Hi everyone, congratulations and thanks for everything you have done help one another make it through this most challenging academic year. I hope you were able to "Zoom in" on All College Day last Friday, our second and hopefully last time holding it virtually. We included the awardees below, please feel free to reach out to all those who were recognized. There are many other awards, happenings, and accomplishments across the college noted below; as hard as this year has been people continue to do remarkable things.
Also, as we complete the year, many of the stressors will recede but the stress doesn't always go away so easily. I heard an excellent podcast that reviews seven ways to manage the stress that sticks around after a stressful event is over, wherein Brene' Brown interviews Emily and Amelia Nagoski, authors of the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. I recommend it as you look toward ways to relax, de-stress and enjoy time over the summer.
Thank you all again for being such a remarkable community.
Shared Governance
David V. Powers, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Seattle University
Dean's Liaison
The Dean's Office is pleased to announce that Dr. Yitan Li has agreed to serve as Dean's Liaison for the next two academic years, 2021-23, during Associate Dean Bullon-Fernandez’s tenure as University Honors Director. In his role as Liaison, Dr. Li will coordinate the scheduling of summer courses, act as ex officio chair of the College Global Engagement Committee and of the Grievance Committee and review and sign several curricular forms. Dr. Li brings years of experience to the position, including as Chair of Political Science and Director of Asian Studies as well as through his work with the Study Abroad office. Please join me in congratulating and thanking Dr. Li for agreeing to serve in this position.
Reverend Louis Gaffney, SJ, Endowed Chair
For the first time, Seattle University President Stephen Sundborg, S.J., has co-awarded the Reverend Louis Gaffney, SJ, Chair in the College of Arts and Sciences. Christina Roberts, PhD, and Rob Efird, PhD, will work within the theme: dᶻixᵂ dxᵂɁugᵂusaϮ tiɁǝɁ swatixᵂtǝd “The Earth is Our First Teacher”: Celebrating the Legacy of taqwšəblu Vi Hilbert and Honoring Sacred Relationships with Coast Salish Lands in the academic years 2021-22 and 2022-23.
This endowed chair is made possible by Seattle University Jesuit community and promotes issues germane to the Jesuit mission and identity of the faith that does justice and supports the Jesuit ideal of teaching.
"We are deeply honored and grateful for this opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary person and legacy of taqwšəblu Vi Hilbert,” said Dr. Roberts and Dr. Efird. “In the wake of a pandemic that has distanced us from one another, we envision this as an opportunity to not only connect with the land, but to re-connect with one another in a process of healing through community. We are excited to work closely with existing partners to plan and provide Seattle University students, staff, and faculty with meaningful opportunities to engage with and learn from local Indigenous peoples concerning issues of ecological stewardship that impact all of us." Read the rest of the article here.
Seattle University Choirs
Their newest virtual performance, "We Remember Them," by Susan LaBar, is available. Watch it here.
2020-2021 Provost’s Awards
Congratulations to our Arts and Sciences colleague who received awards:
Arts and Sciences All College Day Awards
Congratulations to all who were recognized:
New Emeriti Faculty
Promoted to Professor
Tenured and Promoted to Associate Professor
Promoted to Senior Instructor
Arts and Sciences Student Executive Council (SEC) Awards
All College Day Awards
Undergraduate Summer Orientation: information available here.
Summer Preview Day: August 18, 2021: This event is for rising high school juniors and seniors, and prospective transfer students to learn more about Seattle U as they launch their college search and prepare to apply.
More information will be coming about Fall events
Conference on College Composition and Communication
Deadline: September 1, 2021
Amount: up to $10,000
The Emergent Researcher Awards invite proposals for projects that can contribute to or influence discussions about literacy and writing instruction in and out of formal education. The Research Initiative sponsors research that produces knowledge about language, literacy, communication, rhetoric, and the teaching, assessment, and technologies of writing. Proposals are requested to investigate key challenges faced by literacy, communication, rhetoric, and writing instructors and administrators in their classrooms and programs.
NEH Humanities Connections Program
Deadline: September 14, 2021
Amount: up to $35,000 for Planning; up to $100,000 for Implementation
Awards support innovative curricular approaches that foster productive partnerships among humanities faculty and their counterparts in the social and natural sciences and in pre-service or professional programs (such as business, engineering, health sciences, law, computer science, and other technology-driven fields), in order to encourage and develop new integrative learning opportunities for students.
Department of Defense – The Minerva Research Initiative
Deadline: September 29, 2021
Amount: $150,000-$1MM
The Minerva Research Initiative is a DoD-sponsored, university-based social science research initiative that focuses on areas of strategic importance to the U.S. national security policy. It supports social science research aimed at improving our basic understanding of security, broadly defined. All supported projects are university-based and unclassified, with the intention that all work be shared widely to support thriving stable and safe communities. The goal is to improve DoD’s basic understanding of the social, cultural, behavioral, and political forces that shape regions of the world of strategic importance to the U.S. 2021 Priority topics can be found here.
AAUW Short-Term Research Publication Grant Program
Deadline: November 1, 2021
Amount $6,000
This program provides support to scholars to prepare research manuscripts for publication. Preference will be given to applicants whose work supports the vision of AAUW: to break through educational and economic barriers so that all women have a fair chance. Time must be available for eight consecutive weeks of final writing and editing in response to issues raised in critical reviews. These grants can be awarded to both tenure-track and part-time faculty, and to new and established researchers. Tenured professors are not eligible.
Strategic Planning Implementation co-chairs Dr. Natalie Cisneros and Dr. Joseph DeFillipis shared the committee's implementation plan. It is available as a PDF here; we will soon update the website.
The Seattle U Campaign has raised $299.5 million, as of Monday, June 7. More details and a College of Arts and Sciences to come when we are back im the fall.
Onur Bakiner, PhD, Assistant Professor, Political Science, was quoted in the Boston Globe article, “Jan. 6 commission’s fate uncertain as Republicans seek to rewrite history.”
Serena Cosgrove, PhD, Associate Professor, International Studies, and her co-author, Isabeau J. Belisle Dempsey (International Studies and Spanish SU double major 2019), have been offered a book contract from the University of Cincinnati Press for their manuscript, Imagining Central America: A Short History. All book chapters have been drafted; they will address reviewer suggestions over the summer and expect the book will be out in early 2022.
Julie Homchick Crowe, PhD, Assistant Professor, Communication and Media, published an article,“Toxically Clean: Gwyneth Paltrow, Goop, and Polyphonic Expertise” in Rhetoric of Health and Medicine 4(2): 187-217. She has been invited to attend the Rhetoric Society of America’s Summer Institute workshop on Pandemic Rhetorics to present a work-in-progress on germ theory denialism.
Amelia Seraphia Derr, PhD, MSW, Associate Professor, Social Work, published “Global forced migration trends: Policy, practice, and research imperatives for the field of social work,” Palattiyil, G., Sidhva, D., Macgowan, M., & Derr, A.S. (2021). Manuscript accepted for publication in International Social Work. In May 2020, she also presented “Using Participatory and Collaborative Processes to Respond to Emerging Migration Trends” for the Seattle University Institute for Catholic Thought & Culture 5th Annual Immigration Summit, Seattle, WA.
Rob Efird, PhD, Professor, Anthropology and Asian Studies, published “Link Globally, Act Locally: Chinese and Americans Connect Online for Climate Action” for China/US Focus.
Brooke Gialopsos, PhD, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice and co-authors published an article “Are we loving our national parks to death? A call for research on crime and law enforcement in the U.S. National Park System” in the peer-reviewed journal Criminal Justice Review. She and co-authors released an article “A loaded word: The challenge of defining active assailant protocols in pre-k-12 schools,” in Security magazine that is geared at primary and secondary school safety personnel. She also co-hosted a webinar for Lake Washington School District’s PTSA entitled “Active intruder drills explained: A.L.I.C.E. not in wonderland.”
Bryn Gribben, PhD, Senior Instructor, English, was a creative nonfiction finalist for the 2021 Nashville Review Porch Prize with her essay "What To Save." Her essay "We Are Devo" is in the forthcoming issue of Carcosa magazine; and Other Words Press, an all-female independent press, has offered her a book contract for her larger manuscript on music and identity, “Amplified Heart: An Emotional Discography,” from which both essays come. Additionally, Bryn's poem "Slantwise View of Simeon Solomon" was published in the spring 2021 issue of The Festival Review, and she has three poems coming out in the June issue of Tofu Ink Arts. She and Rick MacKenzie also got officially engaged.
Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs, PhD, Professor, Modern Languages and Cultures and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, collaborated with her husband, Eric Muhs, on a project for the Wayward Music Series, which includes her poetry. From his description: "Coast to Coast" is a new long-form sound collage I assembled from recordings made along my recent 10,000 mile road trip from Seattle to LA to Florida to Delaware to Kansas to Seattle. My heart's odometer recorded more than one personal catastrophic loss along the way. But the journey had enormous wins, too: several besties I might never have seen again after a year of pandemic, still alive and kicking.” Listen to it here.
Jacqueline Helfgott, PhD, Professor, Criminal Justice and Director, Crime & Justice Research Center, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal op-ed, “Seattle Residents: Fund the Police.” The annual public safety survey report was also covered by Seattle City Council Insight.
Matt Hickman, PhD, Chair, Criminal Justice, was quoted by CNN for the story, “There's a database whose mission is to stop problematic police officers from hopping between departments. But many agencies don't know it exists.”
Audrey Hudgins, EdD, Associate Clinical Professor, Matteo Ricci Institute, with students Jen Menjivar and Rowyn Henning, collaborated with the Archdiocese of Seattle on a continuation of the Community-based Participatory Action Research (CBPR) project this academic year. Published in April 2021, the report, titled “The Catholic Church and the Immigrant: Mapping and Assessing Expressions of Solidarity in Western Washington – Phase II” documents the work being done by the Archdiocese in support of immigrant communities in Western Washington. The report was also presented to the Archdiocese’s Immigrant and Refugee Ministry Discernment Committee in early May 2021.
Nalini Iyer, PhD, Professor, English and Associate Appointment, Asian Studies Program and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies has an advance contract for her book Teaching Anglophone South Asian Diasporic Literature (co-edited with Pallavi Rastogi, LSU). The book will be published by the MLA in their Options for Teaching Series and is scheduled for publication in 2023.
Sonora Jha, PhD, Professor, Communication and Media and Associate Dean for Academic Community, College of Arts and Sciences, received another rave review of her book on The Wire, " 'How To Raise a Feminist Son' Is a Poignant and Timely Book." The book was also included on Seattle Met's "Big Reading List."
Rosa Joshi, MFA, Chair, Performing Arts and Arts Leadership, was a speaker on Shakespeare Hour LIVE!, a weekly panel produced by The Shakespeare Theatre Company in D.C. discussing Shakespeare’s iconic character, Falstaff.
Sofia Locklear, PhD, Instructor, Sociology and BA, Sociology 2014, successfully defended her dissertation, “ White Identity and American Indian and Alaska Native Culture in the Pacific Northwest,” with distinction at the University of New Mexico. Sofia has accepted a tenure track faculty position at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Jodi O'Brien served on her dissertation committee.
Kira Mauseth, PhD, Senior Instructor, Psychology, appeared on KUOW’s The Record, in “The Pros and Cons of Returning to Normal.”
Jodi O'Brien, PhD, Professor, Sociology and Associate Appointment, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, published a chapter titled, "Making Sense of Queer Christian Lives," in Interpreting Religion: Making Sense of Religious Lives, edited by Erin Johnston and Vikash Singh, Bristol University Press.
Christopher A. Paul, PhD, Professor, Communication and Media, gave a talk to Microsoft’s Women in Games group on June 8.
Erica Rauff, PhD, Assistant Professor. Kinesiology published an article with former undergraduate student, Carolyn van der Meulen in the Journal of American College Health. The article is titled "First-year undergraduate students: depressed, distressed, and drained? Influence of depressive symptoms on markers of psychological well-being, sleep, and physical activity.
Mary-Antoinette Smith, PhD, Professor, English and Rev. Louis Gaffney Endowed Chair of the College of Arts and Sciences (2018-2020), was on a panel for "Just Universities: Catholic Social Teaching Confronts Corporatized Higher Education,” discussing Gerald J. Beyer’s new book, Just Universities: Catholic Social Teaching Confronts Corporatized Higher Education.
Ruchika Tulshyan, MS, Distinguished Professional-in-Residence, Communication and Media, published “‘You’ve Lost Your Sparkle’: What to Do When Burnout Hits,” a conversation with Dr. Yumiko Kadota, a surgeon in Sydney, and the author of “Emotional Female,” on stress, burnout and toxic work environments. She also presented “Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome” with Jodi-Ann Burey.
Marie R. Wong, PhD, Professor Emerita, Urban Planning, Asian American Studies, and Institute of Public Service, published “Affordable housing lessons from America’s Chinatowns” in Interact, the publication of the American Planning Association.
Zachary D Wood, PhD, Assistant Professor, Institute of Pubic Service, was recently named to the Board of Directors at The Mockingbird Society. The Mockingbird Society’s mission is to transform foster care and end youth homelessness. Working in partnership with young people who’ve lived through the systems we’re transforming, we change policies, perceptions, and practices that stand in between any young person and a safe, supportive, stable home.
DeWayne Andrews, Jr., Humanities and Political Science, 2009, performs in the Seattle Opera Chorus and was featured in a Seattle Opera Facebook post during Asian American and Pacific Islander month.
Derrick Belgarde, Public Affairs, 2013 and MPA, 2015, is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon, and also Chippewa-Cree from Rocky Boy Montana. Derrick was recently selected Executive Director of chief Seattle Club, an organization dedicated to providing food, health care, and housing assistance to urban Native people. Derrick has been with Chief Seattle Club for over six years where he has been instrumental in developing the organization’s first housing project, Eagle Village, and building an approach to provide shelter and permanent housing for Natives. Chief Seattle Club has two buildings in the works and is trying for a third as, under Derrick’s leadership, they work toward a world without Native homelessness.
Tyrone Brown, MFA, 2010, is featured in the South Seattle Emerald article, ”Where Art And Activism Meet.”
Peter Diedrick, MPA, 2009, presented “The Legislative Year in Review” to the Pierce County School Retirees Association. Peter currently serves as the Legislative Director for the Washington State School Retirees Association based in Lacey, Washington.
Tiffany Harris, Communication Studies, 2008, is the Chief Program Officer for Moishe House.
Malcolm Hightower, Psychology, 1998 and MPA, 2001, was named director of the Residential Utility Consumer Office in Arizona.
2021 Student and Departmental Awards: visit the online gallery.
Red Night Out Student Awards: A&S Recipients
Hunthausen Award and Student Led Initiative Award
Distinguished Grad Awards
Mission Award – Faith
Mission Award – Diversity
Mission Award – Academic Excellence
Spirit of SU
Other Student News
Graduating Nonprofit and Fundraising Leadership students Stephanie Velasco, Brandon Frost, Tess Honan, Camille Rosetty, and Taylor Coats are among the newest class of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC) Nu Lambda Mu Honor Society Inductees.
Rachel Adamek, International Studies, 2021, won a Fulbright scholarship to study in South Korea after graduation.
Kyle Thompson, International Studies sophomore, won a Boren scholarship to study abroad in Taiwan.
Debate Tournament So Big, It was split in two
Seattle University’s Debate Program hosted a middle school debate tournament in May that was so big, we had to split it into two.
Thirty-seven teams competed on Saturday and 82 teams competed on Sunday. Teams from China (Beijing area), Canada (Langley British Columbia area) and throughout the Puget Sound region participated.
Even though the tournament took place all on Zoom, as Jim Hanson, Director of Forensics and Communication Department Instructor noted: “We just could not get enough judges to hold the tournament all in one day so we split the event into two separate tournaments.”
Seattle University debaters helped with judging and hosting duties for the tournaments. Jim Hanson directed the tournaments.
The event went well and participants commented on how well run the tournament was. Debaters and coaches were excited to win awards for their successes. Sue Zhong, coach at Aurorae Young Academy, commented: “Thank you for organizing a wonderful online debate tournament. It has been a great success and an amazing international event!”
The Seattle University Debate Program looks forward to hosting tournaments in the coming year including a new tournament for high school programs.
June 13, 1 p.m. (PDT)
The ceremony will be prerecorded and will broadcast online. After the university section (convocation, invocation, Fr. Steve remarks, keynote, student speakers, etc.) there will be a college commencement ceremony. All CAS GR and UG students will have their name called and will have the opportunity to provide a picture and quote that appears when their name is called. Faculty and staff are encouraged to watch the broadcast on June 13 and provide encouragement and congratulations through a social media tab (more details to come) when their students' names are called.
Departments and programs can host their own smaller virtual celebrations as well. If you are planning a virtual celebration specific to your department/program, make sure to check the commencement website to ensure that your event does not conflict with other university-wide commencement related events. Given the ongoing pandemic, there are to be no in-person graduation celebrations this year; there is no way to ensure equitable or safe access to any such gatherings.
Find the most recent Academic Calendar dates here.
Monday, May 6 at 9:00 AM
Wednesday, May 8 at 12:30 PM
Monday, May 13 at 5:00 PM
Tuesday, May 14 at 12:00 PM
The Dean’s Monthly Memo is published the second full week of the month, September through December and February through June. Send your updates at any time to Karen Bystrom.