In the Loop

Welcome to the 2022 Homecoming and Family Weekend!

Seattle Pacific’s biggest weekend for parents and families is back and happening Feb. 17–19, 2022.

Make plans to attend both in person and virtually — while connecting with your student and the SPU community. Gather with your student and family to laugh and enjoy the virtual showing of the classic comedy of manners, Pride and Prejudice. Put on your maroon and cheer on the Falcons men’s and women’s basketball teams. Join other SPU families at the Parent Prayer Meeting, and don’t miss the popular Virtual Trivia game via Zoom.

For information about those events, and much more, visit the Schedule of Events. No registration is required, but you can purchase tickets and sign up for select individual events. We hope to see you soon!

SPU makes it easy for students to find info about STEM degrees

SPU students considering a degree in one of the many STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) areas can find all of Seattle Pacific’s STEM-related programs listed in a couple convenient places: The College of Arts and Sciences: STEM and Social Sciences webpage in the Undergraduate Catalog and on a new “STEM-eligible” degrees webpage for international students.

That means your student can easily compare the degrees to make an informed decision when deciding on a major and/or minor — and, when students choose a STEM program, the benefits abound.

From Applied Mathematics and Dietetics to Information Systems and a one-year master’s degree in Research Psychology, SPU’s STEM programs give students a competitive advantage in the marketplace, while instilling technical expertise in the students who take them.

In fact, students who graduate with a degree in a STEM area often have higher-paying jobs after graduation. "STEM workers who majored in a STEM field in college typically made higher salaries than those who did not: on average, $101,100 vs. $87,600," stated a June 2021 article published by the U.S. Census Bureau. But higher salaries aren't the only potential advantage. According to CareerCast.com, employees with some of the highest job satisfaction were in careers such as software engineer, information security analyst, and mathematician. 

If your student is undecided on a major — or if your student is considering a minor in one of the STEM programs — encourage them to talk to their Seattle Pacific University faculty advisor and academic counselor.

Voices Podcast: The SPU “Ascent Program” with Dr. Mischa Willett

Mischa Willett, assistant professor of English and director of the Ascent Scholars Program, describes his own rocky journey to and through college, the professor who made a life-changing difference in his life, and how his experiences have benefited SPU students in the Ascent Scholars cohort-based program. In Ascent, Willet explains, students build relationships and navigate challenges they may encounter during their undergraduate years. Listen here.

The SPU Voices Podcast is a bimonthly interview show dedicated to telling inspiring and compelling stories about the greater SPU community. Visit the website to listen to the episodes, view transcripts, and explore past shows. Subscribe on all streaming platforms.

Does your student need to take a COVID-19 test?

It just got easier to schedule and take a COVID-19 test at SPU. As of January, students, faculty, and staff who require a COVID-19 test can just walk to the Student Union Building to make it happen.

SPU recently partnered with Curative — a company with a network of over 13,000 sites across 18 states and three CLIA certified, high-complexity labs — to provide COVID-19 testing for the greater-Seattle community and the Seattle Pacific campus. The testing is done by appointment-only in the Student Union Building across from the Unicom desk. Hours are 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Walk-ups cannot be accommodated. To make an appointment, students or community members should visit the Curative website.

SoulCare: How goes it with your soul?

Each week, undergraduate students in the University Foundations 1000 course gather in unique SoulCare Wesleyan small groups.

Derived from SPU’s Wesleyan/Holiness heritage, these SoulCare small groups expose students to a Christian community that facilitates growth in awareness and love of self, neighbor, and God. To accomplish these goals, participants gather weekly under the leadership of a trained facilitator to ask and answer the question, “How goes it with your soul?”

Each week, students participate in a one-hour meeting led by a trained facilitator under the supervision of Seattle Pacific Seminary interns and SPU staff. Said student leader and senior psychology major, Devon Yamane, "The genuine love that everyone in the SoulCare program has for God and each other is the greatest blessing I have experienced in my time at SPU."

Learn more about SoulCare and read what student leaders are saying about SoulCare Wesleyan small groups.

Reminders from Student Financial Services

FAFSA deadline coming for financial aid priority consideration

March 1 is the deadline for priority consideration for financial aid for first-time freshmen students. April 1 is the priority deadline for continuing students. Find out more at the Student Financial Services File FASA webpage.

Financial aid award letters

Enrolled first-time freshmen are already receiving their financial aid award letters. Continuing students can watch their student portals for their 2022–23 award letters beginning in mid-May.

Outside scholarships

Now is a good time for students to apply for outside scholarships. Unlike loans, scholarships and grants do not need to be repaid. Student Financial Services lists a host of scholarships, including the $5,000 Abogados de Accidentes Ahora Scholarship, $5,000 Washington State Opportunity Scholarship, and the $1,000 WIN-WIN-WIN Scholarship. Check out scholarships on the Outside Scholarships webpage.

What’s for dinner in Gwinn Commons?

Dining Services and Sodexo offers students monthly dining specials in the Gwinn Commons, the campus resident dining facility.

From spu.sodexomyway.com, you can check out the monthly event calendar to see what specials students are enjoying this month in Gwinn Commons, where SPU students, faculty, staff, and guests are welcome to dine and socialize while eating from a wide variety of fresh and made-from-scratch options. This month alone, students enjoyed Taco Tuesday, Carrot Cake Day, a Pasta Bar, and more.

And that’s not all! From spu.sodexomyway.com, you can also send a special treat to your Falcon (cookies! healthy snacks! cupcakes!) or, if your student is feeling under the weather, you can send a get-well pack.