Who is the face of Seattle University? According to the MySU portal, the faces of Seattle U are a blonde woman and an Asian man plucked from a stock photo Web site.
If you looked at a recent issue of Seattle U’s magazine, the poster person for the school would be head men’s basketball coach Cameron Dollar.
Still another look at the latest community newsletter, and the poster child would be a student (clad in red Seattle U gear) hard at work during a community service program.
Jesse David, senior philosophy major, is ASSU president and an involved member of the Seattle U community.
“I have a more careful sense of responsibility in my position,” David said. “I don’t consider myself a poster child, but I think it’s key that the university produce top tier students who people can look up to.”
David is a member of Seattle U’s ROTC program. Each year the nation ranks each of its estimated 6,000 ROTC cadets with a number from the best to the worst. David is ranked 19th out of the 6,000 cadets.
David has also participated in the student executive council, the Ignatian Leaders Honor Society and on the search committee for the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences last year.
“I never imagined I’d be in this kind of leadership position,” David says.
Perhaps the true poster children are those nameless people that appear on Seattle U’s advertising pamphlets and college newsletters. Typically these are wide-faced students enjoying a coffee in a Bon Appétit establishment or typing on a laptop on the Union Green.
On the main Seattle U Web site, for example, there is a button labeled “What’s life like at Seattle U?” The picture featured on the button is a row of five ethnically diverse students, all of whom are female.
There are more female students at Seattle U, true, but does that small advertisement suggest they comprise the entire student body?
Perhaps the “face of Seattle U” is an ethnically and politically diverse student.
Carlos Reyes, sophomore creative writing major, is heavily involved in social justice activities on campus, and his photo has frequented the homepage of seattleu.edu.
“I’d think that the poster child would be a justice-oriented person, who is hardworking and leads by example,” Reyes says. “Personally, I don’t see myself as a person I would look for as a role model.”
Reyes was an orientation adviser and was heavily involved in Triangle Club last year. He is active in the Office of Multicultural Affairs and is a social justice Hurtado mentor in Bellarmine.
“I never thought of [poster children] as a marketing tool or considered it as a ploy,” Reyes said.
Is Charles Garcia the poster child for Seattle U? The school and the local media have put a greater emphasis on the basketball program this year. Basketball scouts now dot the audience at KeyArena games with the recent Huskies - Redhawks game being particularly high profile.
You know, these poster children’s faces go on everything except posters.
Fernando may be reached at fsioson@su-spectator.com
Column: Finding the poster children of SU
Published: Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Updated: Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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