It is with sadness that we share the news that Emeritus Professor Dr. Barbara Yates passed away on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The Albers School of Business and Economics invites Dr. Yates' former colleagues, students and friends to join us on Saturday, May 2 to remember the extraordinary impact she had on our community. The service will begin at 3 pm in the St. Ignatius Chapel, followed by a reception in the Pigott Building, Room 416. 

Dr. Barbara Yates joined Seattle University in 1970 and taught economics at Albers for more than four decades. She served as Chair of the Department of Economics and Finance from 1989 to 2011 and taught thousands of undergraduate and graduate students across programs including the MBA, MA in Applied Economics, and Master of Public Administration.

Known as a rigorous but approachable instructor, Dr. Yates was deeply respected by her students and colleagues. Her dedication to teaching was recognized with numerous awards, including the McGoldrick Fellowship (2005-2006), the Sears Award for Teaching Excellence, the President’s Teaching Excellence Award, the SU Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award, and multiple Graduate and Undergraduate Professor of the Year honors. She was also recognized by colleagues on the Seattle Art Museum's Wall of Women in the Sculpture Garden. Her scholarly work appeared in journals such as Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Managerial Economics, and the Journal of Financial Planning.

Gifts in memory of Dr. Yates can be directed to the Albers School of Business and Economics.  

Parking is recommended in the Visitor Lot. A parking code will be posted in the chapel entry that guests can use to register their vehicles when they arrive.