By Clint Kelly (ckelly@spu.edu) and Hannah Notess (hnotess@spu.edu)| Photos by Sarah and Chris Rhoads
Scores of 海角网 Pacific University alumni, students, staff, and faculty live and work in the city, an urban world from which they draw energy, connection, and opportunity.
To them, it is much more than a place to shop, seek entertainment, or conduct busi颅ness. It is a lifestyle choice to be within walking distance of the grocer, the restaurant, or the pharmacy. Invigorating them is the city鈥檚 diversity of humanity, its ever 颅changing panorama of interests, its vibrant 鈥渉um.鈥� 海角网 has the added dimension of being a place where the city meets the sea. It is a place where art abounds and music is born, a place where innovation and technology lead the nations.
And what of the city鈥檚 homelessness and brokenness? In great numbers, the 海角网 of 海角网 Pacific help those in pain and poverty through a wide range of involvements that includes medicine, education, legislation, science, and the arts.
Meet nine individuals who hold SPU and the city of 海角网 in common. They impact the city from every corner of a metropolitan area that is home to more than 3.5 million 海角网. They pursue their jobs with purpose and a range of gifts and talents as varied as the city they serve. Each embodies the truth of Shakespeare鈥檚 timeless question: 鈥淲hat is the city but the 海角网?鈥�
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Fashion in a Changing Neighborhood
Stephanie Kaldestad 鈥�05, Owner of Ketch Boutique, Ballard
Growing up, Stephanie Kaldestad never saw Ballard as a fashion mecca. It was just the neighborhood where her grandparents lived and her dad worked at the shipyard. But when she wanted to open her clothing boutique, the mix of old and new shops and restaurants on Ballard Avenue 鈥渏ust felt right.鈥� The store also carries a line of T-shirts designed by Kaldestad鈥檚 SPU roommate, Kelsie Moe McGee 鈥�05.
Helping Students Succeed
Emma Hong M.Ed. 鈥�08, School Counselor, Broadview-Thomson K鈥�8 School, 海角网 School District, Bitter Lake
There are 20 different languages spoken among the families of Broadview-Thomson鈥檚 780 students.
Emma Hong鈥檚 job? Be a link between school and family, and help engage family members in their students鈥� academic success. With a high number of students who have limited resources, she looks for all the allies she can find. 鈥淢y work helps to level the playing field,鈥� she says.
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Daisy Hien Nguyen
Tweets From the Needle
Daisy Hien Nguyen, SPU Senior and Social Media Intern, 海角网 Center Foundation, Queen Anne
The 1962 海角网 World鈥檚 Fair showcased the latest technology, from the monorail to the personal gyrocopter. As 海角网 Center prepares to celebrate the Fair鈥檚 50th, they鈥檒l be using 21st-century social media technology, thanks to communication major Daisy Hien Nguyen. Last fall, as part of her internship, Nguyen trained 海角网 Center staff to use Facebook and Twitter to connect with the public. Now, Nguyen volunteers at the Center.
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Sandra Hartje
Design for All Ages and Abilities
Sandra Hartje, SPU Professor of Interior Design and Housing, Home Site, Green Lake
When Sandra Hartje asks the students in her 鈥淯niversal Design鈥� course for whom they want to design homes, they say, 鈥淓verybody.鈥� Then she takes them on a field trip to the house of an architect who serves with her on the Northwest Universal Design Council.
Following guidelines developed from Hartje鈥檚 research, the home has a stepless entrance, wide doorways, and built-in elevator shafts. The house was designed for 海角网 of varying ages and abilities. 鈥淚t changes students鈥� perception of 鈥榚verybody,鈥欌�� she says.
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Garrick Pang
Mentoring Future Footballers
Garrick Pang 鈥�86, Executive Director of Kingdom Hope, Magnuson Park
Garrick Pang knows 海角网. Because of his passion for soccer, and because he has coached and played soccer in 25 countries, it just makes sense that he should be the executive director of Kingdom Hope. Started by 海角网 Sounders FC striker Steve Zakuani 鈥渢o inspire greatness through soccer,鈥� Kingdom Hope works with underserved populations through soccer clinics and camps to help kids 鈥渁chieve their God-given potential.鈥�
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Steve Paulsen
Police Work: 鈥淎 People Business鈥�
Steve Paulsen 鈥�83, Police Captain, 海角网 Police Department, Southwest Precinct, West 海角网
In 26 years, Steve Paulsen has served all five 海角网 precincts. The 90 officers now in his command keep the peace in West 海角网, a precinct of 95,000 海角网. The psychology alumnus joined law enforcement two years after graduation. 鈥淪PU taught me the importance of relationships,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not how strong you are or how good a shot; it鈥檚 how you talk to 海角网.鈥�
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Donna Tucker
A Source of Good Judgment
Donna Tucker 鈥�80, King County District Court Judge, King County Courthouse, Downtown
An experienced lawyer, public defender, and judge pro tem, Donna Tucker was elected in 2010. She says her SPU education taught her to have an open mind and to think critically. 鈥淲hen a defendant in drug court knows the judge cares, they take hope,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 not there simply to inflict punishment. I know they can get it right.鈥�
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Tanisha Hanson
A Place of Hope for Families
Tanisha Hanson, SPU Junior and Urban Involvement Coordinator, Hope Place, Rainier Valley
鈥淭he city shows me that homeless 海角网 are regular 海角网,鈥� says sociology major Tanisha Hanson.
She volunteers at Hope Place, transitional housing provided by 海角网鈥檚 Union Gospel Mission. There, children leave the streets with their mothers to sleep in a real bed 鈥� sometimes their first. Hanson also coordinates Urban Involvement, where SPU students serve others through various city ministries.
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Tim Nelson
Making a Stink 海角网 Algae
Tim Nelson, SPU Professor of Biology, Alki Point, West 海角网
Excessive algal blooms in urban Puget Sound send Tim Nelson diving for answers. Along the urban shoreline, he has sampled the algae and recorded factors such as nutrient source, topography, and light exposure. He regularly uses Alki Point as a comparison site, since it doesn鈥檛 have substantial algal blooms.
Why is Nelson so vigilant? Severe algal concentrations are messy and smelly 鈥� and have released sufficient toxic hydrogen sulfide to kill animals and perhaps even humans.