Listening to the Stories of Alumni

Paul Steinke · Dean of Students & Almni

Our hope at The Seattle School is to know and be influenced by our alumni and their stories – how they have labored and struggled to grow and live out their calling amongst the people they serve and love. Our alumni are the ones who embody and enlarge text, soul, and culture far beyond the walls of 2501 Elliott Avenue. As students graduate and move beyond our school, we want to support and encourage them in their endeavors and, where appropriate, to join and partner with them as they seek “to serve God and neighbor” in their context.

A New Position

Obviously, to live into this hope, The Seattle School will need to mature significantly. And yet, the movement into this future is the reason the Office of Students and Alumni was created, and the reason there now exists the position of Dean of Students and Alumni. And, for those alumni who are willing, we’ll need their help to till this ground.

Homecoming

As part of our efforts to encourage a growth and connection within the alumni community, we held our very first Annual Homecoming on Friday, September 2nd. The event was held at Two Beers Brewing Company and featured a concert by alumni Deborah Montgomery and Robert Deeble. Additionally, the event hosted an auction featuring the arts and services of our alumni community to raise funds for both our alumni and The Alumni Association. With over 100 alumni in attendance, it was a night of remembering old stories and catching up on new ones.

Matriculation

Each fall, The Seattle School holds a ceremony to welcome and matriculate our incoming students. This year, twenty-five alumni from each graduating class and each iteration of The Seattle School led the procession. This was not only symbolic of our storied history, but also of the mission of The Seattle School extending beyond the walls of our building and its mandate.

Alumni Association

November saw the creation of the Colorado Chapter of the Alumni Association, facilitated by 2010 MACP alumna Shauna Gauthier. With Colorado being a major hub of alumni, it was a natural fit and we are excited to see its maturation as well as other possible chapters in cities across the US.

During the Alumni Week in December, The Seattle School faculty and staff were invited to leave the confines of the school and meet with local alumni at their place of work over lunch or coffee. This time is for the faculty and staff to encourage and support our alumni, get a tour of their place of labor, and hear some of the story of their lives and community since graduating from The Seattle School.

Finally, a major progress in the service of alumni has been the creation of the Alumni Quad – a dedicated team of alumni that gather each month and help shape the future of alumni relations. This team has been vital in helping our school support and partner with our alumni as they live out our mission of serving God and neighbor through transforming relationships.

Paul Steinke

Dean of Students & Alumni