Rogue Pictures took a 90-second recurring skit and blew it into the most over-the-top SNL film to date. The television skit is comfortably within the show’s TV-14 rating, but the film’s R-rated humor is relentlessly crude. It’s a one-note comedy, but it hits that note hard. If you don’t appreciate juvenile jokes about sex and excrement, you probably won’t like this movie. But if you appreciate MacGruber’s sophomoric brand, the film will leave you in stitches.

Be aware that “MacGruber” is more than a mere string of gags. Unlike “The Brothers Solomon” (the last film Will Forte starred in and wrote), which dragged between jokes, “MacGruber” moves very briskly. Credit Director Jorma Taccone, who also fills the film with surprisingly impressive action sequences. Not bad for a guy whose biggest previous productions were SNL Digital Shorts. “MacGruber” achieves a big-budget action film feel, which really heightens the satire.

“MacGruber” also deserves props for finally delivering a big screen roll that allows Kristen Wiig, arguably the funniest SNL performer, to show her stuff. If you don’t laugh at her coffee shop scene, you probably need your funny bone checked out. The rest of the movie is certainly not for everyone, but for those who do appreciate it, it’s explosive.

The North Park Vikings baseball team finished a tremendous season this last spring, ending with an overall record of 28-15 and a conference record of 15-6. This record allowed them to finish second in the CCIW conference.
Led by all-around baseball athletes, the Vikings were able to wreak havoc to any team that faced them.

“Our team finished second in the country at stolen bases. We caused huge problems for opposing teams due to our threat of speed we had,” said Luke Johnson, head coach of the Vikings baseball squad. “We also possessed a pitching staff that struck a lot of guys out.”

Great pitching and speed were not the only characteristics that this team possessed. Their greatest trait may have come from their versatility that they had on the field. The team’s great depth at each position made this versatility possible.

“We had two all-conference players on the team who literally could play eight positions on the field,” said Johnson. “Even when injuries happened, we were able to withstand them due to the versatility that we had.”

But even now, the team is preparing for this upcoming season to repeat their great success. They know, though, that it will be a challenge to recreate a similar season.

“We lost [the pitcher that gave us] 13 out of our 28 wins this season, as well as our everyday shortstop for the past four years,” said Johnson. “The leadership that those guys brought will be hard to replace. But the fact is, our best players are always our hardest workers, and so they will need that work ethic now that those guys are gone.”

In the meantime, the Vikings will be training hard in the off-season to build towards another winning year in the spring.

The women’s rowing team has a new leader in Allison Koubsky, who has taken over for former head coach Tim Grant.

A North Park graduate, Koubsky served as the interim head coach for the spring season and had the opportunity to be mentored by Grant, which helped prepare her for her current post.

“I have been very fortunate to be a part of this successful program as a student athlete, a graduate assistant, and now the head coach,” Koubsky said.

Koubsky, who graduated in 2007, earned more than 22 medals during her time on the North Park rowing team, making her the most decorated athlete in the University’s women’s rowing team history.

As head coach, Koubsky is excited to lead her team to more victories. “I believe the North Park women’s rowing team already has a winning formula in place from Coach Grant, and I intend to continue building off of this winning tradition,” she said.

The rowing team also added a new graduate assistant, Kristin Carlson, who rowed for Sacramento State University during her college career.

“Kristin brings experience and success to our team as she will lead the novice program and run our strength and conditioning program,” said Koubsky. “I truly believe in this program and the rowers who make it up. We are going to have a great, successful season.”

On October 3, North Park University will co-host a home race, the North Shore Channel Challenge. The regatta will be held at the University’s boathouse on Oakton St. and N. McCormick Blvd., about four miles north of campus.

If students are interested are participating in Homecoming preparations, they should contact Jamie Bacon (jbacon@vikings.northpark.edu)

Reserving copies of the yearbook must be completed by Friday, September 10th. If students are interested in participating on the yearbook staff this year, they should contact Andrea Carlson (acarlson4@vikings.northpark.edu).

If you want to know what’s going on around campus, or have trouble keeping track of your schedule, consider buying the SA Planner! The planner, on sale for $5, includes information on different clubs and organizations, and also lists events and important dates in the academic calendar.

Want to save money? Find out how by checking out The Student Savings Club, a tool for all North Park students that can help you save up to $2,000 in a single school year. For details, check out the website, studentsavingsclub.org, or email Alan Hall (ahall2@vikings.northpark.edu) or Casey Smagala (csmagala@vikings.northpark.edu).

Starting this semester, North Park University has partnered with ARAMARK to provide one free meal each week to students without meal plans who are living in on-campus apartments.

The program, which is still in experimental stages, was developed by North Park’s vice president, Carl Balsam.

“One of the things that often happens when people make the transition from residence halls to apartments is, you lose some of that interchange between upperclassmen and underclassmen,” said Balsam. “I try to think of ways to bring them back into social contact, and also to bring more value to apartment contracts.”

Because the cafeteria is a common socializing spot, Balsam decided to broach the idea to ARAMARK. The company agreed to underwrite half the cost of the new program, with the University picking up the rest of the tab.

“We’re sort of partnering this fall, to see if this experiment will get any traction with students who live in on-campus apartments, and if we can sustain it,” said Balsam. “We thought this would be a nice gesture to keep these students in contact with others occasionally at meals.”

There are some rules, however. In order to gain entry to the cafeteria, students must present their North Park University ID. Also, there will be no carryover from week to week. If students don’t use their free meal each week, they will lose it. Lastly, students may not take advantage of the program by taking food out of the dining hall.

Balsam emphasized that this program is an experiment. If enough interest is not shown, or if ARAMARK is not able to sustain student interest, the program may be modified or terminated.
Letter from Student Association President
Welcome Back to returning students and Welcome Home incoming students!
This year is going to be an exciting one! I’ve been anticipating everyone’s arrival for quite some time now and the day has come and past! I hope you are all settling in well and are excited about your classes, extracurriculars and a fun year with friends!
I know the first week can be rather overwhelming, but once you feel somewhat comfortable, take a leap of faith and get involved! There are so many ways to be a part of North Park, not just academically, but also in the many clubs and programs offered. You definitely want to check out Intramurals (flag football is my favorite), University Ministries (yay Urban Outreach), and the many hall and floor events you’ll experience as resident students. For commuters, please invest time at North Park to get to know other students and get involved in really cool organizations!
One that is especially important to me is Student Association (CLASS). All of the cultural, social and academic clubs and campus make up who we are. So, this year, we are beginning a refocus. We are proposing a name change that the student body will vote on: Life Associations and Student Senate. It better describes who we are and what we do. We are here to serve the student body, and to better enable us to do that, we are expanding our size times two. These are yet again, changes that need to be voted on the student body.
Some other new and exciting things to check out are the planners we are selling for $5. They include all of the campus events for the year (that are at least scheduled at this time) and a significant amount of important information regarding Life at North Park!
So, dive into the North Park experience!
Nancy Thome
Student Association (CLASS) President

The North Park Vikings are ready to begin another season of football, and the team hopes to make it a bounce-back year for the program.
The Vikings struggled last season, finishing with a 1-9 record. However, the team is not dwelling on last year, and instead is building for this upcoming season.
“I think we gained a lot of experience and have a lot of leadership in one another,” said Scott Pethtel, the Vikings head football coach.
The Vikings are also counting on a new class of freshmen that should help the team in the long run. Coach Pethtel knows, though, that having new players requires having patience, and there can be a learning curve with the young athletes.
“I’m excited about the freshman class. However, we know that in the CCIW conference, we cannot put these players into stressful situations. But these young players will definitely be playing for us at some point,” said Pethtel.
According to Pethtel, the football players know that more than anything, they must work hard in every game and set goals for themselves.
“I expect these players to fight tooth and nail with the goals they set,” said Pethtel. “We have to make sure that our team has the mentality of one game at a time. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose.”
The Vikings will kick off their season this Saturday, Sept. 4, at 1 p.m. against Aurora University. Fans with also have a chance to see up-and-coming players during the junior varsity game this Sunday, Sept. 5, at 3 p.m., also versus Aurora University. Both games will be played at Holmgren Athletic Complex.

With a new school year in full swing, North Park University has introduced the Bridge program, a new venture that incorporates festivals, events, and activities from campus and all around Chicago into student life.

The program is meant to serve as a bridge from the campus to the surrounding city, as well as a pathway for students from high school (or previous colleges) to North Park University. Laurie Konecky, the programs coordinator, has previous experience in organizing Threshold events and has been the driving force behind the Bridge program.

“This program is a great way to introduce students to each other, to the campus, and to the city of Chicago,” said Konecky. “Bridge events can also support the University by helping all students to connect and get back together.”

Although the events can be attended by anyone, they are geared toward crews, which were designed to give new students a core group of people with whom they can become familiar.

“Basically, during Threshold Week, incoming students were split into groups, or crews,” said Konecky. “The freshman students were randomly assigned to crews, although we did try to have equal numbers of commuters and residents.”

The crews, and all other interested students, are then encouraged to attend a variety of events, which will occur over the next seven weeks. Each week of Bridge has a specific theme that promotes different areas of growth as a community and as a University.

This past week has been Chicago Week, during which students were given the opportunity to attend a Chicago Cubs baseball game for a low price that included transportation and a Bridge-themed t-shirt.

Chicago Week also includes a North Park-financed trip downtown for the 32nd Annual Jazz Festival. Crews can meet at Magnuson Campus Center at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4, and travel to the festival together.

Next week is Spirit Week, dedicated to North Park University and the sporting events that will take place on campus. During this week, each crew will “adopt” a team and is encouraged to attend at least one sporting event.

According to Konecky, the Bridge program will provide these crews with white t-shirts that can be tie-dyed and decorated to show support for North Park athletics, as well as tickets for free concessions at the games.
The main event for Spirit Week is a campus-wide tailgate party, which will be held from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. The student tailgate party, which will be located in front of Old Main, will include free food as well as bags tournaments. And, according to Konecky, the Bridge-hosted tailgate party inspired others to join in on the festivities.

“Because we started doing this, Alumni Relations decided to host a tailgate on the same day, in Carlson Tower. Additionally, another tailgate party for parents of athletes will be held in the Foster/Kedzie parking lot,” said Konecky.

The festivities will take place after the 12 p.m. men’s soccer game and before the 7 p.m. football game as part of an all-day sporting affair.

Next up is Unity Week, which is aimed at bringing North Park University and the surrounding neighborhood together as a whole. The area’s multiculturalism will play a large role in the available Bridge activities, which will include transportation to the Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival, held Sept. 17—18.

The remaining four weeks, with themes of Lives of Significance and Service, Homecoming, Residence Life, and Student Life, will include many more events and activities. Details about costs and locations can all be found on the North Park website, and questions about the Bridge program can be directed to Laurie Konecky, at lkonecky@northpark.edu.

Editor-in-Chief

The North Park University campus has experienced some changes and renovations over the summer, most of which were completed in time for the return of the student body.

Some of the major changes took place in the Carlson Gym lobby. The lobby itself has been repainted, giving the area a brighter, fresher look. Additionally, the outer wall of the gym was transformed into a North Park University Athletics Hall of Fame, with blown-up pictures of current male and female athletes and the names and years of notable former student athletes.

The stairs leading from the lobby into Hamming Hall have been modified as well. New steps were put in, which are designed to allow a wheelchair lift to be installed. Currently, a portable ramp is available, but according to Executive Vice President Carl Balsam, there are plans to equip Hamming Hall with a lift later in the year.

“We never really had an appropriate kind of handicap facility there that we needed,” said Balsam. “We’ll be using the ramp until fall, but everything is designed to support the lift, which will improve accessibility to the handicapped.”

The Kedzie entrance to Carlson Gym was also redesigned. Many students would cut across the grass to get from the doors to the sidewalk along the street, which meant the grass could never grow properly. Then, whenever it would rain or snow, the area would, as Balsam said, turn into a “mudhole.”

In response to this, the sidewalk was broadened to include the corner, which should effectively eliminate mud problems.

The area around the sidewalk has also been re-landscaped. Some of the cedar trees were torn down and replaced with a grove of aspens and some natural grasses, similar to those found in the Greenspace.

Kevin Shepke, the director of sports information, said Holmgren Athletic Complex has gotten some upgrades as well.

“The infield dirt for the baseball and softball diamonds was replaced with new turf, which will allow for less rainouts, and more flexibility for the football and soccer fields,” said Shepke.

According to Balsam, the new turf was installed in part as a safety measure. ‎
“Clay from the infield would migrate into the green artificial turf, and make it rock hard, which was difficult to clean,” said Balsam. “It would pose a hazard where the soccer, football, and baseball fields would overlap, especially because the second base of the baseball field would become exposed. By using the brown turf over clay, we’ve solved some significant problems down there.”

Ohlson House received a partial makeover, getting completely repainted and re-carpeted over the summer. Several of the bathrooms were also renovated, and the laundry area was improved.

Both Ohlson House and Sohlberg Hall got new furniture in their lounges, and newer, brighter lighting fixtures were installed in Anderson Hall.

Other changes around campus include new entry doors for Sawyer Court, improved locker rooms, and new arm-desk chairs in Carlson Tower.

The CCIW has awarded Mike the Pitcher of the Week honors twice in a row now. This season he has 77 strike outs (only 11 short of his single-season record). He currently holds the lowest ERA on the team at 3.oo. He only has 42 hits against him, and 24 runs on 225 at bats. When batters face Mike they only have a 13% chance of getting a run in for their team. The pitching staff as a whole has a 4.30 ERA, which is the lowest in the entire conference. So far the opposing teams have a 6.03 ERA. Mike is currently in third place in the conference for individual pitching statistics.

Last season, Mike was drafted by the Minnesota Twins, but that is not where his heart lies. In talking with Mike he is excited for his future in baseball, but his focus is on this season. He knows full well that scouts are watching him play and he seems to impress them each and every day. Even with all the success the baseball team has earned this year, Mike stressed that his work ethic and drive is the same as everyone else on the team. He talks about watching the professionals, getting tips from his coaches, and his unquenchable thirst to win!

Right now there are six games left in the season, before the CCIW tournament  begins. Yesterday they played at Wheaton to start their three game series. The men have only one home stand left this season. This Saturday will be the first game in that home stand to finish the series with Wheaton.

Baseball aside, I asked Mike what he wanted people to know about him around the campus. His attention turned directly to his teammate of almost 18 years, Nick Marino. Mike and Nick started their time together in tee-ball, and have been captains on most of the teams they have been a part of together. This year is no different. Mike talked about a sense of comfort he has when he looks over to short stop and sees Nick there. Since this is Nick’s final season at North Park, Mike said he will miss “one of the best teammates and baseball players I have ever played with.”

The baseball teams senior game is against Benedictine on our beloved reading day, at 4:30 PM. That day is also their breast cancer “pink out night”. “It would be great to see a large crowd for our seniors, and to support a good cause. I think they will be giving away pink north park baseball t-shirts!” said Mike.

If you get a minute between studying for classes come out and support the men’s baseball team!

Artist Tim Lowly reunited with his stolen painting "Carry the Body"

Marissa Barkey

Arts and Entertainment Editor

When Tim Lowly’s painting “Carry the Body” was stolen out of the Gwenda Jay Gallery in 1991 without a trace, his hopes that the painting would resurface were gone. “Losing a painting is like losing someone you know,” said Lowly. “I never expected to see it again.”

Nineteen years is a long time for a stolen painting to be missing. Making the story all the more extraordinary, the painting was found in an abandoned building just a half mile from Lowly’s home, by two antique shop owners on a dumpster-diving quest.

A boarded-up building on the corner of Irving Park Road and Sacramento Avenue is hardly a place you could expect to find a painting worth thousands of dollars.

It was truly serendipity that Jayson Lambert, the owner of Hoard Antiques, and his business partner, David Garr, discovered the painting in the 3000 W Irving Park Road location days before its interior was demolished and scrapped.

While exploring the building, they searched a padlocked office, which was in complete disarray. A dusty desk, scatters of IOU slips, syringe needles, insurance policy forms and six smashed-open safes were some of the items in the room where they found Lowly’s painting nestled under a mess of papers. Evidence of the Chicago mafia’s presence in the building linked to previous police raids during 1979, 1997 and 2004.

The stolen painting was on the desk under a stack of IOU slips and off-track betting cards. Lambert and Garr grabbed the painting to bring home.

“It was amazing to find something like that and to be a part of the return,” said Lambert.

Elated, relieved, and overjoyed were the descriptive words Lambert used about Tim Lowly’s expression when he put the painting back into the artist’s hands. Tim Lowly walked into Hoard Antiques on Damen Ave, where he once again greeted the painting that meant so much to him, after 19 years.

“It seemed like it was a career changing painting from his life,” said Lambert.

Indeed it was.

The painting, “Carry the Body” graced the Gwenda Jay Gallery in 1991, a stepping-stone in Lowly’s successful career as an artist.

”It was a major exhibition for me,” said Lowly, “The painting evoked a strong response from the viewers.”

Gwenda Joyce, the owner of Gwenda Jay Gallery, was always impressed by Lowly’s dedication to the craft and the ideas he painted about.

“I was pleased to be involved in showing his work when he was getting started,” said Joyce. “We had a lot of opportunities.”

THE THEFT

On a rainy weekday in February 1991, two men wearing trench coats entered the Gallery’s downtown Chicago location, as Joyce’s fresh-out-of-college assistant, Emily, was monitoring. It was an audacious theft.

“The men asked her for information about the gallery to distract her,” said Joyce. “When she returned with the information, the men were gone.”

After a few hours, Emily panicked when she realized a painting was missing from the wall, and phoned Joyce. They reported the theft to local authorities and an image was on file in the database of Chicago Art Dealers Association register. No credible leads surfaced.

“We learned there had been other paintings stolen, a total of four paintings were stolen within the timeframe of a few weeks from different galleries,” said Joyce. In her 20+ years of owning a gallery, Joyce had never encountered a theft.

“It’s a public place so you do have to protect your artwork,” said Joyce. “You think other people are going to respect that, and most people do.”

Throughout 1991, numerous articles in the Chicago Tribune outline a series of half a dozen art thefts from Chicago galleries

Lowly’s painting was listed as worth around two to three thousand dollars at the time it was in the gallery.

As the story of the found painting is structured as an unfolding puzzle, yet a baffling complex mystery still surrounds the actual theft. The motives of the thieves, and how the painting ended up in the 3000 W Irving Park Road location, remains a mystery.

The painting had been missing so long that Lowly had given up hope that he’d ever see it again.

Lambert, owner of Hoard Antiques, searching the abandoned building.

NINETEEN YEARS LATER:

One October morning in 2009, Lambert and Garr were driving through Chicago in Garr’s Ford truck as two hopefuls checking alleys and dumpster-diving on a quest to find retro treasures as they prepared for the grand opening of Hoard Antiques on Damen Ave. While waiting at a red light on Irving Park, a man in a hard hat locking up the abandoned building at 3000 W Irving Park Road caught their attention.

“We should go for it and ask him if we can look inside,” said Garr to Lambert. Soon enough, Lambert and Garr flashed a couple 20’s to Carlos, the metal scrapper, asking if they could grab anything before the building was destroyed.

By the time Carlos allowed Lambert and Garr to enter the building, the demolition crew already smashed and scrapped old pinball machines, jukebox’s and slot machines in the building, much to the astonishment of the antique owners. Destined to find other items of value, Lambert and Garr searched the upstairs with a flashlight – which had an aura of mystery in its own right.

They described the upstairs as a hall where each individual room had a padlock, six cracked open safes, and hundreds of paperwork scattered on the floors.

“It was pretty trippy to see the way people were living up there,” said Garr,” it would have blown anyone’s mind. It seemed this place was abandoned for a long time because of the dirt and grime,” said Garr

Lambert entered an office room where the padlock was busted off.

“The office was in complete disarray. there were cracked open safes and paperwork scattered allover the floor. We found boxes of IOU’s. It was really creepy,” said Lambert.

As Lambert was shuffling through the dusty piles of IOU’s, prescription cards, tax return forms, insurance policies and betting cards disheveled on the dusty office desk with a flashlight, he discovered, unbeknownst to him, the stolen painting.

“After that day, everything left in there would be trashed by the demolition crew as they were clearing the building,” said Lambert.

Lambert brought the painting out to load in the truck and headed home.

“We were just grabbing stuff, we didn’t get to analyze things before we started going through it,” said Garr.

Lambert and Garr stored the painting in the basement of their soon-to-be antique shop.

Lambert and Garr stored the painting, but remained curious about it.

“The piece, the quality and the artist’s ability is just ridiculously good,” said Garr. Upon analyzing the painting, Garr and Lambert did not suspect such prominent value or know that it was stolen.

“We really just backed into it, it was all by chance,” said Garr. “This painting was just asking to be found.”

Within months, Garr and was able to identify the painting by researching online. After googling the artist’s name on the back of the painting, Garr discovered an image of “Carry the Body” at a website in reference to Lowly’s work, shocked to discover the painting was labeled “Stolen.”

Garr quickly emailed Lambert, the email reads “…Jayson, this painting was stolen in 1991!  We need to talk about this ASAP!!…”

Unfamiliar with this situation, Garr immediately phoned a friend in New York, who worked at an art house and as an auctioneer.

“He put an appraisal on the painting, stating he thought it must be worth about $10,000,” said Garr.

The friend offered to help with the return, fascinated by the discovery. Realizing the painting they had was valuable, Lambert and Garr kept the painting locked in the office of Jayson’s shop.

Garr contacted Tim with an email, reaching out in regards to the painting he found. Lowly responded, “This is very surprising and wonderful news.”

Tim Lowly visited Hoard Antiques, where he walked to the office and introduced himself to Lambert. Lambert reached over and placed the painting into Lowly’s hands.

The masterpiece had been returned to its rightful owner.

“They did a good thing, as citizens, when they found out it was stolen and I’m so glad I got it back,” said Lowly with a smile.

Lowly offered a reward to Lambert the day of the return, which he declined.

“It’s phenomenal to me that this was stolen almost twenty years ago and it shows up half a mile from me” said Lowly.

A few days after Garr and Lambert brought the painting home, the building was cleared out with the remains brought to a dumpster.

“The painting was just asking to be found,” said Garr.

CARRY THE PAINTING:

Lowly is thrilled to have the painting back. “It was a real strong emotional and important painting to me because it evokes such a response,” said Lowly.

The painting alludes to Korea and embraces many interpretations.

“It was one of my most written-in works of art, I had many artists write to me with what they interpreted the painting to be,” said Lowly.

Lowly was raised in South Korea. In 1983 during a visit back to his roots in Korea, a stay which coincided with his choice to reevaluate his vision and painting, Lowly was inspired to paint “Carry the Body,” which is based on his visit and earlier memories. Lowly doesn’t have one sole meaning to the painting – the beauty in the art lies in the fact that there are many possible interpretations.

“Carry the Body” could translate as indicating social, political and religious tensions between two cultures – Korea and America. “People thought it was symbolic at the time,” said Lowly.

Lowly informed Joyce of the return.

“The fact that this particular painting came back to Tim at this time is very gratifying to know,”  said Joyce. “What’s interesting about paintings: they really seem to have a life that goes long beyond the time they are in your hands.”

And this painting had one hell of a life.

“Carry the Body” survived with a few minor tears and one noticeable chip in the center of the painting.

“I don’t know to what extent I may repair it,” said Lowly, “I’m not going to separate it from the damage, that has become part of the painting’s story.”

Lowly plans to hang onto the painting and is considering putting it in a gallery in Los Angeles. “I’d like it to end up in a museum,” he said.

Sarah Hanson, was also a “satellite” competitor. She was competed in the Heptathlon at the Hillsdale Relays in Michigan. In each event Sarah competed in, she set either a school or personal record. With all her times and distances combined, she finished with 4,028 points – only 72 points from qualifying nationally. That also places her third all-time for North Park finishes in the Heptathlon.

The rest of the North Park team was at the Concordia Chicago Invitational. Although the event was much closer to home, records were still being shattered.  On the ladies’ side Caroline Kempe kept the trend going by running the best time of her life in the 400m. Her time, 60.59 seconds, puts her fourth on the all time North Park list!

In the 800m, Cicci Ittner and Laura Sorg had personal bests in their events, placing second and seventh respectively. Laura Papageorgiou, a senior, set her best time ever in the 5000m. Her time places her at fourth place on the school record list also.

The men also had a great showing. Chris Mark, Kenny DePena, and Kaleb  Nyquist all had personal bests and great finishes. Each of these gentlemen had at least one finish in the top five of their event. Luke DeJong threw the Javelin for over 167 feet, and he threw his hammer for 155 feet, placing him second at the meet, and beating his personal best! Joe Orsini and Marvin Arenga also had personal bests last weekend.

This coming weekend, our Vikings travel to Monmouth College to attempt to beat these newly established records, and some will even attempt to qualify for nationals without having to win conference. This year the CCIW meet is being held at Wheaton College, the weekend after finals. Soon after that, from May 27-29, Division 3 nationals will be held. Since we will not be her, if you notice a track and field hoodie or shirt, tell them good luck and wish them the best of luck!

In fact our age bracket, 18-24, is this recession’s second hardest impacted demographic. The Department of Labor concluded that the unemployment rates of this age group is actually about 5% more than the current national average, sitting at around 15%.

But here’s the scariest part, the fact is that multiple students graduating this May that I’ve talked to have no clue what they are doing, “I think I’ll take some time off…figure it out”, or “I’ll probably just work at camp this summer”, seems to be two of the most popular given responses, but when it comes down to tackling that mountain of graduation debt, a good summer job would be a smart place to start.

Newly graduated students who haven’t been offered a spot in their career field right out of college however are not the only ones looking for these summer jobs, for it’s the teen demographic ages 16-19 whose unemployment rates are double the national average…and then some, sitting at about 21%. Hence a certain crowding out effect may be going on this summer when it comes to the job pool. So, here are 5 practical job options for those recent grads in “limbo”, and us college students looking to save up in the summer:

1. Internships and apprenticeships are the best thing a college student and post-grad can try to look for; they really are an investment in your future. Part of being a successful working person in the real world, however, is being able to be an advocate for yourself and a researcher. “A lot of organizations that offer these programs don’t advertise them,” says Tom Cath, director of Valparaiso University’s career center in Valparaiso, Indiana. Now we’ve done articles solely on unpaid internships, and how though the experience is great to have, at the end of the day making money is a necessity, so Cath came up with another idea as to if an unpaid internship is all you can get: stipend pay. “Ask for stipend parking, meals, or transportation. Also, ask your school for academic credit in return. That way you’re at least getting a little financial help.”

2. Cooperative Programs are specifically designed to allow student to make money as they are learning, called “co-ops” for short. (Understand that this specific option would be most helpful to the student still in college, and not specifically helpful to those graduation, but we’ve got more for you later!) The way these work is by allowing a student to attend school one full semester and then work a full-time job, paid, the following semester in a field related to their specific major of study. The benefits of a co-op are really two fold, for the National Commission for Cooperative Education reports that students on average participating earn more than the normal summer job, around $200-$1,167, but around 95% of co-op students will be guaranteed a job or find a job immediately following graduation.

3. Research Grants should also appeal to those students who have yet to graduate, but also those looking to go into graduate school following graduation. Available through colleges themselves as well as through private companies and governmental bodies, research grants can help students pay for college, and if it applies even room and board while they study. But if your interested in these you must get on the ball early, concludes director of career management at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota Cythia Favre. “Normally students start looking for jobs in April, but for these programs you have to start in February or March. For fall semester, they need to start looking the (spring) semester before.” And they best place to begin looking is right in your school, or private company or governmental body if you happen to be working and no longer receiving you education.

4. Caroline Ceniza-Levine, a career coach and founder of SixFigureStart consulting in New York City, says that there are a lot of current students who don’t take advantage of how easy and available work-study programs are. So to all returning students, here’s how they work: The jobs themselves range from assistant to manager to clergy work, now its important to remember that this rout will not make you rich, due to the fact that the pay is usually around or just about. According to the Department of Education the federal government currently allows students to earn up to $3,000 in income without it affecting their financial aid package.

5. “It’s really easy. Get off your (butt), walk outside and look around for what needs to be done,” says Cameron Herold, founder of the Vancouver-based corporate mentoring company Back Pocket COO, he presents our final option: Start your own business. “Forget showing up in a monkey suit from nine to five. Students who really want to make money this summer will start their own business”, says Herold, “Students don’t really need any money or special skills to do it. I paid my entire first year of college selling wineskins door to door.” People still need those mundane tasks done, whether it be picking up the dry cleaning, organizing businesses or homes, baby sitting, or maybe even teaching fairly simple skill you have tot an elderly or foreign person, working a computer for example, the possibilities are endless, and the best part is you get to pick your price!

Graduating into a time when the number don’t lie, 2.4 million full-time permanent jobs open and 14.5 million people officially unemployed, means that those graduating in 2010 will be competing with a number of experienced workers for the very few available job openings. So every fresh graduate need to make sure they ‘dot their I’s and cross their T’s because the “new rules” of the employment game say that employers have more choices now, so they get to be picky.

Laura Labovich, a career coach for the company Aspire! Empower! says, “Graduating students need to spend substantial time becoming an ‘insider’ in either a specific industry or a specific function through association membership, volunteerism, informational interviews, and more, and if that can’t be done, be smart enough to have a plan B. You may need to work along side the new sophomore or maybe even high-schooler at that typical summer job, but keep your head up, and stick to a plan, you’ve got no where to go but up. Congratulations to the class of 2010.

One guest speaker, Corey Greaves, spoke about his Native American ancestry. How often does it occur to the greater White Anglo Saxon Protestant (WASP) community that at the same time George Washington was fighting for freedom from tyranny, a whole other group of people were being persectured because of it? Greaves also spoke of a beautiful, deeply-rooted Christianity. The dances, drum beats and songs that define the Native American way of worship have, at times, caused controversy within the Christian realm. But honestly, by whose definition of worship should we be living? Let it be The One in whom all things are created.

A group of students and leaders got to visit a nearby Lutheran church whose members come from all walks of life. The church is situated in the Hilltop community, known for housing low-income families. However, it is the make-up of the area that brings the warmth and sincerity of the church’s members. These people have tasted the precious Water of Salvation, but struggle to afford the bare necessities. Pastor John put it this way,

“It’s the presence of community, wholeness, health, reconciliation, God’s justice. It’s said, ‘Peace begins when the hungry are fed.’ We seek to follow God’s call to extend the feast to all people. We provide free hot meals and clothing, short-term lodging through Tacoma’s Phoenix (Homeless) Housing network, emergency assistance, a community gathering place, and many ministries with children and youth that help them develop holistically (physically, emotionally, academically, and spiritually).”

Isn’t this really what the global church should be about?

Another part of this church is its community center. The center is dedicated to improving academic support for high school students in the surrounding area. It is no secret that among all high school students, it is minority students who are still among the lowest achieving nationwide. How is it that the achievement gap is ever increasing? Is this a racial injustice? Lane Porth, a high school student from Salem, Oregon writes, “While I knew vaguely that racism was still a problem today, I had never noticed the effect it has on students. I learned from African-American students the problems that they have with the achievement gap and disproportional discipline. The fact that they have to convince teachers that they ‘belong’ in honors classes and are assumed to be stupid until they prove otherwise, shocks me. The problems I face in high school are enough without adding discrimination by teachers to the list.”

So, my question to you is, what are you going to do about it? Are you aware of the racial injustices occurring at this very moment? Volunteer at a local school or community center. Seek out opportunities to serve at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Go to church where the service is not in English! Be involved in your community and build relationships with people of other cultures. The process for racial reconciliation is just that, a process. However, it begins and is continued with you! Here’s to actually walking the Jesus walk.

Hannah Woodbury, an exercise science major and member of the girls’ Frisbee team, was aware that her advice wasn’t exactly unique, but still believed in its importance. “I know this is a typical senior statement, but definitely get involved in intramurals, or go on a Global Partnerships mission trip,” she said.

Youth ministry major Ramona Gant was both a part of the college life planning team and a member of the Black Student Association. “I can honestly say that academics are first, and it is a priority, but I do think that being a part of things makes the college experience so much richer,” she said.

Senior media studies major Liz Boyd had a slight twist to this message. “Get involved, and challenge the institution, because it will make a lot of claims that it might not live up to,” said Boyd. “I feel like as students, our responsibility is to ask questions, make sure they follow through, and make sure they’re living up to what they’re promising us.”

Fellow media studies major Tim Mata gave some different advice. “Incoming students need to make sure they want to be here before they leave,” said Mata. “North Park’s academics aren’t the most accommodating for people trying to transfer in. They’re even worse for people trying to transfer out.”

Despite his tone toward the foibles of transferring academic credits, Mata enjoyed some good times thanks to North Park’s theatre department. “I don’t know how many hours I’ve spent working and building in the theatre, but they’ve all given me wonderful memories of working with like-minded people,” he said.

Matthew Kim, an English-Literature major who was on the cross country and track team, also appreciated the quality relationships he built. “Most of my favorite experiences came through the interactions I had with teammates, coaches, and anyone that I knew through these people,” he said. “They were a second family to me, and I know that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without them. Much love and thanks goes out to them to all.”

Gant enjoyed getting close with fellow students from her youth ministry courses, and she also had the opportunity to go on two global partnerships mission trips. She went once as a member and once as a leader, and counted both trips as some of her favorite student experiences. “Both times were great. Even though it’s a different perspective as a leader than as a member, it still was a good time,” said Gant.

Joseph Williams, a biblical and theological studies and Africana studies major, said Sankofa was one of his favorite college experiences. “I appreciated the fruitful discussions of race,” he said. “Incoming students should take a class in Africana Studies or another culture that highlights oppression and injustice,” Williams advised.

Woodbury counted the Zambia missions trip she went on as “hands down” her favorite experience. “The people there, the kids, just working at the orphanage, and then definitely Victoria Falls was huge, that was the most incredible ‘God-moment’of my life,” she said.

Kim also greatly valued his experiences from Gulf Coast and India Global Partnerships trips. “I absolutely loved the people I went with on the Gulf Coast trip and met as a result,” he said. “But the India trip really challenged me to be more intentional about prayer, and was a reminder that we have a faithful God that is continually working throughout the world.”

As for after graduation, some students aren’t quite done yet with school. Kim is planning on taking the LSATs in October, and Williams intends to go to grad school. Mata will spend the summer deciding if he wants to continue his education.

Woodbury isn’t sure what she’ll do after graduation, but is open to opportunities. Boyd recently got a job doing editorial research at BG+H publications in downtown Chicago.

Gant has a summer internship lined up in New York City with Center for Student Missions. “I’m trying to get their apprentice position for the year, but if not, then we have to pray really hard, and I’m going to look into working for By the Hands Ministry,” said Gant.

Perhaps during this time of the school year, we can all take comfort in Matt Kim’s advice to undergraduates: “Make it through today cause there’s hope in tomorrow.”

On two different occasions, sometime between March 26–29 and the 16–19 of April, Wikholm-11 was entered and each time, two Mac laptops were taken. Steven Clark, the director of computer and communication services at North Park, said the computers cost about $1200 each.

Post-burglary, the door to W-11 showed no signs of a break-in, and Gooris said he believes whoever took the laptops gained access to the lab with a key. “Key control on a college campus is always a problem,” said Gooris.

After the first burglary, North Park covered the lab’s windows to hinder would-be thieves’ ability to see the room’s equipment. They also installed an anti-shim plate over the door of W-11’s lock.

However, these precautions were not enough to prevent the second burglary that occurred two weekends ago. After W-11 replaced its laptops, used in conjunction with the lab’s spectrometers, the thieves struck again.

In the wake of these burglaries, North Park University’s Physical Plant is working hard to increase security in the Wikholm labs. The door to W-11 has been fitted with a Salto lock, like those in Burgh Hall, which makes the lab accessible only to those with an authorized ID card.

Newer, stronger locks are being installed for the other labs, and as funds allow, the University hopes to eventually replace all locks with Salto locks.

The identity of the thief or thieves is still unknown, but campus security is working with the Chicago police to catch those responsible for the crimes.