Seattle University Magazine: Fall 2019 - Our Collective Future

In this issue: largest campaign ever launches in november

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AWASH IN CONFETTI Junior Annie Jamison (International Studies/French) captured this shot, Caught in a Swiss Parade, in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of the Imagining the World: Study Abroad and International Photography Competition. This award-winning photo is one of many by our students that highlight our place in the world—via education and travel abroad—in stunning fashion.

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VOLUME 43, ISSUE NUMBER 3, FALL 2019

MAGAZINE EDITOR Tina Potterf LEAD DESIGNER Marissa Leitch CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Yosef Chaim Kalinko DESIGN TEAM Terry Lundmark, Anne Reinisch CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tracy DeCroce, Dean Forbes, Caitlin King, ’10, Patrick Leary, Allison Nitch DIRECTOR | STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT Kristen Kirst PRESIDENT | SEATTLE UNIVERSITY Stephen Sundborg, S.J. VICE PRESIDENT | UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS Scott McClellan ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT | ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Jonathan Brown, ’92, ’94 VICE PRESIDENT | UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Michael Podlin

COVER ILLUSTRATION BY MARISSA LEITCH

Seattle University Magazine (ISSN: 1550-1523) is published in fall, winter and spring by Marketing Communications, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, PO Box 222000, Seattle, WA 98122-1090. Periodical postage paid at Seattle, Wash. Distributed without charge to alumni and friends of Seattle University. USPS 487-780. Comments and questions about Seattle University Magazine may be addressed to the editor at 206- 296-6111; the address below; fax: 206-296-6137; or e-mail: tinap@seattleu.edu. Postmaster: Send address changes to Seattle University Magazine, Marketing Communications, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, PO Box 222000, Seattle, WA 98122-1090. Check out the magazine online at www.seattleu.edu/magazine.

Seattle University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, political ideology or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran in the administration of any of its education policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletics, and other school-administered policies and programs, or in its employment-related policies and practices. All university policies, practices and procedures are administered in a manner consistent with Seattle University’s Catholic and Jesuit identity and character. Inquiries relating to these policies may be referred to the University’s Assistant Vice President for Institutional Equity, Andrea Herrera Katahira at 206-220-8515, katahira@seattleu.edu.

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On the Cover: In our history, Seattle University has been at the forefront as a force for good in a constantly changing world. From our rigorous Jesuit Catholic education and inclusive campus community to our transformative Seattle University Youth Initiative and top-tier approach to STEM education, we advance the common good by doing so with uncommon purpose, in uncommon ways.

With the public launch of the Campaign for the Uncommon Good and your help, we will continue to effect change as we build a better future for all of us. Individually, you can make a difference. Collectively, we can change the world.

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06 DI D YOU KNOW 07 ON CAM PU S

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PUBLIC LAUNCH OF THE CAMPAIGN

FEATU R E : Alumna-owned, Bainbridge Island-based organization is bringing new meaning to “man’s best friend.”

12 PERS PECTIVES : Alumna Teresa Wippel is keeping local news alive and the community welcomes it.

14 FACULTY SPOTLIGHT 16 EVENTS CALEN DAR 34 B EI NG SCEN E

36 ON CAM PU S : The positive effect of a student- and Albers faculty-supported program that assists small businesses feeling the impact of gentrification in the Central District.

38 ON CAM PU S 40 ATH LETIC S 42 L AST WOR D

The Campaign for the Uncommon Good will take Seattle University to new heights of academic excellence, innovation and purpose.

This is a defining moment for the university and the region as a Jesuit Catholic education is needed now more than ever. The $275 million campaign invests in our students so as future graduates they can shape Seattle and our world in profound and lasting ways.

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At a Jesuit university, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts because each and all are pulling for and empowering one another. Through the Campaign for the Uncommon Good, we continue to strengthen Seattle University into one that is bold and unafraid in being the kind of Catholic university that goes to the frontiers of issues; stakes its central claim on an intellectual rigor so that students and alumni think for themselves; and forms students who are in service to others in a collaborative community of care.

—stephen sundborg, s.j., president

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DID YOU KNOW

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DID YOU KNOW

COALITION RECOGNIZES SU’S LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY

BUSINESS & LAW GRAD PROGRAMS RANK HIGH Six Seattle University business and law graduate programs are ranked in the Top 30 nationally, according to the 2020 U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools” rankings.

Three graduate programs in the Albers School of Business and Economics included in the rankings are: The Executive MBA program, ranked #17 in the nation, is the top-ranked EMBA program in the Northwest and the fourth highest on the West Coast.

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The accounting program is ranked #24 in the nation and #2 in the Northwest.

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The finance program is ranked #28 in the nation and #2 in the Northwest.

The three highly ranked School of Law programs are: •

Legal Writing is ranked #2 in the U.S., up from #4 in 2019, and has been a consistently Top 5-ranked legal specialty.

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The clinical training program ranked #15 nationally, up from #19 in 2019, and is top among Northwest law schools.

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The part-time law school program is ranked #21 nationally, up from #27 in 2019, and #2 in the Northwest and on the West Coast.

EnviroStars, a regional coalition of counties, cities and utilities, designated the university as a “champion” for its commitment to conserving resources and protecting the environment. Seattle U is the first institution of higher education in Washington State to be recognized as a green business by EnviroStars.

TOP-PRODUCING PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER SCHOOL Once again, Seattle University is named a top producer for Peace Corps volunteers. Seattle U is #23 in the “small schools” category with nine volunteers currently serving. Since 2011, the university has appeared regularly in the organization’s Top 25 rankings.

SU ONE OF PRINCETON REVIEW’S ‘BEST COLLEGES’

The Princeton Review continues to recognize Seattle University as one of the top colleges in the nation for undergraduate education, according to its latest edition of the Best 385 Colleges 2020.

This is the 17th consecutive year that Seattle U has been included in the guidebook.

SU WELCOMES NEW CFO Wilson Garone has been named the university’s new Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs. Wilson brings three decades of experience as an accomplished leader and finance

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professional, including more than 20 years at Microsoft and the past year as CFO of a tech startup.

“I’m thrilled to join Seattle University as the new CFO… I’m committed to be a learner as I transition from the business world to higher education and I’m committed to be a supporter of

Seattle University’s mission and live its values every day,” Garone says. “I believe, together, we can work on challenges and explore opportunities, in alignment with the Jesuit mission and the result will be worthy of both the legacy of Seattle University and the amazing future of its students.”

ON CAMPUS

“[The poet] Mary Oliver wrote, ‘Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ Stephen Sundborg, raised in the wild beauty of Alaska, has inspired people at every stage of life and circumstance and made our community better.

Steve’s precious life of character and service makes him a natural recipient of the First Citizen Award.”

—Dorthy Bullitt

PRESIDENT SUNDBORG RECEIVES SEATTLE-KING COUNTY FIRST CITIZEN AWARD One organization executive described this year’s Seattle-King County First Citizen as a “selfless leader” who “shows up” and praised him for his deep commitment to community building. A company president lauded his “obvious heart of a servant.”

Seattle University President Stephen Sundborg, S.J., was celebrated as the 81st recipient of the prestigious Seattle-King County First Citizen Award. More than 300 guests were in attendance for the event, which honored Father Sundborg’s multiple noteworthy contributions and initiatives for the betterment of Seattle University plus a wide-ranging list of professional, charitable and civic organizations. Tributes were made by several people, including Mark Pigott, Dorothy Bullitt and Jim Sinegal.

Now in his 23rd year as president, Fr. Sundborg is known as a tireless advocate for marginalized individuals and for nurturing the university’s growth and high rankings, with a focus on academic excellence, community service and social justice.

Fr. Sundborg will serve until the conclusion of his 24th year as president.

“I have been consistently impressed with his dedication to students, faculty and staff, his tempered and collegial leadership abilities and his obvious heart of a servant,” Sabey said.

During Fr. Sundborg’s tenure, enrollment has grown about 30 percent, to nearly 7,500 students. Concurrently, the university has added two colleges and a law school, built a student center, new library and learning commons and elevated its athletics programs from a Division III to Division I school. Building projects also include new residential housing and a performing arts/theater space, as well as groundbreaking on the new Center for Science and Innovation.

“Father Steve has provided leadership, mentorship and service to thousands of young people pursuing an education at SU and thousands more during his 20 years as Seattle U’s leader,” said Diane Douglas, senior advisor at Uncommon Partners. “He has always struck me as a selfless leader keen on doing more than his part to make this region the best it can be.”

Douglas praised Fr. Sundborg for his visionary leadership, which she observed for 11 years in her prior position as executive director at Seattle CityClub. “He speaks out on issues of social justice, he encourages active and engaged citizens and he shows up at community events and models his deep commitment to community building. I’m grateful Seattle U is allowing the community to borrow him so much!”

Sabey Corporation President David A. Sabey, a member of Seattle University’s Board of Trustees, described Fr. Sundborg as “a phenomenal leader who has given much to the university and to his community and asked for nothing in return.”

PHOTOS BY YOSEF CHAIM KALINKO

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F E ATU R E

that’s a good dog Organization bettering lives of many, with some four-legged assistance

By Allison Nitch

A positive and lasting relationship begins with the right fit— whether it’s with a friend, spouse or colleague. The same holds true for the dynamic shared between a handler and an assistance dog.

Before such a connection develops, a dog must complete intensive training and demonstrate they’re capable of helping people living with special needs, illness or trauma.

That’s where Assistance Dogs Northwest (ADNW), a nonprofit organization founded by Seattle University alumna Maureen Dempsey Maurer, ’86, and her husband Will Maurer, comes in.

The organization specializes in training service dogs to help adults and children with limited mobility, as well as full-time facility dogs for hospitals and courthouses.

“Daily visits from a hospital facility dog can bring joy and instill a sense of hope,” says Maureen, ADNW executive director with more than 20 years of experience in the assistance dogs industry.

“Our courthouse facility dogs help children who are victims of crime find their voices during interviews, medical exams and while testifying in court.”

On a sunny morning in June, the bucolic ADNW campus tucked away on Bainbridge Island is buzzing with activity. Inside a bright and airy converted barn, the last day of a training camp for the season is underway. Maureen, who oversees the training, instructs two new handlers and their Labrador retriever assistance dogs through the 90 commands they’ve been finetuning throughout the week. Meanwhile ADNW staff members 0 8 S E AT T L E U N I V E R S I T Y M AG A Z I N E | FA L L 2 01 9

set up a variety of distraction scenarios the dogs may encounter, including someone trying to pet them and food being dropped on the floor.

One handler is Mike Chalupa, a retired farmer and Bainbridge resident living with multiple sclerosis. Chalupa has quickly bonded with his dog, Brittany, who eagerly maintains strong eye contact with him throughout each command. She proudly wags her tail whenever he enthusiastically praises her for a job well done.

“Maureen’s knowledge and years of experience truly make this program what it is,” says Chalupa. “What she does is just incredible. I never thought something like this could happen.”

“It’s amazing how many tasks Brittany can help Mike with,” says wife Janet Chalupa. “She’ll warm his heart for years to come.”

Another handler-in-training is Julie Siepmann, clinical services director and principal forensic interviewer for a child abuse intervention center. She’s been paired with MacDougal, who will serve as a courthouse facility dog.

“MacDougal will work to help lower the stress and anxiety children may feel during medical exams and forensic interviews,” says Siepmann. “The victims are the only ones that didn’t ask to be there. Also, due to the difficult nature of our work in the legal system, Mac’s presence during multi-disciplinary team meetings is another form of comfort and support he’ll provide.”

Maureen Dempsey Maurer, ’86, and her husband Will Maurer stand with assistance dogs outside of the ADNW training classroom on Bainbridge Island.

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taking stock “I’ve wanted to train assistance dogs since I was about 10 years old after reading Follow My Leader, by James B. Garfield,” says Maureen. “It’s about a boy blinded in an accident who receives a guide dog named Leader. It left me fascinated with the idea of dogs helping people.”

At Seattle U Maureen earned her bachelor’s in business administration, majoring in accounting, and then went on to become a certified public accountant, all the while nurturing her passion to help others. “My husband and I volunteered for years with Special Olympics where we enjoyed working with people with special needs,” she says.

But it wasn’t until a pivotal event in her 30s that Maureen found herself at a crossroad.

“A health scare caused me to reevaluate my life,” she says.

“Having been given a second chance, I sold my CPA practice and returned to school to learn how to train assistance dogs.

What seemed like the worst situation turned out to be one of the biggest blessings, as it prompted me to follow my childhood dream and find my true purpose.”

cultivating compassion After Maureen earned a master’s of science in animal behavior with a specialization in canine studies, she along with her husband began as volunteers in 1995 within the assistance dogs industry before establishing Assistance Dogs of Hawaii in Maui in 2000. In 2008, they started a puppy-raising group in Seattle,

“For these clients, if a skilled service dog can help minimize just a few of the challenges faced every day, it can allow that individual to focus and be open to new experiences and opportunities, perhaps getting a job, going to school or even just going out to the grocery store.”

—Stacy Goodfellow, ’18 MNPL/ADNW board advisor

New handler Mike Chalupa and his dog Brittany practice a command together under Maureen’s supervision.

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where volunteers raised puppies until they were old enough to travel to Maui for advanced training.

Meanwhile, requests for assistance dogs from the Pacific Northwest increased. This became the genesis for Assistance Dogs Northwest in 2016. ADNW opened a satellite office in Portland in 2018, specializing in hospital facility dogs for the greater Pacific Northwest. When not in use, the satellite location provides lodging for families with hospitalized children.

Aside from a small application and training camp fee, ADNW provides assistance dogs and support free of charge. “We receive no government funding and rely on donations from individuals, foundations and businesses to support our programming,” says Maureen She has partnered with hospitals and clinical labs to conduct research on medical bio-detection, which involves training dogs to sniff out and identify human illnesses. The New England Journal of Medicine and National Geographic have recognized ADNW’s findings. Maureen and her team also collaborate with international groups, most recently with a foundation in Japan working to incorporate hospital facility dogs for the first time.

breeding excellence “Assistance dogs” is a broad term that includes both service and facility dogs. Labradors, Golden Retrievers or a mix of the two make for ideal assistance dogs “due to their steady temperament, gentle nature and desire to please,” explains Maureen. “It’s important to obtain puppies with the best chance

of making it through the rigorous health and temperament screening process needed to graduate.”

ADNW partners with industry leaders worldwide to receive purpose-bred Labrador and Golden Retriever puppies that come from more than 50 generations of working-dog lines, Maureen says. “We have placed more than 100 assistance dog teams and counting!”

What makes ADNW unique is its focus on quality rather than quantity. Training classes do not exceed more than three handlers and their dogs. “The training classes are boutique-style, which keeps the experience from being overwhelming,” says Janet Chalupa.

Occasionally, it’s obvious a dog isn’t cut out for a career as an assistance dog. In that case, training ceases in favor of what Maureen describes as a “career change”—meaning they’re “placed as a beloved pet with a family on the waiting list.”

practice makes perfect During training, assistance puppies learn approximately 90 different commands over the course of 18 to 24 months. Staff observes every puppy to determine the role they’re best suited for: service or facility dog.

“We look at each puppy’s temperament and preferences—some have an affinity for children or elderly people,” says Maureen.

“Service dogs are a one-person dog with a strong work ethic, hospital facility dogs are very gentle and love everyone and courthouse facility dogs are friendly yet stoic with the ability to ignore environmental distractions, which is vital during court hearings.”

During the last of four training levels, puppies are carefully matched with an applicant on the waiting list. Survey forms are completed for each applicant by individuals who know them well.

In-depth conversations regarding health history, current abilities and challenges are part of the process that “helps ensure an ideal match with a dog based on factors like responsiveness and assertiveness levels,” Maureen says.

Maureen takes a break from training camp to cuddle with assistance dogs.

The dog then enters the graduate level of training, where the focus is on the specific skillset needed by the handler such as retrieving, opening drawers, turning lights on/off and alerting someone that their handler is in distress.

Once the dogs complete all four levels of training they are matched with a partner and attend a two to three week team training camp at the Bainbridge Island campus where they learn to work together as a team. ADNW then provides lifetime follow-up support, which is especially important for people with progressive disabilities.

“For these clients, if a skilled service dog can help minimize just a few of the challenges faced every day, it can allow that individual to focus and be open to new experiences and opportunities, perhaps getting a job, going to school or even just going out to the grocery store,” says Stacy Goodfellow, ’18 MNPL, ADNW board advisor.

PHOTOS BY YOSEF CHAIM KALINKO

ADNW pups pose with a letterman blanket belonging to Maureen’s father Paul Dempsey who, along with Maureen’s mother Beverly Beswick, graduated from Seattle U in 1958.

Visit assistancedogsnorthwest.org to learn more about the organization and its variety of program offerings.

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PERSPECTIVES

NEWS MAKER “When I first started publishing my real mission was to try to make it a place of community conversation.

At the time, our community had newspapers, but not a place to gather and connect online.”

—Teresa Wippel, ’79

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PHOTO BY YOSEF CHAIM KALINKO

Alumna Teresa Wippel, ’79, is keeping local news alive and thriving

By Caitlin King, ’10

While many print and digital publications are undergoing subscription decline—with rare exception—My Edmonds News, a daily online news and information source for everything Edmonds, is bucking that trend. It’s practically a household name in its namesake, the scenic small city north of Seattle.

pronouncements by typewriter, or how she met Walter Cronkite in the spring of her freshman year, when she and a handful of classmates took off in a 27-foot motorhome for a crosscountry tour in celebration of the United States Bicentennial, stopping at major media outlets along the way.

The powerhouse behind the digital news site is Teresa Wippel, ’79, who is both owner of My Neighborhood News Network and publisher of My Edmonds News. Awarded the city’s 2019 Citizen of the Year honor for her dedication to community-focused news coverage since 2009, it’s apparent she’s become one of the most influential members here. Wippel recalls the day she was notified about the award by the Edmonds Kiwanis. “They said, ‘We’ve named you Citizen of the Year, will you accept?’ And it was just like, oh my gosh, of course I accept.”

After graduation, she moved to North Seattle with her husband. In 1986, they purchased a fixer-upper home in Edmonds near Lake Ballinger. Though they have moved several blocks away since then, they still live in the same neighborhood. In 2009, Wippel was in between jobs when her husband started advertising his business in MLTnews, a local news site launched by founder Dustin Dekoekkoek just a few months earlier. Wippel recalls him saying, “There’s this online news thing in Mountlake Terrace and I think you should start one in Edmonds. Because if you don’t, someone else will.”

While sitting in a coffee shop in Edmonds, local resident Bruce Nickolson shyly walks over to thank Wippel for covering the unveiling of a stone bench honoring World War II veteran and friend Elmer Olson. An experienced journalist, Wippel understands how central local news is to fostering community.

“When I first started publishing, my real mission was to try to make it a place of community conversation,” she says. “At the time, our community had newspapers, but not a place to gather and connect online.”

If you met Wippel, she wouldn’t tell you about how difficult it is thrive in media today. Instead, she might regale you with a story about her early days at The Spectator, Seattle University’s student newspaper, where she wrote moral

Just like that, she started a WordPress site called My Edmonds News (myedmondsnews.com) and started attending city council meetings. In 2012, Dekoekkoek came to Wippel and asked if she could take over MLTnews (MLTnews.com). She agreed, understanding that if she turned down the opportunity, the site would go dark. A year later, the Lynnwood site was faced with the same fate. In an effort to preserve online local news, she acquired Lynnwood Today (lynwoodtoday.com) from founder Mike Murphy.

Despite the ever-changing media landscape, her perspective on how readers actually consume the news online today is hopeful. “The internet leveled the playing field," she says. "Everything is accessible and we’re opening up the world to so many voices.”

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FAC U LT Y S P OT L I G H T

Advocating for a Healthy Health Care System College of Nursing’s Jennifer Fricas focuses on improving community and public health

By Tracy DeCroce

As a young nurse in Virginia, Jennifer Fricas, PhD, MPH, RN, could feel the hospital walls closing in on her. Anxiety and time pressure made it difficult to talk to patients. Fortunately, Fricas recognized the source of her trouble—she didn’t want to treat the sick. Instead, she wanted to help people stay healthy. So, Fricas did something considered highly unusual for new nurses at the time—she took a job with Virginia’s Fairfax County Health Department. In six years there, she gained a range of experiences from conducting wellness groups to managing the spread of infectious diseases.

Since then, Fricas, a College of Nursing assistant professor, has forged a forward-thinking career in the development and education of population health. Also known as public health, the field focuses on promoting health and preventing disease for a community or at-risk group. Her career and leadership at Seattle University includes the related field of global health, which involves improving health for people worldwide.

“I kept thinking about broader and broader environments,” says Fricas, who has a Master of Public Health in Global Health Policy.

“Global health is population health. It’s all about education, proper infrastructure and creating linkages.”

Born on a U.S. Army base in Germany, Fricas finds it ironic that her career centers on building community when she grew up moving every two years because of her father’s life in the military.

In 12 years with the College of Nursing, she has held several leadership roles through which she has promoted population health, a field she says has historically been “an outlier” compared to acute care nursing.

She teaches several population health courses to juniors, seniors and graduate students. In addition, the college benefits from relationships she built with 60 community-based health care partners as the college’s community liaison. As the college’s former global engagement chair, she started a bilateral exchange program with Mälardalen University in Sweden that ran for five years, expanded the nursing immersion program to Belize—sending nearly 100 nursing students on summer internships between 2008 and 2019— and deepened the Nicaragua summer immersion program.

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Most recently, Fricas created a new population health internship that the college launched this fall. The program pairs junior- and senior-level undergraduates with community agencies for 30 hours each quarter over the course of one year.

Fricas, the internship coordinator, says the medical community’s recent increased emphasis on population health is well timed to give the internship and the college a competitive edge.

“It’s really going to set us apart from other programs,” she says.

Aspects of the internship were inspired by Fricas’s doctoral work in organizational leadership, policy and development and her research into well-being and community development in the U.S. and globally.

Whether working globally or locally, Fricas says, population health nurses must empower the people and communities with whom they are working. That means nurses must also shed any ego or cultural bias.

Says Fricas, “You have to put your expert self aside to engage on a more authentic level.”

The first time she came across an idea like this was as an undergraduate nursing student. She has never forgotten the simple question her professor asked aloud: “Why take care of people who are already sick, when you can work alongside them and keep them well?” She didn’t know it then, but the professor was talking about population health.

Twenty years later, Fricas is raising this once outlier profession to a new level.

“What’s evolved is figuring out how we do this work so that our students don’t just helicopter in to provide services and leave without increasing capacity,” she says. “We need to change the way we are teaching our students because people don’t live in hospitals. They live in communities.”

“We need to change the way we are teaching our students because people don’t live in hospitals. They live in communities.”

JENNIFER FRICAS Assistant Professor, College of Nursing

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EVENTS CALENDAR

T H E C A M PA I G N F O R T H E U N C O M M O N G O O D

EVENTS CALENDAR To learn more about these and other events, visit s e at t l e u . e d u / u n c o m m o n g o o d

Friday, October 25, 2019

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Friday, April 17, 2020

Saturday, May 30, 2020

LEGACY FAMILY PINNING CEREMONY

SEATTLE U GIVES: DAY OF UNCOMMON GIVING

ALUMNI AWARDS

RED TIE CELEBRATION

Celebrate your family’s Seattle U history by welcoming your student to your legacy family.

Seattle U Gives is the university’s online 24-hour day of giving. Make your impact even greater by becoming an SU Gives ambassador.

Learn more and register to be an ambassador at seattleugives.seattleu.edu.

Honoring five outstanding alumni, we celebrate the impact of our alumni through their leadership, service and professional achievement.

Support Seattle U Athletics at this annual auction and fundraiser.

Come join us at one of these exciting opportunities for engagement.

CAREER CONVERSATIONS

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING

ADVENT MASS & RECEPTION

Wednesday, Nov. 20

Thursday, Dec. 5 Enjoy cocoa and caroling while witnessing the lighting of the tree at the Library Plaza.

Saturday, Dec. 7 Mass at the Chapel of St. Ignatius with reception to follow in Pigott Atrium.

Wednesday, Dec. 18

Learn more about these events at seattleu.edu/alumni/.

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6–SUNDAY, NOV. 10

HOMECOMING & REUNIONS WEEKEND Celebrate the launch of the Campaign for the Uncommon Good and show your Seattle U pride during Homecoming. We have an action-packed five days planned with something for everyone.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8

SATURDAY,NOVEMBER 9

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10

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Red Umbrella Parade

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Community Lecture

Class of 2009 10th Reunion

Homecoming Day of Service

Alumni Mass

President’s Club Reception

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Class of 1969 50th Reunion

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Search Retreat 50th Anniversary Reception

HiYu Coulee 80th Anniversary, Mass, Reception and Dinner

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Sullivan Scholars 30th Anniversary Reception and Dinner

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Homecoming Rally and Men’s Basketball v.

Eastern Washington

We will be honoring our veterans and expressing our gratitude for their service throughout the week.

HOMECOMING & REUNIONS

Registration and Details

FULL HOMECOMING WEEKEND SCHEDULE

REUNIONS

HOMECOMING DAY OF SERVICE

seattleu.edu/homecoming/

sureunions2019.eventbrite.com

sudayofservice2019.eventbrite.com

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C A M PA I G N

THE UNCOMMON GOOD

D O I N G

G O O D I N

U N C O M M O N

WAY S

Scholarships that make access to education possible for many who thought it was only a dream. A state-of-the-art science center where innovation and STEM learning will flourish. Serving the greater good is at the heart of our Jesuit ethos—whether its empowering successful youth in our neighborhood, developing purposeful and ethical leaders in business or bringing sustainable power to rural towns in Africa. That’s the Campaign for the Uncommon Good.

Here is a closer look at the three pillars of the campaign—Center for Science and Innovation, Mission & Programs and Scholarships— and their impact, as told through the stories of students and alumni who are making a difference in their communities, in their industries and beyond.

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Learn more about the Uncommon Good: s e at t l e u . e d u / u n c o m m o n g o o d #uncommongood

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CA M PAI G N : C E NTE R FO R SC I E N C E A N D I N N OVATI O N

“I’m humbled to be in a position where I can give back to Seattle U, the school that was integral to getting me where I am today.”

—Charles White, ’13 pictured here with Maiya Loucks, ’17, and Narissa Tsuboi, ’17

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At the Center of Innovation Alumni playing a pivotal role in the development of the university’s largest-ever capital project

By Caitlin King, ’10

Maiya Loucks, ’17, and Narissa Tsuboi, ’17, both project engineers for Skanska, work side by side in a company trailer at the corner of 12th Avenue and East Marion Street in Seattle U’s main entrance lot, a short distance from the site of what will be the new Center for Science and Innovation.

Before they break for the day for a team outing, they’re anxiously waiting on an update from Charles White, ’13, an HVAC design engineer with PAE. It’s no surprise to find these Seattle U alumni collaborating on the construction of what will be the university’s largest-ever capital project. For this trio, it’s the job Seattle U prepared them for. Tsuboi didn’t always picture herself as an engineer. She recalls her advisor, Joelle Pretty, now director of Student Academic Services, as the “first person to tell me I could be a scientist or engineer.” After enrolling in the civil engineering program she would study for hours only to fail exams. Recognizing the challenges ahead, she enrolled in Learning Assistance Programs in the library for one-on-one training. It wasn’t long before she was studying effectively and tackling exams with ease. After graduation, she landed a job at a transportation design firm before moving to construction.

These days, she often reflects on how Seattle U’s College of Science and Engineering set her up for success in a STEM field. “You don’t need to be a construction management major to thrive at a big general contractor—you have to know how to solve problems and work with people, which is what my professors and engineering cohort taught me,” says Tsuboi, a Costco and Trustee Scholar whose civil engineering major includes an environmental specialty.

When Maiya Loucks arrived at Seattle U, she was ready to make a difference.

In high school, she participated in a program called V.O.I.C.E. (Volunteer Outreach In Communities Everywhere) around the greater Seattle area. She recalls taking a tour of the Seattle U campus and hearing about the servicelearning courses, all the while thinking “I could imagine myself fitting right in.” (continued on pg. 22)

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CA M PAI G N : C E NTE R FO R SC I E N C E A N D I N N OVATI O N

(continued from previous page) Loucks, who also majored in civil engineering with an environmental specialty, interned at Skanska between her junior and senior year and was offered a full-time position with the project development and construction group following graduation. She looks back on her senior design project, which addressed the combined sewer overflow problems in Seattle, as to what catapulted her into engineering. The project afforded opportunities to apply classroom lessons into real-world problem solving.

After graduating with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering White pursued a master’s program in sustainable design and construction at Stanford University and has been with PAE ever since. “I’m humbled to be in a position where I can give back to Seattle U, the school that was integral to getting me where I am today,” says White.

“I learned how to manage a team and conflict resolution when we had disagreements. It was an amazing opportunity to work with professionals in our field of work,” says Loucks, a recipient of the Bellarmine and Bannan scholarships and the Clare Boothe Luce Scholarship for math research.

“When I found out that I was going to be at Seattle U, I was really excited,” says Loucks. “I was looking forward to seeing my professors, being on campus again and giving back to SU for all of the amazing memories and things I learned during my time here.”

If you ask Charles White what experiences at SU were most beneficial to finding success in a STEM field, he’ll say the guest lectures on campus and opportunities to learn through volunteerism off-campus. At the suggestion of Seattle U professor Phillip Thompson, he volunteered at the grand opening of the Bullitt Center. It was the interconnection of these experiences that uncovered his true passion: energyefficient building design. “Not only am I working for the firm that helped design the Bullitt Center, I’m now working in the Bullitt Center, the building that started it all for me.”

For White, the new building is an opportunity for all students to understand how STEM relates to their discipline.

The Center for Science and Innovation is slated to open in fall 2021.

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Being part of the team behind the Center for Science and Innovation is a full-circle moment for Loucks, Tsuboi and White.

“The Center for Science and Innovation has been designed in such a way to help facilitate cross-disciplinary connections and understanding,” he says. “It’s my hope that this building not only helps to build and expand STEM at Seattle U, but will help all of its students grow to be well-rounded, thoughtful and inspiring leaders on their own paths.”

The importance of innovation in STEM education

“

The opportunity to do undergraduate research completely changed the game for me. My scientific curiosity exploded. The hands-on research that I was getting provided relevance to what I was learning about in class and in turn the concepts and techniques didn’t seem so abstract anymore.

Seemingly isolated bits of information finally began to click together in my mind. Not only was this integral to my success as a student but it has also been integral to my success as a scientist.”

—brittany takushi, ’18 (cell & molecular biology & chemistry) Works in the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

“

This fabulous new Center for Science and Innovation, at the gateway of our beautiful campus, represents the growing importance of STEM disciplines, both here at Seattle University and in the modern economy.

The faculty and staff in the College of Science and Engineering join Father Steve in expressing our gratitude to the individuals and corporations who have already generously contributed to making the Center for Science and Innovation a reality.”

—michael quinn, dean, College of Science and Engineering

To learn more about the Center for Science and Innovation, visit seattleu.edu/science-innovation/.

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CAMPAIGN: SCHOLARSHIPS SPOTLIGHT: AMBER LARKIN

A Mission to Bring About Change

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Amber Larkin, ’19

“The collective power of individual giving has a great impact and can transform a student’s experience. It certainly did for me.”

—Amber Larkin, ’19 MATL

By Tina Potterf Amber Larkin, a 2019 graduate of the School of Theology and Ministry, exemplifies what it means to be transformed by the university’s mission.

When she was an undergraduate at Santa Clara University, Larkin envisioned an education and experiences that would enable her to change the system and right wrongs when it comes to public policy.

Through the course of graduate school, where Larkin earned a Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership, she says her perspective shifted. Recognizing that policy changes do not translate into changes in individual’s behavior and attitudes, Larkin, who will be pursuing a PhD, wants to be part of an organization that is more mission-focused, “where there is trust, community, collaboration and a healthy work-life balance.”

Building community was important to Larkin and evident in her active involvement on campus. As president and board chair of the Graduate Student Council she was able to bring representation to issues critical to graduate student success, from access and programs to transportation services and outreach to administration. Through the Graduate Student Council Larkin got a seat as an ExOfficio member on the Board of Regents.

The issue of access and affordability for college are issues of particular interest to Larkin, a firstgeneration student who was able to achieve her academic goals through hard work, perseverance and the support of scholarships. Larkin was the recipient of the Phyllis Anderson Leadership Scholarship, Judith Pickard Endowed Scholarship and a Theology and Ministry Scholarship.

“Scholarships make a world of difference. They give you some breathing room and less stress” on how you are going to pay for school, says Larkin, who encourages others to consider making a difference through giving or establishing a scholarship fund.

“The collective power of individual giving has a great impact and can transform a student’s experience,” she says. “It certainly did for me.”

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CAMPAIGN: MISSION & PROGRAMS

Mind, Body, Wellness Endowment will ensure greater support for campus mental health services College can be overwhelming, from the cost to credit load to final exams and life post-graduation. For students who are depressed, have anxiety or other mental health challenges, the stress of it all can be difficult to cope with.

A recent nationwide survey conducted by the American College Health Association found that three out of five students experienced overwhelming anxiety and two out of five students were too depressed to function. Seattle University students are not exempt from these statistics. In fact, 41 percent of Seattle U students have experienced at least one mental health problem.

In large part to a supportive environment, students seek out care from CAPS at a rate that has increased exponentially over the past decade.

CAPS Director Kim Caluza, PsyD, says students’ most common mental health concerns have demonstrated a clear growth trend over the last four years and align with those of college students nationwide. They are anxiety, depression and relationship matters.

Students often experience anxiety in relation to test-taking or social situations. Mild depression is sometimes related to seasonal affective disorder, particularly if a student is from a sunnier climate. Students’ relationship concerns don’t necessarily pertain to a romantic partner—the problem could be with a parent, sibling, roommate or friend. In some cases it’s the first time a student has experienced either the loss of a family member or a family member’s battle with a life-threatening disease.

CAPS has taken several steps to expedite student access to mental health services. One of these is to contract with the provider of an online interactive self-help tool called Sanvello.

Students can download the Sanvello app onto their phones and access its premium services free of charge. These include on-demand, evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness approaches to address symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. The app also offers mood tracking, thought journaling, goal setting, guided meditation and help finding an off-campus therapist.

How you can help While CAPS continues its work to best serve the increased volume of students seeking on-campus mental health care, growing the number of mental health care professionals on staff is critical. Private donor support to the Campaign for the Uncommon Good: Mental Health and Wellness Endowment will allow CAPS to hire a fulltime permanent case manager who will be tasked with connecting students to ongoing specialized care when necessary. Through the campaign CAPS hopes to fully fund a $2 million endowment that will:

• Grow the number of direct service providers, including additional licensed clinicians.

• Fund campus-wide training on how to recognize and proactively support students needing help.

“Generally speaking, it’s also around age 18 or 19 that a person may have a first experience with psychosis,” Caluza says.

• Increase the number of broad-based support groups and

CAPS is a good place for students to land if they’re experiencing a mild, moderate or first-time symptom presentation. Its professional team of licensed clinicians can help students access the resources they need, get a treatment plan in place and provide time-limited individual therapy or group therapy sessions.

For more information or to make a gift to the Mental Health and Wellness Endowment, contact Saoirse Jones at 206-296-6463. Learn more about the services of CAPS at seattleu.edu/caps/services.

“If a student needs ongoing counseling or a higher level of care,” Caluza says, “we try to connect them with a mental health provider off campus.”

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workshops providing coping skills and tools.

—Writer Debbie Black contributed to this story.

ILLUSTRATION BY MARISSA LEITCH

77% of students have received information on stress reduction.

78% of students want to know how to help others in distress.

46% of students have received mental health services from a therapist.

Source: Seattle University National College Health Assessment, Undergraduate, 2017.

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Jennifer Tilghman-Havens

Living the Mission “Through generous campaign funding, the Center for Jesuit Education is able to form Seattle University faculty and staff as lay leaders who embody the Jesuit Catholic mission. SU faculty delivers whole person education through Ignatian Pedagogical approaches that engage students in active learning, reflective practices and discernment toward action in the world. Staff and administrators find inspiration to live out of Jesuit values in their mission-centered leadership as they shape our university for the future.”

—jennifer tilghman-havens, director, Center for Jesuit Education

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CAMPAIGN: MISSION & PROGRAMS

Why is being involved with Seattle University important to you?

"First, it’s a sense of giving back. Seattle U had such a huge impact on who I am, how I think, my career, my friendships and introduced me to my wife. I felt like the best way to thank the university was to stay in contact, even if it was small actions or donations. The second reason is much more philosophical. Our world is hurting. There’s so much injustice, misinformation and pain. We need leaders, critical thinkers and people who live and work for others. We need compassion and creativity. It dawned on me one day that if I wanted more people with those skills in the world, I needed to support organizations that created and honed them. I realized I needed to support Seattle U in its mission to create leaders for a just and humane world if I wanted to see the world changed for the better.”

— dj weidner, ’07 (College of Arts and Science, Political Science) Alumni Board of Governors and Member of the Alumni Task Force

Join DJ during Homecoming Weekend as we introduce The Campaign for the Uncommon Good.

See page 17 for more details.

DJ Weidner, ’07

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CAMPAIGN: SCHOLARSHIPS SPOTLIGHT: ALEX ROMERO

A Dream Realized Law graduate Alex Romero, ’19, is focused on support and legal representation of immigrants

By Tina Potterf

At the age of 10, Alex Romero’s career path was already a lock in his mind: to become an immigration lawyer. “I never had a change of heart,” says Romero, a 2019 graduate of the School of Law who is studying for the bar and well on his way to fulfilling the promise he made to himself all those years ago.

For Romero, the work of an immigration lawyer is especially personal. As a son of immigrants, he says he witnessed firsthand injustices and gaps in the legal system.

When he interned with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), Romero says he gained invaluable and considerable legal experience working one-on-one with clients, drafting declarations and filing documents with the court. Romero was also chosen to receive a two-year Equal Justice Works Fellowship with NWIRP that will jump-start his career as an immigration lawyer. Romero will provide direct legal representation to address the undocumented youth living in rural Washington under NWIRP. Romero credits some of his success to mentors and donors who demonstrated their belief in him and afforded him the opportunity to attend law school.

At Seattle U he received several scholarships, including the Boerner Lustbader Bar Success Scholarship, an Academic Resource Center Scholarship and a Dreamers Scholarship that was anonymously funded by a donor in the community.

The benefit of scholarships not only enabled Romero to continue his education but also to pursue his dream to be the voice for the voiceless, the inspiration to those who may have lost hope.

“Scholarships were an investment in me as a student and in my potential in the work I will do alongside marginalized communities,” he says. “I’m only here because people took a chance on me.”

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“Scholarships were an investment in me as a student and in my potential in the work I will do alongside marginalized communities.”

—Alex Romero, ’19 JD

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CAMPAIGN: SCHOLARSHIPS

On the importance of giving

“

I would encourage those considering donating and creating a scholarship or fellowship to absolutely do so. Your contributions, big or small, make a big difference in the lives of students who they reach.

Every dollar is an investment in a student that will be in a better position to succeed." noe merfeld, ’20 (School of Law, JD Candidate) Scholarships: Costco Scholar; Jim Sinegal Graduate Professional Fellowship; Academic Resource Center (ARC) Success Scholarship

“

Thanks so much for this amazing scholarship. As the mother of two young children the financial burden of furthering my education is substantial. My husband is a recent immigrant to the U.S. and between the cost of living, childcare and the fact that I am not contributing to our income at this time we have been facing challenges. This scholarship eases the financial stress of my education on our family so that I can focus more on school and less on trying to make ends meet.” mikaela guimaraes, ’21 (College of Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner ) Scholarship: Joan Razore Endowed Nursing Scholarship

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ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL HERTZBERG

CAMPAIGN: SCHOLARSHIPS SPOTLIGHT: MICHAEL NINEN

Global Engagement

By Tina Potterf

As he enters his senior year, Michael Ninen, ’20, is well on his way to becoming a fully formed citizen of the world.

Looking back on his college experience, it’s clear that Ninen has taken hold of opportunities to study and learn abroad with travels and immersions in Mexico and Central America. He got on-the-job training while doing research with NGOs in a developing country, applying lessons from his course work in his majors of International Studies and Spanish.

All of this may have seemed unimaginable just a few years back.

While Ninen, who hails from Portland, Ore., was certain he would attend college one day he didn’t know exactly how or when. His is a story of perseverance and determination, beating the odds in the face of staggering adversity.

During his junior year of high school Ninen’s father passed away suddenly, creating an emotional and financial hardship for a family already struggling. Ninen wanted to fulfill a commitment made to his parents that he would go to college to make a better life for himself and his family.

“I always knew I was going to go to college I just didn’t know where,” he says.

Although he was considering a couple schools, Ninen zeroed in on Seattle U as his choice after learning more about the university as a Sullivan Scholar finalist.

Seattle U felt like the perfect fit for him because of the small class size and personalized education it offers. On campus, he found community through on-campus peers and organizations such as the Office of Multicultural Affairs and The Outreach Center.

With the support of professors and mentors Ninen learned about other scholarships that could assuage the costs of school, which also factored into his decision to attend Seattle U. In addition to the financial support through the Sullivan Scholars program, Ninen is also a Costco Scholar. By lessening the financial burden through these scholarships Ninen was able to pursue education abroad that will serve him well as he sets his sights on a career with an international or public policy bent such as in foreign service or with the State Department.

To those whose generosity has supported his academic pursuits Ninen says, “I would like to express my utmost thanks. I don’t know how it’s even possible to show or tell you how much your support means. I can promise you that I am dedicated to making a better life for myself that will affect countless others around me because of your support.”

“I can promise you that I am dedicated to making a better life for myself that will affect countless others around me because of your support.”

—Michael Ninen, ’20 S E AT T L E U N I V E R S I T Y M AG A Z I N E | FA L L 2 01 9

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BEING SCENE

MEETING OF THE MINDS

PHOTO BY DOROTHY EDWARDS/CROSSCUT

The second annual Crosscut Festival brought to campus a who’s who of local, regional and national leaders and newsmakers for two days of thought-provoking conversation and innovative thinking around important issues.

Speakers and scenes from the event included (clockwise from top left): Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama; members of the national press that cover the White House and Washington, D.C., including (center) Philip Rucker and Ashley Parker of The Washington Post; some of the nearly 2,000 festival attendees relaxing on the library lawn; Doug Baldwin, Jr., recently retired Seattle Seahawk; and Janet Napolitano, former Secretary of Homeland Security.

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PHOTO BY DOROTHY EDWARDS/CROSSCUT

PHOTOS BY ABEL FONG AND HALLIE MACPEHERSON

CONGRATS TO THE CLASS OF 2019!

All the classes, late-night study sessions and exams lead up to this day: commencement! Some 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students marked the momentous occasion as they walked across the stage at this year’s ceremonies at the Washington State Convention Center.

Honorary doctorates were conferred upon James Martin, S.J., who spoke at the undergraduate ceremony, and Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, who was the graduate commencement speaker.

An honorary doctorate was also conferred upon P. José Alberto Idiaquez, S.J. “Father Chepe,” as he is known, is president of the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) in Managua, Nicaragua.

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ON CAMPUS

RAMP UP TO SUCCESS

Business owners grapple with growth in gentrifying Central District

By Dean Forbes

Earl’s Cuts and Styles—the iconic Central District barbershop owned and operated successfully for nearly three decades by Earl Lancaster—is claiming a slice of Seattle’s rapid growth and development. Lancaster is among several local business owners working with Seattle University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center to retrofit their current business models in ways that provide passage into modern retail spaces in this historically African-American neighborhood.

After raising $220,000 in loans and grants to build out and lease a street-level space in the Liberty Bank Building, Lancaster signed his new lease on earlier this year and celebrated this milestone with his team of community partners.

“It’s a beautiful day, everybody,” said Lancaster, after signing the lease documents at Capitol Hill Housing’s offices.

“It really is an honor to have you move into our building, to keep you at that corner,” said Christopher Persons, CEO of Capitol Hill Housing, which developed the building that houses Earl’s Cuts and Styles. “It’s been a privilege being part of this development, Earl. We’re very, very pleased.”

In 2016, Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics received a $500,000 grant from JPMorgan Chase to develop the Resource Amplification & Management Program (RAMP), which is led by Sue Oliver, director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. RAMP matches highly trained SU teams of faculty, staff and students with Central District businesses.

“JPMorgan Chase is committed to helping communities make long-term investments in programs that provide viable pathways for low-income entrepreneurs to flourish in our city and to achieve self-sufficiency and success,” said Phyllis Campbell, JPMorgan Chase Chairperson of the Pacific Northwest. “We feel our support of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics is an important way we are helping to build long-term success of the local economy.”

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RAMP provides business coaching, consulting and deliverables such as marketing, business and financial plans, and access to SU interns, subject matter experts and referrals to community resources. Since 2016, RAMP has served more than 150 businesses with more than 2,000 hours of training, coaching and technical assistance from teams of students, mentors, volunteers and community partners.

“RAMP’s goal is for these businesses to build their capacity to thrive in the midst of Seattle’s booming economy and concurrent gentrification,” said Randy Massengale, who leads RAMP’s community outreach efforts and who worked closely with Lancaster and Seattle U students assigned to his project. “The ability for Earl and other local business owners to remain in the Central District is essential to Seattle’s economic, social and ethnic fabric. The key to affordable housing and commercial retail space is allowing business owners and their families to stay and work in the community where they started.”

Lancaster began working with the RAMP team in 2018 when a developer bought Midtown Center, where Earl’s was located, to build a seven-story apartment building. This summer Earl’s Cuts and Styles opened at its new location, the Liberty Bank Building, on 24th and Union.

“RAMP is a great venture because it can help a lot of small businesses in the neighborhood transition to the new situation in Seattle, the new demographics of Seattle,” said Lancaster. “RAMP gave me all of the help I needed. Of course I had to do a lot of the work myself. They were there for me on the legal work, writing proposals, doing their due diligence, talking with people...SU and the RAMP team made it possible for me to get further along.”

The RAMP program brought together a customized team that included an experienced business mentor, a client account manager (MBA student) and student volunteers. Together they worked with Lancaster to convert his practical business experience into assets such as a business plan, bank-ready financial projections and credit history, while collaborating closely with a variety of community partners.

“I had the opportunity to watch the RAMP team work very effectively with Earl Lancaster over many months to understand his 30-year-old business and role in the community and to prepare a business plan for his new venture at the Liberty Bank Building,” said Walter Zisette, senior development manager at Capitol Hill Housing. “RAMP didn’t just do a lot of business development work for Earl, they brought him along in the process so that he understood and participated in each step.”

PHOTO BY YOSEF CHAIM KALINKO

Earl Lancaster (far right), owner of Earl's Cuts and Styles, shares a laugh with Randy Massengale, who leads RAMP's community outreach efforts.

Business student Latio Cosmos, ’20, said the opportunity to work with a community leader like Lancaster on such a high-profile project has made a deep impression. Cosmos plans to continue working for RAMP and one day, return to Africa, where he was born, to lead community revitalization efforts there.

“Earl pulls weight in the community and being able to sit across the table from him is very empowering,” Cosmos said. “These businesses are willing to step into the unknown and not just for themselves but to set an example for others. It’s inspiring to continue the work they are doing and to see them take that work to a whole other level.”

Earl’s Cuts and Styles is not the only business with which RAMP is working to secure retail space in the Liberty Bank Building. The SU group is also working with two businesses with strong cultural

ties to the neighborhood—Café Avole, an Ethiopian coffee house, and Communion, a That Brown Girl Cooks restaurant.

And nearby, RAMP has another project underway with Community House on 23rd and Jackson. Community House, which has multiple locations throughout Seattle, offers communal living and on-site care for people with mental illness.

“For our students to have the opportunity to work with someone of Earl Lancaster‘s stature and with other small businesses in the community is a real blessing,” said Joseph Phillips, dean of the Albers School of Business and Economics. “This service-learning opportunity for them is a wonderful example of the experiential learning our students engage in."

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ON CAMPUS

fighting hunger “When students have to choose between buying food or textbooks, food often gets cut first.”

—Gretchenrae Campera, ’08, assistant director, Student Success & Outreach

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ILLUSTRATION BY ELI VOIGT

OMA pantry satiates and destigmatizes food insecurity

Results prior to mid-May 2019 indicate 50 percent of its clients experience hunger multiple times a week.

By Allison Nitch

The state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food is known as food insecurity—and it’s a rising crisis on public and private college campuses nationwide.

“When students have to choose between buying food or textbooks, food often gets cut first,” says Gretchenrae Campera, ’08, assistant director of Student Success & Outreach.

As reported in The New York Times, a #RealCollege survey released in April 2019 by Temple University’s Hope Center for College, Community and Justice found that 45 percent of the nearly 86,000 student respondents from more than 100 institutions reported food insecurity in the past 30 days.

Common causes of food insecurity include a growing number of students being financially responsible for children or other family members, along with the rising cost of housing and tuition expenses.

Seattle U hasn’t been immune to this difficult reality. With seed money allocated by Redhawk Dining partner Chartwells Higher Education and a renovated space hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), the Seattle U Food Pantry opened earlier this year and offers free supplemental groceries, toiletries and on-campus dining cards for faculty, staff and students. The food pantry is located in Pavilion 180.

In the months since opening, the pantry has had more than 400 visits, including many first-time clients, and its weekly grocery order has doubled. Ongoing funding is provided by Chartwells and Student Development, along with donations from local partners and campus community members. The pantry is open three days a week during the academic year and once a week during summer quarter. Individuals with a current Seattle U identification card may access the pantry weekly.

Pantry staff continues to learn how to best serve its clientele by issuing optional surveys to first-time and returning clients.

by the numbers The food pantry has seen hundreds of visits since opening earlier this year.

Here’s a breakdown of the makeup of visitors.

Survey feedback also helps identify details such as demographics, dietary restrictions and what appliances or kitchen tools individuals have access to. Campera, who also oversees pantry operations, notes that “being attentive to survey responses helps us improve our inventory” such as stocking canned items with ring pulls that don’t need a can opener and food items that don’t require heating.

“Another food pantry best practice we incorporate is providing our branded, reusable shopping bags, which help normalize the shopping experience,” says Campera. The intent is to reinforce the message that the pantry is simply one of many other campus resources designed to help individuals maintain their well-being, much like the gym or health services.

Prior to the pantry’s existence, the student-led Gender Justice Center (GJC)—an early champion of fostering food security on campus—created a 2018 pilot program known as the Community Care Pantry in response to individuals skipping meals or not eating at all. The group collected and shared donated food and toiletry items in Chardin Hall and at smaller satellite pantries in other buildings.

“The students of the Gender Justice Center identified a need and brought it the university’s attention—that’s why food security initiatives now exist on our campus,” Campera says. “They are the ones that truly drove this effort and continue to support us through partnership.”

There are many ways members of the campus community can contribute to the pantry. Individuals can drop off items or set up a recurring donation online. Additionally, students with meal plans may donate up to 100 remaining points from their accounts at any Chartwells register at the end of each academic quarter.

The pantry is especially in need of fresh fruits, vegetables and culturally relevant items such as curries and sauces. (A full list of donation requests can be found at the link below.)

For details about Seattle U Food Pantry hours, donations or to take part in educational programming about food justice issues, visit seattleu.edu/oma/oma-programs/food-security/.

85.4%

8.5%

20.7%

23.2%

are undergraduates

are graduate students

of visits are by firstgeneration students

are commuter students

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ATH LETI C S

LEADING FOR THE FUTURE Director of Athletics

SHANEY FINK

illuminates the potent impact of sports in higher ed

By Patrick Leary

At her introductory press conference in 2016, Director of Athletics Shaney Fink called Division I athletics “a laboratory for student development.”

“We are developing future leaders,” she said at the time. “We’re going to develop those future leaders right here within our athletics department, but they’re going to serve as a model for our entire student body, for our entire community, for our alumni and everywhere we go.”

Three years into her tenure at Seattle University, Fink still echoes those words when she speaks about the role of athletics in the university’s ecosystem. That development aspect, which she says touches all corners of the campus community, is part of why Fink has high goals for athletics as the university marks a decade since returning to Division I. “I genuinely believe that athletics is the vehicle to achieve the university’s initiatives,” says Fink. “There’s no better pathway.

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It’s the communication out and the touch point in.”

Fink, a former Division I volleyball player at the University of California, Berkeley, spent her entire pre-Seattle U career at the University of San Diego. She started as an assistant volunteer volleyball coach in 1999, but quickly transitioned to roles within the athletic administration, where she rose to senior associate athletics director.

“When I was an assistant volunteer volleyball coach, I told the athletic director I wanted to be an AD,” she says. “I don’t know that I really knew what that meant, but I knew I wanted to set myself up for whatever opportunities may be down the path.”

That opportunity ultimately led her to Seattle U, where Fink says she recognized the emphasis on authentic leadership right away.

Her ascent through the ranks at San Diego mirrors her ambitions for the role of Division I athletics here.

“Athletics tells the story about the mission of the university,” she says.

It wasn’t always like that, especially when Seattle University spent the better part of three decades, beginning in 1980, out of the NCAA’s top division. Provost Shane P. Martin, PhD, says that while the move from D-I may have secured Seattle U some short-term financial stability, it sacrificed a “whole generation of students and alumni” who didn’t experience D-I athletics.

“We have an opportunity to reset that,” he says.

As the university’s academic leader, Martin finds himself advocating the importance of athletics to the occasional skeptic. For him, it’s an additional way Seattle U competes with peer institutions already viewed as academic and mission-based equals.

“Division I is where we belong,” says Martin. “It’s another form of excellence and that’s ultimately what we’re committed to.”

During her tenure as director, Fink has seen an uptick in pride around sports on campus thanks to the success of the studentathletes and the way athletics are more integrated as part of the overall college experience.

“It’s been about building trust and creating a shared vision,” Fink says. “It feels like, across campus, there’s more confidence in what we’re doing.”

Fink has a staunch ally and confidante within five miles in University of Washington Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen, who also became a first-time athletic director in 2016.

“It’s wonderful to see the athletic success at Seattle U,” Cohen says. “Seattle is a great college sports town and it’s unique to have two Division I programs in the same city.”

According to a 2018 report from Higher Education Publications, Inc., just one in five NCAA athletic directors is female and only 39 Division I athletic departments, or 12 percent, are led by women.

In the face of that disparity, Fink appreciates that both of the city’s Division I programs have female leaders.

“It’s so Washington and I love that about Seattle,” Fink says. “Jen is great and has been a great resource and a very fun, worthy competitor.”

Despite the schools’ on-field rivalry, Cohen says she and Fink support and advise each other as they navigate the challenges of their roles.

“We have a special relationship in that we really understand the complexities and pressures of our roles and we also both share a passion for building a championship culture centered around the student-athlete experience,” Cohen says.

One of the beneficiaries of that experience is women’s soccer player Jessie Ray, ’20, a senior forward from Portland, Ore., who gave the keynote speech at the 2019 Red Tie Celebration, which

raised more than $700,000 for Seattle U Athletics. Ray, a cell and molecular biology major, says her athletic career allowed her to travel to interesting places and bond with her teammates, but also prepared her to perform better academically.

“Within our respective sports, student-athletes are constantly confronted by a variety of pressure situations that will result in success or failure,” says Ray. “The takeaway is an additional set of skills for dealing with stress, which helps us manage challenges in the classroom as well.”

“I genuinely believe that athletics is the vehicle to achieve the university’s initiatives. There’s no better pathway. It’s the communication out and the touch point in.”

Shaney Fink, Director of Athletics While some may challenge the relevancy or necessity of athletics in higher education—where academics and personal growth are paramount—Fink stresses the undeniable value add of sports as they pertain to Seattle U’s mission of cultivating leaders and “educating the whole person.”

“You’re going to be academically challenged, you’re going to be involved in the community and you’re going to come out a different person than you were,” she says. “The student-athlete experience mirrors the broader Seattle U student experience.

We do things that are distinctly Seattle, that are distinctly Jesuit Catholic, and do them better than anybody else.”

Looking ahead, Fink identifies securing an on-campus events center as a major priority, along with continuing to improve the student-athlete experience and alumni relations. And of course, Fink plans to form and deepen on-campus partnerships to further embed Division I athletics into the university’s culture.

“My plan is for the integration to become so intertwined that you can’t imagine Seattle U without athletics, that you can’t pull them apart.”

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LAST WORD

MAKING WISHES COME TRUE “SU taught me that all people have value, that all dreams and ideas are to be nurtured and that each of us have a tremendous opportunity to help one another realize and achieve this.”

—Melissa Arias, ’01 JD, President/CEO of Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington

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PHOTO BY YOSEF CHAIM KALINKO

behind the wishes • Every day, at least one

child in Alaska and Washington is diagnosed with a critical illness.

• Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington has granted wishes to nearly 7,100 children since 1986.

• Children who qualify

are between 2-1/2 and 18 years old and living with a degenerative, progressive or malignant condition.

• 53 percent of children have cancer or blood disorders.

Learn more at akwa.wish.org

By Caitlin King, ’10

Today, there are enough children waiting for their wishes to be granted to fill more than seven school buses.

Enter Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington. Led by its President & CEO Melissa Arias, ’01 JD, and her staff of 34 colleagues, the nonprofit organization is bringing hope, joy and happiness by granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. This year, MakeA-Wish® Alaska and Washington will grant 392 wishes.

Children like Ainsley, who wears a cochlear implant and wished to have an inclusive outdoor space fitted with a metal-roof swing so that she could hear the rain. There was Jack, whose wish was to have his classic Ford pickup, gifted to him by his late grandfather, given a cosmetic makeover. Or Sawyer’s wish for what he called a “chicken mansion,” otherwise known as a chicken coop, that came complete with a family of chickens.

“It takes a mound of community support to rally around these children and make their wishes come true,” Arias says. “That’s what makes Make-A-Wish® truly special and unique: We need volunteers at every turn to help us grant these wishes. It’s a wonderful conduit to bring together people who want to help others in their community.”

While her tenure as President & CEO of Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington has just begun, Arias has fully embraced the organization’s mission, pointing to a first of its kind study by Nationwide Children’s Hospital that shows that patients who are granted a wish are more likely to have fewer unplanned hospital and emergency department visits.

“We’ve known anecdotally for years that wishes are more than nice—they’re a necessary part of patient care,” says Arias.

Arias always knew she wanted to make a difference. Growing up in Woodinville, Wash., she dreamt of going to law school. “At the end of the day, I understood I wanted to help people. I really felt like everyone’s voices needed to be heard,” she says.

After completing her undergraduate degree in political science at the University of Washington in 1997, Arias enrolled at Seattle University School of Law. “From the moment I walked on campus, SU was an inviting place.

There was academic rigor, a place for intense deliberation of ideas and ideals but at every step faculty, staff and administration were accessible and welcoming,” she says. “It was an incredible learning environment with the appropriate balance of challenge and a community to dust us off when we failed and encourage us to learn from it.”

After Arias received her Juris Doctor she landed a job at Bricklin & Gendler, LLP, a plaintiffs firm that represented environmental

issues. Though she loved the conceptual side of being a lawyer, she had her doubts. She says, “I began to have this crisis of conscience and started asking myself, is this how I want to spend the rest of my life?”

With a strong sense of urgency to help those in need, she volunteered on issues of homelessness for various nonprofits on behalf of her firm through the early 2000s. In 2004, Terri Kimball of Domestic Abuse Women’s Network (DAWN) took over the struggling organization and approached Arias to consider signing on as Director of Development and Community Relations. Ready to make the move to a nonprofit leadership role, Arias accepted the position.

During her time at DAWN, she executed key fundraising objectives and gift planning that positioned the organization to deliver on the promise of protecting women and children from domestic abuse in South King County.

In 2009, Arias parted ways with DAWN and went on to start the alumni relations arm at the University of Washington Bothell as Director of Advancement. She quickly rose through the ranks to Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement. Under her leadership, she focused on fundraising and on campus development activities, committed to bringing first generation students to college.

It wasn’t until February of 2018 that Arias got the call to interview for the role at Make-A-Wish® and, drawn to the idea of bringing joy to children and families challenged by critical illness, she accepted the offer.

She reflects on how her education prepared her for a leadership role in serving others and gave her the tools needed to incite change.

“SU taught me that all people have value, that all dreams and ideas are to be nurtured, and that each of us have a tremendous opportunity to help one another realize and achieve this,” she says. “Embracing that spirit helps to lift one another up and is a wonderful catalyst to unite and strengthen a community. Those same lessons are ones I apply every day at Make-A-Wish®.”

One of her earliest wishes, Arias recalls, was with an 11-yearold boy name TJ, who wished for a custom golf cart. A group of community supporters turned out on a cold morning in Bremerton, where the local police and fire department were waiting to start a parade that ended with the delivery of TJ’s cart.

“The pure joy in his face cemented in me why Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington is on a quest to bring every eligible child’s wish to life, because wishes are an important part of a child’s treatment journey."

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SEATTLE UNIVERSITY

901 12th Avenue PO Box 222000 Seattle, WA 98122-1090

A CHAT WITH THE COACH Get the first read on the season ahead from Coach Jim Hayford, who is set to embark on his third season leading men’s basketball, in an audio interview on The Newsroom.

Listen today at seattleu.edu/newsroom/

HOMECOMING GAME & RALLY

REDHAWK CENTER / November 9, 2019

Rally 5–7 p.m. / Tip–Off 7 p.m.

Visit GoSeattleU.com for team and ticket information.