Whether or not you are a veteran, you may have a connection to someone who was killed in action (KIA) or missing in action (MIA) while serving this country. Some of us may have a connection to a veteran who died by suicide. This year during May and in honor of Memorial Day on Monday, May 30, we invite you to add the name, photo, and/or brief story about the fallen service members who have impacted your life on the Memorial Day Tree.

The SPU Art Department presents the Senior Illustration Exhibition "WOVEN," featuring the kaleidoscopic works of Meg Rouse, Moira Dewey, Joshua Hyodo, Audrey Marble, and Leslie Lee. The 2022 Illustration cohort is presenting a variety of illustrative storytelling, including comics, illustration, children's books, storyboarding, murals, and animation. The exhibition will be on view through May 24.

The SPU Music Department is offering a series of choral and instrumental events in May, including an extraordinary finale to the academic year with a combined concert of the SPU choirs, Wind Ensemble, and Orchestra on May 25 and 26. The evening will include performances of works composed with “great expectations” for their premiere, including winners of the inaugural student composition contest, winners from the annual student concerto competition, and a full performance of Beethoven’s Mass in C major. You can attend the concert, offered both evenings, in person or via livestream. Visit the LIVE! from SPU Music webpage for details.

Student reporters with The Falcon, SPU’s student newspaper, recently received awards from the Student News Organization (SNO) — a content management system for student newspapers across the country. SPU student journalists Santi Quiroga Medina and Carlos Snellenberg-Fraser received a “Best of SNO” award for their article, “Reactions to Roe," and Kyle Morrison received an award for "Sexual Shame on Christian Campuses." Out of more than 14,000 submissions, SNO only publishes around 1,700 per year. The Falcon is advised by Peg Achterman, associate professor of communication, and Sara Shaban, assistant professor of communication and journalism.

More than 5,000 SPU parents and families members received the May 2022 In the Loop e-newsletter last week. They read about this year’s High Ceremonies speakers, the discounted per-credit cost for summer courses, success stories from engineering stories, a Q&A from a student in the Mentor program, and more.

The latest SPU Voices podcast features JoAnn Flett, PhD, the executive director of SPU’s Center for Faithful Business, a leading think tank on the integration of faith and business. JoAnn is a frequent speaker, collaborator, and organizational consultant, teasing out the intersection of faith and business that promotes human flourishing. Listen or read the transcript here.

Falcon Athletics "Learn to Row Summer Camp" for youth in grades 8-12 is July 11–21! This coed camp is a great way to try a new sport that may open the door to future opportunities. Fun fact: 90% of SPU’s nationally ranked team had no rowing experience before trying out. As a reminder, children of SPU faculty and staff receive a 25% discount! Contact Stan McDonald in Athletics at mcdonalds1@spu.edu for the discount code to register online.

Seattle Pacific University’s Theatre Department will present “String” on May 25–28 in E.E Bach Theatre in McKinley Hall. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. SPU faculty and staff members can redeem seats for two free tickets on the night of their choice by emailing the Box Office at boxoffice@spu.edu or calling 206-281-2959.

Written by Sarah Hammond and composed by Adam Gwon, this original rom-com musical follows three goddesses, known as the Fates. After angering Zeus, they find themselves banished to a modern office building in the mortal world. A play about fate, love, and the imperfections that make us human.

Fall/winter reservation requests are now being taken for the Faculty/Staff House at SPU's Camp Casey on Whidbey Island. Full-time faculty and staff can make a reservation request for periods of stay between Sept. 12, 2022–Jan. 4, 2023.  Reservation requests are due by June 3, 2022. These requests are selected by lottery and are not affected by summer stays at Casey. If you are curious on how to stay at Camp Casey with discounted faculty and staff rates, check out the new HR wiki. Questions? Contact Camp Casey at campcasey@spu.edu.

Enjoy these dining specials in May:

Gwinn Commons:

• May 24: Mac and Cheese Bar — Macaroni and Cheese bar at lunch
• May 26: Clam Bake (Swipe Plus) — For an extra swipe at dinner students and guests can get food from the clam bake section
• May 30: Memorial Day — Hours of operation will be breakfast/lunch: 9 a.m.–2 p.m., and dinner: 5–7 p.m.

SPU’s retail locations:

• May 26: Einstein’s Special — Small smoothie and cookie for $6.39

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly on Mondays during the academic year. The next deadline is Thursday, May 26. Due to the Memorial Day holiday, the next issue will be published Tuesday, May 31.

If you have information or event news, send it as soon as possible with an image or graphic to Bulletin editor Tracy Norlen at fsb-editor@spu.edu. Submissions may be edited for clarity.

Robert Drovdahl, professor of educational ministry, 40 years of service

In his decades at Seattle Pacific, Bob has been a 4.0 undergraduate student (SPC Class of 1971), a member of the wrestling team, the director of Camp Casey, a professor, a member and a chair of numerous faculty committees, an acting dean, and an associate dean. He received the President's Award for Excellence and Faculty Service Award, and was named Top Prof by Ivy Honorary and Advisor of the Year. His service as a longstanding member and past president of the National Association of Professors of Christian Education testifies to his leadership in the discipline.

Recently Bob could be found on the pickleball courts with faculty and staff he recruited, or leading a weekly student bible study on the Psalms. His School of Theology colleagues will miss his kindness, wisdom, humor, and perspective, and have threatened to drag him back to be with them. He will be spending his retirement traveling with his wife, and enjoying time with his two grown children and five grandchildren.

Alberto Ferreiro, professor of history, 36 years of service

Since Alberto joined the History Department 36 years ago, he has authored over 200 academic publications on European medieval history, including 12 books. Notably, his Ancient Christian Commentary (Vol. 14: The Twelve Prophets) has been published in a half-dozen languages.

Over the years, Alberto has taught at least 230 classes. Between 1989 and 2019, he took over 900 students from SPU and other universities to study at the University of Salamanca, Spain. In 1991, he delivered the lively Weter Lecture, “Sexual Depravity, Doctrinal Error and Character Assassination in the Fourth Century: Jerome against the Priscillianists.” In March, the Instituto de Estudos Medievais, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, dedicated a section of the library in honor of Alberto for donating his prized book collection. He gave an inaugural lecture there earlier this month.

After retirement, Alberto will continue leading Carmelite pilgrimages in Spain and contributing at conferences in Europe, and even return to SPU to teach the History capstone.

Diana Keuss, adjunct faculty in the Asian Studies program in the History Department, presented a paper for the Pacific Northwest American Academy of Religions Conference this month titled “Museum as Temple: Repositioning the Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM) as Worship Space.” This paper considers the new curatorial shift toward thematic displays, repositioning art and artifacts as story threads of human experience and worship by considering “The Awakened Ones” exhibit as an example of a museum space that facilitates a transformational experience for visitors not unlike the sacred space of a temple setting.

Jennifer McFarlane-Harris, associate professor of English and cultural studies, has co-edited an essay collection titled Nineteenth-Century American Women Writers and Theologies of the Afterlife: A Step Closer to Heaven (Routledge/Taylor & Francis). The anthology includes an essay by Jennifer titled, “ ‘Aleaving the World, the Flesh, and the Devil’: Spiritual Vision and Celibate Holiness in Rebecca Cox Jackson’s Autobiographical Writings.”

Alissa Walter, assistant professor of history, testified as an expert witness in the Seattle Immigration Court earlier this month on behalf of an Iraqi asylum seeker.

Alberto Ferreiro, professor of European history, was invited by the New University of Lisbon to speak to inaugurate the “Ferreiro Collection” at the library of the Institute of Medieval Studies. Alberto donated to the institute about 95% of his books, several thousand, where they will get maximum use. The talk, which he gave in Spanish, was titled “Mi viaje personal al studio de la Hispania Tardo-Antigua y Medieval — My personal journey to the study of Late Antique and Medieval Hispania.” It was an autobiographical talk that chronicles the life experiences from childhood — family, culture, mentors — and onward that led him to become a professor and scholar in that field.