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“Go forth and set the world on fire.” –St. Ignatius of Loyola
Help ignite the next round of imagination. www.seattleu.edu/education
C O L L E G E OF E D U CAT I O N
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BUILDING PROGRAMS
“We are working to change the future these students see for themselves.” Charisse Cowan Pitre Professor, Master in Teaching
$4,000 Laptops for 12 MCHS students
THE SPARK OF INSPIRATION
MESSAGE FROM DEAN DEANNA SANDS
In our inaugural issue of SPARK, you’ll find stories that illuminate how we are taking learning and leadership beyond the boundaries of the traditional classroom. These stories are rooted in the four key areas outlined in our College of Education strategic plan: enhancing and building programs, intensifying our research and scholarship, deepening our community engagement, and increasing our understanding and involvement in global engagement and experiences. We’ll dig in the dirt at a Bellingham care farm where our professors are measuring the effects of farming on the wellbeing of veterans. We’ll visit the alternative high school housed alongside our college in Loyola Hall, where educators, graduate students and high school students teach and inspire one another. We’ll travel to Nicaragua, where our faculty collaborate on community projects in rural villages and work on a service learning program with Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), Seattle University’s sister university. And we’ll talk to educators working at nearby Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, where we’re working to support and improve the school’s ability to meet the needs of its diverse student population and enhance opportunities for our school counseling students. Each example of research, community engagement, building programs and global engagement on these pages started as a spark of inspiration. These sparks were fueled by the generosity of our College of Education donors. We invite you to learn more and help ignite the next round of imagination.
YOUTH@PROMISE
T
ucked away on the first floor of SU’s Loyola Hall, Middle College High School students are doing something very important: succeeding. This innovative high school, a joint effort of Seattle U and Seattle Public Schools, serves what Master in Teaching Professor Charisse Cowan Pitre calls “youth at promise.” MCHS students face a variety of challenges. “Our students have not been successful in traditional classrooms, and some have been labeled as failures,” says Cowan Pitre. “Here they’re studying in a college setting and are being challenged with support. Our students have aspirations for post-secondary education and develop concrete post-high school plans.” The Middle College model, which engages a variety of College of Education faculty and graduate students in a program that supports curriculum and instruction, clearly makes a difference for the students. “Students navigate a small group of peers instead of 350 or more. They work with two teachers, rather than six,” says Cowan Pitre. “They’re able to build trust, develop relationships and garner the supports and resources they need to succeed. Students rise to the
Above: Wilson Chin, ‘15 MIT, participated in service learning at MCHS.
occasion in a place where there is a deep belief in students, strong positive relationships, and meaningful learning with support.” At MCHS, academic work includes plenty of project-based learning. “Experiential learning is empowering for these students,” says MCHS math and science teacher Kristina McCormick, ’12 MIT. “They want to do work that has a meaningful outcome and they’re not shy about calling out any activity that doesn’t have a purpose.” SU faculty and students assist in MCHS classrooms and the Middle College students visit a variety of SU classes. Both groups benefit from the interaction. “Most of the Middle College students come from a different background than the average student,” says McCormick. “They bring an interesting perspective to the table when they are engaging in class discussions.” Cowan Pitre adds, “A large part of what we do is focused on helping the students develop and share their voices around social justice issues. Educational inequities, especially along lines of race and culture, is a topic that resonates deeply.” Financial literacy, street law and ‘Perceptions of Freedom 150 Years After the Emancipation Proclamation’ are some of the courses SU has brought to the MCHS classroom. The youth have engaged in Socratic seminar discussions with Master in Teaching candidates on such
topics as anti-bias education, white privilege and strategies to increase access to high-quality education for all students. They have also served as expert panelists in courses for school counseling and school psychology students, sharing openly some of the obstacles many students face: struggles with anxiety, depression and trauma. McCormick describes how service learning—a graduation requirement for Seattle Public Schools—connects MCHS students to the world beyond the classroom. Group internship days have engaged MCHS students in an education policy network, The Seattle Times Education Lab and the Seattle Women’s Commission’s work on gender pay inequality. “We are fortunate to journey with each student as they discover or re-envision what education means to them,” Cowan Pitre says. “Our MCHS students are rewriting the script every day on this new educational path, one that leads to high school graduation, post-secondary education, meaningful careers and extraordinary futures the students now see for themselves. “Middle College High School students are not ‘at-risk.’ Rather, they are students ‘at great promise.’”
BUILDING PROGRAMS
“We are working to change the future these students see for themselves.” Charisse Cowan Pitre Professor, Master in Teaching
$4,000 Laptops for 12 MCHS students
THE SPARK OF INSPIRATION
MESSAGE FROM DEAN DEANNA SANDS
In our inaugural issue of SPARK, you’ll find stories that illuminate how we are taking learning and leadership beyond the boundaries of the traditional classroom. These stories are rooted in the four key areas outlined in our College of Education strategic plan: enhancing and building programs, intensifying our research and scholarship, deepening our community engagement, and increasing our understanding and involvement in global engagement and experiences. We’ll dig in the dirt at a Bellingham care farm where our professors are measuring the effects of farming on the wellbeing of veterans. We’ll visit the alternative high school housed alongside our college in Loyola Hall, where educators, graduate students and high school students teach and inspire one another. We’ll travel to Nicaragua, where our faculty collaborate on community projects in rural villages and work on a service learning program with Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), Seattle University’s sister university. And we’ll talk to educators working at nearby Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, where we’re working to support and improve the school’s ability to meet the needs of its diverse student population and enhance opportunities for our school counseling students. Each example of research, community engagement, building programs and global engagement on these pages started as a spark of inspiration. These sparks were fueled by the generosity of our College of Education donors. We invite you to learn more and help ignite the next round of imagination.
YOUTH@PROMISE
T
ucked away on the first floor of SU’s Loyola Hall, Middle College High School students are doing something very important: succeeding. This innovative high school, a joint effort of Seattle U and Seattle Public Schools, serves what Master in Teaching Professor Charisse Cowan Pitre calls “youth at promise.” MCHS students face a variety of challenges. “Our students have not been successful in traditional classrooms, and some have been labeled as failures,” says Cowan Pitre. “Here they’re studying in a college setting and are being challenged with support. Our students have aspirations for post-secondary education and develop concrete post-high school plans.” The Middle College model, which engages a variety of College of Education faculty and graduate students in a program that supports curriculum and instruction, clearly makes a difference for the students. “Students navigate a small group of peers instead of 350 or more. They work with two teachers, rather than six,” says Cowan Pitre. “They’re able to build trust, develop relationships and garner the supports and resources they need to succeed. Students rise to the
Above: Wilson Chin, ‘15 MIT, participated in service learning at MCHS.
occasion in a place where there is a deep belief in students, strong positive relationships, and meaningful learning with support.” At MCHS, academic work includes plenty of project-based learning. “Experiential learning is empowering for these students,” says MCHS math and science teacher Kristina McCormick, ’12 MIT. “They want to do work that has a meaningful outcome and they’re not shy about calling out any activity that doesn’t have a purpose.” SU faculty and students assist in MCHS classrooms and the Middle College students visit a variety of SU classes. Both groups benefit from the interaction. “Most of the Middle College students come from a different background than the average student,” says McCormick. “They bring an interesting perspective to the table when they are engaging in class discussions.” Cowan Pitre adds, “A large part of what we do is focused on helping the students develop and share their voices around social justice issues. Educational inequities, especially along lines of race and culture, is a topic that resonates deeply.” Financial literacy, street law and ‘Perceptions of Freedom 150 Years After the Emancipation Proclamation’ are some of the courses SU has brought to the MCHS classroom. The youth have engaged in Socratic seminar discussions with Master in Teaching candidates on such
topics as anti-bias education, white privilege and strategies to increase access to high-quality education for all students. They have also served as expert panelists in courses for school counseling and school psychology students, sharing openly some of the obstacles many students face: struggles with anxiety, depression and trauma. McCormick describes how service learning—a graduation requirement for Seattle Public Schools—connects MCHS students to the world beyond the classroom. Group internship days have engaged MCHS students in an education policy network, The Seattle Times Education Lab and the Seattle Women’s Commission’s work on gender pay inequality. “We are fortunate to journey with each student as they discover or re-envision what education means to them,” Cowan Pitre says. “Our MCHS students are rewriting the script every day on this new educational path, one that leads to high school graduation, post-secondary education, meaningful careers and extraordinary futures the students now see for themselves. “Middle College High School students are not ‘at-risk.’ Rather, they are students ‘at great promise.’”
RESEARCH
Loneliness -‐ 295
Mobile app for gathering data
Scores (0-‐15)
$3,000
15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 101 105 Days
Participant 295: Phase A (M=12), Phase B (M=9.24), Δ=-‐23%
CULTIVATING HEALTH \
O
n a small farm near Bellingham, Washington, veterans are growing crops and healing their spirits. College of Education professors Arie Greenleaf and Kevin Roessger are using smartphone technology to examine how farming affects the veterans’ psychological and social wellbeing. As the first summer of research comes to an end, preliminary results show dirt therapy can make a difference. Assistant Professor Arie Greenleaf (Counseling), who served in the Marine Corps Reserves, is concerned with the issues veterans face when they return from combat. Many struggle with PTSD, depression and isolation. But for a variety of reasons, many veterans do not seek or receive traditional therapy. Through his interest in nature-based counseling, Greenleaf learned about European “care farms” where vulnerable populations do farm work and experience mental and physical healing. “This successful therapeutic model has been wellresearched in Europe and is mainstreamed there,” says Greenleaf. In the U.S. there are only a handful of care farms. One of them, Growing Veterans, is located a few hours north of Seattle University in Lynden, Wash. Growing Veterans is the three-acre brainchild of Chris Brown, a Marine Corps veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The program is a combination of veteran reintegration and sustainable agriculture where veterans of all ages and all wars grow 30 varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Score (0-‐15)
Loneliness -‐ 717
Care Farms for Veterans
“The farm is a catalyst for a lot of positive things,” says Brown. These are taking place on the health front, by being outside and being around people. “It’s also about being part of something that is greater than yourself,” he adds. Greenleaf says farming acts as a kind of loose group therapy. “The veterans are working with people who have had similar experiences. They’re talking. They’re farming together. They have the space they need to heal.” Last summer, Greenleaf and his colleague Assistant Professor Kevin Roessger (Adult Education and Training) approached Brown about studying the effect of farming on the veterans’ wellbeing. Brown, who is looking for empirical research to confirm the veterans’ experiences, was enthusiastic. The two professors discussed a study design that would measure certain symptoms and emotions the moment the veteran was experiencing those feelings. The challenge appealed to Roessger, who says he is always looking for ways to use technology in research. “Measuring responses when looking back over time is problematic,” Roessger says. “This was a perfect time to use an electronic device to tap into how the vets were feeling in the moment and look at those measurements over a period of time. We decided to use a smartphone app for data collection.” Greenleaf and Roessger chose a single subject study design used in behavioral economics and the pharmaceutical industry. They use a smartphone app from
Above: Assistant Professors Kevin Roessger (left) and Arie Greenleaf (right) at Growing Veterans with Director Chris Brown.
MetricWire to collect data in three areas: depression and PTSD symptoms, sense of wellbeing and social isolation and time spent outdoors. Study participants commit to working on the farm once a week for eight weeks. The first of three 20-minute surveys establishes a baseline and daily one-minute surveys at random times continue tracking the participants’ symptoms and perceived wellbeing for the eight weeks. Preliminary results from the first two veterans with average levels of PTSD and depression who completed the eight-week study show significant improvements in current wellbeing, future wellbeing and loneliness scores. Greenleaf and Roessger are particularly excited about the improvements in loneliness, or social connectedness, which is one of the most important variables for overall wellbeing. “The fact that the participants are veterans, who as a population have struggled greatly with social isolation and lack of support, means this finding is quite important,” says Greenleaf. Participant 717 shows loneliness decreasing 7.6 percent from the baseline numbers reported before working at Growing Veterans, while Participant 295 shows an 23 percent drop in loneliness after eight weeks of working at the care farm. This data will help as the professors apply for grants to fund a wider study. And it will also give Brown the information he needs to help more veterans experience the potential healing of care farms.
15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 101 105 Days
Participant 717: Phase A (M=10.56), Phase B (M=9.75), Δ=-‐7.6%
daily prompt Imagine a ladder with steps numbered from zero at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top represents the best possible life for you and the bottom represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder do you feel you stand at this time?
best possible life
worst possible life
The score for loneliness is one of the most important indicators for overall wellbeing.
RESEARCH
Loneliness -‐ 295
Mobile app for gathering data
Scores (0-‐15)
$3,000
15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 101 105 Days
Participant 295: Phase A (M=12), Phase B (M=9.24), Δ=-‐23%
CULTIVATING HEALTH \
O
n a small farm near Bellingham, Washington, veterans are growing crops and healing their spirits. College of Education professors Arie Greenleaf and Kevin Roessger are using smartphone technology to examine how farming affects the veterans’ psychological and social wellbeing. As the first summer of research comes to an end, preliminary results show dirt therapy can make a difference. Assistant Professor Arie Greenleaf (Counseling), who served in the Marine Corps Reserves, is concerned with the issues veterans face when they return from combat. Many struggle with PTSD, depression and isolation. But for a variety of reasons, many veterans do not seek or receive traditional therapy. Through his interest in nature-based counseling, Greenleaf learned about European “care farms” where vulnerable populations do farm work and experience mental and physical healing. “This successful therapeutic model has been wellresearched in Europe and is mainstreamed there,” says Greenleaf. In the U.S. there are only a handful of care farms. One of them, Growing Veterans, is located a few hours north of Seattle University in Lynden, Wash. Growing Veterans is the three-acre brainchild of Chris Brown, a Marine Corps veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The program is a combination of veteran reintegration and sustainable agriculture where veterans of all ages and all wars grow 30 varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Score (0-‐15)
Loneliness -‐ 717
Care Farms for Veterans
“The farm is a catalyst for a lot of positive things,” says Brown. These are taking place on the health front, by being outside and being around people. “It’s also about being part of something that is greater than yourself,” he adds. Greenleaf says farming acts as a kind of loose group therapy. “The veterans are working with people who have had similar experiences. They’re talking. They’re farming together. They have the space they need to heal.” Last summer, Greenleaf and his colleague Assistant Professor Kevin Roessger (Adult Education and Training) approached Brown about studying the effect of farming on the veterans’ wellbeing. Brown, who is looking for empirical research to confirm the veterans’ experiences, was enthusiastic. The two professors discussed a study design that would measure certain symptoms and emotions the moment the veteran was experiencing those feelings. The challenge appealed to Roessger, who says he is always looking for ways to use technology in research. “Measuring responses when looking back over time is problematic,” Roessger says. “This was a perfect time to use an electronic device to tap into how the vets were feeling in the moment and look at those measurements over a period of time. We decided to use a smartphone app for data collection.” Greenleaf and Roessger chose a single subject study design used in behavioral economics and the pharmaceutical industry. They use a smartphone app from
Above: Assistant Professors Kevin Roessger (left) and Arie Greenleaf (right) at Growing Veterans with Director Chris Brown.
MetricWire to collect data in three areas: depression and PTSD symptoms, sense of wellbeing and social isolation and time spent outdoors. Study participants commit to working on the farm once a week for eight weeks. The first of three 20-minute surveys establishes a baseline and daily one-minute surveys at random times continue tracking the participants’ symptoms and perceived wellbeing for the eight weeks. Preliminary results from the first two veterans with average levels of PTSD and depression who completed the eight-week study show significant improvements in current wellbeing, future wellbeing and loneliness scores. Greenleaf and Roessger are particularly excited about the improvements in loneliness, or social connectedness, which is one of the most important variables for overall wellbeing. “The fact that the participants are veterans, who as a population have struggled greatly with social isolation and lack of support, means this finding is quite important,” says Greenleaf. Participant 717 shows loneliness decreasing 7.6 percent from the baseline numbers reported before working at Growing Veterans, while Participant 295 shows an 23 percent drop in loneliness after eight weeks of working at the care farm. This data will help as the professors apply for grants to fund a wider study. And it will also give Brown the information he needs to help more veterans experience the potential healing of care farms.
15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 101 105 Days
Participant 717: Phase A (M=10.56), Phase B (M=9.75), Δ=-‐7.6%
daily prompt Imagine a ladder with steps numbered from zero at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top represents the best possible life for you and the bottom represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder do you feel you stand at this time?
best possible life
worst possible life
The score for loneliness is one of the most important indicators for overall wellbeing.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT “At a high-need school, the counselor needs to be present full time in order to make an impact.” Bill O’Connell Associate Professor, Counseling
$50,000 Expand counselor’s hours and internship program
Strengthening Families
Seattle University Youth Initiative
To fulfill their service learning requirement, students in Assistant Professor Kristi Lee’s counseling classes work with the Strengthening Families programs at Bailey Gatzert Elementary and Washington Middle School. School Psychology Professor Emerita Kay Beisse introduced this evidence-based family intervention program for families with adolescents to the college.
The Seattle University Youth Initiative (SUYI) vision is to significantly transform Seattle University and the Bailey Gatzert neighborhood and become a national model of campus-community engagement. To accomplish this, SUYI engages the expertise, wisdom and leadership of dozens of school, community, resident and youth leaders.
“Early adolescence is a vulnerable developmental stage,” notes Beisse. “The program brings parents and youth together to learn skills that help them bond better as a family and set healthy goals.” Families in the 7-week program meet in small groups to learn complementary age-appropriate skills.
In 2012, the White House honored Seattle University with one of only five Presidential Awards for community service, the highest recognition by the federal government to a college or university for its civic engagement, service learning and volunteerism. In 2013, the White House again recognized Seattle University with a “service distinction,” which is given to only 100 institutions.
Parents who have successfully completed the Strengthening Families Program are trained as facilitators and help bridge the gap between the curriculum and the cultural needs of our community’s diverse families. Students in Lee’s classes help train parent facilitators, gather feedback and analyze the data in order to evaluate the curriculum for cultural sensitivity.
HIGH NEED. HIGH IMPACT
A
t the heart of the Seattle University Youth Initiative is Bailey Gatzert Elementary, located just a few blocks from the SU campus. Gatzert’s 375 students come from 25 cultures and language groups. Sixty students are technically homeless and more than 92 percent live at or below the poverty level. “Our students are grappling with big issues at a very early age,” says Principal Greg Imel. “They might be living in transitional housing, coping with abuse or other trauma, or experiencing our culture for the first time. These things are obstacles to learning. A school counselor can provide social and emotional support for both the students and their families.” But until this year, Gatzert did not have funding for a full-time counselor. Thanks to a generous gift from Jim Sinegal to the College of Education and SUYI, Seattle U has been able to help bring the counselor position up to full time. That means that last year, counselor Said Ahmed has been onsite at Gatzert every day, working tirelessly on behalf of students and their families. “At a high-need school, the counselor needs to be present full time in order to make an impact,” says Associate Professor Bill O’Connell (Counseling). “To be effective, school counselors have to respond quickly. They may apply social-emotional learning theory to help prevent behavior that is problematic in the classroom.”
In order to stay abreast of the many challenges that exist within Gatzert’s diverse population, Ahmed meets weekly with a team that includes a head teacher, a family support worker and a healthcare worker. “We discuss all 375 kids once a week,” says Ahmed. “Many of our students are delayed academically, socially and emotionally. It’s important for us to look at all possible reasons for conduct issues. We ask: Where are the hot spots? What are the issues? Who is following up? We assign a case manager to families, which helps them build trust.” “Said is an extraordinary counselor,” says Imel. “You can never find him in his office. He’s in classrooms with the kids. He’s in the lunchroom, on the playground and in the halls. The children know they can go to him for help. He checks in with teachers and they feel cared for. We’re seeing the benefit of that, too.” The presence of a full-time counselor at Gatzert also benefits College of Education counseling students. Under Ahmed’s supervision, interns assume counseling duties, increasing the capacity of the school counseling office. “Each of them will have a caseload, a set of kids we think will be good for them to work with,” says Ahmed.
Is having a full-time counselor on staff making a difference at Gatzert? Imel notes that last year, only 24 percent of the students had more than five unexcused absences, down from 45 percent the previous year. The College of Education plans to incorporate an evidence-based study to demonstrate that the presence of full-time counseling makes a difference in the lives of students. Says O’Connell, “In addition to looking at the quality of the program, we will look at how the Gatzert students are responding and how well we’re doing in terms of preparing our students to work in that unique environment.” Imel is pleased with the growing relationship. “This collaboration forms a natural bridge,” he says. “We offer a point of entry for SU students to experience counseling in a high-need elementary school. And we’re excited about getting their fresh ideas and the best practices they’re learning.” For Ahmed and Imel, as well as for the students and their families, the value of a full-time counselor is clear. “We believe we have the dream team,” says Imel. “Most of the people in the building choose to be here and value social justice. It’s a natural fit as far as the partnership with Seattle U.” Right: Counselor Said Ahmed with a Bailey Gatzert student.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT “At a high-need school, the counselor needs to be present full time in order to make an impact.” Bill O’Connell Associate Professor, Counseling
$50,000 Expand counselor’s hours and internship program
Strengthening Families
Seattle University Youth Initiative
To fulfill their service learning requirement, students in Assistant Professor Kristi Lee’s counseling classes work with the Strengthening Families programs at Bailey Gatzert Elementary and Washington Middle School. School Psychology Professor Emerita Kay Beisse introduced this evidence-based family intervention program for families with adolescents to the college.
The Seattle University Youth Initiative (SUYI) vision is to significantly transform Seattle University and the Bailey Gatzert neighborhood and become a national model of campus-community engagement. To accomplish this, SUYI engages the expertise, wisdom and leadership of dozens of school, community, resident and youth leaders.
“Early adolescence is a vulnerable developmental stage,” notes Beisse. “The program brings parents and youth together to learn skills that help them bond better as a family and set healthy goals.” Families in the 7-week program meet in small groups to learn complementary age-appropriate skills.
In 2012, the White House honored Seattle University with one of only five Presidential Awards for community service, the highest recognition by the federal government to a college or university for its civic engagement, service learning and volunteerism. In 2013, the White House again recognized Seattle University with a “service distinction,” which is given to only 100 institutions.
Parents who have successfully completed the Strengthening Families Program are trained as facilitators and help bridge the gap between the curriculum and the cultural needs of our community’s diverse families. Students in Lee’s classes help train parent facilitators, gather feedback and analyze the data in order to evaluate the curriculum for cultural sensitivity.
HIGH NEED. HIGH IMPACT
A
t the heart of the Seattle University Youth Initiative is Bailey Gatzert Elementary, located just a few blocks from the SU campus. Gatzert’s 375 students come from 25 cultures and language groups. Sixty students are technically homeless and more than 92 percent live at or below the poverty level. “Our students are grappling with big issues at a very early age,” says Principal Greg Imel. “They might be living in transitional housing, coping with abuse or other trauma, or experiencing our culture for the first time. These things are obstacles to learning. A school counselor can provide social and emotional support for both the students and their families.” But until this year, Gatzert did not have funding for a full-time counselor. Thanks to a generous gift from Jim Sinegal to the College of Education and SUYI, Seattle U has been able to help bring the counselor position up to full time. That means that last year, counselor Said Ahmed has been onsite at Gatzert every day, working tirelessly on behalf of students and their families. “At a high-need school, the counselor needs to be present full time in order to make an impact,” says Associate Professor Bill O’Connell (Counseling). “To be effective, school counselors have to respond quickly. They may apply social-emotional learning theory to help prevent behavior that is problematic in the classroom.”
In order to stay abreast of the many challenges that exist within Gatzert’s diverse population, Ahmed meets weekly with a team that includes a head teacher, a family support worker and a healthcare worker. “We discuss all 375 kids once a week,” says Ahmed. “Many of our students are delayed academically, socially and emotionally. It’s important for us to look at all possible reasons for conduct issues. We ask: Where are the hot spots? What are the issues? Who is following up? We assign a case manager to families, which helps them build trust.” “Said is an extraordinary counselor,” says Imel. “You can never find him in his office. He’s in classrooms with the kids. He’s in the lunchroom, on the playground and in the halls. The children know they can go to him for help. He checks in with teachers and they feel cared for. We’re seeing the benefit of that, too.” The presence of a full-time counselor at Gatzert also benefits College of Education counseling students. Under Ahmed’s supervision, interns assume counseling duties, increasing the capacity of the school counseling office. “Each of them will have a caseload, a set of kids we think will be good for them to work with,” says Ahmed.
Is having a full-time counselor on staff making a difference at Gatzert? Imel notes that last year, only 24 percent of the students had more than five unexcused absences, down from 45 percent the previous year. The College of Education plans to incorporate an evidence-based study to demonstrate that the presence of full-time counseling makes a difference in the lives of students. Says O’Connell, “In addition to looking at the quality of the program, we will look at how the Gatzert students are responding and how well we’re doing in terms of preparing our students to work in that unique environment.” Imel is pleased with the growing relationship. “This collaboration forms a natural bridge,” he says. “We offer a point of entry for SU students to experience counseling in a high-need elementary school. And we’re excited about getting their fresh ideas and the best practices they’re learning.” For Ahmed and Imel, as well as for the students and their families, the value of a full-time counselor is clear. “We believe we have the dream team,” says Imel. “Most of the people in the building choose to be here and value social justice. It’s a natural fit as far as the partnership with Seattle U.” Right: Counselor Said Ahmed with a Bailey Gatzert student.
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
$50,000
A loving legacy
Planned gift for MIT diversity scholarships
Like her mother and grandmother before her, Professor Emerita Nina Valerio believes in the value of a college education. Following in their footsteps, Valerio has established a diversity scholarship that will help pave the way for deserving students to obtain a Master in Teaching (MIT) from Seattle University.
“Although my mother, a widow with six children, only completed a high school education, she strongly believed in the value of a college degree. Before my mother passed away in 2009, I promised that I would carry on the tradition of giving that my grandmother had started.” Nina Valerio
GLOBAL VISION
W
hether she is designing curriculum or working with one of our university partners, Assistant Professor Kristi Lee (Counseling) applies her passion for service learning and global engagement to everything
she does. For the past eight months, Lee has worked closely with the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), Seattle University’s sister university in Nicaragua. She is facilitating the development of an evaluation process for UCA’s new service learning program. UCA’s Servicio Social program, which started in 2011, is a graduation requirement for all UCA students. Service projects tied to community needs are woven into the curriculum and the coursework for each of the university’s 19 academic programs. The administrators at UCA want to develop a method to evaluate the impact of Servicio Social and outcomes for three stakeholder groups: students, faculty and the communities and community partners the program serves. “Servicio Social at UCA exists within their cultural context,” Lee says. “I know how we would do an evaluation here at Seattle University, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best way to do it there. It’s a very collaborative process.”
Professor Emerita
Lee’s Nicaragua connection extends beyond her work with UCA. She has built strong relationships in El Limón Dos, a tiny village in southern Nicaragua. In El Limón, Lee works with Casa Verde, a nonprofit organization directed by Amie Riley, who divides her time between Portland and Nicaragua. “I believe Casa Verde is doing the right kind of work,” Lee says. “The community determines the projects they need and Casa Verde helps them figure out how to make it happen.” One such community-driven project is Formación Fénix, a youth empowerment organization started by El Limón resident Lidieth Alvarez. To help pay for the students’ post-secondary education, Fénix participants run three flourishing microenterprises: bicycle rentals, handicrafts made from recycled materials and an organic plant nursery. Individual success stories are proof of the organization’s strength. In a country where the average high school graduation rate is 10% in rural communities, Fénix members have a 100% graduation rate. Lee has assisted Casa Verde with strategic planning. She says, “They are examining questions such as: What is good quality? What are best practices? I share my expertise in service-oriented community engagement work and help them look at those questions in a theoretically sound way.”
Above: Assistant Professor Kristi Lee, with Seattle University Professor Serena Cosgrove (left) in Nicaragua working with Casa Verde to reforest a hillside.
In our college, Lee teaches a human development class she says is anything but typical. Her students examine theories of development from a critical perspective. “We need to be aware that we’re using a model based on white, affluent, highly educated people,” she says. “If you’re looking at mental health in an immigrant population, people may not fit the norm because the models were developed from a different worldview. We talk about how those models may or may not apply to different groups of people.” “I would love to teach a class on mental health issues that affect global communities,” says Lee. “As counselors in this country, we don’t always have a good sense of how to provide mental health services for immigrant communities. We need to understand how issues such as war, poverty, oppression and unemployment affect people, both in their countries of origin and as new members of American society.”
$1,500 Service learning evaluation for UCA
The tradition of generosity goes back several generations in Valerio’s family. Her grandmother, Fermina Cruz de Leon, who had only a grade-school education, became a successful businesswoman who established a scholarship for poor youth who could not afford a high school education in their hometown of Taytay, Rizal, in the Philippines. Her mother, Laureta L. Valerio, who made sure all six of her children attended college, created a second student scholarship in Taytay. “They instilled in all of us the values of familialism, higher education, hard work/diligence, justice/fairness, helping others who have less than us, gratitude, faith and reciprocity,” she says. Now Valerio has created an estate plan that establishes a scholarship in her mother’s name to continue this family legacy. The Laureta L. Valerio & Family Teaching for Justice & Diversity Scholarship provides tuition, fees, books and other educational expenses for students enrolled in the College of Education MIT program. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate financial need. Qualified applicants must also show a personal commitment and dedication to the teaching profession and justice education. A preference will be shown for Seattle University students of Filipino heritage or underrepresented students of color.
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
$50,000
A loving legacy
Planned gift for MIT diversity scholarships
Like her mother and grandmother before her, Professor Emerita Nina Valerio believes in the value of a college education. Following in their footsteps, Valerio has established a diversity scholarship that will help pave the way for deserving students to obtain a Master in Teaching (MIT) from Seattle University.
“Although my mother, a widow with six children, only completed a high school education, she strongly believed in the value of a college degree. Before my mother passed away in 2009, I promised that I would carry on the tradition of giving that my grandmother had started.” Nina Valerio
GLOBAL VISION
W
hether she is designing curriculum or working with one of our university partners, Assistant Professor Kristi Lee (Counseling) applies her passion for service learning and global engagement to everything
she does. For the past eight months, Lee has worked closely with the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), Seattle University’s sister university in Nicaragua. She is facilitating the development of an evaluation process for UCA’s new service learning program. UCA’s Servicio Social program, which started in 2011, is a graduation requirement for all UCA students. Service projects tied to community needs are woven into the curriculum and the coursework for each of the university’s 19 academic programs. The administrators at UCA want to develop a method to evaluate the impact of Servicio Social and outcomes for three stakeholder groups: students, faculty and the communities and community partners the program serves. “Servicio Social at UCA exists within their cultural context,” Lee says. “I know how we would do an evaluation here at Seattle University, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best way to do it there. It’s a very collaborative process.”
Professor Emerita
Lee’s Nicaragua connection extends beyond her work with UCA. She has built strong relationships in El Limón Dos, a tiny village in southern Nicaragua. In El Limón, Lee works with Casa Verde, a nonprofit organization directed by Amie Riley, who divides her time between Portland and Nicaragua. “I believe Casa Verde is doing the right kind of work,” Lee says. “The community determines the projects they need and Casa Verde helps them figure out how to make it happen.” One such community-driven project is Formación Fénix, a youth empowerment organization started by El Limón resident Lidieth Alvarez. To help pay for the students’ post-secondary education, Fénix participants run three flourishing microenterprises: bicycle rentals, handicrafts made from recycled materials and an organic plant nursery. Individual success stories are proof of the organization’s strength. In a country where the average high school graduation rate is 10% in rural communities, Fénix members have a 100% graduation rate. Lee has assisted Casa Verde with strategic planning. She says, “They are examining questions such as: What is good quality? What are best practices? I share my expertise in service-oriented community engagement work and help them look at those questions in a theoretically sound way.”
Above: Assistant Professor Kristi Lee, with Seattle University Professor Serena Cosgrove (left) in Nicaragua working with Casa Verde to reforest a hillside.
In our college, Lee teaches a human development class she says is anything but typical. Her students examine theories of development from a critical perspective. “We need to be aware that we’re using a model based on white, affluent, highly educated people,” she says. “If you’re looking at mental health in an immigrant population, people may not fit the norm because the models were developed from a different worldview. We talk about how those models may or may not apply to different groups of people.” “I would love to teach a class on mental health issues that affect global communities,” says Lee. “As counselors in this country, we don’t always have a good sense of how to provide mental health services for immigrant communities. We need to understand how issues such as war, poverty, oppression and unemployment affect people, both in their countries of origin and as new members of American society.”
$1,500 Service learning evaluation for UCA
The tradition of generosity goes back several generations in Valerio’s family. Her grandmother, Fermina Cruz de Leon, who had only a grade-school education, became a successful businesswoman who established a scholarship for poor youth who could not afford a high school education in their hometown of Taytay, Rizal, in the Philippines. Her mother, Laureta L. Valerio, who made sure all six of her children attended college, created a second student scholarship in Taytay. “They instilled in all of us the values of familialism, higher education, hard work/diligence, justice/fairness, helping others who have less than us, gratitude, faith and reciprocity,” she says. Now Valerio has created an estate plan that establishes a scholarship in her mother’s name to continue this family legacy. The Laureta L. Valerio & Family Teaching for Justice & Diversity Scholarship provides tuition, fees, books and other educational expenses for students enrolled in the College of Education MIT program. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate financial need. Qualified applicants must also show a personal commitment and dedication to the teaching profession and justice education. A preference will be shown for Seattle University students of Filipino heritage or underrepresented students of color.
donors have an opportunity to set the world on fire through gifts to the college of education
RESEARCH
$8,000 Faculty mentors for graduate research
$5,000
Annual stipend for graduate student researcher
WHAT YOUR GIFT CAN DO
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
$100,000 Permanent (endowed)
fellowship for graduate students working in the community
$500
Travel costs or conference fee for a graduate student
$1,500
$300
Exam fee for teacher education student assessment (edTPA) BUILDING PROGRAMS
$1,000 Community engagement and leadership materials
Private support for the College of Education provides the SPARK that ignites positive change for our students, faculty, programs and learning communities. With your support, together we can spark learning innovation and inspire students to set the world on fire through education.
Books for a student for one academic year
DONOR IMPACT
THE NEED
LEGACY
“In the classroom, I saw that the student teachers and teachers with the right skills, values and dedication were from Seattle U’s College of Education. That’s when I decided that I wanted to establish a scholarship in special education here.”
Among graduate students enrolled during 2014–15:
Leave a legacy through:
47% had documented financial need 27% received scholarships
A bequest IRA Charitable gift annuity Property Gift of appreciated stock
— Anonymous Scholarship Donor and Retired Special Education Teacher
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
$10,000
Faculty fellowship to develop research, teaching and global engagement program
GIVE TO THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP OR DEAN’S FUND FOR EXCELLENCE Visit seattleu.edu/giving and choose the College of Education To discuss your gift, contact Peggy Fine, College of Education Director of Development at 206-296-1896 or finep@seattleu.edu
donors have an opportunity to set the world on fire through gifts to the college of education
RESEARCH
$8,000 Faculty mentors for graduate research
$5,000
Annual stipend for graduate student researcher
WHAT YOUR GIFT CAN DO
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
$100,000 Permanent (endowed)
fellowship for graduate students working in the community
$500
Travel costs or conference fee for a graduate student
$1,500
$300
Exam fee for teacher education student assessment (edTPA) BUILDING PROGRAMS
$1,000 Community engagement and leadership materials
Private support for the College of Education provides the SPARK that ignites positive change for our students, faculty, programs and learning communities. With your support, together we can spark learning innovation and inspire students to set the world on fire through education.
Books for a student for one academic year
DONOR IMPACT
THE NEED
LEGACY
“In the classroom, I saw that the student teachers and teachers with the right skills, values and dedication were from Seattle U’s College of Education. That’s when I decided that I wanted to establish a scholarship in special education here.”
Among graduate students enrolled during 2014–15:
Leave a legacy through:
47% had documented financial need 27% received scholarships
A bequest IRA Charitable gift annuity Property Gift of appreciated stock
— Anonymous Scholarship Donor and Retired Special Education Teacher
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
$10,000
Faculty fellowship to develop research, teaching and global engagement program
GIVE TO THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP OR DEAN’S FUND FOR EXCELLENCE Visit seattleu.edu/giving and choose the College of Education To discuss your gift, contact Peggy Fine, College of Education Director of Development at 206-296-1896 or finep@seattleu.edu
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