By Beth Douglass ’10 | Photos By Luke Rutan
If you live in the residence halls, we’ll make sure you feel at home from the day you arrive on campus.
“RAID!” It’s 9:59 p.m. in Seattle Pacific University’s Hill Hall. Just moments ago, sophomore Madeline Huber was chatting with a couple of girls in her room. Now, the guys from the other side of the building race down the hall — shouting and thumping on the walls and doors.
This residence hall tradition is known as a “raid.” Madeline, who is Hill’s vice president, is ready to see what awaits: a group game, a competition, maybe a late-night ice cream run? Tonight, it’s a gingerbread house decorating contest. Grab your frosting and gumdrops — and may the best team win!
Seattle Pacific has five residence halls: Ashton, Hill, Emerson, Moyer, and Arnett. But if you think an SPU residence hall is just a place to live, you are mistaken. Each hall has staff of professionals and peers, including residence life advisors, resident advisors, and student ministry coordinators, who help make campus a fun and supportive place to live.
Each hall is different, and each has its own unique feel and set of traditions. Raids are just one way brother and sister floors build a tight community in their new homes.
Whether you make your home in Arnett, Ashton, Hill, Moyer, or Emerson, you’ll never forget your time in the halls.
Madeline, who’s from Connecticut, appreciated how older students helped her feel at home as a first-year student. She was immediately paired with a secret “Big Sister,” which is a tradition in several SPU residence halls.
The sophomore “Big Sister” is like a Secret Santa, writing notes and giving gifts to her “Little Sister” that week. Often, the women end up forming a mentoring relationship.
Lennox Bishop, a sophomore living on 5th East Ashton for the second year, loves how her student ministry coordinator last year made everyone feel welcome and valuable. “She was real about what was going on in her life, not putting on a facade,” Lennox says. “That makes room for other people to be real.”
If you walk through the doors of Emerson Hall, you may be greeted by sophomore Emma Hewitt putting on an impromptu piano performance.
Because Emerson’s rooms are suite-style, you see your roommate and suitemates much more than others in your hall. The increased privacy has made spending time in common areas one of Emma’s favorite ways to build community.
Stop by after class one day, and you may catch Emma singing some Adele or Sam Smith. “Emerson lobby has the most insane acoustics. It’s crazy,” she says.
The singer/songwriter has felt very encouraged by the support of her Emerson community, and often performs at her hall’s quarterly Emerson Coffee House.
The coffee house usually draws at least 200 students from across campus, who watch student musicians and poets
perform.
If you need more space, head on down to your hall lounge for Ping-Pong, Foosball, or a rousing piano-accompanied singalong.
Moyer Hall is known for its small, tight-knit community. Sophomore Joshua Wong — whose parents are missionaries in China — is Moyer’s intercultural coordinator. He helps raise awareness about diversity on campus, connects students to clubs, events, and discussions, and helps to bring a multicultural perspective to residence hall life.
Felicia Perez is co-president of Arnett Hall, the newest residence hall on campus … a community that is building its own new traditions this year. She loves life in SPU’s residence halls for many reasons, but in particular, Felicia says it’s the spiritual aspect that makes SPU unique.
“During finals, if you’re struggling, it’s really great to have someone who can support you in a faith-based way,” she says. “Not just ‘You can do it,’ but ‘You have a provider. You can trust him. Everything’s going to work out, because he’s in control.’”
That friendship and support, emotional and spiritual, exists throughout the residence halls. Across the street in Hill Hall, Madeline feels it.
“I think that is why a lot of people return to their floor,” she says.
“Because it’s not just a Hill thing. It’s an Ashton, an Emerson, an Arnett, and a Moyer thing, as well. People want to stay on their floor, and keep that culture going.”