Seattle University facts for kids
 |
|
| Latin: Universitas Seattlensis | |
|
Former names
|
Immaculate Conception Parish School (1891–1898) Seattle College (1898–1948) |
|---|---|
| Motto | For the difference we make |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | 1891 |
| Accreditation | NWCCU |
|
Religious affiliation
|
Catholic Church (Jesuit) |
|
Academic affiliations
|
ACCU, AJCU, NAICU |
| Endowment | $234.3 million (2023) |
| President | Eduardo Peñalver |
| Provost | Shane P. Martin |
|
Academic staff
|
510 full-time 219 part-time |
| Students | 7,050 (fall 2020) |
| Undergraduates | 4,299 (fall 2020) |
| Postgraduates | 2,751 (fall 2020) |
| Location |
,
,
United States
47°37′N 122°19′W / 47.61°N 122.32°W |
| Campus | Urban 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Colors | Red White |
| Nickname | Redhawks |
|
Sporting affiliations
|
NCAA Division I – WAC |
| Mascot | Rudy the Redhawk |
 |
|
Seattle University (often called Seattle U) is a private university in Seattle, Washington. It is run by the Jesuits, a Catholic religious order. It is the biggest independent university in the Northwestern United States. Over 7,500 students study here in many different programs.
Contents
History of Seattle University
In 1891, a man named Adrian Sweere started a small school. It was near downtown Seattle. At first, it was called Immaculate Conception Parish School. This school did not offer college-level classes.
In 1898, the school changed its name to Seattle College. It was named after the city of Seattle. The city itself was named after Chief Seattle. Eleven years later, Seattle College gave out its first college degrees. For a while, it was both a high school and a college.
The college moved locations a few times. In 1931, it came back to First Hill permanently. That same year, Seattle College started a night school for women. This was a new idea at the time.
In 1948, Seattle College became Seattle University. This change happened under President Albert A. Lemieux. Later, in 1993, the Seattle University School of Law was created. It moved to the Seattle campus in 1999.
In 2009, Seattle U finished a big fundraising project. They raised almost $169 million. This money helped create new scholarships and academic programs. It also helped build a fitness center and an arts center. The $56 million Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons opened in 2010.
In 2024, a real estate developer named Richard Hedreen gave a huge gift. He donated his $300 million art collection to the university. This was in honor of his late wife, Betty Hedreen, who went to Seattle U. It was one of the largest gifts ever given to a university.
Seattle University Campus
Seattle University has a 50-acre campus. It is in the First Hill area of Seattle. This is just east of downtown. The campus is known for being very eco-friendly. It uses no pesticides on its grounds. It also has a food waste compost facility. Plus, it has great recycling and energy-saving programs.
The Chapel of St. Ignatius is on campus. It was designed by architect Steven Holl. It won a national award in 1998. At night, the chapel shines colorful lights onto the campus.
The campus also has many artworks. You can see the Centennial Fountain by George Tsutakawa. There is a large glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly. Other famous artists like Chuck Close and Jacob Lawrence also have art here.
Students at Seattle U come from many different backgrounds. The university welcomes people from all over the world.
The Lemieux Library opened in 1991. It has many books and magazines for students to use. It is a member of a group called the American Theological Library Association.
Academics and Learning
| USNWR National University | 124 |
|---|---|
| Washington Monthly National University | 297 |
| Forbes | 162 |
Seattle University offers many study programs. There are 65 bachelor's degree programs. There are also 31 graduate degree programs. Plus, students can get 27 different certificates. The university also has a law school and a doctoral program in education.
The university has six main schools and colleges:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Albers School of Business and Economics
- College of Education
- School of Law
- College of Nursing
- College of Science and Engineering
Albers School of Business and Economics
The Albers School of Business and Economics started in 1945. It was named after the Albers family. They were big supporters of the school. The business school added an MBA program in 1967. This program helps students get advanced business degrees. The Albers School is a top business school.
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Seattle U. It offers many different majors and minors. Students can study subjects like history, literature, and science. It also has several graduate degrees.
School of Law
The Seattle University School of Law began in 1972. It was first part of the University of Puget Sound. In 1993, it moved to Seattle University. The law school moved to the Seattle campus in 1999. It is known for its excellent legal writing program.
College of Nursing
Seattle University's College of Nursing has been around for a long time. It celebrated its 75th birthday in 2010. The college is in Garrand Hall. This is the oldest building on campus. The nursing students use a special lab to practice their skills. This lab is located near the main campus.
College of Education
The College of Education started in 1935. It trains future teachers and school psychologists. It is approved by important national groups.
College of Science & Engineering
The College of Science and Engineering focuses on science, math, and how they are used. Students can study basic sciences or computer science. They can also choose from different engineering fields. These include civil, environmental, mechanical, and electrical engineering.
Caring for the Environment
Seattle University works hard to protect the environment. They have many projects to help. These include composting food waste and saving water. They also have solar panels on buildings. There is a large recycling program on campus. In 2003, they built the first composting facility on an urban campus in Washington.
Seattle University has won awards for its green efforts. They received the Sustainability Innovator Award in 2007. They also won the Green Washington Award in 2008. The Princeton Review named Seattle U one of the top "Green Colleges" in the country in 2018.
The campus stopped using pesticides in the 1980s. Instead, they used good insects to control pests. This helped them become a pesticide-free campus.
In 2023, Seattle U made a big decision. It became the first university in Washington to stop investing in fossil fuels. This means they no longer support companies that use coal, oil, or gas.
Sports and Athletics
From 1950 to 1971, Seattle University had strong sports teams. In the 1950s, the basketball team was very good. They even beat the famous Harlem Globetrotters. In 1958, a future Hall of Famer named Elgin Baylor played for the men's basketball team. They made it to the Final Four tournament. Seattle University was also known for having a diverse team.
Success continued in the 1960s with other great players. The 1966 basketball team beat Texas Western University. That team's championship season was shown in the movie Glory Road.
In women's tennis, Janet Hopps Adkisson was a top player. In women's golf, Pat Lesser was also very successful. Many Seattle U baseball players went on to play professionally. The men's golf and tennis teams were also nationally ranked.
In 1980, Seattle U left Division I sports. They joined the NAIA for almost 20 years. In the late 1990s, the university decided to return to NCAA membership. They moved to Division II in 2002.
In 2009, the school moved back to Division I. They hired new basketball coaches. In 2013, the women's coach, Joan Bonvicini, led the Redhawks to a championship. In 2016, Suzy Barcomb became the new women's basketball coach. In her first year, she led the team to another championship.
The university's mascot changed in 1938 to the Chieftains. This honored Chief Seattle. In 2000, the mascot changed again to the Redhawks.
On June 14, 2011, Seattle U joined the Western Athletic Conference. They became a full member for the 2012–2013 season.
Famous People from Seattle U
Many people who went to Seattle University have become famous. They have achieved great things in different fields.
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Seattle para niños
- List of Jesuit sites
