The SPU Voices Podcast
The SPU Voices Podcast is a Seattle Pacific University monthly interview show dedicated to telling inspiring and compelling stories. Everyone has a story. We showcase those which are both artistically rich and relevant to current culture. The more personal the story, the more universal the impact.
Episodes
127 episodes
"Food is Fuel," with Paige Johnson '15, '22
When Paige Johnson ’15 first started exploring job opportunities for hospital dietitians, she was amazed by the demand for different dietetic specialties and services. Johnson started her career at Seattle Children’s Hospital’s milk lab, mixing...
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26:46
"In The Wings," with Fern Donaghy '22
Fern Donaghy found theater early in life and came to SPU to study Theatre Education, hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow alum and Roosevelt High School Theatre teacher, Ben Stuart. But when COVID made student teaching more difficult tha...
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25:18
"A New Beginning," with President Deana Porterfield
Dr. Deana L. Porterfield was elected in January of 2023, to be Seattle Pacific University’s next president. Porterfield is the 12th president in the university’s 133-year history and its first female president. She assumed her duties on July 1,...
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36:37
"How to Get Un-Stuck," with Cami Ostman '00
Cami Ostman began her career as an English teacher. Then, after getting her master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from SPU in 2000, spent the next 20 years as a therapist. Upon writing a successful memoir and seeing first-hand the transformat...
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44:32
"Ask The Ones Who Know," with Alexia Estrada '20
Alexia Estrada, class of 2020, is the granddaughter of farm workers and director of operations at Semillero (Nursery) de Ideas, a nonprofit centering around farm workers ...
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23:47
"Three Generations of Noel," with Nathan Hedman '95, Esther Williamson '98, Philip Jacobs '08
We took a look at three generations of Noel with the long lost Christmas poem by JRR Tolkien written in 1936, the song Cry of a Tiny Babe by Bruce Coburn written in 1990, and a spoken word piece written in 2020 by our own Phil...
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13:09
“Prevention is the Answer,” with Lee Montgomery '89
After 18 years serving as a probation officer with the Lewis County Juvenile Court, Lee Montgomery ’89, saw how easily kids without a strong support system found themselves getting into trouble. He had to do something to help slow the cycle of ...
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28:18
“A (Virtual) Place to Belong,” with Tod Yansomboon '24
Tod Yansomboon, currently in his final quarter at SPU, is an international student from Thailand. Tod left his home at the age of 15 to attend high school in the US in pursuit of his overarching goal: to understand business and how business can...
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20:08
"Seen, Recognized, and Loved," with Jacoby Miles '20
2020 grad Jacoby Miles describes herself as a business administrator, lover of the arts, apologetics enthusiast & lover of people. At the age of 15, she was paralyzed from my chest down due to a gymnastics accident. She has worked hard to g...
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31:58
"Faith Formation Project," with Prof Katie Douglass
Rev. Dr. Katie Douglass, Associate Professor of Educational Ministry and Practical Theology at Seattle Pacific, and her team have recently received 1.3 million in grants for the Faith Formation Pr...
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41:35
"The Huntress," with Prof Cara Wall-Scheffler '00
Cara Wall-Scheffler is a Professor and Co-Chair of Biology at SPU. Her research focuses on the evolution of how men and women differ physically, particularly in the context of balancing body temperature and long-distance locomotion. She has bee...
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34:17
"A Woman's Place," with Pastor Becca Worl '02
Pastor Rebecca Worl was born and raised as a missionary kid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After returning to the states, she finished school in Bellingham and went on to receive her undergraduate degree in Theology from Seattle Pacif...
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32:33
"What's Old Is New Again," with Nathan Hedman '95
Dr. Hedman, SPU class of ’95, served in a joint appointment for the departments of English and Theatre at High Point University, teaching courses at the intersection of performance and literature. He now serves as director of the honors program...
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45:30
"On the Fireline," with Brent Ruby '89
Professor Brent Ruby graduated from SPU in ‘89 with a degree in Exercise Science. He now serves as a professor at the University of Montana where his research includes the physical and mental toll fighting wildland fires has on the people who b...
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32:40
"Mother/Runner," with Vanessa Aniteye '23
When Vanessa Aniteye’s indoor track season started in December of 2022, she was a decorated 400-meter runner moving up to the 800 meters. At that point, she had raced the 800 just three times in her life. Three months later, in March of 2023, V...
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17:53
"The Bible You Thought You Knew," with Prof Emeritus Frank Spina
Dr. Frank Spina was a professor of Old Testament at SPU for four and a half decades. Dr. Spina often heard from students that he had taught their parents — or their grandparents. Considered tough and fair, he was named Professor of the Year by ...
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35:35
"The Play's the Thing," with Esther Williamson '98
Esther Williamson graduated from SPU in 1998 with a double major in Theatre and English, then earned her Masters of Fine Arts from The Academy for Classical Acting at The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC. Now, she’s an actor and te...
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31:19
“Writing A New Chapter,” with Mike Henry ‘79
Michael Henry is a retired pastor and missionary. Michael’s ministry included serving as a missionary in Mexico, where he encountered intense spiritual warfare, and planting and pastoring churches in Washington state. Now retired, Mike pursues ...
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25:08
"Kidnapped Redemption," with Phyllis Sortor ‘64
Phyllis Sortor had served as a missionary with Free Methodist World Missions in Nigeria for 10 years when she was kidnapped by a terrorist group hoping to end her work with the Fulani, an indigenous nomadic people group. A new
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53:38
"Reading the Bible with the Damned," with Bob Ekblad '82
Bob Ekblad took a break from his studies at SPU to travel. Though he would return to graduate, his call to share with and gain insight from other cultures would steer the rest of his journey. Bob with his wife Gracie, 2014 SPU Medallion Award w...
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29:41
"The Song in My Heart," with Gabrielle Turner '17
Gabrielle Turner graduated Seattle Pacific University in 2017 with a degree in Music, but she was just beginning to find her voice. Building on her general music degree, she immediately began working on her vocal strength and building up her co...
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15:57
"Reporting From Home," with Peter Choi '17
Peter Choi '17 came to SPU as an international student from Korea to study journalism. His career took off immediately after graduation, working as an international correspondent for the Korean National News during the pandemic, which left Pete...
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24:42
"Faith and Music," with Nansi Carroll
Nansi Carroll recently visited SPU as a guest lecturer and brought a new original piece for our choir. She is a composer who has written over 300 vocal, choral, and piano works in her positions as Music Director of St. Augustine Church in Gaine...
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28:44
"The Story of My Life," with Professor Emeritus George Scranton
George Scranton taught theatre at Seattle Pacific for more than four decades. Dr. Scranton has written or adapted a dozen plays, five of which received national awards. He enjoyed an academic and professional acting career and directed more tha...
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28:22
“How Lament Can Bring Us Joy” with Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah
Rev. Dr. Rah is a Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary and was the founding senior pastor of Cambridge Community Fellowship Church in Cambridge. He has degrees from Columbia, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Harvard; Gordo...
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35:44
