Athlete Spotlight

Laura Brade is one of four members of the PLU women's swimming team who have earned letters. Laura received her two letters following her freshman and sophomore years; she missed her junior season while studying in Germany. Laura currently leads the Lutes in both the 100 and 200 butterfly events.

Describe your family. How have they helped you in your athletic career?
I can honestly say that I have the best family in the world. My parents, Mike and Vivian, and my younger sister, Lisa, come to almost all of my swim meets. They have spent entire weekends watching me swim. They’ve all been incredibly supportive and caring and I don’t know where I would be without them.

What factors led to your decision to attend PLU?
PLU’s reputation as being supportive of study abroad was very attractive to me. In addition, I loved the fact that I would be able to come to PLU and still compete in swimming.

Have you studied abroad? If so, describe your experiences?
I spent all of last year in Freiburg, Germany. It was an amazing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was a hard decision for me to not swim for the year, but in the end I was glad I did. I got to travel all over Europe and improve my German. I made some great friends there and fell in love with Germany and its culture.

What has been your favorite class at PLU?
That’s a hard question. I’m a history and German major and I’ve loved every class I’ve ever taken in those subjects. However, my History Research and Methods class with Beth Kraig last semester was probably one of the best. It helped me to discover how much I love researching and learning. I’ve also taken the Holocaust class with Professor Ericksen, which was fascinating because it combined elements from both of my majors.

Have you had any trouble balancing athletics with academics?
Not really. Swimming has forced me to be more organized and manage my time more wisely. I’m also a bit of a nerd and I enjoy studying, so that helps, too. Balancing swimming and academics with sleep? That’s another story.

What are you plans after college?
Next year I plan to work and earn a bit of money for grad school. After that I would like to go to grad school in history so that I can continue researching. I love academia and would like to become a professor so that I can continue learning.

When your athletic career is all said and done, what is it that you would want people to say about you?
I would like people to remember that I was a happy person who worked hard and tried my best.

Describe your hometown and what you miss about it the most.
I’m technically from Everett, but spent most of my time in Mukilteo. It was a great place to grow up, right next to the water. I miss the ferries quite a bit and I miss driving home from early morning swim practices on clear days and seeing mountains out my windshield and my rearview mirror. Above all, though, I miss my family and friends from home.

What's your favorite spot on campus?
I think Red Square in the fall or spring. I love walking through Red Square and seeing the trees with colored leaves falling all around or in full bloom. For some reason, it always makes me happy.

What is your favorite restaurant in Tacoma?
I have a lot of great memories from both the Old Spaghetti Factory and the Melting Pot. Both restaurants have great food and I’ve had great times in both places.

What music is playing in your ipod right now?
A little bit of everything. Right now I’m mostly listening to the Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but there’s quite a bit of German music and some country thrown in there, too.