Covenant News

Arlene Norman to Retire After 30 Years

CHICAGO, IL (May 16, 2002) - Arlene Norman, administrative assistant to the president of North Park University, will retire in late May after more than 30 years of service to North Park.

Norman came to North Park in August of 1971 as secretary to the president. Since time, she has served five university presidents: Lloyd Ahlem, Arthur Nelson, William Hausman, Patrick Lattore and David Horner.

To recognize her many years of service and wish her well in retirement, faculty, staff and friends recently attended a special "High Tea" in Norman's honor in Viking Hall. North Park's Board of Trustees earlier presented Norman with a computer system at a dinner in her honor.

Before assuming her role in the office of the president, Norman was a part-time student at North Park College and Moody Bible Institute. She also served as secretary to the executive secretary of World Missions for the Evangelical Covenant Church. In 1988, the North Park Alumni Association named Norman an honorary alumna. She is a member of Immanuel Evangelical Covenant Church in Chicago, where she has served as a Sunday school teacher, choir member, president of Young People's Society, president of the Friendship Circle, deaconess, church secretary and church chair.

"It is difficult to imagine life at North Park without Arlene Norman," says Melissa Morriss-Olson, senior vice president at North Park. "Arlene's extensive knowledge of and immense love for the North Park constituency, combined with her stellar management of the president's office during the past 30-plus years, will be nearly impossible to replace. From a personal perspective, I will miss Arlene's kind and thoughtful approach to every situation and person that she has encountered in her work at North Park. She has been a wonderful presence in the president's office and has served North Park through the good times as well as the stressful days with grace, humor and godly wisdom."

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