Summer 2012 / Volume 72 / Number 2
Past Present
When the is All Too
North Park University’s Sankofa Experience page 14
Announcing the Johnson Center
page 10
Where Faith, Learning, and Service Meet At North Park we assume responsibility for educating the whole student. Jesus expressed this same ideal when he was asked, as a teacher, to identify the greatest commandment. He replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:39). These three aspects of being human are reflected in the concluding phrase of the University’s vision statement: “to fashion a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence where faith, learning, and service meet.” Just as loving God to the fullest requires all of one’s being, so at North Park we hold that education should engage our whole person. Our commitment is to form and transform each student—to mold and remold them, shape and reshape them, direct and redirect them—toward becoming the person of God’s intent. We embrace the responsibility to graduate students who love God and serve their neighbor as broadly as humanly possible—in heart, soul, and mind. How is this accomplished? What are the means we at North Park adopt toward this end? The answers to these questions are well-illustrated in the two features of this issue of the North Parker. The new science and community life building—freshly named the Johnson Center— is designed to address the educational needs of the whole student. In the classrooms and science laboratories of this wonderful new facility students will engage the academic disciplines; in the café and lounge areas students will meet each other and build friendships for a lifetime; in the Center for Student Engagement students will join with their peers to love God and serve others. Through North Park’s annual Sankofa experience, students engage learning via a road-trip, an undertaking which becomes a life-journey. The Word of Christ becomes flesh in the journey toward racial reconciliation, and along the way students learn new ways to love God will all their heart, soul, and mind, and to love their neighbor as themselves. To learn at North Park is to learn how to love God and how to serve others. This is our sacred obligation.
David L. Parkyn President, North Park University
North Parker Staff Editorial Board
David Parkyn President
Nate Mouttet Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Mary K. Surridge Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Melissa Vélez-Luce, C’2004 Alumni Relations Manager
Editorial Staff
Jon Boyd Senior Editor
Rebecca (Padgett) Dangel Managing Editor Emily (Wulff) Anderson C’2010 Designer John Brooks News Editor
2 Campus News 10 The Time is Now: The Johnson Center
by Mary Nowesnick
14 When The Past Is All Too Present
by Christine Scheller
26 Let Those Who Have Eyes See
Faculty Essay by Tim Lowly
28 “We’ve Always Loved This Place”
William P. Bruce C’63 and Phyllis (Dahl) Bruce C’66 Donor Profile by Elizabeth Lamberti G’2012
29 Alumni Notes 34 Making Up the Rules: An Interview with Jamie Griesemer C’99
Alumni Profile by Elizabeth Lamberti G’2012
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 and address changes, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (773) 244-5273. Questions, letters, or suggestions for the editor should be directed to the University Marketing and Communications office at the above address, or (773) 244-5768.
Enjoy the North Parker online, too, with extended features and back issues for reading or download at
Graduates received their diplomas from the president himself on May 12.
Campus News
Open Hearts, Open Minds at Commencement Degrees were presented to 434 graduates at the University’s spring commencement ceremonies. Combined with winter commencement graduates, all degrees awarded for the 2011–2012 academic year total 626. The University recognized spring graduates at three ceremonies: for undergraduate degrees, for graduate degrees and degrees earned through the School of Adult Learning, and for degrees awarded to graduates of North Park Theological Seminary.
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Many graduates and their families attended a May 11 baccalaureate service at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral. Dr. David L. Parkyn, North Park University president, focused his comments on the University’s mission statement, “to prepare students for lives of significance and service,” and Jesus’s instruction on this topic in the four Gospels in the New Testament. He told the students that if they were unsure about what it means to live a life of significance and service, they need only to hear the words of Jesus: “Be a healthy tree, one that bears good fruit; run away from the possibility of a being a diseased tree, one that bears worm-infected fruit,” Parkyn told the graduates.
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Undergraduate degrees went to 297 students for majors in the University’s College of Arts and Sciences, and the schools of adult learning, education, nursing, music, and business and nonprofit management. Graduate degrees went to 137 students including 34 Seminary graduates. Parkyn presided at the commencement ceremonies. Photo galleries of all three ceremonies are online at www.northpark.edu/northparker/1
Undergraduate Commencement In addition to the presentation of degrees, noteworthy achievements by students and faculty were celebrated:
• 2012 Distinguished Seniors, for outstanding academic achievement, and leadership and service: Hannah Haugen, Milwaukie, Ore., bachelor of science in business and economics; and Joshua Startup, Chesterton, Ind., bachelor of science in chemistry • The Ahnfeldt Medallion, presented to a senior with the highest grade point average among undergraduates: Emily Shakal, Chicago, bachelor of arts in biblical and theological studies • 2012 Fulbright Program awards: Karen Kelly, Mexico City, assigned to Andorra to teach English; and Nnenna Okore, associate professor of art and department chair, assigned to Nigeria to teach and work on environmental art projects Two leaders of Casa Central, a Chicago nonprofit that serves Hispanic people through community service activities, were honored with the David Nyvall Medallion. The medallion, presented to Daniel Alvarez Sr., founder, and Ann R. Alvarez, president and chief executive officer, is given for longtime and distinguished service to the people of Chicago. North Park University and Casa Central maintain an educational partnership, and Ann Alvarez is also a member of the University’s board of trustees. The 50th anniversary of the Class of 1962 was noted, with several students from that class attending this year’s commencement ceremony wearing gold graduation gowns.
Graduate and School of Adult Learning Commencement A highlight for students who earned graduate degrees and degrees through the School of Adult Learning were remarks by four graduates representing different University academic programs. Each expressed how their academic programs shaped their lives and careers. “For many of us, the messages we have received about ourselves have played a powerful role in shaping our sense of self,” said Kathleen
Campus News
Ferrarell, Glenview, Ill., bachelor of arts in counseling psychology. “For me, the message was that I was not college material.” After her own children went to college, Ferrarell began to earnestly pursue her own college education. She learned “with an open heart and an open mind” and said she was “grateful for these gifts that I received here at North Park.” Clara Casas-Maya, Vernon Hills, Ill., master of arts in education, School of Education, described her own journey of coming to the United States from Colombia to pursue graduate education. The bilingual kindergarten teacher said, “It may take time to find what you really love to do, but the search and the rewards are really worth it.” Other speakers were Molly Philosophos, Oak Park, Ill., master of nonprofit administration, School of Business; and LaRhonda Hrobowski, Chicago, master of science in nursing, School of Nursing.
North Park Theological Seminary Commencement Students who earned Seminary degrees heard a commencement address by Dr. M. Daniel Carroll Rodas, distinguished professor of Old Testament, Denver (Colo.) Seminary. He urged the graduates to dedicate themselves to “the Word of God,” “holiness,” and “to others.” Rev. Gary B. Walter, president of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), said that in Scripture, God asks for faithfulness. “That means you hold nothing back from God, and you give it your all,” he said to the graduates. The Ahnfeldt Medallion for the highest grade point average among Seminary graduates was presented to Joel Johnson, Chicago, master of divinity graduate. This summer, the Seminary will welcome a new dean, Rev. Dr. David Kersten, currently an executive minister in the ECC.
News Highlights So much has been happening at North Park University this year! Here are a few highlights. You can read further about each of these stories—and more—at the web addresses shown.
www.northpark.edu/news President Parkyn Authors Booklet on University’s Educational Ideals
University President David L. Parkyn has written a collection of essays focusing on the University’s “voice” in the community and the world. Discovering Our Voice: Reflections on Learning at North Park University addresses seven educational ideals that reflect the University’s mission, vision, and its three core values: Distinctively Christian, Intentionally Urban, and Purposefully Multicultural. “It is imperative that we reflect on our institutional voice—from the language we use to understand our work and life together as a learning community, to the stories we tell to explain our approach to preparing students for ‘lives of significance and service,’” Parkyn said. Copies will be given to parents of students who have made commitments to attend the University as undergraduates and to prospective employees. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/2
North Park University Athletics Introduces New Website, Features Enhanced Content
A new website for fans of North Park University athletics features Viking team information and news about the University’s athletics program. The site went live Nov. 15 after months of planning and technical work. Among the enhancements, the new site makes it possible for images to be changed and updated regularly on web pages; photo galleries can be featured; videos can be added throughout the site; live stats can be displayed with athletes’ photographs; stats can be displayed on mobile phones; and visitors can be surveyed through “quick polls.” Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/3 Shanna (Horner) O’Hea, North Park University alumna (C’94) and chef and co-owner of the Kennebunk Inn and Academe, was one of four chefs who appeared in March on the popular Food Network show, Chopped. Last summer, O’Hea headed to New York City to film the episode. Titled “Plenty of Fish,” it featured unusual items such as an Indian gourd, lutefisk, and for dessert, Chinese sausage and baby eggplant. Each show opens with four chefs competing to create an appetizer with ingredients unveiled just as they begin. Three chefs move to round two to prepare an entrée with new ingredients, and two move to a final dessert round in which judges determine a winner. (O’Hea advanced to the second round.) Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/4
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Lots of happy faces on graduation day!
O’Hea Appears on Food Network Show Chopped
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Joshua Startup and Hannah Haugen at the honors convocation.
Campus News
Wings to Fly Far Hannah Haugen and Joshua Startup, the University’s 2012 Distinguished Seniors, have big plans. Haugen will leave for Europe and study in the Netherlands with hopes of becoming a professor of economics. Startup wants to attend medical school and become a physician specializing in orthopedics. Startup, of Chesterton, Ind., graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He came to North Park after a friend suggested he take a look at the University. Startup liked the idea of attending a smaller university in Chicago.
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Startup knew he wanted to major in one of the physical or biological sciences. He was a successful biology student in high school, but struggled with chemistry. That’s precisely why he majored in chemistry at North Park. “I wanted to see if I could do it successfully. I like having a challenge,” he said.
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During his North Park years, Startup helped in the University’s chemical hygiene department, learning safe practices, and trained others in how to use instruments in chemistry labs. He did undergraduate research in pharmacology at Loyola and “shadowed” a physician, enabling Startup to see surgeries and learn even more. He tutored students, was president of the chemistry club, was a regular at community service days for North Park students, and conducted science demonstrations for young students. Startup also played football at North Park all four years. This year he was an offensive lineman and team captain. His own sports injuries in high
I have no doubt we’ll be reading about Josh in a future edition of the North Parker.
school and being around athletic trainers and physicians led to his career interest in orthopedics. Assuming he attends medical school, Startup wants to work somewhere in the Midwest, perhaps in rural Indiana, or in an international setting. “Eventually, I’d like to go back and help those communities where they don’t have enough physicians, or there aren’t enough clinics or enough time for physicians to see people who really need it,” he said. Startup’s mother, Linda Hart, herself a college graduate after many years of part-time study, is not surprised by her son’s North Park University achievements. “He’s been ‘driven’ since he was a very little boy,” Hart said. “I don’t know where he got it. He was a great student, with good study habits. I never had to worry about him,” she said.
Campus News
Dr. Jonathan Rienstra-Kiracofe, professor of chemistry and department chair, said each year at the end of the year-long general chemistry course, students take a rigorous, standardized national exam. “Four years ago Josh set the record for the highest score obtained on the test by a North Park student,” he said. “Josh has a passion for science, medicine, and research. While his post-North Park plans are not yet fully sorted out, I have no doubt that we will read about an outstanding contribution Josh is making in medical research in a future edition of the North Parker,” Rienstra-Kiracofe said. Haugen’s interest in study abroad began in high school when she studied in France and developed an interest in economics. “It was such a life-changing experience that it was something I wanted to do again,” she said. Haugen, who earned a bachelor of science in business and economics from North Park, studied at Tilburg University in the Netherlands during her North Park years. She plans to work on a master’s degree in economics at the University of Amsterdam this fall. Eventually, Haugen wants to earn a doctorate in economics and teach, following in the footsteps of her father, Bill, who is a high school teacher. Haugen’s fiancé, whom she met while in high school in Milwaukie, Ore., is Dutch. Haugen began her college years at North Park in 2009. She had always thought she’d like to attend a larger college or university. Through her home congregation, Milwaukie Covenant Church, she learned about the University and its advantages, such as opportunities for regular student interaction with faculty. “I loved the urban setting. I loved all of the opportunities that North Park had to offer. And study abroad was important for me,” Haugen said. Haugen graduated from North Park with about 150 hours of college credit, earning 30 of those credits through advanced and college courses in high school. While she was a student at North Park, she lived on campus and was a resident advisor much of that time. She was also a tutor for students studying economics and French.
Haugen’s mother, Tricia, said her daughter is a person with strong family roots, but always had wings, needing to fly far. “She always has a plan and great ideas,” Tricia Haugen said. “She makes things happen. It’s always kind of amazed me.”
Daniel White Hodge Named Director of Center for Youth Ministry Studies
Dr. Daniel White Hodge joined the University in February to direct the University’s Center for Youth Ministry Studies (CYMS). Hodge has 18 years of urban-youth experience with organizations such as Young Life and World Vision and related scholarship, speaking, teaching, and writing experience. He wrote Heaven Has a Ghetto: The Missiological Gospel & Theology of Tupac Amaru Shakur, published in 2009, and The Soul of Hip Hop: Rims, Timbs & a Cultural Theology, published in 2010. His third book, The Hostile Gospel: Finding Religion in the Post Soul Theology of Hip Hop is expected to be published this year. With leadership from Hodge, North Park expects the CYMS will become a national center for youth ministry resources. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/5
North Park Theological Seminary Introduces Urban Ministry Certificate
The Seminary began accepting applications this year for a new, two-year graduate program leading to a certificate in urban ministry. The 15-credit program for Christian ministers and lay leaders will teach participants about effective ministry in urban settings. The University’s core values— Christian, multicultural, and urban— combined with the cultural and Christian diversity in Chicago, position the Seminary to offer a rich educational experience to students, said Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, the program’s director. Rah is the Milton B. Engebretson Associate Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism for the Seminary and a former urban pastor himself. Plans call for the first cohort to meet beginning Aug. 13–17 in Chicago. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/6
Group Visits China, Meets Business and Education Leaders
Fifteen students, faculty, and alumni of the School of Business and Nonprofit Management (SBNM) visited China in March to study its rapidly growing economy and to further the University’s partnership agreements with one of five Chinese universities, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GUFS). The group visited business leaders in Hong Kong and went to Guangzhou to visit more business leaders and GUFS leaders and students. North Park’s agreement with GUFS and the other schools promotes cross-cultural learning, research opportunities, and an exchange of students and faculty. Dr. Wesley E. Lindahl, SBNM professor and dean, and Dr. Chris Nicholson, director of graduate admissions and SBNM adjunct instructor, led the North Park group. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/7
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Dr. Al Kamienski, associate professor of finance, School of Business and Nonprofit Management, worked closely with Haugen. Her legacy is rapid accomplishment and clear focus on her future career, he said. “There has never been a student in my 10 years here who will have traveled abroad, been a resident advisor for multiple years, and graduated with 150 hours and a 3.9 grade point average. That is simply unprecedented,” he said, adding that Haugen’s coursework, right up to the very last class before graduation, was always top notch.
More News Highlights
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Campus News
More News Highlights North Park Justice Summit and Chicago Reload Conference Features West, Wallis
More than 900 people attended the two-day North Park Justice Summit and Chicago Reload conference in March to learn about justice and how to work for it in their communities. Attendees filled the University Gymnasium to hear Dr. Cornel West, a well-known author, speaker, commentator, and professor at Princeton (N.J.) University, deliver a rousing commentary on Christianity, love, and justice. West argued that “justice is what love looks like in public.” Rev. Jim Wallis, author, speaker, theologian, and president of Sojourners, Washington, D.C., told attendees that justice is an act of worship because “Jesus loves all of us.” Presentations by all conference plenary speakers were widely available via live webcasts carried on the University website. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/8
North Park University Choir Performs in New England
The 45-member North Park University Choir performed before packed congregations in three New England states in March. The choir, including the University Chamber Singers, performed in congregations of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Berlin, Conn.; Bedford, N.H.; and Quincy, Mass.; and sang in worship at Boston’s historic Trinity Church. Choir members also led a workshop with area high school choirs at a Massachusetts school. The tour theme was “Towards a Peaceable Kingdom: Songs of Faith, Inspiration, and Community.” Dr. Julia Davids, the Stephen J. Hendrickson Endowed Chair of Choral Activities, School of Music, directed the choir. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/9
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Annual Sankta Lucia Pageant Celebrates Saint Known for Bringing Light into Darkness
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The University’s Anderson Chapel was filled for the annual Sankta Lucia (Saint Lucia) Pageant Dec. 10, a traditional Advent celebration similar to events honoring the saint in Scandinavian countries. Students in the University’s Scandinavian Studies and Swedish language programs read the Christmas story in English and Swedish from the Gospel of Luke, told of Christmas traditions in Scandinavian countries and here in the United States, and recalled the story of Sankta Lucia. The program concluded with a traditional Sankta Lucia pageant, in which students displayed candles bringing light to darkness, and sang Swedish Christmas carols. More than 400 people also joined in the singing. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/10
Campus News
School of Education Announces New Master’s Degree in Literacy, Language, and Culture
Illinois public schools serve students who speak 139 distinct languages, and schoolteachers must be prepared. That’s why the University is offering a new master of arts degree in literacy, language, and culture (MALLC) beginning in the fall of 2012. The MALLC, offered through the School of Education, is designed for certified teachers who work with culturally diverse students and who want to enhance skills and gain additional certification. Teachers in the MALLC program can also obtain English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual endorsements. The 34-hour master’s program can generally be completed in two years. The University is only the second higher education institution in Illinois to offer this type of multifaceted degree. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/11
Board of Trustees Nominates David Kersten to Lead North Park Theological Seminary
The University board of trustees nominated Rev. Dr. David W. Kersten to be dean of North Park Theological Seminary. Kersten is currently executive minister of the Department of the Ordered Ministry, Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). He holds both undergraduate and Seminary degrees from the University. Kersten’s nomination was presented to the ECC Executive Board in March and goes before the ECC annual meeting in June. As his call is confirmed, Kersten will move into the Seminary leadership position Aug. 1. Introducing Kersten to the board as “a pastor’s pastor,” President Parkyn said, “Perhaps I can say it best this way: Dave Kersten comes to the academy from and for the church.” Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/12
First Students Complete University’s “Type 75” Program for Illinois School Administrators
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The first two University students completed a program leading toward a state certification that qualifies them for certain administrative roles in Illinois public schools. The students, D’Wayne Bates and Mark Rasar, completed the 33-hour “Type 75” certification program in December. Bates, a former wide receiver for the Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Wildcats, Chicago Bears, and Minnesota Vikings, wants to work in athletic administration. Including a high school internship experience, the program led to “a complete transformation” in his on-the-job thinking, Bates said. Rasar, a social science teacher at John Marshall Metropolitan High School, Chicago, directs a process that seeks to improve academic and behavioral success for students. Rasar completed an internship focused on the process, stressing accountability, of improving and increasing student learning. He wants to be a dean of students or assistant principal. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/13
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North Park University Alumni Work on Spanish-Language XBox Kinect
North Park University alumni Kjel Larsen C’2007 and Luke Bruckner C’2005 were part of a team that worked on a Spanish version of the Kinect, an accessory for the popular Microsoft Xbox 360 video-game console that detects movement by players so that physical controllers are not necessary. Larsen led the team that built Spanish-language voice-recognition functionality for the system. He convinced Bruckner, after the two successfully climbed Mt. Rainer, to join the group and help international users improve the Kinect’s recognition abilities. Since the product’s release in 2010, more than 10 million Kinect units have sold globally, including 750,000 in sales on “Black Friday” 2011 alone. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/14
Physicist Johnny Lin Chairs National Meeting on Computer Programming Language
Dr. Johnny Lin, professor of physics, taught a short course and chaired a national meeting in January devoted to Python, a fast, powerful, and versatile computer-programming language growing in popularity among people working in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. The symposium and short course were part of the annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society in New Orleans. Scientists presented papers highlighting the programming language’s use in modeling and analysis. Last year, the meeting included the first Python symposium which Lin also chaired. Colleagues formerly at the University of Chicago, where Lin did postdoctoral studies, and Lawrence Livermore (Calif.) National Laboratories worked with him to organize the symposium. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/15
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Chemistry Students Benefit from New Spectrometer and Microwave System
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Students in North Park University’s chemistry department are using new, high-tech equipment that improves classroom learning and research. North Park became one of the first U.S. universities to acquire a miniature Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer, which helps a user identify molecules in a solution by providing a “spectrum” or picture in graph form. The department also added a microwave synthesis system for its organic chemistry courses, enabling students to heat chemical compounds more efficiently and significantly shorten the time required for laboratory experiments. Grants from the Max Goldenberg Foundation, Chicago; the 2012 Pittsburgh Conference Memorial National College Grants Program; and the University funded the new equipment. Full story: www.northpark.edu/northparker/16
G. Timothy Johnson, David Helwig, Mary Surridge, and David Parkyn.
Campus News
More News Highlights
Announcing Campaign Milestones North Park University is preparing a building site this summer in anticipation of the start of construction on a new, long-awaited science and community life center. Formal groundbreaking for the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life is set for Oct. 26, 2012, with the project to be completed in time for the fall 2014 semester. Trustees confirmed construction of the building when they met in Chicago in May. Board members also decided to name the new 101,000-square-foot building for two outstanding alumni, Nancy and Dr. G. Timothy Johnson, for many years the chief medical editor for ABC News and now senior medical contributor. The trustees said the Johnsons “define a life of exemplary service.” “North Park was the first stop for both of us in our long academic journeys,” the Johnsons said. “It gave us a moral and intellectual foundation that has lasted a lifetime—and for which we will always be grateful. We are both very pleased but humbled by this naming honor.” “This new academic building will position North Park University to recruit students competitively and educate them effectively,” said Dr. David L. Parkyn, University president. “It will also assist us in attracting top-notch faculty in the sciences when required and in providing for faculty effectiveness as teachers and scholars.” The Johnson Center will house academic programs in the sciences as well as offices for University Ministries, international-student services, career development and internships, and residence life. Through the summer months, the University will complete the
Campus News
mission and values. “Tim has tirelessly championed the need for this new facility to prepare North Park’s students for demanding careers in modern science, medicine, and nursing. Nancy likewise is deeply committed to this important mission,” he said.
building design with the architectural team, finalize financial plans, and continue fundraising. Dr. G. Timothy Johnson is well-known to American television audiences, serving as chief medical editor for ABC News from 1984 to 2010. He graduated from North Park College (now University) in 1956 and from North Park Theological Seminary in 1963. He finished a medical degree before joining ABC News. Johnson reported regularly for Good Morning America, World News Tonight, Nightline, and 20/20. In 1991, he was honored as the University’s Distinguished Alumnus. Johnson is the founding editor of the Harvard Health Letter and author of several books on medicine and faith. He chaired a task force in 1979–1980 that recommended the University remain in its present location on the North Side of Chicago. Johnson is also an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), the denomination with which the University is affiliated.
“This is an indispensable project positioning North Park for a thriving future,” said Rev. Gary B. Walter S’80, ECC president. Walter is a graduate of the University’s North Park Theological Seminary. David Helwig C’78, Thousand Oaks, Calif., and chair of the University’s board of trustees, said naming of the new building recognizes the Johnsons’ University service and their stewardship of its
This new building will position North Park to recruit students competitively and educate them effectively.
The Center is a product of Campaign North Park, a comprehensive University fundraising campaign that began in 2011. The ongoing campaign seeks $57 million to fund the new building, the University’s annual fund, student scholarships, and Chicago-based academic programs and faculty development. Helwig and Tim Johnson are campaign co-chairs, working as “diligent champions” of the project, said Mary Surridge, vice president for development and alumni relations. “Campaign North Park will allow us to advance the initiatives so vital to the future success of the institution,” Surridge said. “Our students depend on this, and we must do all we can to provide the campus and programs they need to continue to broaden and deepen their academic abilities, their faith, and their friendships.”
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Nancy Johnson was trained as a nurse at the Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing, Chicago, including science study at North Park University. She completed a short-term medical assignment in Indonesia after she earned her nursing license. The Johnsons have volunteered for the University through service on the board of trustees and on behalf of North Park’s two most recent fundraising campaigns, including the current Campaign North Park. They reside in Marblehead, Mass.
The Johnson Center will feature 30 technology-enhanced laboratories, academic facilities, and faculty and staff offices. In addition to student co-curricular services, the new facility will house a café, plus conference rooms and meeting spaces. It will be built with attention to environmental stewardship and energy conservation. The project will seek Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification, demonstrating characteristics such as lower operating costs, resource conservation, and healthful and safe working conditions.
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www.northpark.edu/campaign
www.northpark.edu/campaign
The Time is Now: The Johnson Center by Mary Nowesnick
It is fall 2014 in the newly opened Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, the latest and boldest
addition to the North Park footprint. It is set in the heart of campus and well-positioned at the leading edge of science education and the forefront of vibrant college life. It is where our mission flourishes to prepare well-rounded students in all disciplines, especially future scientists, nurses, doctors, and researchers, for lives of significance and service. It is our legacy, our tradition, our future.
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Enter through a dramatic two-story atrium. Look all around— and up—as students and faculty rush to the most modern science labs and research facilities. Listen to lively breakout sessions in technology-enhanced classrooms. Visit inviting spaces for student services, for social interaction, and for contemplation. Take a seat in the atrium lounge or café overlooking the campus green. This is the gathering place to meet, confer, and recharge.
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www.northpark.edu/campaign
Campaign North Park
$57 million
The Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life: Opening 2014 The Johnson Center is a major step in North Park’s trajectory of growth toward leadership among Christian liberal arts universities nationwide. The new Center will “position North Park to recruit students competitively and educate them effectively,” says Dr. David L. Parkyn, president.
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The building’s design, shown on these pages, has evolved to meet the foremost requirement for any capital project at North Park: to fully meet the needs of current and future students. With trustee approval to begin construction this fall (see page 8), the Johnson Center will more than meet its mandate, says Parkyn, by ensuring that “strong programs grow stronger and effective student learning advances to an even higher level.”
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Science Excellence As a specialized facility to continue our allimportant emphasis on collaborative student-faculty research, the Johnson Center will accelerate North Park’s leadership in science education. Over the past decade, student enrollment in the life and physical sciences and in nursing has increased by 35 percent. And our well-prepared graduates go on to prestigious medical schools and competitive graduate programs in the sciences nationwide—and on to distinguished careers. The Center’s premier science spaces will open the way to discoveries and innovations, while renewing an appreciation of the wonders of God’s world. Featuring three floors and a garden level, the 101,000-square-foot building will house 30 technology-enhanced laboratories for biology, chemistry, physics, math,
and psychology, along with additional resource, research, and conference spaces. Academic facilities will also include six multiuse classrooms. Vibrant Community Today, the quality of campus life is a critical factor in the competitive college market. The Johnson Center’s unique environments for social activities and student engagement will have a dramatic and far-reaching impact on North Park’s mission to educate the whole person. The building also will actively support the University’s commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and creation care. Students will have ready access to centralized student services, including University Ministries, student development, career development and internships, residence life, and the international office. Gathering and communal study spaces, including the café and generous atrium lounge, will create “a campus living room for conversation and interaction,” says Carl E. Balsam, executive vice president and chief financial officer, who oversees the building’s design and planning. “We are blessed by our momentum as a University, including the success of Campaign North Park which has just surpassed the $50 million mark toward the final goal of $57 million,” says Parkyn, adding that fundraising will continue for the new facility. “Construction of the Johnson Center will quicken the pace of our momentum,” he says, “as we prepare for yet another major milestone—our 125th anniversary in 2016.”
North Park University has named the new science and community life center in honor of Dr. G. Timothy Johnson C’56 S’53 and Nancy Johnson. “This distinction recognizes the Johnsons’ exemplary service to the University as donors, as campaign leaders, as alumni, as medical professionals, and as lifelong stewards of North Park’s mission and educational ideals,” explains Mary K. Surridge, vice president for development and alumni relations. The chief medical editor for ABC News from 1984 to 2010, “Dr. Tim” is 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. Nancy received her training as a nurse at the Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing. www.northpark.edu/campaign
Lifetime of Service
$50.4 million
“As campaign co-chair with David Helwig, Tim has worked tirelessly to help us complete this building for our students,” says Surridge. “The dedication and support from both Tim and Nancy to champion a dynamic future for North Park University has been a tremendous gift to all of us.”
Your support of Campaign North Park and the new Johnson Center is essential. You can ensure that North Park University advances its important mission of preparing students for lives of significance and service. Make your gift today.
Foster Avenue
By mail North Park University Office of Development 3225 W Foster Ave, Box 6 Chicago, IL 60625
Kimball Avenue
By phone To speak with a North Park gift officer, please call toll-free (866) 366-8096 or (773) 244-5790.
The Johnson Center
For more information about Campaign North Park and the Johnson Center, visit www.northpark.edu/campaign.
Brandel Library
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Online www.northpark.edu/donate
Carmen Avenue 13
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North Parker Summer 2012 Photos by Stephen Signa C’2012
Past Present
When the is All Too
North Park University’s Sankofa Experience
by Christine Scheller
North Parker Summer 2012
For most of us, the image of a plantation evokes thoughts of a distant, troubling time in American history, but for a group of North Park University students who took a 72-hour “freedom ride” to see civil-rights landmarks last year, that history was all too present.
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Museum in Selma, Alabama. They get a good night’s rest at a hotel Friday night before another full day of sightseeing and another night of discussion on the long bus ride home.
“I don’t recall ever meeting anybody who was of the particular opinion that slavery wasn’t so bad, that people received three meals a day and adequate housing,” said Ramiro Medrano, a mid-life adult student, as he described the visit to a working plantation offering historical reenactments and tours near Natchez, Mississippi. “I was really surprised that the owners of this plantation were marketing that, and even more surprised that they had students come out and participate in an activity where they picked cotton and then they gave that back to the plantation owner’s company,” he said.
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The plantation’s owners are descendents of slave holders, said Abigail Svoboda, a North Park undergraduate, and their business is a lucrative one. The cotton picked by elementary school children is sold for a profit, she said, and sharecropping is also part of the business model, with descendents of former slaves farming the owners’ land. “They’re very happy and proud to tell you that,” said Svoboda. “They will also tell you, ‘Racism doesn’t exist.’”
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For both students, this stop was the most memorable and disturbing of the journey they took as part of North Park’s Sankofa experience. The annual, threeday bus trip begins on a Thursday night during the spring semester. Social-justice and civil-rights videos stimulate conversation as participants journey along the same basic route that Freedom Riders took in the 1960s. After a night on the bus, the group of up to 60 participants visits sites like the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, and the National Voting Rights
What really disturbed Svoboda about the plantation stop was the realization that school children were being taught a false version of history. “They’re taught that slavery was actually just happy laborers singing in a field,” she said. For her, that was a “microcosm” of how racism works. “It’s really easy for most of us to say that these things don’t exist when we’re still living off the benefits.” The group actually left the plantation tour early, and most people were crying afterwards, said Svoboda. It was the third day of the trip, and the bus was hot and smelly, Medrano said. “We experienced being uncomfortable. It added to making us a little bit more hostile.” Participants are so physically worn down by this point in the journey that “they’ve lost some of their mental filters and ability to play nice,” said the former program director for University Ministries, Paul Johnson C’97. “The political correctness is all out the door. You get a lot more of the raw emotion, a lot more of the knee-jerk reaction to things that otherwise I think they would gloss over.” As Svoboda was preparing to go on her second Sankofa trip this February, a white friend told her he was still struggling with guilt over his immediate reaction to what happened at the plantation last year. He had initially expressed disapproval of the way the group had “demonized” the tour guide, even though he too was appalled at what she was saying. His perspective was a “valuable thing for us to hear,” said Svoboda, “but it was also difficult because [there were] just so many spiritually oppressive lies that we were being told.” Her friend’s concern didn’t stifle conversation on the bus, she said. Although rules like “no profanity” and “no personal attacks” govern behavior, “at that point, it was pretty no-holds-barred.”
“Go Back and Get It” Managing Emotions and Reactions Marcus Simmons C’2009 is a coordinator of the Sankofa program and has been on 12 trips since he first came to North Park as an undergrad in 2004. At first, he wondered whether talk could accomplish anything and whether there were whites who cared enough to engage in difficult conversations about racial reconciliation. But by his fourth trip, he was wrestling with how to have serious discussions about race in a way that honored both his faith and his passion for reconciliation work. And by his eighth trip, he was grappling with how to have multigenerational conversations about race.
“Through an outburst of emotion that I didn’t even see coming myself, I realized that I had been looking at it as a problem that I inherited,” said Simmons. It was also a problem he didn’t want to take responsibility for, but older participants were saying was his generation’s to solve.
The word thus aptly sums up the impulse of a Sankofa journey: an exploration of America’s history in order to move forward in racial reconciliation through knowledge, empathy, and inspired vision illuminated by the past. Other than sankofa and adinkra, other Akan words that have entered the English vocabulary include many botanical terms, kente cloth, and the cunning, mythical spider figure Anancy (or Anansi).
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It was on this trip, which he took with North Park Theological Seminary, that Simmons realized he was harboring anger toward older generations of all races.
The word sankofa comes from Akan, the language of the 18th- and 19th-century Ashanti empire in what is now Ghana and Ivory Coast. In Akan, sankofa derives from the words meaning “go back and get it” and occurs in the proverb, “It’s not wrong to go back to get what you’ve forgotten.” The term also names one of the ancient Akan visual symbols called adinkra. As seen above, the adinkra sankofa bird is turning backward but picking up an egg representing the future.
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“I don’t want crucifixion. But I do want accountability. I want people to understand that this isn’t something that I can do on a weekend and forget about later.”
“At first, I really pushed back on that and said, ‘You know, it might be, but this is your fault. You didn’t fix this and I don’t know what to do about it,’” said Simmons. Afterwards, he came to the conclusion that different age groups need to work through these issues together. Now Simmons coordinates a multigenerational trip himself. Medrano was sometimes concerned about the anger African Americans expressed on the bus and by the tendency of whites to “write things off,” as if the actions of their ancestors or modern-day racism had nothing to do with them. “Unfortunately, in the work of reconciliation, not enough people are taking responsibility to walk them through that. Because of where my passion is, I did, and will, even after the trip,” said Medrano. He recalls watching the film Amistad on the bus and coming to the realization that, although he has experienced prejudice and racial profiling as a thirdgeneration Mexican American, his own Spanish and Portuguese ancestors may have been involved in the slave trade, too. “It’s challenged me to look at things differently,” he said.
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Finding Language to Talk about the “Absurdity of Race”
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Rayshauna Gray took two Sankofa trips when she was a student at North Park. She went on the first one thinking it would be a “great time” to hang out and talk about race in ways that she and her black friends ordinarily only did when they were alone together. Sankofa gave Gray additional language to talk about “the absurdity of race,” she said. “There comes a point in an intentional conversation about any form of privilege when you must be moved to action,” said Gray.
“Sankofa done right reveals to us that our humanity is at stake,” Gray said, “that race, too, is still at the heart of this country’s darkness, and that the hope for a better tomorrow hinges upon the past we’ve inherited and the work we do today.” White participants may be confronting the reality of white privilege for the first time, said Johnson. “A lot of people understand white privilege as perks and benefits that most people don’t get,” he said. “The next layer down is to understand that those privileges come at the expense of other people.” “Sankofa made me brave enough to say that I was raised a human being,” said Gray, “and every morning when I wake up, I’m fully human, and then I go out into a society that lops off limbs and makes me Black or female. I can choose to live in a bubble—that’s all well and good until someone in Boston at the bus station calls me a racial slur when they’re drunk, which happened last week.”
Looking Backward to Move Forward Sankofa didn’t originate at North Park. It is a West African word that means “looking backward to move forward,” and it has been used by many people in a variety of contexts, said Chrissy Palmerlee, manager of the department of compassion, mercy, and justice in the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). The denomination’s Covenant Ministries of Benevolence organized the first Sankofa trip in 1999 after its executive vice president, Harold Spooner, and his colleagues Jim Sundholm C’67 S’72 and Jim Lundeen C’55 were introduced to the idea at a 1998 Christian Community Development Association conference, said Spooner. “The point of Sankofa is to give you a relationship that you can continue to walk in,” said Palmerlee. The ECC hosts two trips every year for 35 to 40 participants from around the country as part of a multilayered denominational effort called “Journey
introduced her to the experience when they shared their Sankofa stories at a campus event. Then, as a junior, she moved into a “diversity house” that had been formed by participants of another trip. Now she keeps the conversation going by hosting dinners with one of her Sankofa partners. toward Racial Righteousness,” she said. Journey to Mosaic, which involves Sankofa-like experiences in different regions of the country, and Invitation to Racial Righteousness, which involves reconciliation work between local churches, are the other two components.
Evolving into the Future In 2000, after Paul Johnson’s colleague Alexandria Taylor came back from an early ECC Sankofa trip, she convinced him to adapt the experience for North Park students. Although the bus trip hasn’t changed in the past 12 years, the rest of the experience has evolved and expanded, he said. The number of preand post-trip gatherings has increased, and students can even take a Sankofa class. Participants are also now paired with partners of a different race before the trip and are encouraged to meet together outside formal gatherings to build their relationship.
The partnership model is unique and especially beneficial for college students, he said, because sharing dorm rooms and classes facilitates ongoing opportunities to interact around the issues. For Abigail Svoboda, the relationships formed on previous trips led directly to her involvement. An interracial group of female students who lived together
One of the University’s goals is to prepare students who are “interculturally competent,” said the dean of diversity, Terry Lindsay, because graduate schools and corporations want young adults who are not only competent in their areas of study but also prepared to “live, learn, and lead in a globalized society.” Sankofa is one of many cross-cultural experiences designed to shape students for the future, Lindsay said. Although it is carried out under his direction, he himself took the journey for the first time just last year. “I’ve been doing this diversity work now for many years,” said Lindsay, “and it’s by far the most transformational experience I’ve ever had.” Likewise, a decade of coordinating North Park’s Sankofa experience gave Johnson a lens through which to see life that now affects everything he does: how he spends his money, who his friends are, where he lives, what his job is. “This is a filter that I run every decision through,” said Johnson, who now works on racial reconciliation and social justice issues at a majority-white church. “An immersion experience like this, when coupled with the right kind of classroom and learning experience, I think, is a perfect environment for true change.”
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“We really tried to utilize this experience as a catalyst for change on campus and then change within the individual,” said Johnson. “The more of that work that was done ahead of time made the experience so much deeper and richer on the bus.”
“Sankofa gives you a perspective of history that is so, so crucial to the conversation,” said Svoboda. “Dealing with issues of reconciliation on the level of a whole community, a whole country, and learning to get past ignorance and find our historical and societal context is something that I had never dived into.”
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The impact of students on the Civil Rights Movement extended well beyond their immediate circle. Yes, they intended to influence their own circumstances, but their actions rippled outward to inspire countless others to join in. We hope Sankofa does the same. “They lived on a fuller level of feeling than any people I’d ever seen, partly because they were making history in a very personal way, and partly because by risking death they came to know the value of living each moment to the fullest. I wanted to live like them.” —Tom Hayden
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Founder of Students for a Democratic Society and California state senator
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“When I did see the young people, first the sit-ins and the courage that they had to have, and then a couple years later on the bus in Anniston, and Jim Peck being so brutally beaten, I thought I just had to do something, and simply volunteered and proceeded.” —Albert Gordon
“Freedom Rider,” teacher, and Jewish immigrant whose family had been killed in the Holocaust
Chicago, Illinois
Salem Baptist Church www.sbcoc.org DuSable Museum www.dusablemuseum.org The Firehouse Community Arts Center www.thafirehouse.org A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum www.aphiliprandolphmuseum.com Rainbow PUSH Coalition www.rainbowpush.org
Cincinnati, Ohio
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center www.freedomcenter.org
Memphis, Tennessee Lorraine Motel/National Civil Rights Museum www.civilrightsmuseum.org
Jackson, Mississippi John Perkins Foundation www.jmpf.org
Atlanta, Georgia Ebenezer Baptist Church historicebenezer.org The King Center www.thekingcenter.org
Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham Civil Rights Institute www.bcri.org 16th Street Baptist Church 16thstreetbaptist.org
Montgomery, Alabama The Southern Poverty Law Center www.splcenter.org
Edmund Pettus Bridge www.civilrightsmuseum.org The Voting Rights Museum www.nvrmi.com
New Orleans, Louisiana The Lower 9th Ward Village www.lower9thwardvillage.org
North Parker Summer 2012
Selma, Alabama
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Enfleshing Freedom, M. Shawn Copeland
North Parker Summer 2012
Recommended Reading:
African American theology, black women’s experience
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The Cross and the Lynching Tree, James Cone Seeing the crucifixion as a first-century lynching
Are Prisons Obsolete?, Angela Davis A case for the abolition of prisons
The Beloved Community, Charles Marsh
The Christian vision behind the civil rights movement
A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Eleven of Martin Luther King Jr.’s most powerful sermons
The Next Evangelicalism, Soong-Chan Rah Embracing a new evangelicalism that is diverse and multiethnic
Race Matters, Cornel West
Eight essays addressing our nation’s serious racial issues
United by Faith, Curtiss Paul DeYoung, et al.
An exploration of racial segregation in church congregations
Divided by Faith, Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith
Obstacles to racial reconciliation in white evangelical America
The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander
A revealing look at mass incarceration in America
Medical Apartheid, Harriet A. Washington
Sister Citizen, Melissa V. Harris-Perry
Dismantling Racism, Joseph Barndt
God of the Oppressed, James Cone
Let Justice Roll Down, John M. Perkins
The Heart of Racial Justice, Brenda Salter McNeil and Rick Richardson
Shameful history of medical experimentation on African Americans
Focuses on the task of ending racism
The powerful testimony of John Perkins
Many Colors, Soong-Chan Rah
A guide for ministering to increasingly diverse populations
Living in the Shadows of a Legend: Heroes and Sheroes who Marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Deric Gilliard
The men and women of the civil rights movement
Exploration of persistent stereotypes black women encounter today
Reflections on God, Jesus, suffering, and liberation
A new model for racial reconciliation and social justice
White Privilege, Paula S. Rothenberg
A challenging look at white privilege today
Letters across the Divide, David Anderson and Brent Zuercher
Two friends explore racism, friendship, and faith
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Films & Documentaries:
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006)
How racism impacted the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
The Black Power Mix-Tape 1967–1975 (2011) The black power movement of the 1960s and 70s
Banished (PBS, 2008)
The history of American communities that banished black families
Slavery by Another Name (PBS, 2012)
Challenges the notion that slavery ended in 1863
Tulia, Texas (PBS, 2009)
A cautionary tale of the war on drugs
4 Little Girls (HBO, 1997)
Documents the 1963 Birmingham church bombing
The Color of Fear (1994)
Race relations seen through the eyes of eight men
Malcolm X (1992)
Biography of civil rights leader, Malcolm X
American Violet (2008)
Based on true events of police racism and corruption
The Great Debaters (2007)
1935 African American debate team becomes historically elite
The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till (2005) An investigation into the murder of Emmett Till
Home of the Brave (2004)
The story of murdered civil rights activist, Viola Luizzo
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Traces of the Trade (2008)
A family discovers their ancestors’ slave trade history
The Long Walk Home (1990)
A period drama of the 1950s south
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Race relations in America, circa 1989
Mississippi Burning (1988) Based on 1964 disappearance of three civil rights workers
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Amistad (1997)
1839 revolt by African captives on a slave ship
Freedom Riders (PBS, American Experience, 2010) College students in 1961 travel to segregated Deep South www.northpark.edu/northparker/17
Eyes on the Prize documentary (PBS, Part I, 1987; Part II, 1990) The definitive story of the civil rights era
Race: The Power of an Illusion (PBS, 2003)
Navigates through the myths and misconceptions of race
For more advanced viewing:
American History X (1998)
A powerful drama addressing issues of racism
The Interrupters (2011)
Chicago ex-cons work to stop youth violence
Recommended Sermons:
www.northpark.edu/northparker/18
History of racism in America and the white church
www.northpark.edu/northparker/19
www.northpark.edu/northparker/20
The painful history of Native Americans and the church
Find all of these resources and more on North Park University’s Pinterest: www.northpark.edu/pinterest
The history of race in America has often involved journeys, including Africans’ original, forced migration at the hands of slavers in the first place. (That’s one reason a Sankofa trip can be such an effective way to pursue racial reconciliation.) With this sweeping book, Isabel Wilkerson tackles another history-making mass movement: the flood of blacks leaving the South between 1915 and 1970 for new homes in the Northeast, Midwest, and West. This tectonic shift came to be known as the “Great Migration,” and it remade American race relations. What makes the Pulitzer-winner’s account so powerful, however, isn’t its epic scale but her focus on telling the personal histories of three individuals who made the move, in three different decades (the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s). More than the epochal backdrop of shifting demography, their richly remembered stories of what they left behind in the South—and what they found in the North—make this a book that readers won’t forget. Read the North Parker’s extended version of this review at www.northpark.edu/northparker/21
North Parker Summer 2012
Challenge to go to Samaria – neighborhoods of the marginalized
On the Move
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Faculty Essay
Let Those Who Have Eyes See by Tim Lowly
Sitting in a gathering of faculty at North Park this past January, I’m listening to President David Parkyn speak about our need to be increasingly present to the city of Chicago. He speaks of the worldwide trend toward urbanized populations, noting that demographers expect that by 2050 over 80 percent of the world’s population will be urban. Dr. Parkyn stresses that “the world of 2050 is the world for which we must educate and prepare today’s students.” My mind wanders into the past, almost as far back as he is pointing forward…. The autumn of 1976. I am a freshman on the first day of a class in introductory philosophy. It could be that I remember the professor best because of this very moment: Dr. Mouw enters the classroom— dressed relatively informally for an academic—sits, pipe in hand, on the front of the desk, and addresses us. I remember that moment clearly, but ultimately it was what followed throughout the semester and beyond that gave the moment meaning. Certainly the class was marked with academic rigor, yet we were challenged to bring our learning of this seemingly arcane subject into an engagement with the contemporary world. And further, it became clear that this esteemed professor did not regard his status as a barrier to engaging us as friends and colleagues in the pursuit of learning. Now, back in the present, as I sit here listening to the president challenge the faculty, I am grateful to have had a professor such as Richard Mouw (and there were others to whom I feel equally indebted). And further, I share the hope to have the same sort of engagement with my students, some of whom will be my age come the year 2050. Let those who have eyes see.
This was a simple project with a less-than-simple principle: humility in relation to the subject. That is, the students were asked to make works of art that were driven by the subject—both in terms of
The gaze in our human experience carries and embodies all sorts of possibilities: superiority, disdain, curiosity, shame, mischief, disinterest. In this regard it might be useful to consider the words, “let those who have eyes see,” as related to how we see. I believe Jesus calls us to a seeing—a gaze—of love, one of humility and openness in relation to the subject. In the case of this year’s collaborative “Eye Project,” the subject of each artwork is the person represented. Collectively the subject of the project is a community called to a “seeing” that is rooted in love and humility.
I wonder how this idea might apply to how each of us approaches the subjects we face. Returning to President Parkyn’s challenge to the North Park University faculty, I think further of the subject of my work as a teacher, a subject I am called to regard with humility: • the subject of art, its history, its ways of making and being • the subject of my students: who they are and who they are becoming • the subject of our context, the community of the University, the city of Chicago, and the world Let those who have eyes see.
North Parker Summer 2012
Early in this school year, the art department received an invitation from Tony Zamblé, director of North Park’s University Ministries, to develop a collaborative project for our students, one which would manifest the campus theme for this year: community. The project we came up with involved students making works that represented the eyes of a fellow student.
representation and style. Such humility would intentionally complicate the conventional understanding of art as “self-expression.”
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Donor Profile
“We’ve Always Loved This Place” William P. Bruce C’63 and Phyllis (Dahl) Bruce C’66
North Parker Summer 2012
alumni@northpark.edu
by Elizabeth Lamberti G’2012
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When it came to making a decision for college, William Bruce’s father gave him two options: either stay in Minnesota or go to North Park in Chicago. He chose the latter and never looked back. Phyllis Dahl, his future wife, had not been thinking about college at all until a high school teacher told her she was “college material” and should consider furthering her education. Having been raised in the Covenant Church, North Park was a natural choice for Phyllis, and she came to Chicago with a friend, Lynn Rae Springer Peterson (C’66), with whom she roomed all the way through. After two years of studies at North Park College, she continued on at Swedish Covenant Hospital for three more years to complete her bachelor’s degree in nursing. “In those days,” recalls Phyllis, “you weren’t allowed to get married until you were done with the entire program because they wanted you to focus solely on nursing. But we got married just before graduation with only a short time to go.” This year, the Bruces will celebrate 46 years of marriage. “For me,” says William, a human relations major and English minor, “coming to Chicago and being academically stimulated was huge. It opened up a whole new world and allowed me to see something beyond what I had known up until that point. The support and care from faculty and staff made it feel very comfortable—it was as if I inherited a whole new raft of parents!” The urban experience prepared him for his professional life as well, says Bruce, who taught in the Minneapolis Public School system for most of his career. “After working in Chicago Public Schools, I felt as if I could do anything!” He now is president of Family of Bruce International, the U.S. branch of one of the 120 Scottish Clans & Families recognized by the Lyon Court, and is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. For Phyllis, finding her calling was a result of faith. “Career paths for women were still limited at that time. I remember praying a lot for guidance from God. I struggled, initially, with the decision to go into medicine, but I never regretted it. I quickly learned that nursing was much more than just carrying bedpans!” She eventually caught the teaching bug as well, going on to become Assistant Professor of Nursing at the College of St. Catherine in the Twin Cities, in addition to working in hospitals and as a parish nurse. For both William and Phyllis, what they cherish most from North Park are the friendships they formed on campus that have remained important throughout their lives. Phyllis is part of a group of girlfriends that call themselves “the Ziltches.” The five teachers and five nurses, all roommates from North Park, still get together every two
years in some part of the country. As a spouse, William considers himself an honorary Ziltch, even though the club is officially open only to women. When it comes to honoring the special place that brought William and Phyllis and their friends together, supporting North Park is a “no-brainer,” according to William. Long-time President’s Club contributors, the Bruces have established a scholarship fund at North Park Theological Seminary in honor of William’s late brother, Robert D. Bruce. Robert completed his BA and MDiv at North Park but passed away before he was able to fully realize his aspirations as a pastor and teacher. “My brother’s life was too short, but some of his happiest days were spent at North Park and we wanted to memorialize that. The scholarship is designed to help Seminary students follow their calling to serve.” The Bruces have also given generously to support capital projects on campus, such as Brandel Library and the new Johnson Center for Science and Community Life. “I like the way that North Park has preserved and repurposed many of the old, historic buildings that we remember, while making way for the new ones. There is no question that we need to keep moving forward and provide technology and facilities to attract the best students. Tradition still lives here, and I know when I come to campus to celebrate my 100th birthday, I will still recognize it!” jokes Bruce. “We have always loved this place and still do. As long as I have the resources, North Park will get a substantial share.”
Alumni Notes
Alumni Notes Summer 2012
alumni@northpark.edu
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Alumni Notes 1970s
alumni@northpark.edu
Dan Peterson C’78 works as medical director of the Concentra Occupational and Urgent Care Clinic in Colorado Springs. The national company has its own Hall of Fame, to which Dan was inducted last January.
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar has announced that its annual “Tacqdeer” (“appreciation”) awards will be named “The Charles E. Thorpe Distinguished Service Awards” in honor of Charles Thorpe C’79. The service awards are presented in the following categories: dedication, service to students, innovation, commitment to the community, and outstanding newcomer. Dr. Thorpe served as founding dean at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar from 2004 –2010, where he oversaw the founding and growth of the school. During Thorpe’s tenure as dean, Carnegie Mellon Qatar grew from 41 to 246 undergraduate students, with 42 students enrolled in certificate programs, 67 alumni, and more than 100 faculty and staff members. “It is hard to believe how far Carnegie Mellon Qatar progressed during Chuck’s tenure. In his role as dean, he always displayed a sense of optimism and patience that was both infectious and motivating,” says Mark Kamlet, provost and executive vice president, Carnegie Mellon University. Thorpe also played a large role in engaging faculty and staff in community and secondary school outreach programs. In 2005, Dean Thorpe headed up the launch of the BOTBALL high school robotics program.
1980s
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Tim Horner C’87 S’94
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is a professor in the Villanova Center for Liberal Education, teaching courses on genocide and conflict for the Center for Peace and Justice Studies as well as the Augustine and Culture Seminar. He was recently a featured speaker at the TEDx Conference. His talk can be found on YouTube by searching for “Tim Horner TEDx.”
David Conrad C’88 discovered a love of song and hymn writing at North Park, and he extends his gratitude to the North Park faculty and staff for inspiring him. By searching “David C. Conrad Music” on YouTube, you will find some of his songs, including “Ordinary Grace” and “There Is Always Enough.”
1990s Ken C’94 G’2004 and Jenny (Rippe) Henrikson C’95 are delighted to announce the addition of Violet Song Henrikson (age 1) to their family in March 2012. Violet joins brothers Andre (7) and Gregory (6).
2000s Christine (Beukhof) C’2000 and Josh Anderson C’2000 wel-
comed twin girls Caitlyn Elle and Calla Noelle on January 11, 2011. Josh is the executive director at the Holmstad, a Covenant Retirement Community, while Christine is at home with their girls. The Andersons currently live in Highland Park, Ill.
Alumni Notes
Kathryn Magnuson C’2001 and Luke Knotts were married on
May 28, 2011, at Winnetka Covenant Church in Wilmette, Ill.
Sarah (Doyle) Beebe C’2000 G’2003 and her husband, Tom, welcomed daughter Rosaleen “Rose” Clara Beebe on September 6, 2011.
North Parker Summer 2012
Bjorn Carl Johnson was born to Anders C’2001 S’2006 and Samantha (Nelson) Johnson C’2003 on September 13, 2011. Bjorn was 8 lb. 9 oz. and 19.5 inches long. Mom, Dad, and Bjorn live in Chicago.
alumni@northpark.edu
North Parkers in the wedding included Scott Magnuson C’95 S’2006, Kurt C’2000 and Denee (Petersen) Anderson C’2000, Courtney (Mecher) C’2000 and Erik Strom C’2001 G’2007 S’2007, Cam C’2001 and Linnea (Wallgren) Johnson C’2001, Suzannah Magnuson C’2005, and future North Parker Ava Anderson. Luke is an assistant department head of personal training at Lifetime Fitness in Schaumburg, Ill., and Kat is a massage therapist and personal trainer at Lifetime Fitness in Skokie, Ill. Luke and Kat live in Evanston and are members of Winnetka Covenant Church.
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Alumni Notes
Krissa (Harwood) C’2002 and Jonathan Barnes C’2003 wel-
alumni@northpark.edu
comed Lydia Joy to their family on August 17, 2011. Lydia joins big brother Oliver, age two.
Anna and Daniel Dierenfeld C’2004 welcomed their first child, son Levi Daniel, on January 27, 2012. He weighed 9 lb. 8 oz. and measured 21 inches.
Kelsi (MacDonald) C’2002 and Dirk Anderson C’2004
welcomed Sydney Lee on November 27, 2011. Sydney was 7 lb. 12 oz. and 21 inches.
Marit (Johnson) C’2003 G’2011 and Seth Awes C’2004 G’2010
welcomed with love their son Gustaf “Gus” on February 2, 2012. There aren’t words to describe the joy and love that Gus has brought to their lives. The family resides in Chicago.
Dale and Hannah (Zweigle) Harris C’2004 announce the birth of rainbow baby, Ruby Joy Leah, born July 25, 2011.
North Parker Summer 2012
Bryan and Emily (Nelson) Peterson C’2005 welcomed Annika Kristine on March 7, 2012. She weighed 6 lb. 11 oz. and was 20 inches long. Annika joins big brother Joshua, 18 months. The family resides in St. Francis, Minn.
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Rachel (Madvig) Zimmerly C’2009 and her husband, Stephen, welcomed Nolan Bruce on September 9, 2011. He weighed 8 lb. 2 oz. and was 20½ inches at birth. The Zimmerlys currently live in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
The North Parker welcomes updates for the Alumni Notes, including wedding, birth, reunion, and professional announcements. Your updates can be submitted online at www.northpark.edu/alumni or mailed to North Park University, 3225 W. Foster Ave., Box 37, Chicago, IL 60625. Please keep submissions to 100 words or fewer and ensure that photographs are high resolution. Due to space limitations, announcements are subject to editing.
For more information on how to stay in touch with alumni, visit
www.northpark.edu/alumni
North Parker Summer 2012
Bernice “Ekie” (Eklund) Sucha C’45 passed away unexpectedly on September 25, 2011 at Mayo Clinic at the age of 85. She referred to her college adventures during World War II, which included working in diner of Caroline Hall to pay for her education, as the happiest time of her life. A two-time breast cancer survivor, Bernice was married for 59 years to Bill Sucha and had four children. She was preceded in death by her father, Axel Gerhardt Eklund S’10 and her sister, Margaret Burley C’42. Bernice is photographed driving her daughter’s speedboat at 47 knots around a Texas lake in spring 2011.
alumni@northpark.edu
Obituaries
Robert L. Appel Jr., 86, passed away on March 19, 2012. He was a faithful member of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Batavia, Ill. Robert proudly served his country during World War II and the Korean Conflict in the United States Navy on the USS Sicily (CVE 118) and USS Palau (CVE 122). He then transferred to the Reserves and served there for 30 years retiring as Captain (0-6). Robert worked as a teacher and counselor before he became an associate professor at North Park, where he also served as the principal of North Park Academy. He continued his career in higher education until retiring to the Holmstad in Batavia. He is survived by many family members, including his beloved wife of 64 years, Joyce (Broman) C’45; two daughters, Kristine (Appel) Gustavson C’71 and Kathleen (Appel) Bengtson, who reflects that Robert’s time at North Park “laid such a good foundation for the rest of his career. These two positions made him a better teacher and administrator throughout his career in education.” He was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.
Alumni Notes
Clara Lee Rodriguez was born July 7, 2011. She was welcomed by parents Ramon and Erin (Thorson) C’2005 and big sister Lucia, age two.
Roger William Johnson C’49 S’55 passed away on February 17, 2012, at age 82. At North Park, Roger was editor of the yearbook and co-captain of the basketball team, and was later elected to the North Park Vikings Hall of Fame. He married Charlotte (Julin) C’49 in 1953, went on to earn a PhD at Harvard University, and worked in parish ministry at churches in the New England/New York area and Minnesota, as a chaplain, and as a professor. He served on numerous committees and as a volunteer on behalf of the disenfranchised and received the Ethics in Action Award by the Westchester Ethical Humanist Society, and the Citation for Community Leadership from the Westchester County Board of Legislators. Roger was chosen to participate in the British-American Bicentennial Preacher Exchange in 1976, where he preached in various parishes in Scotland, the homeland of the subject of his doctoral dissertation, John Baillie. He is survived by a large family, including his wife, Charlotte. A website celebrating Roger’s life may be found at www.pulsarnet.com/rwj.
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Alumni Profile
Making Up the Rules
An interview with Jaime Griesemer C’99 by Elizabeth Lamberti G’2012
Jaime Griesemer graduated from North Park University in 1999. After finding early success in the video-gaming industry with his collaboration on the popular Xbox game Halo, Griesemer now works as lead game designer for Sucker Punch, a division of Sony. We caught up with him recently in Seattle to ask how his liberal arts education helped him forge a career in the fast-paced world of technology. North Parker: You’ve had an exciting career thus far. How did you get into video-game development, and what was your first job? Griesemer: My first job in game design was as a tester for Myth, a game that my friends and I played during college. I had developed a fan site for Myth, whose parent company, Bungie, was then based in Chicago. They noticed my work and asked me to come in to do some testing for them. That led to a job after college, and when the company moved to the Pacific Northwest, I came with them. That’s where I did my work on Halo. What led you to choose North Park for your undergraduate experience?
North Parker Summer 2012
I was being courted by some bigger schools and had done a summer internship in physics at Harvard, but it did not feel very creative. I started to think about what else I wanted to explore and realized I liked philosophy. I wanted a smaller school, and North Park afforded me the opportunity to do both philosophy and the sciences, and to have more dialogue and personal attention. Also, I liked the fact that there was a seminary on campus. I could take courses in New Testament and Greek. Where else can you do that?
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At North Park, you had a double major in philosophy and physics. How did your preparation in these subjects inform what you are doing today? Physics causes you to think about the world in terms of laws and rules. As a game designer, you get to set the rules of whatever you are creating, so that was good preparation. I was just a few credits away from having a third degree in mathematics, so that was a big part of my coursework as well. I would say that math and numbers influence my work on a day-to-day basis.
Science is not done with just a slide rule and microscope anymore.
In your blog, The Tip of the Sphere, you talk about the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for achievement and about exposing fatal flaws of the hero or enemy in a game. Some of it is basic psychology. But philosophy treats your mind as a tool, it asks you to step outside yourself and analyze your own thoughts objectively. It causes you to be flexible with your thinking around many different arguments. So when I’m designing a game I have to think, “If X is true, how does this play out?” When we are creating a new product, we bring in people [to test the games] who have never played and ask them questions about their experience. Philosophic training helps you be more objective, to not ask leading questions. I think a liberal arts education gives you a range of knowledge and experience to draw from. Was there a faculty member who was particularly influential to you along the way? Professor Greg Clark taught my intro to philosophy class. He took us on a trip to the Grand Canyon, which was a significant experience for me. I had Professor Linda McDonald for physics. We had classes of five or six students and high-quality professors. Being able to be one of a few students in the classroom was great. It also meant I couldn’t sneak by without doing my homework or being ready to discuss the material! You must have heard about the new Science and Community Life Building that is planned for North Park’s campus. What do you think?
Alumni Profile
Science is not done with just a slide rule and microscope anymore. You need new technology to get students involved. This will be a great opportunity to do hands-on stuff. We visit with a lot of North Park alumni across the country, and they inevitably tell us about pranks they pulled while on campus. Are there any hijinks you would like to admit to?
North Park’s mission is to prepare students for lives of significance and service. Looking over your accomplishments and future aspirations, what do you hope will be your mark in the world? I try to focus on being a light in the industry I’m in. Essentially I work in the entertainment industry, so it’s about fun, but I want to encourage more than that. I was able to go on a mission trip to Iraq to take TVs, Xboxes, and games to soldiers stationed in Ramadi. We stayed for a week, working alongside the USO, to bring some fun to the troops. I saw that real problems, like the ones they were dealing with, sometimes need an escape.
alumni@northpark.edu
I worked in the computer lab for my on-campus job. During finals week, we had to keep the lab open until 3:00 am so people could study. We had to find ways to entertain ourselves. So we would wait until students finished their papers and were just ready to print, and then tell them the lab was closed and they had to leave. Also,
with some fellow physics classmates, we threw a bowling ball off a building to measure the acceleration of an object due to gravity. We were supposed to use ping-pong balls, but this seemed like more fun. No one was hurt!
If you had a message for students who are trying to identify their strengths, interests, and career pursuits, how would you advise them? Don’t speculate on your career path too early. The person you are as a freshman is not the same person you are as a senior. Be adaptable and flexible, because your major may not always match up perfectly with your career options. Take pieces of your studies and apply them. Become the best at something and don’t chase the money. Find out what you would do for free and then find someone who will pay you for it. If you are good at something and enjoy it, money will follow. What’s next for you?
Follow Jaime Griesemer on Twitter (@32nds) and read his blog at thetipofthesphere.com.
North Parker Summer 2012
I’m writing an advanced game-design book. There are plenty of guides out there for how to get a job in the gaming industry and how to be good in your first year, but mine will be focused on how to manage your career ten years down the road. There are a lot of promising young professionals coming up in this field and we need to help them succeed in the long-term.
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North Parker Summer 2012
Congratulations 36
For the second year in a row, Viking baseball has captured the regular-season championship in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) — this time, in sole possession of the crown. And the team then also won the CCIW tournament, making good their first seed with wins against strong teams in one of the NCAA Division III’s toughest conferences. See www.northpark.edu/baseball for stories about their season-long successes.
to the Champions! Go, Vikes!
North Parker Summer 2012
The 2011–2012 year saw other noteworthy successes for Viking athletics as well, including another conference championship for men’s soccer. For complete coverage of North Park University intercollegiate athletics visit www.northpark.edu/athletics, where you’ll find schedules and results, photo galleries, news coverage, and in-season live game stats and play-by-play.
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Cert no. XXX-XXX-000