The Passing of Dr. Kenneth E. Batker
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Dr. Kenneth E. Batker, a retired professor whose decades of community service, environmental stewardship, and advocacy for students shaped PLU for more than 30 years. He passed away on November 18th at the age…
Winkler Named CSC Academic All-American
Pacific Lutheran University women’s soccer goalkeeper Abby Winkler has proven to be one of the best on the field and in the classroom. On Wednesday, Winkler was one of 33 student-athletes from around the nation to be recognized by College Sports Communicators as an Academic…
The Passing of Dr. Kwong-Tin (K.T.) Tang
We announce with sadness the passing of Dr. Kwong -Tin (K.T.) Tang, emeritus professor of physics, on November 27th. Dr. Tang’s career at PLU spanned more than three decades, during which he built a distinguished record of world-class scholarship in theoretical physics that earned recognition…
Meet Yuta Shimazu, PLU’s first data science graduate
This winter marks the culmination of a journey for Pacific Lutheran University’s first data science graduate — a path that stretched from classroom to coffee shop to the soccer field. Before he heads back to Japan to begin his career, Yuta Shimazu ‘25 sat down…
Student-Athlete and Entrepreneur: Connor O’Brien builds his future on and off the field
PLU junior Connor O’Brien ’27 has a lot on his plate. He’s a student-athlete, business owner, and business major (finance concentration) with a data science minor. But for him, each role fuels the others. When he’s not in class or on the field as a…
Student-created Instagram Show “Boyish Charm” Wins 2025 NASPA Region V Innovative Program Award
What started as a playful idea between two student interns from Wellbeing Services & Resources (WSR) has grown into an award-winning program making a real impact on campus and beyond. “Boyish Charm,” PLU’s student-created Instagram cooking show, was honored with the 2025 NASPA Region V…
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…
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