PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 02
Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J. SU PRESIDENT
03
This is a very special time for Seattle University. It was 125 years ago when Father Victor Garrand celebrated Mass in a makeshift chapel on the second floor of a Seattle downtown parish hall. The setting, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, and the Mass would signal the official opening of what is today Seattle University.
As we celebrate this anniversary, there is much from our history that gives us great hope for the future. One need only to look to our beginnings—and to why Seattle College was started at all—for inspiration. Our mission, rooted in our Jesuit ethos, speaks to the fact that we were invited to bring Catholic education and, in particular, Jesuit education to Seattle. My hope for the next 25 years is that the people of the Catholic Church as well as the university itself may live out more fully and truly this relationship of wanting and being wanted, inviting and responding, called by the Church and committed to it as a priority. Seattle University has a very bright and creative future because there are now many more people and more deeply informed and experienced people who are carrying our charism. I am thrilled as I imagine
what this new way of being vibrant and impactful as a Jesuit university will be 25 years from now. Our future as a university also depends on matching the momentum of our city that we call home. All of us recognize the amazing momentum of our city at the present time—almost unparalleled in the country— and its exceptional attractiveness for students with opportunities for careers and professional development. Perhaps the biggest and most promising hope for Seattle University of the next 25 years is to become ever more essential to and part of the fabric of this great city. My final hope for our future concerns the human side of our mission. Sacrifice, grit, prayer, pulling together, hope, good will, talent, belief and amazing perseverance have been the inner source and engine of our history. History shows that Seattle University works when people share a common commitment focused on educating and developing students, when what they do together and how they do it together is more important than what they do individually. This is a very special time for Seattle University. An anniversary, after all, is the bridge between heritage and hope. As we reflect back we look ahead to the possibilities that abound.
IMPACT & OUTCOMES 04
10
IN THE
WE ST —U.S. News & World Report: Best Colleges 2017
IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN THE NORTHWEST
—U.S. Department of Education
—The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College 2016
The university has earned a spot in the U.S. News Top 10 for more than a dozen years among regional universities in the West. Additionally, SU ranks #2 in the West for its commitment to UG teaching. The WSJ/Times Higher Education ranks SU in the Top 20 among all universities in the West.
In Washington state, Seattle University is #2 among all colleges and universities— and #1 among non-trade—for highest-earning graduates.
Seattle University is the top ranked independent university and #2 overall in the Northwest with high marks for producing successful graduates, investing in the student experience and fostering student success.
TOP 25 IN THE U.S.
TOP 40 IN THE U.S.
TOP 5% IN THE U.S.
BUSINESS PROGRAMS
SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
LIBERAL ARTS AND MORE
Several Albers business programs are in the Top 25 in the nation, including finance, accounting and the Executive MBA, according to U.S. News. And 92% of UG seniors are placed in a job or career-related activity within six months of graduating
Seattle University College of Science and Engineering is ranked #31 among all engineering schools in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report.
College Factual puts SU in the top 5% for highest paid graduates in liberal arts/sciences, humanities and computer and information science.
05
OF
—The Princeton Review
—Fiske Guide to Colleges, 2017
When it comes to high quality education, Seattle University is consistently ranked one of the best in the U.S. Only about 15 percent of America's 2,500 four-year colleges are profiled in the Princeton Review’s The Best 381 Colleges guide.
A rich campus life located in the heart of a city pulsating with innovation and creativity, Seattle U has much to offer students. The selective guide considered 2,200 four-year colleges in the U.S., Canada and Great Britain and placed SU in the top 14 percent.
PRESIDENTIAL HONORS
BEST CATHOLIC COLLEGES IN THE U.S.
In 2012, Seattle U received the White House's highest recognition for service learning. The university also has been on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the past 4 years. Four out of five students do service—nearly 3x the national average.
According to College Factual, Seattle University is #17 for "Best Colleges Affiliated as Roman Catholic" nationwide.
—Chronicle of Higher Education
For the 4th consecutive year— and the 7th time in the past decade—Seattle University is regarded as a top producer of Fulbright awardees. The prestigious program sponsors participants in areas including the sciences, business, public service, government and the arts.
67%
INCREASE IN ALUMNI GIVING Alumni giving from FY15 to FY16 increased 67% in total contributions. In FY16, $11,552,907 was donated compared to $6,919,839 in FY15. More than $41M in financial gifts from 6,800+ donors was raised to support students and the university in FY16.
NEW PROGRAM
E
ND X PA
ING OUR OFFERIN
GS
,
OU R RE ACH
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A HEALTH CARE LEADER FOR THE FUTURE In 2016, Seattle University’s College of Nursing broadened its commitment to producing nurse leaders who are uniquely prepared to address the complex and changing landscape of primary health care. The college expanded its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program so that now all graduate students—nurses and non-nurses alike—will have an opportunity to earn a DNP, the profession’s highest clinical degree.
The college launched its DNP program in 2012 for post-master’s students. This past summer the college transitioned its advanced nursing tracks to the doctoral level to create more entry-level options and ultimately produce more highly skilled nurse practitioners. Depending on entry experience, students pursuing a DNP select from two major tracks of study: •
Primary Care Nurse Practitioner: Prepares nurses to provide primary care for individuals and families in four key areas: adult gerontological nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwifery.
•
Advanced Community Public Health Nursing: Prepares nurses to collaborate with communities and organizations to design and implement health care programs for entire populations and serve in leadership roles in community health.
“We are responding to the need to improve access to high-quality health care for more people,” —Kristen Swanson, Dean “DNP-prepared nurses will lead the way with advanced education in disease prevention, primary care and chronic illness management,” says Dean Kristen Swanson, RN, PhD, FAAN.
PROJECT CENTER CELEBRATES
YEARS
solving complex problems with real- world solutions
“With class-based projects, you know the parameters in advance,” says Aklilu Biniam, ’15. “We built our prototype from scratch. Our team’s discussions always focused on what was best for the project. From start to end, we had the support of our mentor, Kelly Fetters from REDC Energy.” After graduation, Biniam landed a position as an electrical/nuclear engineer at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
Founded in 1987, the Seattle University Project Center was one of the first student-industry STEM collaborations in the nation. Now celebrating 30 years, the partnership between the College of Science and Engineering and industry sponsors is slated for a leap forward. An all-new Project Center, with upgraded and expanded collaborative spaces, is a centerpiece of the new Center for Science and Innovation, slated to open in 2021. How it works: Every year more than 30 teams of engineering and computer science students tackle real-world challenges for some of the region’s top companies, nonprofits and public organizations. Each team is responsible for a working solution or functioning prototype, developed, tested and delivered over the course of the academic year. The experience is more than a senior project—it’s a bridge to their careers.
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Dan O’Sullivan, a senior civil engineer at Seattle City Light and Project Center sponsor since 1995, has high regard for the student teams. “The SU engineering students come to the table with impressive problem-solving skills. They know how to get to the root of the problem. They start off at the beginning of the year with an unknown and they evolve into subject matter experts. The students’ energy and their desire to learn rub off on us liaisons.”
“The Project Center is a true point of pride for our university. The projects are great for the students, great for the sponsoring companies and great for Seattle U.” —President Stephen Sundborg, S.J.
CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND INNOVATION The future of STEM is coming. The new Center for Science and Innovation (CSI) will deliver 180,000 square feet of new space to campus and will include:
• • • •
An all-new Project Center Flexible research labs Versatile classrooms Collaborative work spaces
“The new Center for Science and Innovation is going to scale up SU’s ability to produce more graduates who are prepared for real challenges.” —Dean Allen, CEO of McKinstry
WOMEN IN THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
BY THE NUMBERS
43%
female student majors in cse
7
OF THE
9 42%
cse departments are chaired by women
full-time faculty in cse are women
NEW PROGRAMS FOSTERING SCHOLARS
TE FOS
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RING A LIFETIM E OF
SUPPORT
Deanna Groshong was broke, living in her car and struggling to put herself through community college when the weight of it all became too much to bear. She broke down crying in the college bathroom, where her math professor found her. Asked what was wrong, Groshong confessed her closely guarded secret: She had no parents, no way to finance the rest of her education and nowhere to turn for help. The professor, a Seattle University alumna, directed Groshong to Seattle University’s Fostering Scholars program, which offers “wrap-around” support for former foster youth. The university covers all unmet college expenses including tuition, year-round housing, books, meals and health insurance. The students also receive personal and academic support, advocacy and mentorship. Fostering Scholars marked its 10th anniversary in fall 2016. The first program of its kind in Washington state and nationally among private universities, Fostering Scholars remains a national model for helping a vulnerable population succeed in college and beyond.
FOSTERING SCHOLARS
BY THE NUMBERS scholars are or will participate in Education Abroad programs this year.
More than 80 percent of SU’s Fostering Scholars have graduated or are on track to graduate. Its 34 alums are excelling in graduate school and careers in accounting, nursing, law, computer programming, social work and public policy. The program’s accomplishments are remarkable considering the odds. Though 70 percent of foster youth aspire to go to college, instability and financial obstacles make it difficult to achieve their goals. In the end, fewer than 10 percent earn a bachelor’s degree. As for Groshong, she graduated from Seattle U in 2014 and has embarked on a career in sales while launching her own private chef business. “The program became a self-fulfilling prophecy,” says Groshong. “You really can do something to change somebody, to lift them up.” Learn more about Fostering Scholars at www.seattleu.edu/fosteringscholars.
program graduates
of scholars have graduated from the program.
scholars enrolled for the 2016-17 academic year.
of Fostering Scholars are majoring in programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.
(as of 2016)
Seattle University partners with employers who align with our mission and values by supporting the professional growth of a diverse workforce.
AMONG TOP EMPLOYERS OF RECENT GRADUATES
AMONG TOP EMPLOYERS FOR SU INTERNS
Alaska Airlines Amazon The Boeing Company Ernst & Young Harborview Medical Center Microsoft Nordstrom PACCAR Physio-Control Seattle Children’s Hospital Swedish Medical Center T-Mobile
Amazon Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation The Boeing Company City of Seattle Expedia Harborview Medical Center Puget Sound Energy Russell Investments Seattle Children’s Hospital Seattle City Light Swedish Medical Center
IMPROVING INCLUSION, RETENTION AND SUCCESS OF DIVERSE STUDENTS IN ENGINEERING & COMPUTER SCIENCE A $250,000 gift to Seattle University from The Boeing Company will fund a study to improve the retention and success of women and underrepresented minorities in undergraduate engineering and computer science programs.
The goal of the study is to identify ways to improve retention and student success. These improvements will be implemented 12 to 18 months from now and the impact measured for three years to assess their effectiveness.
The Boeing gift funds a new, five-year program to study and improve diversity in departments that traditionally struggle to attract women and minority students. The first step of the project will be quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis to measure and understand retention rates and factors in each engineering and computer science program. Focus groups with current students and alumni, including from Boeing, will be conducted as well.
“This gift recognizes the commitment Seattle U has made to be a leader in recruiting and retaining women and people of color in our engineering and computer science programs,” says President Stephen Sundborg, S.J. Twenty-four percent of the undergraduate engineering and computer science students registered for 2016-17 are women. In the College of Engineering overall, 43 percent of all undergraduates are women and 17 percent are underrepresented minority students.
“Seattle University graduates possess solid technical, collaboration and communication skills coupled with an appreciation for high ethical standards and improving society in general.” —Jiwan Hayre, ’91, ’95 MBA, director, Business Capabilities Engineering/Boeing
09 CAREER OUTCOMES
CAREER OUTCOMES
PROFILES 10
SOLVING THE MYSTERY When Tsehay Abebe, ’13, arrived in Seattle at the age of 17, it was the first time she had been outside of her hometown in Ethiopia. Four years later she graduated from Seattle University’s College of Science and Engineering with a 3.95 GPA, a bachelor’s degree in cellular and molecular biology and a four-year scholarship to one of the nation’s top medical schools, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “Growing up, I was exposed to people who didn’t have access to health care,” Abebe says. “I have always wanted to be a doctor and I chose cell and molecular biology because I am interested in exploring the mechanisms of how the body works. I’m interested in research that has clinical applications and can be used to improve health for everybody.” Now in her second year of medical school, Abebe showed an aptitude for research as an undergraduate, with a passion to match her abilities.
Abebe’s prowess landed her a coveted research position at the Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute, one of the region’s top research laboratories. She studied beta cell repair, doing groundbreaking genetics work at the molecular level. “People have studied beta cell death. But what we were doing is different. We (were) working with multiple models to see how the cells repair themselves,” she explains. According to the Institute’s Dr. Paul Robertson, Abebe was the first researcher to work on this particular model and was a key author of a paper on their work. “Tsehay is a rock star,” says Robertson. “She’s brilliant, productive and as smart as they come. She’s a clear thinker who cuts to the chase.”
A KNACK FOR READING GLOBAL MARKET TRENDS The career of Finance Professor Jot Yau, PhD, CFA, reflects a talent for reading global financial market trends. The former accounting and investments professional was specializing in derivatives, for instance, before they were household words. Such practical experience informs his teaching at the Albers School of Business and Economics where Yau’s amalgam of theoretical and practical experience reflects one of the school’s academic pillars. “It fits our model,” says Dean Joseph Phillips. “We have adjunct and full-time faculty who are here because of their practical experience. We also have traditional PhD faculty who have significant professional experience. There are all kinds of ways faculty bring that applied experience to bear.”
“We have to change our curriculum in response to what is happening in today’s financial markets.” —Jot Yau, professor/finance
Yau did not set out to teach. After earning his MBA in the United States, he planned to resume his investments career in his native Hong Kong. But a political shift changed the course of his life. Upon learning that Great Britain would transfer sovereignty over Hong Kong back to China, Yau decided to earn his doctorate and stay in the U.S. Today the Chinese economy, specifically Dim Sum bonds, is a centerpiece of Yau’s scholarship. Dim Sum bonds, named after the popular cuisine in Hong Kong, are bonds issued outside of mainland China but denominated in the Chinese currency. Yau has incorporated them into one of his introductory courses. It is another example of how he offers more than business theory for his students. “We have to change our curriculum in response to what is happening in today’s financial markets,” Yau says. “Investments should be taught with insights and practices. We cannot stay in the Ivory Tower.”
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ATHLETICS 12
STRONG TEAMS START WITH STRONG INDIVIDUALS Seattle University student-athletes excel on and off the field (or court). There have been several team and individual WAC titles that reflect the athletic prowess of our Division I teams, from soccer to basketball, baseball to track-and-field.
MEET OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
President Stephen Sundborg, S.J., calls Seattle University’s new Director of Athletics Shaney Fink “a dynamic leader.” Fink, who came to Seattle U from the University of San Diego (USD) where she served most recently as Senior Associate Athletics Director and a Senior Woman Administrator, says she is “looking forward to building on the foundation of success at Seattle U and engaging the entire community to work together to fulfill the bold vision for Seattle University athletics.” At USD, Fink was responsible for day-to-day operations and management of 17 NCAA Division I teams and 450 student-athletes. To her new role Fink brings an impressive resume. She served as the West Coast Conference representative
MAJOR LEAGUE Senior soccer player Kyle Bjornethun was selected by the Seattle Sounders FC in the fourth round of the Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft, the third player from Seattle U’s men’s soccer program to be picked in the MLS SuperDraft. The senior defender was taken with the 22nd pick in the fourth round of the draft. Bjornethun was a member of the Sounders’ Youth Academy.
on the NCAA Legislative Council and as the Pioneer Football League representative on the NCAA Legislative Council Football Championship Series Subcommittee from 2011 to 2015. As a member of the West Coast Conference Executive Council, she chaired the Academics, Legislation & Compliance Cabinet and Senior Woman Administrators. During the 1999 season Fink assisted the Torero volleyball coaching staff, helping USD to a 23-6 record and second round finish in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Fink participated in the NCAA Pathways program after completing the 2015 NACWAA Executive Institute in Kansas City in 2015. In 2013 she was named NCAA Division I FCS Administrator of the Year by NACWAA.
“I’m thrilled for Kyle,” says Coach Pete Fewing. “He gets to stay home and play in a familiar environment. He’s going into a situation where he has a better understanding of the team than any other.” Bjornethun earned Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 and 2016, helping the Redhawks advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in the 2015 season.
ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC PROWESS
GRADUATION SUCCESS
Seattle University landed 30 student-athletes on the 2016 Fall Academic All-Western Athletic Conference Teams. Players from men and women’s cross country, men's and women’s soccer and volleyball were recognized by the conference. To be eligible for the honor, a studentathlete must have completed at least one academic year, have a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA and participate in a minimum of half of the team’s contests.
For the third consecutive year—and fourth time in the past five years—Seattle University student-athletes registered an institutional Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 95 percent in the latest figures released by the National Collegiate Athletics Association. The Redhawks have hit a mark of 93 percent or better during the eight years that they have been measured in the study since transitioning back to Division I. The most recent Graduation Success Rates are based on the four entering freshmen classes in D-I from 2006 through 2009.
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PROFILES PROFILE 14
in MISSION
for OTHERS
When Jennifer Cruz, ’16, was 13 years old, she lost her mother to cancer. Cruz brings firsthand knowledge of the impact of cancer not only on the patients but also their families as a 2016 Fulbright Scholar. While at Seattle U, the psychology major and student-athlete focused her academics and service learning on helping people cope with the life-altering diagnosis that comes with cancer. As an alum and now Fulbright, her mission continues: currently she is working on a cancer-prevention project in India. It’s a part of the world familiar to Cruz, who first visited the country through a service abroad program through SU’s Calcutta Club. For the immersion trip Cruz assisted Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity.
SERVING JUSTICE THROUGH INTERNATIONAL LAW For nearly three years, Washington State resident Nestora Salgado-Garcia suffered in a Mexican prison, denied due process and humane treatment. In October 2016, she came to Seattle University to thank students from the School of Law’s International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) and its director, Professor Thomas Antkowiak, for helping to win her freedom. “You were my support,” Salgado-Garcia told them, speaking through tears. “You were the back-up of my case.” Professor Antkowiak learned about Salgado’s case from a local judge after she had been arbitrarily imprisoned for her role in organizing a legally permitted indigenous police force. A grandmother with dual U.S. and Mexican citizenship who divides her time between Renton, Wash., and Olinala, Mexico, Salgado-Garcia was trying to address the narcoviolence in Olinala, which is located in one of Mexico’s most violent regions. IHRC takes on international law cases, mainly in Latin America, Africa and the U. S. Through Professor Antkowiak’s connections and the clinic’s reputation, the clinic doesn’t have to go looking for cases—the cases come to them.
Closer to home, Cruz interned at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The Hutch, one of the leading cancer research centers in the world, was analyzing quantitative and qualitative data from health providers in the Yakima Valley to determine the best ways to improve outcomes and reduce stress for cancer patients. For her Fulbright in India, Cruz is conducting research with the Institute of Cytology and Preventive Oncology (ICPO) and RTI International, an independent, nonprofit institute that provides research, development and technical services to governments and commercial clients. “Cancer rates are skyrocketing in India,” she says. “ICPO and RTI have developed a phone app and website to help rural doctors access critical information about cancer and cancer prevention. The research will determine its effectiveness.”
Before he arrived at Seattle U, Antkowiak served in senior positions throughout Latin America. He was a senior attorney for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of the Organization of American States; special assistant to Costa Rican President and Nobel Peace Laureate Oscar Arias; and director of the Access to Justice Program at the Due Process of Law Foundation.
Directing IHRC, Tom Antkowiak says, is a “dream job” that allows him to work on cases he cares about, engage with students and conduct research. His first book, The American Convention on Human Rights: Essential Rights, will be published in April. Currently Antkowiak and IHRC students are helping to represent indigenous people in Nicaragua who oppose construction of a canal that would bisect the country and decimate the lands where local communities live, fish, hunt and farm. The legal team argues that the government trampled ancestral rights by ceding the land to a Chinese developer without consent of all invested communities. The lawsuit is still pending.
2016 FULBRIGHTS There were six students and alumni of Seattle University awarded Fulbrights for 2016-17, a record number in one year for the university. Here is the full list of recipients and where their Fulbright will take them: • Stuart Haruyama, History; Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA), Turkey • Lara Gooding, International Studies; Fulbright ETA, Rwanda • Helen Packer, Humanities/English; Fulbright ETA, South Korea • Jennifer Cruz, Psychology; Fulbright Research Grant, India • Meme Garcia-Cosgrove, Theater; Fulbright Study Grant, United Kingdom • Hannah Nia, Environmental Studies; ETA, Colombia
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ALUMNI REACH
TO ANOTHER
16
THE GLOBAL REACH OF SEATTLE UNIVERSITY What is “home� to alumni of Seattle University is truly international, with our graduates living and contributing throughout the world. Take a look:
United States: 71,202 Indonesia: 258 Canada: 209 Japan: 187 Thailand: 145 Taiwan: 117 Hong Kong: 81 Saudi Arabia: 75 China: 53 Singapore: 47 Republic of Korea: 43 Kuwait: 39 United Kingdom: 3h Malaysia: 33 United Arab Emirates: 32 Vietnam: 28 Australia: 19 France: 17 Germany: 16 India: 14 Philippines: 12
Mexico: 11 Norway: 9 Spain: 8 Netherlands: 7 Ireland: 6 Oman: 6 Turkey: 6 New Zealand: 5 Switzerland: 5 Costa Rica: 4 Croatia: 4 Italy: 4 Pakistan: 4 Sweden: 4 Belgium: 3 Bolivia: 3 Brazil: 3 Greece: 3 Kenya: 3 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of: 3 Russia: 3
Uganda: 3 Bahrain: 2 Colombia: 2 Denmark: 2 Israel: 2 Luxembourg: 2 Macau: 2 Mongolia: 2 Nigeria: 2 South Africa: 2 Ukraine: 2 Zimbabwe: 2 Bahamas: 1 Bangladesh: 1 Bulgaria: 1 Cambodia: 1 Chile: 1 Cyprus: 1 Czech Republic: 1 Ecuador: 1 Egypt: 1
England: 1 French Polynesia: 1 Gabon: 1 Gambia: 1 Guatemala: 1 Guyana: 1 Iceland: 1 Jordan: 1 Kazakhstan: 1 Malawi: 1 Nepal: 1 Nicaragua: 1 Northern Ireland: 1 Palau: 1 Paraguay: 1 Portugal: 1 Qatar: 1 Rwanda: 1 Scotland: 1 Tanzania: 1 Uruguay: 1
GRAND TOTAL * 72,674 *Note: This number reflects those with a valid mailing address.
The mayors of two major West Coast cities addressed a packed public forum at Seattle University for a discussion of individual and family homelessness. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee discussed the innovative approaches of their respective cities to make homelessness rare and brief. The mayors’ forum highlights Seattle U’s longstanding commitment to addressing homelessness. In partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle U continues to lead the Project on Family Homelessness communications and advocacy program, and just completed the Faith & Family Homelessness Project, a five-year initiative to educates faith communities about the issue. Our School of Law’s renowned Homeless Rights Advocacy Project engages law school students in legal and policy research, analysis and advocacy work to advance the rights of homeless adults, youth and children. And, Seattle U’s new Center for Religious Wisdom & World Affairs, which is devoted to addressing social issues through interfaith scholarship and social action, has identified homelessness as its first initiative.
NOTABLE VISITORS TO CAMPUS Seattle University hosted or sponsored several noteworthy individuals this past year, from a Hall of Fame hoopster to gubernatorial candidates to a mother who shared the very personal story of losing her son.
KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
LEZLEY MCSPADDEN
GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE
NBA Hall of Famer and critically acclaimed author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar kicked off Seattle University’s 125th anniversary speaker series at Seattle’s Town Hall. Abdul-Jabbar spoke about his latest book, Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White.
Seattle University welcomed Lezley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown, the African-American teenager killed by Ferguson, Mo., police in 2014. McSpadden has written a memoir, Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil: The Life, Legacy, and Love of My Son Michael Brown.
Seattle University hosted a WA gubernatorial debate between Democratic incumbent Jay Inslee and his Republican challenger Bill Bryant. The September event drew 400 people and the largest ever number of television and online viewers in Washington state history.
Photo by Zorn B. Taylor
17 SOCIAL IMPACT
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS
G N U I NIT Y D L I U B
BRICK BRICK
PAGE TITLE PROFILES
BY
18
Through education, Jean Baptiste Ganza, S.J., ’12 MBA, aims to bring reconciliation to his native Rwanda where his family was among the 800,000 who perished during the 1994 genocide. Father Ganza, who earned an MBA from the Albers School of Business and Economics, founded two schools in Kigali, Rwanda, that are now ranked among the best in the country. The Ecole Primaire Saint Ignace has 584 primary grade students and the still-growing Saint Ignatius High School currently serves 268 junior and high school students. Fr. Ganza proudly shares that the primary school posted the second highest scores on a national examination in 2012. The first high school students will graduate in 2017. “In only eight years, our schools have built a reputation of excellence,” he says. And Fr. Ganza’s work has not gone unnoticed by his Jesuit peers. In 2014, he was appointed Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Rwanda and Burundi.
In 2016, Fr. Ganza was selected to attend the General Congregation 36 in Rome to elect the Superior General. Spending six weeks with 215 Jesuits from throughout the world, he says, “was a humbling and enriching experience.” He highlights opportunities to pray together, elect the new Superior General and meet Pope Francis. Fr. Ganza remains responsible for fundraising for the Rwandan schools. He oversees a goal to add a new structure each year to meet demand. Recent capital improvements include science labs, a library and buildings offering additional classroom space. Many of Fr. Ganza’s former Seattle University colleagues and friends continue to support these projects. “I still consider Seattle my second home due to the many friends I made,” he says. “Seattle University is more than an education. It is a ground on which fruitful friendships can grow and prosper.”
“Seattle University is more than an education. It is a ground on which fruitful friendships can grow and prosper.” —Jean Baptiste Ganza, S.J., ’12 MBA
NSF GRANT COULD TRANSFORM FACULTY PROMOTION MODEL Seattle University has been awarded a $2.3 million institutional transformation grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that could result in a new model for faculty promotion here and potentially at other mission-driven universities around the country. The NSF “ADVANCE” grant focuses on increasing the representation and advancement of women and underrepresented minorities in academic science, social science and engineering careers. “The intent is that if you can come up with institutional programs that help advance the faculty careers of those groups then they should proliferate out to campus more generally,” says Jodi O’Brien, PhD, professor of sociology and principal investigator. Loyola Marymount, a Jesuit university in Los Angeles, will be a partner institution and liaison, allowing Seattle U researchers to involve its faculty as well as the possibility of Loyola implementing any revised faculty promotion program that Seattle U adopts. The ADVANCE grant is a five-year, phased-approach project that will focus on mid-career women who are providing strong service and leadership in their departments and colleges, including shared governance and administrative roles.
"What we know, because this is the same at most universities, is that women do a disproportionate amount of this so-called ‘hidden work’—the service work. But promotion is almost entirely based on research productivity." —Jodi O’Brien, professor/principal investigator "So if women have been spending more time on institutional support work and less time in research than their male counterparts, they’re going to be less likely to advance," says O'Brien. Although the project focuses on women in science and social science disciplines, the aim is institutional transformation for the advancement of faculty across all disciplines. In addition to O’Brien, the SU project team includes co-principal investigator Jean Jacoby, PhD, associate dean in the College of Science and Engineering; Jacquelyn Miller, PhD, associate professor of history; Agnieszka Miguel, PhD, associate professor and chair of electrical and computer engineering; Kevin Krycka, PsyD, professor of psychology; and Donna Sylvester, PhD, associate professor of mathematics.
Jodi O’Brien (left) and Jean Jacoby
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STUDENT EXPERIENCE 20
A DECADE OF
DANCE MARATHON
STUDENTS DANCE ALL NIGHT FOR A GOOD CAUSE While many college students are accustomed to pulling “all nighters” when cramming for a test or during Finals Week, more than 200 students did so with an even greater purpose—to help others in need. In 2016, students gathered together at Campion Ballroom to stand—or, more accurately, dance—for 16 uninterrupted hours to raise money for Seattle Children’s hospital.
Sore feet and fatigue pose no hang-ups for the dancers participating in the annual SU Dance Marathon, which mark its 10th year in 2017. At the last event, students shimmied and shuffled their way to raise $110,000 for Seattle Children’s Uncompensated Care Fund and the Strong Against Cancer Fundraising Initiative, surpassing organizers’ target goal of $99,000.
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LIVING WITH LEADERSHIP The best leaders live by their principles. That’s why Seattle University mixes leadership theories with daily life in its Learning Communities. Every first-year student (commuter and residential) and many second-year students have the opportunity to participate in a learning community and connect with other students with
similar interests. They may take Core courses together, participate in fun and exciting activities or explore what it means to be a Redhawk.
SERVICE STARTS AT HOME
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Service is a core value of an SU education. Some 275 students participated in service in the community as part of the Serve Local campaign.
Four out of five SU students—that’s nearly 3x the national average—dedicate a part of their education to giving back through service in the community, including afterschool tutoring for elementary students.
Learning Communities allow students with similar interests to develop common bonds with each other outside the classroom while deepening intellectual discourse.
125TH ANNIVERSARY
A look back at what moves us
1891
Seattle University begins as parish school on Sept. 1, 1891. Father Victor Garrand, S.J., assisted by Adrian Sweere, S.J., served as the first president.
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Seattle University had humble beginnings. The Jesuits were called upon to bring Catholic education to Seattle. After scouting the city they purchased a nine-lot site bordered by Madison and Knight (Marion) and Broadway and Williamson streets (10th Avenue). The plot contained one structure: a large-frame house owned and operated by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. In time there was a steady stream of students, more course offerings, a shift to a co-ed campus and a commitment to embody the Jesuit mission. And the rest, as they say, is history. As we celebrate the 125th anniversary of Seattle University, we reflect on some of the milestones that shaped the university of today and transformed a “small gem of a college on the hill” to a nationally recognized university of distinction.
1958 The Boeing Company sponsored a master’s program in electrical and mechanical engineering.
Elgin Baylor leads the Chieftains to the ncaa men's basketball championship game.
1972 Campus protests reached a head when a bomb exploded beneath the steps of the ROTC building. No one was injured.
1976
1894
william sullivan, s.j., became seattle u’s 20th president.
The first campus building—Garrand— opened.
2006
Lee Center for the Arts opened.
1931
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Seattle College became co-ed when James B. McGoldrick, S.J., opened an evening extension school that admitted women.
2018 New residence hall slated to open.
2026
Seattle U alumni expected to reach 100,000 worldwide.
1967 Lemieux Library opened.
1975
2015
Emile Wilson, ’75, named Seattle University’s first Rhodes Scholar.
2021
New Center for Science and Innovation scheduled to open.
1994 Seattle U acquired the School of Law from the University of Puget Sound.
The School for New and Continuing Studies is the first new school to open in 30 years.
1997 dedication of the Chapel of St. Ignatius. Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J., became Seattle University’s 21st president.
125 TH ANNIVERSARY 24
As Seattle University celebrates its 125th anniversary, we provide a snapshot of our history steeped in rich tradition—both academic and social—while looking to the future and what awaits in the next 25 years and beyond.
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125TH ANNIVERSARY 26
CHA PEL O F ST. IGN AT IUS CON T IN UE S TO SH IN E Twenty years ago, Seattle University’s Chapel of St. Ignatius opened its doors on Palm Sunday, promising to provide a gathering place for prayer and liturgy. Today it continues to be an extraordinary place of worship— and has developed into something much more. The small gem, with its beacon-like colored lights glowing in the darkness at night, has grown into a magnetic symbol of Seattle U. A part of the university’s core identity, the chapel is a world-renowned architectural landmark. It’s the hub of a vibrant spiritual community with weekly Masses for students and the larger SU community and an open-hearted, meditative space.
The concept had two meanings. It reflected the Ignatian idea of “discernment,” the sorting through of internal light and darkness—St. Ignatius termed them “consolations and desolations”—to achieve clear purpose in decision making.
In 1991, then-president William Sullivan, S.J., announced his plans for a chapel on campus dedicated to the founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius. The university hired Steven Holl, a Bremerton-born, internationally acclaimed architect, to lead the project. Holl was captivated by Ignatian philosophy and challenged by the notion of how to translate light and darkness into a sacred space.
Over these past two decades, the chapel has evolved into a living place and vibrant home for a community that spans SU and its surrounding world—with more than 40,000 visitors annually. It surely will find new, creative ways to fulfill that role in the future.
More than a physical landmark, the chapel has become part of the university’s identity. It embodies the university’s Jesuit mission, reaching out to the non-Catholic community with interdenominational services and events. Living up to Holl’s vision of a “gathering of lights,” the chapel is open to people of all faiths.
board of trustees
board of regents
seattle university administration
Kathleen Aikenhead Rodney A. Bench Maureen Benoliel, '71 Robert H. Blais Ann Blume Mark G. Bosco, S.J. David W. Burcham Patrick J. Callans, '08 Peter W. Chiarelli, '72 Joseph M. Gaffney, '62 Allan C. Golston, '99 Donald J Horowitz Patrick M. Kelly, S.J. Patrick F. Kennedy Steven P. Knight Thomas M. Lucas, S.J. Michael C. McCarthy, S.J. Carol K. Nelson, '78, '84 Killian Noe William A. Owens Nicole W. Piasecki Robert A. Ratliffe Scott Redman Pete J. Rose David Sabey Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J. (ex officio) Stevens U. Trainer Ruth A. Tressel, '84 Jennifer E. Turpin John H. Vassall, II Eric J. Watson, S.J. Betty Woods, '74 Jeffrey J. Wright
Joseph P. Zavaglia,'71 Chair Hon. Anita Crawford-Willis, '82, '86 Vice Chair
Stephen Sundborg, S.J., President Timothy Leary, Executive Vice President Robert Dullea, Interim Provost Connie Kanter, CFO & Senior VP/Finance and Business Affairs Marilyn Crone, VP /Enrollment Management Michelle Clements, VP/Human Resources Scott McClellan, VP/Communications Michele Murray, VP/Student Development Mary Petersen, VP/University Counsel Michael Podlin, VP/University Advancement Chris Van Liew, VP/Chief Information Officer Allison Golden, Senior Aide to the President
trustees emeriti Anne V. Farrell, John W. Meisenbach, '60 James D. Sinegal Ann Wyckoff
executive committee Robert A. Ratliffe, Chair Nicole W. Piasecki, Vice Chair David W. Burcham, Secretary Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J., President Dave Sabey, At-Large Rod Bench, At-Large
R. Miller Adams, '73, '87 Dave Anderson, S.J. (Ex Officio) Hugh Bangasser, '68 Mary Helen Bever, '83, '12 Maureen P. Brotherton, '96 Patricia C. Buchsel, '74 Christopher G. Canlas, '01 Brian L. Comstock Salah Dandan Michael G. Daniels, '70 Janet M. Dwyer, '70 William F. Eisiminger, '67, '73 David V. Foley, '63 Michelle Akiyama Galvin, '98 Kathryn Greve, '10
(president, Alumni Board of Governors)
O. David Jackson, '09 Jonelle M.C. Johnson James P. Jorgensen, '65 Diane Siderius Kocer, '82 Stacy Lill Don Luby, '65 Daniel McKay Richard E. Mitchell, JD Nathan Nguyen, '02 Marilyn Price Carlos Rodriguez, '17 ( Former Student Body President)
Ryan P. Sawyer, '94 Kathleen H. Schafer, '81 Pastor Paul A. Stoot Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J. (Ex Officio)
Starr Tavenner, '71 Vince Volpe Gus Voss, '16 (chair, Graduate Student Council)
alumni board of governors Stacy Bennett, '89 John Bianchi, '02 Jim Dykeman, '61 Katy Greve, '10 Nicole Hardie, '98 Derek Harris, '11 Matt Iseri, '05 Anne-Marie LaPorte, '96 Karen Lynn Maher, '00 Sheely Mauck, '09 Richard Moore, '09 Jarrett Payne, '05 Olivia Raese, '02 Marilyn Richards, '79 John Ruffo, '65, '71 Mikel Sagoian, '07, '12 Ken Schow, '10 Toyia Taylor, '11 John Vincent, '09 DJ Weidner, '07 Ann Yoo, '98
Mary Hermann Welch, '69, '76 Kathleen R. Wright Ralph K. Zech II, '72
nondiscrimination policy 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.