A message from University Ministries: Historically, we hear testimonies from faculty, staff, and students at the annual Thanksgiving Chapel, and we will continue this tradition but with a twist. This year we invite students, staff, and faculty to email University Ministries at um@spu.edu with the name of a hymn or praise song and a paragraph explaining why this song has a special meaning for you or your community. Our staff will select three submissions, and we will then sing these songs during the service. Those who made the submissions will have an opportunity to share during the service why these songs are meaningful to them. Please send in your submissions no later than Tuesday, November 17. Offices will be closed for this service, and an offering will be taken for the Benevolence Fund that helps students in need.

Faculty and staff are invited to hear from Pastor Steve, a Vietnamese minister who stayed behind when South Vietnam fell to communist North Vietnam, at an event on Thursday, November 19, at 7 p.m. in Otto Miller Hall. He had secured passage out of Saigon in the spring of 1975, but chose to obey God’s call to him to stay behind and minister. The result was seven years of imprisonment, torture inside and outside of prison, but great fruitfulness for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Steve has been used to impact thousands in Vietnam for God’s kingdom. Because of his past experiences, he says he always has a suitcase packed and ready to go for the next time he is carried off to prison as a result of his faith. Come be inspired and informed about what is happening in Vietnam today. The event is sponsored by International Christian Response, based in Lynnwood. 

At the Library’s next Creative Conversations event, Assistant Professor of Nursing Bomin Shim will discuss her research on spousal dementia caregivers. Most of the caregiver literature depicts the challenges and negative aspects of dementia caregiving. How do some caregivers describe their experience as meaningful, even in the advanced stages of dementia? How do they describe their relationship with their spouse? Come join the conversation on these delicate but deeply moving stories on Thursday, November 19, 12-12:50 p.m. in the Library Reading Room.

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The last event of this three-part series featuring theologians discussing issues related to living in the digital age is Monday, November 30, at 7 p.m. in the Library Seminar Room. Michael Burdett from Oxford University will talk about “Forming the (Virtual) Self: Christian Practice and Internet Living.” The series is funded with support from the Provost Innovation Fund, SERVE, and the SPU Library.

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A message from Human Resources: There is a lot to know about Medicare. You may:

• Know a little or a lot about Medicare.
• Be enrolled or just starting to think about signing up.
• Wondering when to enroll and how SPU’s benefits work with Medicare.
• Need to change your previous Medicare choices based on your current circumstances.
• Be interested for yourself or for a loved one.

Whatever your situation, making informed Medicare choices is important. In order to help you make choices based on your needs, please mark your calendar for a brown bag lunch and learn with Rod Haynes from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services office on Thursday, November 19, at 11:30 a.m. in the Library Seminar Room (2nd floor). If you have any questions, contact the Office of Human Resources at 206-281-2809.

A message from Lori Honts Tongol in Student Academic Services: If you are interested in hosting an international student (or students) at your Thanksgiving gathering this year, please contact me at tongol@spu.edu and let me know how many students you would like to host, your home address, and contact information. Also, let me know whether you are able to provide transportation for the student(s) you host — some have access to a car, but many do not. (Please note: Students generally feel more comfortable if they can go with another student. Graduate students may have family members in the U.S. with them — some with children. Campus housing will remain open during the Thanksgiving weekend.) I will connect students with you to make arrangements for the holiday hosting experience. Please contact me no later than Friday, November 20.

The Associated Students of Seattle Pacific (ASSP) present a look at the global refugee crisis with keynote speaker Steve Haas, senior vice president and chief catalyst at World Vision, on Tuesday, November 17, 7 p.m. in Upper Gwinn Commons. Faculty and staff are invited.

The SPU Theatre Department presents the true tale of the tragic collision of a struggling circus and a tiny town in Tennessee. Set in September 1916, the play combines historical fact and legend, exploring the deep-seated American craving for spectacle, violence, and revenge. Elephant’s Graveyard runs November 19–21, 2015.

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Bloodworks Northwest (formerly the Puget Sound Blood Center) will host a blood drive on campus Wednesday, November 18, and Friday, November 20, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. (closed 1:30-2:30 p.m.) near the entrance of Tiffany Loop. Schedule an appointment online.

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The SPU Music Department is hosting a series of Autumn Quarter concerts featuring choral and instrumental ensembles and faculty. On Saturday, November 21, music faculty will present a chamber music concert featuring Brahms “Clarinet Trio,” Schubert’s “Der Hirt auf dem Felsen,” and the Schumann Piano Quintet. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in Nickerson Studios.

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There will be no Sitecore/Contribute Brownbag this month. But not to worry! If you have been trained in Sitecore or Contribute and would like help with changes you need to make to your site, email Kathy Henning at kathy@spu.edu and we’ll arrange for someone on the Web Team to walk you through them. Otherwise, the next Sitecore/Contribute Brownbag will be Thursday, January 21, 2016, noon to 1 p.m. in the Lower Weter large conference room.

Thursday, November 19
Volleyball vs Western Washington, Brougham Pavilion, 7 p.m.

Friday, November 20
Sodexo Tip-Off Classic. Men's basketball in Brougham Pavilion: Central Washington vs Hawaii-Hilo, 4:30 p.m.; Seattle Pacific vs. Brigham Young-Hawaii, 7:p.m.

Saturday, November 21
Sodexo Tip-Off Classic. Men's basketball continues in Brougham Pavilion. Central Washington vs Brigham Young-Hawaii, 12:30 p.m.; Seattle Pacific vs. Hawaii-Hilo, 3 p.m.

Volleyball vs Simon Fraser, Brougham Pavilion, 7 p.m.

For all the latest in Falcon sports, visit the Falcons online.

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The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly 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 19. The next Bulletin will be published Monday, November 23.

The SPU Staff Council named Mark Moschetti in Athletics as the November Staff Member of the Month. Mark is assistant director in the Sports Information Office, writing competition previews, recaps, and feature stories. Congratulations, Mark!

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The 2015 Murdock College Science Research Conference was held in Vancouver, Washington, November 6-7. A strong contingent of 15 students from the departments of biology and chemistry, accompanied by Assistant Professor of Biology Jenny Tenlen, represented SPU. Laura DeWald (mentored by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Wade Grabow) and Jacob Krodel (mentored by Dr. Shawn Arellano of the Shannon Point Marine Center) were selected to give oral presentations. Jessica Soderquist, who presented her research with Associate Professor of Biology Rick Ridgway on dopamine production and storage in the marine algae Ulvaria obscura, was awarded Best Poster in the Ecology/Plants/Birds category. Find out more on the biology website.

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Professor of Business Ethics Kenman Wong, Assistant Professor of Business Ethics Bruce Baker, and Professor of Management Randal Franz contributed to the lead article, “Reimagining Business Education as Formation,” in the fall 2015 edition of Christian Scholar’s Review.