Planting Seeds for Tomorrow: The Strandness family’s enduring gift to PLU
When Donald “Gene” Strandness ’50 arrived at Pacific Lutheran University in 1946, he was not impressed. As he recalled in his 1980 Distinguished Alumni Award speech, “When I arrived on the campus in 1946, it was largely an institution without facilities. In fact, at first…
Mason Taylor-Wells ’27 supports patient recovery through internship at MultiCare’s Tacoma General Hospital
Biology major and pre-med student Mason Taylor-Wells ’27 spent his summer helping patients take their first steps after major medical events. “I’ve had patients cry tears of joy because they’re able to stand (with some help) again. I can’t think of a better way to…
After experiencing PLU’s “Community of Care” first-hand, PJ Morales ’25 strives to reciprocate that care to local high school students.
PJ Morales ‘25 comes from a small town on Maui named Lahaina. Although she loves her island, PJ realized that the “small island life” wasn’t for her and began to look for colleges in the continental United States. When her admissions counselor, fellow Filipino Brandon…
Student-athlete Ashley Akamine ’25 makes data part of the game
For Ashley Akamine ‘25, college was never going to be about choosing one path. “Seeing how two different aspects of my life — athletics and computer science — come together in meaningful ways has been both exciting and rewarding,” says Ashley, who’s finishing up her…
Senior Justinpal Singh’s heart for service, science, and creating community space
Looking back four years ago, Justinpal Singh ’25 remembers that he was seeking a university that was more than just a place to get a degree. “I really wanted a university that was not necessarily competitive, but more so encouraging and fostered individual growth,” Justinpal…
Tech on the Slopes: PLU computer science students create a scheduling app for White Pass ski patrollers
For years, White Pass Ski Patrol volunteers juggled schedules with paper spreadsheets and manual tracking – until a team of students helped create a solution. “We needed something more efficient, something that actually worked for us,” said Chuck Caley, a longtime ski patroller and project…
PLU’s women’s lacrosse: How PLU’s newest varsity sport centers community
Pacific Lutheran University’s most recent addition to the varsity roster is gearing up for its inaugural NCAA season! Women’s lacrosse takes the field this weekend as the university’s first new varsity team since 1996, and the group is ecstatic to start playing Division III games…
PLU professors Ann Auman and Bridget Yaden share teaching and learning experiences in China
Two PLU professors were recently invited to teach a summer intensive course at Sichuan University, a 70,000-student public university in Chengdu, China. PLU and Sichuan have a decades-long relationship that dates back to the 1980s. PLU faculty visits took place in 2023, and in summer…
Modernizing Mental Health
Professor Tiffany Artime co-leads a project that’s moving mental health support on college campuses forward. PLU professor and psychology department chair Tiffany Artime and her collaborator from Wellesley College Centers for Women are leading a team of researchers and stakeholders who envision a future where…
Three students share how scholarships support them in their pursuit to make the world better than how they found it
During the 2023-2024 academic year, 2,345 students received PLU-funded aid, with the average PLU student receiving $37,036 in scholarships. Through scholarship support, donors are part of a network of care that supports students in pursuing their educational goals, unlocking their full potential, and becoming leaders…
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