Our mission at The Seattle School is to serve God and neighbor through transforming relationships. The connections we form with one another are what sustain us amidst our learning and vocations. In order to cultivate a context that allows students to get to know one another, build trust, and engage as their full selves, the Student & Academic Services team (SAS) supports student-led spaces for co-creating community and connection.
We believe that the best way to learn the art of leadership is not merely through the obtaining and executing of good information and technique but through embodiment – entering into the wild drama and dance of pursuing life with one another on behalf of others. Each of you brings a richness of vision, ability, and desire. Embracing the fullness of who you are, we invite you to participate and to create on behalf of The Seattle School community. Student life at The Seattle School is a living collage reflecting the vision, interests, passions, and personalities of our students!
Student Groups at The Seattle School are peer-facilitated communities designed to connect and resource students in relation to their shared interests or identities. There will be opportunities for our new students to begin getting connected to student groups during Community Weekend and Fall Residency.
Underrepresented student groups are spaces wherein students gather with others who share similar experiences and perspectives related to underrepresentation around their culture and/or identity. We know that it can be costly and exhausting to engage in contexts where one is underrepresented. Student group gatherings offer space for processing, conversation, and deepening connections. These groups expand students’ network of support, help students to grow their capacity to learn and thrive in relation to their culture or identity, and provide resources for engaging in learning spaces and future professional contexts. We currently have the following three groups BIPOC Student Group (centers underrepresentation around race/ethnicity); LGBTQIA+ Student Group (centers underrepresentation related to sexual orientation and/or gender identity); and Access (connects students who have neurodiversities, disabilities and/or chronic pain).We are currently looking for students interested in joining the student facilitation teams for these three groups. If you would like to get involved, contact Becca (rshirley@theseattleschool.edu).
Interest-based student groups allow students to cultivate connections based on shared areas of interest. These groups ebb and flow depending on student desire and capacity. We currently have one active interest-based student group called Sage, which gathers students who are returning to school later in life, after a long time away, often while caring for their families or aging parents. Examples of interest groups from the past include an Artists’ Council, Lit (student print publication), and Eagle & Child for Theology students.
Student Leadership is a team of students who volunteer to serve the student body as a whole, and meet on a weekly basis. This team is not elected, but open to all who have a heart to serve and to cultivate community together. Our mission is to foster student engagement in our learning community by facilitating collaboration, conversation, and mutuality among students, staff, and faculty. We practice active listening, turning towards one another, and cultivating trust and belonging in all our shared spaces. We seek to recruit a diverse team that represents as much of the student body as possible. Student Leadership hosts seasonal gatherings like Fall Vespers and Community Dinners, and engage ad hoc projects in collaboration with the other student group leaders, faculty, and the Student Services team throughout the year. . Anyone interested in joining Student Leadership can do so at two points in the year: in August, and in January. The initial term of commitment is one academic year from the month during which one has started. For more conversation about student leadership, email studentleadership@theseattleschool.edu or at Becca (rshirley@theseattleschool.edu).
Read more about Student Groups and Student Leaderships here.
The Student Leadership team is eager to meet you and we are planning some fun opportunities for students to get to know one another during Community Week and Fall Residency September 10-13! Look for us in the blue t-shirts around campus on September 10!