This year's Palmer Lecture features Rev. Dr. Sam Wells, vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London. A regular contributor to "Thought for the Day" on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, he is the author of 46 books including works on Christian ethics, mission, ministry, scripture, liturgy, and preaching. This event requires no registration and is free. It will be video-recorded.

An annual event at SPU since 1978, the Palmer Lecture Series "seeks to bring the best minds and hearts in Wesleyan theology and biblical studies to campus to discuss the Christian faith from a Wesleyan perspective." The lectureship is held in honor of Alfred Palmer, a pastoral leader in Western Washington for more than half a century.

St Martin’s Voices, one of the UK’s most versatile and professional vocal ensembles, will give a free concert on Wednesday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m. at First Free Methodist Church. They sing for concerts, broadcasts, and special services at their base in London’s iconic St Martin-in-the-Fields and beyond, and regularly perform alongside the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, London Mozart Players, and Piatti Quartet. In response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, St Martin’s Voices extended their digital recording projects and was proud to feature in performances used by the Church of England’s online worship resources that have attracted more than four million downloads. They have toured the U.S.A. and South Africa as well as undertaking extensive tours across the UK. The choir regularly features in broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and Classic FM. In 2023 they released their first album with Resonus Classics, "A Winter Breviary," to critical acclaim.

President Porterfield will hold a post-BOT Town Hall on Thursday, May 30, 4–5 p.m. in Upper Gwinn.

A message from Student Life: Although it has been ten years since the tragedy of June 5, 2014, the memory of Paul Lee and our campus response continues to be etched on many of our lives. Family, friends, floormates, classmates, and many others were impacted then and in continued ways over these past ten years. Many of you are aware that Seattle Pacific worked with the Lee family, artists, contractors, and others to create a memorial in front of Ashton Hall. Through the generosity of many of you with your gifts and talents, this memorial was finished a few years ago. We are thankful to you who were supportive of these efforts in so many different ways.

We now invite you to join the Seattle Pacific University community and the Lee Family on dedicating this memorial installation on Monday, June 17, at 1 p.m. outside of Ashton Hall (611 W. Dravus St, Seattle, WA). We will have a short program and an unveiling of a plaque that honors Paul’s life and the SPU community response. Your attendance would be greatly welcomed and appreciated, as has your support over the years.

If you have any questions or need further information, please contact the Office of Student Life at studentlife@spu.edu or via phone at 206-281-2841.

A message from Student Involvement and Leadership: Following a successful New Student Orientation schedule shift last fall, we are excited to announce that New Student Orientation will once again take place over three days this September (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, September 27–29) to better accommodate our students and their families. Faculty Council and Senior Leadership have approved moving the opening ceremony for the 2024-25 academic year to Saturday, September 28, 2024.

As you remember, New Student Convocation is where we join to formally welcome our new students into the academic community at SPU by circling around them, visualizing the care and wisdom that will surround our new students throughout their time at SPU. This ceremony has proven to be a meaningful experience for our new students, their families, and our faculty and is a great powerful connection to Ivy Cutting at the end of a student’s journey with us.

Faculty are invited to join our students and families for lunch in Tiffany Loop beginning at 12 p.m., with the convocation and Circle of Matriculation ceremony occurring at 1:30 p.m. We hope you’ll be able to join us for the community meal; it’ll certainly make gathering for the convocation processional that much easier.

Saturday will also have additional opportunities for faculty to engage with new students (including UCOL Connections) and their families (Faculty Academic Forum). More details will be provided in the coming weeks. Questions or ideas can be directed to Orientation@spu.edu or Kevin Deschler, assistant director, Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, at deschlerk@spu.edu. Thanks!!

The Center for Faithful Business 2024 Bruce Kennedy Ethical Leadership Lecture will feature Dr. Richard Stearns, president emeritus of World Vision U.S. He will deliver the evening’s lecture, “Lead Like It Matters to God.” Joe Sprague, regional president of Hawai’i-Pacific for Alaska Airlines, will be the evening’s lecture respondent. The event will take place Thursday, May 23, 7–8:30 p.m., in Upper Gwinn Commons. Please mark your calendar and plan to join the Center for an evening of insight and reflection. Register online.

SPU Theatre produces a fringe-style treatment of "Romeo & Juliet," May 30-31 at 7:30 p.m. in McKinley Hall. Set in the present day, the production showcases the work of student actors and dramaturgs under the direction of the Candace Vance, associate professor of theatre, and Shelby Lunderman, assistant professor of theatre. Scrappy and innovative, this ensemble doesn’t shy away from the challenges of producing theatre on a shoe-string budget — nor does it shy away from the political statements embedded in Shakespeare’s text. Most importantly, what does it mean when children become the casualties of war?

All faculty and staff members are entitled to two complimentary tickets. Email boxoffice@spu.edu or call 206-281-2959 to reserve your seats. You can purchase additional tickets online.

The Music Department will present two choral concerts.

Wednesday, May 29, 7:30 p.m., First Free Methodist Church. The Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, under the direction of Assistant Professor of Music Ryan Ellis, and the Treble Choir, under the direction of adjunct music faculty member Beth Ann Bonnecroy, will perform. 

Wednesday, June 5, 7:30 p.m., Nickerson Studios. Multiple student-led ensembles in a variety of genres will perform under the direction of Dainius Vaicekonis, associate professor of piano, and Jan Nelson, assistant professor of music.

A message from Les Steele, interim CAO: We hope you'll join on Thursday, May 23, at 2 p.m. in the Falcon Club in Brougham Pavilion to say farewell to Dr. Cindy Price, vice provost for Academic Affairs, to celebration her 31 years at SPU. There will be a brief program at 2:30 p.m. but please come as you are able. There will be refreshments.

Gwia Kim, assistant professor of apparel design and merchandising, gave a virtual presentation titled "Consumer Determinants of Plant-based Leather Products: A Conceptual Model" at the International Conference on Clothing and Textiles in Jeju, Korea.

Kimberly Segall, professor of English and Cultural Studies, has presented several book talks on her latest book, Superheroes in the Streets. She has given presentations at the Arab American Studies Conference in Dearborn, Michigan; the Middle East Studies Conference in Montreal, Canada; SUNY State University in New York; and Ravenna Third Place Books in Seattle.

An article by Professor of Biology Cara Wall-Scheffler titled "Everyday life and its variability influenced human evolution at least as much as rare activities like big-game hunting," was published in The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news source.

MODE Fashion Club students Kate Taggert and Stephanie Menegon were interviewed about their latest designs for a segment on the KING-TV morning show "New Day NW" on May 15. The segment also featured student models wearing the fashion designs, which were also feature at the annual MODE Fashion Show on May 11.

Cara Wall-Scheffler, professor of biology, was quoted in an article in New Scientist magazine titled, "Did humans evolve to chase down prey over long distances?" The article was quoted in many other scientific publications.