Earlier this year, Seattle University welcomed Monica J. Casper as its new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) following the exit of former Dean David Powers. In an effort to introduce Casper to the greater student body and strengthen the connection between students and faculty both new and old, the college and the CAS Student Executive Council hosted a casual meet-and-greet event Nov. 19. 

Hosted in the bright and spacious atrium of the Casey building, the event provided plenty of room to mingle. Advertised as a “Dish with the Dean,” snacks were also provided. A large table of cheeses, fruits and various desserts sat at the back of the room, encouraging students to relax and feel comfortable getting to know each other. 

As the largest college at Seattle U, the event drew several attendees from a diversity of degrees. Students cycled in and out of the hour-long event, asking questions and learning more about Casper as well as the college itself.

In a short speech at the beginning of the event, Casper expressed her excitement about joining Seattle U as well as her specific appreciation for the College of Arts and Sciences.

“I love the interdisciplinarity, the fact that [the college] is so big and diverse, and that we have the arts, which makes me happy, but also the humanities and social sciences. I’m a sociologist, so of course I love the social sciences, but I think we all have to fight for the humanities. They’re so important,” she said.

As the event went on, various discussion groups formed as attendees got to know each other. Finals, classes, reality TV: all topics were fair game. These discussions gave students a chance to connect with not just their peers, but the faculty and staff that support them in a lighthearted, welcoming environment. The room was relaxed as attendees found they could jump into conversations with ease.

Fourth-year Transfer Student and International Studies Major Charlee Crisostomo appreciated the chance to make connections within the university and her specific college.

“I thought it would be interesting to meet the dean and have some fun food,” Crisostomo said. “It ended up being a good opportunity to get to know more people around here.”

Maya Stefanovic, a first-year psychology major, had similar reasons for attending.

“I was curious about the new dean and her intentions for the college, and I wanted the opportunity to meet people who work in the college to build connections,” Stefanovic said. “[Dean Casper] was super nice, it was great to put a face to the person in charge of everything in my college.”

According to Casper, reactions like this were the reason the college decided to put on the event.

“We’ve really been ramping up our support of the student exec committee and reaching out to students, something I really love to do,” she said. “Part of it is that I’m also not in a classroom, so any chance I can have to talk to students is really welcome.”

Mark Petterson, director of marketing and communications for the college, shared Casper’s appreciation for the event. 

“It’s been really wonderful,” he said. “I think events like these are really important for students to be able to meet college leadership and vice versa.”

Like Casper, Petterson is new to the college and appreciated the chance to become more involved in the community. He expressed his excitement for the upcoming year and for future events the college hopes to put on.

The meet and greet also provided Casper an opportunity to share some of her goals for the upcoming years. Drawing on her history in sociology and social justice, Casper expressed how important a strong, supportive community will be this year.

“The college itself is very committed to DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] and anti-racist work of all kinds, so we’re trying to figure out how to amplify that work. I think too, we have to think about how we’re going to care for people post-election, because I think some folks are going to be at risk,” she acknowledged. 

As the event came to a close, students left feeling connected to their college and enthusiastic about the future of the arts and sciences department. The success of the meet and greet is an encouraging example of open communication between students and staff that will hopefully continue across campus.