Covenant News

Six Prominent North Park Professors Retire

CHICAGO, IL (August 15, 2005) - When classes began at North Park University in August, a number of familiar faces were missing. For the first time in years, six prominent faculty members - Jill Wettersten, professor in the school of education; Joan Zetterlund and Louise Hedstrom, professors in the school of nursing; Neale Murray, professor of art; and Calvin (Cal) Katter Jr., professor of biblical and theological studies; and Sonia Bodi, director of Brandel Library - were no longer at their desks or in the classroom. All six retired this year, after more than a century of combined service to North Park. Five of those professors - Wettersten, Zetterlund, Hedstrom, Murray and Katter - are longtime Covenanters as well.

Wettersten, (no photo available from North Park), who taught at North Park from 1980 to 2005, helped expand the university's education school to include a respected graduate program, says Charles Peterson, the dean of academic affairs for North Park. Key to the success of both the undergraduate and graduate programs has been Wettersten's close relationships with local schools. "She is always concerned about community relations, and public and private schools in the area," Peterson says. Those connections provide wonderful opportunities for students to practice their teaching, he adds.

"I enjoyed the wide variety of opportunities and challenges," Wettersten says of her time at North Park. She considers the six months she spent teaching in Sweden as part of an exchange program to be one of the highlights of her career. She plans on furthering her own education during her retirement, which will include taking classes in educational leadership. She also plans on pursuing her photography hobby.

Zetterlund, who also taught from 1969 to 2005, was the first professor of nursing with a doctorate at North Park. She also held the Paul W. Brandel endowed professor of nursing chair, first held by Delores Johnson, who started the nursing program many years ago. Zetterlund helped guide the school through numerous developments, including its move from Swedish Covenant Hospital to the North Park campus. She also helped oversee the development of the graduate nursing program.

Peterson praises Zetterlund for her devotion to combining theology and philosophy of caring into the nursing program. "It's been important to develop the reflective side of nursing as well as the academic," he says.

Developing that philosophy helped bring international attention to the school as Zetterlund taught in Finland and Sweden, Peterson says.

Hedstrom, who taught in 1967 and then from 1976 to 2005, was the director of the undergraduate nursing program. She was honored with the other endowed chair in the department - the Gretchen L. Carlson professor of nursing - and also held a doctorate. Replacing two professors who have a Christian faith as well as a doctorate in nursing is difficult, Peterson says.

Murray, who taught from 1966 to 1971 and then from 1976 to 2005, was chair of the art department since 1976 and is credited with developing a strong program. "He's found us some great young faculty," Peterson says.

"It's now a department that is highly professional but professional in a way that is very empathetic and sympathetic with students in expressing their faith. In fact it encourages them in that," says Murray. In addition to growing in physical size and the number of faculty, Murray says "the department has grown in its standards and expectations."

Murray has guided the division of humanities through a number of changes. "He's been a very good faculty leader," says Peterson, adding that the artist has played "a significant role in leading curricular and structural changes."

Murray's sculptures can be found across the North Park campus. His most recent sculpture, "Shelter," is composed of two eagle wings suspended from the ceiling of Swedish Covenant Hospital's entrance.

"I wanted to create something that was representative of the hospital and its faith commitment but that all people could relate to," says Murray. Being sheltered under wings has a long history of symbolism in many cultures, he adds. Murray hopes people entering the hospital will be reminded of God's care. "As a person who has had a couple health crises, I know what it is like to go into the hospital and not know whether you're going to come out," says Murray.

Katter, who taught from 1961 to 2005, has been an institution himself, teaching many of the leaders of the Covenant including President Glenn Palmberg. "It's been a lot of fun," Katter says. "I always thought of teaching as a ministry to Covenant young people."

Peterson says Katter's enthusiasm for his students has been evident in his ability to connect with those under his tutelage. "Students loved him and being around him."

Peterson relates how Katter took students to the Grand Canyon and that "the younger students had a hard time keeping up with him." Katter and his wife, Fern, also were strong supporters of the fledgling women's rowing team. Katter directed the honors program, saying he loved the challenge of pushing students in their quest for academic excellence and deepening their spiritual lives.

Bodi, who worked at North Park from 1981 to 2005 guided the library through its most significant change - the move into a new facility. Former staff members say they loved working for Bodi because she always was seeking their input, including on the design for the new building.

Transferring to the new building was not without its tense moments for Bodi. "I had this horrible fear that we would move all the books and we'd have thousands [left over] on the sidewalk," she says, but adds her fears were unfounded, as the effort went smoothly. Working at North Park has been an incredible experience, Bodi says, explaining, "There is such a love there."

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