Mailbox Letters From You

Have Your Say:

The Response Reader Survey

In 2014, Response sent a survey out to readers via email, asking for feedback and suggestions. What we found: Response is by far your No. 1 source of information about SPU.

Many thanks to the 779 people who filled out the survey. If you missed the chance to fill out the survey, we still welcome your feedback about the magazine at response@spu.edu.

How does Response strengthen your connection to Seattle Pacific University?

 

	78% Reminds me of my experience at SPU
	42% Helps me to feel more in touch with my graduating class
	38% Serves as a source of continuing education
	36% Encourages me to support the institution financially
	19% Provides useful career and networking information
	6% Encourages me to volunteer my time to SPU
	17% Other

 

Top 5 types of articles you are “very interested” in reading:

 

	40% Articles about religion/faith-based issues
	28% Articles about alumni in their professions
	27% Articles about institutional history and traditions
	26% Class notes
	25% Individual alumni profiles

 

What’s your preferred reading format: print or online?

 

 

What do you like most?

“It’s a very lovely, easy-to-read publication that helps me feel connected to my alma mater despite living on the other side of the country.”

“The articles challenge and encourage me to take steps in my own relationships with Christ and others. Also, I feel better equipped to encourage a high school student to consider SPU.”

“I enjoy the colorful photos and the articles about students and what they are doing to serve God.”

What do you like least?

“It is shaded a bit to the ‘rah! rah!’ side of how it depicts the school.”

“Would like class notes to be longer, to include more alumni.”

“Most focus seems to be relevant almost only to the Seattle Metro area.”

Are there any changes or improvements you would like to suggest?

“Would like more art, photography, and creative writing from students and faculty.”

“I’d like more information on how SPU has impacted the lives of students or alumni in other professions, especially areas not typically known for Christians (e.g., the film industry, Wall Street, politics, etc.)”

“Encourage more graduates to tell you what they are doing.”

 

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Your Letters

I appreciated the acknowledgement in “Where Do We Go From Here?” (Winter 2014 Response) that job searching these days is very complicated. Hearing students’ stories about how they’re bridging from school to the “real world” is encouraging. One additional obstacle many students might face in the job market is disability, obvious or invisible. Though disability has not, to my knowledge, been discussed much in the pages of Response, I think Response could take the lead in acknowledging and engaging the population of students (and alumni) with disabilities and the particular challenges they face in the world of work.

Megan Wildhood ’10
Seattle

 

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Thank you again for sending me Prague Winter. (Book giveaway, Response online edition, Summer 2014). I connected some themes the author brought up about humans in that time of history that continue to this day: humans in exile (which will always be true until Jesus comes back) and “without sorrow there can be no joy.” It was a wonderful gift to read and take into my soul about history or His Story as it is all in God’s hands.

Colleen Cambra
Oakland, California

The picture from the Archives in the Winter 2014 issue is the Falconettes. As a member of Falconettes, and president of the group my senior year, it was really fun to see this old photo in the Response magazine. I was just talking about the Falconettes with my husband the other day, saying how fun it was to be part of one of the oldest student organizations on campus, and how meaningful and important the relationships were that I made through that group of women.

Brittany Williams Frazier ’09
Portland, Oregon

 

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Submit your own letter, submit a Footnote, or manage your Response subscription at spu.edu/response.