latest from Video

PLU students and faculty collaborate on summer chemistry research

Dive deeper into PLU’s summer undergraduate research program! Students Rebecca Smith ’24 and Aidan Hopson ’24 spent ten weeks collaborating with chemistry professor Andrea Munro to study colloidal nanocrystals, particles so small they are nearly invisible. #LutesEmbraceComplexity To learn more about chemistry projects, classes and…

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Newly minted PLU graduates reflect on what commencement — and earning their degree — means to them

“Commencement means the culmination of hard work and accomplishments with my teammates and my classmates — so it’s a great day.”

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Moving Moments | PLU Commencement 2023

PLU students, parents, alumni and friends gathered at the Tacoma Dome this afternoon for our 2023 commencement. PLU alumnus and filmmaker Joshua Wiersma ’18 captured moving moments from the ceremony.

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“We are uncatchable” | PLU Women’s Rowing

“There is this moment, where everything around you disappears. Where your vision goes dark, and all you feel is the handle of the oar…” Today is National Girls & Women in Sports Day, so we invite you to put on a life jacket, grab a…

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Campus Tour: PLU’s newly renovated anatomy and physiology lab

PLU Resident Instructor of Biology Michelle Crites gives a tour of the newly renovated anatomy and physiology lab in the Rieke Science Center. Learn more about the PLU Department of Biology.

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A conversation with novelist Mari Matthias ‘94, author of “The Runestone’s Promise”

Mari Matthias ‘94 loved diagramming sentences back in the ninth grade. Later, she served on the staff of Saxifrage, PLU’s student-run literary and art magazine, during all four of her years on campus. Matthias describes herself as a self-taught novelist. “Once I decided to write…

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PLU students go on stunning rock climbing adventure in Vantage, Washington

Pacific Lutheran University student videographer Matt Shaps ’24 joined our Outdoor Recreation program on an epic rock climbing adventure in Vantage, Washington. Learn about Outdoor Rec’s upcoming day and weekend trips at plu.edu/recreations/outdoor-rec .

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PLU Football: Behind the Scenes

The PLU football team has begun its 2022 season. Join us at Sparks Stadium for home games in September, October and November. Full schedule available at: golutes.com/sports/football

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My Story, My Words: Ricky Haneda ’22

Recent PLU graduate Ricky Haneda gives a first-person perspective on his experience as an international student making the transition to an American school.

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Confronting Mental Health: How the PLU community is demonstrating transformative care

Walk across campus and you can see the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic everywhere. Masks on faces, signs reminding you to wash your hands, restrictions on classrooms and more. But the pandemic hasn’t just caused physical changes, but also unexpected mental challenges. And that is…

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latest from Alumni, Internships, Career

Beyond pedagogy: from Tacoma to Namibia, a partnership reframing teacher development practices

In Kwangali and Oshindonga, widely spoken languages in Namibia, “Uukumwe” means “togetherness.” For six teachers in Washington and seven teachers from Namibia, the word personifies the relationship-building that lies at the heart of education. “It was a vision that was bubbling in my mind because…

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From Eastvold to Broadway: Justin Huertas ’09 and Kiki deLohr ’10 debut on musical theater’s biggest stage

It’s 11 a.m. in Harlem. Justin Huertas ’09 and Kiki deLohr ’10 are feeling loose, relaxed — even a bit silly — as they sip coffee outside Sugar Hill Café. In a few short hours they will make their off-Broadway debuts in a musical written…

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The People’s Librarian: Brian Bannon’s passion for democratizing information led him to the New York Public Library

In 1997, Brian Bannon was a PLU senior. An exemplary student, he wrote for The Mast, and was a double major researching social justice through the lens of queer rights movements. One afternoon, Bannon found himself in the office of history professor Beth Kraig, discussing…

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Aaron Bell ’04: A Philosopher in Finance

PLU graduate Aaron Bell ’04 learned early on that life is full of pathways — and that it was his responsibility to pursue his interests with passion to find his purpose. He grew up in Wisconsin where he was a standout student — an Eagle…

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Emily Peterson ’14 : Global policy, politics and partnerships

Like many students, Emily Peterson ’14 began her time at PLU unsure of what, exactly, she wanted to do. “I wanted to work for the United Nations,” she says. “Although at the time, I didn’t know what it was, to be honest, when I was…

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Dayton Campbell-Harris ’16: Fighting for voters’ rights

Originally, Dayton Campbell-Harris ’16 planned for a career as a high school history teacher and high school football coach — he played football for PLU when Scott Westering was an inspirational coach. But during his junior year at PLU, a social work class moved Campbell-…

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Military To Medicine: Air Force, Navy veterans become nurses after second chances at college

Stephanie Millett ’22 was in her early 20s when she walked into a U.S. Navy recruiting office after dropping out of the University of Oregon in 2010. The decision to enlist, she says, was “a bit of a last resort” to get her family and…

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Annica Stiles ’25 explores Iceland’s wilderness and culture

Embarking on a journey to study in Reykjavik, Iceland, during the summer is a unique and life-changing experience that offers an extraordinary blend of academic enrichment and natural wonder. Imagine being immersed in a land of fire and ice, where the midnight sun never sets,…

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latest from Research and Academics

Lydia Flaspohler ’25 and Ryan Fisher ’24 dive into the secrets of marine microorganisms

Have you ever wondered how the ocean’s tiniest inhabitants play a significant role in shaping our world? Marine microorganisms, minuscule life forms, wield a vital influence over our planet’s climate. They manage crucial components like carbon and oxygen within the vast oceans and the atmosphere.…

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PLU Department of Anthropology completes repatriation of materials to the Nisqually Tribe

Leaders from the Nisqually Indian Tribe visited Pacific Lutheran University earlier this month to take possession of materials from a PLU anthropology excavation done around Woodard Bay, Washington in the 1990s. This repatriation process was led by Associate Professor of Anthropology Bradford Andrews and Faculty…

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Therapeutic Leadership: David Ward discusses his approach to leading PLU’s College of Health Professions

David Ward is a practicing therapist who says the origins of his vocation go all the way back to his childhood home. “I grew up in a family where I benefited from strong family ties, and I saw the impact of imperfect but strong relationships,”…

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Ellie Dieringer explores impact of the Holocaust in South America

Close to 50,000 Jewish refugees fled to Argentina during the rise of Nazism and World War II. In fact, between 1933 and 1945, Argentina received more Jewish refugees per capita than any other country in the world, except Palestine. But to. most – outside of…

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Two PLU students spend the summer reading the stars

“Capturing astronomy images is rewarding but can be challenging,” said professor of physics Katrina Hay. “It requires long exposures or stacked images, focusing in cold dark conditions, climbing a ladder to access the telescope, tracking objects as they move across the sky, and merging several…

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Chris Holland ’24 balances class, internships, mentorships and countless hours building new software

Computer science major Chris Holland will graduate with a degree in computer science this December. Throughout his PLU years, Holland has taken advantage of seemingly every learning and resume-building opportunity he’s come across, which have included multiple internships, mentors, and freelance work for local businesses.…

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Unlocking the Magic of Colloidal Nanocrystals

In the world of science, significant discoveries can come in tiny packages. Picture being able to make and change things so small they’re nearly invisible. That’s where colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals shine. These super small wonders are made in solution and grown to have different sizes…

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latest from Student Life, Resources, Community

How Erik Bainter ’23 and Jai Alapai ’24 answered a call that could save two lives.

THE PLU ATHLETICS MISSION STATEMENT spells it out. The “S” in Lutes stands for service — giving back and making an impact in the lives of others. It’s a value that two Lute football teammates put into action this past year. Just a few months…

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Communications and psychology double major Alex Reed ’23 explored film and storytelling at PLU

Sometimes the most random moments leave lasting impressions. Alex Reed’s first experience at PLU happened when she was a high school sophomore, when her school band came to the university to attend a music clinic. “This trip definitely put PLU on my radar as I…

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Family ties and academic pursuits: Parker Brocker-Knapp’s journey at PLU

Parker Brocker-Knapp ’23 grew up in Portland, but Puget Sound never seemed far—thanks to close family ties to PLU. We sat down with Brocker-Knapp to learn more about how this senior made the most of his time at PLU. How did you choose PLU? I…

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A new space for neurodiverse students on campus

Last October, a new club emerged on campus: the Student Neurodiversity Club. Although small, this club is having a growing impact on the PLU community. When attending a recent SNC meeting in the first floor Stuen lounge, I was greeted by a cheerful collective of…

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Stephanie Aparicio Zambrano ’23 discusses her PLU experience, psychology major & internship with the Dean of Students Office

Once a major in communication, Stephanie Aparicio Zambrano ’23 found burgeoning success turning her advice-giving prowess into a future career path. Zambrano found her calling in working with college students as an intern in PLU’s Dean of Students Office. There, she learned the importance of…

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Dhaval Patel on Forging His Own Path

Dhaval Patel found his calling when he was a computer engineering major at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Spoiler alert — it had little to do with binary digits, buffer or bandwidth. “I was drawn to student affairs because when I was a college student,…

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On the Court and in the Classroom: A Brother and Sister Find Success at PLU

On the day of high school class choices, a middle school teacher noticed the normally outgoing Jackson Reisner sitting quietly, acting withdrawn. Jackson grew increasingly anxious as the morning progressed. A movie buff, the Burlington eighth grader had seen all the difficult depictions of high…

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