
Adrian Arrives
During his senior year, computer science major Adrian Ronquillo ’22 filled out 203 job applications. Despite already having a job offer from a tech company he was interning with, he wanted to see what other opportunities were available to him. One of those applications included…

Information, Technology and Leadership: an interview with Port of Tacoma’s Mark Miller ’88
When Mark Miller ’88 enrolled at PLU he planned to become a math teacher, but he soon discovered he had a passion for technology and business. He’s followed that passion ever since. His career in information and technology has spanned three decades and included chapters…

PLU receives a major gift to fund environmental issues programming
Pacific Lutheran University is excited to announce the establishment of the Steen Family Symposium on Environmental Issues. David ‘57 and Lorilie Steen ’58 have generously donated funding to the PLU Environmental Studies program to support this new annual symposium. The gift is being invested in…

PLU biology professor Amy Siegesmund receives national teaching award
Pacific Lutheran University Professor of Biology Amy Siegesmund is the recipient of the American Society for Microbiology’s 2023 Carski Award for Undergraduate Teaching. The award recognizes a university educator for outstanding teaching of microbiology to undergraduate students. What I love about teaching microbiology is that…

Summer Internship: Environmental Studies major works as a bio tech at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Fiona Ashton-Knochel ’24 is spending her summer on a bird refuge in Brigham City, Utah. The Environmental Studies major sat down with us to discuss her exciting internship and to offer suggestions for anyone looking to land their own internship working in conservation. Why did…

City of Tacoma environmental scientist Tom Chontofalsky ‘03 loves asking questions
From an early age, Tom Chontofalsky ‘03 always thought he’d be a wildlife biologist. He’d pore over issues of National Geographic and One World magazines his dad purchased, studying photos and text of exotic animals. Chontofalsky is now an environmental scientist with the City of…

PLU awarded $15,000 from NSF for COVID-19 DEI Challenge
Pacific Lutheran University was named a winner in the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Taking Action: COVID-19 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Challenge. PLU received a $15,000 prize for its work in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.…

Makaela Whalen ’23 adds a pre-law minor to full schedule as she prepares for law school
Makaela Whalen ’23 has a passion for the environment and animals. Her desire to find a meaningful vocation that feeds those passions resulted in her pursuing a degree in either environmental or animal law. “As long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to…

Renzhi Cao innovates in the classroom
If you search for the CV of Assistant Professor of Computer Science Renzhi Cao, Ph.D., you’ll find a list of published research papers longer than Foss Field. He says it’s a great feeling when a new piece of research is published. But what he finds…

Despite pandemic challenges, transfer student finds community at PLU
Monya-Dawn Wilson ’22 is a DJS Fellow and Rieke Scholar who came to PLU as a transfer student. Wilson is a Biology major, and dreams of becoming a pediatrician. “I’ve always liked science and learning,” said Wilson. “I like learning about the body, learning about…
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