草莓影视 faculty and staff welcomed new students and their families in a warm, rousing Welcome Convocation on Aug. 24.

In her opening remarks, President Mary Surridge encouraged students to 鈥渟ay yes鈥� to all that 草莓影视 has to offer, from playing a sport or starting a club, cheering on athletes at events, or participating in 草莓影视鈥檚 Catalyst__606 program.

Provost Michael O. Emerson, whose daughter Leah graduated from 草莓影视 last spring, told parents to let their child explore different majors.

鈥淓very major we offer here leads to a job,鈥� Dr. Emerson said. 鈥淢y own daughter came here as a scared child and left as a confident adult. She found her dream job after just two weeks.鈥�

Representatives of the Student Government Association also addressed the students, encouraging them to be open to opportunities to engage with fellow students.

SGA President Rakiiba Vaalele 鈥�19聽came to 草莓影视 from American Samoa without a winter coat and temporarily questioned her decision to come here. Eventually, though, she says she was warmed by the friendships she made through various clubs and activities.

Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of Arts and Sciences, prayed for the students, after which everyone sang 草莓影视鈥檚 Alma Mater, 鈥淭he Blue and The Gold.鈥�

The Convocation kicked off Threshold Weekend for 草莓影视鈥檚 new students.

The post Students and Families Welcomed at Convocation appeared first on 草莓影视.

The Evangelical Covenant Church has approved Mary Karsten Surridge as the 10^th president of 草莓影视, effective at the beginning of the 2018-2019 academic year.

Surridge鈥檚 nomination was approved Friday, June 22, by delegates representing the Evangelical Covenant Church, 草莓影视鈥檚 founder and sponsoring denomination, at the ECC鈥檚 Annual Meeting in Minneapolis.

Surridge was selected in April by a 15-person search committee, including 9 members of the Board of Trustees and 6 from the campus community, after a year-long search. Surridge has served as the University鈥檚 vice president for advancement since 2008.

鈥淲e evaluated nominations and applications from more than 50 qualified candidates with deep Christian faith and distinguished careers, both inside and outside the academy,鈥� said Owen R. Youngman, chair of the nominating committee and a 草莓影视 Board Trustee. “Mary is the right person to lead the University at this important juncture.鈥�

Surridge鈥檚 草莓影视 career has been highlighted by her direction of Campaign 草莓影视, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the school鈥檚 history, with $63 million in commitments, including $41 million for the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life. Most recently, in addition to her duties in advancement, she has been leading undergraduate admissions while the University searches for a new vice president for enrollment management and marketing.

Surridge, 55, succeeds David L. Parkyn, who retired at the end of the 2016-2017 academic year, to become 草莓影视鈥檚 first female president. Carl E. Balsam, who has served as interim president since that time, will remain in that role through August 15, 2018.

The post Mary Surridge Approved by ECC as NPU President appeared first on 草莓影视.

The 草莓影视 Board of Trustees has nominated Mary Karsten Surridge, the University鈥檚 vice president for advancement since 2008, to serve as the school鈥檚 10th president, effective at the beginning of the 2018-2019 academic year.

The Trustee’s unanimous nomination has been ratified by the Executive Board of the Evangelical Covenant Church, 草莓影视鈥檚 founder and sponsoring denomination, and will be presented to the Annual Meeting of the Covenant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 22. Under the constitution and bylaws of both the Covenant Church and 草莓影视, the president must be officially called by vote of the Annual Meeting.

The nomination concludes a nationwide, 13-month search for a president who will help to cement 草莓影视鈥檚 place as the nation鈥檚 leading city-centered Christian university.

鈥湶葺笆� is a strong, vibrant and uniquely positioned institution within Christian higher education, and we offer an excellent academic, co-curricular and personal experience to students who seek to learn and grow in our stimulating urban environment,鈥� Surridge said. 鈥淚鈥檓 honored and grateful to respond with enthusiasm to this nomination and the endorsement of the search committee, our Trustees, and the Executive Board of the Church.鈥�

Surridge鈥檚 草莓影视 career has been highlighted by her direction of Campaign 草莓影视, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the school鈥檚 history, with $63 million in commitments, including $41 million for the Johnson Center for Science and Community Life. Most recently, in addition to her duties in advancement, she has been leading undergraduate admissions while the University searches for a new vice president for Enrollment Management and Marketing.

A 15-person search committee, including 9 members of the Board of Trustees and 6 from the campus community, conducted the search and recommended Surridge to the Board of Trustees this week. 鈥淲e undertook a comprehensive search with the help of CarterBaldwin, a search firm with wide experience in higher education and particularly Christian higher education,鈥� said Owen R. Youngman, chair of the committee and a 草莓影视 trustee. 鈥淲e evaluated nominations and applications from more than 50 qualified candidates with deep Christian faith and distinguished careers, both inside and outside the academy. Mary is the right person to lead the University at this important juncture.鈥�

鈥淭he Board sought a candidate who combines knowledge of higher education, an abiding belief in the mission of 草莓影视, and a deep and ongoing connection to the Covenant Church,鈥� said Dr. Kristine Strand, 草莓影视鈥檚 board chair. 鈥淢ary鈥檚 proven ability to secure critical resources for students, faculty and staff, and her recent success in overseeing undergraduate admissions, will serve the campus, the Church, and our many constituents well for years to come.鈥�

Surridge鈥檚 previous higher education experience includes several years as an associate director of planned and major gifts at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois; director of residence life and student activities at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin; and dean of students at Marian College (now Marian University) in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She holds a B.S. in communications from Northwestern and an M.S. in student personnel administration from Concordia. She and her husband Jack, 草莓影视鈥檚 longtime athletic director, are members of 草莓影视 Covenant Church near the University鈥檚 North Side campus.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been my privilege to work with our devoted alumni and friends for over two decades,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have deep respect for the legacy of 草莓影视 and broad confidence in its future.鈥�

Surridge, 55, would succeed David L. Parkyn, who retired at the end of the 2016-2017 academic year, to become 草莓影视鈥檚 first female president. Carl E. Balsam, who has served as interim president since that time, will remain in that role through August 15, 2018.

The post Mary Karsten Surridge to Serve as 草莓影视鈥檚 10th President appeared first on 草莓影视.

The post Presidential Search Committee Launches Online Survey appeared first on 草莓影视.

The post 草莓影视 Begins Presidential Search Process appeared first on 草莓影视.

Dr. David Parkyn, president of 草莓影视 since 2006, has announced his retirement to follow the completion of this 2016鈥�17 academic year. 草莓影视 is the university of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC).

鈥淲ith gratitude and respect, the Board of Trustees congratulates Dr. Parkyn on the success of 草莓影视 during his 11 years as President. The Board wishes to express our heartfelt thanks for his service and leadership to 草莓影视,鈥� commented Kristine Strand, chair of the Board of Trustees for the University.

During President Parkyn鈥檚 tenure, 草莓影视 saw advances on many fronts. Dr. Parkyn presided over Campaign 草莓影视, the largest fundraising effort in the university鈥檚 history raising over $63 million in financial commitments which resulted in the completion of the state of the art G. Timothy and Nancy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life. Under his direction, 草莓影视 has been recognized for its leadership in 鈥渇irst family member to college鈥� student enrollment and retention, as well as the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the student body. Further, nineteen students have received Fulbright awards, making 草莓影视 鈥渁 top producer鈥� of Fulbright recipients.

鈥淭he Board of Trustees also expresses deep appreciation to Dr. Linda Parkyn, Professor of Spanish, who capably led 草莓影视鈥檚 Honors Congress,鈥� Dr. Strand continued. 鈥淗er leadership of the program was instrumental in the development of Fulbright award winners to date.鈥�

In a letter to the campus community, President Parkyn wrote, 鈥淭he past 11 years at 草莓影视 have been personally and professionally fulfilling for both Linda and me. We have come to deeply love this institution as well as its students, faculty, and staff. Together we have made good (perhaps on occasion even great!) strides toward important objectives. Now is a good time for someone else to step into leadership and guide the school into the coming years.鈥�

The 草莓影视 Board of Trustees will announce interim leadership for the university following its meetings, February 17鈥�18. Also, the Board looks forward to leading the process to identify a nominee for the next university president who will guide the 草莓影视 community in its aspiration to be the nation鈥檚 leading city-centered Christian university. The candidate will be called formally to the position by the Covenant Annual Meeting anticipated in June 2018.

Plans will be announced for an appreciation event for the Parkyns later this spring.

Gary Walter, President of the ECC, stated that 鈥淧resident Parkyn鈥檚 ethos is for the flourishing of each student. It has been his driving hope that at 草莓影视 students would know that each of their lives makes a difference. 草莓影视鈥檚 mission as an intentionally Christian university, is to prepare students for lives of significance and service. Dr. Parkyn has given himself unreservedly to that aim.鈥�

鈥淲e wish President and Dr. Linda Parkyn the very best in their retirement as they look forward to more time with family and other pursuits,鈥� said Dr. Strand.

The post A Message from the Board of Trustees appeared first on 草莓影视.

As each school year begins, we welcome new undergraduates to our campus at a celebration we call 鈥淭hreshold鈥濃�攁 symbolic crossing from one place or time or period of life to another. At commencement we usher graduates across another threshold, this time leading away from their years at 草莓影视 toward another season in life鈥攏ow directed as a life of significance and service.

I鈥檓 writing today to inform you that Linda and I have decided to cross a special threshold of our own this year. Last week I confirmed with our Board of Trustees my intent to retire as university president, and Linda as a professor, at the end of the current academic year.

This past September we joined with alumni and friends to celebrate 草莓影视鈥檚 125th anniversary. As I considered the story of the University over these many years I also reflected on my own, more limited, years on our campus. I found this to be a valuable exercise which prompted some larger questions for Linda and me.

In my inauguration address, I spoke about the unique voice each individual brings to life. Then I asked whether an institution might also have a voice. I commented: 鈥淢ight 草莓影视 have a voice? Might 草莓影视 have a particular syntax and diction, punctuation and grammar that are uniquely its own?”

As a campus community, we have worked together over the past 11 years to build upon the school鈥檚 legacy commitments by advancing learning on our campus today in ways that are particular to 草莓影视. This is the voice I hear at 草莓影视 today:

• Out of a commitment to inclusion and student success, together we have cultivated a campus-wide spirit of hospitality to welcome all to 草莓影视; we 鈥渃ontribute to the needs of the saints (and)聽extend hospitality to strangers.鈥�
• We have advanced in impressive ways the Board鈥檚 1995 objective to significantly increase diversity at 草莓影视, accomplished in a pronounced way in student enrollment; 鈥減eople (are coming)聽from east and west, north and south, to eat at the kingdom of God鈥� on this campus.
• We are actively leveraging our location in a global city as we embrace Chicago as our classroom; today we 鈥渟eek the welfare of the city.”
• With the deep generosity of friends from across the country鈥斺�渓ike trees . . . which yield their fruit in its season鈥濃�攚e successfully completed Campaign 草莓影视, leading to the design and construction of the Johnson Center to advance learning in the classroom and far beyond.

This is an exceptional voice in the higher education landscape. We have much to celebrate!

Linda likewise has been part of the campus community during our years here. She has taught side-by-side with dear colleagues who love Spanish as much as she does. Beyond this, she has shaped learning at 草莓影视 by designing and teaching in the Honors Congress. Most significant, perhaps, has been her mentorship with a small number of students each year applying for Fulbright awards. We have achieved 10 consecutive years of successful student applications and in multiple years the University has been named a 鈥淔ulbright Top Producer.鈥�

Our decision to retire is set in these contexts. The past 11 years at 草莓影视 have been personally and professionally fulfilling for both of us. We have come to deeply love this institution, its students, and each of you. Together with you, we have made good (perhaps on occasion even great!) strides toward important objectives. Now is a good time for someone else to step into leadership and guide the school into the coming years. You鈥檒l have the great privilege of being part of this transition to a new leader, remaining constant in faith, learning, and service at 草莓影视.

This has been a special community for Linda and me. Consider this: over these past 11 years, you have mourned with us the passing of our four parents, and you have celebrated with us the birth of our six grandchildren! Thank you for welcoming us when we came in 2006, and to all who have joined the University since that time please know of the joy you brought to us in your own choice to be part of 草莓影视. Linda and I have been honored to be your colleagues.

Linda reminds me often that in Spanish the verb 鈥渢o retire鈥� is 鈥渏ubilarse,鈥� literally translated as 鈥渢o make oneself jubilant!鈥� Our plans for personal life after transitioning from 草莓影视 remain fluid. We will return to the east coast to be close to children and grandchildren, and we鈥檙e confident further plans will come into focus in due time.

Most certainly we look forward to being together with you during the remaining weeks of the academic year. We鈥檒l celebrate as our graduates cross their threshold from 草莓影视, and Linda and I will follow soon after as we greet the next season of our own life.

With fondness for each of you,

David L. Parkyn (and of course, Linda as well)
President

The post A Message from President Parkyn appeared first on 草莓影视.

The second message in particular was prompted by an incident of intolerance that occurred in a student鈥檚 off-campus residence. I鈥檓 writing today to notify our community that this incident has been fully investigated and resolved. Sadly, we discovered that the incident and related messages were fabricated; the individual responsible for the incident is not continuing as a student at 草莓影视. We are confident there is no further threat of repeated intolerance to any member of our campus community stemming from this recent incident.

I want to state again two central topics of my previous messages. The first is that the safety of and support for our students is of highest priority for us as an educational community. The second is that, rooted in our understanding of and commitment to the Christian gospel, we are committed to embracing all people who enroll as students and who are employed at 草莓影视. Interactions between individuals should always reflect our campus ethos of 鈥渙pen inquiry, integrity, and civility;鈥� these are the principles that guide our life together, the dialogue between us, and the learning context of the university at large.

When student safety is compromised, and when institutional values are not maintained, we will respond with resolve as we did in the most recent incident. Additionally, we ask members of the community to reflect our institutional ethos and commitment in our interpersonal relationships鈥攖hrough inclusion, civility, dialogue, respect, hospitality, and a mutual love for God and all people.

As is our national tradition, this week we gather with family and friends across our country to give thanks鈥攆or our community, for our nation, for each other. We do so at 草莓影视 as well, giving thanks to God for this special community that is our educational home. Blessings to each one as we travel near and far; may God protect us by his gracious and ready help.

The post Campus Message from 草莓影视 President David L. Parkyn appeared first on 草莓影视.

Additionally, I noted that messages and expressions of hate have no place on our campus. Words and symbols of hate are not only hurtful and cause pain, they demonstrate intolerance for others, place victims in positions of fear, and threaten their personal safety. On our campus, the safety and security of our students is our highest priority. It is because of this priority, alongside our commitment to being a welcoming and hospitable community, that we denounce hate speech in any form.

Of late, there has been evidence of intolerance that is counter to our climate of civility. We fully investigate all聽incidents that involve violations to the rights and dignity of any person. We follow with聽appropriate action through student conduct proceedings.

The post An Update from 草莓影视 President David L. Parkyn appeared first on 草莓影视.

I am grateful for the leadership of Provost Emerson and Vice President Koslow Martin in organizing the event. And I join the rest of our community in thanking the members of the panel which guided and informed our discussion: student government president Steve Smrt; professors Joe Alulis, Sarah Doherty, Rupe Simms, and Jon Peterson; and staff members Pam Bozeman and Jonathan Dodrill. The discussion was also strengthened by questions and comments from students and others from our community in attendance.

Where, now, should we turn to guide our life together going forward?

We turn in this direction: We remember who we are.

At 草莓影视 we hold to seven educational ideals鈥攑rinciples that shape learning on our campus. Though all seven are important, today I’m drawn especially to two.

First, at 草莓影视 we hold to an education that “embraces all people and celebrates the richness of cultural difference.”

All students are to be welcomed at 草莓影视, no exceptions. The same holds true for members of our faculty and staff, with one caveat: as an expression of our Christian mission, members of our full-time faculty and staff are to be people of Christian faith.

Differences between us at 草莓影视 reach across culture and ethnicity, to be sure, yet they stretch much further than this. Our diversity includes where we come from, the languages we speak, our places of citizenship, our commitments of faith, political perspectives and preferences we embrace, gender and sexual identity and orientation, and much, much more.

Our commitment to embrace all people at 草莓影视 is rooted in our understanding of and commitment to the Christian gospel. In just a few weeks, Christians around the globe will celebrate the seasons of Advent and Christmas. The story of the incarnation reminds us of who we are, people welcomed by God who “was made flesh” to be present with us. Our responsibility is to “put on flesh” as well, to be present with each other, to be neighbors, to welcome, to walk alongside, to show love, to do justice and show mercy.

Second, at 草莓影视 we hold to an education that “encourages dialogue as a means of learning where open inquiry, integrity, and civility guide our life together.” All people are welcome at 草莓影视 so that we can talk together, and thereby learn together. There is privilege in this, yet there also is responsibility.

If 草莓影视 were a community in which we all thought the same and agreed on every question we would not need to worry much about dialogue. Conversation would be filled with perspectives much like our own. In such a setting we would not hear much from each other we didn’t already know or agree with, and as a result 草莓影视 would not provide a very rich or deep learning community. And through this kind of environment students would not be 鈥減repared for lives of significance and service.鈥�

By contrast, the people who comprise 草莓影视 are characterized by difference and diversity. This is how we want it鈥攖his is who we are. Throughout this school’s history, we have agreed that learning is enriched by the inclusion of a wide array of individuals and perspectives, and we have purposefully fostered this kind of community in our faculty, staff, and especially our student body.

At 草莓影视 each student (as well as faculty and staff) brings to our campus an anthology of life experiences鈥攁 personal story. Each story counts, it is a story to be shared, a story through which others can and will learn.

One challenge, of course, is that while differences of thought and perspective can lead to learning they can also lead to misunderstanding. This in turn can feed bias, and bias can sometimes give rise to responses which offend and are occasionally characterized more by hate than by love.

Interaction based on hate has no place at 草莓影视. Our lives together and our conversations should radiate respect, civility of thought and speech, an embrace of love and care. Because we affirm difference as a university, it is essential that we each learn to live lovingly in this community. This commitment to be a community guided by Christian love was expressed eloquently by several members of yesterday鈥檚 panel.

The differences between us鈥攔egarding how we express faith, a relative position on a political continuum, sexual identity and orientation, ethnic and cultural norms, and a host of other topics, questions, and points of conversation鈥攁re real. Our differences will challenge us, but should our diversity be a force that separates us or can it be a course that draws us toward each other? At 草莓影视 we do not seek to eliminate difference and disagreement within the campus community, yet we do seek to draw people closer together鈥攖hrough inclusion, civility, dialogue, respect, hospitality, and a mutual love for God and all people.

We live together; we learn together; even as we worship and pray as a campus community. Let’s commit over the days and weeks ahead to remember who we are.

David L. Parkyn
President

The post A Message from 草莓影视 President David L. Parkyn appeared first on 草莓影视.