Alumni Blog

Meet the Artist: Joie Agoo, ’24, Bachelor of Arts in Design

Since 2022, the Office of Alumni Engagement has commissioned a graduating senior to design a Seattle University-inspired piece as a gift to the graduating class on commencement day.  

This year, Joie used graphic illustration to create an image of students studying outside the Lemieux Library. 2,000 copies of Joie’s art were printed and rolled into scrolls handed to graduates before crossing the stage at Climate Pledge Arena.

“It was an honor being able to share my design with the Class of 2024, and now that we’re all going our separate ways it’s nice to think that I contributed to something that ties us all together,” says Joie. “My favorite part of designing the scroll was including my friends and I!” 

Joie’s passion for turning abstract ideas into reality through graphic design drove her to major in Design. She was excited that she could turn her interest in art and visual communication into a career.  

While a student, Joie jumped at many opportunities to showcase her design skills and gain career experience. She was the Co-Director of the 2024 Student Design Exhibition, NOVA, and worked as a graphic designer for the Albers Dean’s Office and MOSAIC Center at Seattle University.  

“SU gave me several opportunities to learn, practice, and present my work as a graphic designer,” Joie says. “Doing various projects for class allowed me to push my creative limits and learn more than I ever could’ve alone. It provided me with a strong foundation to enter the workforce as a confident designer.” 

Outside of academics, Joie found her community in Re-Mixed, the Multi-racial/Multi-ethnic Student Association. The friends and connections made in this community will last well beyond graduation and made her senior year unforgettable. 

After graduating, Joie is interning at the Port of Seattle as an Aviation Visual Communications Intern, and then plans to travel before starting her full-time career in graphic design. 

Congratulations, Joie, and thank you for sharing your art with us! 

To the alumni community, 

I write to share a bittersweet update from the Office of Alumni Engagement. De’Andre Jones,  M.Ed. ’18, our amazing Director of Alumni Engagement, will be leaving his role effective May 1. He will be transitioning to the Charles Wright Academy (CWA) located in University Place, Washington to serve as the Director of Development.

De’Andre has been an integral part of Seattle University for eight years, beginning in 2016 when he moved to Seattle from Menomonie, Wisconsin to begin the Student Development Administration program. De’Andre has worked in several departments at SU, concluding with his current role leading the Alumni Engagement team for the past two and a half years. His leadership was crucial as we transitioned out of the pandemic and established new and successful traditions for the SU Alumni Community. 

De’Andre’s exceptional work has been seen and felt by the Seattle University community for quite a while now, but we’re not the only ones to notice. De’Andre was recently honored with the 2024 Mena Valdez Outstanding Mid-Level Professional Award, an honor given to an outstanding professional in student affairs and services with at least five years of full-time experience in the field. 

From De’Andre: 

“From the recruitment and hiring of a brand-new engagement team, the re-imagining of an entire alumni engagement program, increasing brand visibility and shifting the campus’s culture around student and alumni engagement amongst colleagues and stakeholders, I can look back and be incredibly proud of my time here. I am looking forward to this next chapter but what I will miss the most are the colleagues, students, and alumni who made my SU experience so impactful.” 

We are sad to see De’Andre go but know he will shine brightly in his new position, and we thank him for his years of dedication to our alumni community. For those who would like to share words of farewell, congratulations or fond memories, we’ve set up an online board here. 

As we continue to build relationships and grow alumni engagement in meaningful ways, we warmly encourage applications for the Director of Alumni Engagement which will be posted shortly here. If you or someone you know would be a good fit, we encourage you to apply or reach out to the alumni office at alumni@seattleu.edu.  

Sincerely, 

Ellen Whitlock Baker 
Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement