Welcome to Bastyr University's community blog

We are here to keep the neighbors and friends of Bastyr University informed on upcoming events, developing plans for the future of our University, and to serve as a resource for natural health tips and information.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

A Bastyrian Winter Madrigal Feast and Fundraiser for the Bastyr University Arts Fund, November 21


Share music, food and goodwill to celebrate the winter holiday season with Bastyr's Choir!


Saturday, November 21, 2009
Doors open 6 p.m.
Bastyr University Chapel
14500 Juanita Dr.
NE, Kenmore, WA
Ticket Information:
$27 General admission
$22 Student admission with current ID
Deadline for ticket purchases: Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Purchase tickets in one of two ways:
Weekdays on campus outside the cafeteria, November 4-17 during the noon hour.
Purchase online through BrownPaperTickets.com
.


This will be a dinner and concert set in the Medieval-Renaissance period when madrigal singing was popular in England. Performers will wear period costumes and perform mostly period music. The evening will have a uniquely Bastyrian flair to include fairies, multi-cultural music and dance. During dinner, musicians and other performers will provide informal entertainment. Food will be served with a flourish of brass fanfare. After the meal, the Bastyr Choir will perform a concert of madrigals and holiday music from the balcony of Bastyr's acoustically marvelous chapel, and the audience will be invited to join in a sing-along of holiday carols. This Madrigal Feast will be the first concert given by the choir.


For further information please contact music@bastyr.edu. The doors of the chapel will open at 6 p.m. Guests are requested to be seated before the opening processional begins at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Bastyr Partners with Aegis Living to Make Senior Living Better


Bastyr University is pleased to announce it is partnering with Aegis Living, a national leader in senior living and assisted living communities, to make life better for seniors through Aegis Living's innovative new "Living 4 Life" program.
With this collaboration, new programs and activities will enhance the mind, spirit and physical health of residents at Aegis Living. The new Living 4 Life wellness program will first be implemented at the new Aegis of Bellevue, Washington, to open in early 2010.
As part of Aegis's Living 4 Life, residents will partake in exceptional nutrition, mind, and body programs that cater to each resident's needs. The two key areas of the program Bastyr University will be involved with are nutrition and health.
"We are pleased to be working in tandem with Aegis Living to support their residents. Through this new partnership, we come one step closer to achieving our mission to transform the health and well-being of the human community," said Daniel K. Church, PhD, president of Bastyr University.
Living 4 Life - Nutrition features culinary support from Bastyr University experts to create a healthy diet full of organic, whole foods and offer nutritional consultations. In Living 4 Life – Health, Bastyr experts will help put wellness into focus with consultations with naturopathic physicians and licensed acupuncturists, wellness lectures, research studies investigating the benefits of Qigong, Tai Chi, and yoga in a senior population.
"For years, we have been working on the development of our Living 4 Life program, a program I have envisioned for sometime as a way to truly make a difference in seniors' lives. Part of my vision was to partner with others who share our same goals. I can think of no better partner than Bastyr when it comes to addressing a truly holistic view of each individual," said Dwayne J. Clark, chairman and CEO of Aegis Living.
By partnering with Bastyr University, Aegis Living is combining the world-class skills and knowledge the company has in senior living with the expertise in natural health arts and sciences of Bastyr experts to bring the best ideas and practices for making life better.
Aegis Living is a national leader in retirement and assisted living, offering a progressive selection of senior residences to meet the growing needs of today's aging population. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington privately held Aegis Living operates 35 communities in Washington, California and Nevada.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Bastyr marks formal start of 2009-10 academic year with annual "convocation" ceremony



In a ceremony steeped in both tradition and words of inspiration, Bastyr University welcomed new and returning students for the 2009-10 academic year at its annual convocation event Tuesday, September 29, in the University’s beautiful European-style chapel.
"Convocation" has many meanings in the world of academia, but it most often refers to a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose. At Bastyr, that special purpose is an occasion for the University president, faculty and staff to welcome new and returning students to the formal start of the academic year with words of wisdom, guidance and encouragement.
This year's event was marked by a rousing musical performance by Pastor Pat Wright of the Total Experience Gospel Choir and a candle-lighting ceremony to symbolize the passing of the "flame" of knowledge. The event also included a lesson- and laugh-laden story from Bastyr University President Daniel K. Church, PhD, about his first camping trip in 24 years.
An inexperienced camper, President Church offered new students advice both practical and philosophical based on a trip he called the "highlight of his summer" — despite its many hiccups. "Pitch your tent where you can get the morning sun," President Church counseled. "Orient your life toward where the rising light will warm you and energize you — stake out your space near bright minds and positive spirits who will support and encourage you."
And on a more practical note: "If you have a blow-up mattress, lock the valve." Dr. Church mused, recalling a night spent on the hard ground. "When you have invested yourself in something, save your work."

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Bastyr "Haunted Trails" Halloween events offer fun for whole family, October 16-17 and 23-24



Join us for our 11th annual "Haunted Trails" event, a Halloween extravaganza held in the dark, creepy forest behind the University's Kenmore campus. This year's event will run from 5 to 11 p.m. the weekends of Oct. 16-17 and 23-24 and will feature fun and frightful activities for the whole family.
Since its inception in 1998, Bastyr University's Haunted Trails event has grown in size and popularity. The event attracts more than 4,000 guests annually from throughout the greater Seattle area. The best thing about Haunted Trails: All proceeds support Bastyr University's study abroad programs, including the School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine's annual trip to study holistic medicine in China. The annual fundraiser is produced entirely by dedicated volunteer teams of Bastyr students, faculty and staff.

Free event parking is available on the University campus.

Highlights of the event include:
  • Haunted Trails Tour: Complete with mad scientists, witches, ghouls and goblins, the Haunted Trails tour through the spooky forest offers scary surprises around every corner for guests 8 years of age and older. Cost: $12 (or $11 with non-perishable food donation). A limited number of tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Ticket sales begin at 6:45 p.m. and tours run from 7 to 11 p.m.
  • Children's Trick or Treat (ages 7 and under): Bastyr also offers a less scary option for families with younger children. The milder Trick or Treat Trail provides kids a chance to both enjoy a "lighter" version of the Haunted Trails tour and collect special Halloween treats. Cost: $3 per child. Time: Ticket sales start at 4:45 p.m. and tours run from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
  • Children can head inside for Halloween Story Time after walking the Trick or Treat Trail. Story time begins at 7 p.m. with a different Halloween tale told each night. Cost is $1 per child. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Carnival: Once again, the University will host a carnival for guests to enjoy before or after their Haunted Trails tour. Carnival festivities include a fortune teller and variety of other food and activity booths.

For additional information on Haunted Trails, call (425) 602-3107 or email rnielsen@bastyr.edu.