Core Values and Educational Ideals
Core Values
The University’s challenging academic programs and supportive learning environment are shaped by our Christian identity, urban location, and intercultural community.
Rooted in the tradition of the Evangelical Covenant Church, North Park nurtures Christian faith while welcoming students from all traditions. By integrating faith with learning, we challenge students to ask life’s big questions, and prepare them to lead lives of significance and service.
The city is our classroom, and we take full advantage of the cultural, academic, and professional resources right in our backyard. A North Park education helps students understand the diverse world around them and prepares them to thrive in a global workplace.
Our campus is located in one of the most diverse zip codes in the country. This unique intercultural environment allows students to serve and learn from the dynamic community around them in ways that enrich the life of the campus.
Educational Ideals
Reflecting the core values which shape our distinctive learning community, students at North Park University experience an education that:
Is rooted in and committed to the Christian faith and its sacred text, the Bible
Engages Chicago as a dynamic context for learning and service
Embraces all people and celebrates the richness of cultural difference
Affirms learning in all its forms—in the classroom and beyond— as a gift, a joy, and a sacred obligation
Encourages dialogue as a means of learning where open inquiry, integrity, and civility guide our life together
Seeks to form and transform the whole student (intellectually, socially, and spiritually)
Values each student for who he or she is and who they will become