The Commons: A gathering place for Seattle University faculty and staff

A group of 14 faculty and staff traveled to Nicaragua over spring break for an immersion experience led by Joe Orlando, assistant vice president for mission and ministry. In the past decade-plus, more than 130 faculty and staff and 32 students have taken part in the mission-deepening trip. This year’s group included:

Joyce Allen (registrar), Michael Andrews (dean of Matteo Ricci College), Connie Anthony (chair of political science), Azita Emami (dean of Nursing), Leticia Guardiola-Saenz (assistant professor of School of Theology and Ministry), Paul Holland (associate dean of Law), Jerry Huffman (assistant vice president for human resources), Michael Kerns (associate vice president of Facilities), Joe Orlando (assistant vice president for mission and ministry), Joe Phillips (dean of Albers School of Business and Economics), Carol Schneider (director of Student Academic Services), Debra Stauffer (assistant dean of Nursing), Jen Tilghman-Havens (associate director of Jesuit Mission & Identity) and Lindsay Whitlow (assistant professor of biology).

Joyce Allen has created a slideshow of the trip that you can view at Nicaragua 2010. For more information about the Nicaragua immersion trip, visit Nicaragua. 

Lee Peterson, assistant director, choral music, writes:

“With travel funds and a car not part of my current reality, I made do with trips to outlying regions of my inner landscape. I taught myself to crochet so that I could finally get a grasp of hyperbolic geometry. I read about 40 books. I rode the bus a lot.”

Sue Hogan, School of Theology and Ministry, writes:

Share your Spring Break experience with us by e-mailing theem@seattleu.edu.

From March 19 to 30, a group of about 30 pilgrims led by Pat O’Leary, S.J., are retracing the spiritual journey St. Ignatius took from his home in Loyola toward Jerusalem. The group includes SU's Kathy Collins, Jan Hartley, Marianne LaBarre, Natch Ohno, S.J., Jeanette Rodriguez, George Simmons and Arrupe’s Pat Twohy, S.J. Among other destinations, they will visit the statue, left, that depicts Ignatius’s spiritual awakening while recovering after being wounded in battle.

Why pay all that money to fly to Arizona to watch a Mariners game that doesn't count when you can stay local and watch a regular season game (or four) for nothing? This weekend, March 19-21, the Seattle University baseball team welcomes Cal State Northridge to Bannerwood Park in Bellevue for a four-game series. Arlo Evasick, top, and his teammates are coming off a victory over Pac-10 school Oregon and are showing improvement in all phases of the game. The series begins with a Friday evening contest beginning at 6 p.m., followed by a Saturday doubleheader that starts at 1 p.m. and the series finale on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. Seattle University faculty and staff receive free admission to all home baseball games. Go Redhawks!

Ever wonder how the NCAA Tournament's field of 64 teams (a.k.a. institutions of higher learning) would fare if they were to face off academically? Well, Inside Higher Ed has done the work, and many of the outcomes may surprise you. Click here to see which schools would advance if performance in the classroom was counted rather than dunks on the court.

Vox Populi:What is Ireland's greatest gift to civilization?

Send your answer to theem@seattleu.edu.

Candace Bohonik, administrative assistant in the Learning Center, writes:

“The faeries and the leprechauns, to be sure. And Guinness.”

A two-run homer by Riley Tompkins helped lead the Redhawks to a 6-4 victory over Oregon on Sunday, March 14. Click here for more details on the great win for SU.

Did you catch the recent profile King 5’s “Evening Magazine” did on head men’s basketball coach Cameron Dollar and his father—and assistant coach—Donald? If not, you can watch the clip online.