The SPU alums pose outside with their families, all in matching green t-shirts

The SPU alums pose in Emerson Hall with matching green t-shirtsWhen Ali Wollen Broom ’06, Julie Bodine Washburn ’06, Mattie Mauseth Campbell ’07, Brittany Stahl Haun ’07, Lauren Hale Tava ’07, and Kristi Knudsen Sovacool met on the first floor of Emerson Hall in 2003, they didn’t imagine they’d be back nearly two decades later with 15 kids in tow.

As freshmen, the six young women dubbed themselves “The Spring Roll” while out to dinner at Tawon Thai, their favorite Thai restaurant in Fremont (which is no longer in business).

And after they graduated, they stayed in touch even as group members moved out of state. “Our passionate personalities, as well as our shared desire for fun, has kept us close over the years since we all left SPU,” Washburn said. “We’ve done many trips together, and all of our husbands
have grown to love each other, too.”

In July, the women planned a weeklong reunion in Seattle and contacted SPU’s alumni office to ask if their kids could take a tour of Emerson Hall to see where their moms lived in college. The alumni office was happy to help facilitate their campus visit.

The alums kids play in the residence halls“Our kids were all absolutely thrilled to see our old college dorm rooms. They were squealing through the halls and thought it was the coolest thing ever to see where we lived when we first moved out of our parents’ homes,” Washburn said.


Photos courtesy Julie Washburn

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