Saying Yes And: Navigating Change With Purpose
This is a time of transition. I have said this before because I believe that a dynamic learning organization should always be in some state of transition. However, our current transition is significantly different. As SPU engages in a restructuring process, the School of Education is adapting to broad organizational changes. Yes, we continue to do what we have always done, and we are making big shifts in how we do it. Our YES emphasizes our commitment to our mission and the importance of honesty and integrity in fulfilling it. The AND recognizes the realities to which we need to adapt while still fulfilling our stated mission.
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22 (NIV). This verse from Genesis emphasizes the timelessness of God's creation. While seasons change, God’s divine order and enduring love continue to sustain and guide the natural world.
A Season of Growth and Celebration
In our latest issue of On Point, you will read about the work we continue to do and the important contributions of our alumni to the field of education. You will read about , our Center for Professional Education, where the concept of lifelong learners is not just lip service. At the end of the current academic quarter we will celebrate over 100 graduate and undergraduate students either receiving their state credentials and/or completing their respective degree programs. This is an exciting time for celebration as we send out these wonderful educators to make a difference in the lives of young people.
Building Bridges: Uniting Disciplines for Deeper Learning
John C. Maxwell is credited as saying “"Change is inevitable, growth is optional." In the coming months, you may hear about several shifts in how Seattle Pacific’s academic areas are structured. For example, Education, Humanities, and the Arts are coming together as one college. This new structure will allow for some exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations. Education, arts, and humanities are interconnected through the development of critical thinking skills, creativity, communication abilities, and a broader understanding of the human experience. The arts and humanities help us understand, imagine, and interpret different contexts, cultures, and voices, and education can serve as a platform to integrate these disciplines, focusing upon research-supported, holistic ways to teach these different ways of thinking and varied forms of expression to young people.
Yes, we remain people of integrity and faith who live what we say... and we adapt and grow to continue serving our communities well.
Blessings to you,
Nyaradzo Mvududu
Dean, School of Education