The Arnetts & I
An Appreciation of Arnett Hall
In the fall of 2014, I participated in Seattle Pacific University’s Urban Preview, an admission’s event where junior and senior high school students get to spend the night in a residence hall with on-campus students, attend a class pertaining to their intended major and get a feel for campus life. I, randomly stumbling upon this in my high school career and college center, signed up. Although I do not remember much of it, the highlight of my trip was spending the night in the residence hall Arnett, which when it came time to decide what college I would be attending, heavily influenced my direction towards SPU. Because I have been brought to SPU through my love of Arnett and given the opportunity to stay there this year, I would like to give thanks to the Arnett family for their contributions which have influenced my choice to attend SPU.
The Arnett residence hall opened in September 0f 2014 (IM) and was named after the Arnett family, a family whom has over forty SPU alumni and had recently granted SPU a gift of $2.5 million dollars towards the restoration of Alexander Hall, the single largest individual gift commitment in SPU’s history at the time of Arnett Hall’s final construction (CG). A residence hall at the time, Becky Arnett Gilliam, the bestower of this $2.5 million, gave to have Alexander Hall restored, for it was where her father, Paul Arnett lived when he was a student at SPU in the 1940’s and found the answers to a majority of his life decisions in its prayer room (CG). As my residence adviser and SPU archivist informed me; before it was ‘Arnett’ Hall, it was ‘Irondale’ Hall, named after the alleyway street behind the building, then when the Arnett family placed their donation, right before the new residence was to open, they changed it to honor the gift upon the Arnett family, presumably because Alexander Hall was not a residence hall anymore but the office space of the history, sociology and theology departments. Although I felt the connection early on between Arnett Hall and I, reading that Gilliam gifted money to restore a building that influenced life choices upon her family and that Arnett Hall influenced me to come to SPU, a fairly large decision in one’s life, made me feel comforted about the seemingly superficial reason that brought me to my institution.
School had always been an uncomfortable place to attend. I dreaded going back to my middle and high school every morning and felt like the academic and social environment was never fitting to my needs and wants. When I began exploring colleges, one of the factors I included in my list of deal breakers was whether I could feel completely comfortable and stress-free in my space, specifically my dormitory. When I first came in contact with Arnett, I knew I would feel exactly that if I stayed there at SPU. The first impression one usually has pertaining to a dormitory hall is its lobby, and a great one Arnett has. The space you walk into when you first enter Arnett is welcoming and warm. There is a fireplace and large seating area mostly utilized for homework, the gathering of students for televised events and those that like to show off their musical talents on the piano, a lovely addition each residence hall lobby at SPU has. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing and comforting but there is always a lingering combining smell similar to that of new Ikea furniture and a familiar smell I have come up with as “pumpkin spice”, although it smells nothing like pumpkin nor spice, more likely the amalgamation of the ‘new smell’ the building continues to carry. The dorms are all suite-style, another factor that convinced me to reside in Arnett, only because I am a bit too high-matinence to share bathrooms and showers with forty other girls. I know that whenever I am stressed from a long session of classes, the comforting environment of Arnett will soothe me as soon as I enter. In a way similar to Gilliam, I wanted a space on campus that I could unwind and look to for guidance towards my future, which has been brought to me not through Alexander Hall, but Arnett Hall, feeling as though the spirit of the Arnett vision can be seen throughout while enjoying my time at Arnett.
As I read further upon the history and motives of the Arnett family, I myself, grow queasy in regard to the amount of money Gilliam donated on her father’s behalf. I cannot even place $1 into a tip jar at a coffee shop without regretting the lavish financial choices I allowed myself to have for a split-second, let alone $2.5 million to restore a building I will not be interacting with daily. “Wealth Management”, an excerpt derived from the Qur’an, justifies this type of giving in regard to donating to a religious-based caused, as Gilliam described she did with “I offer my gift to honor the legacy passed down by the Arnett family: a deep-seated love for God, a belief in the value of a Christian education, and a great respect for Seattle Pacific…” (CG), explaining that not only is she making this donation for Alexander Hall, the location of most of her father’s decision making during his college years through the guidance of prayer, but for the many generations of SPU students to come and hoping they can find this guidance throughout their time at SPU as well. In “Wealth Management”, this is addressed. It is stated as, “those that give their wealth for the cause of God… shall be rewarded by their Lord; they shall have nothing to fear or to regret…” (pg 102), making me question that perhaps I am regretting or second-guessing my tossing of precious dollar bills at coffee shops because I am not doing it under the motive or name of God. This theology intrigues me, especially in connection to Gilliam and the similarities amongst money and religion her and this excerpt share. I have always struggled with my religious beliefs and rejected the idea of God although it always seems to follow me; from befriending people who happened to attend weekly church groups which I always got dragged along to, to enrolling myself into a church summer swim camp and of course, ending up attending a Christian university. Perhaps the story of Gilliam and her wanting to grow a community of Christian students through her name could fall align through my journey here and what brought me, Arnett Hall.
Through the many contributing factors that aligned to bring me to Arnett Hall and Seattle Pacific; whether the admissions’ event that showed me possible opportunities or an unbenownst plan a religious power has for me, I would not have been in a position to find what I had if it was not for the Arnett family. Although it would have made more sense for me to find this through Alexander Hall, I still feel their mantra and purpose of donation through Arnett Hall and already personally, towards my short time being here. Because of this, I would like to thank the Arnett family for their donation to further push the guidance of whom they worship for many generations to come and for the affect it has on me every day.
Works Cited
“Alumna Makes $2.5 Million Challenge Gift.” Challenge Gift — Seattle Pacific University. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.
“Institutional Milestones.” Institutional Milestones — Seattle Pacific University. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.
