Previous Profile ::: List of Students & Faculty ::: Next Profile

Faculty Profiles

Arturo Biblarz Professor Sociology

PLU and Me
During my 24 years at PLU, one of the most memorable organizations I have participated in is the Diversity Committee, which was started in 1991 to help give a voice to minority faculty at PLU. We organized a variety of diversity-related activities such as forums, debates, brought nationally renowned speakers to campus, and put on a variety of programs designed to help the faculty, students, administrators, and the wider community to better understand and appreciate different racial groups.

Community Activities

Prof. Biblarz one on one

I have been especially active in the Latino community, both in Pierce County and throughout the state. I have been honored to be elected chair of the Board of Centro Latino, the Latino Education Alliance, and the statewide commission on Hispanic Affairs. I have tried to be of some help to people who are recent arrivals in a new culture, as I myself was 50 years ago. I am also involved in Latino Voices, a program that airs on our local cable access channels three times a week to bring people to discuss issues that are of concern to Latinos, such as education, health care, immigration, gender problems, farm worker problems, and the arts.

Laugh
I try to inject humor in my classes, but often with a purpose. It helps us all to see that we do not need to take ourselves too seriously, that an important part of life is simple pleasure. But humor can also help to relieve tensions and to create a warmer atmosphere in the class. For example, at the beginning of any class, I ask that we all introduce ourselves to each other, and I start with myself. I tell the class that I am Latino, that I was born in Colombia, and I pause for one second, and then add, "where the cocaine comes from." The class immediately laughs, and I then continue to talk about myself. The joke serves to lighten the atmosphere, and it brings out what I suspect is in many people's minds when they hear the word "Colombia." Personally, I have never even seen cocaine-there was none around when I was in Colombia, more than 50 years ago. But a point is made-it's alright to laugh in this class.

Prof. Biblarz outside with a class

Choices in Life
There are several things that I think students should look for when selecting a university. Perhaps most important are academic excellence and the possibility of positive interactions between faculty and students. Both of these are abundantly present at PLU. We are blessed with many teachers that love their work, that spend enormous time and energy on their classes and that love to interact with students. This makes PLU a highly desirable institution. In addition, we have a fine reputation, so a degree from us is valuable in the wider community. That can translate into better jobs and higher pay for our graduates. Another reason to attend PLU is our beautiful campus. This is a pleasant place to spend four years of one's life, and it is also in a wonderful area-the Pacific Northwest, with its water, its mountains, and its great cities. PLU offers many attractions, both on and off campus. Most important of all, however, we love our students!

Previous Profile ::: List of Students & Faculty ::: Next Profile