What’s happening at SPU? This is where you’ll find the latest news about research, events, activities, achievements, and milestones in the life of SPU and its people.
Traynor Hansen, assistant professor of writing and director of campus writing, and three students were featured in a KING5-TV news story about AI in the classroom. In the course, "Academic Inquiry and Writing Seminar," Traynor teaches about using AI responsibly. The story, titled "Professor encourages students to use A.I," aired on December 5 and ran in newscasts during the next several days.
Singing the Faith conference
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 12 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
This conference celebrates the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed by exploring the relationship between theology and song. Lyrics stick with us in ways other written forms of communication do not. The songs we sing in personal devotions and in corporate worship shape the way we think about the God we serve. During this conference, we will consider the topic of "Lyrical Theology." Drawing from the deep wells of wisdom from theologians, local pastors, and worship directors, attendees will find useful reflections and tips for songwriters, worship leaders, and pastors alike.
Tradition, a student-produced Christmas event, features arts and crafts, hot beverages, and a live reindeer! The event is Friday, Dec. 6, starting at 7 p.m. in Tiffany Loop.
Don't miss a new Christmas celebration for students, faculty, staff, and their families for what we anticipate will be an annual event.
We invite you to gather for an official lighting of a Christmas tree and a time of joyful worship at the start of the Advent season on Monday, Dec. 2, 5-5:30 p.m. at the corner of 3rd and Bertona Street. The event will be followed by cookies and cocoa in the SUB Gazebo/Fireplace Room.
The SPU Percussion Ensemble will present their autumn concert on Tuesday, Dec.3, at 7:30 p.m. in the E.E. Bach Theater in McKinley Hall. The 12-member ensemble will perform contemporary works by Nathan Daughtrey, Jim Casella, and Alan Hovhaness along with traditional marimba selections from Guatemala and drumming of the Susu Ethnic Group of southwest Guinea. Also on the program will be solo performances by students Sara Mach ("Fragments for Timpan"i by John Beck), James Loffink ("Rain Dance" by Alice Gomez and Marlyn Riff), and Dylan Berlier performing his original work “Evening Shores.”
Admission is free and open to the public.
Before the start of Autumn Quarter, the family of alumna and longtime missionary Ruth Kroon and Seattle Pacific University community members gathered to celebrate the dedication and renaming of the Alexander and Adelaide Hall chapel. The event celebrated the Kroon family’s contribution to the refurbishment of the building and the dedication of the newly named “Ruth Ellen Kroon Chapel.”
Read the story at SPU Stories.
An illustration by adjunct art professor Abigail Platter is on the cover of the 2024 November/December issue of Christianity Today. The issue highlights themes of life’s hardship and the wonder of the incarnation.
A new convenience store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology is now open at Seattle Pacific University, one of the first universities in the Pacific Northwest to offer this option to students.
SPU’s automated C-Store concept is a partnership with Sodexo, the food service provider for the university. The store, called “Falcon Express,” is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and gives students early morning and late-night options for food and beverages. Customers can swipe their university ID card or a credit card to gain entrance. Cameras monitor the purchases and customers can exit with no checkout required.
Join the SPU Music Department and choirs in celebrating the beginning of the Advent and Christmas season with a concert on Monday, Nov. 25, 7:30 p.m. in First Free Methodist Church. Choirs will perform familiar carols in which all can join in singing.
The Seattle Pacific University women’s soccer team is set to host the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament this weekend in Seattle at Interbay Soccer Stadium. The Falcons play Simon Fraser on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. with a chance to advance to the championship match on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m.
Dr. Christopher Jones ’94 hopes the families in his medical practice never need to ask: “Is my kid sick enough that I should pay for a doctor’s visit?” Medical director of HopeCentral, a nonprofit health center, he and his team have adapted the concept of concierge medicine to a diverse Seattle neighborhood.
Assistant Professor of Philosophy Leland Saunders earned a $10,100 Graves Award in Humanities for his research project, “The Structure of Moral Judgement: Philosophical Perspectives.” His research responds to recent arguments that human beings’ concepts of morality are just a quirk of evolution and don't connect to anything deeper.