ST. PAUL, Minn., September 18, 2025 – This August, University of Northwestern – St. Paul welcomed its largest class since 2018 with a record-breaking 518 students. The class of 2029 arrived from 17 different states, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dekota, and Illinois. Top majors for the class of ’29 include Business Administration, Nursing, Kinesiology, Psychology, and Engineering.
Each new student selected Northwestern for their own reason, but incoming freshman Olivia summarized well the feelings of many in this class: “Sports brought me here but, I just loved the people, atmosphere, and Christ-filled learning environment. I came from a small public school, so I have never experienced anything like this before!”
Northwestern’s mission is exemplified, in part, by Hebrews 10:23: “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” This means Northwestern is accountable to its mission and vision, and biblical and theological foundation. Dr. Corbin Hoornbeek, President of Northwestern, noted, “We have made a bold commitment because UNWavering begins and end with God, not us.” The UNWavering tagline and branding launched last fall.
Every area of campus has a unique way of walking out that mission. Spiritual Development’s theme for chapel this year is “Becoming by Beholding.” In this theme, Pastor in Residence Christopher Asmus is intent on teaching students to behold God in his Word and become who he is calling them to be. Project 29:7, an initiative by Student Experience focused on the truth of Jeremiah 29:7, seeks to provide service opportunities for students to love God’s world well.
In addition, 11 new faculty members were welcomed to campus for the 2025-26 school year including Dr. Joshua Bauder, Lecturer of Music Theory & Composition; Dr. Kristina Benham, Assistant Professor of U.S. History; Dr. Ken Castor, Lecturer of Christian Ministries; Dr. Clinton Collister, Assistant Professor of Theology and Great Books in the Classical Christian Honors College; Lyndee Fogelman, Visiting Instructor and Manager of Competency-Based Curriculum for the School of Nursing; Dr. Sarah Heu, Assistant Professor of Nursing and Co-Director of Clinical Skills and Lab in the Nursing Learning Center; Dr. Douglas Huffman, Special Advisor to the President and Dean of the School of Theology and Ministry; Dr. Karry Pepper, Assistant Professor of Nursing; Dr. Samantha (Sam) Sommerness Reimer, Associate Professor and Director of Engagement and Outreach in the School of Nursing; Rebecca Schultz, ABD, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education; and Dr. Brinn Watson, Visiting Professor of Psychology.
Over the summer, Northwestern underwent renovations to make way for this record-breaking incoming class. Northwestern’s residence halls and campus are ranked #3 and #4 respectively in Minnesota with campus dorms ranking #29 in the United States according to Niche.com. With the launch of the Classical Christian Honors College (CCHC), Northwestern renovated a portion of Nazareth Hall, a historical building on campus built in the 1920s, forming the Honors Commons. The Billy Graham Community Life Commons also underwent renovations to replace student mailboxes with smart lockers and a community space.
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University of Northwestern – St. Paul (UNW) is a nondenominational, Christian university in St. Paul, Minn. With a Biblical worldview integrated into all programs, UNW provides a unique educational experience for students who want to combine faith and education. Northwestern offers more than 50 areas of study, including five master’s degrees, and online and early college programs. Northwestern Media, a ministry of the university, owns and operates 105 radio signals throughout the Midwest across 13 states with a total listenership of more than 2 million listeners. Visit unwsp.edu for more information.
