Day of Scholarship 2023

On Saturday, January 14, faculty, staff, students, and alumni participated in Day of Scholarship 2023 which was led and organized by Dr. Kj Swanson, Affiliate Faculty and Common Curriculum Coordinator, and Dr. Paul Hoard, Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology. This event on campus at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology highlighted how community members are contributing to national disciplinary and interdisciplinary conversations, provided perspective on the work happening across the institution, and expanded imagination for scholarship as learners committed to serving God and neighbor through transforming relationships. Throughout the day, alumni, students, faculty, and staff shared their work through poster presentations and speaker sessions. The event brought together participants from across The Seattle School, including the Center for Transforming Engagement and Allender Center–as well as the school’s two publications, The Other Journal and Christ & Cascadia.

Day of Scholarship began with the Research Poster Reception. During the reception, faculty, staff, students, and alumni presented posters and engaged in conversations on their topics of research and scholarship. See a list of poster presenters below.

During the first session, faculty and staff speakers shared on the theme of “Pursuing Your Questions.” First, Dr. Doug Shirley, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology, provided wisdom and encouragement in the process: “And if your project doesn’t fall apart, it probably won’t go where it needs to go. Only when the thing falls apart, only then are you open to falling in love with the work that is waiting for you.” He also explained the Institutional Review Board at The Seattle School which reviews and approves protocols when human subjects are used in research. Dr. Jermaine Ma, Adjunct Faculty, called students into “answering these questions that are pressing on you because you are created in a specific way in this particular time in history and you’re going to ask these questions in a way no one else will.[…]Leading into this curiosity is leading into who you are.” Dr. Zac Settle represented The Other Journal, which is committed to being a “progressive, constructive, and charitable Christian voice that resources readers to love God, love neighbor and invest in the hope that the world would be further characterized by justice and peace.” As Editor-in-Chief, he also shared with students how to convert a graduate-level class paper into a publishable essay. The Seattle School ecosystem houses two journals, The Other Journal and Christ & Cascadia, providing built-in opportunities for students to submit work for publication.

In the second session, faculty and staff shared perspectives and guidance on “Advancing the Conversation.” Kelsey Wallace, Registrar, opened by sharing from her current experience as a PhD candidate, specifically focusing on selecting and participating in conferences: “What conversation do I want to be a part of?” Kate Rae Davis, MDiv ‘15, Director of Center for Transforming Engagement and current doctoral student, advocated for practicing radical generosity and transparency that are liberating and rewarding: “Share your work generously. Trust in a spiritual capital that transcends… Put the work you’re trying to achieve ahead of your own ego.” Dr. Dwight Friesen, Associate Professor of Practical Theology, told the story of “how a practical theologian started working with the United Nations (UN) Habitat.” His recent collaboration with the UN finds its roots in his life story, from his commitment to faithful presence, walking and praying through parishes and zip codes to mobilizing and implementing a multifaith and global effort with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Day of Scholarship 2023 encouraged creativity, conversation, and collaboration in research and scholarship across The Seattle School. This event connected faculty, staff, students, and alumni, facilitated dialogue and helped community members discover a variety of projects while also strengthening a collective culture of generosity, development, and advancement. As Dr. Kj Swanson summarized, “There’s a big “&” in the middle of our name…At the core of being an interdisciplinary institution, we need each other.”

Day of Scholarship 2023 Poster Gallery Presenters