Orientation for New SPU Students
Orientation at Seattle Pacific is a two-event program. Part one is New Student Advising (NSA), where students complete the online tutorial and online placement tests, then come to campus for advising and registration and the chance to meet returning students. Sign-ups are available for the on-campus event on Friday, August 23.

Part two is Welcome Week from September 26 to 29. A parent program begins with student move-in September 26 and concludes September 27 with New Student Convocation. This formal service initiates and adopts new students into the SPU community. A goodbye reception follows. Sign-ups for Welcome Week begin in August. Please join us!

Teacher of the Year Award
Margaret Brown, associate professor and chair of psychology, has been named winner of the first Patricia M. Bentz Teacher of the Year Award. Brown has taught general psychology, social psychology, and human social behavior lab. She believes "the ideal of the Christian college community is to create a climate of faith and learning" and Brown's goal as a teacher is "to empower students to achieve excellence, and to see the task of learning and life as inextricably intertwined with their faith."

Brown is now SPU's nominee for a prestigious national award administered by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and sponsored by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

This year, SPU changed the name of the SPU award to honor alumna Patricia M. Bentz for her recent generous endowment dedicated to faculty development. Faculty contributions to student learning and transformation can sometimes be overlooked, and Bentz wanted to honor faculty in recognition of their impact on her academic life. After a successful 40-year career in nursing, Bentz decided to attend SPU in its first cohort of students earning a doctorate in education (EdD) in the early 1990s. In fact, the EdD was the University's first doctoral program and 1996 was the first year of its graduates. With a last name starting with "B," Bentz was SPU's first-ever doctoral student hooded at a Seattle Pacific graduation.

Nominees for the SPU Teacher of the Year award were:

College of Arts and Sciences
Andrew Ryder, associate professor of theatre, believes in "the power of education to transform lives."

Michelle Beauclair, associate professor of French, sees her vocation as a means "to prepare students academically, mentally, and spiritually to understand the French language and those who speak it."

Don Holsinger, professor of history, ranks "intellectual guide" as top on his list of teaching styles, and views his vocation at SPU as contributing to the cornerstones of a Christian liberal arts education.

Melanie Plett, professor of electrical engineering, wants her students to begin to "own" the learning process and she "aims to help them to grow into a life centered around Christ."

School of Education
David Denton, assistant professor of graduate teacher education, believes in "distributing (his) activity between teaching, scholarship, and service."

School of Health Sciences
Heidi Monroe, instructor of nursing, believes "teaching and learning are relational experiences" and that "nursing education is at its best when it is collaborative."

School of Theology
Sarah Koenig, assistant professor of biblical studies, paraphrases Eric Liddell from the movie Chariots of Fire, in saying that "God made me a good teacher, and when I teach well, I feel God's pleasure."

School of Business and Economics
Kim Sawers, associate professor of accounting, believes the accounting profession has a greater purpose, a "social good."

Video: Check It Out
Meet Briana Clarke. This engineering and physics major helped start an African dance group on campus.

SPU's Admissions Facebook Page
Seattle Pacific's Admissions Facebook page helps parents stay "in the loop" on campus events and fun behind-the-scenes images, videos, and other posts related to student life. This is also a great way to keep on track of deadlines and Admissions events, and it's helpful for younger siblings, friends, or family members interested in attending SPU.

2013 Outstanding Graduates
Here are just a few examples of the remarkable graduates of 2013:

Diocelina Chavez-Gonzalez will be completing her master's degree in marriage and family therapy. Elissa Barber will be going to Vietnam to teach English. Sam Fullhart was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania law school. Shelby Spear is joining the Peace Corps. Gavin Brand is pursuing a seminary degree to become a U.S. Army chaplain. Christa Pierce is working as author and illustrator of a children's book. Dominique Garcia is pursuing a master's degree in cultural studies at the University of Washington. Lauren Cosgrove will use her global development degree to pursue work in health care overseas. Phillip Mach will begin a management career in fishing operations in Alaska. Ellie Bau will be pursuing a degree in biostatistics. Megan Lindsay will be moving to Finland to play professional soccer.

Summer Socials
Seattle Pacific is hosting a number of Summer Social events in various locations around the Northwest (Seattle/Eastside, Salem, Puyallup), and in Colorado. This August and early September, students and families have a chance to come together and meet others from their area who will be attending SPU this fall. It is a great opportunity for your son or daughter to build connections and hear from current students. Parents will also learn how to get involved with SPU. Check spu.edu/summersocial for dates, locations, and information on how to register.