The Faith, Diversity, and Science lecture welcomes Dr. Telli Davoodi, whose lecture, “Acquisition and Function of Beliefs and the Role of Culture,” will be Thursday, May 25, 4:30 p.m. in Upper Gwinn Commons. Her lecture will conclude the one-day workshop, Psychological and Philosophical Perspectives on Faith and Belief. Davoodi is a cognitive developmental psychologist and a senior social science researcher. Her research focuses on the role of the socio-cultural environment in learning, forming beliefs, and reasoning about abstract social constructs such as gender, nationality, religion, or the idea of ownership. This lecture is supported by grants from the John Templeton Foundation and the SCIO Supporting Structures program. It is free, open to the public, and wheelchair accessible. The lecture will be livestreamed. Visit the website for more information.

SPU will host the one-day interdisciplinary workshop, Psychological and Philosophical Perspectives on Faith and Belief, on Thursday, May 25, in Upper Gwinn, starting at 9 a.m. This event brings together philosophers, psychologists, and theologians from across the country to examine knowledge, belief, and religious faith. Organized by Associate Professor of Philosophy Matthew Benton and Assistant Professor of Psychology Phillip Baker, this workshop is supported by grants from the John Templeton Foundation and the SCIO Supporting Structures program. This event is free and open to the public. For more information about the speakers, visit the website.

Memorial Day Remembrance Veterans Dinner 
Thursday, May 25, 4:15–5:15 p.m.
Alexander and Adelaide Hall, SOT Large Conference Room, CNF 110

Faculty, staff, and student veterans are invited to dinner for a Memorial Day time of remembrance. We will enjoy some good food together and also have an opportunity to pause and pay our respects at the memorial on the second floor dedicated to SPU veterans who died during their military service. Sponsored by the Office of Campus Ministries.

Bob Ekblad took a break from his studies at SPU to travel. Though he would return to graduate, his call to share with and gain insight from other cultures would steer the rest of his journey. Bob with his wife, Gracie, are founders and co-directors of Tierra Nueva in Burlington, Washington, and New Earth Refuge, a home-based retreat center in the Skagit Valley. These organizations work with a team of staff and volunteers to serve immigrants from Latin America, inmates, homeless people, and people struggling with addictions. Bob is also known internationally for his courses and workshops on reading the Bible, emphasizing discipleship, holistic healing, and liberation. Listen now or read the transcript here.

From the Office of Human Resources: SPU’s Transamerica retirement plan gives you access to a dedicated retirement planning consultant. If you need help improving your financial wellness, navigating inflations monetary impact, or transitioning to retirement, Ronee Dakin, our Transamerica Retirement Planning Consultant, will be available on SPU’s campus to provide the support you need to keep you on course.

Schedule your appointment here for one of the few open slots.

Tuesday–Thursday, May 22–24
8 a.m.–5 p.m.
HR Conference Room

CIS would like to remind you to please move your documents to OneDrive before they mass-migrate users on Friday, May 26. Even if you’ve already started using OneDrive or use a Mac, please take time to read the steps outlined on Migrating Docs to OneDrive for Business or reach out to the CIS HelpDesk if you have questions or concerns.

Here are some spiritual care resources for faculty and staff from Campus Ministries: 

Staff and Faculty Pizza and Prayer
Tuesday, May 30, and Thursday, June 6, 12–1 p.m.
Spiritual Care Room, SUB 110

Join us for a time of pizza, salad, and prayer. We just want to be in community, share a meal, fellowship and spend a little time in prayer together. Feel free to come and go as you are able on Tuesday, May 30, 12–1 p.m. and Thursday, June 8, 12–1 p.m.

Memorial Day Remembrance Veterans Dinner 
Thursday, May 25, 4:15–5:15 p.m.
Alexander and Adelaide Hall, SOT Large Conference Room, CNF 110

Faculty, staff, and student veterans are invited to dinner for our Memorial Day time of remembrance. We will enjoy some good food together and also have an opportunity to pause and pay our respects at the memorial on the second floor dedicated to SPU veterans who died during their military service.

Spiritual Care Room SUB 110.
Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

We have converted room 110A on the ground floor of the SUB into a Spiritual Care Room. This is a reflective space where you can pull away to catch your breath for a moment. Inside you will find warm and comfortable seating, coffee and tea, and food. There will also be spiritual resources such as self-guided prayer practices, Lectio Divina, and other interactive stations handcrafted to care for you.

Spiritual rhythm: We invite you to join us in the spiritual rhythm of “Prayer Labyrinth.”

Grounding exercise: Stress and anxiety are often some of the biggest obstacles we face when it comes to important moments in our lives. Grounding techniques can help to ease our hearts and mind to help us navigate stressful moments. Walk through this practice to help turn volume down on the anxiety in your life.

Online Spiritual Care Resources
If you are unable to make it over to our Spiritual Care Room (SUB 110), we have posted all of our faculty and staff spiritual care resources online, which can be found here.

The Center for Career and Calling invites you to come get a free professional headshot for your LinkedIn or professional portfolio on Wednesday, May 24, 1–3 p.m. in Tiffany Loop. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be hosted in the CCC on the second floor in the SUB.

A message from SPU Dining Services: SPU Dining Services is collaborating with SPU’s French language and culture club, Le Cercle Français, to host a night showcasing the diverse cuisine of the Francophone world on Thursday, May 25, 4:30–7:30 p.m. Join us for dinner in Gwinn Commons to taste food inspired by the regions of France and other French-speaking countries. Options may include a poutine bar; cassoulet with sausage; lamb and mushroom and gratin dauphinois; ratatouille and French lentil ragout; and beef bourguignon with root vegetables and roasted potatoes. Bon appétit!

The Faculty/Staff Bulletin is published weekly on Mondays during the academic year (or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday). The next deadline is Thursday, May 25, and the next issue will be published Tuesday, May 30, due to the Memorial Day holiday.

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.

At the annual Celebration of Service ceremony on May 11, 2023, faculty and staff were honored for their many years of service to SPU. The Associated Students of Seattle Pacific named Professor of Philosophy Patrick McDonald as Professor of the Year. Graduate students named Assistant Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology Helen Chung as Graduate Faculty Member of the Year. The SPU Staff Council awarded the Oral V. Hemry Non-Exempt Staff Person of the Year Award to Chris Landerdahl, assistant director of student accounts in Student Financial Services, and the Exempt Staff Person of the Year Award went to Pierce Salave’a, assistant director of visits and events and travel counselor for Hawai’i and Guam in Undergraduate Admissions. Faculty and staff who have served SPU for five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years were also honored. Receiving an award for 40 years of service was Marci Walden, budget manager in the College of Arts and Sciences. Congratulations, to all!

From Lynn Ernsting, executive director, University Services: Come say thank you and goodbye to Frank Kinard and Elaine Stevens — two steadfast and dedicated SPU staff members in Mailing and Copying Services — as they prepare to retire this June. Elaine Stevens came to SPU in 2005 and has brought grace to each and every interaction she has on campus with students, faculty, staff, and campus neighbors. Elaine cares deeply for everyone and it shows in her work daily. Frank Kinard has led Mailing and Copying Services since 2002 with a dedication focused on a mission to see every facet of SPU succeed through the support this department offers. He shows up to campus day in and day out with a renewed sense of dedication to the people he serves. Frank’s prayerful and faithful work will not soon be forgotten. Join us in Eaton Lobby on Friday, May 26, 11 a.m.–12 p.m., for an open house and refreshments in their honor.

Richard Lorig, professor of theatre and head of design, is the scenic designer for the new production of Jeeves Takes A Bow at Taproot Theatre in Greenwood. The play runs through June 17.

Tracie Delgado, associate professor of biology, published the research article, “Rewiring of the Host Cell Metabolome and Lipidome during Lytic Gammaherpesvirus Infection Is Essential for Infectious-Virus Production” in the Journal of Virology. The study authors include eight former and current SPU undergrads, as well as collaborator Tim Nelson, professor of biology.

Katherine Douglass, associate professor of educational ministry and practical theology, co-wrote the article, “Human Just Like Me: A Grounded Theory of Disrupting Dehumanization Through Table Fellowship,” along with SPU 2020 alumnae Laura Shigeta, Kate Underwood, and Lucy Israel, executive assistant to SPU’s vice provost of student formation and community engagement. The article was published in the Journal of Psychology and Theology. 

Paul Youngbin Kim, professor of psychology, is co-author of an article recently published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health. The article, titled “Relationship Between Perceived Discrimination and Somatic Symptom Disorder Among Young Adults With Immigrant Background in South Korea,” is based on data collected as part of a multiyear grant from the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation in Korea to study the psychosocial experiences of multicultural youths (i.e., one parent Korean, another parent non-Korean) residing in South Korea. Paul would like to recognize his Korean colleagues and co-authors on this article: Sou Hyun Jang (lead author; Korea University), Minsun Kim (Dankook University), and Kyungmin Baek (Soongsil University).

Mohammad Qadam Shah, assistant professor of global development, was a panelist at the Washington International Law Journal 2023 Symposium, "Afghanistan and Taliban 2.0," on May 11, 2023. He and the five other panelists addressed subjects including international law, foreign aid and development, anti-corruption measures, and human rights in the context of the current Taliban emirate.

Alberto Ferreiro, professor emeritus of European history, participated in various discussion groups for panels sponsored by the North American Patristics Society; IMANA- Society for the Study of Spanish Literatures; Hagiography Society; North American Catalan Society; and Medieval Sermon Studies Society at the 58th International Congress on Medieval Studies, May 11–13, 2023, held at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was the 29th time that he has attended and participated at the largest gathering of medieval scholars; this year it was down to only 2,000 participants as things gradually recover.

Professor Emeritus Chet Hausken passed away on May 5, 2023, in Yakima, WA, where he and his wife of nearly 68 years, Irene, moved in 2003. He joined the SPU community in 1982 and served as professor of statistics and research until retirement in 1997, when he was featured in Response magazine. He taught part time for several years following retirement, helping doctoral students and nursing students "understand and appreciate statistics." A memorial service will be held at the Central Lutheran Church in Yakima on Sunday, June 4, at 1 p.m. Our condolences and prayers go out to his family and friends as they mourn this loss.