After more than a year of COVID-19 restrictions, our campus and the world are starting to climb out of the pandemic-inflicted environment. It’s been a difficult time of loss, setbacks, and challenges for everyone. While the 2020–21 academic year was certainly full of challenges, our faculty and staff never lost sight of our mission to serve students through offering high-quality, Christ-centered education.
Our faculty worked tirelessly to keep students engaged in mostly digital classrooms. Our students persevered and found ways to thrive in this upended period. Those living on campus diligently social distanced and wore masks, helping SPU avoid the COVID-19 surges experienced on many other campuses.
We adjusted to another transition, as well. President Dan Martin resigned after nine years of dedicated service and leadership to the University. Our board is conducting a nationwide search for SPU’s next leader, and on July 1, Pete Menjares began serving as interim president of Seattle Pacific University.
I hope that you will join me in praying for and celebrating SPU as you read these stories. We are grateful for God’s unchanging grace and mercy that sustains and strengthens us all and for the blessings of another year of ample opportunities to learn, serve, and grow as a
faith-led community.
Laura Hartley
Provost