Loren J. Anderson, Ph.D.
During his 18 years at Pacific Lutheran University, President Loren J. Anderson has ensured that the university remains focused on its mission “to educate students for lives of thoughtful inquiry, leadership, service and care – for other people, for their communities and for the earth.”
During President Anderson’s time at PLU, the campus community has forged a shared, campus-wide vision based upon two comprehensive long-range plans, “PLU 2000: Embracing the 21st Century” and “PLU 2010: The Next Level of Distinction.” These two plans, as well as PLU 2020 which is now under development, set forth the university’s hopes and aspirations, guide its strategic initiatives and serve to measure the university’s progress. Under President Anderson’s leadership, these plans chart a course for strengthening the university’s academic program, in particular its commitment to global education and service to the world, to student-faculty research and creative projects, and to helping students discern meaning and purpose in their lives.
President Anderson’s philanthropic expertise has been a significant factor in the success of two major fund-raising campaigns – one in the mid-1990s and the second concluding in 2004 – that helped complete and upgrade campus facilities and infrastructure and build the university’s endowment and fiscal strength. Together they yielded over $200 million in current gifts and future resources. The endowment stood at $8 million when Anderson became president in 1992 and has grown to over $70 million with an additional $100 million in deferred gifts and pledges.
President Anderson is among the most respected university presidents in the country. He has spearheaded efforts to forge strong alliances with Norway. He is a leader in the PLU-Norway-Namibia project, supporting peace studies. He is chairman of the board of the Norwegian-American Foundation, a national organization dedicated to strengthen ties between the U.S. and Norway.
Anderson currently serves as a board member of the Independent Colleges of Washington, the American Council on Education and of the Institute for the International Education of Students, the premier study-abroad organization. He has served on the boards of the American Leadership Forum in Tacoma and of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, where he was chairman.
Anderson’s career has been dedicated to Lutheran higher education. At Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., he served as assistant professor of speech communication and director of institutional research starting in 1972. After serving as assistant to the president from 1975 to 1976, he became vice president for planning and development there. In 1984, he became executive director of the division for college and university services of the American Lutheran Church. He returned to Concordia in 1988 as executive vice president with responsibilities for fund development, communication, academic planning and general administration.
Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Concordia College, a master’s degree in rhetoric and public address from Michigan State University, and a doctorate in communication theory and research from the University of Michigan. In 1981, he received a diploma from Harvard University's Institute for Educational Management and he completed Harvard’s 1992 Seminar for College and University Presidents.
Anderson was born and raised in Rugby, N.D. His wife, MaryAnn, is PLU’s external relations coordinator. Their daughter, Maren, is a graduate student at the University of Washington. Loren and MaryAnn Anderson live in Tacoma.
Steven P. Starkovich, Ph.D.
Steven P. Starkovich is serving as acting provost and dean of graduate studies during the 2009-10 sabbatical leave of Provost Patricia O’ Connell Killen. Starkovich is associate professor of physics, a position he has held since 2001. He first came to PLU in the fall of 1992 to teach one course in the Physics Department just as he was finishing his Ph.D. He has been teaching at PLU ever since. For the first five years, Starkovich was employed as a contingent faculty member, alternating between PLU and the University of Puget Sound. He was hired into a tenure-track position at PLU in 1997.
His Ph.D. work was in general relativity and cosmology, but in the belief that every small college should have an observatory, Starkovich wrote the “astronomy half” of the $500,000 grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation that brought an astronomical observatory to the PLU campus in 1998. The observatory has been a valuable addition to the university’s astronomy curriculum and public outreach efforts in conjunction with the Jazz Under the Stars concerts.
Starkovich’s service to the university has included time as a department chair (3˝ years), a member of the Faculty Affairs Committee (5 years), a member of the Budget Advisory Committee (6 years), Parliamentarian to the Chair of the Faculty Assembly (2 years), Elected Representative to the Board of Regents, and Special Assistant to the Provost for Budget Modeling.
He continues his scholarship in physics. Most recently he and a colleague have been studying the applications of group theory to general relativity and to the solution of differential equations. His plans to write a text based on one of his favorite upper division courses are temporarily on hold as he serves as acting provost.
Starkovich graduated from Oregon State in 1976 with a degree in atmospheric sciences and with an emphasis in atmospheric chemistry. He then set off to pursue one of his other interests – politics. Within six years, at the age of 28, he was elected to the Oregon State Senate. Two years later, in 1985, he was chosen by his fellow Senators as Majority Leader. He worked mostly on issues related to the environment, labor, and education, and he chaired several legislative committees including a special interim committee in 1983 that examined the public policy implications of the well-known “Nation at Risk” report on the state of public education at that time.
In the mid-1980’s, while still serving in the Oregon legislature, he earned a Masters degree in Educational Policy and Management from the University of Oregon with an emphasis in higher education administration.
In 1987, at the age of 33, Starkovich returned to graduate school – this time in theoretical physics. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics in 1992 from the University of Victoria, British Columbia.
Starkovich was raised on his family's farm in Oregon where he still visits on occasion. His hobbies include woodworking, financial analysis, and all aspects of home remodeling. He and his partner of 22 years, Ruth Williams, are baseball fans in the summer, hockey fans in the winter, and live in Seattle.
Sheri Tonn, Ph.D.
Veteran PLU educator and administrator Sheri Tonn was named vice president for finance and operations in May 1999. She oversees Facilities Management, Dining Services, Auxiliary Services (including the golf course), the newly opened Garfield Book Company at PLU, Conferences and Events, Human Resources and the Business Office. Her office manages all university property and real estate transactions. She is also responsible for PLU construction projects, risk management, and management of the endowment and trusts. She is leading the development of a new campus master plan.
Tonn, who served as PLU's dean of information resources from 1997-2000, led the university's technology initiative, which resulted in the installation of high-speed network connections in each residence hall room, as well as the creation of several classrooms equipped with high-tech teaching aids.
From 1993 to 1997, Tonn was dean of PLU's natural sciences division. She was chair of the Department of Chemistry from 1989 to 1993 and has taught chemistry here since 1979. Before coming to PLU, she was a postdoctoral fellow and instructor at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minn., from 1976 to 1979. She earned a doctorate in chemistry from Northwestern University in 1976, and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Oregon State University in 1971.
Tonn has been instrumental in securing many millions of dollars in grants for PLU's science program, lab safety, sustainability and various building upgrades. She is the recipient of over twenty grants and serves as the institutional representative for many of these.
Tonn also serves on the board of directors of ELCA Risk Management, an insurance consortium, the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, the Tacoma Pierce County American Leadership Forum and Citizens for a Healthy Bay.
Tonn is a member of the American Chemical Society, Sigma Xi and the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
A native of Hood River, Ore., Tonn resides in Brown's Point, and is married to Jeffrey Tonn, a design engineer.
Laura F. Majovski, Ph.D.
Laura Majovski became vice president for student life in June 1999. The Office of Student Life gives direction to a variety of student service departments and co-curricular programs, including new-student orientation. Departments within the division are Student Involvement and Leadership, Residential Life, International Student Services, Athletics, Career Development, Student Employment, Health Services, Campus Safety, Counseling Center, Diversity Center, and Disability Support Services.
From 2003 to 2007, Majovski also served as vice president of Admission and Enrollment Services, where she oversaw admission, financial aid and the Student Services Center. Majovski was assistant to the president from 1996-1999. She came to PLU in 1992 as a clinical psychologist for Counseling and Testing Services. Born and raised in the San Marino, Calif., area, she earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University in 1976 with majors in psychology and religion. She earned a master's degree in theology (marriage and family therapy) and a doctorate in clinical psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary in 1978 and 1982, respectively.
She was in private practice specializing in individual and family psychotherapy in Pasadena, Calif., for 10 years before coming to PLU.
During her tenure at PLU, Majovski has served on numerous university committees. Currently, Majovski serves as co-chair of the University Diversity Committee, and chair of the Student Success and Retention Task Force. In addition, she has served as chair of two Master Plan committees: the Athletic, Recreation, and Physical Education Master Plan Study Committee, and the University Center Renovation Planning Committee.
Majovski serves on the Region V Board for NASPA (student affairs administrators in higher education), and is active in the local community as a fellow of the American Leadership Forum of Tacoma/Pierce County and her church.
Majovski lives in Gig Harbor with her husband, Dr. Larry Majovski, a Tacoma area clinical psychologist. They have two children, Karen, a recent college graduate and Greg, a current college student.
Stephen J. Olson, M.Div.
Steve Olson was named vice president for development and university relations in December 2008. He began his work at PLU in July 2007 as associate executive director for development, and then as associate vice president for development prior to his current role. As vice president, he oversees the offices of Constituent Relations, Development, University Communications, and KPLU 88.5 FM, for which PLU is the licensee.
Born in Wisconsin and raised in Minnesota, Olson received a bachelor’s degree from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., in 1980, with majors in business administration and psychology. In 1986 he earned a master of divinity from Luther Northwestern Seminary in St. Paul, Minn.
Following ordination, Olson served congregations in the Northwest Washington Synod for 14 years. From 1986-1989 he served as Associate Pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon, and from 1989-2000 the Associate, Co- and Lead Pastor of Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church, Sammamish. During those years, he became interested in stewardship and making the connection between faith and response, including financial management and generosity.
From 2000-2007, Olson served as a program director for The James Company, a Midwest consulting firm for philanthropy. He led stewardship and capital appeals for churches of many denominations, raising money for building projects, mission efforts, and debt reduction. He also served part-time on staff of Family of Christ in Chanhassen, Minn., as resource development pastor. In that role he led stewardship and capital appeals, as well as financial education strategy for children, youth and adults.
Olson lives in Steilacoom, Wash., with his wife, Barbara Nornes Olson. They have a son who recently graduated from PLU, and a daughter who is currently a PLU student. They represent the fourth generation of the family to benefit from Lutheran higher education.
Karl Stumo
Karl Stumo became vice president for admission and enrollment services on June 1, 2007. In his role, Stumo oversees the Offices of Admission, Financial Aid and Student Services, and works with the university community to develop marketing, financial aid, recruitment and communication strategies in support of the university’s overall enrollment goals. Prior to becoming vice president, Stumo served as dean and associate vice president of admission and financial aid.
A native of Minnesota, Stumo earned a bachelor’s degree in 1992 from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., with majors in English writing and organizational communication. In 2000 he earned a master’s degree in higher education from Iowa State University. Stumo is currently studying in the education leadership doctoral program at Seattle University.
From 1992 to 1997, Stumo served as admission counselor and assistant director of admission at Concordia College, Moorhead. While at Iowa State University from 1997 to 1999, he served as graduate assistant in the Office of Special Recruitment working with National Merit student recruitment services as well as the Office of Financial Aid.
From 1999-2004, Stumo served as associate director of freshmen admission at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, overseeing the freshmen admission staff and recruitment activities.
Stumo has served as a member of the Government Relations Advisory Committee of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and Chair of the Government Relations Committee of the Iowa Association for College Admission Counseling. He has been recognized as an outstanding admission professional in both regional and national divisions of NACAC.
He has served PLU as a member of the admission and retention committee, the university diversity committee, new student enrollment task force, and advisory member of the ad hoc steering group for general education.
Stumo is a member of Mt. View Lutheran Church in Edgewood, Wash., serving as Sunday school teacher for senior high students, choir member, and congregational worship assistant.
Stumo lives in Parkland with his wife, Nicole, and his three children, Bryn, Karsten and Maren.