Last week, President Dan Martin began a new series of Zoom interviews with SPU community members about the impact of COVID-19 on campus operations.

In the second session, President Martin talks with two campus leaders about the impact of COVID-19 on our students of color. How are students making sense of the hate and racism they are seeing in their communities, both locally and nationally, and how does SPU — as a community of faith — create spaces for students to process what they are experiencing? Listen to this thoughtful interview with Sandra Mayo, vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and Lisa Ishihara, University chaplain.

These sessions will provide an insider’s view of the challenges and contributions of senior leaders, students, faculty, and staff around the transition to a new learning environment and community, and a chance to hear about the good things that are happening.

A message from the Art Department: We are pleased to announce this year’s Illustration/New Pictures Senior Exhibition, Interconnections, featuring Belen Contreras, Robyn Hill, Madison Hunt, Emilia Sunderland, and Samantha Stewart. Typically we would be celebrating this work on display at SPAC Gallery on campus. However, for the 2020 remix, these student projects can be enjoyed at your leisure in their online galleries.

We will host a Zoom reception on Thursday, May 28, 5-6 p.m. where students will share briefly about their projects in a live setting. If you are interested in joining this celebration, contact Laura Lasworth at lasworth@spu.edu to receive a Zoom link.

A message from Ryan Ellis, assistant professor of music and director of choral music: If you could use a little music and maybe some familiar student faces in your life right now, please watch SPU Concert Choir – O Nata Lux, Morten Lauridsen. I’m proud of these singers overcoming challenges to make music in a remote platform.

The SPU Art Department is pleased to announce this year’s Photography/Digital Media Senior Exhibition, POPULACE, featuring students, Blake Carpenter, Qyara Fonteno, Spencer George, Guy Larson, Sammi Ledbetter, Katie Mansfield, and Alison Meharg.

This year, these student projects can be enjoyed at your leisure in their online galleries at spacgallery.com/photography2020, as well as at a virtual exhibition, imaginatively placing their works in virtual 3D environments.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is pleased to announce the Summer/Fall 2020 Diversity Seed Grant recipients: the Center for Biblical and Theological Education and the Student Counseling Center. We are grateful for the thoughtful and innovative ways these areas are engaging the work of organizational diversity. Select the links above for a summary of their plans.

Learn how answering his call has taken Donald Cooney from health care, to the military, to getting his master of divinity degree at Seattle Pacific Seminary.

University Communications needs help identifying outstanding students from this year’s graduating class. This request is for undergraduate and graduate students. These students and their achievements will be pitched to media outlets prior to Commencement, as well as used for promotional purposes. Please send the name(s) of the students and a short description about why you are recommending them. Examples would be students who overcame obstacles to graduate, were involved in community service projects, participated in innovative research, started a new venture, took a class that changed their career direction, or did something really interesting. Basically, anything that would make a good story! We will follow up with the student and get permission to use their profile. Send information by email to Director of Public Information Tracy Norlen at tcnorlen@spu.edu.

Fall/winter reservation requests are now being taken for the Faculty/Staff House at the Camp Casey Conference Center on Whidbey Island for full-time faculty and staff. The dates of stay are September 28, 2020, through January 4, 2021. Reservation requests are due by June 5, 2020. The fall/winter requests are selected by lottery and are not affected by summer stays at Casey. Please remember: If you will be away from your SPU email over the summer, provide an alternate email to contact you, should your name be drawn.

Due to COVID-19 and governmental restrictions, there is some uncertainty about the fall, but we hope to be open! If we have to cancel your stay due to COVID-19, we will refund your payment.

Visit the Camp Casey website to request a reservation. Questions? Contact Camp Casey at 866-661-6604 or campcasey@spu.edu. We look forward to seeing you this winter or sooner!

The Office of Human Resources will host a Retirement Ready webinar series as we come to the close of the academic year. It is an opportunity for faculty and staff who are making plans or preparing to retire in the near future to hear from professionals in the industry and those serving our specific SPU plans. We hope that you will be able to join us live, or take advantage of these recorded events if you cannot.

Our speakers will address insights and strategies on a variety of retirement topics:

Social Security and Medicare
Kirk Larson, Washington Public Affairs Specialist, Social Security Administration
Date: Friday, May 29
Time: 12:30 p.m.

Get Ready to Retire
Ronee Dakin, Transamerica Retirement Planning Consultant
Date: Friday, June 5
Time: 12:30 p.m.

Planning for a Smooth Transition from SPU Benefit Plans
Matt Alvis and Cherylin Shdo, SPU Human Resources
Date: Monday, June 8 
Time: 12:30 p.m.

Understanding Your Post-Employment Health Benefits
Christina Fendley, Institution Client Relationships Manager with Emeriti Retirement Health; and Lauren Hach-Wilkins, Medicare Account Manager, Aetna
Date: Friday, June 12
Time: 12:30 p.m.

Watch for specific webinar details and links to come by email. Each webinar will be recorded for those that cannot attend live with links posted to our HR wiki once they are ready.

Please join our students and their loved ones by watching the (prerecorded) virtual ceremonies that will “go live” on the following dates and times (and will be available afterward online):

• Graduate Commencement – Saturday, June 13, 2 p.m.
• Undergraduate Commencement – Sunday, June 14, 4 p.m.

Ceremony viewing will be available at spu.edu/virtualcommencement. Feel free to engage in the social media campaign happening as we get closer. Use #SPUgrad when you post or share.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published every Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) during the academic year. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, June 1. The deadline is Thursday, May 28. If you have information or event news, send it as soon as possible to Bulletin editor Tracy Norlen at fsb-editor@spu.edu. Submissions may be edited for clarity.

From the Office of the Provost: We have six faculty retirements at the end of this academic year. Each week in the Faculty/Staff Bulletin we will highlight one retiring faculty member.

Laura Lasworth, professor of art, 18 years of service.

Laura came to Seattle Pacific in 2002 after two decades dedicated to building her reputation as an artist and academic. Her experience gave her the incentive to create the Illustration/New Pictures major. Laura received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and MFA from California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California. Her paintings have been exhibited in numerous solo and group shows across the country, and have been featured in such publications as Art in America, Artforum, Los Angeles Times, and IMAGE journal. Laura plans to continue practicing and exhibiting her art, visit with her family and friends, read lots of books, travel to various monasteries, watch episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and hang out with her cat, Frank.

Join the School of Health Sciences as they say “thank you” and “farewell” to colleagues Mary Coucoules, Emily Crow, Lyndsay MacKay, April Morgenroth, and Julie Pusztai during an open-house-style Zoom happy hour on Friday, June 5, at 4:30 p.m. with recognitions at 4:45 p.m. To join the Zoom event, contact Katie Bennett, administrative assistant for graduate nursing, at kbennett@spu.edu.

Ashlee’ Thomas, coordinator for local community engagement in the John Perkins Center, wrote “Being Single in This Season” for the April 18, 2020, Patheos blog, Coloring Outside the Lines.

Clinical Psychology Professor Amy Mezulis and family members were featured in the article Permission to grieve: Widowed mom and psychologist on losses of 2020 graduates on Today.com.