North Parker Winter 2016

WINTER 2016 VOLUME 76/NUMBER 1

North Park at 125 Page 10

FIRST WORD

Our Quasquicentennial We recognize the second half of this word, but the first part is quite unfamiliar. Here’s how to read this strange word: put together a “quarter” and a “hundred” to achieve 125. This is an important word for us at North Park because we are fast approaching our 125th anniversary, and we’re planning to celebrate. Of course, we hope you will join us in the celebration.

We cannot know what that small band of immigrants from Sweden envisioned in 1891 when they gathered for an annual church meeting in Moses Hill, Neb., and decided to start a school.

We do know that now, almost 125 years later, the school enrolls 3,200 students each year, with nearly 30,000 alumni. Each of the days, months, and semesters spanning this century and a quarter comes together to form a deep and enduring story of what is now a University at the corner of Foster and Kedzie Avenues in Chicago.

And this is a story well-worth celebrating!

Our celebration begins with this issue of the North Parker. The cover story, “North Park at 125,” (see page 10) reveals the dynamic interaction between institutional mission and identity—as first defined in Moses Hill in the summer of 1891—and the events of local, national, and global history over the course of the ensuing century and a quarter which framed, shaped, and gave life to our University.

I found this to be a very engaging story to write, and I imagine you’ll find it an equally absorbing story to read.

Our celebration, of course, will extend far beyond this one issue of the magazine. In two future issues of the North Parker we’ll continue to tell the story of the past 125 years, as well as the years to come. And on campus throughout 2016 we’ll feature activities specially designed to draw our attention to this important moment in our school’s history.

Most significantly, we invite you to join us on September 23, 2016, for a full day of celebration here on the campus. You’ll hear more about this over the months ahead. But please mark this day on your calendar and make your plans now to be with us then.

Together we’ll celebrate God’s blessing on North Park, and we’ll recommit to framing our beloved University for God’s glory and neighbor’s good.

David L. Parkyn President, North Park University

On the cover: The graduating class of North Park Academy 1909 (at top) with recent North Park University graduates: See the cover story on page 10 for more about North Park’s rich history and faithful mission to serve our students since 1891.

NORTH PARKER Editorial Board David L. Parkyn President Mary K. Surridge Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Genaro A. Balcazar Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing Melissa Vélez-Luce C’04 G’12 Director of Alumni Relations Tyler Paul Day Media Relations and Graduate/Adult Marketing Manager

Editorial Staff Mary Nowesnick Editor John Potter C’05 News and Copy Editor Megan Gilmore C’05 G’13 S’13 Web Editor EW Scot McIntosh Lead Designer Patty O’Friel Martha Pfister Designers Chris Padgett Tricia Koning Anthony Barlich Photographers

2 Across Campus

Programs for tomorrow’s careers Alum on America’s Got Talent More Fulbright winners Campus Theme: What Is Truth?

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North Park at 125

26

Honor Roll

We recognize your gifts online through the 2015 Honor Roll of Donors and Annual Report.

27 Alumni Events

Since the founding of North Park

in 1891, the interplay between the

campus and classroom with the

influence of American and global

events together has framed the

University we know and love today.

12 Migrating to America

14 Cornerstone of a New College

16 A More Cosmopolitan Campus

18 GIs in the Classroom

20 Unrest, Dissent, and Change

22 A University for an

Urban Millennium

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30 Alumni Notes

Homecoming 2015

See how North Park alumni returned to campus to celebrate, October 16-18.

From Michigan to Chicago, alumni come together for fun and friendship.

28 2015 Alumni Award Honorees

Peter Tufo A’55

Megan (Streedain) Tamte C’95 Déborah Wanderley dos Santos C’10

Check out what’s happening with your classmates and other North Parkers nationwide.

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

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

New Academic Programs Prepare Students for Tomorrow’s Careers As North Park began its 124th academic year, the University launched several programs that uniquely prepare students for careers in some of the fastest-growing and most soughtafter fields in the job market. By equipping students to succeed in the careers of the future, North Park University strengthens its mission to prepare them for lives of significance and service.

While North Park’s biology program has a long history of guiding students toward careers in medicine and health professions, a new major, molecular biology and biotechnology (MBBT), trains students who are interested in biotechnology and other specialized biology research.

Biotechnologists use modern techniques and knowledge of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and mathematics to find solutions to problems and develop new products with living systems and organisms.

The MBBT program focuses on molecular biology in order to enhance the theoretical foundation and applications of the fastestdeveloping field of modern biology.

Besides preparation for graduate school, students will begin a path that will allow them to contribute to the improvement of drugs, therapies, vaccines, and diagnostic tests that can improve human and animal health. Some estimates say the biotechnology sector could add over 100,000 new jobs in the coming years.

“The training includes building research and experiment skills as well as critical thinking abilities, which are required for the future biotechnology and bio-research fields,” said Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Timothy Lin. “By developing essential skills in these areas, students can be successful in both research and industrial careers.”

Another rapidly expanding discipline, biochemistry, focuses on the study of chemical processes and transformations associated with living organisms. For

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Biology Professor Dr. Isabel Larraza and students

students who enjoy working at the crossroads of biology and chemistry, the new biochemistry major will be a fitting option as they prepare to pursue medical school, pharmacy, dentistry, or veterinary science.

With the first-class facilities in the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, we have the space and technology support needed to engage more than ever in highquality teaching and innovative research.”

“We have the space and technology needed to engage more than ever in high-quality teaching and innovative research.”

In addition to the new science programs, North Park is offering undergraduate students a certificate in actuarial science to complete alongside their major, equipping them for careers in statistics, business, or economics. Actuarial science is a branch of mathematics and statistics that focuses on risk and managing risk. Consistently ranked among the top jobs in the Jobs Rated Almanac, actuarial careers are some of the most soughtafter and high-paying positions in the market today.

The biochemistry program will provide a foundation for careers in a diverse range of fields, such as pharmacology, agriculture, environmental studies, forensic chemistry, food science and nutrition, and genetic engineering. Biochemistry majors will also be equipped for graduate school programs in many areas of cutting-edge research.

“Biochemistry echoes the type of learning required for students in the 21st century,” said Professor of Chemistry Dr. Isabel Larraza. “Because of its relevance to modern medicine, the major resonates with North Park’s desire to prepare healthcare practitioners in an era of high demand.

The School of Business and Nonprofit Management also launched a new graduate degree, the master of organizational leadership. Designed for senior executives and entry-level employees alike, the program combines leadership theory, ethics, and the advanced skills necessary to prepare students to become effective leaders in business and nonprofit sectors.

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

ACCOLADES

DIALOGUE

Golden Apple Scholarship a Springboard for Student

Alum a Semi-finalist on America’s Got Talent

Smrt, with his parents, receives the award

Steve Smrt C’17, a Rockford native, had intentions in high school of becoming a youth minister. But by the time he got to campus his freshman year, he began to “feel a tug in a different direction,” as he describes it. “I felt a calling towards “I FELT A CALLING teaching, but I would TOWARDS TEACHING . . . say that teaching is still TEACHING IS A KIND a kind of ministry,” says OF MINISTRY” Smrt, a double major in secondary education and history. It’s a calling to serve and invest in young people, though the environment may be different, he says.

This calling was affirmed when Smrt received the Golden Apple Pathway Scholarship last spring, the second year in a row that a North Park student received the award.

Sharon Irving C’08 says that when she came to North Park, she found her identity and calling in music. As a communication arts major, sociology minor, and Collegelife worship leader, Irving began to think about the ways in which she could use her gifts to speak as a prophetic voice. She worked as a vocalist at Willow Creek Community Church for several years before leaving to focus on music full-time. This fall, she was a semi-finalist on the NBC series America’s Got Talent.

North Parker: How did North Park help shape your career and path?

Sharon Irving: Dr. Rupe Simms was one of the first professors who taught me what it meant to live in this world as an agent of change. During my sophomore year, I started saying that I want to be a voice for the voiceless. It kind of evolved to “I want to be a voice with the voiceless,” because I’m all about empowering people. That’s what I wanted my music to be about. I feel a responsibility to be a mouthpiece and to create an atmosphere where people would feel reconciled to God and to each other.

NP: How did your performances on the show tie to your mission as an artist?

SI: I was really encouraged by the process. Television is a whole different world for me. I thought they would try to make me more commercial or do things that I didn’t want to do. Instead, they encouraged me to share my message. It is not just about entertaining people. It’s easy to focus on the wrong things because it’s a competition—you get nervous and you start to compare yourself with other contestants. I’ve been reminded constantly that this is bigger than me. I hope that the music I sing can break down those barriers that divide us as humans.

Beyond financial assistance to complete Smrt’s teaching degree at North Park, the Golden Apple award also provides career development and mentoring opportunities throughout his undergraduate program and into his teaching career. The program is designed to prepare future teachers to thrive in the most challenging high-needs school environments where resilient teachers are needed.

Tell Us More https://connect.northpark.edu facebook.com/NorthParkAlumni twitter.com/npualumni instagram.com/npuchicago

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 3

ACROSS CAMPUS

ACADEMICS New Faculty and Staff Welcomed North Park welcomed new full-time faculty and staff to the University as the 2015–2016 academic year began. They were introduced to the University community August 25 at the annual faculty and staff Gathering Day. New faculty members include Alyssa Anderson, assistant professor of athletic training and clinical education coordinator; Dr. Eric Brown, associate professor of biology; Mary Cleary, visiting assistant professor of education; Bryan Cobb, assistant professor of exercise and sport; Dr. Spring Cooke, associate professor of education; Dr. Sarah Doherty, assistant professor of U.S. and public history; Patty Hurley, assistant professor of bibliography and head of reference and research services; Dr. You-Seong Kim, associate professor of music; Dr. Kathryn O’Toole, visiting assistant professor of psychology; Dr. Sunshine Silver, assistant professor of chemistry; Dr. Peter St. Jean, associate professor of sociology; and Dr. Brian Vollmert, assistant professor of marketing.

New staff members were added in the offices of Athletics, Development and Alumni Relations, Enrollment, Information Technology, Distributed Learning, Physical Plant, Provost, School of Adult Learning, School of Business and Nonprofit Management, Student Administrative Services, and Student Engagement.

Campus Hosts Conferences on Race, Biblical Studies and Preaching, and Diversity

Dr. Parkyn addresses the CCCU conference

The Gospel Choir performs at the CCCU conference

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The University hosted several conferences this September, including the Seminary’s annual Symposium on the Theological Interpretation of Scripture. The multi-day forum, held at North Park for more than 25 years, includes a series of discussions led by notable experts from around the world. The Symposium’s 2015 topic, Race and Racism, sought to engage an issue at the forefront of many people’s minds, fostering conversations directed at creating meaningful change in the church today.

The Symposium followed another annual Seminary event, the Nils W. Lund Lectures, in which two scholars led discussions

on current developments in biblical studies and the task of preaching.

This year, Seattle Pacific University’s Dr. Bo Lim and Messiah College’s Dr. Emerson Powery presented two-part lectures.

The University also welcomed to campus Christian higher education leaders from around the country for the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) 2015 Conference on Diversity, Inclusion, and the Christian Academy. Hundreds of faculty and staff from CCCU member institutions gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities that arise in creating a diverse, inclusive community.

Faculty Authors Explore a Range of Topics Reflecting the breadth of expertise and interests at North Park, several University faculty recently authored books on a wide range of topics, including:

Vector Calculus for College students, 3rd Edition, Statistics Tools, and Real Analysis, 3rd Edition by Dr. Alice Gorguis

Christ-Shaped Character: Choosing Love, Faith and Hope by Helen Cepero

Community Self-Determination: A History of American Indian Education in Chicago, 1952–2006 by Dr. John J. Laukaitis

The Cardinal and the Deadly: Reimagining the Seven Virtues and Seven Vices

by Dr. Karl Clifton-Soderstrom

Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi, Volume 2: Studies in the New Testament, edited by Bradley Nassif

Becoming the People of God: Creating Christ-Centered Communities in Buddhist Asia by Dr. Paul de Neui

The Making of a Modern Greek Identity: Education, Nationalism and the Teaching of a Greek Historical Past (Greek Edition)

by Dr. Theodore Zervas

Doing Theology for the Church: Essays in Honor of Klyne Snodgrass by Dr. John E. Phelan Jr. and Dr. Rebekah Eklund

For a complete list of faculty and staff publications, see www.northpark.edu/faculty-books.

NPRESS Seeks to ‘Change the Game’ On July 24, North Park Research Experience for Summer Students (NPRESS) students and professors gathered to present findings from eight-week research projects.

The NPRESS program provides opportunities for students to conduct research in their chosen areas with faculty mentors over the STUDENTS CONDUCTED summer. The brainchild of RESEARCH IN SCIENCE, a core group of faculty, this THEOLOGY, ENGLISH, pilot program was funded by a AND ACCOUNTING small group of donors, allowing students to dive into a topic in a way that the constraints of an academic year do not always allow.

Students received a $3,500 stipend and were given the opportunity to live on campus, making it possible for them to focus solely on research. “The donors Matthew Davis C’16 with faculty mentor Dr. Joel Willitts who support NPRESS are individuals who are deeply committed to your experience here at North Park,” President David Parkyn told the students. “They want to invest in you, and figure out the kinds of things that can change the game for our students.” More than 30 students applied for the program, with 10 chosen. A number of students conducted research in the sciences, while others did work in theology, English, and accounting.

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ACROSS CAMPUS

GLOBAL

VIKINGS

More Fulbright Grants Awarded to North Parkers

The Lost Boys, 15 Years Later

Last spring, North Park continued its record of Fulbright success when Natalie Wilson C’15 and Kate Asnicar C’15 were awarded overseas teaching opportunities (see Summer 2015 North Parker). Since then, the U.S. Fulbright Program has awarded two additional grants to North Park seniors, bringing the University’s total to 16 students and three faculty members who have earned the honor over the last seven years.

Andrea Mitchell C’15

An elementary education major from Austin, Texas, Mitchell traveled to Latvia this fall to serve as an English Teaching Assistant. “No matter where I am, whether that’s getting the opportunity to teach in Latvia or after the Fulbright, North Park has given me tools to meet people where they’re at, to care for the ‘whole person,’ Mitchell said. “That is a life of significance and service, and it’s an honor to have been given much to serve with.”

“Andrea’s wit, intelligence, and depth of analysis will enable her to be a very effective English teaching assistant in Latvia,” said Dr. Angelyn BalodimasBartolomei, professor of education.

Christina Phillip C’15

Since the formal inception of DivisionIII Nationals in 2010, the Lost Boys have made it there five out of six years, finishing as high as third. That is made even more impressive by the fact that only one team per year from the region earns a bid to nationals. At one point, the team was ranked as the 38th best collegiate Ultimate team, which includes teams from Division-I and Division-II universities.

“I am so excited to learn the culture,” she says.

“I’m also looking forward to establishing a home there. The program is 11 months long, so it’s plenty of time become part of the community.”

When Johnson returned to North Park to attend Seminary in 2009, his college Ultimate eligibility had not expired, so he rejoined the team. “It might sound silly, but a huge factor in considering North Park was knowing that I could come back and play,” he says. That decision paid off in more ways than one. Johnson met his wife, Kelly (Marshall) Johnson C’09, on the team.

While at North Park, Mitchell worked in the admissions office and in the Writing Center.

Her elementary education focus was in music, and she also earned a minor in history and an English as a Second Language endorsement. After serving in Latvia, Mitchell plans to return to Chicago to teach at the elementary or middle school level.

Phillip had never heard of the Fulbright Program before she came to North Park. But the education and Spanish double major grew up traveling the world with her parents. In February, Phillip will embark on a journey to Brazil, where she will teach English.

As she prepares for Brazil, Phillip is gaining firsthand classroom experience in her hometown high school in Hinsdale, Ill. This fall, she is teaching English Language Learning to students of different ages, with a range of experience levels.

In the fall of her senior year, Phillip was also honored as one of the top college students in the state, receiving the Student Laureate Award and a $1,000 educational grant from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois.

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Over the last decade, North Park’s Ultimate Frisbee team, known as the Lost Boys, has risen to become a regional power in the sport. The team, co-founded in 2001 by Luke Johnson C’03 S’12, has three goals: brotherhood, fun times, and winning games. “The original idea behind the team was to use Ultimate Frisbee as a platform to talk about Jesus,” says Johnson. “That instilled a value set that still exists today.”

After leading Allihopa, North Park’s women’s Ultimate team, Kelly would go on to play for the Seattle Riot, a professional team in Seattle, where she helped them win the 2014 World Championship. And Luke has turned his love for Ultimate Frisbee into a partnership with the American Ultimate Disc League. His company, Fulcrum Media Group, works on video production for the men’s professional Ultimate Frisbee league.

Celebrating Hall of Fame honors (left to right): Arriel Gray Jr. C’81, Tony Quinn, the 2004 Novice 4+ Women’s Rowing Team and Coach Tim Grant, Rich Mahoney C’69, and Megan (Slattery) Nikiel C’06 G’10

2015 Hall of Fame Inductees Ten North Park University athletes were inducted into the Viking Hall of Fame at an October 16 ceremony during the University’s annual Homecoming festivities. This year’s inductees were Arriel Gray Jr. C’81, football and track and field; Rich Mahoney C’69, football, baseball, and coaching; Prof. Tony Quinn, coaching and teaching; Megan (Slattery) Nikiel C’06 G’10, basketball; and the 2004 Women’s Novice 4+ Rowing Team, including Corianne (Bowman) Courtney, Allison (Koubsky) Ford C’07 G’10, Erikka (Treatch) Hedberg C’07, Rebecca (Bowman) Langworthy C’05, Annika Safstrom C’07, and Coach Tim Grant.

Arriel Gray Jr. C’81 As a two-sport student-athlete in football and track and field, Gray starred as a linebacker for the Vikings. He earned All-CCIW and all-district honors in 1980, as well as All-American honors, and was a three-year starter and letter-winner in both sports. While at North Park, Gray was a resident assistant and a member of the Gospel Choir.

In 1983, he signed with the Chicago Bears as a defensive back. Gray is an active member of his church and has served for 27 years in the Chicago Fire Department, where he is currently a department chief.

In his ceremony remarks, Gray quoted 1 Corinthians 13:13 as a guiding verse for him: “These three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” “I love you all,” Gray said. “Thank you.”

an assistant coach for football and wrestling, as well as an assistant athletic director. “I consider myself blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people at North Park,” he said. “I am proud and I am honored to be a member of the Hall of Fame.”

Megan (Slattery) Nikiel C’06 G’10

Nikiel was a three-year captain for the women’s basketball from 2004–2006. She earned Second Team All-CCIW honors in 2003 and First Team All-CCIW in 2004, and earned four straight Academic All-CCIW selections (2003–2006). Nikiel garnered 748 career rebounds—leading the team in that category throughout her career— and scored 1,166 points. After graduating, she served North Park as a graduate assistant and, later, an assistant coach. “My goal at North Park was to have fun,” Nikiel said. “With my teammates and coaches, we had tons of fun. Luckily, that fun led to playing well, and we had some wins.” She told her coaches and athletic staff in the audience, “I appreciate you having faith in me both as you recruited me, and also now inducting me.”

2004 Novice 4+ Women’s Rowing Team

“In 2004, five young women, led by a first-year coach, did the unimaginable,” said Dr. Jack Surridge, director of athletics, introducing the team at the ceremony. The crew was a pioneer for the sport at North Park, defying all odds in its first season of competition Rich Mahoney C’69 by earning an 84-2 record, winning a bronze medal at the Midwest A four-year letter-winner in both football and baseball, Mahoney went Collegiate Rowing Championships, and capturing gold at the on to serve as the Vikings’ head wrestling coach and was instrumental Mid-American Collegiate Rowing Association Championships. in initiating the squad as a full-time varsity sport. Mahoney’s On something of a whim, the team was able to compete at the Dad 1972 squad won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Vail National Regatta—on commencement day in 2004—and championship that season, earning 90 points and breaking a 10-year ended up winning the women’s national championship with a time string of titles held by Augustana College. He received CCIW Coach of 7:38.05, again dispatching five Division I schools. Then-president of the Year honors that year. “I’m proud to be in this Hall of Fame, David Horner announced their win live from the commencement and very proud of this school,” Mahoney said at the ceremony. stage. At the induction ceremony, a pre-recorded message was played from Dr. Horner to the team. Speaking from the Olympic Stadium in Tony Quinn Greece, where he now lives, Dr. Horner recalled his announcement of Associate Professor of Exercise and Sport Tony Quinn joined North the team’s win as “one of the most exciting moments in my tenure at Park in 1978, and has been an academic and athletic mainstay at the North Park.”

University ever since. Quinn served as an assistant baseball coach from 1987–1994, when he helped lead the team to two conference The squad consisted of Corianne (Bowman) Courtney, Allison championships, three NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, (Koubsky) Ford C’07 G’10, coxswain Erikka (Treatch) Hedberg C’07, and six conference tournament appearances. During his tenure, the Rebecca (Bowman) Langworthy C’05, Annika Safstrom C’07, who Vikings produced 34 All-CCIW selections and five All-American was also inducted in 2014, and Coach Tim Grant. selections, while carrying a 168-140 record. Quinn also served as

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 7

ACROSS CAMPUS

CAMPUS LIFE Campus Theme Asks, “What Is Truth?”

This fall, North Park’s Campus Theme series began its 13th year, as the campus community together explored the question, “What Is Truth?”

On October 9, students, faculty, and staff gathered in Anderson Chapel to hear from Gerardo Cárdenas, a Mexico City-born writer and journalist who now lives in Chicago.

Cárdenas’s book Our Lady of the Viaduct is this year’s North Park Common Read.

“Truth is invariably something we concern ourselves with on a daily basis,” Cárdenas said.

“Whether it is through art, or thought, or our social interaction, we’re constantly searching for something that provides meaning, and we call that truth.”

Gerardo Cárdenas

U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera came to campus November 12–13 for a creative writing class, a poetry reading, and a lecture in Anderson Chapel on “Truth-Telling and the Role of the Artist in Society.” This spring, the University will also welcome, among others, Dr. Richard Kearney, the Charles B. Seelig Professor in Philosophy at Boston College.

Juan Felipe Herrera

BY THE NUMBERS

4,488

high school students

Campus Pastor Judy Peterson C’92 S’01 delivers a sermon on the CHIC Main Stage

attended CHIC 2015, the Evangelical Covenant Church’s youth conference

354 churches represented at CHIC 2,831 10,000 snow cones served by North Park staff at CHIC 2,000 North Park T-shirts given out at CHIC

“See You at CHIC” postcards sent

by North Park to student registrants

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Opening Week: August 28–September 4 August 28 marked the start of North Park’s 124th year. To see more of our favorite opening week memories, visit www.northpark.edu/npu-welcome.

Moving in

Food trucks visit campus

University Convocation

Prepárate orientation for first-year Latino students

Viking Fair

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 9

N O R T H

PA R K

U N I V E R S I T Y

1891

-

2016

Established for Mission and Shaped by History North Park University was established with a particular mission—one which has remained constant for 125 years: to prepare our students for lives of significance and service.

North Pa 1

The trajectory of the school’s development and growth over 125 years, however, reflects a dynamic relationship between institutional mission and national history. The interplay between these two—the campus and classroom experience as influenced and molded by American and global events—has framed the University we know and love today.

by David L. Parkyn, President

Anna-Kajsa Anderson, director of archives, Stephen Spencer, theological and cataloguing librarian, and Philip J. Anderson, emeritus professor of church history, provided historical research and editorial review for this article.

Images courtesy of Covenant Archives and Historical Library, North Park University.

1. The North Park College Band on the steps of Old Main in 1901. 2. The Claus August Youngquist farm in the 1890s, which was moved elsewhere in the neighborhood to make room for North Park. 3. Graduates gathered in front of Old Main in 1939. 4. Members of the 1937 football team. 5. E. Gustav Johnson teaching a class in 1945 with a student-father holding his two babies. 6. North Parkers protesting the Vietnam War. 7. Students at the pillars in front of Old Main in the 1980s.

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“When [the Swedes] heard the siren call from America, read glowing accounts of opportunities in the New World, and received long letters from friends describing idyllic conditions there, many of them decided to try their fortunes in the land of promise.�

Leland H. Carlson

A History of North Park College

Migrating to Am 1

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Lincoln’s Homestead Act of 1862 The Homestead Act of 1862, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln, made 160 acres of federal land available to any individual or family willing to settle and farm the land.

During this same period, consecutive years of crop failures, the lack of jobs in cities, and the yearning for independence from a state church led many Swedes to emigrate to the United States—their relocation and resettlement facilitated by the Homestead Act. Swedish migration to America was especially strong between 1870 and 1900. Most immigrants from Sweden during these three decades were young and single. On arriving in America many cleared farmland and cultivated crops in the Great Plains while others chose to settle in cities, particularly Chicago.

The yearning by Swedish immigrants for a “free” church led to the birth in 1885 of a new American pietist church: the Mission Friends, also known as the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant. Just six years later, in 1891, this small immigrant church community gathered for an annual meeting at the Moses Hill Covenant Church in rural Nebraska, and decided to start a school. The denomination became today’s Evangelical Covenant Church, and the school soon adopted the name of North Park College and Seminary.

Educational opportunity was critical for the eventual flourishing of the church and its immigrant community. University and Church historian Philip J. Anderson has noted that through an education at North Park, “the young could move toward American life, be inculcated with the ideals of the group, and play a role in the shaping of the ethnic community, particularly within the church.”

The Homestead Act of 1862 drew immigrants from Sweden to America, who formed a church and gave birth to a college, which in turn fostered the growth and formation of the infant immigrant church.

erica

1. The pastors who attended the Mission Synod meeting in 1882. 2. The Claus August Youngquist farm in the 1890s where North Park University now stands. 3. Moses Hill Covenant Church in Nebraska where the decision was made in 1891 to start North Park College.

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1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions In the summer of 1893 Chicago hosted the World Columbian Exposition, a “world’s fair” which drew an estimated 18 million visitors. Taking advantage of the influx of visitors from around the world, the Parliament of the World’s Religions was held in Chicago from September 11 to September 27, 1893. The Parliament was the first attempt in history to form a global dialogue of all faiths, convinced that people of faith have more in common than they hold in difference.

Among the invited speakers at Parliament was David Nyvall, then in his second year as president of the new Covenant school, meeting in the basement of the Minneapolis Swedish Tabernacle.

Nyvall introduced the Parliament’s interfaith audience to his church and his young school, commenting that there was “no common fixed creed or special doctrine which binds [them] together,” with both church and school a communion “where differences of theology . . . are permitted to exist.” There was to be no “common ritual or discipline, not even for baptism, the Lord’s Supper, marriage, etc.” This “free” church offered “harmony in the midst of diversity” quite simply because “hospitality is especially insisted upon.”

Following the Parliament, Nyvall commuted to the Claus August Youngquist farm on Chicago’s North Side, where he gathered with a small group on September 26, 1893, to lay the cornerstone of Old Main, the University’s first building.

A year later, on September 18, 1894, the school opened on the Chicago campus. College historian Leland Carlson described the school as a “work just beginning.” The curriculum soon expanded to encompass a commercial program, courses in music, elementary grades, a high school academy, and courses for preparation in ministry.

By the end of the century Chicago had become the nation’s second largest city. A third of the city was foreign-born, and Swedes were the third largest group, following German and Irish settlers. Since its very earliest days North Park has been at home in the intercultural context of urban America.

1. N. R. Goranson, music director from 1894–1904, directing North Park’s first college choir. 2. An advertisement for North Park College in 1900. 3. A family posing in front of Old Main in 1895. 4. The North Park football team which played its first game on October 21, 1899, losing to North Division High School.

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Corne aN

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North Park’s opening school day in Chicago, 1894:

rstone of ew College

“When a goodly number of students had been registered, the entire group assembled in the chapel for the opening exercises. Professor Wilhelm Lindberg . . . sang a hymn, and President Nyvall, after reading the first chapter of the Gospel according to Mark, expressed a hearty welcome to the students. Then the Reverend C.A. Björk, president of the Covenant, closed the brief service with an earnest and gripping prayer beseeching God’s aid and blessing upon the work just beginning.”

Leland H. Carlson

A History of North Park College

Learn more about North Park’s historian Leland H. Carlson at www.northpark.edu/carlson

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“The extent of Uncle Sam’s influence on North Park College was symbolized by a service flag on which were seventy stars, representing seventy students who were in the army.

If those students who deferred their registration [at North Park] because of enlistment were to be counted, the number would be more than one hundred.”

Leland H. Carlson

A History of North Park College

1. Students registering for classes in the 1930s. 2. Graduates gathered in front of Old Main in 1939. 3. Members of the 1937 football team.

A More Cosmopol College

Right Top, North Park University at 125: Dedicated to God, committed to Chicago, Top Left, North Park University at 125: Dedicated to God, committed to Chicago, and engaged in the This page, North Park University at 125: Dedicated to God, committed to Chicago, and engaged in the 16 NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 2015

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War, Ethnic Identity, and the Great Depression The Great War changed the face of Europe, most certainly, but it also shaped the young North Park. During the war years, enrollment dropped nearly in half, from 406 in 1916–1917 to 230 in 1918–1919.

World War I also brought to America a new focus on patriotism and a judgmental response to things feared to be “un-American.” This included private schools founded by immigrant communities, which were, according to Carlson, potentially “doomed to extinction.”

North Park’s president, David Nyvall, entered into this national debate.

Nyvall biographer, Scott E. Erickson, notes: “[Nyvall argued that] an ‘English-only’ attitude added nothing to patriotism and even less to union and strength in America. Nyvall thought it absurd that America could defeat her enemies by ‘cutting out the tongue’ of its own mouth. America needed ‘more languages . . . to cope well with our enemies.’”

Nonetheless, the school had already begun to shift its ethnic identity.

By 1917 the language of classroom instruction had transitioned entirely to English, and all courses (except for those in the Seminary) used English-language textbooks.

Simultaneously, the early decades of the 20th century gave rise to significant educational innovation, including the development of junior colleges. North Park flourished in this innovation, as a two-year collegelevel curriculum was introduced in 1919.

A decade later the onslaught of the Great Depression imposed financial challenges for American families—and brought an unexpected opportunity for North Park. The economic conditions in the nation fostered a curious period of rapid growth for North Park.

itan

Shaped by the nation’s economic struggles, prospective college students began to identify opportunities for study closer to home. Leland Carlson described the impact on North Park: “An advertising program was launched and high school students were made aware of the work of North Park . . . The University of Chicago and Northwestern University were generous in their recommendations and frequently advised parents to send their children to North Park College for the first two years of their college education.”

Despite the tremendous economic challenges of the Depression, junior college enrollment at North Park increased rapidly, from 169 in 1929–1930, to 653 in 1939–1940. By 1940 North Park had reached what Carlson described as “a more cosmopolitan student body” with increased numbers of Chicagoland commuter students reaching beyond the school’s historic Covenant and Swedish population.

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Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 War returned to the mainstream of American society in the early 1940s.

North Park was not immune to these evolving social, economic, and political factors. The Cupola yearbook of 1946 noted that 900 alumni served in the military during World War II, with 41 former students dying in the war.

As the Homestead Act of 1862 brought Swedish immigrants to America who soon founded North Park College, so in the post-war years did the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 prompt increased enrollment, especially in the junior college program.

Known informally as the GI Bill, the 1944 act was designed to assist veterans returning from the war. The program included an array of benefits—home mortgages, business loans, and tuition assistance.

Within a decade more than two million veterans had used these educational benefits to attend college nationwide, with some enrolling at North Park.

These veterans changed the North Park campus and the school’s identity in significant ways. In 1946–1947 a full 45 percent of North Park students were veterans using the GI Bill. The impact on campus was such that in 1947 the Cupola noted that over half of the students were on campus for the first time. The onslaught of so many students new to the college placed a strain on nearly every aspect of the school’s program and resources—from curriculum to facilities.

Overall, however, the shifting student population again strengthened the college. The veterans, older and more “experienced in life” than their classmates, were diligent, focused students, giving a renewed earnestness to the campus ethos. This change in student population positioned North Park for adoption of a four-year baccalaureate program, begun in 1956, as well as the more advanced standards of accreditation.

1. E. Gustav Johnson teaching a class in 1945 with a student-father holding his two babies. 2. Alums Robert and J. Howard Peterson visiting President Algoth Ohlson in 1945. 3. Student fun at the gates of Old Main in 1946.

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G s in C

“GIs . . . made us a little more aware of the fact that we had come to North Park with one intent, to get an education.”

Cupola, 1947 Yearbook

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the Classroom 2

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 19

“I am trying to hear the human cry from students, from the minority groups, and all who have been outcasts in our culture. Now I want to listen to you. Although I still am a part of the establishment, something in me is disestablished and I love more.�

Karl Olsson

President, North Park College

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1. President Karl Olsson addressing students during the strike in 1970. 2. The strike banner protesting the Vietnam War in front of Old Main, 1970. 3. A North Park student joined a protest at nearby Loyola University Chicago, 1970. 4. ECC President Milton Engebretson speaking to students protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia, 1970.

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Unrest, Di and Chan 2

Civic Turmoil: Abroad, in the Nation, and on Campus Missionary doctor Paul Carlson had been in the Congo for less than a year in 1964 when a rebellion threatened the government. Carlson was taken prisoner for nearly two months. One afternoon he and hundreds of other captives fled machine gun fire in the prison compound. This young North Park grad slowed his pace to help a colleague over a wall to safety—and was caught in the gunfire himself.

TIME magazine called these events the “Massacre in Congo,” and Life magazine named Paul Carlson a “Congo martyr.”

Yet national turmoil was not limited to Congo—the United States faced its own difficult years. The decade opened with the assassination of President Kennedy, advanced with passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Naturalization and Immigration Act of 1965, saw the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, and concluded with America at war and university campuses in turmoil.

The North Park College News student newspaper described the time as a “turbulent day and age” during which America was “a nation threatened by violence and hate.”

Unrest, dissent, and change reached North Park.

In the spring of 1969 a Black Student Association was initiated, seeking to address “the systematic exclusion of Black people from the mainstream of American life.”

In November 1969 students joined a peace march in Washington, D.C. That same month, a member of the “Chicago Seven” trial was invited to speak in a College-sponsored symposium. Students also became increasingly involved in the Albany Park neighborhood and more widely across the city, seeking justice and loving neighbors.

In the spring of 1970 North Park students chose to “strike in sympathy of the deaths of fellow students [at Kent State University], in protest to Nixon’s policy in Indo-China, and in condemnation of the acts of the National Guard at Kent State.”

ssent, ge

The next day the Seminary faculty endorsed the student strike and, while collaborating with President Olsson, the college faculty approved a “reading period” for the remainder of the week.

That same day students marched to the headquarters of the Evangelical Covenant Church where they met with church President Milton Engebretson, “to request that the Church take a moral stand on the crisis facing the nation and the world.”

The following day North Park College President Karl Olsson “praised the student body for affirming the moral seriousness of the situation and for relating the Christian values to this moral stress.” He noted the events of the week had transformed him from “a compulsive talker to a listener,” realizing a personal need to “love more.” As he prepared to leave the gathering Olsson asked, “Would it embarrass you if I told you I loved you?” The students cheered and broke into applause.

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 21

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Seeking the Welfare of the City “The decision is an expression of our faith in Chicago,” stated Arthur Nelson, acting president at North Park College in the summer of 1980, to a Chicago Tribune reporter. He was commenting on the decision for the college to remain in Chicago, its campus home since 1894.

Nelson continued, “We are renewing our commitment to the city and to the spiritual values of our founders’ sense of mission and education.”

The Tribune report on June 26, 1980, added that “if the school left the city it would lose its rich diversity of students.” To which Nelson responded, “We do not follow the course of a lot of other denominational colleges who simply want to resource their own people.”

Now 35 years later, on the eve of the University’s 125th anniversary, we recognize what a critical force—a true tipping point—this moment in the school’s history was for identifying and securing its future trajectory.

Today the population of the world, and of America, is majority-urban.

As of 2008, for the first time in history, over half of the world’s people live in cities—and North Park is committed to live and learn with them.

Concomitant with this urban explosion, the lasting effect of the Naturalization and Immigration Act of 1965 opened America to a second great wave of immigrants—settling in the nation’s cities, including Chicago, just as the Swedes in the 1850s populated the nation’s Great Plains. Remaining faithful to David Nyvall’s description of the early school where “hospitality is especially insisted upon,” in recent decades North Park has embraced a student body which increasingly reflects “the great multitude . . . from every nation” described in St. John’s Revelation.

Undergraduate enrollment today is 49.89 percent Caucasian, 41.37 ethnic/racial minority, 5.74 percent international, and 3.0 percent unreported. Ours is a campus community with no single ethnic or racial majority, reflecting Jesus’s vision of the Kingdom of God recorded in the Gospel of Luke in which “people will come from east and west, north and south.”

Formed in faith and driven by Christian mission, North Park today adopts Chicago as our classroom, seeking the welfare of the city and its people—for God’s glory and neighbor’s good.

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A Univ Urban

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“North Park is rapidly becoming an exemplar of Christian higher education which excels in preparing culturally diverse students at all levels of study to lead and serve in the 21st century urban world.”

NPUTrajectory2025 University Strategic Plan

ersity for an Millennium 1. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, director of the Seminary’s urban ministry doctoral program, with students, at the nearby Kimball ‘L’ train station. 2. The compass is at the heart of today’s campus.

3. Commencement in May 2014.

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Homecoming 2015:

Hundreds of alumni returned to campus to celebrate Homecoming 2015. Be sure to save the date for next year’s Homecoming Celebration, September 23–25, 2016.

ALUMNI NOTES

Paint the Town Blue and Gold

For more photos from the weekend’s celebrations, visit www.northpark.edu/homecoming

The Alumni Art Exhibit featured the work of Laura Prentice Wennstrom C’09, along with Betsy Birkey C’03.

Members of the Academy, College, and Seminary classes of 1965 enjoyed the Golden Circle 50th Reunion.

The cheerleading team got faithful Viking supporters on their feet.

The gymnasium was filled with alumni celebrating their reunions at the Annual Reunion and Awards Breakfast.

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Homecoming enables friends to reconnect and share memories.

The men’s soccer team defeated the visiting Illinois Wesleyan University, 6-2, one of several Homecoming victories for the Vikings.

The women’s soccer team faced off against nationally ranked Illinois Wesleyan.

The football team delivered a 24-14 win over conference foe Elmhurst College.

The classes of 2005–2015 came together for the GOLD Reunion at Gideon Welles in Lincoln Square.

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 25

THE 2015 HONOR ROLL

OF DONORS AND ANNUAL REPORT: AVAILABLE ONLINE Each year we are blessed with the generous support of many individuals, families, and organizations. We recognize your gifts through the Honor Roll of Donors and Annual Report, published online to be available to a broader audience and to prudently manage the University’s resources.

The gifts from our donors support the breadth of student scholarships and campus activities, and ensure the vital mission of our University. We offer our deepest gratitude for your generosity and faithfulness. Please visit www.northpark.edu/honorroll.

Every effort is made to accurately recognize your gifts. For questions, comments, or further information, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at (866) 366-8096 or email development@northpark.edu.

ALUMNI EVENTS

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From Chicago to Michigan, North Parkers Connect More than 50 North Parkers came together on September 1 as part of the GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) program.

Gathering in Chicago’s renowned Millennium Park, the group mingled, enjoyed food, and watched an outdoor screening of the movie The Breakfast Club. (1) North Park alumni and their future Vikings stopped for lunch and ice cream at Happy Trails, following the conclusion of family camp in Iron River, Michigan. (2) Alum Marcia Anderson McGregor A’61 C’65 hosted a gathering of about 65 North Parkers and friends at her home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. (3) North Park alumni can find upcoming events and reunions at https://connect.northpark.edu/eventregistration.

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ALUMNI NOTES

2015 Alumni Award Honorees Peter Tufo A’55 North Park Academy 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award Peter Tufo A’55, at home in Southampton, N.Y.

Alumnus Peter Tufo was unable to be on campus to receive his award. President David L. Parkyn, who recently visited Tufo at his home in Southampton, N.Y., “shared for Peter his deep delight—and great surprise—in being chosen for the award.”

Following his 1955 graduation from North Park Academy, Peter S. Tufo studied at Beloit College, was awarded a prestigious Marshall Fellowship, received a law degree at Yale University, served in the Marines, and opened a law practice in New York City—all before he turned 30.

His distinguished 40-year career combined the practice of law with a dedication to public service. As an attorney, Tufo specialized in mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance.

At the request of Mayor John Lindsay he led investigations into corruption in city government and worked in Washington, D.C. on behalf of New York City to pass major urban and civil rights legislation.

Megan (Streedain) Tamte C’95

During his 10-year appointment as volunteer chair of the New York City Board of Corrections, he warned of an impending riot at the Rikers Island prison complex. When the riot did occur, Tufo and a colleague crawled through tear gas into prisoner-held territory, established a truce, negotiated the release of the hostages, and brought the rebellion to an end.

The New York Times reported that “because of the courage of these two men no lives were lost.”

From 1989 to 1996, Tufo was the volunteer chairman of the New York State Thruway Authority, the largest toll road and bridge system in the nation. His early idea about a new way to pay tolls is known today nationwide as E-ZPass.

As part of Tufo’s media work, he assisted former CBS News correspondent Daniel Schorr in publishing secret House Intelligence Committee reports. He also served as on-camera host and commentator for an award-winning television documentary series, The Cost of Crime, and earned an Emmy for his role as host and commentator in Save Our Schools.

Déborah Wanderley dos Santos C’10

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When asked how he became U.S. ambassador to Hungary, Tufo says: “Well, one evening I answered the phone in our home. In that call [President] Bill [Clinton] asked me to be the ambassador, so I agreed.” He served from 1997 to 2001, during a critical period of political and social redefinition in Central and Eastern Europe.

ALUMNI HONORS

Megan (Streedain) Tamte C’95 North Park University 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award

Déborah Wanderley dos Santos C’10 North Park University 2015 Distinguished Young Alumni Award

“North Park’s emphasis on living a life of service has helped me build a fashion company that does more than sell cute clothes. Loving and serving others is at the heart of Evereve.”

“In traditional classical music training, it’s all about practicing as many hours as possible. At North Park we did so much reading, thinking, and writing about other subjects that I was able to expand my world—and become a more complete musician and artist.”

In 2004, Megan Tamte opened her first retail store in the downtown shopping district of Edina, a suburb of Minneapolis. More than 10 years later, Co-Founder and CEO Tamte and her husband, Mike Tamte C’93, co-founder and executive chairman, lead 60 stores across 21 states, with more than 1,000 employees. Launched as Hot Mama, the lifestyle store chain that caters to women, especially moms, ages 25 to 65, was rebranded as Evereve in 2014.

Says Tamte,”We’ve been a successful retail brand because the people of Evereve find great meaning and joy in loving and serving our customers and each other.”

At North Park, Megan majored in elementary education and Spanish, and spent a “life-changing” trimester in Morelia, Mexico. Another favorite memory: meeting her future husband, Mike, an accounting major. The two married shortly after graduation, and lived and worked in Scotts Valley, Calif.

Megan later stayed at home to raise their children, Allison and Ryan. Several frustrating shopping trips as a mom inspired Megan to create a retail experience that would make fashion accessible to other moms.

Tamte says that being an entrepreneur is challenging.

“I experience a lot of fear, a lot of rejection, a lot of doubt, a lot of risk, and a lot of unknown. I would never have had the courage or confidence to chase the dream in my heart without a strong faith and an identity in Christ. North Park strengthened my faith and helped form my identity.”

Tamte credits former roommate Heather (Walles) van Blyenburgh C’95 for “one of the best gifts anyone has ever given me—teaching me to pray.” Tamte continues to write in her prayer journal, “a powerful tool to help me grow closer to God.” Her career advice to North Parkers: “Success isn’t about having all the answers. Success comes to those who arm themselves with the humility to be open to learning from everyone.”

Déborah Wanderley dos Santos has flourished since she began studying violin at age 10 in her hometown of Brasilia.

At 17, she moved to Port Alegre, Brazil, where she performed on the streets to survive while pursuing her dream of becoming a professional musician.

Today, she is a member of the São Paulo Symphony, considered the top orchestra in Brazil and South America.

Dos Santos credits School of Music faculty Helen Hudgens, Tom Zelle, and Richard Young as influences in shaping her as a musician. “I had incredible teachers who also are amazing human beings,” she recalls. “At North Park, music became about sharing, not just about being the best performer. So I am always thinking about ways to give back and help young people do their best.”

While at North Park, dos Santos launched an orchestral training program at nearby Hibbard Elementary School, called the YOURS project, a program inspired by El Sistema, recognized worldwide for teaching classical music to impoverished children. YOURS continues to offer free and intensive music education to hundreds of children. “It is an amazing music program that is still changing the lives of underserved children,” she says. “It was the highlight of my years at North Park and one of the most beautiful memories I will have for life.”

Since graduating from North Park in 2010 with a bachelor of music in performance, dos Santos has performed in major music halls worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Festival Hall in London, and Konzerthass in Vienna. She is also pursuing her master’s degree at São Paulo State University in strings pedagogy.

Says dos Santos: “The best way I know to express my gratitude to North Park for this award is to actually live a life of significance and service.”

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 29

ALUMNI NOTES

ALUMNI NOTES WINTER 2016

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1950s

The North Park Academy Class of 1953 gathered for a reunion on August 19, 2015, at Young’s Restaurant in Chicago. Pictured (left to right), back row: Ruth (Anderson) Houdek, Ray Schroeder (husband of Carol Ann Schroeder), Carol Ann (Nelson) Schroeder, Elsie Ekstrom, Ed Roob (husband of Barbara Roob), Marilyn Longo Rice, William Seawall, and Michael Assim. Front row: Marilyn (Marx) Adelman, Leona (Schweikert) Dirr, Barbara (Burmeister) Eanos, Academy teacher Marilyn (Johnson) Swanson, Barbara (Leske) Roob, Academy teacher Betty Nelson C’44, Carolyn Assim (wife of Michael Assim), and Adrienne (Nelson) Langtry. (1)

1960s

On September 2, 2015, George Esplin C’69 was among a group of Morgan Stanley Advisors invited to have lunch with Tom Ricketts (left), owner of the Chicago Cubs, to discuss the topic of “The Economics of Baseball” at Wrigley Field. This followed a spring event that George participated in, featuring Dr. Bob Foehlich, owner and noted 30 NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016

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global economist, and future Baseball Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa. George received a master of science in sports management from American Public University in 2010. (2)

1970s

Nancy (Erickson) Nordenson C’78 is the author of her second book, Finding Livelihood: A Progress of Work and Leisure, published

by Kalos Press in April 2015. A chapter was excerpted in the May/June 2015 issue of the Covenant Companion, with a corresponding interview posted on the Companion website.

Find out more at www.findinglivelihood.com.

Nancy also blogs at www.nancynordenson-markings.com. (3)

1980s

Sonja (Young) Anderson C’85 is excited to announce the June 2015 release of Sophie’s Quest, her debut novel for children, ages 8–12. A work in progress for nearly 15 years, the book was published by Sunberry Books (Sunpenny Publishing Group, UK), and is available on Amazon or www.barnesandnoble.com.

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The story tells of the unlikely friendship that develops between an owl and a mouse while they are on a quest to the Holy Land. Learn more on Sonja’s website at www.sonjaandersonbooks.com.

Rev. Paul R. Anderson S’86 was appointed chaplain at Covenant Village of Golden Valley, a Covenant Retirement Community located in Golden Valley, Minn. Serving with current campus chaplain Rev. John Satterberg S’75, Rev. Anderson provides pastoral care and counseling to residents and staff. In addition to leading the campus’s spiritual enrichment program, he visits residents in all areas of living—residential, assisted living, memory support, and healthcare—as well in the hospital or other healthcare settings. Before joining Covenant Village, Rev. Anderson was spiritual care coordinator at Heartland Hospice, Brainerd, Minn. He served as a pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church for more than 25 years in three mid-sized congregations and two large congregations in Minnesota. He has also served in national and regional leadership roles in the Covenant denomination.

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Rev. Anderson is ordained by the Evangelical Covenant Church and board certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains. He lives in Champlin, Minn. (4) On May 2, 2015, Ruth Werstler C’89 and Steve Fishter celebrated their community wedding at United in Faith Lutheran Church in Chicago. They happily reside in Wooster, Ohio, with their dog, Annie. North Park wedding guests included (left to right) Daniel E. Johnson C’89, Steven Peterson C’89 S’93, Crystal (McFarland) Beckman C’90, Tracey (Riding) Neumarke C’90, Dave Fountain C’92, John Carl Nelson C’93, Gillian (Shirley) Haygood C’94, Susan (Goethe) Peterson C’94, Carra L. (Wilkes) Merrill C’96, Deborah Gambs C’96, and Jeani (Habegger) McAleer C’99. Not pictured are guests Jim Lundeen C’55, Donna (Slickenmeyer) Morrow C’67, Greg (Johnson) Neumarke C’92 C’12, Catherine Jo Downing-King C’94, and Richard Trost C’01. (5)

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1990s

Richard Nuccio C’90 G’00 proudly announces the graduation of his oldest son, Anthony, from North Central College with a degree in religious studies. Anthony is now attending Chicago Theological Seminary. (6) Jonathan Wilson C’92 graduated from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago on May 17, 2015, receiving his PhD in historical studies. He continues in pastoral call at the Evangelical Covenant Church of Elgin, Ill. Jonathan is pictured with his daughter, Hope.

(7) Shari Nordstrom C’93 married Greg Richards on September 7, 2014. The ceremony took place at the Byron Colby Barn in Grayslake, Ill. North Park alumni, students, and staff were on hand to celebrate, including Leroy Carlson C’61 S’67, Timothy Nordstrom S’66, Mark Olson C’70, Mary Beth (Edstrom) Kovacic C’83, Dan Olson C’92, Kirsten (Hook) Bishop C’93, Alissa (Rounke) Bruns C’93, Bruce Bruns C’93 S’07, Heidi (Hallsten) Hitzeman

C’93, Angela (Mork) Olson C’94, Robert Berki C’01 G’08, Kim (Younts) Berki C’99, Tami (Snyder) Treder C’94 G’98, Kendall Churchill C’09 S’15, Allison Crino C’09, Emily Warnygora C’09, Casey Smagala C’12, Helen Boggess C’13, Sarah Moore C’13, Kait Scott C’14, Kate Laures C’15, Hannah Clemens, and Val Smith. (8) Twin Cities alumni gathered at Deer Lake Orchard in Buffalo, Minn., for a local reunion in Fall 2014. The orchard is owned by Jill (Ecker) Preugschas C’95 and Yuri Preugschas.

Other North Parkers present were Megan (Streedain) Tamte C’95 and Mike Tamte C’93, Ben Bevis C’95, Steph (Eitreim) Bowron C’95, Jenny (Robinett) Hokanson C’95, Sonja (Lindquist) Krasean C’95, Kristina (Klockars) Richards C’96, Sarah (Lindquist) Swanson and Luke Swanson C’95, Heather (Walles) C’95 and Theo VanBlyenburgh, Anji (Ecker) C’97 and Tim Janes C’97, and Mary (Stacy) Joing. (9)

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 31

ALUMNI NOTES

Connect with North Park 1

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We’re eager to keep all of our alumni informed and involved in the University and the Seminary. Here are all the ways you can stay in touch with us—and with classmates and other alumni: North Park Connect is an online community just for alumni.

Update your contact information when you move, earn a graduate degree, or accept a new job; view and register for alumni events; and join the online alumni directory, where you can reconnect with classmates or build your professional network by connecting with fellow alumni in your area or industry. Go to https://connect.northpark.edu.

You can also connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/northparkalumni and on Twitter at twitter.com/npualumni.

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North Park University’s new Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) program creates opportunities for young alumni to stay connected, access services for professional advancement, and participate in social and networking events year-round. Go to www.northpark.edu/Alumni/GOLD. To stay up-to-date anytime on upcoming alumni events and reunions, benefits and resources available to alumni, issues of the North Parker, ways to give to North Park, and more, visit www.northpark.edu/alumni.

For more information, alumni can contact Melissa Vélez-Luce C’04 G’12, director of alumni relations, by phone, email, mail, or by making an appointment to visit in person. For details, go to www.northpark.edu/alumni/contact.

ALUMNI NOTES

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Dr. Richard de Lisser S’99 was elected president of the South England Conference of Seventh Day Adventists during a scheduled constituency meeting at Warwick University on September 5, 2015. Dr. de Lisser has pastored six churches and has served the church as district coordinator, chair of the London Area Advisory Council, personal ministries director, Sabbath school director, and communication director. He most recently served as pastor of the Edmonton Church as well as the Stewardship and Trust Services director for the South England Conference. He is married to Joanne Graham-de Lisser, a health professional. They are the parents of a young son, Akala Joshua Alexander de Lisser. (10) Henry Paul Hakanson joined big sister Julia and parents, Tim Hakanson C’02 and Krissy (Persson) Hakanson C’06, on March 27, 2015. The Hakansons are enjoying life as a family of four in Chicago. (11)

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2000s

Mark Safstrom C’02 published The Swedish Pietists: A Reader (Wipf & Stock, 2015), containing translations of writings from the history of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

He previously published a translation of P.P. Waldenström’s allegorical novel Squire Adamsson (2013). The editing team that worked on Squire Adamsson included four fellow North Parkers: Sandy Nelson C’85, Jeff HansPetersen C’95, Stephanie (Johnson) Blomgren C’96, and David Nelson C’00. Both books are available on www.covbooks.com.

(12) Dr. James S. Mastaler C’04 recently received his PhD in theology from Loyola University Chicago with a specialization in Christian ethics, social justice, and ecological responsibility. Additional information about his area of teaching and research is available at www.jamesmastaler.com. (13)

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Suzy Magnuson C’05 and Andrew Bradley were married on October 11, 2014, in Mobile, Ala. North Parkers in the wedding party included Kat (Magnuson) Knotts C’01, Britta (Heintzelman) Johnson C’05, Kristin (Brorson) Johnson C’05, Rose (Mieczkowski) Sandberg C’05, and Scott Magnuson C’95 S’06, officiant. The couple currently resides in Richmond, Va. (14) Tanikia “Nikki” (Thompson) Carpenter C’09 is a writer and media personality living in Chicago who has been featured on TLC, ESSENCE, and Huffington Post, as well as serving as a regular contributor to JET and Black and Married With Kids. Nikki published the book When God Said Yes in August 2015, available on Amazon. Learn more at www.nikkicarpenter.com. (15)

NORTH PARKER | Winter 2016 33

ALUMNI NOTES

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Maria Cathcart C’09 and Lukas Dahlstrom C’09 were married on June 20, 2015, in Marquette, Mich. North Parkers in the wedding included Anne (Clausen) Anderson C’08, Taryn Johnson C’08, Jenna Johnson C’09, Hannah Prevost-Schultz C’09, Eric Gustafson C’10, Joseph Williams C’10, Justin PrevostSchultz C’11, and Al Youngquist. Terry Cathcart S’79, father of the bride, and Mark Bengtson C’74 S’79 officiated the ceremony.

Lukas is the son of Gail Dahlstrom, who serves as a member of North Park’s board of trustees, and Karl Dahlstrom A’68. (16)

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Together with her husband, Peter, Mandy (Kline) Griffin C’09 took the month of July 2015 to travel 1,200 miles by bicycle, from Port Angeles, Wash., to San Francisco. (17) On July 11, 2015, Daniel Kasnick C’09 married Denisse Calderon in Lima, Peru, where the couple resides. Daniel and Denisse are teachers, and also run a non-governmental organization for sustainable development in the slums of Lima, including educational programs, gardens, and health campaigns.

(18) Laura (Prentice) Wennstrom C’09 graduated from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign in May 2015 with a master of fine art in new media. Explore her work at www.laurawennstrom.com.

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Lindsey (Efrosinis) Wery C’10 and Andrew Wery C’12 adopted Cheyanne “Annie” Priscilla Wery on May 29, 2015. Annie, who turned four years old on June 22, had spent two years in foster care with Lindsey and Andrew, along with her biological half-brothers, whom they hope to adopt soon. (19) Alicia Tilson C’11 and Aaron Boock C’13 were married at Sojourner Covenant Church in Evanston, Ill., on October 4, 2014. Many North Parkers attended, including Kirsten Monson C’11, Shelley Smith C’11, Sam Auger C’13, and Anders Nordstrom C’13. The Boocks met as members of a North Park worship team. Aaron is a global export specialist at Grainger in Niles, Ill., and Alicia is completing a master’s degree in music education at DePaul University. (20)

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Nelson Cruz C’12 and his wife, Jennifer, joyfully announce the birth of their son, Jayson Rafael Cruz. Jayson was born May 20, 2015, weighing 7 lb. 10 oz. and measuring 21 inches.

Jayson joins big brother Jordan. (21) In May, Ashley Rewolinski C’14 was selected to attend the Starling-DeLay Symposium on Violin Studies at the Juilliard School. It was her third time participating in this biennial program, which brings together 200 violinists from around the world and is dedicated to the art of violin performance and teaching.

Ashley is pictured with artist faculty and worldrenowned violinist Sarah Chang. In July, Ashley traveled to Miami, where she performed as a full scholarship recipient in the second annual Miami Summer Music Festival. During the month-long festival, Ashley performed many orchestra, chamber music, and contemporary

music concerts, as well as two operas (Hansel and Gretel and Cendrillon). Her notable performances include Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring at the New World Center, and premiering two works by living composers Juan Mansilla and Lawrence Suh. Ashley is in her second year as a graduate student at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, where she is working toward her master of music and studying with violinist Frank Almond. (22)

The Pearson family showed their North Park spirit while on a family vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in March. Pictured (left to right) are Karen Burdick Pearson C’81, Kendra Pearson C’14 (Fulbright recipient, currently teaching in Mexico), Eric Pearson C’17 (currently a junior, music composition major), and Mark J. Pearson C’81 S’89. (24)

Nicole Tuquilar C’12 has been honored with the title of Miss Illinois U.S. Supranational 2015. In June, she competed in the Miss US Supranational Pageant, held in Orlando.

Since graduating from North Park, Nicole has competed in Miss Illinois USA 2015 and was a semifinalist in Miss Lake County USA. She currently works for Aon Hewitt. (23)

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ALUMNI IN MEMORIAM NOTES

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Jane (Swanson) Bowman Jacobson C’34 died December 2, 2014, at Covenant Village in Turlock, Calif., at age 99. Jane was a life-long Covenanter and retired school teacher.

She loved reading and crossword puzzles, but most of all her family: three children, 10 grandchildren, and 27 great grandchildren.

Jane’s fondest legacy was that all of her children and grandchildren graduated from college, seven of whom are North Park graduates. Peace to her memory.

Richard A. Dietz A’49 died August 30, 2015, at age 84. Born in Chicago on September 11, 1930, Richard received his medical degree from Northwestern Medical School in 1956 and interned at Indianapolis General Hospital.

He served two years as a Captain in the U.S. Army with assignments in Texas and Germany. After his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Bethesda Hospital, he joined the practice of Robert P. Johnson in Middletown, Ohio, in 1963. Richard is survived by his wife of 62 years, Lois Ann (McCardle) Dietz A’49; two daughters, Lisa Young and Sally McGlone (Tony); and a granddaughter.

A memorial service was held on September 1.

Kenneth Raymond Karsted A’61 C’65, 71, of Lake Forest, Ill., died May 21, 2015. He was the beloved husband of Anne, loving father of Robert (Nicole), Courtney and Colleen Karsted, grandfather of Catherine and Jackson, and brother of Linda (Karsted) Newton A’64 (J. Michael) and Karen Murphy A’69 (Terrence). Kenneth was the son of the late Raymond C. Karsted C’36 and the late Elsie (Levander) Karsted A’34 C’36. (25)

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David Dean Duell C’57 passed away on September 4, 2015, at age 77. Dave was born December 23, 1937, in Greeley, Colo., the youngest of 13 children. Dave’s mother declared to his father, “We have our preacher!” Since that declaration, he faithfully preached, ministered and spread the love of God in the United States and 77 nations over a period of 40 years. Dave met his wife, Bonnie, while attending North Park Junior College. They were married October 4, 1958, in Evergreen Park, Ill., and went on to farm and ranch in the Kersey and Greeley area for more than 20 years.

Dave and Bonnie founded and pastored Faith Ministries Fellowship, Greeley, Colo., from 1979–1993; then Faith Ministries Church International, Denver, Colo., from 1993 to the present. The Duells also founded Faith Ministries International Network, a relational network of churches and ministries, now in 53 nations. Dave received an honorary doctorate of divinity from Bethel College in Riverside, Calif., and authored seven books.

He was known for his contagious joy, a huge heart, a capacity to love and a million-dollar smile. Dave is survived by Bonnie, his four daughters, and extended family, including 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. A celebration of his life was held on September 9 at Noon Faith Bible Chapel Family Worship Center in Arvada, Colo. (26)

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Carrie Sailer C’05, age 32, of Gladstone, Mich., passed away on June 24, 2015, after a courageous four-year battle with cancer.

Carrie’s final days were spent surrounded by family and friends whom she had touched in special ways throughout her life. She loved sports, both as a spectator and an athlete, and participated in volleyball, basketball, and tennis. While at North Park, Carrie fell in love with the city and the people, and made many cherished friendships. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training in 2005, Carrie moved to St. Paul, Minn., where she worked as a certified athletic trainer at Concordia University and completed her master’s degree coursework for organizational management. She also worked for Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Mich., and for Athletico and Accelerated Rehabilitation Services, with her main assignment at Judson University. When Carrie was diagnosed with adrenocortical cancer in 2011, she moved back to Michigan to be near her family and receive treatment.

Carrie had an important influence on many lives during her short life, and she will be dearly missed. (27) Dale E. Peterson died at his home in Denver on May 19, 2015. Peterson, 50, attended North Park from 1983–1985 before going on to graduate from Harvard University.

Previously employed as a furniture designer for Pottery Barn, then as vice president of furniture at Martha Stewart Omnimedia, he recently was an independent designer for major furniture companies. Dale is survived by his wife, Dr. Michelle Klem; twin four-year-old sons; a 22-month-old daughter; and his parents, Dr. Walden Peterson C’51 and Ruth (Johnson) Peterson C’58.

Every Student. Every Day. Today, more than ever, scholarships remove barriers to education so students can enroll, complete their studies, and graduate with pride from North Park University and North Park Theological Seminary.

With your generous gift to the North Park Fund, we can: • Meet students’ highest need for financial assistance to make education affordable.

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

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

Be the difference. Make your gift today. www.northpark.edu/give

and dedicated professors have equipped “ Mmey classes to deeply engage with current social events and learn how I can be of service to the world. Thank you for your support!

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David F. Potter C’15 Major: Conflict Transformation Studies

Financial aid is awarded annually to: 95% of undergraduates 78% of Seminary students

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID DREAMWORKS

SAVE THE DATE! September 23, 2016

Join us on campus to honor our legacy and celebrate our future.

North Park University 125th Anniversary Celebration www.northpark.edu/125