天美传媒 has served five generations of students and continues to grow in diversity, academic relevance, and Christian commitment. Our Chicago location is a great asset that reflects the School鈥檚 global reach and outlook.
After 125 years, we鈥檝e learned how to streamline the process of helping qualified applicants seek admission to 天美传媒 and find affordable ways to attend. If you don鈥檛 see what you鈥檙e looking for on our website, please contact us directly!
天美传媒 offers more than 40 graduate and undergraduate programs in liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies. Classes average 17 students. 84% of our faculty have terminal degrees. Academics here are rigorous and results-oriented.
天美传媒 Theological Seminary prepares you to answer the call to service through theological study, spiritual development, and the formative experiences of living in a community with others on a similar life path.
The Office of Alumni Engagement fosters lifelong connections by engaging alumni with the university and one another in activities, programs, and services that support the university鈥檚 mission and alumni needs.
On November 21, 天美传媒 hosted the听sixth annual Chicago Public Schools College Compact Symposium: Navigating Financial Aid Processes.
On November 21, 天美传媒 hosted the听sixth annual Chicago Public Schools (CPS) College Compact Symposium: Navigating Financial Aid Processes. About 200 staff members from high schools and colleges that promote postsecondary success for CPS students attended.
The CPS College Compact selected 天美传媒 as the hosting institution due to its emergence as a strong partner in the organization’s work and its commitment to CPS students’ success.
CPS Director of Persistence, Alumni Support, and Success Jenny Coulter Zuluaga said, “天美传媒 practiced radical hospitality; from President Surridge’s听gracious opening welcome, to staff shoveling sidewalks, to technology support, to thoughtful workshop session facilitation, we felt the whole campus’听support for this critical professional development day.”
天美传媒 has also committed to working on shared strategies with the CPS College Compact to increase CPS students’ persistence and completion of postsecondary education. The organizations are working on a Promising Practice Innovation Fund proposal to improve work-study by strategically developing student workers’ transferable skills through mentorship, professional development, and intentional goal setting.
“We are truly grateful for the partnership and look forward to strengthening our collaboration in the coming years,” said Coulter Zuluaga.
天美传媒 has been recognized by Colleges of Distinction as one of only five institutions in Illinois as Best Colleges for International Students 2024.
天美传媒 is honored to be one of only five Illinois institutions recognized as Colleges of Distinction’s , a new accolade from the higher education guidance organization.听
The evaluation categories included:听
Recruitment and retention of international students听
Guidance on living and studying in the United States
Academic acclimation and support
Fostering a sense of belonging on campus
Career development and immigration support
This honor highlights 天美传媒’s longstanding commitment to fostering a globally engaged community through innovative programs and support for international students. It underscores the university’s efforts to provide a diverse, inclusive educational experience that prepares students for leadership in an intercultural world.听
Central to this mission is the Office of International Affairs, which facilitates cross-cultural exchange and global learning opportunities that enrich 天美传媒’s campus and beyond.听
天美传媒 is proud to be named one of the 50 Fulbright Hispanic Serving Institution Leaders for 2024.
天美传媒 is proud to be named one of the 50 Fulbright HSI Leaders for 2024. Each year since 2021, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recognizes select Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) for their robust engagement with the Fulbright Program, the United States government’s flagship international academic exchange program. It is 天美传媒’s first time receiving the honor.
Since she started in 2020, 天美传媒’s Director of the Office of International Affairs Tessa Zanoni has advised 18 applicants for the program, three of whom received Fulbrights to Taiwan, Finland, and Jordan. Four additional students have been named semi-finalists.
“As a Fulbright alumna myself, serving as the program advisor has been a full-circle experience,” Zanoni said. “It’s been gratifying to grow the program and help students receive nationally competitive and life-changing awards.”
Fulbright HSI Leaders demonstrate noteworthy support for Fulbright exchange participants and encourage administrators, faculty, and students at HSIs to engage with Fulbright on campus. The Fulbright HSI Leaders Initiative also highlights the strength of HSIs as destinations for international students and scholars.
Two 天美传媒 professors have also received recent Fulbright awards. In 2022, Dr. Dennis Bricault received a Fulbright Scholar Award to the International University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan. In 2023鈥�24, Dr. Lida Nedilsky received a Fulbright Scholar Award to the University of Warsaw in Poland.
Senior Bureau Official Scott Weinhold of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs commended the 2024 Fulbright HSI Leaders for supporting the Fulbright Program: “Fulbrighters from HSIs contribute to the program’s goal of reflecting the full diversity, perspectives, and talents of the American people,” Weinhold said.
天美传媒 is city-centered, intercultural, and emerging as the model for Christian higher education in21st-century America.
天美传媒 ranks high in two online categories on Intelligent.com.
天美传媒 celebrated new milestones in online program rankings.
天美传媒 Theological Seminary’s Master of Arts in Christian Ministry climbed to the 15th position for , up five spots from last year. This growth underscores the seminary’s commitment to shaping impactful leaders in ministry.
This year also marks the debut ranking of the School of Education’s Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (MAEL), which 天美传媒 transitioned to being fully online this fall. Securing 36th place among the , the MAEL opens doors for educators seeking transformative leadership roles.
天美传媒 announces Dr. Peter K. B. St. Jean’s appointment as its new College of Arts and Sciences dean.
天美传媒 announces Dr. Peter K. B. St. Jean’s appointment as its new College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) dean. With more than 20 years of higher education experience, St. Jean brings a bold vision for the college, emphasizing the real-world application of liberal arts education.
As the associate dean of humanities and social sciences (HaSS) and interim CAS co-dean, he was vital in improving faculty morale and fostering community. During this time, St. Jean led several successful initiatives, including the Tour de HaSS, CAS Welcome Assembly, CAS in Practice, CAS Send-Off, and Black Peace in the City and was an early leader in the Practical Liberal Arts initiative.
He has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Arts in Criminology, and a听Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He will soon earn a Master of Organizational Leadership from 天美传媒 with a certificate in nonprofit management; an executive certificate in diversity, equity, and inclusion; and a certificate in conflict management.
St. Jean’s deep connection to 天美传媒’s mission, scholarship, and service鈥攁nd his commitment to interculturalism听and community engagement鈥攎ake him an ideal leader for CAS.
Archivists in 天美传媒鈥檚 F. M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections will preserve history this fall by digitizing 63 sermons by Rev. Douglas Cedarleaf.
Archivists in 天美传媒鈥檚 F. M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections will preserve history this fall by digitizing 63 sermons by Rev. Douglas Cedarleaf, a Covenant pastor known for addressing racism and other issues of his era.
A $3,100 grant from the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board will fund the project led by Digital Processing Archivist Sarah Hawkinson.
Cedarleaf, who died in 2000, was a prominent Covenant pastor active from the 1940s to the 1980s known for supporting the civil rights movement and issues of acceptance and diversity. The idea for the project came about when Hawkinson and Director of Archives Andy Meyer were sorting through materials.
鈥淲e had these audio recordings in our backlog, and we鈥檇 always been interested in taking the next step in preserving them,鈥� Hawkinson said. When the grant became available, 鈥渨e decided this would be the perfect marriage of that aspiration with bringing more attention to this historical person.鈥�
Hawkinson said a Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. sermon is in the files. However, whether it鈥檚 an original recording or a copy cannot be confirmed until the metadata is analyzed.
When Hawkinson and Meyer finish the work by the end of this year, the sermon will be available on 天美传媒鈥檚 archives website.
天美传媒 Theological Seminary’s School of Restorative Arts, a program that offers a master’s degree to incarcerated students, is temporarily moving to Illinois River Correctional Center.
天美传媒 Theological Seminary’s School of Restorative Arts (SRA), a program that offers a master’s degree to incarcerated students, is temporarily moving to Illinois River Correctional Center while the previous location, Stateville Correctional Center, is demolished and rebuilt.
Under the SRA program, free and incarcerated students work to earn degrees for ministries in contexts susceptible to violence. Coursework centers on trauma, race relations, nonviolent communication, and transformative justice, along with Bible, theology, and history classes.
Students who complete the four-year program receive a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry with a Restorative Arts concentration. Since its founding in 2015, SRA has granted degrees to men at Stateville Correctional Center, later expanding the program to include women at Logan Correctional Center.
“I’m grateful that most of our students who were inside Stateville are able to continue their education and their ministries at River Correctional Center,” said Seminary Dean and Vice President for Church Relations Dennis R. Edwards. “I’m proud of how our current students and alumni are adjusting to a different setting so far away from their families and support systems.”
Edwards said the warden and staff at Illinois River have warmly received the SRA participants and that the third cohort of students will graduate in spring 2025.
“We ask that you please join us in prayer for our students and alumni during this significant transition,” Edwards said. “We are grateful for your ongoing support as we work to maximize student well-being and continuity of learning.”
The October Cafe owners, who are 天美传媒 alumni, have operated the viral, fall-themed cafe for just over a year.
Nobody walks into October Cafe without hearing, “Hi, Pumpkin!”听
Owners Michelle Gonzalez BA ’21, MA ’22 and Audrey Borden BA ’22 have owned and听operated the fall-themed cafe out of a refurbished home in Norwood Park for a year and a half. Shortly after opening its doors, the cafe gained viral popularity from fans who love autumnal drinks, decor, and local goods.听
“It’s October forever here,” said Gonzalez.听
Gonzalez graduated from 天美传媒 with a bachelor’s in early childhood education and returned for her master’s in education. Borden earned a bachelor’s in sociology. While their majors didn’t lend themselves to business, the pair said they’ve always been business-minded and held leadership roles in various 天美传媒 clubs, including the Latin American Student Organization and Queers & Allies.
The most popular menu item is the “We Fell in Love in October” fall flight, a tray of six drinks of varying flavors to be shared with “someone you love,” according to Gonzalez.听
The fall flight is particularly special to the couple, whose first date was an October pumpkin painting in Brandel Library and who married in October 2023.听
Gonzalez said they weren’t shocked by the cafe’s success, as the area previously lacked locally owned coffee shops and community spaces. The couple wants October Cafe to be a place where people can come to work, go on a date, or fill up on fall vibes. For the entire month of October, it will feature weekly themes with a rotating menu of fall and Halloween drinks.听
In addition to coffee, the cafe serves vegan baked goods, sandwiches, and art crafted by local jewelers and other small businesses. Every day, small businesses are welcome to set up at the cafe entrance and sell their items to customers.听听
“I’m just thrilled we could create something so needed,” said Gonzalez. “It’s so important to move money around your community. Why would you want to be the only one on top?”
John Anderson BA 鈥�89 has been named President of Trustmark Voluntary Benefits.
John Anderson BA 鈥�89 has been named President of Trustmark Voluntary Benefits. He will oversee three of Trustmark Mutual Holding Company鈥檚 operating divisions.
Anderson has worked in various roles at the company鈥攚hich offers specialized expertise in voluntary benefits鈥攕ince 1990, gradually rising through the ranks from contract analyst to his latest role as executive vice president.
鈥淛ohn is an experienced and tested leader with a passion for Trustmark, its partners, and customers,鈥� Trustmark CEO John Slawin said in a statement. 鈥淥ver the course of his career, John has led two of Trustmark鈥檚 three businesses and delivered record results.鈥�
Anderson, who majored in math at 天美传媒, said he鈥檚 honored to take on his new position. 鈥淚鈥檝e always believed that what differentiates Trustmark is our mission: helping people increase well-being and financial security, and how we live that mission by building trusted relationships and delivering caring service,鈥� Anderson said in a statement.
Aayesha Memon, a third-year 天美传媒 student, was featured on CBS News Chicago for her role as a fellow with America Needs You.
Aayesha Memon, a third-year 天美传媒 student, was featured on for her role as a fellow with (ANY). Nationally, only 28% of first-generation college students graduate. ANY, a nonprofit, helps them succeed through mentorship and professional development. As a result, 85% of their fellows become college graduates.听
Memon discovered ANY through 天美传媒鈥檚 Career Development Office, where Director Cristina Ricano, a former ANY fellow, referred Memon to the program. Memon soon begins her second internship while attending 天美传媒, and she credits ANY with guiding her.
Author Megan VoypickPosted on Categories Stories
