etc magazine

SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | WINTER 13

SE

ATTL

E P

AC

IFIC

UN

IVE

RS

ITY

etc

WE CAN HELP FIND YOUR MENTORMATCH

SPU’S ISLAND RETREAT DESTINATION

YOUR LOWER QUEEN ANNE ADVENTURE AWAITS

p16 p24p14

p6

SPU SENIOR USES BASKETBALL TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE

HopeNothin’ But

My WorldPaige Mitchell is not afraid to say yes. That’s how she became one of the youngest elected precint commit-tee officers in Kitsap County. “These little opportuni-ties come to me like gifts, and I wouldn’t want to limit God with what he can do through my life,” she says. She’s a double major (communications and political

science), co-captain of SPU’s speech and debate team, and a programmer of campus events. She hopes to work in international politics one day. “In this day and age, you have to get involved in the top tiers,” she says. “That’s where things happen, and that’s where I’ve got to be.”

SPU.EDU/MYWORLD

SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | WINTER 13

Shooting hoops is not Dagim Haile-Leul’s thing. He’s more of a chess man, and even won a Washington state tournament in middle school. But basketball is a weapon that this Seattle Pacific University senior uses to fight gun violence. “I use basketball to engage with my neighborhood, because it’s a language that people can understand.” He’s used that language to raise thousands of dollars for victims of gun violence and to encourage Seattle youth to make a “peace pledge.”

4DEPARTMENTS

12 16

20 24 28

SPU | WINTER 2013 etc 3

ON THE COVER

CO

NT

ENT

S

SPU: A peaceful part of bustling Seattle.

COVER PHOTO BY LUKE RUTAN

6

Big Ideas

Every year, you can count on The Sacred Sounds of Christmas in Seattle. An SPU senior — and self-proclaimed “choir nerd” — reflects on how this event lured him to Seattle Pacific, and why he’s glad it did.

SPU: Nuts & Bolts

This is where you’ll find all the nitty-gritty details, such as majors, deadlines, financial aid, and more. Plus, Chris Whitcomb reveals what he does to help pay his school bills.

Inquiring Minds

Nate Strong is Mr. SPU. His father is the dean of the School of Theology and Nate is this year’s student body president. We thought he would do a good job of answering your questions, and he didn’t disappoint.

Urban Adventure

Seattle is a foodie mecca, so you better believe that The Armory at Seattle Center is not your average food court! Learn all about what you can do in lower Queen Anne, just minutes from SPU.

Real Life

When Seattle Pacific residents need a getaway from the city, they have SPU’s own Camp Casey. That’s where you’ll find sea creatures, bonfires, historic cannons, and this lighthouse next door.

Heart & Soul

SPUers go to several nations to serve every summer. They come back with lots of memories and lots of photos. Take a look! Plus, find out what an SPU professor was doing in prison.

Inquiring Minds want to know …

So what do you want to know? Really. Anything.

etc is more than a name — it's SPU's

vision: to engage the culture and change the

world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. At Seattle Pacific, students study big ideas, experience

Christian community, live out urban adventures —

and learn to make the world a better place.

Be a part of it!

CONTACTTo submit a

questionor a letter:

[email protected]

To subscribe,unsubscribe, or

change your address:

[email protected]

PRODUCTIONetc is produced

three times a year by

SPU’s Office of University

Communications, Jennifer Gilnett,

director.

© Copyright 2013 Seattle Pacific University

WINTER 13 VOL 8 NO 1

Inquiring Minds

Be GREEN! SPU cares about the environment, which is why we

print on paper that contains

recycled fibers. Please recycle

this etc or pass it on to a friend!

Meet SPU Expert:Nate Strong

Hometown: Olney, Maryland

Year: Senior

Major: Economics, Political Science

Hobbies: Skiing, Politics, Web Design

Campus Involvement: Student Body President

Travel: East Coast three times a year to visit friends and family; Study Abroad in France, Great Britain, Austria; Lived in Russia and Bermuda

spu presidentDaniel J. Martin

etc staffPublisherSeattle Pacific University EditorJulia Siemens Art DirectorDale Kegley Staff WritersKathy HenningClint KellyMark MoschettiJeffrey OverstreetDeHeavalyn Pullium Student/Faculty/Alumni WritersKalie NelsonNate StrongJosh Stuthridge-HeinkeChris WhitcombHolly Harris Wood PhotographersNick OnkenChris and Sarah RhoadsLuke Rutan Mike SiegelMatthew Sumi

Student PhotogaphersLauren AsbergMariel RielandAshley TrudgeonJessica Van Gelder

PrinterColor Graphics, Seattle

admissions staffDirectorJobe [email protected] Admissions CounselorsJason [email protected] Kim [email protected] Tanisha [email protected] Lisa [email protected] Emily [email protected] Kellie [email protected] Tony [email protected] Noah [email protected] Ineliz [email protected]

editorfrom the

Julia Siemens

Bargain Hunting 101

I once bought a pair of green loafers for $6 on clearance. What a steal! I had to buy them one size too big, since that’s all that was available. So every time I wear them, they fall off my feet, especially on stairs. They don’t make it off the shoe rack much. This purchase and others have caused me to do some reflection on what makes a good value. If something costs me next to nothing, but it’s not right for me, is it really a good value after all? US News & World Report has a whole ranking system for colleges that are a “Best Value.” They look at a school’s academic quality and the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. Their mantra is: The higher the quality of the program, and the lower the cost, the better the deal. When you’re looking at a university, I encourage you to look at the overall value, and not just the cost. SPU is considered #2 for “Best Value” in the West by U.S. News for a reason. I have talked to countless students, such as Chris Whitcomb on page 33, who say that SPU’s Student Financial Services worked hard to help them find the right scholarships to fund their education. First find your perfect fit. Visit campus-es, ask God for guidance, talk to students and professors, and read publications such as etc. You want to end up at a university that fits you better than my size 11 loafers fit me. Happy hunting!

spu.edu/admissionsfacebook

Like us on facebook!

We ask students to answer your questions because — let’s face it — they know best what it’s like to be a student at Seattle Pacific University.

Inquiring Minds want to know …

So what do you want to know? Really. Anything.

Will the honors and AP classes that I am taking prepare me well for my freshman year at Seattle Pacific?

— MATTHEW ANDERSON, PHOENIX, AZ

Yes and no. I took three AP classes throughout high school, and while they’re tough, at SPU, you’re putting a whole subject into 10 weeks — so there’s a lot of work and it moves fast. SPU has chal-lenged me to study hard in ways that I didn’t have to in high school.

Is it easy to be involved in lots of clubs and activities and still get good grades?

— MICHELLE MARSHALL, SIMI VALLEY, CA

Yes! In fact, I think that being involved has made me get better grades, because it forces me to budget my time well. Just keep an updated calendar and you’ll do great — plus you’ll have a community of people with common interests. And what’s better than that?

Does the University offer any study abroad programs?

— GLENN ALVAREZ, TALENT, OR

Oh, man, do we! In fact, I went to France this summer with one of my favorite professors. But there are loads of other programs. You can study abroad in Belize, China, Europe, Guatemala, Morocco, and more. There’s a full list at spu.edu/studyabroad.

Inquiring Minds


Oh, come on — you know you have questions!

We’re here to help. We’ve got SPU students who will tell it like it is. Email your thoughts, concerns, or questions to [email protected].

What do you feel has been your greatest contribution to SPU?

— AUBREE BREWSTER, HIGHLAND PARK, MI

In the spring, I’m hoping to help put on an event to fight human trafficking. We’re educating and engaging students with forums, movie screenings, and speakers throughout the year and this will lead up to our final event where we will focus on taking action against the issue locally, na-tionally, and globally. I hope that this will be the greatest thing that I do at SPU.

Everyone always says that the rain and clouds in Seattle are depressing. What do you do to keep your spirits up?

— RANDI NOTTE, PHOENIX, AZ

At first I thought the rain would be a prob-lem, because I’m not from around here. But when I moved to Seattle, I realized I love the weather. It’s never too hot, and never too cold. The grey and rain are per-fect for sitting in a coffee shop studying or chatting with a friend. And, if it’s raining in Seattle, it’s probably snowing in the mountains, which means awesome skiing.

Do you find that the environment at SPU helps you grow in your faith?

— SARAH MCGARVEY, BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA

Absolutely. I’ve personally grown a lot at SPU because of the community. People have come alongside me and helped me struggle through the right questions. When you have faculty and staff support-ing you in your faith, it’s hard not to grow. It’s been life-changing for me.

Do you have questions about university life?

What activities do you do in the dorms?— REBECCA HSIEH, KENT, WA

So, so much! From beginning-of-the-year activities to playing fugitive (modified hide-and-seek played late at night all over the neighborhood) to making late-night runs to Beth’s Café (12-egg omelets for the win), there are so many things to do in the residence halls.

What is your favorite tradition at SPU?— EMILY HEACOCK, SAN JOSE, CA

Actually, not “Tradition” (a big SPU Christ-mas event where we wear ugly sweat-ers). My favorite is Talent Show, which happens every year during Homecoming. It’s two hours of amazing musical and performance talent with a hilarious video interwoven throughout the event.

What is the worst part about college?— KRISTINA MARYAN, TACOMA, WA

It’s too short. Seriously, four years goes by way too fast.

HopeNothin’ But

BY Julia Siemens PHOTOS BY Luke Rutan

6 etc SPU.EDU/ETC


It was 4 a.m. and Dagim Haile-Leul couldn’t sleep. Instead, he sat in the living room with his mom, and they cried. The house was full of family photos of weddings, babies, and graduations. Some of those photos were of his cousin, Yonas Seifu, who was fighting for his life at Harborview Medi-cal Center in Seattle. Weeks earlier — on April 23, 2006 — Yonas was hit in the back of the head by a stray bullet, while at a friend’s house. Yonas, then 26, had graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in economics and electri-cal engineering. He was a consul-tant with a successful company,

Dagim Haile-Leul stands in Saint Gebriel Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Seattle, which his father, Girma Haile-Leul helped design along with other Ethiopian engineers. Dagim’s Hoops for Hope basketball tournaments have brought together the East African and African American communities in Seattle against gun violence.

➛

Once you’re in college, you may not see many grade schoolers. So the volunteers of Hope Place Kids’ Club enjoy teaching crafts and Bible lessons every Thursday night. They also share dinner with the kids and their mothers beforehand. A ministry through the Seattle Union Gospel Mission, Hope Place is a live-in recovery program

Find Your Own Way to Serve Seattle

BY SOPHOMORE KALIE NELSON

Want to make a difference in the city of Seattle? Seattle Pacific University’s Urban Involvement program makes it easy to get involved — and even provides trans-portation. With nine different teams all over the city, students can choose how to help out whether it’s serving meals to the home-less or doing homework with kids. All you need to do is connect with a student leader and hop in the van!

and was recognized as a leader in Seattle’s Ethiopian community. “It didn’t seem real,” says Dagim, who was a senior in high school then, and now is a senior at Seattle Pacific University. “He was our pioneer, the one who made it — the golden child.” That night, Dagim and his mom prayed, and he told her, “I have to do something.”

Momentum ShiftsTension in the community was high and retaliation seemed like a possibility. “I allowed my vision to clear. I wanted to change the direction of that momentum and create something that embodies Yonas,” he says. That’s how he came up with

the idea for Hoops for Hope: a basketball tournament to raise money for Yonas’ medical needs and to help bring an end to gun violence. Dagim spent about a month-and-a-half working on the details throughout each night along with his long-time mentor, Sahara Anthony. In the meantime, Yonas could not walk or talk and needed skull surgery. When he heard about Hoops for Hope, he vowed to work hard in physical therapy so he could walk into the tourna-ment. “I wanted to be an inspira-tion for all the people who were supporting me and to show them, I’m not taking this lying down,” Yonas says. He only had weeks, but he walked into the gym that August using a cane and wearing a helmet. The crowd of about 800 people at the tournament was speechless. “Every one of us was in tears,” says Dagim’s mother, Zene Tefera.

Hope Place Kids’ Club

for women with children. Community volunteers and SPU students make weekly activities possible.

“Even if we can just be that little light in their life, that is what it’s about,” says student leader Crystal Johnson. Volunteers play games such as Simon Says and teach Bible les-sons. November’s activity focused on self-control, where the kids made a

8 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

This map of Ethiopia is inside the Ethiopian Com-munity Center, where Yonas Seifu now volunteers. Yonas was born in Ethiopia, and moved to Seattle as a teenager. Both of Dagim Haile-Leul’s parents moved to Seattle before Dagim was born.

Yonas Seifu’s scarf is an acrostic for the word Abesha, which is used to describe anyone of East African descent. The bottom section depicts the colors of the Ethiopian flag.


contraption out of marsh-mallows and toothpicks, but couldn’t eat the treats. “Even though we only go once a week, the kids remember us,” Crystal says. “And my favorite part is watching them grow in their faith.”

Since he grew up in White Center, just south-west of Seattle, Spencer Swansen found it easy to connect to the middle and high school students in the area when he returned as a volunteer. Now the student leader of White Center Remix, every Thursday he hangs out at youth group with the teenagers at Mount View Presbyterian Church.

It begins with an ice-breaker, dinner, and games, and it ends with a discussion about the Bible. “It’s essential to know the kids and know their needs,” he says.

“When they start to trust you, and know that you’re going to be there, it’s cool to see them value your relationship more.” The most important thing, Spencer notes,

“It was something that we didn’t think would happen in such a short time.” The tournament was far from just a basketball tourna-ment. It was a two-day event that included raffles, free haircuts, hair braiding, guest speakers, dance team performances, a din-ner auction, and more. It united Seattle’s East African and African American communities, and raised $13,000 for Yonas’ medical expenses.

“This is Personal”For Dagim, that was not the end of Hoops for Hope, but only the beginning. Tali Hairston, the director of SPU’s John Perkins Center for Reconciliation, Leader-ship Training, and Community Development, loves how Dagim has taken his personal pain and used it as a launch pad to make a difference. “This is not a distant issue that has never affected his life,”

White Center Remix

is to get out and try volun-teering to find the place that’s the right fit. Many students in White Center live in a low-income area where substantial needs are not always met. “Being a consistent presence for the kids is crucial, and this helps us to be a voice for low-in-come families on campus and in the community.”

Yonas Seifu is grateful for Dagim Haile-Leul’s work with Hoops for Hope. “It was such a devastating point in my life. He stepped up and put a huge event together so that everyone could show their support,” Yonas says.

➛

10 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Hairston says. “This is personal. This is God speaking into his life and using it for others.” Hairston says that this is a biblical model of engaging the culture. “You have people who are affected by something and experience forgiveness and repentance,” he says. “There are so many ways to engage the cul-ture. But to really engage my own injustice, my own condition, my own struggle — and to empower myself to act in God’s way toward that struggle — is powerful.” After the first Hoops for Hope, Dagim continued to get phone calls from community members and the media about gun vio-lence issues in Seattle. He held tournaments between 2007 and 2009 to help families alleviate funeral costs and help at-risk youth go to college. Dagim went to Eastern Washington University,

guest speaker and spend the rest of their time in community. “If you open your eyes and allow yourself to see the beauty in these people,” Danielle says,

“you see that God loves them, and that broadens your view of love.” With no set agenda, the volunteers can focus on building relationships and getting to know the

men in the community around Pioneer Square, located in downtown Se-attle. “You’re giving them grace,” Danielle says.

“And you’re giving them the chance they deserve.”

Danielle Valdes had no idea that a class project would lead to a new passion. As a student leader at Seattle Union Gospel Mission Men’s Shelter, she spends her Thursday nights with the homeless. Starting with a group devotional, she is one of 10 volunteers who spend time with the men after the provided meal. They all listen to a

UGM Men’s Shelter

Dagim Haile-Leul held his fifth Hoops for Hope tournament at Seattle Pacific in August.


World Relief Cultural Companions

Turning to preheat the oven for chocolate chip “biscuits,” freshman Kelsey Craig was startled as a loud noise was preceded by the loss of power in a Nepali family’s apartment. “I felt so bad,” she says. “It was cold that day, but it didn’t faze them. They were as happy as can be to sit there and talk.” From making homemade ice cream

then Xavier in New Orleans, and then came back to Seattle after losing his best friend in a house fire. Last year, he came to SPU and has found it to be a place of rest. “When I first looked at SPU and saw its vision of ‘engaging the culture, changing the world,’ it felt like a fit. That’s what I felt I had done with my life,” he says.

The Next ChapterDagim acknowledges that gun violence is still a huge problem in Seattle. He went to three funerals related to gun violence in 2012. At one of them, he watched a

fight break out amongst grieving teens. “Hey, there are alternative ways to deal with this,” Dagim said, and gave the young men his phone number. They called the next day. And that was the beginning of this year’s tournament at Seattle Pacific. The event drew a small crowd of about 300, which included Mike McGinn, Seattle’s mayor, and local TV and news media. The event raised $500 for the Boys and Girls Club and had 242 youths pledge not to take part in gun violence. “I feel like God called me to do this right now,” Dagim says.

“When shootings happen, it makes me realize that time isn’t promised and if I’m going to do something, I need to seize the opportunity and do it.”

Rachel Welch, a freshman volunteer. World Relief provides families with the necessary resources for settlement. Student leader Michelle Ramage says it’s all about building relation-ships and experiencing new cultures. “The refugees I’ve worked with have such a positive outlook on life and are so willing to share life with people they just met.”

to chatting over a chai tea, a typical day for the volunteers of World Relief Cultural Companions is about connecting with a newly arrived refugee family. Every Tuesday, five volunteers drive to Kent to visit four different refugee families from Iraq, Iran, and Nepal. “It’s nice to get out of the ‘SPU bubble’ and learn about different cultures,” said

Yonas Seifu has worked hard to rebuild his life and is currently looking at graduate schools. Because the right side of his brain was affected, he’s had to teach himself new things, such as how to write with his left hand.

Iconography is an important part of worship in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

12 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Big Ideas

When I was deciding on a college, my high school choir director gave me a stack of information on different colleges and a bunch of their choral CDs. I popped the first one into my computer and I was sold — my decision made. That happened to be the most recent recording of Seattle Pacific University’s annual Christmas concert, The Sacred Sounds of Christmas. I’m a bit of a choir nerd, so I was drawn to the great diversity of music, and the quality of the different ensembles. When I came to SPU, I immedi-

As Good As It Sounds

ately noticed the Music Department’s high caliber. From the closeness of the students, to the professionalism of the director, I knew that I was a part of something great. Sacred Sounds is a huge undertaking, involving 250 students. The entire concert stage is made up of SPU ensembles: the Symphony Orchestra, the Wind Symphony, Men’s Choir, Women’s Choir, Chamber Singers, and the Concert Choir. We share the Christmas story with an audience of almost 3,000 that comes from around the Northwest, as well as our friends, family, and colleagues. Demand for tickets is high because this concert always sells out early.

A: STRING PLAYERS IN THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TRAVELLED TO STAGE LEVEL BY FREIGHT ELEVATOR. B: TO WARM UP, ALL THE MUSICIANS ARRIVED AT 9:45 A.M. BEFORE THE 4 P.M. CONCERT. C: MUSICIANS WAITED IN THE OUTER LOBBY OF MCCAW HALL FOR THE OPENING PROCESSIONAL.

A

B

C

GET A TASTE OF SACRED SOUNDS IN ABOUT A MINUTE AT SPU.EDU/CONCERTVID.


I Continue to Be Amazed by SPU s̓ Christmas Concert

The performance comes together under the artistic direction of Assistant Professor David Anderson. He tells the Advent story with poetry, quotes, and Scripture, tied thoughtfully with music. The music selections come from around the world and from a range of eras, languages, and cultures. (This is not where you’ll hear, “Jingle Bells” …) Each ensemble tells a part of the Advent message with song, while various faculty members, alumni, and students narrate with Scripture. Capturing the true Christ-mas spirit, the audience is invited to sing along with the combined choirs throughout the night.

For the last 12 years, Sacred Sounds has been performed in Seattle Sym-phony’s Benaroya Hall, but this year we had the privilege of performing in McCaw Hall at Seattle Center, home of the Seattle Opera. I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to sing in both of these famous venues and to contribute to such a worthwhile Seattle event. Anyone who knows me knows how much I look forward to singing in a choir during the Christ-mas season — really any season for that matter — and I have the pleasure of continuing that throughout my years here at SPU.

BY SENIOR JOSH STUTHRIDGE-HEINKE | PHOTOS BY MIKE SIEGEL

THE UNIVERSITY SEES THIS CONCERT AS A WAY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

D: DAVID ANDERSON, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MUSIC, SELECTED CHORAL REPERTOIRE FROM DIFFERENT CHURCH TRADITIONS. E: SPU’S FLUTE ENSEMBLE PLAYED BEFORE THE MAIN EVENT. F: STUDENTS HUNG OUT BACKSTAGE BEFORE GOING ON.

D

E

F

14 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Big Ideas

PHOTO BY LUKE RUTAN

At Seattle Pacific University, we have 204 full-time faculty members who are experts in their respective fields. Each issue, we’ll introduce you to one, and maybe you’ll learn some-thing new — we always do.

Robbin O’LearyProfessor of Mathematics

HOMETOWN? Growing up, I lived in Ohio, New Mexico, and Idaho.

WHAT’S ONE THING THAT STUDENTS ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU? They are sometimes surprised to see me play cello with the SPU orchestra.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS TO TEACH? I have a lot of favorites. I like upper-division number theory, because it reminds me of why I got my PhD in that subject. I like first-quarter calculus with

ROBBIN O’LEARY USES THIS 3-D MODEL OF A 4-D HYPERCUBE IN CLASS.

Prof Quiz

A Chance to Break Ground in the Fight Against CancerSarah Konopasky ’12 believes that cancer will be cured someday. And she’s not just being optimistic. She’s worked on the front lines of the battle against cancer. As a student at Seattle Pacific University, Sarah did more than attend class. Thanks to SPU’s Mentor Program, she served in the research lab of Dr. Peter Grimm, one of the world’s foremost experts on prostate cancer.

BY JEFFREY OV

ERSTREET

THE

Mentorship ADVANTAGE

Mentor Program:Just The FactsIf you’re interested in meeting a profes-sional with your dream job, be sure to contact SPU’s Mentor Program. The program has set up thousands of SPU students over the years with dietitians, attorneys, graphic designers, marketing experts, actors, and more.

250 placements made per year

16 years that the program has been running

More than 2,630 placements made total

1,642past and current mentors in our mentor data base

In the last year, SPU students have been placed with a sports talk radio host, a music producer/recording engineer, a marine mammal research biologist, a video game writer, a policeman, a filmmaker, an interna-tional journalist, and more!

Some placements have occurred in other cities — such as Denver, Portland, and Los Angeles — while students are at home on breaks.

}TJA

ŠA ŽU

RGA


freshmen because I get to watch students turn from high school students into college students. It’s an amazing trans-formation. I like teaching senior seminars because I get to see the other end of their develop-ment. They’re thinking about what they’ve learned over the course of four years and what they’re going to do next.

YOU USE JELL-O TO DEMON-STRATE HOW TO FIND THE VOL-UME OF A SOLID WHEN ROTATED AROUND THE Y AXIS. WHY? If I draw a picture on the board, it’s dependent upon my draw-ing skills — which aren’t all that great. If I have a computer model, you see a 2-D repre-sentation of a 3-D object. A lot

of times we can understand a 3-D object better if we can see the whole thing. I make a Jell-O mold because it gives my students that concrete experience of an abstract idea. And it’s memorable. They don’t forget Jell-O day.

WHAT ARE SOME JOBS, OTHER THAN TEACHING, THAT SPU MATH MAJORS GO INTO? I have had a lot of students go into computational math in financial areas, such as banks. I’ve had students work at Boe-ing as math support people. And some students use their math and statistics skills to assess risk for insurance

companies. Some students go on to graduate school in math, and we have students go onto law school. I’ve heard that law schools like math majors. One year, we had two Seattle Pacific University math gradu-ates at Harvard Law School.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT AT SPU? In the summer, I love to garden, play the cello, and read histori-cal fiction, such as Steven Say-lor’s Roma Sub Rosa series.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT LIVING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST? The mountains. And as a gar-dener, I love how spring lasts from February to June.

HOW DO YOU SEE FAITH EXPRESSED IN MATHEMATICS? I find analogies to faith in math. I can ask my math majors, “What does it mean to say that something exists?” There are steps of faith you have to take in math. I have to believe that a number exists and that math exists. By analogy, our life of faith is built on some basic assumptions. We have good evidence for those basic assumptions, but we can’t actually prove them. We have to step out in faith and see what kind of life follows.

The executive director of Seattle’s Prostate Cancer Treatment Center, Grimm has helped pioneer today’s method of prostate seed implantation, serves on many prominent medical boards, and has treated more than 3,500 patients and trained more than 6,000 physicians, nurses, and physicists. He also has patents on needle design, diagnostic tools, and seed technology. He might seem unreachable to a college student. But when Grimm heard about Sarah’s interest in learning from him, he surprised Mark Oppenlander, director of SPU’s Center for Applied Learning, with an immediate “Yes.” “Mentorships work when both parties contribute,” says Oppenlander. “The student has to take a leadership role in saying, ‘This is what I want to do.’ The mentor has to provide

opportunity and expression for that, and Grimm did. Not only did they hit it off, but he opened up his lab and his practice to her and the next thing you know, she was working on research with him.” In fact, Sarah helped Grimm accomplish “an enormous task” — reviewing all of the literature about prostate cancer published around the world in the last decade. “Sarah helped us by organizing this infor-mation in a form that makes it understandable for patients,” says Grimm. “She worked every day with an enthusiasm that I thought was spectacular.” The experience persuaded Grimm that SPU’s Mentor Program should be a model for other institutions. “It gives students a sense of what actually is out there, instead of the image presented by television,” he says. “They can sort out early what they want to do, or maybe more importantly what they don’t want to do.” Sarah has advice of her own. She strongly encourages premed students to find a good mentor, especially since the health care field is constantly changing. “You’ve got to set yourself up to do something that you enjoy.” Bringing a few AP credits with her from high school in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, Sarah fast-tracked her education with summer courses, graduating after three

years of study with the advantage of on-the-job experience. “Just attending classes is not going give you the same experience as someone who has seen what doctors do first-hand,” she says. For Sarah, cancer research is more than a job. Close friends have struggled with cancer. “This subject has always been close to home,” she says. “But we’re progressing. We can already pick up on who’s going to be predis-posed to possibly having cancer. We’re making such advances every day.” THE

Mentorship ADVANTAGE

DR. PETER GRIMM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT CENTER

SARAH KONOPASKY ’12 BACHELORS OF SCIENCE IN APPLIED HUMAN BIOLOGY

16 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Real Life

SPU’S OWN ISLAND CAMPUS AND FALL RETREAT LOCALE

BY CLINT KELLY | PHOTOS BY MATTHEW SUMI

ferry away to camp casey

Walk the wide-open spaces and keep watch for wildlife.


from Seattle Pacific University’s main campus is an even big-ger one. Camp Casey on Whidbey Island is SPU’s 301-acre wonderland that becomes Retreat Central each fall. This October, 769 SPU students jumped into vehicles for a two-day getaway filled with beachcomb-ing, competitions, good food, and bonding galore by the waters of Puget Sound. “It’s a breathtaking location, far from classes and homework,” says Mark Reynoso, residence life coordinator for Hill Hall. “Together, we make fools of ourselves, battle the weather, play games — and in all our togetherness — get almost no sleep. Something special happens in that 24 hours that is difficult to explain.” Senior Karina Woodruff of Emerson Hall liked relaxing, collecting beach stuff, and making new friends. Best of all? Her floor won the Disney movie-themed skit compe-tition. Think “Aladdin” meets Bollywood. Emerson sophomore Luke Arnold’s favorite adventure was a long walk into the forest to worship God around a bon-fire. “Surrounded by nature, dark sky filled

Just 38 nautical miles

(Top to Bottom) Slow down and reflect. • Bond with others and feel connected the rest of the year. • Enjoy friendly football on the giant playfield. • Stare down the barrel of Fort Casey guns that once fired 700-pound projec-tiles. • Go airborne with fun and games.

Stay in bunk houses once occupied by Army soldiers.

mental education and recreational potential. The rest of the Fort is now a state park. At the time, some skeptics called SPU’s acquisition “Watson’s Folly” after then Seattle Pacific President C. Hoyt Watson, who approved the purchase. Today, Camp Casey is a popular retreat destination for school groups, churches, and other nonprofit organizations. “Watson’s Folly” has long since proven to be Watson’s good sense.

Washington state’s Camp Casey has a rich and storied history. In 1890, the U.S. Army opened a newly built Fort Casey on Puget Sound with huge gun emplacements to thwart an invasion by sea. By World War I, the fort was the fourth largest military post in Washington, housing 10 officers and 428 enlisted men. The Army used the fortification until World War II. When it was decommissioned in the 1950s, Seattle Pacific University took owner-ship of the property devoted to military living quarters for its environ-

18 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Real Life

with stars, it’s not every day you get to experience worship or pray together as a hall,” Luke says. Camp food received high marks. Luke rates the spaghetti with Caesar salad A-1, while the fresh fruit and French toast for breakfast inspired Ashton Hall sophomore Jacob Zimmer. “We had tacos for dinner,” he says. “You can’t go wrong with tacos.” For 57 years, SPU’s island conference center has been a striking destination for ministry groups, sports teams, and hall bonding. “SPU students feel like family,” says Casey Manager of Conference Services Robyn Myers, who finds Casey brimming

over with things to see and do. In the spring, the Sea Lab touch-tank aquarium features an array of creatures collected from Puget Sound. The Heritage Forest, a protected historical reserve, contains trees more than 300 years old. Bears and wolves roamed there in the 19th century; owls and eagles still call it home. The giant outdoor play field was once the parade ground where U.S. soldiers used to drill and march; today it’s perfect for kite-flying and soccer tournaments. Robyn recently saw two bald eagles drinking from a puddle in the field. “And our resident deer are always a draw with cars slowing down to take photos,” she says.

Robyn has watched orca whale pods off the beach and says even the constant sea traffic is entertaining “from the subma-rines, to cruise ships and container ships, to battleships, tug boats, and ferries.” The twice-daily Victoria Clipper high-speed catamaran carries passengers between Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia. Jacob believes students are lucky to have such a majestic retreat location so close to SPU. “Camp Casey is a piece of nature that is — for the most part — untainted. There are fewer and fewer places like that, and students at other schools don’t necessarily have a place like Casey to enjoy.”

That salty sea air can be chilly! Get fancy on SPU’s own waterfront basketball court.

City life is fun, but sometimes you need a big open sky.

These Emerson Hall residents chat it up on their retreat.

Fort Casey: Then and Now

FORMER SPU GOALIE COMES BACK TO SEATTLE

BY MARK MOSCHETTI | PHOTOS BY SOUNDERSFC.COM

MARCUS HAHNEMANN has played a lot of soc-cer in Seattle through the years — including four stellar seasons with the Seattle Pacific Falcons in the early ’90s. But when the world-caliber goalkeeper stepped between the posts one night for the Seattle Sounders last fall, even he was surprised by how long it had been since his last game in town. “(Someone) tweeted that it’s been 16 years, 18 days between Sounders appearances, which is a pretty big deal,” Hahnemann said. The 1994 SPU graduate with a physical education degree has logged many miles — and many victories — during those 16-plus years away from Seattle. Hahnemann played 13 seasons in the English Premier League, widely regarded as the best soccer league in the world. He also was on the United States team for the 2006 and 2010 World Cup tourna-ments. That he has a chance to finish his career in the city where he won the 1993 NCAA championship with Seattle Pacific and the 1995 and ’96 professional titles with the minor league Sounders (prior to their joining Major League Soccer) is the ultimate dream come true. Simply put, soccer is bigger in Seattle than just about any other city in the country. On most game nights, some 38,000 fans pour into Cen-

turyLink Field to watch the Sounders. A few bigger games against marquee opponents draw in excess of 60,000. “You’re driving down the road and you see scarves

in people’s cars. Kids are walking around wearing Sounders shirts all over town, and not just kids, you see adults,” Hahnemann says. No wonder Hahnemann wanted to play in Seattle again, at least for a little while, before hanging it up for good. So last September, when the opportunity to join the Sounders came along, he jumped at it. “It’s truly remarkable that I actually got a chance, because I thought I was all done and retired, and I was kind of happy with that,” he said. “But I’m glad that Sigi (Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid) wanted me to come back.” Hahnemann knows this will be his final soccer stop, and that his role here is as a backup to starter Michael Gspurning. But with training for the 2013 season beginning in late January, both Hahnemann and Schmid are leaving the door open. “The training has been great, and I’ve been getting sharper every day,” Hahnemann says. “But to actually get out there on the field (in a game) — it was awesome.”


HE’S A KEEPER

DID

YO

U K

NO

W?

THE

SOU

NDE

RS F

OO

TBAL

L C

LUB

HAS

SET

A N

EW L

EAG

UE

A

TTEN

DAN

CE

REC

ORD

ALL

FO

UR

YEAR

S TH

AT T

HEY

’VE

BEEN

IN M

AJO

R LE

AGU

E

SO

CC

ER, A

ND

THEY

’RE

ON

E O

F TH

E YO

UN

GES

T M

LS T

EAM

S.

20 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Heart & Soul

Every summer, SPU students are changed by the world

Ready, Set, SPRINT

Vietnam

Last summer, while millions of people were watching the Olympics, SPU teams were off doing their own kind of SPRINT — Seattle Pacific Reachout International, that is. Every year, SPU sends teams across the globe. Teams went to Guatemala, Russia, Rwanda, Haiti, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malawi. “It’s a short-term trip with a pur-pose,” says sophomore Mariel Rieland, who went to Malawi. “It’s a way for seeing how God is at work in other places in the world.”

Photos by: Juniors Lauren Asberg and Jessica Van Gelder; Sophomores Mariel Rieland and Ashley Trudgeon

1. Three Seattle Pacific University women went to Vietnam to help teach English in Danang. These were some

of the high schoolers they played games with at the “East Meets West”

camp. They are now friends with almost all of them on Facebook.

2. The view along the way to “Monkey Mountain,” outside of Danang.

3. The kids at Fisher’s Super Kids day camp in Danang, Vietnam, loved

making these feather head bands. The SPU students brought the feath-

ers with them, since they could not be bought in Vietnam.

1.

1.

2.

3.


Malawi

Russia

4. The Malawi team was made up of stu-dents interested in medical missions. The team helped take vital signs and test for malaria at different medical clinics in villages.

5. This sunrise photo was taken at 5 a.m. during devotions at Children of the Nations in Malawi.

6. A villager allowed students to drive his ox cart about 50 feet.

7. Ashley Trudgeon (pictured in photo 9) snapped this photo in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on the way back from spending time with HIV orphans.

8. One of the highlights of the Russia trip was spending 10 days at a disability camp on the Gulf of Finland. This photo was taken of the SPU students and the camp workers.

9. Gosha, right, loved having the students take him for walks on the beach. His wheels often got stuck in the sand, and he would cheer as the students pushed the wheelchair free.

1.

4. 5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Heart & Soul

22 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Research Behind Bars

Did you know? Rick Steele taught an Autumn Quarter undergraduate class on prison literature that includes a 20-hour “solitary confinement” at Camp Casey on Whidbey Island. The class brought rich new insights for his book Ambassadors in Chains.

RICK STEELEPROFESSOR OF MORAL AND

HISTORICAL THEOLOGY; ASSOCIATE DEAN OF

SEATTLE PACIFIC SEMINARY


Research Behind Bars

What was Professor Rick Steele doing in prison — make that two prisons — in April and July? Steele says he was teaching …and learning. For eight weeks, Steele taught two courses to inmates on literature written by Christians imprisoned for their faith. It was all part of the research for his latest book. “I offered the course in order to test my hunch that, given their dis-tinctive angle of vision, the participants would see things in Christian prison literature that I might miss,” he explains. The courses focused primarily on the literature of two very dif-ferent “ambassadors in chains”: Vibia Perpetua, a second-century Roman Catholic noblewoman from North Africa; and American Baptist preacher and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. The book, whose working title is Ambassadors in Chains (a refer-ence to Ephesians 6:20), asks, “How do Christians incarcerated for their convictions manage to hold on to those convictions in the face of the dangers, privations, and humiliations of prison life? How do they con-tinue bearing witness to those convictions in spite of the state’s effort to silence them or force them to recant?” When completed, the book will span nearly 16 centuries and nine writers. To protect the identity of his incarcerated students, in the manu-script Steele assigns each of them the name of a saint with whom they had something in common. One of the prisoners was a former textile worker who Steele named for the Apostle Paul, a tentmaker. That student told Steele,“It’s been a humbling experience for me to be told where to eat, when to eat, what to wear. I have way more empathy for what Perpetua and King went through than I would have before.” “Urban,” a prisoner who hopes to become a drug and alcohol coun-selor after his release, was named after St. Urban of Langres, the patron saint of vintners and alcoholics. (Legend has it, Steele explains, that, while hiding from persecution in a vineyard, St. Urban converted all the vinedressers to the faith.) After reading King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, Urban said, “The part of the letter that I could relate to was at the end, where he says, ‘What else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers?’ That spoke to me!” So far, Steele has completed the introduction to Ambassadors in Chains and several chapters. In the writing and researching process, Steele has learned more about true freedom. “It’s not being able to do whatever you want, but truly wanting to do what you know you ought to do,” Steele says. “For the participants in my classes, as for the authors of the literature we’ve been studying, such freedom is found through the practice of the pres-ence of God, whose companionship, as Martin Luther King reminds us, ‘does not stop at the door of a jail cell.’”

BY KATHY HENNING PHOTOS BY MIKE SIEGEL, CHRISTINE KUBLANSKI, AND CHAD CORRY

RICK STEELEPROFESSOR OF MORAL AND

HISTORICAL THEOLOGY; ASSOCIATE DEAN OF

SEATTLE PACIFIC SEMINARY

24 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Urban Adventure

THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS SEATTLE for our iconic Space Needle — and, hey, it’s pretty awesome to zoom up that elevator and scope out the Emerald City at cloud-level. But there’s even more to explore in the Needle’s beloved neighborhood: Lower Queen Anne. Just over a mile south of Seattle Pacific University, on the opposite side of Queen Anne Hill, Lower Queen Anne bustles with fabulous restaurants, unmatched people-watching, and Seattle Center, home to the Needle itself.

Head on Down to

Lower Queen

Anne

BY HOLLY HARRIS WOOD ’07PHOTOS BY LUKE RUTAN

TAKE IN A MOVIE AT THIS HIS-TORIC THEATRE. • FIND A FAVORITE VINYL RECORD AT EASY STREET. • HUNGRY? HEAD INTO SEATTLE CENTER’S ARMORY

LEFT TO RIGHT: SPU STUDENTS MEGAN SYNDER, RON COMODA, AND KATE ANDERSON SNAP A PHOTO OUTSIDE OF THE EXPERIENCE MUSIC PROJECT.

26 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Urban Adventure

Seattle Center was built to welcome the World’s Fair in 1962, and the place just gets better and better. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the World’s Fair in Seattle, and the occasion sparked all kinds of new growth and energy in already-bus-tling Lower Queen Anne. These days it’s home to incredible cultural offerings, thrill-a-minute sporting events, and world-class fun. The Seattle Center Armory, which used to be called the Center House, is a major hub for annual favorites such as the Cin-co de Mayo celebration and Winterfest. The Armory has also become a buzzed-about foodie destina-tion, featuring food truck-turned restaurant Skillet Counter (don’t miss the world famous bacon jam!), freshly baked pies at MOD Pizza, and dessert. Oh, the dessert! The Confectional bakes cheesecake that would make any New Yorker proud, and the brownies are good enough to take home to mom. If you read Where the Wild Things Are as a kid, don’t miss Pacific Northwest Ballet’s annual per-formance of The Nutcracker, featuring set design by the Wild author himself, Maurice Sendak. The Seattle Repertory Theatre offers deeply discounted season ticket packages for patrons under 25, and, new in 2012, Chihuly Garden and Glass will blow your mind with its zany Seussian sculptures. When you’re ready for a study break, cheer on the WNBA Seattle Storm. They practice at SPU and play in all their glory at Seattle Center’s Key Arena. And when you want to get practical about engag-ing the culture and changing the world — which is

LOCATED IN THE ARMORY, PIE HAS DOZENS OF SWEET AND SAVORY HAND-SIZED DELECTABLES. • PIE’S MENU CHANGES EVERY DAY. • GLASS ARTIST DALE CHIHULY IS A SEATTLE ICON. SEE HIS WORK AT CHIHULY GARDEN AND GLASS. • SEATTLITES GO TO DICK’S DRIVE-IN FOR FRESH CUT FRIES, SHAKES, AND BURGERS.

STUDENTS WALK ALONGSIDE MCCAW HALL.


what SPU students are all about — visit the new home of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It’s the world’s largest private philanthropic foundation and employs more than a few SPU alumni. Seattleites know how to eat well, and Lower Queen Anne doesn’t disappoint when it comes to chowing down in style and on a college budget. Toulouse Petit’s late night menu features Cajun nosh such as Creole Shrimp Linguine, and across the street, Pagliacci Pizza offers what has been called the world’s most divine slice of pepperoni by generations of Seattle Pacific students. (If you want to sound like a local, order a slice of “pep.”) SPU students often visit Dick’s Drive-In for no-fuss fries and shakes at student-friendly prices, and when they want to splurge, they venture to Boat Street Kitchen for a French-inspired brunch that Julia Child would applaud.

Famous for its indie music scene, Seattle dwell-ers flock to Lower Queen Anne every Labor Day weekend for the nation’s largest music and arts festival: Bumbershoot. Past artists include Macklemore, Katie Herzig, Keane, and SPU’s own, The Cellar Door. Another annual draw to the neigh-borhood is the Seattle International Film Festival, one of the nation’s largest for hard-core film buffs and dilettantes alike. You can be one of the 150,000 attendees to soak up cinematic magic in your own backyard. Whether you’re stopping by the Pacific Sci-ence Center for a day of brainy adventure, picking up the latest Punch Brothers album at Easy Street Records, or just enjoying coveted afternoon sun by Seattle Center’s International Fountain, Lower Queen is handy, never boring, and promises some-thing for everyone.

IF YOU NEED A SNACK WHILE AT SEATTLE CEN-TER, GRAB SOME CINNAMON GLAZED ROASTED ALMONDS OR PECANS FROM CERES.

28 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

When’s the best time to visit campus? Come during the academic year! That’s when you can interact with current stu-dents and faculty.

How do you figure out who will stay with whom on a visit? We have a stellar housing intern who finds students who are excited to host and make you feel welcome.

How diverse is SPU, and what was it like for you as a student of color? In 2007, 20 percent of my freshman class included students of color. This year it is 34 percent! SPU is intentional about moving our campus toward reflecting the diversity present in the Kingdom of God. And SPU makes sure that all students feel supported when they get here. As a stu-dent of color, I experienced culture shock at first. But after a while, I felt empowered by what I could bring to campus from my culture, and encouraged by what I could take away from the experience.

How did your faith change while you were at SPU? Professors asked tough questions that often left me with more questions than answers. I was confronted with perspectives that were new and some-times contrary to my own. My faith was strengthened as I learned to articulate my beliefs, and it grew as I stepped outside of my limited worldview and embraced new ways of looking at the gospel.

Why did you choose to continue to work at SPU after graduation? I love this place! I love the community, the vision, everything. College is a huge deci-sion, and being a part of that process with students is my little way of engaging the culture and changing the world.

DeHeavalyn PulliumSPU Visits and Events Coordinator

My 2 Cents’ Worth

SPU: Nuts & Bolts

— DeHeavalyn Pullium

“I felt empowered by what I could bring to campus from my culture.”

Between them, SPU students take about 1,000 undergraduate, master’s, and doc-toral classes each quarter. That’s a lot of note taking!

AccountingApplied MathematicsArtArt HistoryBiochemistryBiology (Cell and Molecular, Ecology, Human, Physiology)Business Administration (Entrepreneurship, Finance, Information Systems, International Business, Management, Marketing, Social Enterprise)ChemistryChristian ScriptureChristian SpiritualityChristian TheologyClassicsClothing and Textiles (Fashion Merchandising, Apparel Design)Coaching ScienceCommunicationComputer ScienceCreative WritingEconomicsEducation (Elementary, Secondary, Special Education)Electrical EngineeringEnglishEngineering (Appropriate and Sustainable, Computer, Mechanical)Elementary Education (Integrated Studies)European StudiesExercise ScienceFamily and Consumer SciencesFashion (Apparel Design, Merchandising)Food and Nutritional Sciences (Dietetics, Sports and Exercise)FrenchFrench and Francophone StudiesGeneral StudiesGermanGlobal and Urban MinistryGlobal Development StudiesHealth and Fitness EducationHistoryIllustration/New PicturesIndividual and Family DevelopmentInformation SystemsInterior DesignInternational Service CertificateJournalismLatinLatin American StudiesLinguistics and Cultural StudiesLiteratureMathematicsMusic (Composition, Education, Performance, Technology, Worship Arts)Music TherapyNursingPhilosophy


SPU by the Numbers 1 President Daniel J. Martin

3,238 Undergraduate student enrollment

857 Graduate and post- baccalaureate student enrollment

1,695 Students living on campus

44% Freshmen from out of state

204 Number of full-time SPU faculty

3.31–3.83 Middle 50 percent GPA of entering freshmen

15:1 Student-faculty ratio

37 Inches of rain a year in Seattle (less than Miami, Boston, New York, and Chicago)

12 Intramural sports

95% Undergraduate students who receive scholarships and/or need-based financial aid

0 Classes taught by graduate assistants

1010–1220 Middle 50 percent combined SAT score (critical reading and math) of entering freshmen

22–27 Middle 50 percent ACT score of entering freshmen

29% Ethnically diverse undergraduate students

90% or more of SPU applicants consistently accepted to pre-profes-sional health programs, including dentistry, physical therapy, veterinary medicine, optometry, occupational therapy, and medical school

84% Retention rate for first-year freshmen

NCAA Division II Sports:

PhysicsPolitical Science (Geopolitics, International Affairs, Leadership, Public Policy and Law)Pre-LawPre-Professional Health ProgramsProfessional StudiesProfessional WritingPsychologyReconciliation StudiesRussianSociologySpanishStudent-Designed MajorsStudio ArtsTheatre (Performance, Production, Teaching)Visual CommunicationWomen’s StudiesYouth Ministry

Off-Campus Programs SPU Study Abroad Programs: Belize (Tropical Marine Biology), Canterbury, China (Business), European Quarter, Galápagos Islands (Tropical Marine Biology), Guatemala (Global Development, Physics, or Spanish), Japan (Theol-ogy), Korea (Family and Consumer Sciences), London, Morocco (Eng-lish), Paris, Philippines (Family and Consumer Sciences), Rome (Arts and English), South Africa, Vietnam (Transcultural Nursing)

Programs Through the CCCU: American Studies (Washington, D.C.), Australia Studies, China Studies, Contemporary Music Center (New York), Film Studies (Los Angeles), India Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle East Studies, Oxford Honors Program, Oxford Summer School, Washington, D.C., Journalism Center, Uganda Studies

Other Student Visit Programs: Clark Atlanta University, Christian College Consortium Student Visitor Program, Daystar (Kenya), Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandis-ing (Los Angeles), Fashion Institute of Technology (New York City)

Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Soccer, Indoor/Outdoor Track, Women’s Gymnastics and Volleyball

Academic Programs

SPU #2 for “Best Value” in the West

— U.S. News & World Report 2012 College Rankings

Information based on 2012–13 statistics, unless stated otherwise.

30 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Scheduling Your Visit — Call the Office of Undergraduate Admissions toll free at 800-366-3344 to schedule a visit. Check out spu.edu/visit for details.

Overnight Visit — Previews include housing in the residence halls, meals in Gwinn Commons, and classroom visits.

Admitted Student Preview: April 4–5, 2013

One-Day Visits — One-day visits usually include a campus tour, a faculty and stu-dent panel, lunch, and more.

SPU February 1, 22, 2013Fridays: April 12, 19, 26, 2013

Transfer February 5; Open House: March 5, 2013

Seattle DessertReception: January 28, 2013

Individual Visits — Customize your visit! We’ll help you set up a campus tour and a meeting with an admissions counselor.Give us two weeks’ notice, and we can arrange a class visit, a meeting with a faculty member, or an overnight stay.

Fine Arts Scholarship Auditions — Come to campus and show us your skills in theatre, music, or visual art. For details, visit spu.edu/fpascholarships.

★

November 15Early Action Deadline

January 1First Day to Submit FAFSA

SPU: Nuts & Bolts

Each quarter,SPU hosts morethan 1,300student visitors.

Don’t missout on theexperience.

spu.edu/visit

Important Dates Interested in applying for Autumn 2013?

Come Visit. You’ve got to see this place!

This year, SPU welcomed its tenth president since 1891. That just goes to show that once people come to Seattle Pacific, they don’t want to leave.


February 1First-Year Freshman Application Deadline (in order to be considered for scholar-ships and the best financial aid awards)

April 1Transfer Priority Application Deadline (in order to be considered for scholarships and the best financial aid awards)

May 1National Candidates’ Reply Date: $200 Advance Payment Due

July 1Transfer Application Deadline

February 1FAFSA Deadline

Apply! Important things to know if you decide to apply for admission

How and When to Apply

Go to spu.edu/apply. (Simple, right?) We use the Common Application to make things even easier.

Early Action PlanThis is a great choice if SPU is one of your top choices. Early Action gives you priority status in financial aid and housing.

Admission Deadlines• EarlyActionDeadline:November15• First-YearFreshmanDeadline:February1• TransferPriorityDeadline:April1• TransferDeadline:July1

Some Things We Look For

Grades and Grade Trend: These are important because we want to make sure you will succeed in SPU’s challenging academic environment.

Incoming Freshman Class Middle 50 Percent:• HighSchoolGPA:3.31–3.83• SATScore(CR+M):1010–1220• ACTScore(CR+M):22–27

Test Scores: We accept either the SAT or the ACT. SPU’s test codes: SAT–4694, ACT–4476.

Essays: Tell us about you! Be creative — but, even more important, be authentic.

Recommendations: We consider the opinions of your teachers, mentors, and youth leaders essential.

Interview: This is optional, but it allows us to connect a face and a personality with your admission file. A phone interview is also an option.

Mission Fit: We look for students who are energized by SPU’s vision to engage the culture and change the world.

SPU: Nuts & Bolts

32 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

Associate Profes-sor of Biology Cara Wall-Schef-fler lectures dur-ing an anatomy and physiology class.

Let students take you on a tour at spu.edu/campusvid


SPU Annual Costs for 2012–13

• Tuition&Fees=$32,067

• Room&Board=varies;$9,492average

• TotalDirectCost=varies;$41,559 average

If those numbers look intimidating, we have good news for you. We want to help.

How to Apply

1. Apply to SPU. Your application for admission also serves as your application for most SPU scholarships. Get your appin early for your best chance to receive merit scholarships. spu.edu/apply

2. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The info you provide on the FAFSA is used to determine how much money your family is expected to pay (aka Expected Family Contribution). Your EFC is the same no matter what

Financing Your Education

All the basic things you should know about financial aid

school you choose. To send your results to SPU, include the SPU code (003788). fafsa.ed.gov

3. Respond Accurately and On Time. For the best scholarships and most gener-ous financial aid packages, meet all finan-cial aid deadlines.

Financial Aid Deadlines

Freshman SPU Scholarships and GrantsApply for admission by February 1.

Transfer SPU Scholarships and GrantsFor priority consideration, apply for admission by April 1.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)You’ll want to do this as soon as you can. Start after January 1, and complete no later than February 1.

Did you know? This year, SPU has helped

students by helping to award

more than $85 million in

scholarships and financial aid

to qualified students. Find out

what you qualify for!

Pay for CollegeHow Real Students

Chris Whitcomb works as a shift supervisor at Starbucks to pay his bills and college tuition.

A name and a face to go with the numbers Student: Senior Chris WhitcombMajor: Biology

How do you pay for college?I have a lot of scholarships, grants, some student loans, and I work 25 hours per week at Starbucks. Star-bucks covers my health benefits after 20 hours, which is crucial because my parents don’t pay for any of my tuition or living expenses.

Scholarships: Higbee-Whitaker Scholarship ($2,021)Starbucks Scholarship ($750)ICW Leaders of Tomorrow Scholar-ship ($1,500)Ministry Scholarship ($1,500)Deans’ Scholar Award (Currently at $10,000)

How have you found so many scholarships and grants? At first, I felt like there was no way to close the gap between the money I owed and what I could pay. My pro-fessors and other students urged me to go to my financial aid counselor. Needless to say over the years I have found an advocate when it comes to how to pay for my education.

What advice do you have for other students? Take advantage of the financial aid counselors here at SPU! They can recommend scholarships that are tailored to your qualifications. And remember to apply early and often.

34 etc SPU.EDU/ETC

SPU: Nuts & Bolts

Undergraduate Admissions(visits, admission information, transcript evaluations, transfer requirements)206-281-2021800-366-3344 Toll Free206-281-2544 Fax*[email protected]/admissions*Note: Faxed transcripts will not be accepted as official documents.

Student Financial Services(financial aid, student employment, student accounts, payment plans) 206-281-2061800-737-8826 Toll Freespu.edu/sfs

Scholarship Information and Applicationsspu.edu/scholarships

Scholarship Amount Award Guidelines*

FRESHMAN MERIT AWARDS

SPU Scholar Awards* Full tuition Apply by invitation onlyTrustees’ Scholar Awards* $14,000 GPA: 3.92; SAT: 1331 or ACT: 30President’s Scholar Awards* $12,000 GPA: 3.75; SAT: 1209 or ACT: 27Deans’ Scholar Awards* $10,000 GPA: 3.5; SAT: 1110 or ACT: 24 FIRST Robotics Scholarships $5,000 For high school seniors who have participated on a FIRST Robotics Competition or FIRST Tech Challenge team

Engineering Scholarships $5,000 For incoming freshmen who plan to(Deffenbaugh or Burwell) major in an engineering discipline

Philip W. Eaton Scholarships $3,000 Significant leadership and service in school and/or in the communitySPU National Merit Scholarships $2,000 National Merit Corporation semifinalist or finalistOTHER AWARDS (FOR FRESHMEN AND TRANSFERS)

Ames Scholarships Varies For underrepresented ethnic minority students; details at spu.edu/amesFine Arts Scholarships Up to $3,000 Details at spu.edu/fpascholarshipsFree Methodist Scholarships $2,000 Affiliated with the Free Methodist Church Alumni Scholarships $1,500 Parent(s) graduated from SPUMinistry Service Awards $1,500 Parent(s) employed full-time with a Christian church, mission, or para-church organizationChurch Matching Scholarships Up to $500 Church must apply to participate

ROTC Academic Achievement Awards Room and board ROTC requirements

NCAA Division II Athletic Scholarships Varies Contact coaches: 206-281-2085

*GuidelinesreflectanaverageofGPAsandSAT(CR+M)scoresearnedbystudentswhoenteredSPUinAutumn2011.Amounts awarded could change for following classes. A student may receive no more than one of the awards noted with an (*) in the same academic year. Note: If you’re a transfer student, please visit spu.edu/transferscholarships to see merit awards.

What to Expect in an SPU Financial Aid Package

Several forms of aid may be included in your aid package:

• SPUScholarships• Federal,State,andSPUGrants• StudentEmployment(WorkStudy)• StudentLoans

For details: spu.edu/sfs

Eligibility: What Matters Most

Scholarships: Grades, test scores, and involvement in school, church, and commu-nity are all considered important.

Need-based financial aid (grants, loans, student employment): Family and student income/assets, number of family members in college, size of family household, and age of older parent are all considered. In some cases, unique financial circum-stances will also be considered.

Questions?

Kate Calmusa ’07 Senior fashion writer for the e-commerce shoe division at Nordstrom and former fashion and life-style editor at Seattle magazine and Seattle Bride

Eugene Peterson ’54 Pastor, scholar, author, and poet, who’s written more than 30 books including The Message

Nikkita Oliver ’08 Law student on a full scholarship at the University of Washing-ton, who spent two years as a chaplain and service provider at the King County Youth Detention Center

Meet some stellar alumni

Caleb Nyone has been playing soccer ever since he “started running around.” The midfielder from Happy Valley, Oregon, sees playing well as a way to worship God. “I think you can give glory to God in so many different circumstances and so many different ways,” he says. “I find soccer is one of those ways.” During

My Worldsoccer season, he stays on top of biology homework while playing soccer six times a week, and doing weight training. And how does he relax? He plays FIFA — a soccer video game — with his teammates. “I just love the game,” he says.

SPU.EDU/MYWORLD

etc MagazineOffice of Undergraduate Admissions3307 Third Avenue WestSeattle, Washington 98119-1922

Change Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE P A I DSEATTLE, WAPERMIT NO. 1179

WINTER 13

Come see us and find out.

Could SPU be the place for you?

spu.edu/visit

etc magazine

Documents

seattle pacific residents

bustling seattle

seattle center

seattle youth

urban adventure seattle

spu winter

spu professor

victims of gun violence