Reducing Their Carbon Footprint

University Orchestra takes steps to become more environmentally friendly.

North Park’s University Orchestra is the first net-zero orchestra in the country. This means the group of students has a completely neutral carbon footprint, achieved through personal action and donating to environmental groups.

Dr. Tom Zelle, professor of music and conductor, said the initiative started when the orchestra began incorporating the United Nations’ Human Values, which include peace, freedom, social progress, equal rights and human dignity, into its weekly lessons. “Every student in the orchestra room is first and foremost a human being and then a musician,” Zelle said.

The orchestra now uses a part of their budget to contribute to the United Nation’s carbon offset program, which trades “carbon credits” for cash that goes to organizations working to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The orchestra also sells vegan goods, plays music written to bring awareness to climate change, and talks to the audience about sustainability.

North Park Goes Camping

Each summer, students work as camp counselors, representing the university to their campers.

Each summer, about 45 North Park students get to leave their comfort zones and a trail of influence through their work as camp counselors at Evangelical Covenant Church summer camps.

“Our students know that being a counselor means they’re an influence in the lives of these campers, and that means some could choose to come to NPU because of it,” said Senior Director of Undergraduate Admissions Brady Martinson.

“North Park is a small school with a giant network. Being at camp always makes me realize that,” said senior and camp counselor Brooklyn Seals, who has seen many of her campers go on to tour NPU.

As camp counselor at Frontier Ranch in Santa Cruz, California, Seals passed out school merchandise and dropped NPU trivia at mealtimes. Campers would joke that, with the number of North Park students working at the camp, they were temporary Vikings for a week.

Being an unofficial spokesperson for the university they love is only part of what makes the job so appealing. “It’s the natural, organic part of recruitment that’s the best thing about this opportunity,” added Martinson.

Student Government Association’s Year in Review

SGA had a robust 2022–23 academic year.

Advocacy and activism were the focus of much of the Student Government Association’s (SGA) efforts this school year.

Among them were events organized by the Advocacy Committee to help the surrounding community, including a clothing drive and a zine-making event to raise awareness about mass incarceration and restorative justice.

The Sustainability Committee worked to educate campus about climate change and hosted Illinois vintage fest.

Meanwhile, the Commuter Committee promoted the interests of commuter students with several offerings, including lounge spaces and commuter student-specific meal plans.

Elsewhere on campus, SGA’s treasurer offered a financial literacy workshop, the Judicial Committee changed some bylaws to fix outdated language, and a Pre-Law Society and Urban Arts Club were established.