Interview with Kent Koth

A friend of the Shinnyo-en Foundation for many years, Kent Koth is the Director of Seattle University’s Center for Service and Community engagement.  He comes to the Center after a long and active career working in the Community Service and Service Learning fields, including holding such positions as Service-Learning Program Director at the Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford University.  He holds a Master of Arts degree from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley and has also been an active member of and collaborator on the annual retreat SEF holds in the summer at the Marconi Center in Tomales Bay.  Recently, Kent talked to Communications Manager, Mariko Terazaki, to talk about his work and relationship with the Foundation.

Mariko:  So Kent, thank you for agreeing to talk with us today.  Before we begin, could you give some background info about yourself and how you ended up where you are today at the Center for Service and Community Engagement?

Kent:  I grew up in Iowa but have been on the West Coast for over 16 years, living all over California, Oregon and Washington.  I became involved in service learning through the work I was doing while in university such as tutoring programs and various local community projects.  These programs later lead me to opportunities to work in service learning, first in the K-12 educational environment and for the past 8 years now in higher education.  During this time, I came to an understanding about my passion for the intersection between campus and community and the building of those connections.

M:  While a student, what inspired you to become involved with these local programs?

K:  My parents certainly had a huge influence.  Growing up, my dad was a Methodist minister and my mom was an English teacher.  I sometimes joke that in my case the apple fell between the tree.  They also did a wonderful job of exposing me to the reality of the world we live in without taking it too far.  An example of this would be on vacations we would visit and travel through all parts of the city, not just the touristy places, but ones less economically well off.  So this really set me on a path.  I was also very fortunate that my college placed a large emphasis on community involvement and questioning how we all can work together to improve our world, which certainly helped fuel my interests.

M:  Could you give us some information about Seattle University and your work there?

K:  Sure. Seattle University is a Jesuit Catholic Institution with 7,000 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs and is based in the heart of the city.  As we state in our mission statement “Seattle University is dedicated to educating the whole person, to professional formation, and to empowering leaders for a just and humane world.”  I feel the last phrase in the mission statement really speaks to the work that we aim to do here at the Center.

M:  And how through this work did you come to know the Shinnyo-en Foundation?

K:  I first learned of the Shinnyo-en Foundation during its first summer retreat back in 1998 and was a regular attendee until two years ago.  Through that I developed a close friendship with Haru and later with Liane.  While at Stanford, I worked with the Foundation to create a student leaders program for the campus and through that, I become involved with the Shinnyo-en Foundation study group and the planning for the annual retreat.

M:  Yes, we were very sorry you were unable to attend the retreat year.

K:  Yeah, I was too.

M:  But as a former attendee, what are the benefits you find from attending these retreats? 

K:  The retreat is unique in that it offers a rare experience to connect with others at a deep and meaningful level.  I’m always excited by the opportunity to experience a level of reflection and connection beyond our daily interactions.  In particular the diversity, not only with ethnic and cultural backgrounds, but age differences as well, is very impressive.    In the short retreat so many connection occur; connections with other participants and connections with the spiritual dimension of our world.

M: Could you explain a little more about your role at the Center for Service and Community Engagement?

K:  I teach a course called “Leadership for Community Engagement” which is part of the Liberal Studies department, and I also direct the Center for Service and Community Engagement.  We have a staff of six, and in my role I set the strategy for the year and spend much of my time working with faculty to strategize how to connect their classes with the larger community.

M: What connections do you see between your work and the work we do here at the Foundation?

K:  With all the groups with which I’m involved - the Jesuit Catholic Seattle University, my background in the United Methodist tradition, the Buddhist based philosophy in the Shinnyo-en Foundation - I constantly see a connection.  Some people may call it ecumenical, but I see it more at finding inspiration that comes from something that can’t be defined. 

M:  Wow, that’s exactly what we say here at the Foundation!

K:  I think we’re very much in line with each other.

M:  And in closing please share with our readers, what is your personal path to peace?

K:  I guess you could say my path to peace is exploring the mystery that occurs when people who don’t normally have a connection or relationship with each other begin to form friendships and begin to dream together.  This relates  to my professional life as I try to connect students, faculty and staff with various community organizations and vice versa.  But it’s also a general approach I have as I go through life, helping us to connect with people who teach us things we may not otherwise learn, and together explore the mystery about what it means to be alive.  

(more information about our annual retreat)

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