04 SEATTLE UNIVERSITY
BREADTH. DEPTH. HEART. “To be fully human,” says Eric Watson, S.J., PhD, “means having an appreciation for truth, beauty and goodness. A good college education requires depth. A Jesuit education also requires breadth.” He continues, “My hope for each student is that they will emerge as a wonderful, well-rounded person — someone who is well educated in his or her major, but who has also studied philosophy, theology, art, literature, math, chemistry and physics. This multidimensionality enriches both the person and our world.” This universal approach toward knowledge can broaden a student’s horizons. “I remember a student who loved fine art as much as she loved chemistry. In her career, she ended up with an exquisite blend of the two. She now works with museums, using chemical processes to determine the authenticity of artwork.” In addition to teaching advanced chemistry and working with student researchers, Fr. Watson teaches general chemistry. “The first-year students have widely varying abilities,” he notes. “It is like teaching several classes in one classroom. I have to be the best teacher I can be.” Fr. Watson often counsels students who are coping with challenges. Some are having trouble adjusting to university life. Others are struggling with difficult course material. “For many, their selfworth is tied to getting A’s, and this may be their first experience with a bad grade,” he says. “When I meet with them, we talk about practical options. I listen. They know I am present with them and care about their situation.” He concludes, “One thing about care for the whole student is how well Seattle University does it — it really stands out. I thought it would be like this at other universities, but after talking with people at conferences, I know it is not. At SU, we share a single purpose and mission: to nurture, advance and foster our students’ desire to learn.”