Academic Achievement

School Counseling, Business, and Dietetics Receive Accreditation

The MEd in School Counseling program in SPU’s School of Education has been granted initial national accreditation through the Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs. The School of Business, Government, and Economics received re-accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, which represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics voted to continue full accreditation of SPU’s Didactic Program in Dietetics for seven more years.

PhysTEC Honors SPU’s School of Education Physics Teachers Output

In February 2015, SPU’s School of Education received special commendation from the Physics Teacher Education Coalition for its record of educating future physics teachers. Fewer than 20 U.S. institutions graduate five or more physics teachers a year, leading to a severe, long-term shortage in the field. In 2011–12, SPU graduated eight highly qualified physics teachers. PhysTEC honored SPU’s program as “a service to the state of Washington” and for “serving as a national model for STEM teacher preparation.”

SPU Theology Faculty Publish A Compact Guide to the Whole Bible

Edited by SPU theology professors Robert Wall and David Nienhuis, A Compact Guide to the Whole Bible is a succinct and thorough introduction to the Bible’s nature, canonical design as “a collection of collections,” and plotline. Co-written by faculty members Daniel Castelo, Laura Holmes, Sara Koenig, Eugene Lemcio, Bo Lim, Chad Marshall, and Frank Spina, the Compact Guide is integrated into SPU’s UFDN 200 “Christian Scriptures” courses and has been commended by FMC-USA Bishop David Kendall.

Ewald Explores Classical Literature’s Fascination With India in Marston Lecture

On February 12, 2015, Owen Ewald, SPU’s C. May Marston assistant professor of classics, presented the Marston Lecture, in which he discussed Ancient Greece and Rome’s fascination with India and its portrayal in classical literature. The annual lecture is presented by the faculty member appointed to the Marston fellowship, named after one of SPU’s most influential early scholars.

Koskela Speaks on Experience and the Knowledge of God

Doug Koskela, SPU assistant professor of theology and the associate dean of undergraduate studies in the School of Theology, gave this year’s Paul T. Walls Lecture in Wesleyan Theology on May 6, 2015. His address, titled “I Knew When Written on My Heart,” explored the place of spiritual perception in John Wesley’s understanding of how one comes to embrace the Christian faith.

McKinney Explores Gender in Weter Lecture

Professor of Sociology and Director of Women’s Studies Jennifer McKinney delivered the 2015 Winifred E. Weter Faculty Award Lecture for Meritorious Scholarship on April 14, 2015. Titled “Sects and Gender,” the lecture illustrated the ways in which beliefs about gender in different Christian groups and historical periods have been shaped by cultural change. This annual lecture provides a public platform to articulate the liberal arts in the Christian university.

Business Meets Government in New School

Beginning in Autumn 2014, SPU’s Political Science and Geography departments joined with the School of Business and Economics to form the new School of Business, Government, and Economics. SBGE is only the second such program in the U.S. and the only one to offer an AACSB-accredited education.

New Master’s Degree Emphasizes Digital Education

SPU is now offering an online Digital Education Leadership master of education program, providing instruction on digital education research and best practices in blended learning, “Bring Your Own Device” programs, and digital citizenship. The program will utilize open educational resources, so there are no textbook or software costs, and will pair students with schools, universities, and other educational organizations for real-world projects.

Murdock Discipleship Fellows Program Underway

Funded by a “Vision and Call” grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, first-year Seattle Pacific Seminary students receive vocational training and mentor undergraduate students in Wesleyan small groups. The small groups, held in select UFDN 1000 “Christian Formation” classes, ask John Wesley’s question, “How goes it with your soul?” and are led by junior and senior undergraduates mentored by the Murdock Discipleship Fellows.

Student Plan for Portable Vaccine Refrigeration Wins Competition

At SPU’s ninth annual Social Venture Plan Competition on April 16, 2015, 19 student teams presented entrepreneurial business plans to address social needs. This was the final stage of a competition encompassing seminars, written plans, and coaching from more than 130 community volunteers. While this year’s projects ranged from cottage industry textiles to doggy daycares, the $3,000 Herbert B. Jones Grand Prize went to Brio Pack, a portable refrigeration unit designed to make safe vaccine delivery possible anywhere in the world.

New Mandarin Chinese Language Program Offered

In Autumn 2014, SPU offered on-campus Mandarin Chinese courses for the first time in many decades. Addressing SPU’s need for an Asian language curriculum in its Pacific Rim location, the Chinese courses are the first expansion of the Languages, Cultures, and Literature Department since 1989. Instructor Wei Zuo, an English PhD candidate at the University of Washington, has been helping develop SPU’s new curriculum.