Whittaker, pictured here to the left with Bill Hogan, director of athletics, became the first American to summit Mount Everest 50 years ago this month.

Chaired by Anne ('87) and Matt ('86) Moran, the event, which included a lively auction, raised nearly $250,000 in gross revenue to support SU's athletics program.

Visit Go Redhawks to learn more about the Red Tie Celebration, including a photo gallery.

Enjoy these scenes from the School of Law's Commencement ceremony, which took place May 18 at KeyArena. Congratulations to SU's newest graduates!

Here are some of the shots taken by University Photographer Chris Joseph Taylor at the ninth annual Spirit of Community Celebration on April 30.

Thanks to John Foster, S.J., of Matteo Ricci College for sharing these great pictures of spring at SU!

Participants, including Albers Dean Joe Phillips, pictured in the foreground, rolled up a pant leg in solidarity to honor landmine survivors, call attention to the issue of landmines and their devastating effects throughout the world and urge decision-makers to take action.

Since the International Land Mine Treaty was initiated 14 years ago, 165 nations have signed on; 36 countries, including the United States, have yet to sign the treaty.

The cause is near and dear to SU. Tun Channareth, a leading voice in the campaign against landmines, received an honorary doctoral degree at Seattle University's graduate commencement ceremony in 2011.

SU's participation in the "Lend a Leg" effort was coordinated by Albers student groups.

This was the third consecutive year PWOB journeyed to work with Liberty Children's Home, building upon and repairing water filtration systems they had previously constructed during past trips. The filtration systems have allowed residents to repurpose laundry water for use in the garden and to clean pig pens, which helps provide food for the children. The team also helped add security improvements to the home. 

"Our (trip) was an amazing, humbling and beautiful experience," said Woodward. "Being able to share it with Steph and Renae was extremely special and continued to remind me what a great place Seattle U is, not just for student athletes, but our campus community as a whole. We were able to help others, meet some wonderful people and experience another country's culture. It is something I will never forget." 

You can read more about the trip here.

- Mollie Hanke

Former Mariners John Olerud, left, and Dan Wilson were featured at the SU baseball team's 2013 Meet the Redhawks Dinner on Feb. 9. "I like to support baseball whenever I can, and the Seattle University baseball team is supporting great causes and doing amazing things in the community," Olerud said. Click here for the Redhawks schedule.

Seattle University recently welcomed hundreds of local high school students to campus along with top SU and city leaders for a school safety conference on Jan. 22. While the conference had been in the works for months, the importance of maintaining a safe and secure school environment for communities nationwide has received added emphasis in the wake of the December tragedy in Connecticut. 

In this first annual Impact! Safe Schools event, SU President Steven Sundborg, S.J., Seattle Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith and Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Jose Banda kicked off the day by addressing the importance of students becoming leaders and sharing ownership for solving problems in their schools. 

Sam Song, director of the School Psychology program in the College of Education, pictured with Assistant Police Chief Nick Metz, facilitated the day. With extensive academic expertise in the field of youth violence and bullying, Song specializes in preventing children from being exposed to violence. He says when students act as leaders engaging in school activities to promote crime prevention and anti-bullying, a safer environment results. 

Students were inspired and motived by several guest speakers, including: SU Head Men's Basketball Coach Cameron Dollar, SPD Assistant Police Chief Nick Metz, UW Women's Basketball Coach/Broadcaster Adia Barnes and Radio DJ Tony "B" Benton.

"To be a leader, you must have integrity," Dollar told the students, regarding anti-bullying in their schools.

In addition to hearing words of wisdom from guest speakers, the students, community leaders and law enforcement officials discussed strategies and collaborated to design school action plans. The plans will be implemented and SU and its community partners will continue to work with the students to stop bullying and violence.

Working with Lindy Boustedt in Advancement, students in the College of Arts and Sciences produced a video of the Urban Farm project in our Environmental Studies program. Supported by Wells Fargo, the farm is generating thousands of produce a year for area food banks. Click here to watch the video.

Seattle University's Jarell Flora leads a fast break after getting a steal at half court during the second half of the Redhawks' Dec. 13 game against the University of Washington. After a tough first half, SU battled back valiantly but fell to the Huskies 87-74.

The Albers Placement Center recently hosted a career fair for business and engineering majors. The event provided business and engineering students with opportunities to connect with local company recruiters, explore various job and internship options and build their professional network. More than 300 students attended this year's career fair, where they were able to meet with 61 leading employers from Puget Sound region.

As for the tree, which is located behind the Admin Building, it was inspired by the Blue Tree Movement, which is described at the site as, "a socially driven art action by Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos...to raise awareness about deforestation." More than 30 million acres of old growth forests are lost every year, which, as the description reads, is roughly equivalent to 640,000 Seattle University campuses.

You've probably seen some of the artist's trees, painted ultramarine blue with an eco-friendly solution, at Westlake Park or along the Burke-Gilman Trail near Kenmore. SU's Facilities team got into the act by removing a tree that died of natural causes, painting it blue and reinstalling it. 

A big thanks to Gail Yates, academic development officer, for providing the idea for this contest, and to Becki Koukal-Liebe of Grounds for providing background on the tree.

I'm cheating a little here because I didn't make it back to the tiny crossroads burg of Roxbury, Wis., this summer for the annual Solstice piano burning party at the Roxbury Tavern, where my old pal Tom Gresser is proprietor.

Another old friend of mine, Presbyterian minister and maestro Larry Collins, settles into a lawn chair each year and plays such thematic oldies as "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "On Top of Old Smokey" until the flames start to lick the keys.

For the first time in a decade, Gresser had trouble finding a piano to burn in 2012, so I didn't want to commit to a plane ticket without knowing whether the event was a certainty.

Typically, the pianos are decrepit, orphaned uprights Gresser finds at thrift stores that are pleased to part with them for the price of delivery. The fire marshal is in on the deal, and each year the tavern roasts a turkey in the piano just in case someone complains about the purpose of the fire. To date nobody has, though.

As the New York Times reported in July, old pianos these days are more likely to end up in trash dumps where their passing is a little less grand.

"At least we give them a dignified end," Gresser insists. 

Any ivory left on the keys goes to local artists prior to the burning and the large metal harp inside each piano is added to a fence around Gresser's vegetable garden.

The Roxbury Tavern is a true original that draws an eclectic mix of folks. One beer-quaffing writer called it "a hidden gem" and "an unofficial community/cultural center," which is fairly apt. Cussing and cell phones are frowned upon and it's not a place that takes debit or credit cards.

The tavern's tagline always makes me laugh. It reads, "Studying cognitive dissonance since 1989." That's when Gresser bought the bar and moved himself into the bachelor digs upstairs. Along with great local microbrews like Lake Louie Lager, he serves a mélange of creative dishes along with honest American eats, including a memorable burger. Another of our chums is a killer confection queen who whips up drop-dead delectable desserts. When she's not satiating a sweet tooth, she's also an ace private eye.

Gresser confirmed the Roxbury Tav did find a piano for the 2012 event, which took place Aug. 5. The event raises funds for the Northwest Dane Senior Services and brought in $2,000 this year. I kicked myself for not being there.

Click here to watch a video of the piano burning.

SU's resident spiderwoman, Elizabeth Lyon of the College of Nursing, scaled a downtown Seattle building to raise money for Special Olympics Washington.

University Librarian John Popko contributed these two shots from his summer travels. The top photo, featuring some very special watermelons, was taken in the village of Corrales, New Mexico. The bottom shot is at Arches National Park, Moab, Utah.

Stephen Rice of the Department of Criminal Justice contributed these photos of his family, taken in Barcelona, Spain.

Nursing faculty Maria Pettinato and Anita Jablonski at the start line of the STP July 14 (Seattle to Portland) bike ride. Susan Matt also completed the ride.

Doug Duncan of the Office of University Counsel took his oldest grandson, Noah, to the zoo while visiting Madison, Wis., for Fourth of July, which, Doug adds, was the hottest Fourth in their history at 102 degrees.

The hills are alive with Ki Gottberg of Fine Arts.

File this one under "My mom has the coolest job!": Lyn Gualtieri of the College of Science and Engineering and four-year-old son Luke were on Adak Island in Alaska doing geology fieldwork, specifically looking at tephra layers from Aleutian Island volcanoes. 

Both Audrey Hudgins (Matteo Ricci College) and Joyce Allen (Registrar) sent in photos from Professionals Without Borders' service trip to Zambia this summer. Pictured here is Joyce's team, which, she says, "helped dig trenches in preparation for pouring a cement footing and the subsequent brick and mortar security wall project at a medical clinic in Chipembele, Zambia. This photo is at Victoria Falls, located at the very southern tip of Zambia. What you see is the amazing joy of community and accomplishment." Students present in the picture are clockwise from the bottom in the white rain poncho:  Alex Tsway, Erin Flanagan, Madison Goverde, Shreya Shirude, Mathew Lane and Renee Vandermause.

Ryan Greene of the International Student Center sent this in from Mount Rainier. 

Along with two philosophy faculty, Jason Wirth and Elizabeth Sikes, and four SU students, Eddie (Daichi) Salazar participated in a five-day Zen intensive in Yokoji Japanese Zen monastery. The daily routine involved waking at 4 a.m. with many rounds of sitting meditation, liturgy, meals and work detail. The two-week tour also involved visiting many temples in Kyoto, and a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Museum. Here, Daichi is taking a moment of supreme enlightenment.

Rob Bourke of Albers, left, and climbing partner Mike reached the top of Mt. Adams (12,280), the culmination of a two-day climb, and the beginning of a seven-hour descent. The dormant volcano is the second highest peak in Washington.

Seattle University's Fourth Annual Research Open House was capped off in delicious form when Chemistry Professor Sue Jackels, assisted by students Angelica Omaiye and Leo Rozal, made ice cream using liquid nitrogen. Sponsored by the College of Science and Engineering, the July 26 open house featured nearly 30 research projects undertaken by students and faculty.

And here's what one of the planters looked like after all the hard work.

Enjoy this time-lapse video of the School of Law's 2012 Commencement (by Marcus Donner).

 
Tim calls this beauty "Spring Sunrise."

A pretty day inside the chapel, compliments of Gayle.

Another SU spring staple from Gayle--soccer on the Union Green!

Seattle University's Jessica Ulrich throws some serious heat in the second game of a doublheader against North Dakota on March 9, 2012. It was the Redhawks' final home game of the season at Logan Field. The venue will undergo an amazing transformation and reopen in the fall.

Russ Lidman, emeritus professor in the Institute of Public Service, writes:  "Raven (law professor) and I had two feet of snow on the ground when the ice storm hit early morning of Jan. 19. It was two more days before we could drive out. It was icepocalypse that did the major damage in Olympia. Of course, our power was out--the ice took down tree trunks and branches--and the lines as well.  The snapping of the trees sounded like rifle fire.

Chuck Porter, chief information officer, sent in this shot taken in Pioneer Square as the snow fell.

Amy Lane, gift and data integrity coordinator in University Advancement, contributed this beauty.

Here's one from Liz Pilati, executive secretary to the president. (Great picture, although we're not sure if Liz managed to get the dog to pull her on that sled...)

And finally, from the very appropriately named Jeff Winter, senior library technician, comes this picture taken on Queen Anne Hill.

Gratitude is extended to departments and colleagues across the Seattle University campus, without whose support the 2012 Festival would have not been possible: Faculty, staff and students of the School of Theology and Ministry, School of Law, Albers School of Business and Economics, University Advancement, Human Resources, Bon Appétit, Conference and Event Services, ITCS – Classroom and Event Tech Support, Facilities, Public Safety and Reprographics.

Pictured here, from left to right, are SAS staff Torgerson, Luci Masredjian Murray and Catie Sturn who brought the donated items to Don Jensen, right, the director of Community Lunch. “The organization was very thankful for our generous contributions,” says Torgerson. 

Have you and your colleagues done any sort of volunteer or outreach work as an office? Please send us a photo with your story.

If you want evidence that the Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons is so much more than a quiet place to study, look no further than this video of "Game Night," which was created by students in the library's Media Production Center.

Do you have any photos of campus that you'd like to share with us? Send them to The Commons. 

“Whaddya mean I don’t have a parachute on!!!”
Amy Lane, University Advancement  

“I’m leaving and taking my book with me!”
Barb Hauke, Albers School  

"Is it too late to withdraw my complaint about the food onboard?"
Casey Corr, Marketing Communications 

“You forgot to attach my whaaaaaat?...........”
Or
What?? I don’t hold the parachuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooo????”
Jasmina Kostich, School of Law  

“But I thought Redhawks were flightless birds!”
Andrea King, University Advancement 

“WOOHOO! SEAHAWKS FLY!!”
Simone Winston, School of Theology and Ministry 

Thank you, John Foster, S.J, Bill Watson, S.J., and John Wilkins, for contributing these three photos, respectively left to right. But wait, there's many, many more. Visit the Spring at SU photo gallery to view all the shots submitted by these three photogs.

SU freshman Sy Bean took and contributed this video of a nesting hummingbird on the Union Green. Just click on the image to watch. He has also been finding and photographing a variety of other birds on campus. You can see his portfolio at Sy Bean.

And thanks to Kris Meidal of Advancement for submitting this great shot, taken from inside the Chapel of St. Ignatius, which got the ball rolling.

After being signed by dozens of students, faculty and staff, the final beam of SU's Fitness Center was lifted into place on Monday, Feb. 28. Click here for a larger version. 

Coordinator of Ticket Operations Matt Harper, center, leads young Redhawk fans in a dance to the song "Ice Cream and Cake" during a recent game at KeyArena. Thanks to Casey Corr of Marketing and Communications for contributing the clip. Click here for a larger version. 

Count Director of Campus Ministry Mike Bayard, S.J.—pictured here with Quentin Dupont, S.J., and Josef Venker, S.J.—among the cheeseheads who will be rooting for the Packers on Sunday.

“The Bayard family is from Howard, Wis., a suburb of Green Bay,” he explains. “I have no other choice than to cheer for the Packers this coming Sunday at the Super Bowl. Growing up, every time I watched the Packers on TV they always seemed to lose so my mother would often tell me to get out of the TV room so the Packers would not lose. I am not sure I can stay out of the TV room next Sunday. I will be there cheering on the Pack.”

So I guess what you’re telling us, Fr. Mike, is that we’ll know who to blame if Green Bay loses! 

 
G DeCastro of Campus Ministry sent this photo of the Campus Ministry group that went to Tijuana, Mexico to work with Esperanza (esperanzainternational.org) helping build homes. "I led the group of 16 students from various academic programs along with faculty chaplains Paul Milan of modern languages and Naomi Kasumi of Fine Arts," he writes. 

 
This one came in from Andrea King of University Advancement, who writes, "Over break, we took our kids to the SU women’s basketball game vs. Gonzaga. Very fun!" 

 

Phil Barclift of Arts and Sciences found himself in what’s becoming a familiar costume. “This is the third time I have spent the Christmas season working on the West Bank,” he explains. “Somehow the Sisters of Charity always seem to know when I’m in town around Christmas, so they keep approaching me to play Santa for their orphans. This little princess was so expressive in her eyes, voice, and gestures that Old Santa knew precisely how to respond, even though he is weak in rapid-fire 'kid Arabic.' As I’ve said to others, in my next life I’m going to come back as Santa Claus."

And what was Phil doing on the West Bank? “I work with a group of NGOs on the West Bank, Israel-Palestine conducting training workshops in nonviolence and community reconciliation for Palestinian villages and refugee camps in the conflict zones around Hebron, the Beqa’a Valley, Nablus, and Jenin.” 

 
Maggie Keelan of University Advancement writes, "I visited my in-laws in Southern California and we went to the Rose Parade in Pasadena. It was gorgeous!"

Lê Xuân Hy, associate professor of psychology, left, was in Israel for the better part of December on a Fulbright Senior Specialist grant. While there, he met Joseph Doan, S.J., right, who previously served as regional assistant to Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, former Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Doan currently is rector of the Pontifical Biblical Institute house in Jerusalem where this photo was taken. 

And finally, one more Santa story, this one sent in by Casey Corr of Marketing Communications, who explains: "I’ve had my photo taken with Santa with only two interruptions every year for more than a half century, originally at the old Frederick & Nelson, then at Nordstrom. I love the progression of images of kids getting older and the subtle differences in the guy in the Santa costume, shot against a largely unchanging backdrop. I continued the tradition when my children were born, but as my extended family got bigger and older, it’s become extremely hard to get such a big group together. So this Christmas, I walked past a very long line at Nordstrom’s Santa, feeling a bit blue that my adult-age children and their cousins had been too busy for a get-together. But then, a Christmas miracle: I discovered at Westlake Park a discount Street Santa, dressed in somewhat disheveled outfit who would pose for whatever donation you offered. No waiting in line. No fancy “elves.” No exit into a department store to overexercise the credit card. Just a guy in character who connected me to a lifetime of happy moments. Street Santa said I could put my arm on his shoulder as my wife shot this image with a camera phone. The shot is blurry and rushed, but I ended 2010 ended with a tradition revived."

 

“A group of six students in SU’s Outdoor Adventure Recreation (OAR) program recently joined the Mountaineers’ annual Meany Lodge Mushroom Hunt. The lodge itself is ideally located in the Central Cascades near Snoqualmie Pass and the attendees are people from all over Washington who are excited to learn about Nature’s harvest. Representatives from the Puget Sound Mycological Association were also present and focused the enthusiasm on fungi education, including cultivation, hunting, identifying, and cooking mushrooms. As a group, participants learned to identify non-toxic, edible fungi, foraged around in the woods, then contributed to the community cook-up with a family-style meal! One of OAR’s student leaders and the organizer of this trip claimed to have not been a fungus fan before but is now converted! 

OAR provides students the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest through outdoor recreation. OAR is an outdoor-based, leadership development program with a student leader heading each of OAR's program areas: Cycle, Climb, Service, Snow, Trail, and Water. Their primary functions are to provide collaborative leadership for the overall program, to serve as field staff for various types of outings, and to be trained in wilderness emergency response skills and safety management specific to their area. These students additionally serve as group facilitators, trip planners and leaders, teach/model environmental sustainability practices, educate trip participants about wilderness skills and safety management issues to reduce risks while in the field. Through the Service branch of OAR (which the Meany Mushroom Trip was organized under), students make connections with off-campus organizations where they can continue to find community and other outdoor enthusiasts after graduation.” 

Thanks, as well, to John Wilkins of Student Financial Services who sent some really nice shots of our campus blanketed by snow last month. Check them out at Snowy SU.

Many thanks to Doug Duncan, associate university counsel, for sending in the above shot of snow in his backyard last Tuesday morning. And thanks to Joanne Hughes Clark, associate professor of physics, for the picture on the left, which was taken outside Bannan.

Congratulations to Melisa Ziegler of Career Services! Melisa's name was randomly drawn from among those who entered the celebrity photo contest. You can scroll down to see the picture she submitted. A big thank you to all who participated!

Here's a picture of of Melisa Ziegler (Career Services) with Sheila Taormina, an Olympic swimmer, triathlete and pentathlete. "She’s basically amazing!" writes Melisa. "I met her last summer at a motivational speech she did for Danskin  Triathlon participants. She let me wear her gold medal which was pretty cool."

Quinton Morris (Fine Arts), meanwhile, demonstrates a knack for the double-celebrity shot. In the picture to the left, Quinton appears with U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), right, and King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, left, following Quinton's debut performance at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. In the picture to the right,  is with Quincy Jones, left, and Father Steve.

And finally, Casey Corr (Marketing Communications) had this hair-raising experience with President Jimmy Carter. Casey was at the White House as a writer for the Daily Journal American, a Bellevue-based newspaper that no longer exists. During this visit (circa 1978) he was telling the president he had earlier met his brother and mother, who both had visited the Seattle area.

Bringing up the pavement so it's flush with the curbs will make the mall more pedestrian-friendly and less like a street, says Project Manager Steve De Bruhl.

The work in the Lower Mall is expected to be completed Aug. 20, and it's part of a larger paving project slated to be finished in early September. The paving is being done in conjunction with the construction of the Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons and the renovation of the newly renamed James C. Pigott Pavilion for Leadership.

Just what is it that makes the College of Education's Master in Teaching (MIT) program so unique and effective? Find out by watching a new video featuring the faculty who teach in the program, the teachers who are educated and the young students who are the ultimate beneficiaries. 

Well, the calendar says July, so it must be summer. And that means it’s time for another photo contest. Send your shots of “Summer at SU” to SU Snapshot. All entries will be accepted, even those featuring umbrellas like this one taken by University Photographer Chris Joseph Taylor. The winner receives a $10 Starbucks gift card. Will Father Ely, the champion of our “Spring at SU” contest repeat, or will a new shutterbug rise up to take the prize? Stay tuned. And, while we're on the subject, check out what some of your colleagues are doing for summer (or "summer") by visiting Summer Plans.

“I figured that since I never quite made my goal in the pool of ‘50 in 50 by 50’ (50 laps—2,500 yards—in 50 minutes by the time I was 50,) this is almost as good: my 5th swim from Alcatraz at age 55, in (about) 55 minutes.”

Of the swim itself, she reports: “The water was choppy with swells…It was a much more fun swim than the quickie one last year simply because there was more to do—the current wasn’t helping much this time.”

Oblivious to a light drizzle, a throng of soccer fans—members of the SU community undoubtedly among them—spilled out onto the sidewalk to watch the World Cup through the window of Café Presse. Thanks go to Casey Corr, who is quickly establishing himself as the unofficial Commons staff photographer, for this shot.

SU students and faculty recently visited Co Lam Temple to meet with Manikanto Bhikkhu, who talked about practicing and experiencing Buddhist wisdom for a peaceful heart and mind. The visit was part of this year’s Human Development Series, which is coordinated by Le Xuan Hy, associate professor of psychology. The series is co-sponsored by Academic Salons; Center for Service and Community Engagement; Center for the Study of Justice in Society, Provost Office; Department of Psychology and Institute for Human Development in the College of Arts and Sciences; First Nations Group at Seattle University; Psi Chi—Psychology Honors; Office of Multicultural Affairs; School of Theology and Ministry; and the Vice President’s Office for Mission and Ministry.

(This photo, submitted to SU Snapshot by Le Xuan Hy, was taken by Thada Somphone of the Seattle Meditation Center.)

Two SU grads-to-be got a head start on commencement by taking their caps and gowns for a test drive in the Quad last week. Commencement is June 13. Visit Commencement Weekend for the full schedule.

Albers faculty and students participated in the Women’s Enterprises International’s Walk for Water in Seward Park last month to raise funds for 20 new water catchment systems for families in Kenya in desperate need for clean water. This event is organized by students in memory of Chris Weber, a beloved professor of economics, who lost his battle with cancer this year.

Pictured from left to right are students Kristina Linova, Paola Castegnaro, Meghan Koep and Aljic, Ajla. This photo was submitted by Quan Le, assistant professor of economics.

Casey Corr, director of strategic communication, sent in this photo with the following description: "University Photographer Chris Joseph Taylor discovers horizontal rain in Wednesday’s heavy storm."

Cinda Johnson, assistant professor and special education program director in the College of Education, and her daughter, Linea Johnson, ’10, are active volunteers with BringChange2Mind, a mental health anti-stigma and awareness campaign initiated by actress Glenn Close. The Johnsons met Close last month at the “Change a Mind, Change a Life” event in St. Louis, which was co-sponsored by BringChange2Mind and the Karla Smith Foundation. The following night Close threw out the first pitch at Busch Stadium before the St. Louis Cardinals took on the N.Y. Mets. Proceeds from the game went to the BringChange2Mind campaign. The game lasted 20 innings! Cinda and Linea spent the last 12 innings with Close discussing health issues while keeping an eye on the game. Linea graduated from SU in December with a bachelor's degree in creative writing. She writes a blog for BringChange2Mind, which has nearly 12,000 Facebook members.

Thank you, Jodi Kelly, associate dean of Matteo Ricci College, for this nice shot, which appropriately enough, she sent in during the monthlong Bike Commute Challenge. Do you have a photo or video of SU's campus you'd like to share with us? Send it to theem@seattleu.edu.

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Casey Corr, director of strategic communication, sent in this shot of the signage being added to the law school's new annex on Columbia St., between 12th and 13th Avenues. Casey wrote, "A new sign of growth at Seattle University's School of Law." Read more about the new annex, which opens this month.

Thanks to Cal Ihler (assistant director, projects, Facilities) for these shots of the Connolly Center pool last week. In collaboration with King County, Ihler injected a blue dye into the pool to make sure it was getting a good enough water flow. According to Mike Mullen (mechanical shop lead) the pool passed the test “with flying colors.”

A collaboration involving Seattle U and a current student, this new video was created to give prospective students a brief snapshot of life in Seattle and at SU.

Many thanks to Kurt Lorenz, creative media designer in the School of Theology and Ministry, for sharing this brilliant shot of the Japanese maple outside of STM.

Congratulations, Peter Ely, S.J., vice president for mission and ministry, for submitting the winning entry in the "Spring at SU" photo contest. For his impeccable sense of framing and composition, Father Ely will receive a $10 gift certificate to Starbucks. Thanks to all who entered photos. Click here to view all submissions.

Seated as she is adjacent to the editor of The Commons, Annie Beckmann (senior writer, Marcom) recognized she was ineligible for the "Spring at SU" photo contest. Even still, she shared this entry as well as the story behind it:

The thunderous knock on the front door of Marketing Communications made everyone in the office gasp. Sure didn’t sound like the Easter Bunny, yet the fellow was carrying two little egg cartons. The bright colors that peeked out were a dead giveaway.

He came directly to my desk with determination. “I’ve had a heckuva time finding you! Here are your eggs!” said chef Michael Blackwell, a long-time friend and fellow judge at the annual Bite of Seattle.

Each year, Blackwell and artist Peter Gemma hollow out more eggs than anybody could fathom. They fill them with the tiniest candies and trinkets, tape them closed and paint them in bright colors with intricate designs.  A few years back, the effort reached a feverish pitch when they decorated 1,000 eggs. This year, they painted a more modest number, a mere 400. My neck aches just thinking about it!

As I opened my egg cartons, I spotted one painted with baby chicks, another with a big orange and gold butterfly. Imagine an egg painted in red lobsters, another with potted yellow daffodils. Many are abstract designs. Some are intricate geometrics.  Not since I interviewed a Ukrainian woman in Edmonton, Alberta, who had painstakingly etched all of The Last Supper on a humble egg have I seen such amazing detail. 

Anyway, when Blackwell and Gemma started this tradition years ago, they explained it’s extremely good luck to break one of these eggs on your head on Easter Sunday and let the goodies inside and the shell fragments fall as they may.  Kind of like a miniature piñata, except the blunt instrument you use is your head.

Some say it’s a tradition started by Marco Polo in Spain with confetti-filled eggs. Cascarones, as they’re called, later became popular in Mexico. I’ve heard people claim it’s a spin on a Greek Orthodox tradition, too.

Gemma and Blackwell only fill some of their eggs with confetti and always warn people when they do because they make such a mess when cracked.  

“You know, you’re the very last remaining adult with no children at home who actually cracks them open. Everybody else collects them and puts them in their china cabinet,” Blackwell told me.

“Sorry, Mike,” I said. “You told me years ago to encourage people to crack them on their heads for good luck and it has become my favorite Easter ritual.“

I described my fiancé’s 93-year-old Mom named Shy, who’s both blind and hard of hearing. To watch her, to hear her giggle when she whacks her head with an egg makes my Easter complete.

There's still time to enter the "Spring at SU" photo contest. Grab a camera, take a picture, send it to theem@seattleu.edu and qualify for a $10 gift card to Starbucks.

The flowering trees at Bellarmine Turnaround, above, are but one of the springtime treasures on our campus. Send us your favorite image of SU in the spring for a chance to win a $10 Starbucks gift card. Your photo and a brief description can be e-mailed to theem@seattleu.edu.

Don't get me started on the havoc and destruction these creatures have wreaked on the house in which I grew up. This one, spotted outside Pigott on the morning of March 19, seemed harmless enough and didn't mind being filmed.

All you have to do is make The Commons your homepage and contact the editor at theem@seattleu.edu to let him know the deed has been done.

A few vitals on the bag:

• An Eco-Responsible™ product
• Non-woven polypropylene
• Reusable, hand washable and 100 percent recyclable
• Reinforced 20” handles
• Cardboard bottom insert

Leadership Week is put on by the Office of Leadership Development. Faculty and staff are more than welcome--and encouraged--to participate in all of the week's events, says Michelle Etchart, director of Leadership Development. All events are free; RSVPs are required for Fr. Boyle's talk. For the full schedule of events and more information visit Leadership Development.

This is one of eight custom chandeliers that will be installed in Campion Ballroom, starting Feb. 1. The ballroom is undergoing a major facelift that has included new entry doors, updated and energy efficient lighting, paint, blinds and drapery. A portion of the kitchen has also been upgraded to improve food service capabilities. The project is 95 percent complete, and the ballroom is being used. A grand reopening event is being planned for spring.

If you could pull off this feat, you'd revel in it, too. Congratulations, Pat Howell, S.J., rector of Seattle University’s Arrupe House (and his co-conspirator Margaret Moore who took the picture)! You submitted the winning photo for the “messy desk” competition. In recognition of your impressively cluttered work space, you will receive a $10 gift certificate to Starbucks. But wait, there’s more….

It turns out that Pamela Street, administrative coordinator in Student Development, just happens to moonlight as an organizing coach. “I have a weekend business where I assist folks to find their natural point of work and help them set up their desk to make the clutter more reasonably handled,” she writes. When Pamela read about the photo contest, she contacted The Commons and graciously offered to donate a coupon for a free two-hour consult. So there you go, Father Howell—you can sip a latté while Pamela talks you through some of your options for reorganizing.

A big thanks to everyone who participated, including Audrey Hudgins, who submitted the picture, below, of Erin Engelhardt’s desk. (Not bad, Erin--and the Elmer's glue on the window sill is a nice touch--but you've got a ways to go to catch up with the rector!)

Do you have a messy desk? Or maybe your colleague does. Send us a photo of an SU workspace that's, well, let's just say "unkempt." Be sure to include a brief description with the photo and e-mail it to theem@seattleu.edu. The winning shot gets a $10 gift certificate to Starbucks.

SU students, faculty and staff returned to campus this week for the start of winter quarter. As part of the ritual, students flooded the bookstore to gather the texts they’ll need for the weeks ahead, hunted down parking passes and attended to all manner of other details that go along with the beginning of a new academic term.

Tammy Shadair (administrative coordinator for the executive vice president) spent part of her birthday hunting for ducks—27 of her own rubber ducks, to be more precise. The ducks went missing last week, ducknapped by her colleagues. On the day of her birthday, Dec. 15, Tammy was given a series of clues to help her find the ducks, which had been relocated to various sites throughout the campus. By the end of a very rainy day of searching, she was soaking wet but happily reunited with every last member of her flock. The hunt was coordinated by Ivette Serna (assistant director for financial affairs) and Ann Nornes (executive legal assistant). Many other co-conspirators across campus were involved.

Father Steve listens intently as head women's basketball coach Joan Bonvicini explains the intricacies of the triangle offense. For more photos from the 2009 faculty and staff Christmas Open House and other shots, visit SU Snapshot on Flickr.

Click here to view the entire SU Snapshot set on Flickr, including shots from last week's faculty and staff Christmas Season Open House.

Faculty and staff packed Casey Atrium on Dec. 8 to say farewell to Jim White, associate provost for enrollment management. White, pictured here with Sarah Finney of Advancement and Kathy Ybarra of the President’s Office, is leaving SU after more than two decades of dedicated service to become director of financial aid at Gonzaga University. At the event, White was lauded by colleagues for his professionalism, compassion and humor. Among other gifts, White was presented with a snow shovel to prepare him for life on the east side of the mountains.

A Few Photos We've Received

www.flickr.com seattleu's SU Snapshot photoset