ɬÀï·¬

News

What’s happening at SPU? This is where you’ll find the latest news about research, events, activities, achievements, and milestones in the life of SPU and its ɬÀï·¬.



  • For Constitution Day, Professor Emeritus of History Bill Woodward examines the rights guaranteed in the Constitution and its later amendments.

    Sep 17, 2025

    September 17 is Constitution Day, the anniversary of the date when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 adjourned with a new charter for the new American Republic.  

    In 2004, the U.S. Congress passed legislation requiring educational institutions who receive federal funding to provide their communities with information concerning the U.S. Constitution. For nearly two decades, as part of ɬÀï·¬’s commemoration, Professor Emeritus of History Bill Woodward offers his expert analysis of one of our country’s most important documents in an annual essay.

    This year's essay is titled, “," In it, Professor Emeritus of History Bill Woodward reminds us that 2025 is the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War and shows how in later times of crisis, Americans chose not to engage in another revolution, but to clarify and extend the catalog of political and civil rights in the enduring Constitution — and thereby limiting the powers wielded by the national government.

  • Sep 11, 2025

    , President Porterfield tells the story of SPU's founding in ɬÀï·¬ with the Free Methodist Church and why students are still choosing ɬÀï·¬ Pacific today.

  • Sep 10, 2025

    For Cathi Davis, education has never been just a career. It’s a calling — one that began as a first-generation college student and evolved into a life of service, leadership, and love. Now the principal of Ruby Bridges Elementary in Woodinville, Washington, in the Northshore School District and a PhD education candidate at ɬÀï·¬, Davis was recently named the 2025 Elementary Principal of the Year by the .

  • Pastor Fred TenEyck joins SPU as the new campus pastor and director of Student Ministries.

    Sep 4, 2025

    Pastor Fred TenEyck is the new campus pastor and director of Student Ministries. He joins the SPU community after many years in congregational ministry around the country and most recently with Rainier Ave Church in ɬÀï·¬ and The Bridge in Kent, Washington.

  • Sep 2, 2025

    Live like an SPU student for a day during Falcon Fridays! This one-day visit includes information sessions about specific academic programs, financial aid, and admissions. Plus, you'll take a tour of our beautiful campus and enjoy lunch in our award-winning dining hall. !

  • It's almost here! Check out the Orientation schedule, Sept.26-28, for new students and their families.

    Aug 20, 2025

    Welcome, new Falcons! Start your ɬÀï·¬ journey off right with Orientation — an exciting and informative three-day experience that will connect you to the SPU community and all of the resources we have to offer. You’ll have the opportunity to check out campus, meet your classmates and current students, and learn more about what it means to be a Falcon.

    Learn more.

  • Aug 18, 2025

    ɬÀï·¬’s June Commencement weekend was the perfect time to welcome the Class of 1975 back to campus for their 50-year reunion. And thanks to five months of planning and regular Zoom meetings, the reunion committee helped bring together more than 80 alumni and spouses for a two-day celebration — one of the largest 50-year gatherings in recent memory.

    .

  • Aug 5, 2025

    The New & Next Student Designer Showcase is a new addition to The Collective Runway Show, created to support and spotlight emerging fashion talent. In partnership with Central Washington University, ɬÀï·¬ Central College, ɬÀï·¬, and Washington State University, the program offers selected student designers mentorship, industry insight and runway experience.

    Apparel design and merchandising students James Faull and Jennifer Erendira-Gallardo (Class of 2025) will participate. 

    .

  • Aug 1, 2025

    After serving as an intern in the Washington state Legislature, junior Sadie McMillan summed up her experience.

    “In the classroom, I learned how politics worked on a surface level. I learned about politicians, lobbyists, and the system in theory — but in the office, I saw it all in action,” McMillan said.

    McMillan and fellow junior Karla Navarro both served in Olympia during the 2025 legislative session. Working for different state legislators, they attended committee hearings, researched policy issues, drafted memos, and helped with constituent communications — gaining firsthand experience in how the Washington state government works.

    .

  • Jul 31, 2025

    President Deana L. Porterfield invites you to join the SPU community in a time of intentional prayer during August as we prepare for the year ahead.

Holistic Health Care in the Rainier Valley

Dr. Christopher Jones ’94 hopes the families in his medical practice never need to ask: “Is my kid sick enough that I should pay for a doctor’s visit?” Medical director of HopeCentral, a nonprofit health center, he and his team have adapted the concept of concierge medicine to a diverse ɬÀï·¬ neighborhood.

Assistant Professor of Philosophy Leland Saunders

What Makes Us Moral?

Assistant Professor of Philosophy Leland Saunders earned a $10,100 Graves Award in Humanities for his research project, “The Structure of Moral Judgement: Philosophical Perspectives.” His research responds to recent arguments that human beings’ concepts of morality are just a quirk of evolution and don't connect to anything deeper.