Stories Archives - 91Ӱ /category/stories/ Christian, City-Centered, Intercultural. Thu, 04 Jun 2026 18:05:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 /wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cropped-north-park-favicon-32x32.png Stories Archives - 91Ӱ /category/stories/ 32 32 NPU Alumna Brings Damaged Clothing Back to Life /stories/npu-alumna-brings-damaged-clothing-back-to-life/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 18:05:24 +0000 /stories// Hasyourdogeverleft a tearin your favorite pufferjacket? Orhasyourpants’zipper gottencaught?Marijke StobBA’12knows how to salvage your clothing items and keep them out of the trash bin. Stobgraduated from 91Ӱ with a bachelor’s degree in environmental scienceandis the owner ofSuper Bloom Gear Repair, a smallbusinessin Whitefish, Montana,dedicated torepairingall clothingitems,including knitwear,technical bags, andher specialty:zippers. Textile waste is rapidly piling

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Hasyourdogeverleft a tearin your favorite pufferjacket? Orhasyourpants’zipper gottencaught?Marijke StobBA’12knows how to salvage your clothing items and keep them out of the trash bin.

Stobgraduated from 91Ӱ with a bachelor’s degree in environmental scienceandis the owner of, a smallbusinessin Whitefish, Montana,dedicated torepairingall clothingitems,including knitwear,technical bags, andher specialty:zippers.

Textile waste is rapidly piling up in landfills,andStob’smission through Super Bloom Gearover the past 10 years has beento providepeoplewiththeoptionto repairand extend the life oftheir items rather than discard them.If theyaren’trepairable,shemakes sure to transitionthemintosomething else, hoping to play her part inreducingwaste.

Read more about Stob andSuper Bloom Gear Repairat.

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91Ӱ Named a Best College for Women /stories/north-park-university-named-a-best-college-for-women/ Wed, 27 May 2026 18:42:13 +0000 /stories// Newsweek included 91Ӱ on its inaugural list of America’s Best Colleges for Women, a ranking in partnership with Gender Fair and using a methodology derived from the Women’s Empowerment Principles as established by the United Nations Global Compact and UN Women. With the intention of helping women choose an institution that empowers them,

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Newsweek included 91Ӱ on its inaugural list of America’s Best Colleges for Women, a ranking in partnership with Gender Fair and using a methodology derived from the Women’s Empowerment Principles as established by the United Nations Global Compact and UN Women.

With the intention of helping women choose an institution that empowers them, the ranking is exclusive to schools that employ 20 or more women in academic roles and have 1,000 or more students. It considers their statistics regarding female leadership, fair pay and policies, women’s safety, and opportunities for students and faculty from diverse backgrounds.

Newsweek Editor-in-Chief Jennifer H. Cunningham remarked, “Earning a place on America’s Best Colleges for Women list reflects an environment that meaningfully supports women’s success.”

about the ranking.

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A Global Journey to Belonging /stories/a-global-journey-to-belonging/ Thu, 14 May 2026 18:32:09 +0000 /stories// ForShyamkumar (Shyam) Mishra BS ’26, who graduated from 91Ӱ (NPU) on May 9, attending NPU involved traveling nearly 8,000 miles from his hometown of Surat, India, a city in the state of Gujarat. In moving, he wasn’t just exchanging one urban environment for another but pursuing an international education in Chicago and a

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ForShyamkumar (Shyam) Mishra BS ’26, who graduated from 91Ӱ (NPU) on May 9, attending NPU involved traveling nearly 8,000 miles from his hometown of Surat, India, a city in the state of Gujarat. In moving, he wasn’t just exchanging one urban environment for another but pursuing an international education in Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in marketing in his non-native language.

First-year orientation was the first time Mishra had been abroad or even met students from other countries. “I didn’t expect people to be kind,” he said. “I come from a completely different part of the world, and no one knew me. Yet they were kind. It was very touching.”

91Ӱ’s diversity is part of what drew him in, especially because he noticed it included not only American students but also a vibrant international student community.

In the spring semester of his senior year, as the Student Government Association president, Mishra made giving back to the campus community that has shown him kindness a primary facet of his role. He advocated for the student body and served as a “bridge between the student body and university administration.”

He was active on campus in other capacities as well, serving as the International Club president, which he also founded; the Intercultural Late Night program chair; and a Voyage Activities Board member, a student programming organization that fosters community on campus and connects students to various opportunities to get involved. Mishra was also an active member of University Ministries, including the Urban Outreach team’s Friday Night Street Ministry, which serves Chicago’s unhoused population.

In all these endeavors, Mishra sought to build and strengthen connections, both between himself and others and among different campus organizations. Director of Intercultural Student Affairs Rashad Hanna recognized these efforts, presenting Mishra with the Diversity Award at the NPU Day of Excellence ceremony on April 15. This award honors a senior for outstanding leadership and sustained commitment to advancing 91Ӱ’s intercultural core identity on campus and/or throughout the Chicago community.

When reflecting on his years at NPU, Mishra said, “You’ll find endless people who are looking to support you. And for that, you have to get out of your shell as well.”

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91Ӱ Ranked as a Best Value Institution /stories/north-park-university-ranked-as-a-best-value-institution/ Mon, 11 May 2026 13:57:24 +0000 /stories// 91Ӱ ranked first among Chicago schools inSmartAsset’s 2026 ranking of the best-value American small colleges and universities. SmartAsset assessed more than 1,000 regionally accredited schools with undergraduate enrollments of 5,000 or fewer students in the United States, focusing on overall affordability, graduation rates, and median earnings of former students 10 years after enrollment.

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91Ӱ ranked first among Chicago schools in 2026 ranking of the best-value American small colleges and universities.

SmartAsset assessed more than 1,000 regionally accredited schools with undergraduate enrollments of 5,000 or fewer students in the United States, focusing on overall affordability, graduation rates, and median earnings of former students 10 years after enrollment. The list included 75 schools in total, and 91Ӱ ranked first among Chicago schools, second among Illinois schools, and 43rd overall.

SmartAsset is a financial technology company that provides free tools and content to help users make informed financial decisions. about the methodology.

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NPU Recognizes Students, Faculty, and Alumni at Intercultural Awards Ceremony /stories/npu-recognizes-students-faculty-and-alumni-at-intercultural-awards-ceremony/ Wed, 06 May 2026 17:34:21 +0000 /stories// This spring, the 91Ӱ community honored the hard work of students, faculty, and alumni who promote campus diversity at the annual Intercultural Awards Ceremony. “This ceremony is about celebrating the richness, diversity, and faith that shape 91Ӱ,” President Mary K. Surridge said in her opening remarks. “Here, identity is not formed in

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This spring, the 91Ӱ community honored the hard work of students, faculty, and alumni who promote campus diversity at the annual Intercultural Awards Ceremony.

“This ceremony is about celebrating the richness, diversity, and faith that shape 91Ӱ,” President Mary K. Surridge said in her opening remarks. “Here, identity is not formed in isolation, but through the beautiful tapestry of the people and the cultures that God has brought together.”

Before presenting the awards, Director of Intercultural Student Affairs Rashad Hanna acknowledged students’ diligence in the numerous events they facilitated throughout the academic year, emphasizing that all their work “has culminated in this one moment in time for us to celebrate you.”

Below are the 2026 award recipients:

  • The Champion of Diversity Award: Counseling Psychology Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor Hannah Barbosa
  • Director’s Award: Jenna Jawhar
  • Honors Convocation Diversity Award: Shyamkumar Mishra
  • Impactful Alumni Award: Odalis Arcadio BA ’20
  • Academic RSO of the Year Award: 91Ӱ Club of Engineering
  • Intercultural Registered Student Organization (RSO) of the Year Award: East Asian Student Association
  • Social RSO of the Year Award: Christian Student Organization

Senior student leaders received hand-stitched graduation stoles, presented by President Surridge and Provost Dr. Francisco X. Gaytán.

Gaytán closed out the ceremony by encouraging students to continue to “show up and encounter each other” in community throughout the rest of their 91Ӱ journey and beyond.

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91Ӱ Alumnus Becomes Comic Artist Superstar /stories/north-park-alumnus-becomes-comic-artist-superstar/ Mon, 04 May 2026 17:44:41 +0000 /stories// 91Ӱ alumnus Daniel Warren Johnson BA ’09, who majored in art and earned K–12 licensure from the university in 2011, has reached superstar comic artist status, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Last year, Johnson wrote and drew the annual edition of DC Comics’ Absolute Batman, which led to his recognition as one of

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91Ӱ alumnus Daniel Warren Johnson BA ’09, who majored in art and earned K–12 licensure from the university in 2011, has reached superstar comic artist status, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Last year, Johnson wrote and drew the annual edition of DC Comics’ Absolute Batman, which led to his recognition as one of the most popular artists in the current comic book world. He and the comic’s regular monthly artist, Nick Dragotta, are becoming two of the biggest names in the industry and are “at the center of a seismic shift” back to artists “driving sales [and] fans” alongside writers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Johnson taught himself to draw his favorite characters from comics like Power Rangers and Transformers as a child. He later wrote and drew the latter in adulthood, the first issue of which sold more than 100,000 copies and earned two Eisner Awards, the industry’s equivalent of the Academy Awards. It was his first breakthrough.

By the time DC Comics offered Johnson the opportunity to work on their popular Absolute Universe, he was rapidly gaining acclaim as a writer and artist. That trend continued, with his Absolute Batman Annual No. 1 selling more than 150,000 copies and going through second and third printings.

Read more about Johnson and the trend at .

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WGN’s Spotlight Chicago Showcases NPU /stories/wgns-spotlight-chicago-showcases-npu/ Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:51:10 +0000 /stories// On April 27, WGN-TV’s Spotlight Chicago sat down with President Mary K. Surridge and Provost Francisco X. Gaytán to discuss 91Ӱ’s rich legacy in Chicago and the new initiatives the university is undertaking to support student success, such as the First-Year Seminar. Enjoy a glimpse into what makes 91Ӱ a model of

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On April 27, WGN-TV’s Spotlight Chicago sat down with President Mary K. Surridge and Provost Francisco X. Gaytán to discuss 91Ӱ’s rich legacy in Chicago and the new initiatives the university is undertaking to support student success, such as the First-Year Seminar. into what makes 91Ӱ a model of modern Christian education.

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NPU Flag Football Featured on NBC Chicago /stories/npu-flag-football-featured-on-nbc-chicago/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:03:53 +0000 /stories// 91Ӱ’s flag football team was recently featured in an NBC Chicago segment highlighting the growth of flag football in the Chicago area due to it becoming an NCAA-recognized sport this spring. Watch the clip at NBC Chicago.

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91Ӱ’s flag football team was recently featured in an NBC Chicago segment highlighting the growth of flag football in the Chicago area due to it becoming an NCAA-recognized sport this spring. Watch the clip at .

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Alumni Gather for NPU-Hosted Blue & Gold Day Fika /stories/alumni-gather-for-npu-hosted-blue-gold-day-fika/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:10:52 +0000 /stories// 91Ӱ President Mary K. Surridge hosted an intimate group of about 30 alumni at a special fika, a traditional Swedish coffee gathering, to kick off 91Ӱ’s annual day of giving. The Blue & Gold Day event was held at beloved local institution Tre Kronor, where 91Ӱ staff members enjoyed Swedish pastries

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91Ӱ President Mary K. Surridge hosted an intimate group of about 30 alumni at a special fika, a traditional Swedish coffee gathering, to kick off 91Ӱ’s annual day of giving.

The Blue & Gold Day event was held at beloved local institution Tre Kronor, where 91Ӱ staff members enjoyed Swedish pastries and coffee while mingling with alumni to discuss the importance of Blue & Gold Day. This year, the event raised nearly $200,000, all of which directly benefits students via the 91Ӱ and Student Care Funds and the Viking Club, which funds athletic programs.

But the Fika’s purpose was to kick off the day in a festive, friendly way, said Vice President for Advancement Mike Nevergall MNA ’13.

Fika is not about working, it’s about socializing and getting to know each other,” Nevergall said. He thanked the assembled crowd for coming and urged them to continue supporting 91Ӱ, no matter the size of their donation.

This year’s Blue & Gold Day theme was “light the way,” with friends and alumni encouraged to wear the school’s colors and post about their contributions on social media.

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NPU Community to Light Up Campus for Blue & Gold Day /stories/npu-community-to-light-up-campus-for-blue-gold-day/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:59:15 +0000 /stories// Members of the 91Ӱ community will convene on April 8 to celebrate Blue & Gold Day, a 24-hour fundraising event that supports 91Ӱ students.

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Members of the 91Ӱ community will convene on April 8 to celebrate Blue & Gold Day, a 24-hour fundraising event that supports 91Ӱ students.

This year, everyone is encouraged to “light the way” for future 91Ӱers by wearing blue and gold; posting about Blue & Gold Day on social media and tagging @npualumni; and of any size, whether it’s $5 or $100.

Contributions will go toward three funds:

    1. The 91Ӱ Fund supports every student every day. It funds financial aid and scholarships, enriches student services, advances campus infrastructure, and strengthens academic support, all of which allow our students to grow into lives of significance and service.
    2. The Student Care Fund provides practical support to students facing financial difficulties so they can continue to focus on their education. It covers costs like transportation, food, rent, textbooks, and medical bills.
    3. The Viking Club enhances all athletic programs by improving infrastructure and supporting student-athletes in their health, wellness, and academic endeavors. It provides our Vikings the best student-athlete experience possible and advances our athletic programs.

Last year, the 91Ӱ community raised $318,000 for Blue & Gold Day. Follow the 2026 campaign’s progress and make your gift on April 8 on the page.

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