Students create community (and laughter!) as they spend time with one another outside of class. Here's a look at some of the campus traditions that celebrate Bastyr's campus culture!
"The basic work of health professionals ... is to become full human beings and to inspire full human-beingness in people who feel starved about their lives," says Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Splash and Dash
Brave Bastyrians mark the first day of Winter Quarter by running down the trail to Lake Washington and charging into the chilly water (see picture above). It's a way to jolt the immune system, catch up with friends after the holiday break and mark the start of the calendar year. More.
Top Chef: Bastyr
Each January the Student Nutrition Association organizes a fun-but-competitive cook-off modeled after the TV show Top Chef. Teams of two get an hour to prep, cook and plate a meal for judges, using a bag of whole-food groceries. Winners get bragging rights, and ticket sales go to Teen Feed, a non-profit that serves Seattle-area homeless youth. More.
Chinese New Year
Oriental-medicine students and faculty mark the Chinese New Year by inviting classmates to qigong and tai chi sessions and a festive banquet. A recent menu: Beijing homemade dumplings, crispy duck, dry sautéed string bean, salt pepper squid, fish fillet in wine sauce, Shanghai-style noodles, eggplant in garlic sauce, chive pancakes, yellow bean cakes, cumin lamb. Plus dessert.
Talent / No Talent Show
Student Council organizes the Talent / No Talent Show each February, inviting members of the Bastyr community show off their talents, or lack thereof. Musicians, dancers, jugglers, comedians and filmmakers all take turns in the spotlight.
Community Day
Every April, Student Council designates a day to celebrate the campus and clinic community, planning events both goofy and reflective. Games, a free lunch, an afternoon off from classes, an art room, a clothing drive and a bouncy castle for kids all help us appreciate the Bastyr community. "The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis but rather the feeling of not belonging," says Student Council's Rolando Fulgencio, quoting Mother Teresa.
Herb & Food Fair
The limitless wonders of plants get the spotlight each June at the Herb & Food Fair, a celebration of the Bastyr Medicinal Herb Garden and the many folks who tend it, study its plants, eat its crops and stroll in its pathways. Garden tours, nutritious cooking, acupuncture demonstrations, guest speakers and botanical experts — and the blooming garden itself — all help draw in a crowd of thousands.
Summer Exploring
Students make the most of the sunny Pacific Northwest summers, fanning throughout the region to hike, bike, climb, study in the wilderness, study on the beach, volunteer their skills, reflect, party, and harvest wild plants. See a collection of their summer postcards.
Revival: Restore the Vis
Each August, naturopathic students, alumni and friends gather for a weekend of camping to celebrate the healing power of nature — the vis medicatrix naturae. They eat delicious organic food, make new friends around the campfire, hear talks from elders in the profession, and enjoy sweat tents and hydrotherapy baths, all in the beautiful Cascade foothills. Revival is a student-led event not organized by the University.
First Friday Party
Student Council makes sure everyone has a chance to get down and get to know each other with the First Friday dance party each September. Free food, free beer, costumes, games, prizes, dancing, a DJ and a photo booth all add to the fun.
