2018–19 Year in Review

students look at view of kerry park
Daniel J. Martin

From the President

I am happy to share with you the Year in Review, which commemorates the endeavors and successes of the alumni, students, faculty, and staff of Seattle Pacific University. It highlights how this University is impacting our neighborhood, region, and world, bringing hope and faith for the future.

Autumn Quarter brought nearly 3,000 undergraduates back to campus.

Institutional Milestones

Seattle Pacific University is the only private university in the Pacific Northwest to make the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Best National Universities list. Other milestones include launching our new brand; adding four new majors; the expanded efforts of SPU’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; September Session launching; and the Seattle Pacific Foundation posting an excellent rate of return.

group photo of nursing students

Academic Rigor

New nursing building opens, ushers program expansion; faculty featured in The New York Times and National Public Radio; a record number of Fulbright scholars; lecture series: “Seeking Justice” and “News and Nachos”; sociology students present research; faculty present at Oxford; and professor appointed Association of American Medical Colleges liaison.

Immerse brings high schoolers to campus each summer to grow in their faith.

Faith for the Future

New chaplains launches initiatives; Immerse offers second year of theological training; prayer ministry begins; faith-business initiative expands; Urban Plunge draws students; Ecofaith lecture held; and theology faculty publish multiple books.

Seattle Pacific hosted the Special Olympics USA Games’ gymnastics competition.

Serving Seattle

Scholarships for displaced Art Institute students; Transfer Promise program announced; SPU hosts Special Olympics gymnastics; access architect honored; Sacred Sounds of Christmas concert sells out; video game development camp launched; Mega Meet-Ups link employers and students; work parties to aid homeless held; and annual “Voices of Autism” event draws families.

The Social Venture Plan Competition brings together student teams working for social change.

Serving the World

Engineering students help Syria with air-strike detection systems; Day of Common Learning addresses creation care; “Roads to Reconciliation” event aids dialogue; and Social Venture Plan competitors develop solutions for refugees.

SPU gymnast Darian Burns won her second national title.

Athletics

Gymnast Darian Burns wins national title; men’s basketball plays in NCAA West Regional Tournament; student-athletes earn academic excellence award; nationally ranked women’s rowing compete in national championship; and women’s cross country were top-15 finishers nationally.

Alumni Director Amanda Stubbert (right) hosts the SPU Voices Podcast.

Alumni Highlights

SPU Voices Podcast launched; and Alumni Awards Dinner honors Alumna of the Year Jenette Ramos, GOLD Alumnae of the Year the band Joseph, and Medallion Award winners Allie Griffith Roth and Philip Jacobs.

Alumni Norm and Nancy Edwards received the President’s Award for Philanthropy.

Philanthropy

Record-breaking year for University support; inaugural Day of Giving held; and Norman and Nancy Snelling Edwards receive President’s Award for Philanthropy.