SPRING 2020 Response PAGE 12 How do we move forward from trauma? PAGE 19 Coronavirus closes the door on NCAA sports PAGE 20 Karen Eubanks takes her faith and family to the front line SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY PACIFIC SEATTLE 30 Grace will lead us home Nikum Pon returns to Cambodia COLUMN FROM THE EDITOR like Karen Gutowsky-Zimmerman kept a prayer journal for her students and scheduled FaceTime check-in sessions to see how each student was holding up. Professor and Chair of the Physics Department Lane Seeley jumped onto the video platform Panopto to demonstrate logarithmic graphing using COVID-19 statistics for his global climate change students. And communication professor Peg Achterman moderated a Zoom session with SPU professors to share what remote offerings were available to students. When you focus on the helpers in a crisis, you see the strength and beauty of a communi- ty — a community that remains connected even in a time of social distancing. Months before China’s first coronavirus case surfaced, I was working on this issue of Response (my first as editor of the publication). I wish I could say I knew it would be important to feature stories of alumni helping in crisis situations around the world, such as our piece on Karen Eubank ’90 who, with her husband, Dave, founded the humanitarian organization We are all When you Free Burma Rangers. Their organization is focus on the helping people suffering in some of the most remote learners helpers in a intense conflict zones in the world. crisis, you see There is Nikum Pon MEd ’08, who escaped BY SHELLY NGO the strength death in Cambodia’s killing fields. Today, he is and beauty of a back in Cambodia sharing the story of God’s community. protection over his life and planning to build a school there. I’d like to claim I commissioned an article about Professor of Clinical Psychology Amy Mezulis’ work on trauma recovery, know- ing readers would be feeling stressed by the SEPT. 11, 2001, was my first day back to work after maternity leave for my pandemic, but I can’t claim that omniscience. twins. I turned on the television that morning to news that two planes had Instead, I believe God is able to do immeasur- crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. ably more than all we can ask for or imagine; Video footage of the carnage played across every network showing first one He orchestrates things — even the stories in a plane as it crashed into the north tower; then a second aircraft slammed into magazine — to bring us comfort and hope in the south tower. Nearly 2,000 people died from the terrorist attacks that day. these unchartered times. Eighteen years later, my twins are now seniors in high school. Or some My teens will matriculate from high school semblance of high school as they sit in front of their computers for virtu- in June, either in graduation robes or bath- al classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their lives began with terrorist robes (virtual commencement attire). The attacks on the U.S., and their high school careers are ending with the corona- world they enter, and the colleges they enroll virus hijacking their senior year. It’s delivered a series of disappointments to in, will forever be altered by the impact of the them, but the virus has been far more devastating to others. coronavirus, but the mission for people of faith These moments call to mind a quote from the late Fred Rogers: “When I remains the same. Until we one day see our was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to Savior face to face, we are all virtual students me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” — learning remotely, serving others, and, like That is what I see throughout Seattle Pacific’s campus in response to the Professor Gutowsky-Zimmerman, checking in PORTRAIT BY JOEL KIMMEL PORTRAIT crisis: the helpers. As students transitioned to remote learning, professors with each other to see how we’re holding up. PHOTOS BY ERIC STOEN, GREG MO, AND CHRIS SINCLAIR. COVER PHOTO EUGENE LEE. TABLE OF CONTENTS / SPRING 2020 Volume 43 / Number 1 FEATURES 2 Your Turn 3 From the Reader 4 From the President 18 Falcon Sports 49 Class Notes 56 The Final Word 12 28 HOME 6 / Strength in weakness / Senior Tabitha Villanueva learns about faith in hard times 8 / Christians engaging culture / Interview with philosopher James K.A. Smith 10 / Healing notes / SPU’s music therapy program celebrates 10 years 12 / How do we move forward from trauma? / Building resilience in the wake of tragedy 14 / Changing lives / Mental health courts can offer treatment and lower recidivism 16 / Swipe out hunger / Pilot program donates meals to hungry students 17 / Poets and published authors / Updates on Seattle Pacific’s MFA program 28 Grace Master of the will lead heritage houses BEYOND us home Msheireb Museums’ director 30 Hafiz Ali Abdulla draws on his 37 / Making their mark / Five Born in the killing fields, Nikum Pon MEd ’08 background to tell the story of women are living out SPU’s mission returned to Cambodia as an educator Qatar’s history in their fields 45 / When the Emperor Was Divine / Q & A with Big Read author Julie Otsuka 20 47 / Camp to commencement / When Toshika Senda ’42 was sent Faith on the to an isolation center during World War II, SPU’s president arranged to front lines get her to her graduation ceremony Through their organization, Free Burma Rangers, Karen Huesby 48 / The fabric of the fashion world / Ethan Miller ’13, talent Eubank ’90 and her family provide manager for IMG Models in New aid to those caught in some of the York, is giving black creatives a way PORTRAIT BY JOEL KIMMEL PORTRAIT PHOTOS BY ERIC STOEN, GREG MO, AND CHRIS SINCLAIR. COVER PHOTO BY EUGENE LEE. PHOTOS BY ERIC STOEN, GREG MO, AND CHRIS SINCLAIR. COVER PHOTO EUGENE LEE. world’s worst conflict zones into the fashion scene SPRING 2020 RESPONSE 1 COLUMN YOUR TURN LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS 5 4 3 1 2 In our autumn issue of Response, we invited you to identify five buildings from a historical campus map. Congratulations to David Schreffler ’71, who won our drawing for an SPU sweatshirt for correctly identifying the How much buildings. 1 McKinley Hall do you know 2 Alexander Hall 3 Moyer Hall 4 Gwinn Commons about SPU? 5 Hill Hall BY HEIDI SPECK HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW 1. What was the class gift 4. In what year was the Want to contribute ABOUT SEATTLE PACIFIC of 1971? first issue of The Falcon, to the SPU Archives? UNIVERSITY’S HISTORY? the University’s student If you have Seattle 2. In what year was the Pacific artifacts, keepsakes, newspaper, published? Email your answers to Girls’ Hall, also known as photos, or documents that you would like to contribute [email protected] by the “Young Ladies Hall,” 5. In what year was Aug. 30, 2020. If you to the University Archives, or completed? “Seattle Pacific College” if you have questions about answer all five questions renamed “Seattle Pacific SPU history, contact University 3. Who designed the correctly, we’ll enter your University”? Archivist Adrienne Thun name into a drawing to win concrete panels on Meier ’04 at 206-281-2422 an SPU sweatshirt. Demaray Hall clock tower? or [email protected]. PHOTO BY BY LYNN ANSELMI PHOTO BY LYNN 2 RESPONSE SPU.EDU/RESPONSE FROM THE READER COLUMN RESPONSE STAFF PUBLISHER Daniel J. Martin ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Nathan Mouttet I made good friends and had important ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Alison Leary Estep conversations and pushed myself to pray. It was EDITOR Shelly Ngo an academic, spirit-filled environment that has ART DIRECTOR Journey Group shaped the type of person I am and want to be. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Bethany Cummins, Hope McPherson, Colleen Steelquist STAFF WRITERS Bob Elmer, Kathy Henning, Heidi Speck Editor’s note: In the fall issue of Response we asked you to share WEB DESIGNERS any significant life events that happened while you were at SPU. Jeff Bass, Elijah Cabiles Thanks for sharing your memories. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT Mik Roque UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION Dave Martin ’67 Liberia, West Africa, and then at Gig Harbor, Washington Centralia College for a combined PRESIDENT Jamie and Alissa Shattenberg One of my most memorable 32 years. The foundation of Daniel J. Martin moments on the Seattle Pa- moral and spiritual character INTERIM PROVOST Bruce Congdon cific College campus occurred development in that first year of VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Al Zimmerman ’69 when I was a freshman walking college has been a mainstay and Louise Sausele Furrow Coos Bay, Oregon down the hill after lunch at guiding principle for how to treat VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT LIFE Very interesting article [“Res- Gwinn Commons on Nov. 22, my students. Jeffrey Jordan toration of an Island”] on the 1963. Another student came VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS work of Jamie Shattenberg ’99 running up the hill toward the Craig Kispert VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY, and Alissa Shattenberg ’00 in Commons shouting that the EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Madagascar, but lest we forget president had been shot. Kaitlyn McCranie ’11 Sandra Mayo those who have gone before, I went to my dorm room in Atlanta, Georgia VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING an opportunity was missed to Moyer and noticed the U.S. I think going to SPU was a Nathan Mouttet tie the generations together.