attitude is largely due to great efforts by companies like Johnson & Johnson to reframe nursing and positively portray male nurses. And salaries for all nurses have improved dramatically, so both men and women can support their families in these jobs.

School of Nursing pin, 1955 North Park University Archives

Commemorative demitasse cup and saucer, Norway, 1969 Gift of Kris Bruckner

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H Student nurse uniform, 1968 Department of Nursing, North Park College

Linen student nurse cap from Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing, 1911 Courtesy of Swedish Covenant Hospital Foundation

NP: How do you describe North Park’s nursing faculty: What sets them apart?

Duncan: All full-time faculty in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences are very committed to the success of their students.

Each one is dedicated to being mentor and teacher for their students, and they do a good job of blending both. Whether our faculty is teaching a fundamentals course to undergraduates or leading graduate degree programs, they are clearly seen as caring individuals who want to work with their students. Our students speak highly of the personal involvement of their professors and their strong commitment to helping them develop.

Our faculty members model the work our students can do in the community and in hospitals and other healthcare settings. For example, Associate Professor Christine Smith is committed to her work at Lawndale, where she brings her students to share in her work in the community.

Our students benefit from what is really an apprenticeship model, learning with many of our faculty and other experts in real settings throughout Chicago.

Our school is fortunate to work with a host of adjunct faculty who range from advance practice nurses at Lurie to chief nursing officers from our partner institutions. These adjuncts are all leaders in their profession. Bringing in such quality practitioners just enhances our work in educating the next generation of practice.

E Student nurse smock worn by women, 1980s

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Student nurse cap from North Park College

Owned by Melody Skalla McMillan C’72

Faith is important to our faculty, but it’s more than just being Christian. It’s also how we engage you as a person. How we recognize when students are struggling and say, let’s sit down and talk. Our faculty does this all the time—putting their faith into practice. I’m blessed to work with all of them.

NP: The health sciences major for undergraduates is relatively new. How is the school moving forward in this area?

Duncan: Health sciences provides new programs that bring together majors for athletic training, physical education and exercise science, pre-physical therapy, sports management, and athletic training.

Students can major in health sciences to prepare for a non-clinical career in the healthcare industry in such areas as health and wellness and healthcare management.

Our goal is to continue to expand in health sciences and develop a core curriculum to help students across different areas of interest. We want to focus on evidence-based practice research, as this is a model you’ll follow whether you are a nurse, an athletic trainer, or an occupational therapist.

To help us continue to develop our health sciences center, Dr. Keith Boyd has joined our school from Rush University Medical Center, where he served as senior associate dean and senior advisor.

Currently, Dr. Boyd is helping to coordinate interdepartmental work at North Park and advise students who are seeking the best tracks for future careers in medicine, dentistry, and so on.

Dr. Boyd also is working on several ideas for our collaboration with other academic institutions on future master’s degree programs in such areas as respiratory therapy. It’s these types of programs that will enable us to open up even more new opportunities for our students.

NP: What are you most proud of achieving during your time as dean, and what’s next on your agenda?

Duncan: I’ve been dean for six years and have served at North Park since 1973. The Simulation Lab was my special project, so I’m clearly thankful for it.

During my tenure, we’ve also had a successful reaccreditation—and with no recommendations for changes or improvements—which is noteworthy.

(Continues on page 17)

E Student nurse uniform, Swedish Covenant Hospital owned by Patricia Ann Anderson C’55 Gift of Beth Rankin

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2018 15

Right now, the launch of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree tops my list. It was talked about for a long time, and development started after we received reaccreditation in fall 2014. The Higher Learning Commission gave us final approval in September to launch the program.

The DNP is 100% online, though the cohort will come together on campus twice a year.

This is an opportunity for the student cohort to get to know one another and for the faculty to talk with students in person.

We will always offer face-to-face classes, as well as hybrid and online courses. But, more and more, our audiences want online courses for the convenience.

Currently, we offer RN-to-BSN degree completion programs in Arlington Heights and Lake Forest with hybrid courses—face to face and online. Adult learners who are not digital natives really want to have a teacher to relate to as a person, and they still want to study with real colleagues.

And they also like the flexibility of learning online. We’re filling a niche.

NP: What’s your vision for the future of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences?

Duncan: What excites is me is that we have room in Carlson to expand lab and clinical space. We have used our space prudently but we need to do more revamping. I also believe we’ll expand our programming to include an occupational therapy major.

Athletic training will become a graduate program by 2020.

I see broad opportunities for growth to bring in more students. We’re in a good position at North Park to attract nursing students who want a values-based, Christian worldview in a world-class city, and the chance to work with people from around the world.

All of this will continue to take work to move forward, but we’re up for it.

Doll in Swedish Covenant Hospital uniform, early 20th century Courtesy of Don and Kay Olson

LEARN MORE The School of Nursing and Health Sciences offers undergraduate majors in nursing and health sciences, and RN-to-BSN degree completion. Master of science in nursing (MSN) degree programs offer three specializations: leadership and management, family nurse practitioner (FNP), and adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP), plus two post-master’s certificate options for FNP and AGNP. The new Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program begins in 2018. For more information, visit www.northpark.edu/ school-of-nursing-and-health-sciences.

School of Nursing pin, 2005 Courtesy of Andrew and Su Chase-Ziolek

The historical artifacts throughout this article and the timeline (at l.) are drawn from a special exhibit, North Park Nursing at 50, created by Joanna Wilkinson C’08, head of circulation and communication, and Anna-Kajsa (Anderson) Echague C’05, former director, F. M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections. The exhibit, located on the mezzanine level of the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, is available for viewing until December 15, 2017. For more information, contact the Archives at 773.244.6224; email archives@northpark.edu; or visit http://library.northpark.edu/archives.

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2018 17

School of Nursing & Health Sciences

Celebrating 50 Years

A campus celebration on September 15 marked the 50th anniversary of the School of Nursing with lunch, a program of reflections, and a tour of the special 50th anniversary exhibit in the Johnson Center (2) and the Kathy J. Holmgren Nursing Simulation Lab. Alumni and former faculty, including (3) former Deans Dr. Joan Zetterlund C’55 (at l.) and Dr. Alma Labunski A’52, joined Dean Linda (Bengtson) Duncan C’69 (1, at r.).

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U.S. HEALTHCARE: A PREDICTION

By Dr. G. Timothy Johnson C’56 S’63

North Park welcomed Dr. G. Timothy Johnson C’56 S’63 back to campus on September 14 to discuss the future of American healthcare. The student-only event was held in the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, the building named to honor him and his wife Nancy. His talk also was livestreamed into three overflow classrooms and online.

Most experts today conclude that there are three major problems with healthcare in the United States, and we’ll look at each one:

The following is a brief summary of Dr. Johnson’s talk: See it in its entirety at vimeo.com/234510683

Spending twice as much is fine if we had longer life expectancies and better outcomes. But we don’t.

Dr. Johnson graduated from North Park Junior College in 1956 and earned a degree from North Park Theological Seminary in 1963. After completing his medical degree, he served as chief medical editor for ABC News from 1984 to 2010.

He became one of America’s best-known physicians, providing award-winning on-air medical analysis on Good Morning America, World News Tonight, Nightline, and 20/20.

So, why do we spend so much more on healthcare than all other developed countries?

• Cost control • Quality assurance • Affordable access Cost control. Annually, we spend $10,000 per person for healthcare in the United States. For all other developed countries in the world, if you take an average per-person cost for healthcare, it’s about $5,000 per year.

First, we, as consumers, typically think the newest treatment or drug is best for us; we believe in the power of scientific innovation.

Second, the healthcare industry keeps pouring out more drugs, devices, treatments, and tests that further feed our expectations about what we think we must have.

Together, industry and consumers create a powerful force that drives up healthcare costs. In fact, the inflation rate for healthcare is usually twice the rate of inflation for the general economy. And many economists are clear: If we don’t figure out how to handle healthcare costs, we’re headed for disaster.

Many healthcare economists also estimate that about one-third of what we spend on healthcare is spent unnecessarily on what is no better than what we already have. Since we will spend $3.2 trillion this year, one-third is over $1 trillion! Yet, we do this all the

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time: Rush out with new treatments without fully knowing the benefits, which drives up costs, consumer expectations, and potential risks for patients.

Second, good health insurance has to be consistently available, no matter where you live or move. Again, Medicare is the same everywhere.

Third, we must shift from feefor-service to an outcomes-based insurance model. Fee-for-service means the more you order, the more you make. Outcomes-based says we give you a set amount of money to take care of this person, and if you do a good job, you might make more money. I’m oversimplifying, but we are going to have to move in this direction.

Quality assurance. Here in the United States, we have many places with the best available healthcare in the world. Most places offer good care, but there are many places in this country that do not.

Why? Because we have no mechanism to ensure that quality care is provided uniformly throughout our country.

Compare this to the airline industry.

The federal government lays down the law as to when planes need to be inspected and pilots recertified.

Instead, how would you like to leave airline safety up to each state to decide? There’s a push to turn healthcare back to the states. Sounds great on paper, but I’d be very nervous about individual states, on their own, deciding about quality. I want real experts at the national level laying down uniform quality standards.

Affordable access. We are the only developed country in the world that has not yet figured out how to provide universal health insurance. All other developed countries have done so. The Obama plan helped about 20 million people get insurance, but another 30 million Americans still don’t have health insurance.

If we’re not going to let people die in the streets (and we won’t), we have to figure out the most cost-effective ways to get everyone treated, instead of having many rely on the ER as their plan.

Morally, we have to ask: Is healthcare a right or a privilege? It’s debated all the time.

When I think of a privilege, I think of a new house, a new car, a new refrigerator—none

We also need electronic medical records that can be easily transferred anywhere and move with you.

Some studies show that as many as one-third of tests are redone because records are lost.

of these is guaranteed. When I think of a right, I think of police and fire protection, and I like to think of healthcare as health protection. So, why not provide people with health protection?

My position is that, financially and morally, healthcare should be thought of as a basic right to provide to all of our citizens.

So, what do we do about healthcare in the United States?

This really is a problem for younger generations to figure out. But here are a few ideas on what to consider.

Ensure a sound political system by electing people who can deal with this issue in positive, financially sane, and humane ways.

Any good healthcare system also should have certain qualities. First, it should spread the risk as widely as possible.

Medicare does this by spreading the risk over all people over age 65.

Finally, we need ready access to good primary care. The catch phrase is “medical homes.” These are the places where you and your family can go, where they know you, treat you, and can work with you to make good decisions.

We have to develop a system like this.

Here’s my prediction about healthcare reform: I have no idea what will happen in the next five years. But I think I know what will happen in 10 years: Costs will be so high that the government will have emergency meetings in Washington like they did for the banking crisis several years ago. We will either go to Medicare for all to control spending and ensure quality. Or, a hybrid system will be developed to preserve the private insurance industry but under much tighter control by the government for cost, quality, and access. This is what many European countries do.

I can predict this will come about in your lifetime. So, my challenge to young students today is to be thinking—and praying—about these important issues.

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2018 21

THE PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH Search Committee leads the process and engages the North Park community

By Owen R. Youngman Chair, Presidential Search Committee Member, Board of Trustees

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The Presidential Search Committee, charged by the Board of Trustees to identify the best candidate to become North Park’s 10th president, has been meeting intensively throughout this past summer and fall. Our 15-person committee has been gathering data; listening to ideas from alumni, students, faculty, and staff; and praying together.

An important result has been a final position description that was released in October by the committee and our search partner, CarterBaldwin Executive Search. It has been shared with potential candidates and is available on our website at www.northpark.edu/presidentialsearch.

CarterBaldwin Executive Search, based in Atlanta, has been listed among the Top 40 search firms in the nation by Hunt Scanlon and in 2017 was named by Forbes as one of America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms. The firm has a particular expertise assisting Christian institutions like North Park, both inside and outside higher education. Over the past five years, the firm has completed more than 130 searches in its education and nonprofit practices, primarily for president and chief executive officer positions.

The committee’s work has also been informed by a comprehensive online survey of the North Park constituency conducted this past summer. We heard from 1,631 people, 65% of whom are alumni. We found that, by a meaningful margin, respondents said the three most important roles for the next president are to be:

The Presidential Search Committee Members from the Board of Trustees: Kristine Strand, chair of the North Park Board of Trustees (serving ex officio) Gary Walter, president of the Evangelical Covenant Church (serving ex officio) Peggy Bley, certified public accountant, San Francisco Rebekah Eklund, assistant professor of theology, Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore D. Darrell Griffin, pastor, Oakdale Covenant Church, Chicago David Helwig, president and West Region CEO (retired), WellPoint, Inc., Plymouth, Calif.

Karen Meyer, vice president, sales and partnerships, Welltok, Inc., Denver David Otfinoski, president, Catamount Medical Information, LLC, Chester, Conn.

• A visionary • A strong advocate for North Park • A strategic planner

Owen R. Youngman, professor, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.

When asked to choose the most important personal characteristics from a list of 10 possibilities, more than 70% said the next president must be:

Members from the North Park campus community:

• A deeply committed Christian • A skilled communicator • A collaborative team builder

Alyssa Anderson, assistant professor, athletic training, and clinical coordinator

The committee has found it very helpful to hear from many of you who have emailed us at PresidentialSearch@northpark.edu. You not only have suggested potential candidates, but also have shared your ideas about what would make North Park as strong and successful as possible in the years to come. This is a pivotal moment for the school, and your input has been very valuable in helping to shape our thinking.

Mackenzie Mahon, president, Seminary Student Association

Most important, the committee is greatly encouraged by the fact that hundreds of you said in your survey comments that you were praying—for us, for the process, and for North Park.

With our prayerful attention to God’s direction, we look forward to updating you about the results of this important search.

Learn more at www.northpark.edu/presidentialsearch.

Roby Geevarghese, major gift officer, office of advancement

Angela Nevoso, president, Student Government Association Jonathan Peterson, associate professor, politics and government, and chair, North Park Faculty Senate Elizabeth Pierre, assistant professor, pastoral care and counseling, and counseling psychology, NPTS and School of Professional Studies

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2018 23

HOMECOMING North Park alumni returned to campus September 15-16 for Homecoming 2017 events, which included Viking football (1), River Run 5K, Reunion & Awards Breakfast (2), Golden Circle Reception (3), GOLD reunion (4), Homecoming Fest (5), and an art exhibit (6) by Anders Johnson C’06. This

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year’s alumni honorees (see pages 28-29) included Art Nelson A’52 C’55 S’60 (7) with his wife Laurel C’54 and his sister Betty C’44 (seated).

To see more Homecoming photos, visit www.northpark.edu/homecoming.

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THE 2017 HONOR ROLL

OF DONORS AND ANNUAL REPORT: AVAILABLE ONLINE North Park University is grateful for the generous support received each year from many individuals, families, and organizations.

We are proud to recognize your gifts in the 2017 Honor Roll of Donors and Annual Report, published online.

Gifts from our donors support all of our student scholarships and campus activities and advance the vital mission of our University.

We offer our deepest gratitude for your generosity and faithfulness.

Please visit www.northpark. edu/honorroll.

We make every effort to accurately recognize your gifts. For questions, comments, or further information, please contact the Office for Advancement at (866) 366-8096 or email advancement@northpark.edu.

GIVING New Promise Scholarships Focus on Undergraduate Recruitment Priorities North Park University is expanding opportunities to continue to attract a wide range of students who can benefit from our outstanding education. In addition to the North Park Fund, our annual giving effort to support all students with demonstrated need, a new category of merit-based scholarships, called North Park Promise Scholarships, will provide financial support to top students representing: • The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) community • Future majors in nursing, health sciences, and other STEM-related fields • High academic achievement across the curriculum “We are proud to present North Park as an excellent choice for premier teaching and learning,” says Vice President for Advancement Mary K. Surridge.

“We operate in a very competitive student recruitment marketplace,” she says. “The new Promise Scholarships will better equip us to address additional areas of priority in undergraduate recruitment, enabling us to compete more effectively for the broad range of students we seek.”

This will enable us to better promote some of our signature programs and strongest outcomes. For example, for students who hope to pursue a medical degree, North Park students average an 85% acceptance rate to medical schools, substantially higher than the national average of 46%. “This kind of outcome, which is possible because of our outstanding faculty and top facilities in the Johnson Center, is exciting news for

prospective students and parents. And with the availability of the new Promise Scholarship, North Park can become their top-choice school,” she says.

North Park Promise Scholarships can be funded at these gift levels: • $2,500 per year for four years for a total $10,000 gift • $5,000 per year for four years for a total $20,000 gift • $10,000 a year for four years for a total $40,000 gift • $20,000 a year for four years for a total $80,000 gift

EQUIPPED FOR SCIENCE AND HEALTH

Vital support

The Promise Scholarships join other important ways for donors to provide muchneeded scholarship support: The North Park Fund provides scholarship support to University and Seminary students on an annual basis.

Named, endowed scholarships that distribute student aid annually are created with donor gifts at an initial threshold of $25,000. The principal of the fund remains intact. The principal is invested with the University’s endowment and a portion of the annual drawdown will be available for student scholarship support.

ROOTED IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

To make your gift, please visit: www.northpark.edu/give. For more information and assistance, please contact the Office of Advancement at advancement@northpark.edu or (773) 244-5790.

TOP PRODUCER OF FULBRIGHT STUDENTS

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2018 27

HONORS North Park Recognizes 2017 Alumni Honorees

“ The things I treasure most from North Park are the relationships I formed with people who influenced me in a significant way.”

—Paula Lewis Devitt C’77

Paula Lewis Devitt C’77 North Park University Distinguished Alumni Award As the daughter of devoted missionaries serving in Brazil, Paula Lewis Devitt was inspired to pursue a life of medical service to those in need. At age 16, Paula was guided by Sylvia Schmidt Larson, RN, a Swedish Covenant Hospital graduate also working in Brazil, who told her about North Park College, “the best nursing program in the United States.”

“God opened doors for me I could not have imagined. I only was able to attend through work study and the scholarships I received from generous alumni support,” says Paula. “That is what made it possible for me.”

Paula quickly bonded with her roommates Sharon Holmstead C’77, Julie Swanson C’77, and Robin Hart C’77, and nursing classmate Allison Phillips C’77: “I knew I had come to the right place,” she says. After graduation, at her first job, Paula cared for a patient just out of open heart surgery. Her prompt and accurate assessment of cardiac tamponade helped save the patient’s life. “I knew North Park had prepared me well for the real world.”

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Paula and her husband Dr. Neal Devitt moved their family to Santa Fe, N.M., where she joined St. Vincent Hospital as a critical nurse educator. Paula went on to co-develop the Heart Saver program, training hundreds in CPR and earning her recognition as one of “10 people who make a difference” in Santa Fe. She moved to La Familia Medical Center, where she developed a community health workers program. This innovative outreach and education program, which recruited patients to promote health in their own communities, also received numerous awards. Paula is nationally recognized for more than 20 years of work in diabetes education, earning New Mexico’s Women’s Health Services Award.

Paula reflects: “The things I treasure most from North Park are the relationships I formed with people who influenced me in a significant way.” Honored to be recognized, she says: “I hope sharing my story inspires others to invest in today’s students and ensure their success.”

Learn more about past honorees at www.northpark.edu/alumni/noteworthy-alumni

Johan Eldebo C’07 North Park University Distinguished Young Alumni Award Johan Eldebo’s work in humanitarian service began with “an empty fridge.”

During a class to help teach English to refugee families in Rogers Park, Johan recalls the father of one family gesturing toward an empty refrigerator to show they had no food. The message was jarring to an international student from Sweden, but it also was a turning point “when statistics became real people and helping those in need in the most difficult places in the world became a big part of my life.”

At North Park, Johan valued friends and classmates from different continents and cultures, and “professors who actually invested time in you and encouraged you to ask the right questions.” Faculty support enabled him to start a campus chapter of the United Nations Society and participate in Model UN conferences in New York, Chicago, and Armenia. He recalls: “Joining with thousands of students to debate current affairs and explore the inner-world

Arthur A.R. Nelson A’52 C’55 S’60 North Park Academy Distinguished Alumni Award North Park is embedded in the life of Art Nelson, a graduate of North Park Academy, North Park College, and North Park Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. His service in church ministry spans more than 50 years, from coast to coast, in Covenant churches. In Chicago, as the former senior pastor of LaSalle Street Church, he served the residents of Cabrini Green with legal aid, tutoring, senior housing, and help for the homeless.

Art continues to support Habitat for Humanity and other causes to promote justice and compassion.

of the United Nations helped shape and fuel my passion to see a better world created through international cooperation.”

After graduation Johan completed a United Nations internship in Brussels and earned his master’s degree at King’s College London. He joined World Vision, serving as part of the organization’s emergency response team as Senior Humanitarian Policy Adviser in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Burundi, and Afghanistan.

This May, Johan accepted a new position as Senior Coordinator of Humanitarian Learning for the International Rescue Committee, where he works to connect humanitarian experience with academic research for practical impact in difficult and dangerous contexts. He also is a visiting scholar at the NYU Center on International Cooperation, focusing on humanitarian decision-making.

“This honor,” says Johan, “makes me grateful for the inspiration and values from my North Park faculty and friends that guided my journey there and since.”

Devoted to higher education, Art twice served as chair of North Park’s Board of Trustees and as interim president (1979-1980), when he was instrumental in reconfirming North Park’s decision to stay in Chicago: “We are renewing our commitment to the city and to the spiritual values of our founders’ sense of mission and education. If the school left the city, it would lose its rich diversity of students.”

Art’s North Park Academy years were “crucial in shaping how I would engage, pursue, embrace, and discard options to become a more responsible and hopefully wiser person.” His advice to students today: “College helps you find not so much the answers as the questions. Learn to love all your neighbors as yourself, and embrace the city with all of its joy and pain, and wonderful diversity.”

A “much more life-changing experience” happened when he met Laurel Freedell during his first week of college in 1952.

This past September Art and Laurel C’54 celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Art and Laurel’s three children, their spouses, and five of their eight grandchildren all have graduated from North Park.

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ALUMNI NOTES

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More than 30 North Park alumni and staff participated in Covenant Harbor’s 2017 Antwan Williams Memorial GOLF for kids event in Lake Geneva, Wis., on September 11, 2017. (1)

1950s

Paul Nilsen A’51 C’56 S’56, former principal of Center School in Wilmette, Ill., was interviewed about his compassion toward John Graziano, a second grader who was one of the first children in Illinois to be diagnosed HIV-positive. The interview was conducted

by John’s father Tom Graziano and originally published by StoryCorps on December 4, 2015. Paul reports the interview is now archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

1960s

George Esplin C’69 was present to cheer on his grandson, Tyler Esplin, on the day Tyler was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the seventh round of the MLB draft. Tyler, who graduated from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., signed professionally with the Red Sox and played in the Gulf Coast League this past summer. He is being assigned to Rookie Ball in Ft. Myers, Fla. (2)

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Michael Kazanjian C’66, professor at Triton College, has written his third book, Metaphysical Options: Interdisciplinary Introduction to Philosophy, which integrates metaphysics, ethics, philosophy, and engineering. The first edition will be published in January 2018. (3)

1980s

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North Park College grads Connie (King) Volling C’75, Beth (Staberg) Dahl C’75, Elsa (Carlson) Cisar C’75, Sue (Black) Swanson C’75, Ann (Westberg) Nacey C’75, Joyce (Pratt) Carlson C’75, and Nancy (Olson) Hjelm C’75 traveled from Alaska, California, Ohio, and different parts of Minnesota for a reunion at Volling’s cabin in Biwabik, Minn. (4) Elizabeth (Moczisko) Ritt C’78 EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, professor, nursing and health, Benedictine University, was elected to the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Board of Commissioners, as a representative of the faculty. Her term of service will begin on January 1, 2018, and conclude December 31, 2020. (5)

Vicki (Porter) Fitzgerald C’83 recently published a short book called Simple Guide to Saving: For the Young and Broke. The book, which is available on Amazon, provides a plan for those starting out in their 20s to get on the road to a healthy financial future. (6) Kevin L. Lockett S’90 was promoted to Chaplain, Colonel in the U.S. Air Force on September 29, 2017. He is currently assigned to Headquarters, USAF Chaplain Corps, at the Pentagon, where he serves as chief, plans and programs. Kevin and Peggy (Ohrn) Lockett C’88 reside in Virginia and have four adult children. (7) Eric Palmquist C’91 G’94 S’04 and Krista (Tournell) Palmquist C’99, along with big sister Anna, joyfully announce the birth of Elsa Marie Palmquist on April 7, 2017. (8)

2000s

Dr. Drew Rholl C’04 and Nick Collar C’17 partnered with Susan Dawson, MBA, MT (ASCP), on research at Swedish Covenant Hospital. The project’s results were submitted

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to the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) as an abstract entitled “Impact of Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/ Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) for Rapid Microbial Identification in a Community Hospital.” The abstract was accepted for poster presentation at the 2017 AACC annual meeting. (9) Covenant Point Bible Camp celebrated its 90th anniversary with the publication of a history book written by former staff member Mark Safstrom C’02. Silliness and Stillness: A History of Covenant Point Bible Camp in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was unveiled at the ECC Central Conference annual meeting in April 2017. It tells the story of the camp’s origins and growth, featuring historic photographs and design by Sandy Nelson C’85. Learn more at cpbc.com.

Ryan Johnson C’05 and Kristin (Brorson) Johnson C’05 welcomed Henrik Bror Paul Johnson on September 21, 2017. Henrik joined three big sisters—Elsa, Solveig, and Britta—who were all very excited to have a brother. (10)

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Britta (Heintzelman) Johnson C’05 and Dane Johnson C’06 welcomed their second child, Olof George Johnson, on July 12, 2016. Olof joins his big sister, Elin. The Johnson family lives in Lake Bluff, Ill. (11) Poppy Marie Ondrey was welcomed by her parents, Jessica (Ruhl) Ondrey C’06 and Jakob Ondrey C’10, as well as big brothers Calvin (age 5) and Rhys (age 3) on July 6, 2017. She weighed 6 lb. 14 oz. and was 19.25 inches long. (12) On May 1, 2017, Kersta Kay Edgren was joyfully welcomed by Hannah Kay (Anderson) Edgren C’07 G’16 and Mark Edgren C’07.

Kersta comes from a long line of North Parkers: her grandparents include Kevin Anderson C’84, Britta (Lundberg) Anderson C’86, Roger Edgren C’76, and Cherie Edgren C’77. Kersta’s great-grandfather Carl Hobart Edgren A’37 C’39 was a former professor and vice president for academic affairs at North Park University. Hannah, Mark, and Kersta live in Chicago and attend Ravenswood Covenant Church. (13)

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Benjamin van Loon C’09 recently accepted a new position as communications manager for World Business Chicago.

Rachel (Madvig) Zimmerly C’09 and Stephen Zimmerly welcomed August Daniel Zimmerly on January 6, 2017. He weighed 8lb. 6 oz. and was 21 inches long. He joins older brothers Nolan (age 6) and Ephraim (age 3). The family of five recently moved from Pennsylvania to Indiana, where Stephen teaches at the University of Indianapolis. (14) Stephanie Sepiol G’16 recently joined her undergraduate alma mater Valparaiso University as an alumni engagement officer.

Her responsibilities are focused on connecting young alumni with university resources as well as providing opportunities for meaningful social interaction. (15) Linnea (Johnson) Bergstrom C’03 and Sam Bergstrom live in Gig Harbor, Wash., with their children, Soren and Evalyn. Linnea is a co-founder and owner of The Nook boutique.

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North Parkers Honored (Again) for World War II Service Seventy years ago, a bronze plaque was installed on campus to honor the memory of 45 students and alumni who died serving our country during World War II. The plaque was later removed and placed into storage.

Recently, while doing research on North Park during WW II, Professor John Laukaitis rediscovered the plaque in our F.M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections. Laukaitis wrote about the plaque in his new book, which inspired student Nicholas Canete C’18, a Navy veteran who started at North Park in 2015 after his service in the Persian Gulf.

Canete made it his mission to have the plaque restored. A rededication was held September 15, the 70th anniversary of the plaque’s initial instillation, and each of the 45 fallen was honored by name. Read more at www.northpark.edu/stories/honoringservice-wwii-north-parkers/.

Dr. John Laukaitis (at l.) and Nicholas Canete C’18

Laukaitis (at far r.) with Bud Hodgkinson C’49

NORTH PARK ALUMNI GRANT Alumni who earned an undergraduate degree at North Park University can return for continued coursework with a 20 percent tuition reduction.

Choose a graduate degree program or graduate-level certificate offered by: F School of Business and Nonprofit Administration F School of Education F School of Music, Art, and Theatre F School of Nursing and Health Sciences F School of Professional Studies F North Park Theological Seminary Online, on-campus, or hybrid options available.

For more information, visit www.northpark.edu/gradadmissions or call 773-244-5500 to schedule a personal appointment.

ALUMNI NOTES

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While accompanying a group of students to Ghana in January 2017, Stina (Peterson) Dufour C’08, associate director at NYU Steinhardt Office of Global Affairs, noticed a North Park T-shirt. The man wearing the shirt was a vendor selling his crafts on the coast near Elmina, a site visited by a North Park University Ministries group several months before. Stina quotes the old adage, “Let North Park surprise you!” (17) Sharon Irving C’08 has released a selfproduced debut album, Bennett Ave. It is an eclectic mix of her original songs about life, relationships, humanity, and the soulsearching that comes when we think beyond ourselves. After her parents divorced, Sharon found herself with her mom, brother, and grandmother in their South Side family home on Bennett Avenue. Her experiences there shaped her desire to use her creative voice for the “least of these” and as a form of resistance against injustice. (18) Jack Vincent Arnold Larson-Strobel was welcomed by Eva Larson C’12 and Brent Strobel C’09S’14 on June 5, 2017. He weighed in at 8 lb. 1.9 oz. and was 19 inches

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long. Brent, Eva, and Jack live in Seattle, Wash., where Brent teaches 7th and 8th grade history at The Bear Creek School and Eva is an event manager at the Swedish Club. Brent was ordained at the 2017 annual meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church. (19) Maria (Cathcart) Dahlstrom C’09 and Lukas Dahlstrom C’10 welcomed their daughter, Klara Pearl Dahlstrom, on May 20, 2017. The Dahlstroms live in Chicago where Lukas is a high school teacher at The Lycee Francais and Maria is a social worker at Swedish Covenant Hospital. (20)

2010s

Alissa Czasonis C’10, Kristen Van Putten C’10, Emily (Persson) Wallace C’10, Kristin Englund C’10, Britta Peterson-McCutchen C’10, Lindsey Smit C’10, Mary (Hakanson) Wells C’09, Christine (Wahlskog) Wallace C’10, and Kari Sager C’10 gathered for a reunion in Sonoma, Calif., in June 2017. (21) This past August, seven former North Park roommates and their families came from Alaska, Washington, Wisconsin, and Chicago for a weeklong vacation in Gig Harbor, Wash.

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Third row, L-R: Justin Prevost-Schultz C’11, Hannah Prevost-Schultz C’09, Maria (Cathcart) Dahlstrom C’09, Lukas Dahlstrom C’10, Megan Dotson, Shawn Dotson C’10.

Second row, L-R: Heather Burke, Sean Burke C’09 G’14, Eric Gustafson C’10, Kara (Bladel) Gustafson C’10. First row, L-R: Michael Mirza C’10, Anne Mirza, Thomas Rorem C’10, and Kelsey Rorem S’10. (22) Soren Karleen Spaulding was born to Maren (Tournell) Spaulding C’10 and Ryan Spaulding on May 25, 2017. Soren weighed 8 lb. and measured 21 inches. (23) Malinda (O’Hagan) Sawyer C’10 and her husband Joseph Sawyer are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Landon Joseph Sawyer. He was born on April 12, 2017. (24) Kari (Nelson) Johnson C’10 and Neal Johnson C’11 welcomed their first child, Isaac Allen Johnson, on September 27, 2017. Neal and Kari live in Chicago where they both work as nurses. (25)

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2018 33

CONNECT WITH NORTH PARK We’re eager to keep all alumni informed and involved in the University and the Seminary.

Here are all the ways you can stay in touch with us—and with your classmates and other alumni.

North Park Connect is your online alumni community: F Update your contact information when you move,

earn a graduate degree, or accept a new job.

FV iew and register for alumni events.

F J oin the online alumni directory to reconnect with classmates or build your network with other alumni professionals.

Go to https://connect.northpark.edu

Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) program enables our young alumni to: F Stay connected with classmates.

F Access services for professional advancement.

F Participate in social and networking events year-round.

Go to www.northpark.edu/Alumni/GOLD

Visit www.northpark.edu/alumni to: F See upcoming alumni events and reunions.

F Review alumni benefits and resources.

F Read the North Parker magazine.

F Learn about ways to give to North Park.

For more information, alumni can contact: Melissa Vélez-Luce C’04 G’12 Director of Alumni Relations Visit www.northpark.edu/alumni/contact

ALUMNI NOTES

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Jamie Bacon C’11 and Jonathan Kratowicz C’11 were married on March 25, 2017, at Lacuna Lofts in Chicago. North Parkers in the wedding included Erik Gustafson C’11, Rob Hirsch C’09, Cameron Hodgkinson C’11, Neal Johnson C’11, Kelly (Sladkey) Vetter C’11, Sam Vetter C’11, Caroline (Curley) Wiersma C’12, and officiant Erik Strom C’97 S’01.

The Kratowiczs live in Chicago, where Jamie works as a catering and sales manager for LM Catering, and Jon works as a senior financial analyst at the American College of Surgeons.

(26) Kelly (Sladkey) Vetter C’11 and Sam Vetter C’11 announce the birth of their son Jack Anders Vetter on April 29, 2017. The Vetters live in Chicago, where Kelly is a teacher for Chicago Public Schools and Sam works at Covenant Trust Company. (27) Becca (Niznik) Hornik C’13 married Travis Hornick on August 12, 2017. North Parkers in attendance included Kim (Reed) Niznik C’84, Doug Niznik C’85, Kelli Swanson C’14, Jackie (Sandberg) Awes C’84, and Erin Awes. (28)

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Katelyn Anderson C’13 married Nickolas Beyer on January 14, 2017, at the Starline Factory in Harvard, Ill. The two first met at the Starline Factory as members of another wedding party. Nick works as a youth director at South Park Church in Park Ridge, Ill. Katelyn is a certified child life specialist and works as a family child advocate at North Shore Pediatric Therapy. They live in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago. (29) “Every good and perfect gift is from above...”

James 1:17. Charlie Fuentes C’13 and Julia Bakken C’14 became proud parents to Luke Gerald Fuentes on November 15, 2016. (30) Patrick Dawley C’15 has started a dog walking business, Lucky Leash, on Chicago’s North Side. Patrick is currently pursuing a master’s degree in clinical social work at Loyola University Chicago. (31)

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Stephen Kelly, Thomas started the Turlock Community Gospel Choir. The ever-growing choir brings together members of the community for worship through song. Learn more at www.turlockcommunitygospelchoir. com. (32) Kitchie Ranillo C’15 and Tommy Bakken C’17 were married at Edgebrook Covenant Church on June 17, 2017. North Parkers in the wedding party included Cameron Hewett C’17, Matthew Englund, and Julia Bakken C’14.

The Bakkens live in Chicago, where Tommy works as a server at Lou Malnati’s and Kitchie is the administrative coordinator for The Global Immersion Project. (33) Kalie Jenkins C’17 accepted a position as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Ball State University.

Thomas Simonsson C’15 and his wife Katiya (Erickson) Simonsson C’15 moved from Unalakleet, Ala., to Turlock, Calif., in August 2016. Thomas serves as director of worship and youth at Turlock Covenant Church. Inspired

by North Park faculty Dr. Helen Hudgens and

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2018 35

IN MEMORIAM

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Karl Wesley Olson C’49 S’54, age 87, died August 28, 2017, at home in Grand Rapids, Minn. He was the youngest child of Art and Mabel Olson, born on February 10, 1930, on the Olson family farm in Bird Island, Minn. K. Wesley was ordained by the Evangelical Covenant Church in 1956 and served as pastor at Covenant churches in Minnesota (Barrett, St. Paul, New Brighton, and Mankato) and in Elgin, Ill., from 1952 to 1986. He served as Midwest Conference superintendent in Omaha, Neb., from 1986 to 1995. Following his retirement in 1995, he served as interim pastor at several congregations in Minnesota and Colorado.

K. Wesley was an avid reader and loved history and travel. He enjoyed the outdoors, especially fishing, and was a meticulous gardener. K. Wesley loved Jesus, which was revealed in his love of people. His favorite Bible verse was Hebrews 12:1–2. (34)

from the University of Minnesota. She went on to teach psychology at North Park; she also opened a family practice, served as dean of the University of California Irvine Medical School, taught at a medical school in Oklahoma, and worked as a forensic psychiatrist for Los Angeles County. Dr. Jean went on many medical missions to Vietnam and served in the National Guard as a doctor.

He met his wife, Harriet Louise (Settergren) Olson C’49 in 1947 while attending North Park Junior College. They were married in June 1951 and had four children: Lynda Olson-Lee (Jason), DiAnn Bloomquist (Thomas), Kent Olson (Debra), and Brenda (Olson) Redding C’85 (Gary Redding C’85).

Their family grew with nine grandchildren, including Chelsea (Redding) McDowell C’10 (Aaron McDowell C’11), Samuel Redding C’17, and Grace Redding C’20; and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, and son Kent Wesley Olson.

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Rev. Robert Bradbury C’52 S’57 passed away on December 16, 2016, at Seattle’s Swedish Hospital. Bob married his wife, Jane Ann, in 1960 and they had two children, Todd and Lynann. He served as a United Church of Christ minister for more than 40 years in Illinois and Seattle. Bob was also a U.S. Army veteran. He combined his love of children, education, and ministry to facilitate courses in the Seattle Public School District and participate in Seattle’s Operation Nightwatch.

Throughout his life, Bob loved music, travel, and model trains, and he enjoyed each of those interests after retirement. Born in Danville, Ill., to Ralph and Katherine Bradbury, Bob was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, brother, and their families. (35) Dr. Jean Effel Carlin S’57 passed away peacefully at her home in Seal Beach, Calif., on June 6, 2017, at the age of 86. Dr. Jean was born in Hibbing, Minn., on July 24, 1930.

Dr. Jean earned her MD and PhD degrees

Evelyn (Ramgren) Swanson of Minneapolis, Minn., passed away on July 31, 2017, at the age of 89. Evelyn taught history, typing, and keyboarding at North Park and at Minnehaha Academy for more than 50 years. She also taught the love of Christ, kindness, patience, and the joy to be found in caring for others.

Evelyn was a longtime member of Bethlehem Covenant Church in Minneapolis, Minn. She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister. She is survived by her son Ron Swanson C’86, daughter Susan Swanson C’88, sister Marjorie Ramgren C’53, two brothers, many nieces and nephews, and countless friends. (36)

NORTH PARK FUND Annual Giving for Student Success

YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE. FOR EVERY STUDENT. Every year, students come to North Park from around the globe, from coast to coast, and from across our city. Students come to North Park excited and eager to discover their calling and fulfill their dreams. And they can do this because of you.

Your gift to the North Park Fund means that we can: F Meet students’ highest need for financial assistance to make an excellent education affordable.

F Award more than $13 million annually in scholarships to our students.

F Provide financial aid to 95% of undergraduates and 78% of Seminary students.

Your gift matters. Give today. www.northpark.edu/give Here, my faith in God has strengthened tenfold, and I’ve realized my passion for helping others is to become a health professional. I thank you for making North Park my new home, where I can become the best I can be.

LISA DANIELS C’18

Bachelor of Science in Biology (Pre-Med) Hometown: Cape Town, South Africa

North Park Fund: Your Support Counts! #blueandgoldday | May 2, 2018 Third Annual Day of Giving

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

PAID

NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY

Worship Christ the Newborn King!

A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS ADVENT 2017

Sunday, December 3, 2017, at 3:30 pm St. Hilary Catholic Church 5601 North California Avenue, Chicago Free and open to the public Please reserve tickets at www.northpark.edu/FOLC or call (773) 244-5625