Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
With classes beginning today, I want to welcome you to the start of a special academic year at Seattle University. This year we mark together the 125th anniversary of our founding as a Jesuit institution in Seattle. It is an occasion that calls for celebration and I invite you to join me in doing so.
Our first opportunity to mark this meaningful moment in our shared history is at 10:30 a.m. next Thursday, Sept. 29, at Immaculate Conception Church (18th and E. Marion) as we gather for the Mass of the Holy Spirit. We hold this Mass at the start of each year in order to ask for God’s blessings on our academic endeavors. This year’s celebration will have added significance as we reflect upon 125 years of incredible accomplishment and resilience and look ahead with renewed vision and vigor to all that is possible in the next quarter century and beyond. The Mass of the Holy Spirit is open to all and I sincerely hope each and every one of you will join us. Whether or not you can be present at the Mass, be sure to attend the SU 125th Kickoff immediately afterward, starting at 11:30 a.m. on the Union Green. A barbecue lunch will be served and we will be treated to live entertainment featuring The Flavr Blue. Classes between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. are cancelled so that the campus community can participate in the festivities.
The Mass and 125th Kickoff are just the beginning of an academic year in which we will reflect, celebrate and dream. As I have shared at other times recently, I consider our 125th anniversary a bridge between a rich and proud heritage and a future in which our Jesuit education and values will further enrich our city and world. You have all had a hand in making this institution all that it is today and we will journey forth together to lead Seattle University toward a future of even greater impact.
For more information on the yearlong celebration, visit 125th Anniversary. Happy anniversary and, again, I hope to see you all next Thursday.
Sincerely,
Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J.
President