Message From the President

As Seattle University prepares to welcome new leadership, the mission—and the people who embody it—continue to propel us forward.

First, I’d like to thank everyone for welcoming me into this interim role. I have enjoyed the opportunity to reengage with many of you and get to know others. And I know you will join me in welcoming the 23rd President of Seattle University, Dr. Maura Mast. President-elect Dr. Mast brings to SU a commitment to Jesuit, Catholic education and will be an excellent leader for our university. Read the official announcement about her in The Newsroom and watch for more coverage in the fall magazine.  

As we await Dr. Mast’s arrival on September 1, we are not sitting by idly. Among other priorities, we are continuing to integrate Cornish College of the Arts into our university and to move ahead in developing the Seattle University Museum of Art. We are advancing various initiatives to support student success and transitioning to a university-wide semester-based calendar for fall 2027. And having concluded a positive first year in the West Coast Conference, we are looking forward to supporting our student athletes in the 2026–2027 season. 

We are a university on the move and a university defined and strengthened by our mission. At the heart of our work are the students we serve, the faculty and staff who deliver an excellent Jesuit education and, of course, the alumni who represent us at our best. In this edition of Seattle University Magazine, we put you in touch with some of these extraordinary individuals under the theme of “Be Legendary.”  

Being legendary at SU is not about fame or burnishing one’s standing or credentials. It is about leadership grounded in purpose and compassion, service that transforms communities and excellence that moves the world forward. 

You’ll read about such legends as Joan Baker, who brought the Diagnostic Ultrasound program to SU 50 years ago and Yen-Li Han, chair of Mechanical Engineering, whose research focuses on soft robotics and who holds four U.S. patents. 

Then there's Ifrah Ahmed, a graduate with a new cookbook with recipes highlighting her Somali culture and Monica Nevi, a former SU basketball player who is making a name for herself in comedy. These are just some of the many examples of individuals who are legendary in the lives they are leading and the impact they are making.  

Thank you for participating in the life of our university, supporting our students and being legendary in your own ways. 

Stephen Sundborg, S.J. 
Interim President  

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