Seattle Pacific University is proud to be an institution that provides excellent educational opportunities and support for first-generation students. As many of you know, more than a third of our students are first-generation, meaning they will be the first in their family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Many faculty, staff, and student organizations have led the way with support services and educational programs highlighting the contributions and viewpoints of our first-generation students.

In recognition of the national First-Generation College Celebration on Friday, November 8, I asked Jenny Tenlen, associate professor of biology, to provide reflections of her journey as a first-gen student and faculty member, as well as offer some encouragement for us in the SPU community. Jenny’s words are rich as she describes her college experience. And her words “cheer” each of us on to develop relationships with our students in ways that make community happen at SPU. Thank you, Jenny, for your willingness to tell your story.

On November 8 (the anniversary of the Higher Education Act of 1965), please remember the important contributions of our first-generation students. A drop-in celebration will be held for our first-generation students, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. in the SUB Gazebo Room. For more information about the national celebration, visit the Center for First-Generation Student Success.

The national First-Generation College Celebration is Friday, November 8, and SPU is hosting a drop-in reception for our first-gen students, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., in the SUB’s Gazebo Room. The reception will feature celebratory food and beverages, first-gen swag, raffle, photo booth, and a wall with photos and words of encouragement from first-gen SPU faculty and staff. Other departments across campus will participate in celebrating first-gen students by hosting drop-in activities. Participating offices will be marked with maroon balloons. Join us in recognizing, honoring, supporting, and celebrating the immense contribution that first-generation college students have made on the SPU community.

The following events will be held at Seattle Pacific University throughout November. All events are free and wheelchair accessible. 

Tuesday, November 5: SPU’s Jazz and Percussion Ensembles come together to perform a wide array of styles, including contemporary, traditional, and be-bop. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in First Free Methodist Church.

Friday, November 8: Chamber, Concert, and Women’s Choir, led by directors Ryan Ellis and Beth Anne Bonnecroy, will perform at 7:30 p.m. in First Free Methodist Church.

Friday, November 15: The Instrumental Concert will highlight the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra led by Christopher Hanson, SPU’s new music director. This concert includes a sneak peek of pieces to be performed at the Sacred Sounds of Christmas. This concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in First Free Methodist Church.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers diversity seed grants up to $1,500 to support department-wide initiatives that advance one or more of the University’s strategic diversity goals. Seed grants are awarded quarterly, with the autumn application cycle closing this Friday, November 8. Apply for a seed grant online, and contact us with any questions.

The Office of Safety and Security invites you to “In Their Shoes,” an experiential learning activity on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 12–1:30 p.m. and 6:30–8 p.m. in Upper Gwinn. Intimate partner violence (i.e., dating violence and domestic violence) is a pervasive, life-threatening crime that affects millions of individuals across the United States regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, or education.

“In Their Shoes” is based on the experiences of real survivors, and participants engage in a simulation in which they walk in the shoes of the various characters experiencing abusive and controlling relationships. They will read through scenarios their character faces with their partner and with various systems (friends, police, family, etc.), and make choices about their character’s next steps. A room to debrief will be set up, where participants may ask lingering questions, share thoughts on the workshop experience, have refreshments, and engage in the way they can make change individually and locally.The event is open to all students, faculty, and staff.

A message from the Office of Global Engagement: For many of our international college students, this Thanksgiving on November 28 will be a new experience. We invite you to share it with them through the SPU Home for the Thanksgiving Holiday program. Host an international student as you share a festive meal with family and friends. All you need to do is set one more place at your table. We will match you up with a student — or two if you want! (Students may or may not need help with transportation.)

Joining you and your family to celebrate and experience this traditional holiday will be a great learning experience for our students and you and your family. If you can share this day with one (or more) of our students, contact Caroline Maurer, director of OGE, at cmaurer@spu.edu by Friday, Nov. 15.

The Theatre Department presents Men on Boats, Nov. 14–16 and 21–23, 7:30 p.m. in McKinley Hall. One matinee performance will be Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m.

This new production is loosely based on the true story of a group of early explorers charting the Colorado River. This delightful adventure follows the group of insane yet loyal volunteers down the river, spinning historical, theatrical, and gender conventions on their heads. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors (age 60 and over) and students (age 25 and under) with a valid ID. Tickets are available for purchase at the door, online at the Theatre Box Office, or by calling 206-281-2959.

Have you ever wondered how personal trauma intersects with health care? Students from nursing, biochemistry, physiology, and exercise science have united with the goal of promoting collaboration and collegiality among future health care providers. This quarter, they will host three expert panelists to talk about trauma-informed care — what is it and why it matters. The event is Thursday, November 7, 6–8 p.m., Eaton Hall 112.

The annual Veterans Day Observance will be Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 12 p.m. in Tiffany Loop by the flagpole. A reception will follow in the SUB Gazebo Room. The event is open to all faculty, staff, students, and community members.

Bloodworks Northwest will host a blood drive on campus November 7-8, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. near the entrance of Tiffany Loop. Schedule an appointment online.

Join Computer and Information Services on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 9 a.m. or Thursday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m., to learn about accessing all your notes from any device, and the many other conveniences of note-taking in OneNote. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP here.

The Department of Neighborhoods and Queen Anne community volunteers will host a free Urban Survival Skills Fair at the Queen Anne Community Center, Saturday, November 9, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Faculty and staff are invited to this event. This emergency preparedness event will have several educational tables addressing a variety of topics, including amateur radio, camping hacks, emergency toilets, first aid, food, and much more. The education tables will be staffed by neighborhood volunteers, as well as professionals from the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Stop the Bleed trainers, and various members of the community Emergency Hubs. This event is being presented by the Queen Anne Block Watch Captains Network and the Emergency Hub Captains, with support from the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Queen Anne Community Center, Queen Anne Community Council, Magnolia Community Council, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, several community businesses and many community volunteers.

A message from Athletics: Mark your calendars! On Tuesday, November 12, enjoy a pre-game reception with your fellow coworkers and meet some of our head coaches and student-athletes in the Falcon Club in Brougham Pavilion before watching the men’s basketball team take on Stanislaus State at 3:30 p.m. This is a unique opportunity to watch our incredible athletes in action while still making your bus or carpool on time. Reception starts at 2:45 p.m. and light snacks and beverages will be provided. We hope to see you there! If you have questions, contact Stefanie Kosco, fan engagement and corporate sponsorship manager, at stefanie@spu.edu.

The 10th of each month is the last day to make changes to your upcoming payroll check. Do you need to add or remove your spouse and/or children from your health care plans? If so, contact Human Resources (HR) to complete the appropriate form. Changes might include events that are expected to impact your benefits and deductions, such as your spouse or children gaining or losing coverage due to employment, birth, marriage, etc. Additionally, any changes you wish to make to your 403(b) account contributions must be made by the 10th of the month. For changes to your 403(b) account, contact Transamerica Retirement Solutions at 1-888-676-5512 (5 a.m.–6 p.m. PST), or 1-800-755-5801. If you have any other benefits-related changes, call Mardeth Hughes in HR at 206-281-2816.

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published every Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) during the academic year. 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. The next deadline is Thursday, November 7. Due to the Veterans Day holiday, the Bulletin will be published on Tuesday, November 12.

A research article by Bruce Baker, associate professor of business ethics, and Don Lee, associate professor of management, was published in Journal of Management, Spirituality, and Religion. The article is titled “Spiritual formation and workplace engagement: prosocial workplace behaviors.”

A peer-reviewed article by Katya Drozdova, associate professor of political science, titled “Leaving Afghanistan: Enduring Lessons From the Soviet Politburo” was published in the Journal of Cold War Studies. The journal is published by the MIT Press for the Harvard Project on Cold War Studies. Based on archival evidence, this article is a systematic analysis of formerly top-secret Soviet Politburo documents, challenging popular misconceptions about the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Rebecca Hughes, assistant professor of history, presented her paper “Expanding the Bounds of Christian Theology and Worship: Mabel Shaw and Her Work in Northern Rhodesia, 1915–1940” at the Faith and History Conference held at SPU, October 11–12.

An article co-authored by Peter Rivera, assistant professor of marriage and family therapy, was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal, Marriage & Family Review. The article is titled “Beliefs About Romance and Mate Selection and Intentions to Seek Pre- or Post-Marital Counseling: A Latent Profile Analysis of Emerging Adults.”

Joshua Tom, assistant professor of sociology, along with his colleague Brandon Martinez of Providence College, recently presented the paper, “Bad Omens and Bad Hombres: Belief in Supernatural Evil and Attitudes Towards Immigration,” at the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion annual meeting in St. Louis, Missouri.

Steve Treseler, instructor of saxophone, along with trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, were recently listed in DownBeat magazine’s annual critics poll and readers poll for their jazz album Invisible Sounds: For Kenny Wheeler. Earlier this year, The New York Times wrote about the album, “Jensen and Treseler reinterpret nine of Wheeler’s compositions ... whether moving at a quick clip or drifting as slowly as cloud cover.”

From October 17 to 25, Alberto Ferreiro, professor of history, gave the following lectures in Moscow, Russia:

• “The Unity of Hispania: The Third Council of Toledo (589) A Tortured Road to Unification,” at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, to history students and faculty.
• “The Conversion of the Kingdom of the Sueves in Gallaecia: A Tortured Road to Unification” and “The Correspondence of the Bishops of Hispania with the Bishops of Rome: Third Through Seventh Centuries” at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University and Seminary to faculty and students.

Randy Beavers, assistant professor of finance, was recently interviewed by WalletHub concerning corporate taxes in the United States. The article appeared in several media outlets.

Professor Emeritus of Mathematics Education Charles Olsen passed away on October 31. Chuck, as he was known to colleagues, joined the SPU community in 1981. Prior to coming to SPU, he taught mathematics education at the University of Washington and computer education at St. Martin’s College.

During his 14-year tenure at SPU, he earned a Burlington Northern “Excellence in Teaching” award in 1990. He provided leadership to numerous mathematics and computer education organizations in the Pacific Northwest and nationwide. He was a consultant in school districts around the state, and served his community as education chairman for Snohomish County.

An announcement about his retirement in the 1995 SPU Recognition Banquet program said: “His teaching skills are well-recognized by students and colleagues … He is also an encourager — his students and colleagues value his listening skills, courage, and wise counsel.”

Arrangements for a memorial service are pending.

From University Archivist Adrienne Meier: Adelaide Lionne Beers was the wife of Alexander Beers, the first president of Seattle Pacific Seminary. In her biography of her husband titled The Romance of a Consecrated Life: A Biography of Alexander Beers, she writes that "ground was broken for Alexander Hall on October 29, 1891." (128 years ago!) Select the link to see the oldest photo we have of a completed Alexander Hall." 

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From Jeff Daley, master gardener:  Hello fall! Have you been enjoying the intense fall colors? Conditions have been perfect this year and our campus landscape has truly come to life in vivid color. I have heard it said, "My favorite color is October." Well, good news for those of you that feel the same — the show will be continuing for another couple weeks into November. 

It's easy to plant in autumn when putting together a garden with seasonal intention because there are lots of shrubs and trees that present really well in the fall. Below are some of my favorites, which have wonderful qualities for every season and are guaranteed show stoppers this time of year! My suggestion would be to go to a nursery now to take a look at potential candidates for your home in their fall color, just so you know exactly what you are buying before making any decisions. For the selection below, my concentration is primarily on leaf color. 

Trees:

All varieties of Japanese maples, Acer plamatum: some with brilliant yellows, some burgundy reds and orange

Gingko biloba: golden yellows only

Ironwood, Parrotia persica: deep reddish colors with yellow and orange in variegation on every leaf

Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica: deep reds and oranges, sometimes soft yellows mixed in as well

Purple Smoke Tree, Cotinus coggygria purpureus: burgundy all the way!

Sweet gum, Liquidambar styraciflua: all the beautiful fall colors on one tree

Shrubs:

Burning bush, Euonymus alata compacta: brilliant fiery red!

Blueberries, Vaccinium varieties: not only will you enjoy eating blueberries, but also a fantastic fall color show of hot reds and rusty oranges.

Doublefile viburnum, Viburnum plicatum tomentosum: subdued burgundy with orange

Oakleaf Hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia: reddish bronzy orange and purple

Nandina domestica 'firepower': an all-around favorite showing all the fall colors. Deep reds, rusty oranges, creamy yellows and green

And one more "oddball", just because there are so many nice trees and shrubs to pick from. It was hard for me to limit a list to just the ones above.

Profusion (Beautyberry) Callicarpa bodinierri; the leaf has a darker subdued tone of burgundy and some yellow, but its abundant clusters of small, long-lasting, amazingly violet-colored berries are a knockout. No other plant we can grow here in the Pacific Northwest will present with berries this color! 

And as an afterthought: don't forget that now is the time to plant spring bulbs like daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocus, and so on. There is always something to do in the garden. Select the link to see some of the beautiful fall foliage on campus, as well as a photo of the beautyberry. 

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For his monthly cartoon, Nate Hoover, office manager in the School of Theology, looks at different kinds of "pun-ishments." Select the link to see the cartoon.

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