ScholarWorks @ SeattleU (Seattle University)

Damjanac, Milan

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
2-12-2025 
2025-02-12 What’s At The (U)CORe of Jesuit Education?: Honors 
v. UCOR 
Milan Damjanac 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
The Spectator • February 12, 2025 • https://seattlespectator.com/2025/02/12/whats-at-the-ucore-of-
jesuit-education-honors-v-ucor/
What’s At The (U)CORe of Jesuit
Education?: Honors v. UCOR
Milan Damjanac, Staff Reporter
An essential part of Seattle University’s mission as a Jesuit
Liberal Arts institution involves educating students in a
holistic manner and providing them with a strong base in a
wide variety of subjects and skills, along with a targeted
focus on their major. The school seeks to accomplish this
mission through two different pathways, those being the
Honors program and the University Core, or UCOR for
short.
While the two are quite different in a variety of ways, they
both strive to accomplish similar goals and to prepare
students for post-college life with a diverse set of skills and
knowledge. Each program is designed with a great deal of
intentionality, and the different approaches offer various
benefits that appeal to different groups of students. In
striving to achieve their purpose, the programs must
navigate their own challenges and shortcomings, with faculty working hard to adapt the courses to provide students the best
experience possible.
Annabelle Deguzman-Carino
UCOR is the prescribed pathway for most Seattle U students. Approximately 90% of students go through the program to complete
their core requirements. Students take 12 courses throughout their time at the school, with varied and specific options available for
each course. They cover writing, math, natural and social sciences, philosophy and more.
Courses are designed to be specific deep dives into a certain topic, straying from a distribution model that has become a norm at
many other universities, where students take an intro-level course to an entire discipline, barely scratching the surface. UCOR gets
students to engage with one very specific subject, often a passion of the professor who is teaching it, in a much more nuanced and
pointed way. In the process, UCOR courses attempt to integrate Jesuit values of social justice and community action.
Lydia Cooper, director of the UCOR program and professor of English, emphasized how important the specific nature of UCOR
classes is to the program.
“You’re not necessarily learning that kind of basic intro to the entire field, but it’s a deep dive that hopefully is something that’s way
more interesting and engaging and gives you an appetite to learn more if you want to,” Cooper said. “If we want to build lifelong
learners, people who are curious, open to the world, then we shouldn’t bore them to death and force them like automatons through
the exact same set of courses. That seems counterintuitive, so the ability to choose is really important.”
Cooper’s response touches on another hallmark of the program, which is the ability to choose one’s courses. Students are
encouraged to fulfill their requirements by selecting whichever courses they feel are most interesting and applicable to their
interests.
As far as teaching UCOR classes goes, professors report that the classes often allow them to be immersed with the student body
and the subject matter in a way that regular, lecture-based major classes often do not.
Professor of Philosophy Eric Severson teaches UCOR classes and works on designing the future of the program. In an email to The
Spectator, he explained some of the benefits of the UCOR program. 
“The Core, however, uniquely combines students who come to philosophy from every discipline at the academy. When learning is
collaborative and inclusive, students teach one another — and me! — about the way philosophy entangles with their discipline, their
culture, their history, their work, and their passion for justice,” Severson wrote.
Students report varied experiences with UCOR. Many enjoy the program, like Diego Borromeo, a third-year international studies
major.
“I’ve had good experiences with my UCORs. Specifically, Philosophy of The Human Person. I really enjoyed that class, and the
teacher was really good,” Borromeo shared. 
View of the Casey atrium. (Sasha Volivnikov)
Borromeo also pointed out a few frustrations with the program, especially with the way course selection and scheduling work.
“My only frustrations would be if there was a specific UCOR course that I wanted to take, and my registration time was later, then it
would be full pretty immediately,” Borromeo shared.
UCOR faculty also acknowledged many of the logistical difficulties that such a program faces. Cooper explained that the process of
signing up for classes can be difficult.
“It’s not very visible for students and it creates challenges for students in building schedules really easily in my Seattle U,” Cooper
said.
Additionally, the way that course enrollment works makes the issue even more difficult to address, as the school only offers as many
courses as there are students to take them, meaning students with late registration times have a very limited selection of courses.
While UCOR faculty can’t directly change the way course sign-ups work, they are working in other ways to help the program evolve.
UCOR is currently being redesigned for the 2026-2027 school year to include new courses at the start and end of the program that
involve more direct engagement with its values.
“[The new UCOR] is not wildly different from what we’re doing, but it’s much more focused on that learning and action… I’m really
excited about the new core because I think it’s just a more honed, clear story about what we mean as Seattle University,” Cooper
shared.
The Honors Program is the alternative way for students to fulfill their course requirements. The program uses a cohort model,
seminar-based classes, prescribed curriculum and increased rigor to give opted-in students a way to engage with a set of core
curriculum that is more specifically focused on philosophy, literature and history.
It takes the form of three tracks, which students apply to at the same time as their general admission applications. One track is
called Intellectual Traditions (IT), and it extensively focuses on the three core subjects (literature, philosophy and history) and their
evolution and representations in different time periods. The next is Society, Policy and Citizenship (SPC), which is similar to
Intellectual Traditions in the first year but has a greater emphasis on the social sciences in the second. Finally, there is Innovations, a
track designed to allow students with rigorous schedules and credit requirements to still participate in honors. It focuses on much
of the subject matter through a STEM-adjacent lens.
Each SPC and IT Honors student is placed in three classes each quarter with the same cohort of classmates, with class sizes often
smaller than 20 people. These students stay together throughout their first two years, taking each Honors class together.
Innovations students take two Honors classes instead of three and complete Honors classwork into their junior year.
A closeup of books at the Honors library, located in the Honors office. (Sasha
Volivnikov)
While Innovations may seem like the black sheep of the program, its addition in 2016 allowed a much greater diversity of academic
majors to access the program and all of its perks.
Vinod Acharya is a professor of philosophy and assistant director of the Innovations track.
“We’re grateful that we’re still able to do this because these majors didn’t even get to be part of the Honors program in the past,”
Acharya said.
The Honors program offers a variety of ancillary benefits, including significant one-on-one attention from an advisor, priority class
registration, a $1,800 yearly scholarship and various community building events, with formals, gatherings and plenary events each
quarter.
Marc McLeod, professor of history and assistant director of the IT track, emphasized the unique amount of support that Honors
students have access to.
“Most administrative positions do not have the same degree of one-on-one advising that [administrators] do, because that’s a
hallmark of the program,” McLeod said. “One [benefit] is the degree to which our curriculum is interdisciplinary but also integrated…
there is an effort to develop effective communicators, both in writing as well as in speech and verbally.” 
Owen Daryani, a third-year history and political science major and a graduate of the SPC track, shared his satisfaction with his
Honors experience.
“I had a great time doing Honors, and it’s very fulfilling. I became a better writer and reader for sure. I built a lot of connections to
the professors, which is probably the most valuable thing I got out of it,” Daryani said.
However, some students struggle with the intense workload. Borromeo was initially an Honors student but dropped out of the
program due to the workload and found much more success in UCOR. Even in the first quarter of Honors, reading loads can
consistently be up to 50 pages per class each night, along with greater length requirements and quality standards for assignments.
In addition to monitoring and changing the curriculum to fit schoolwide standards and the program values as part of the “Reimagine
and Revise Our Curriculum” initiative, Honors faculty are working with students and with the curriculum to make sure that it still
serves generations of students that are academically impacted by the effects of the pandemic, virtual learning, and social-media-
influenced attention spans.
“It doesn’t mean that we scale back our expectations, but we also have to make sure that we are cognizant of working with students
where they’re at, and again, making sure that we are adaptable enough. And that we provide the resources that are necessary for
everyone to succeed,” McLeod shared.
Ultimately, Seattle U’s core programs are always evolving to try to best serve the school’s mission. In the future, the programs will
hopefully become even better and find more ways to minimize issues and serve the students who take them.
Note: While the author of this piece is an Honors student, this article is written with the experiences of other students and faculty
in mind and aims to be as objective as possible in descriptions of both programs


2025-02-12 What’s At The (U)CORe of Jesuit Education?: Honors v. UCOR

Dumlao, Diego

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
2-19-2025 
2025-02-19 Spring Training Is Here, What Have the Mariners Done 
to Prepare for 2025? 
Diego Dumlao 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
The Spectator • February 19, 2025 • https://seattlespectator.com/2025/02/19/spring-training-is-here-
what-have-the-mariners-done-to-prepare-for-2025/
Spring Training Is Here, What
Have the Mariners Done to
Prepare for 2025?
Diego Dumlao, Volunteer Reporter
Pitchers and Catchers from all 30 Major League Baseball
teams first reported to their respective Spring Training
locations between Feb. 9 and 13, marking the beginning of
the 2025 MLB Spring Training. The 15 members of the
Cactus League, the Mariners included, gathered at their
respective training facilities in Arizona, while the other 15
members of the Grapefruit League reported to their
facilities in Florida.  
Following a cold off–season, the Seattle Mariners tuned in
to the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Ariz., where they
began preparation for the upcoming season. In 2024 the
Mariners ended the season with a record of 85-77, putting
them in second place in the American League (AL) West
division, missing the playoffs once again.  
The team last made a playoff appearance in 2022 after securing the second AL Wild Card spot with a Cal Raleigh walk-off home run
versus the Oakland Athletics, Sep. 30, 2022. This broke a 20-year-long playoff drought for the Mariners. Since then, the Mariners
have just barely missed out on the playoffs in back-to-back years.  
“It’s a disappointment because we missed the playoffs, that’s what it means to me, I want to play in the postseason and do what we
can to win a world series, that’s the ultimate goal,” Mariners Infielder Luke Raley commented on missing out on the postseason back
in September 2024.  
This offseason was definitely a slow one for the organization. The biggest moves by the Mariners this offseason were the team re-
signing veteran infielder, Jorge Polanco, to a one-year $7.7 million contract Feb. 3, along with yet another veteran infielder,
Donovan Solano on a one-year $3.5 million contract. Both infielders have proven themselves as plus hitters in previous years, and
with the veteran presence, development will not be necessary for either of the individuals.  
“It was more quiet than normal for us… We did have areas that we wanted to address in the infield. The first thing we did to address
them was adding Solano, really really happy with that add… Then obviously adding Jorge back to the team was last week was a big
deal for us,” Mariners General Manager Justin Hollander told Bump and Stacy from Seattle Sports 710.  
Despite the organization not making many large moves during the offseason, there’s still a lot to look forward to for the 2025
season. In 2024 the Mariners’ starting rotation solidified itself as one of, if not the best, pitching rotations in the MLB. This five-man
Sean Campbell
No. 53 Tommy Milone, relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
rotation consisting of Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Bryan Woo led the MLB in multiple different
aspects in 2024. The team’s elite bullpen will also hopefully be seeing the return of the righty flame thrower, Matt Brash. If Brash’s
recovery continues to go well, the righty will be returning to the bullpen after missing out on the entirety of the 2024 season due to
receiving Tommy John surgery. With all of the Mariners’ starters returning this season, and the addition of the young right-hander,
Emerson Hancock as the sixth man to the starting rotation, pitching will be the least of the team’s worries this season.  
Mariners’ legend Dan Wilson took over as the team’s manager Aug. 22, 2024. Wilson replaced the former manager, Scott Servais.
After nine seasons at the helm for the Mariners, Servais was released from the team after poor performances from the team in the
months of July and August 2024.  
“Guys are excited with what lies ahead here in [20]25. You know guys will try other things that were suggested to them by other
starters… they can lean on each other a little bit that way also and I think that’s one of the things that makes that pitching staff so
special,” Wilson commented on the Mariners pitching staff.  
Pitching was not what caused the Mariners’ downfall last season. Despite the team leading the league in many of the pitching
statistics, the Mariners’ offense ranked second to last in the MLB in regard to team combined batting average, .224 (via ESPN). The
team also tallied up the most strikeouts in the MLB with 1,625. The Mariners only had four players out of the 22 hitters on the team
that hit above .250, those four being Julio Rodríguez, Justin Turner, Victor Robles and Cade Marlowe. 
The Mariners also have a lot of offensive talent in their farm system, with the organization having seven prospects ranked in the
MLB Top 100 Prospects. The re-signing of Polanco, the addition of Solano and the possible promotion of some prospects could all
help improve this team’s mediocre offense.  
The MLB regular season begins March 27 for 28 out of the 30 teams, the Mariners included. The team will take on the now-
mononymous Athletics, formally Oakland Athletics, at home to kick off the 2025 season. With almost the same team as last season,
along with the addition of some new players that could make positive impacts on the team’s performance, it’ll be exciting to see how
the Mariners will perform as they attempt to make another run at the playoffs.  


2025-02-19 Spring Training Is Here, What Have the Mariners Done to Prepare for 2025?

Behar, Alan

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
3-5-2025 
2025-03-05 5Point Film Festival Explores the Outdoors Through 
Diverse Stories 
Alan Behar 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
The Spectator • March 5, 2025 • https://seattlespectator.com/2025/03/05/5point-film-festival-
explores-the-outdoors-through-diverse-stories/
5Point Film Festival Explores the
Outdoors Through Diverse
Stories
Alan Behar, Staff Photographer
At its core, the 5Point Film Festival focuses on more than
just films. It highlights adventure, diversity, community and
personal growth. Dedicated to showcasing impactful
stories, the festival inspires change by uplifting diverse
storytellers and encouraging people to explore the world
beyond their everyday routines. 5Point is rooted in five
core principles—commitment, respect, humility, purpose
and balance. 
Entering the festival, attendees are greeted by a variety of
booths run by small organizations, each dedicated to
different outdoor activities. From skateboarding camps
to avalanche safety groups, hiking trail guides to snow
sports, these booths serve as more than just informational
stations—they capture the essence of the festival and act as
a hub to meet people with similar interests. 
Coral Shafer, a fourth-year nursing major and outdoor leader with
Seattle University Recreation (UREC) Outdoors, highlights the
sense of community that comes with helping run an event like this.
“Even between this year and last, there are people and vendors
where we remember each other. And I think that comes to show the
kind of community that comes in general with the outdoors,” Shafer
said.
Each organization encourages attendees to take an active role in
outdoor exploration. Offered resources, guidance and
opportunities to engage with nature in meaningful ways, attendees
are filled with options to choose what they would like their next
adventure to be. By connecting people with outdoor recreation,
these booths help bridge the gap between an idea and an action. 
As the films roll, the heart of the 5Point Film Festival comes into focus. These films are not just about extreme sports or
breathtaking landscapes, they tell deeply personal stories of individuals who have found solace, strength, and purpose within the
Natalie Schorr
Attendees watch 5point films.
Exhibitors table before event start.
outdoors. One film might follow a man experiencing a crisis, thinking he’s nearing the final chapter of his life and deciding he must
seize the opportunity to fully embrace and enjoy what remains through the outdoors.
Another might highlight a queer community seeking a judgment-free space in
nature, where they can be their authentic selves. Others focus on the deep
connection between humans and the environment, showing how activities like
mountain skiing, rock climbing or hiking can ground individuals in an increasingly
chaotic world. 
The importance of these films go beyond just entertainment. They remind
audiences that in an era dominated by constant digital distractions—phone
notifications, social media and a relentless cycle of news—stepping away from
technology and immersing yourself in nature is a powerful way to regain clarity and
balance in life. These stories resonate deeply, inspiring viewers to seek out their
own adventures and to recognize that the outdoors is not just a place
for recreation, but a space for self-discovery and healing. 
These films highlight the transformative power of nature, a sentiment echoed by
Kevin Sutton, the head of UREC Outdoors.
“My hope is that people come and have a very meaningful experience, and then go
forth and be a better person from it. By seeing what kinds of things other people
are doing, I want attendees to be motivated to do those kinds of things themselves,”
Sutton said.
The 5Point Film Festival plays a big role in encouraging outdoor engagement. Many schools, such as Seattle U which hosted the
festival through UREC, provide students with opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals, discover new passions, and
experience firsthand the benefits of outdoor adventure. UREC-organized trips offer students a chance to step beyond the
classroom and explore the landscapes they see in the films, bringing the festival’s message to life. 
Ben Adams, a third-year mechanical engineering major, found out about 5Point through a UREC-organized hike he went on with
people who happened to be attending the festival.
“Doing these activities offers a very accessible way to enjoy the outdoors with some like-minded people, it’s fantastic,” Adams said.
What makes the 5Point Film Festival so impactful is its ability to build a strong sense of community. The festival serves as a
reminder that adventure is not just about hiking up mountains or mastering extreme sports, but it can also help people find their
place in the world, embrace challenges, and forge meaningful connections with both nature and people.
5point sign outside of Pigott Auditorium.
(Natalie Schorr)


2025-03-05 5Point Film Festival Explores the Outdoors Through Diverse Stories

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
5-21-2025 
2025-05-21 Timeout Session: Lilianne Hargreaves Sets Record, 
Finishes Career on High Note 
Milan Damjanac 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
The Spectator • May 21, 2025 • https://seattlespectator.com/2025/05/21/timeout-session-lilianne-
hargreaves-sets-record-finishes-career-on-high-note/
Timeout Session: Lilianne
Hargreaves Sets Record,
Finishes Career on High Note
Milan Damjanac, Staff Reporter
The Redhawk Track team finished their season at the
Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championship in
Arlington, Texas. Seattle University’s highest finisher,
Lilianne Hargreaves, got third in the 1500m, securing a spot
on the All-WAC First Team. She was also part of a school
record-breaking 4×100 relay.
The high placement at her final meet wasn’t Hargreaves’
only recent success—May 9, she smashed the previous
school 1500m record, running a 4:24.62, a whole four
seconds faster than the previous best time. She also holds
records in the mile and 3k for indoor track.
As a senior, the WAC Championships were Hargreaves’
final meet. Her recent successes, hard work throughout her career, and multiple records show the impact that she will be leaving on
the program.
The following is a condensed excerpt from an interview with Lilianne Hargreaves. Questions from the reporter are paraphrased for
brevity.
MD: How do you feel after your performance at the WAC Championships?
LH: I’m super happy with it. I went in wanting to get top three, so I got third, so I was happy with that. It’s a great end to the season.
MD: Is there any significance to you in terms of breaking records, or is it just another day on the job? 
LH: I do think it’s cool to see my name in the records and that my time here will be remembered, and I definitely never thought I
would be breaking records, so it’s very affirming and validating that I am.
MD: Throughout your track career, what role has fun and excitement played? 
LH: The whole sport is about how hard you can push yourself, so it can be pretty tough, but I feel like having my teammates, [as] we
are a pretty close knit group, has been super fun… it really helps me get excited.
MD: Is there anyone within the program or in your life that you feel has been important to you succeeding on the track? 
Rowan Stark
LH: Yeah, definitely. My coaches—Kelly Sullivan was my coach for the first three years, and he was amazing. I really miss him, and
then Jordana stepped in this year, and that’s been amazing. I love them both and definitely would not have been able to continue all
four years without that. Also, my roommates. They are both on the track team, so that’s been super helpful, because we’re all kind of
in it together. And my parents and my high school coaches. I have a big support system, and I would not be able to be here without
them.
MD: Earlier you said that there’s this element of track that is about constantly pushing yourself to the maximum of what you can do.
Are there any lessons or experiences that you have taken from that that have given you a new perspective on other aspects of your
life? 
LH: Yeah, I think it’s one of the more unique aspects of track that a lot of other sports might not have. I definitely am comfortable
being uncomfortable, which I feel like is a good skill to have in life. I’m going to keep running my whole life, so I think it’ll also help
with that, too.
MD: Has there been anything unique to your experience in your track career that might not be typical in most people’s careers or
that people might not know about? 
LH: I’ve struggled with diabetes, and I have cystic fibrosis, which is a respiratory disease. So, I’ve definitely had to overcome a lot
with that, and it is super validating to my hard work pay off. It’s a cool way to show that I’m healthy and doing well… the fact that my
body is able to run and perform so well, despite these diseases that I have, shows that I’m doing well managing them, which gives me
confidence.
MD: Do you feel different on a run that you did well on or set a record on, as opposed to any other race? 
LH: I definitely feel like the ones that I’ve done well or set a record on I’ve been very mentally engaged and driven. I think it’s easy
when I race so much to kind of check out sometimes. It’s like every weekend that we’re like trying to lock in mentally and physically
which is kind of a lot, so I think that the ones that I’ve done well on, I can look back and think, ‘yeah, I was in it’.
Hargreaves will graduate with a degree in environmental studies, specializing in urban sustainability. She plans to continue to run
and is excited to be able to commit time to her other hobbies, like biking. Meanwhile, the Seattle U track team is heading into
summer training, and the athletes will be working hard to start strong next season and have a good showing in their first year in the
West Coast Conference. 


2025-05-21 Timeout Session: Lilianne Hargreaves Sets Record, Finishes Career on High Note

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Ahmed, Hadia Noor

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
4-16-2025 
2025-04-16 Through the Lens of Emmerson Wheeler: 
Reconnecting with the Natural World 
Hadia Noor Ahmed 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Ahmed, Hadia Noor, "2025-04-16 Through the Lens of Emmerson Wheeler: Reconnecting with the Natural 
World" (2025). The Spectator Online. 1521. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1521 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
The Spectator • April 16, 2025 • https://seattlespectator.com/2025/04/16/through-the-lens-of-
emmerson-wheeler-reconnecting-with-the-natural-world/
Through the Lens of Emmerson
Wheeler: Reconnecting with the
Natural World
Hadia Noor Ahmed, Staff Reporter
Emmerson Wheeler is a 23-year-old senior at Seattle
University working to make his mark on the world through
the lens of photography and environmental studies. With
his recently published book “Isolated” and artwork
featured at Magnuson Magus Park Gallery’s current
exhibition- “Environmental Ties II,” Em is actively working
to grow his career and bring awareness to the natural world
through his lens. 
HNA: I feel like when people go into creative things and
spaces, it’s very intentional, and it’s very personal in a way.
Why did you choose photography? 
E: Yes, so, I grew up traveling, which was super cool to grow
up with, and with that, people who travel often take a lot of
photos. So, that was kind of just a natural presence in my
life, and I was really fascinated with it, and I just remember when I
was six, we were going to South Africa, and my parents bought me a
little, like a kid-friendly camera. And all the pictures my parents
took of me on that trip were just like me taking photos. I remember
that specifically because it was my first camera and I was really
excited about it— and I also lost it in the Singapore airport. And I
still to this day, think about it almost weekly. 
HNA: When you’re taking photographs, is it with the intention to
figure out what in that natural space is happening? How do you
choose what you’re going to work on?
E: Sometimes I have a topic in mind, sometimes I don’t. Last year, I
did a project on bumblebees and created a three-page website to
teach people about them using my photos. Other times, I just go for
a walk and take pictures of whatever I want, which can turn into a
project later. I recently released a book called “Isolated,” where I
removed backgrounds from photos of plants and animals so they
Fox Robinson
Em Wheeler stands on the Seattle University campus in April
2025.
float in black space. It’s a great example of reusing older photos for
a new project.
HNA: Tell me about the process of putting your book together—
where did the idea come from? 
E: I was in a bookmaking class where we had to create three books.
I wanted one about myself, one about myself in nature, and one just
on nature. The third book was tough to figure out. I was inspired by
Melinda Hurst Frye, a photographer who captures underground
environments like worms and mushrooms with a lot of negative
space. I had just interviewed her, and her style stuck with me.
I also had an old image of a snail and a moon that I combined with
no background—people really loved it. So, inspired by that and
Melinda’s work, I started removing backgrounds from my images
and realized it looked really cool. I finished the book and revisited it
later to improve it.
Then I submitted it to a group exhibition called “Environmental Ties II” at Magnusonus Park Gallery. When applying, I had to explain
how my work connects to the environment. I realized my images make viewers focus solely on the species, removed from their
context, prompting questions about the environment and our relationship to it.
HNA: What’s your process when photographing animals in the
wild? Since they’re not in controlled environments like a zoo, how
do you approach those situations? 
E: I’m really patient—I’ll wait all day if I have to. Being quiet and
unnoticed is key. Sometimes you have to stay still in a spot that
might scare the animal at first, but if you wait long enough, they
might come closer. You also have to accept that you might not get
the shot, since you can’t predict animal behavior.
I love photographing insects the most. Last week I tried to capture a
butterfly—it was still at first but then started flying around. I gave
myself 10 minutes, and when time was up, I moved on. It’s easy to
get fixated, but setting limits helps. Understanding animal behavior
also helps—for my bumblebee project, I stayed near yellow and
purple flowers since those colors attract them.
HNA: What do you see as the next steps for yourself? 
E: I’m not completely sure yet, but I love the Seattle art scene. Last spring, I had my first group exhibition at Slip Gallery in Belltown,
which helped me connect with other artists. I also took a photo business class that covered exhibitions and the professional side of
photography. Since then, I’ve been involved in more shows, networking with curators, and building connections—something I think
is essential in any field.
Like many artists, my ultimate goal would be to make a living off my own work. I know that’s difficult—art takes a lot of time and
resources, and pricing it fairly can be hard. Artists often feel pressure to lower their prices so people will buy, but it’s important to
value the work properly, even if it means fewer sales.
For now, I like setting short-term goals. When I started, my goal was to be in two group exhibitions a year, and I’ve already surpassed
that. My next big goal is to have a solo photo exhibition. The closest I’ve gotten is a small show happening May 22 on campus, where
three of us will be featured. It’s a big step, and I’m figuring out how to make that next leap.
HNA: What do you want people to take away from your work, specifically on the intersection of environment and photography?
E: Right now, my main focus—especially in my BFA show—is exploring the human connection to the natural environment. I think it’s
crucial to break down the barrier that’s been created, particularly
through colonialism, which treats nature as “the other.” That
mindset is destructive. It allows people to ignore how our actions
impact the environment, even though we’re clearly seeing the
consequences now.
My
goal with my work is to get people to reflect on their relationship with the environment—how they connect with it, how they treat
it, and even their own sustainable practices. If I can make someone think about the environment in a new or more motivated way—
realizing they’re part of it, not separate from it—then I feel like that’s a success.
I also think photography is often put into a box, especially in the photo community. There’s a strong emphasis on traditional
portraiture, but it’s okay—and often more meaningful—to go outside that box. Photography can be abstract, experimental, and
personal. It’s important not to be afraid to capture things in your own style. 


2025-04-16 Through the Lens of Emmerson Wheeler: Reconnecting with the Natural World

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Scott, Tristan

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
2-26-2025 
2025-02-26 “God” Save The Queens: Seattle Drag Immortalized 
Tristan Scott 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Scott, Tristan, "2025-02-26 “God” Save The Queens: Seattle Drag Immortalized" (2025). The Spectator 
Online. 1532. 
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This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
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The Spectator • February 26, 2025 • https://seattlespectator.com/2025/02/26/god-save-the-queens-
seattle-drag-immortalized/
“God” Save The Queens: Seattle
Drag Immortalized
Tristan Scott, Staff Reporter
A trip through an unassuming door on the corner of 10th
and Union and up a steep flight of wooden stairs grants
visitors entry into The Factory. Opened nearly a decade
ago, The Factory provides space for local artists to
showcase their work through small, short-running exhibits.
Currently on display is Seattle-based artist Morgan
Peterson’s glass-blown exhibit “‘God’ Save The Queens.”
Large, ornate portraits of Seattle area drag queens line the
walls, coating the rustic wood of The Factory with a thick
layer of luxury. This opulence takes a dark turn, however, as
shiny blood splatters can be spotted on the walls and floor
of the gallery. Next to a gold vanity sits a table holding a
large razor blade and pills branded with the Chanel logo,
some of which have been crushed and fashioned into parallel lines.
Despite the variety of textures and shapes, each item is made
entirely from glass. 
In 2024, Peterson competed in and won season four of Blown
Away, a glass-blowing competition and reality TV show streaming
on Netflix. Long before that, however, Peterson had been an active
participant in the Seattle art scene. It was a visit to a past gallery
that led her to meet Timothy Rysdyke, director and curator of The
Factory.
“I’ve actually known Morgan for a while,” Rysdyke said. “I didn’t
actually know that she was like a glassblower. I just knew her as a patron coming to the shows. Then I heard about her being on
Blown Away, the reality show. I actually ran into her at a concert and was chatting with her, and I was like, I’d love for you to have a
show. I was almost shocked that she said yes, because to me, she’s like a little celebrity now.”
According to Rysdyke, Peterson was drawn to The Factory as a home for her Cameo series, a collection of portraits of local drag
queens, due to its history of showcasing queer art. The small, intimate space of the gallery lends itself to personal storytelling, a
theme that runs through many of The Factory’s past exhibits.
“The Cameo portraits are just stunning. [Peterson] said it takes her like 300 hours to create each of them,” Rysdyke said.
One of the queens featured in Peterson’s work is local performer and artist Jessica Marie Mercy, a longtime friend of the artist.
Eve Labriola
Mercy has been a drag, burlesque, and gogo dance performer in Seattle for over 15 years, as well as working as a printmaking and
ceramic artist.
“I was the artist-in-residence at Pratt Fine Arts for printmaking for a full year while working on my Queer Space show, and Morgan
was in the printmaking studio doing some work for her upcoming glass show,” Mercy recounted. “She showed me her work, and I
was like, are you kidding me? You’re a genius, and she was like, you’re a genius. That’s how we met.”
Peterson proceeded to provide glass blown work for Mecy’s
multimedia show “Don’t Fucking Touch Me,” a celebration of queer
resilience. Working together provided Peterson the inspiration for
“‘God’ Save The Queens.”
“[Peterson] wanted to do a bunch of queens out of glass, and I was
like, oh my god, you should see these queens, you should look here,
these are my favorite ones. I was like, kind of the inspiration for the
original idea of the portraits of the queens, and I felt really honored.
I’ve never been immortalized in that way, really, and so it was really
sweet,” Mercy said.
Peterson’s craftsmanship shines in the extreme details of her work,
an impressive feat when working with fine materials such as glass.
“I was really struck by just how unique all the pieces were. Not
necessarily just by their designs but the textures and colors. I couldn’t really tell what the material was, and it felt almost surreal,”
Gabriel Johnson, first-year social work major, said after visiting the gallery. “They all felt like they were telling a story. I thought a lot
about the beauty that can come from disturbing, dark or just unseemly images. Like, all of the pieces seemed kind of elegant even
though they were depicting something gruesome.”
This contrast of elegance and suffering is reflective of modern life as a queer person. As the current political climate becomes more
hostile towards the LGBTQ+ community, supporting explicitly queer art becomes all the more important.
“Especially now, it’s one of the most important things to lift up queer art and queer voices: all of it, not just the fun and pretty stuff,
but all the different art that we make is so important. It’s vital,” Mercy said. “It’s so healing to see yourself in other people’s art. It’s so
healing to see for even people who aren’t queer to see themselves in queer art. It’s so important. It’s something that is a nonverbal
language that we use to stay connected, it can span lifetimes and continents. You know, like we have to survive. We only have each
other in this.”
Morgan Peterson’s “‘God’ Save The Queens” can be viewed by appointment at The Factory through the end of February. A closing
reception will be held on Thursday, March 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. and will be open to the public.
A series of fake credit cards sit on a table as a part of
the exhibit. (Eve Labriola)


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