Campus Community / People of SU

Honoring the Class of 2020

June 11, 2020

Graphic that reads Seattle U 2020 with photo of graduate in cap and gown holding diploma.

Although Seattle University’s in-person commencement ceremonies have been rescheduled due to COVID-19 restrictions, virtual events organized by various departments across campus will celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s graduating class.

As announced in April, Seattle U has postponed its 2020 Commencement following the overwhelming preference indicated by a survey sent out in March to the graduating class. A Baccalaureate Mass and in-person ceremony will now take place the weekend of October 9–11, 2020. Further details will be shared in the coming months.

“While we are all disappointed about the need for this year’s ceremony to take place a little later than any of us could have imagined, I appreciate your understanding and look forward to celebrating this wonderful moment with you,” Father Stephen Sundborg, S.J., stated in a letter addressed to the members of the graduating class. Watch the virtual 2020 Commencement video.

Individual departments will honor graduates through ongoing virtual events in June. Here are some of the ways we celebrate the Class of 2020:

June 8–12

Athletic Awards Show

Visit Athletic’s social media for more information.

June 11

Albers Awards Ceremony

4 p.m.
Zoom link will be emailed to graduates.

June 12

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarship Days

10 a.m.–4 p.m.
For more information, contact Missy Hancock at mhancock@seattleu.edu.

Criminal Justice Department Celebration

5 p.m.
Zoom link will be emailed to graduates. 

Office of Multicultural Affairs, Lavender Graduation Honoring LGBTQIA+ Students

4–6 p.m.
Visit Connect SU page for more details

  • The Sylvia Rivera Award for Queer Activism: Meilani Mandery
  • The Cari Urabe Scholar-Advocate Award: Seth Alexander
  • Award for Advancing Inclusion in Campus Life: Victoria Carr-Ware
  • The Building Bridges Award for Community Building: Aryon Shahidzadeh

June 13

Office of Multicultural Affairs, Graduating Students of Color Celebration

4–6 p.m.
Visit Connect SU page for more details

  • Bayanihan Award: Hameed Makttoof
  • Poder Award: Peter Hoang
  • Sankofa Award: Dr. Kimberly Harden

2020 Commencement Award Recipients

Albers School of Business and Economics

  • Spirit of Albers: Yue Zhang  
  • Service Award (UG): Macheddie Baker  
  • Volpe Award: Caitlin Hoffman
  • Best Transfer Award: Jiaxi Qu
  • Albers Graduate Student Service Award: Stanley Madjukie 
  • Jerry A. Viscione Academic Achievement Award: Chris Dorling

Center for Student Involvement

Full list of Red Night Out Award recipients

College of Arts and Sciences 

  • Hickey: Brenalee Campbell 
  • LeRoux: Jess Jaunich 
  • Leadership and Professional Engagement: Liliane Kamikazi 
  • Loh: Jonathan Rowe
  • Social Justice: ChrisTiana ObeySumner 

College of Education  

Ignatius Awards 

  • Han-Bee Kim
  • Naomi (Sarah) True

 Spirit of College Award  

  • Maria Elizabet King

College of Nursing 

  • The Sister Mary Ruth Niehoff Award: Suraj Chand
  • Spirit of the College of Nursing: Peter Hoang
  • Nursing Service Award: Kathryn Yuu

Computer Science and Engineering

 John Ju Award Winner: 

  •  Camille Zaug

Rev. Edmund McNulty, S.J., Award Winners: 

  • Samantha Fisher
  • Devin Robichaux

Fostering Scholars Program Spotlight

This year, nine students are preparing to graduate, which is the program’s largest graduating class of scholars. Help Fostering Scholars send words of congratulations and encouragement to the scholars from the class of 2020 by signing a special group e-card, by June 14, that will be shared with this year’s graduates. Sign the card.

  • CJ Chen was named the recipient of the Career Engagement Office’s inaugural Student SHINE Award. After graduation Chen will continue at Seattle U to pursue his Master of Professional Accounting degree.

  • Jenna Abbassi and Luis Sanchez Arias were both accepted into the University of Washington’s Master of Social Work program.

  • Hameed Makttoof was named the recipient of the Bayanihan Award for Community Service and Involvement by the Office of Multicultural Affairs. After graduation, he will pursue his doctorate in Psychology at the University of Illinois.

  • Dan Nadeau, ‘16, will graduate with his Master of Nonprofit Leadership degree this June.

  • Chelsah Ratkowski, ’15, will return to SU to earn her Master of Nonprofit Leadership degree starting this fall.

 University Awards 

  • Provost’s Award for Graduate Student Excellence: Mary Theresa Field 
  • President’s Award: Camille Renee Zaug 
  • Provost’s Award: Stephanie Merwin

Kudoboard

The Center for Student Involvement is coordinating an effort on campus, chartered by Provost Shane P. Martin and overseen by Vice President for Student Development Alvin Sturdivant, called Kudoboard—a digital group greeting card where community members can post a note, photo, GIF or a video to say congratulations to the Seattle U Class of 2020. Everyone is encouraged to participate:

  • Visit Kudoboard and click on “+Add to Board” (underneath “Congrats Seattle University Class of 2020”)

  • You’ll get to a screen that reads “Add a Kudo” where you’re able to write a message and add a photo/video. It will require a name or an e-mail address from you. Note that this is a public site and your contribution may be used broadly (see Terms of Service for details).

  • For more information about Kudoboard, contact Bernie Liang at liangb@seattleu.edu