Northland International University welcomes students with activities and fireworks, Dunbar, Wis., September 5, 2009 – Northland International University has welcomed its students back with a bang ... literally. On Saturday night, September 5, local Dunbar and Pembine residents might have noticed the spectacular fireworks coming from the direction of Northland’s campus – and the accompanying noise. But, the noise and the display should come as no surprise to those who have been in the area for a few years. The “welcome back” fireworks are an annual event.
Activities for the opening weekend of school were designed to give new students opportunities to quickly connect with the student body, to begin building unity, and to set the tone for the entire school year. The student body officers arranged games, athletic tournaments, skits, and prizes to kick off the opening festivities. With a freshman class that has seen an increase of twenty percent over last year, these opening activities were especially helpful in giving them a sense of belonging and plenty of opportunities to get to know the people with whom they will spend the next eight months — far away from family, friends, and the comforts of home.
During the opening festivities, our campus reporters asked several students about how they spent their summers and how they saw God provide for them to be able to attend Northland this year. Many found summer jobs to save money for school — one worked on her family’s fruit and vegetable farm, another in a doctor’s office, and another at Chick-fil-A. Several went on mission trips or worked at Christian camps as operational staff or counselors. Regardless of their employment, most students spent their summers praying and seeing how God would provide the funds needed for another year of college. Senior Julia Lindquist reported that her “dad was able to get extra overtime” to help pay her school bill. Several received unexpected scholarships, but Junior Karrie Beverly told our reporters that “a man gave an anonymous gift of $10,000 to me for my school bill.” Although Northland strives to keep tuition well below the national average for private colleges and universities, in today’s economy, few can afford the cost without substantial help from scholarships and the generosity of individuals who believe in the type of education these students are pursuing.
Some of the changes students are seeing this year include the formation of Northland International University which includes Northland Baptist Bible College, Northland Graduate School, Northland Online, and Northland Center for Global Opportunities . Along with this addition comes the accompanying change in signage, apparel, letterhead, and anything else that might display the new logo — depicting the four missional lines (from Acts 1:8, where Christ commissions the disciples to be witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”); intersecting Northland’s four core values of honesty, obedience, wisdom, and service; and forming the shape of the cross. Another noticeable change is the renovation taking place in the original camp dorms in the center of campus. Northland began as a camp in 1961 and branched out to include a college in 1976. Although stately brick buildings now house the majority of the students and serve as office and classroom buildings, the original camp buildings are still in use. The two original dormitories are receiving interior renovations including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, furniture, and décor; and exterior renovations including new windows, doors, siding, and landscaping.
President Matt Olson is thankful for the progress being made and for another school year to continue the work of Northland’s mission: “to prepare the next generation of servant-leaders for Great Commission living.” He wants to get the message out that, “Although we are a ministry-training school tucked way back here in the woods of Northeast Wisconsin, my desire is to see our staff and student body make a positive impact in the community. I’m encouraged by the activities I see our students getting involved in — from working in kids’ clubs at local churches to assisting at a local job corp. That’s what we’re all about here. Touching lives one at a time — making a difference for the Savior we love and serve.”