Thomas, meanwhile, is in the middle of recording her second album and making a name for herself in jazz circles. To learn more about her and her music, please see Michele Thomas.
Kathy Holmgren brought attention to missionary work in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this year when she elected to continue a planned trip even though it meant she could not watch her husband, Mike, coach the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. She traveled with her daughter, Calla, who also was the fourth generation of Kathy’s family to attend North Park.
Together, the two women honored Saturday night during the school’s homecoming banquet represent past accomplishments as well as opportunities that lie ahead for the university as it seeks to build on the tradition of families promoting the school’s education.
Thomas, who graduated in 1997, was given the Up & Coming Young Alumna Award. Holmgren was honored with the Distinguished Alumna Award.
In his address to the gathering, President David Parkyn stated that during his many years of working in higher education, “I have never seen anything like the legacy tradition at this place.”
The tradition was formed through families like the Holmgrens, families rooted in the denomination’s history whose members once comprised a majority of the student body. Today, roughly 70 percent of the student population is made up of students like Thomas who have no previous connection to the Covenant, Parkyn observed.
Incorporating students like Thomas into the legacy tradition will be important, Parkyn suggests. “Can we have a legacy tradition and not alienate those not from the Covenant?” he asked.
Parkyn, himself coming from outside the Covenant, said he had been excited to take the presidency, but has continued to be pleasantly surprised with the university. Those surprises include the transitions being pushed by diversity.
Such transitions are not new for the school, however. In researching the school’s history, Parkyn learned that one of the biggest challenges to the university in its early years was whether it should teach any of its classes in English as well as Swedish.
Noting that North Park is located in the 60625 zip code area, which is one of the most ethnically mixed in the United States, Parkyn raised the possibility that the school might one day have to teach some classes in languages other than English. He has begun writing an occasional newsletter for employees, but has had it translated into Spanish, Polish and Greek for workers who cannot read English.
Parkyn also mused that another major point of discussion for the school had once been whether to build a gymnasium. Giving his address in Hamming Hall, the building that resulted from those debates, the president pointed out that the school recently celebrated the opening of the Helwig Recreation Center – just seven days earlier.
In their remarks to the banquet attendees, Thomas and Holmgren expressed gratitude for their years at North Park.
“This is the icing on the cake for me in terms of what I’ve gained from being part of such a wonderful organization like the Gospel Choir here,” Thomas said. “It was a family and an outlet for me to express my love for God and my culture.” She was introduced by Rollo Dillworth, the choir’s current director.
Holmgren was lauded for her many contributions, but she told the gathering, “God is good. We have a wonderful opportunity to give back what he already has given us.”
