Register Now for ParentU!

Announcing ParentU for 2026-27! Register Now!

Parent University is back for another year! If you’re unfamiliar, Northridge hosts a series of evenings for parents, alumni, and friends of the school to have a night out and engage in thoughtful ideas about marriage, parenting, and family life. Each event pairs an expert talk with Q&A and time to discuss and mingle with other participants. This year, ParentU is offering two multi-session series that give participants the chance to go deeper.

OnBoard: A Four-Session Marriage Series

Northridge is partnering with IFFD, an international nonprofit dedicated to strengthening family life, to host OnBoard this fall. The series brings in expert speakers from across North America and Europe to lead couples through topics at the heart of married life.

• September 26 – Rediscovering ourselves and rethinking our path
• October 24 – Learning to give and to receive in times of struggle
• November 7 – Loving each other with our bodies
• December 5 – The beauty of the vocation of marriage

Each evening includes a talk, guided time for couple discussion, and Q&A, followed by optional drinks and socializing. Because OnBoard is designed as a couples program, both husband and wife attend together.

Full Course (4 sessions): $200 per couple
Two-Session Package: $150 per couple

Learn More & Register For OnBoard Here

Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina: Timeless Wisdom for Marriage & Family Life

In the second semester, licensed marriage and family therapist Bob Barder will lead a six-session series on Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and what it reveals about human nature, decision-making, and family life.

Bob is a 1993 Northridge graduate, a Northwestern alum, and the school’s College Counselor. He has taught courses on literature and psychology at ParentU, and this series draws on both his clinical background and his deep appreciation for Tolstoy’s understanding of the human heart.

• November 21 – Intro Class
• January 9
• February 6
• February 27
• April 10
• May 1

Individual: $100
Couples: $160

Learn More & Register For Anna Karenina Here

Details for Both Series

All sessions take place on Saturday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Gym at Northridge (8320 Ballard Rd, Niles, IL). Childcare is available and can be added during registration.