SU 2020: A Look Ahead

As we flip the calendar to a new year, not to mention decade, here are five big things the SU community will be engaging with in 2020.

Strategy Becomes Action | All the open forums, the surveys, the feedback. All the voices of faculty, staff, students and stakeholders thoughtfully elicited, represented and synthesized by a steering committee in a process of unprecedented campus engagement. All of this culminates with the launch of a plan for Seattle University to be one of the most innovative and progressive Jesuit and Catholic universities in the world. On Thursday, Jan. 16 at 12:30 p.m. in Pigott Auditorium, we will gather as a university community to mark a new era at SU and officially take up together our strategic directions for 2020-2025. And then we will go forth to implement the foundational and strategic actions and bring our goals and aspirations to life.

The Search for #22 | It seemed so far away when Father Steve announced he would be retiring after the 2020-2021 academic year, but here we are, just 18 months away from the SU’s first presidential transition since 1997. While the decision on who will lead the university ultimately rests with the Board of Trustees, there will be numerous opportunities for the campus community to inform and participate in the process of selecting SU’s 22^nd president. Stay tuned for more information on the search process, which will begin winter quarter.

Supporting Our Students Comprehensively | The public phase of The Campaign for the Uncommon Good is going full bore, raising critical support for a number of student-centered projects and initiatives. One of these, the Center for Science and Innovation, is rising before our very eyes, and a topping out celebration, marking the installation of the last beam, is being planned for this spring. On Feb. 6, all members of the SU community will be invited to support the comprehensive campaign and make an impact in the lives of our students by participating in SU Gives, a 24-hour, online fundraising drive.

Signature Celebrations and Events | 2020 begins with a bang as January will bring not only the aforementioned convocation to launch our strategic directions, but also the 50^th anniversary celebration for Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA). February features the always popular International Dinner, a veritable feast and celebration of our connections as a global family, as well as the deeply impactful student-run Dance Marathon, which supports Seattle Children’s Hospital and families most in need. Looking further ahead, we have the Alumni Awards celebration in April and the Crosscut Festival here on campus in May. And then there’s commencement, as T-Town will be painted Redhawk red when Seattle University celebrates its 2020 graduates in the Tacoma Dome on Sunday, June 14. The day will be particularly special as both undergraduate and graduate students are honored together in one ceremony. Learn more about this momentous occasion at Commencement 2020.

Root, Root, Root for the Redhawks | As our men’s and women’s basketball team enter conference play, there’s plenty of opportunities to head to the Redhawk Center and cheer on our student-athletes. Let’s gooooo!