Celebrating 125 years of Jesuit education and empowering leaders for the greatest good.

A History that inspires our future

Explore some of the milestones that helped shape who we are and who we’ll become in the future.


25 YEARS BACK.

1994 Seattle University acquires the School of Law from the University of Puget Sound. The Northwest’s largest and most diverse law school is housed in Sullivan Hall.
1997 The Chapel of St. Ignatius, the spiritual center of campus, opens. (The chapel celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2017.)
2001 Rudy the Redhawk is unveiled as the university’s new mascot.
2002 A new Student Center opens on campus.
2005 Seattle University became the first university in the nation to host Tent City, a homeless encampment.
2006 The Lee Center for the Arts, a performance and visual arts space, opens. The space is named in honor of Jeanne Marie (McAteer) Lee and Rhoady Lee.
2006 Championship Field is redeveloped.
2007 Teilhard de Chardin Hall is transformed into a learning and living space to accommodate a growing student population.
2010 Lemieux Library, originally built in 1966, is renovated and expanded to include modern amenities and more areas for study and discussion. With the changes came a new name: the Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons.
2015 Students begin studies in the School of New and Continuing Studies.
2015 Women’s soccer beats Washington State 2-1 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
2015 Men's soccer defeats UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
2016 The athletic complex Redhawk Center gets a makeover, from the basketball court to the façade.

25 YEARS FORWARD.

2017 President Stephen Sundborg, S.J., celebrates his 20th anniversary leading Seattle University.
2018 New residence hall slated to open.
2021 Unveiling of a new Center for Science and Innovation.
2041 Seattle University celebrates its 150th anniversary.

Today

125 Stories of Impact

Our People. Our Projects. Our Mission at Work. This is Seattle University. Check back often as we share our story throughout this year of celebration.


#SU125

What people, places, and experiences stand out as unforgettable? How has Seattle University made an impact on you? Read others’ stories and share your own memories using #SU125.


125th Media

Join the celebration. Download our 125th posters or share them with the world. Post, print and spread the word.



Yesterday

A Storied History

From its origins as a parish school on the frontier, Seattle University has a rich 125-year history reflecting the grit and determination of those who built the thriving university we know today.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Stephanie Bower, Architectural Illustrator

Our Vision

Writing a future as storied as our past

We will strengthen our reputation globally as a thriving university of distinction renowned for our innovation, our forward thinking and our ability to provide future scholars with a world-class education, built on moral and ethical principles, that empowers them to become change makers for the greater good.


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Stephanie Bower, Architectural Illustrator

The Center for Science and Innovation—the most ambitious building project in Seattle University history—responds to the urgent need for well-prepared leaders in the fields of engineering, science, mathematics, computer science and software engineering.

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Stephanie Bower, Architectural Illustrator

The CSI will feature 90,000 square feet of cutting edge space for teaching, research and collaboration. Dynamic learning laboratories will allow students to move from lecture to lab to analysis all within a single space. Additionally, large, multi-investigator research labs will nurture faculty-student collaboration and flexible classrooms will accommodate the core science classes required for all Seattle U students.

125th Events

May

13

Saturday, May 13
Xuan Festival
Seattle University’s Vietnamese Student Association(SUVSA) hosts the annual legacy event, Xuân Festival, which translates into Spring festival. This show consists of performances such as: storytelling, song, traditional and modern dance. SUVSA serves Vietnamese cuisine all cooked by students. This event raises funds for the charity of SUVSA’s choice. For more information, contact Julia Lee, lej5@seattleu.edu.
Campion Ballroom

May

23

Thursday, May 23, 5:30pm
125th Anniversary Speaker Series
The Albers Executive Speaker Series invites executives from around the Puget Sound area to speak on a topic of their choice, and then respond to a questions from a selected panel and the audience. The fifth speaker of this installment is Jeff Musser, President & COO, Expeditors International.
Pigott Auditorium

Jun

3

Saturday, June 3, 5:00pm
Red Tie Celebration
The 5th annual Red Tie celebration honors Tom Gorman, ’68 and Janet Hopps Adkisson, ’56, Seattle U tennis champions, who invite fellow sports enthusiasts, alumni, and friends to join them in this exciting, fun program to continue raising funds in support of our student-athletes.
Fairmont Olympic Hotel