Deaf Studies Program Provides Interpreters for Republican National Convention

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Minnesota’s own North Central University, a private Christian college located in downtown Minneapolis with more than 1,100 students, will be providing the Republican National Convention with interpreters for the deaf. North Central University (NCU) is uniquely one of the only colleges in the United States with a Deaf Studies program.

Professor Barbara Garrett, Chair of the Carlstrom Deaf Studies along with NCU alumnae Andrea West and current NCU student Byron Behm have accepted invitations to serve as sign language interpreters for the Republican National Convention, being held in St. Paul, Minn. September 1-4, 2008.

These three will make up half of the six- interpreter team for the convention, and were chosen from a pool of approximately 300 professional sign language interpreters in the Twin Cities area.
Garrett, West, and Behm will have the honor of interpreting for President Bush, Senator McCain, and most of our nation's Republican leadership. Professor Garrett has interpreted for every sitting president since 1988, and will be adding George W. Bush to that list at the RNC.

The six working interpreters will be working in two teams in three strategic locations throughout the convention - one on each side of the main stage, and one in the audience in the Deaf section.

North Central University, a private Christian college affiliated with the Assembly of God church, is based in the Elliot Park neighborhood of Minneapolis. The college offers degrees in deaf studies, business administration, education, music, psychology, biblical studies, English, communication arts, evangelism and church planting, intercultural studies and more.

For more on this story from Minneapolis/St. Paul ABC News Station, KSTP TV-5, click here. 

President's Address Concludes First Week of Chapel

Minneapolis MN - Dr. Gordon Anderson, President of North Central University, addressed the students, faculty and staff in chapel this morning for the first time during the Fall 2008 semester. 

Dr. Anderson's message re-emphasized the mission of NCU, and expressed his excitement for the year ahead.

Prior to his message, Dr. Anderson also accepted with the NCCAA D-II Team Sportsmanship Award on behalf of NCU. The award was presented by representatives of the 2007-08 Rams Baseball team.  (picture below) The team recieved the award at this past spring at the NCCAA National Tournament, where they placed 6th.

Complete Welcome Week Information Now Available

Minneapolis, MN - Welcome Week is just a few short weeks away! Starting this coming week, student leaders will be arriving back on campus, and preparations are underway for new students to arrive on move-in day, Aug. 23rd.

A newly created welcome week website is now available, located at www.northcentral.edu/welcomeweek. The site includes frequently asked questions, hotel information and a welcome week schedule.  If you have any questions concerning welcome week, please feel free to contact Allison at almurphy@northcentral.edu or at (612)343.4169.

NCU Again Recognized with Midwest's Best Schools

Minneapolis, MN - The Princeton Review has posted their '2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region' school selections and profiles on www.PrincetonReview.com and North Central University is again one of the schools receiving the Best in the Midwest designation.

Institutions were commended for excellent academics, admissions selectivity, financial aid, fire safety, quality of life, the Green rating – a comprehensive measure of a school’s performance as an environmentally aware and responsible institution, and total enrollment.

For more information about the Princeton Review and to see NCU's profile in their 'best of' section, click on the image below:

NCU Helps Bring Water to Africa

 Minneapolis, MN - Several NCU Alum have just capped off the six week Ride:Well Bike Tour with Venture Expeditions, of which NCU is a proud sponsor, to raise awareness and money for BLOOD:WATER MISSION, which has made its goal to build 1000 wells in African communities without access to clean water. (Since 2004 B:WM has built over 340 for 11 African countries.)

Ryan Skoog (00, Missions; Venture Expeditions Co-Founder) and Drew Nelson (06, Pastoral Studies) were part of a 14-rider team who biked from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. where this past week, team members literally rode their bikes into the Atlantic ocean upon completion of the cross-country ride. Aaron Smith (04, Journalism) currently serves as Venture Expeditions' Director.

From Left: Aaron Smith, Drew Nelson, Nate Ruch (NCU Exec. Director of University Relations), Paul Hurckman, Jesse Olson, and Brianna Olson.  All are NCU Alumni.

In one week alone during the ride (June 4 – July 28), the Ride:Well team raised over $100,000. It started in Dallas, after a one-day ride hosted by The Oaks Fellowship. The ride culminated in an evening event with Brandon Heath (new Christian Artist of the Year) and Donald Miller speaking. The community rallied, the church was blessed and over $28,000 was raised.
Two nights later, 10 churches got together to host the team complete with a police escort through town and a benefit event attended by over 2200 people with Sara Groves performing and Don speaking again. Two TV stations, two newspapers, and 4 radio stations covered the event. Skoog said, “The town is still buzzing and money is still coming in after raising over $78,000 that night!"

Nate Ruch with the Ride:Well Team

To learn more about the team, Blood:Water Mission, and Venture Expeditions:

www.bloodwatermission.com

www.ridewelltour.com

www.ventureonline.org

Donald Miller's mobile blog while riding on the tour is:

www.donaldmillerwords.com/ride

NCU Selected for 2008 Best of Minneapolis Award

Minneapolis, MN - North Central University has been selected for the 2008 Best of Minneapolis Award in the Colleges & Universities category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.