Alumni Blog

Celebrating 60+ years of friendship initially fostered through the Honors program at Seattle University, friends Ann Johnson, ’63, Pat Wand ’63, Sydney Keegan, ’64, and Liz Mitchell, ‘63, have managed to stay connected to each other despite time and distance.

The Honors program at Seattle U provided this group of women the opportunity to be a part of a small learning cohort dedicated to the study of the literature and ideas that shape the development of our world. “We all shared a fear and trepidation about what we were entering,” said Wand. The program opened perspectives that they had never expected. “I think the fact that our literature and reading started from the East was incredible. That was my first real exposure to Eastern thought, and it became a major introduction to the world for me.”

Being a part of the Honors program made such an impact on the group that they helped to fund the Thomas L. O'Brien, S.J., and C. Robert Harmon University Honors Scholarship for future Honors students. “We so appreciated the scholarships we received and wanted to help future students,” said Johnson.

Thanks to the diligent sharing and coordination efforts of Johnson, the group has attended class reunions together, participated in campus visits and been a part of regional mixers and receptions throughout the years. “It has been so nice to meet SU alums in town and it was wonderful to hear Fr. Sundborg update us on all the latest news, developments and curriculum changes,” said Wand.

Mitchell adds, “It always feels like we are connecting to Seattle U when we get together. That time in our lives is so memorable that we always end up reminiscing.”

The new Reading Redhawks online book club series offered by the Seattle University Alumni Association has been a new favorite of the group. When Johnson got her email invitation to Reading Redhawks, she immediately forwarded it to her lifelong friends and suggested they participate together. Since the program was hosted virtually, the group was able to participate together despite living in different states around the country. “We were looking for things to do,” said Johnson. “This programming was new and different.”

Reenergized by the program’s subject matter and its relation to current events, coupled with the ability to actively discuss ideas with group members, the group was eager to participate in another lifelong learning experience. “Discussing these ideas with my friends with whom I haven’t talked about literature since 1962 was a bonus - an opportunity to refresh a dialogue and see how we each had developed intellectually over the last several decades. We moved to another Zoom account and carried on our discussion long after the first session with Dr. Madsen ended,” said Wand.

Keegan commented, “I was so excited to do something that felt like Honors again.”

With topics on the Plague hosted by Dave Madsen PhD, ’69 and others such as the Abstractions Of Black Citizenship: African American Art from Saint Louis hosted by the curator of the Hendreen Gallery, the group interacted with faculty and other alumni sparking expansive conversations. Putting context around the current social justice movement inspired the women to dig more deeply into issues that initially appeared to be on the periphery in their lives. “I personally got a lot of satisfaction, using my mind and examining the big issues in the larger community,” said Mitchell.

“I am so appreciative to be able to intellectually connect with Seattle University. I never realized how much I missed it,” said Wand. Gather some classmates and friends from your time at Seattle U and register for an upcoming Reading Redhawks session, a new professional development opportunity or an alumni community-hosted event. Reconnecting with fellow alumni, like this group of Honors students did, can ignite your spark to lifelong learning after graduation. By registering for an event, you automatically become one of the 10,000 alumni we are challenging to engage with Our Moment for Mission: The President’s Challenge by June 2021. Find a complete listing of events from the Seattle University Alumni Association here.

When Megan (O’Connor) Cycyota, ’07, first chose Seattle University, she was eager to embrace the spiritual and academic facets of the Jesuit Catholic experience. As a student, it was a joy for Cycyota to be able to attend mass at the Chapel of St. Ignatius, and she remained active in Campus Ministry and the Seattle U choir program throughout all four years. While studying accounting in the Albers School of Business and Economics, she learned how to express her own point of view while maintaining a sense of openness to differing perspectives.

“Seattle U taught me how to think critically,” says Cycyota, “how to really assess the information you’re being given while understanding that other people may have different interpretations than you. And how to be open to that dialogue.”

Now a Principal Product Manager at Amazon, Cycyota remains dedicated to empowering the next generation of Seattle U students, giving back to her alma mater with her time, talent and treasure. In addition to volunteering as a member of the Alumni Board of Governors, she supports the Annual Scholarship Fund, the SU Fund and various other programs and initiatives on campus. “The scholarship fund in particular has always been near and dear to my heart because I couldn’t have attended Seattle U without scholarships. Education needs to continue to be accessible,” says Cycyota. “Both merit and need-based scholarships are necessary to make sure that everyone has opportunities to access a transformative education.”

While Seattle U relies each and every day on the generosity of donors like Cycyota, there is one occasion that stands out from the rest as a prime time to give: Seattle U Gives, the university’s official online giving day.

“The thing I like about Seattle U Gives in particular is that it’s a focal point,” says Cycyota. “It helps to have a focused, contained time that’s a celebration of the university. Seattle U Gives is both a single day of participatory giving and a gentle reminder to engage with the community.” 

In recent years, Cycyota has taken an additional step beyond making a gift, volunteering as a Seattle U Gives Social Ambassador. Through this role, Cycyota has encouraged her friends and family to participate in Seattle U Gives and support the scholarships, schools and programs they care about most. While Social Ambassadorship is predominantly geared for online sharing, Cycyota has also found success through in-person connection.

Back when she was in the office in early 2020, she casually told two of her coworkers – both Seattle U grads – that Seattle U Gives was happening, and when. “Neither was aware of it at the time,” says Cycyota. “Just by telling them about it, both of them donated that day.” 

“The experience reminded me that reaching out to others doesn’t necessarily mean they will take advantage of the opportunity. They might not see the value in something that you do or the urgency. But you also never know who will, and so, why not? Why not use the power of more people getting out the message, because you never know what kind of good could come from that?”

This February 25, 2021, join Cycyota in celebrating Seattle U Gives by signing up to be a Social Ambassador. We are more powerful together! As a Social Ambassador, you can help to rally our alumni community for 24 hours of generosity. When you encourage more people to participate, you are ensuring that every gift made during Seattle U Gives – whether $5, $50 or $500 – adds up to make a tremendous impact.