Killen concludes AVP candidate visits

Dr. Patricia Killen visited Gonzaga's campus last weekend, the last of three candidates vying for the Academic Vice President position. 

Killen graduated from Gonzaga in the early 1970s and earned her master's and doctorate degrees from Stanford University. She began her professional career in 1978 at the University of the South as an instructor in the School of Theology. 

After seven years at University of the South, Killen became a professor at Loyola University in Chicago. In 1989, two years after starting in Chicago, Killen returned to the West Coast to begin teaching at Pacific Lutheran University, where she's been since. 

At Pacific Lutheran, she tried to remain focused on her teaching. Killen recalled students approaching her after a term's end saying that her courses are the ones that taught them how to think. 

Killen has received numerous awards for teaching excellence and the Distinguished Alumni Merit Award from Gonzaga in 2007.

"I am heart and soul a teacher and a scholar," Killen told students at her interview on Feb. 5. "I am an accidental administrator."

In 2006, she entered the administrative role as Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies at Pacific Lutheran. 

"I do administration on behalf of students and faculty and the project of education," she said in her session with faculty. "I like to make systems work so that faculty, students and staff do what they do to contribute to the mission."

In her talks with students and faculty, Killen's commitment to conserving Gonzaga's mission and values became evident.

"I could see that her connection with a Catholic and Jesuit university is stronger than the other two candidates," senior Katie Infantine said, who heard all three candidates in their student sessions.

Infantine also noted Killen's ability to transform a room.  After a half hour of questioning Killen, students began to start a conversation with her about education, life at Gonzaga and student values. "She has an incredible passion for learning and is able to infuse that to students," Infantine continued.

As a graduate, "[Killen] has seen where Gonzaga was, where it is now and where it can go," senior Alex Pham said, another student who met with all three candidates. If Killen were to be chosen as AVP she will have an enormous impact on where this school will go from here.

Following are a few key points that Congdon made regarding issues that relate to the Gonzaga community:
 
Gonzaga in Transition

Over the past few years Gonzaga has seen its student population grow every fall semester. When asked about the subject, Killen chose not to focus how the university would change, but rather how the change was affecting the people who already work here.

"People are absorbing a lot of stress from the growing size," she said. "It's very important to look at the vitality and quality of the faculty as the schools grows."

Killen, who has seen Gonzaga grow from being unheard of to being "America's Team," is a firsthand resource to how the school stayed in touch with its values in a period of transition.
"Theoretically I'd be open to growth and shrinking—the question is what kind of change will allow GU to be itself and carry out its mission."

Gonzaga Core

Gonzaga's core curriculum is another part of the school currently going through change. Just like the previous two candidates, Killen faced the question of what she thought about our core and how she would help contribute to its success.

"The core is where a university's values are embedded," Killen said. "It's crucial at a university and if it works our students are better and get more value from the education."
In regard to the core, Killen also stated the importance of its relation to students. "Too many students don't understand why there is a core and treat it as a burden," she said.

International Students

"If Gonzaga wanted to advance its Study Abroad program, it can," Killen said to concerned students. "The AVP and other administrators need to look at a strategic plan and find where we want to be and how to get there."

Killen's concern with students going abroad and international students coming to campus is how faculty can intersect our curricular programs and how to create a context for students. "We have to think in terms of a larger co-curricular student environment," she said.

Education

As a professor of religious studies and theology for over 30 years, Dr. Killen has seen how education affects people. She mentioned how many people in today's work force feel "sucked dry by what they do."

"If Jesuit education works, you learn what it means to take pleasure in the work you do," she followed. "Graduates should go out into the world able to lead much more satisfied lives and therefore make more contributions."

In everything she discussed with the various administrators, faculty and students, Killen tied the importance of education to the reasons we are involved in higher learning.

"How we do education now has profound consequences on the shape of this world," Killen said.