Ultimate frisbee is one of the university鈥檚 most popular club sports offerings. While the dynamic gameplay is what originally draws students in, it鈥檚 the long-lasting friendships that keep students coming back. Nothing illustrates this more than the alumni game.听

Hosted by the , this co-ed event is designed to connect current students with alumni through a shared interest. The game is just one part; before and after, participants have time to mingle.鈥�听

鈥淭he biggest benefit of this event is connecting and having a fun time. It鈥檚 fantastic for students and alumni to meet one another,鈥� said Stewardship and Impact Manager Madelyn 鈥淢addy鈥� Vander Ploeg, BA 鈥�26. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always great for students to see alumni within their first 10 years of graduating to see what the near future can hold. It鈥檚 also a great setting for organic networking.鈥�听

You never know where a friendly conversation could lead. During the 2025 game, Abi Sensmeier BA 鈥�26, then a student at NPU, met Justin Prevost-Schultz BS 鈥�11, MBA 鈥�18 and discovered they had more in common than a love for ultimate frisbee.鈥疊oth Sensmeier and Prevost-Schultz studied nonprofit management. Sensmeier asked Prevost-Schultz if they could get in touch after the game so that she could听learn more about his work in nonprofits before she graduated the following spring.鈥�听

鈥淚 was honored that he agreed and was thrilled to see what life looked like for a nonprofit professional working in downtown Chicago. I learned so much about Justin鈥檚 career and his time at 91影视,鈥� said Sensmeier. 鈥淚t was a blessing to connect with an alumnus I had so much in common with.鈥濃��听

听The interaction extended beyond a simple networking lunch. Hearing Sensmeier鈥檚 goals and interests encouraged Prevost-Schultz to connect her further in the industry.听

鈥淎fter our lunch, I got Abi in touch with some folks I know in the industries and roles she was interested in,鈥� said Prevost-Schultz. 鈥淥ne of those led to an internship and, later, her first job following graduation.鈥�听

Without the ultimate frisbee alumni game, Sensmeier said she wasn鈥檛 sure where her life would have led.

鈥淚 am so grateful to Justin for meeting with me, and God for orchestrating my post-grad plans better than I could have myself,鈥� said Sensmeier. 鈥淚 encourage any alumni and students to attend because you never know the opportunities that may come from it, including a fun way to meet other 91影视ers.鈥�听

This year鈥檚 ultimate frisbee alumni game will take place at 7:30 p.m. on October 30 at the Holmgren Athletic Complex. Those interested must by October 23. To view the full Homecoming 2026 event schedule, visit the .听

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From August 1鈥�10, 2026, the 91影视 women鈥檚 soccer team explored Italy, including Rome, Milan, Venice, and Lake Como, all made possible by fundraising efforts and generous donors. But the journey wasn’t just about sightseeing; the team was invited to play friendly matches against two local clubs, including a semi-professional squad that regularly feeds players into Italy’s national team: Res Donna Roma and F.C. Como Women鈥檚 U-20 team.

For the team, stepping onto the pitch against these opponents was unlike anything they had experienced back home.

鈥淭hey were very fast-paced; they knew who they were going to pass the ball to, and they moved and shifted together as a team. They were three steps ahead of us every time,鈥� said Isabellah Avila, a third-year psychology major.

Tilda Karlsson, a third-year double majoring in sociology and criminal justice, nodded in agreement. 鈥淚t was interesting to witness how fluid they were on the field. There were no strict positions; one of the players could start as a center-back, but the next second they鈥檙e up trying to score a goal.鈥�

Although the Vikings lost the matches, they embraced it as a victory of a different kind, one that rekindled their pure passion for the sport.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always a competition back home, and there鈥檚 a high expectation placed on us,鈥� Karlsson reflected. 鈥淚n Italy, no one expected us to win a championship or deliver at a top level. It was an experience that brought us back down to Earth and reminded us to play because it鈥檚 fun. I feel our team really needed that.鈥�

Our Vikings shared a heartwarming moment as they gave their jerseys to the teams they faced and received a complete training kit in return, a practice considered a sign of mutual respect in soccer.

Beyond the game, the trip was transformative. For many players, including Avila, it marked their first time traveling overseas. Immersing themselves in Italian culture and watching international play gave them a brand-new strategic perspective. Just as importantly, the journey forged deeper bonds among teammates, setting the stage for a more united team in the fall.

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Phillips previously served as CEO of听, a nonprofit organization that aims to unite the country by bridging diverse faith communities. He also served in the Biden-Harris administration as executive director of local, faith, and transformative partnerships at the United States Agency for International Development.

Phillips will discuss the themes of his upcoming book,听Power: Leadership for the Common Good. These themes include reframing how power is viewed in public life and moving away from the idea that there are winners in this sphere. Instead, Phillips argues that power is something to be 鈥渟hared rather than hoarded and given rather than grasped.鈥�

鈥淗e is a frequent writer and commentator on faith and public life, and he has been featured in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, CNN, and NPR,鈥� said Dr. Jonathan Peterson, a professor of politics and government at NPU. 鈥淎s such, he models Ted Van Der Meid鈥檚 dedication to causes greater than himself, his love of government and democracy, his mentorship to others, and his service, leadership, and devotion to 91影视.鈥�

The event will take place from 7:00鈥�8:00 p.m. on October 28, in Anderson Chapel.

NPU鈥檚 annual Van Der Meid Lecture explores civility in politics and the pursuit of the common good, named after Theodore 鈥淭ed鈥� Van Der Meid BA 鈥�79, who served in various senior congressional roles and sought to bring people together across the political aisle. He was a member of the 91影视 Board of Trustees before his passing in 2018.

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Kerstin (Swanson) Hilton NPC ’77 was the daughter of a minister in the Evangelical Covenant Church and spent most of her childhood moving around for her father鈥檚 work, so when she arrived at 91影视 in the fall of 1973, the stability and tight-knit community were a breath of fresh air.听听

鈥淚 knew I was going to know classmates because our churches had interacted, and I knew that I was going to have a handful of friends already,鈥� said Hilton, whose parents and siblings also attended 91影视. 鈥淚 was also determined to graduate in four years because I had never been part of a class before, not grade school, not high school, never. I was going to complete all four years, and I was going to belong.鈥澨�听

Hilton鈥檚 journey at 91影视 is especially unique. Not only was she听one of the first students at the university to major in sociology and anthropology, but she was also among the first to create her own internship path at NPU. Working with a psychology professor and academic offices to institute formal accreditation, she received college credit for a full-year off-campus internship at Covenant Children鈥檚 Home in Princeton, Illinois.听听

鈥淭eachers had internships, nurses had internships, if you’re in seminary, you have an internship for a year, but my major at 91影视 didn’t have any,鈥� said Hilton. 鈥淪o, I wanted some practical experience to determine if it was going to be something that I enjoyed doing.鈥�听

During her internship, Hilton was responsible for a group of 25 students aged 7 to 16, for whom she took on the same responsibilities as a full-time staff member. She worked to provide children who had experienced hardship with the support and opportunities they needed to flourish academically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.听听

鈥淗ere’s something I want to do [in my career], something in a helping profession,鈥� said Hilton in a 1977 issue of the Covenant Companion, where she was featured for her internship. 鈥淚t was good for me to be out on my own away from the structured atmosphere of college life.鈥澨�听

This position laid the groundwork for a long career of service across the country. After graduating from NPU, Hilton accepted a full-time position at Covenant Children鈥檚 Home, before eventually moving to Seattle to work at another children鈥檚 home and later taking a position at Adidas as the global operations project manager.听听

The lessons Hilton gleaned from both 91影视 and her internship have shaped her career. As she looks forward to her Golden Circle reunion this May, she is thankful for the people and culture that NPU has provided her with.听听

鈥淚 remember thinking, 鈥楬ow was I going to make the most of these four years and push myself in a career direction that was going to be satisfying for me?鈥� and I鈥檓 so grateful that 91影视 helped me answer that,鈥� she said. 听

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Omar takes audiences on a musical journey through the titular character鈥檚 life, from his capture in West Africa to his voyage across the Atlantic Ocean and to his eventual enslavement in North Carolina. Along the way, Omar contemplates his faith and purpose. Told through a blending of musical traditions鈥攂luegrass, hymns, spirituals, and more鈥攖his American story comes to life.

The Omar Opera Insights panel will explore the themes and effects of the 1831 manuscript鈥攖he only surviving Arabic autobiography written by an enslaved individual in the United States. Attendees will discuss how West African string traditions, the structure of Islamic worship, and bluegrass shape the cultural history of the Black Diaspora. Through this discussion, participants will explore beyond the performance aspect of opera and delve into how these performances build our shared experiences of life.

The panel will be held in Anderson Chapel. A reception with light bites and a short vocal and piano performance will begin at 2:00 p.m., followed by the discussion at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are free but require a reservation, and the event is expected to reach capacity, so听.

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To determine the annual list, Money analyzes each college鈥檚 graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, student debt, and alumni salaries, among other metrics.

Money states that though 鈥渢here鈥檚 no single 鈥榖est’ college for every student,鈥� the goal of its evaluation is to help incoming college students 鈥渃ompare affordable colleges, discover standout schools, and build a college list that fits [their] budget.鈥�

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There is a rigorous audition process for performers, and the program is carefully curated, making it a significant accomplishment for so many 91影视ers to have been selected. Those individuals include students Victoria Flores, Stephanie Garcia, Andrea Hernandez, Yash Pawar, and Talha Waqar; Music Lecturer Alexander 鈥淎lex鈥� Beltran and instructor Darren Scorza; and Michele Thomas NPU 鈥�97, a Distinguished Young Alumni Awardee and founder of the 91影视 Gospel Choir, and Sid Smith IV BA 鈥�20. View the full 91影视er event schedule here.

Chicago is historically known for jazz, and the Chicago Jazz Fest is one of the world鈥檚 oldest and largest jazz festivals. People come from all over the globe to attend and perform. The biggest names in jazz have performed at the festival, including Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dizzy Gillespie.

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Time partnered with the data research firm Statista to develop the听, which highlights universities and colleges that deliver a high return on investment for their students. The rankings weigh student outcomes at 75%, the learning environment at 15%, and attractiveness鈥攚hich assesses how much prospective students seek out an institution using admissions rates and the enrollment yield rate鈥攁t 10%.

The list reflects a broader shift in how students and families evaluate institutions in the college decision-making process: less about prestige alone and more about whether a degree translates into tangible career outcomes.

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For a decade, Gadsden has united 91影视听through impactful ministry.听He听and the University Ministries staff听champion听key fellowship initiatives like Chapel Chat, Barbershop Talks, and Sankofa, an immersive student journey exploring civil rights and Black church history.听

Gadsden鈥檚 dedicated outreach is bearing fruit. By showing up to the football team鈥檚 practices at 5:00 a.m. just to offer support, he inspired players to make an effort to attend chapel on Wednesdays. This momentum culminated this past April with NPU鈥檚 first student baptisms in more than 15 years. While his effect is clear, Gadsden remains humble, believing his role is to encourage, while God does the real work.听

Read more about Gadsden听and his work at NPU听at听.听

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