LeBron Smith’s game-changing experiences at PLU and beyond
LeBron Smith ’25 has spent his time at PLU making career moves. LeBron’s a big sports fan and hopes to capitalize on that passion with a future in sports administration. Through support from PLU and a lot of hard work, LeBron was invited to participate…
continue readingIvan Wilson ’25 directs his PLU experience toward the film industry
“We do it the way the film industry does it,” says senior Ivan Wilson ’25, co-director of a student film collective at PLU called Rose Window Studios . Under his leadership, the group has grown steadily, producing original short films and giving students hands-on experience…
continue reading“Creative freedom” guides Guillermo Baltazar-Munoz ’25 through art and life
Even in the whirlwind of senior year, Guillermo Baltazar-Munoz ’25 makes time to craft pottery for his fiancé, translate sermons at his church to Spanish, and help remodel his parents’ home. That’s just who he is — always building, always creating, always prioritizing family. A…
continue readingWith her son by her side, Zoneice Grose ’25 charts a path of purpose through social work
When Zoneice Grose ’25 walks across the stage at graduation this spring, she’ll have earned far more than a degree. A first-generation college student, a mother, and a dedicated advocate for equity in education, Zoneice’s path to social work was winding, but it all made sense.…
continue readingGracie Hansen ’25 turns a calling into action with a social work degree at 20
From a young age, senior Gracie Hansen ’25 felt a calling to help others. “I chose social work because I truly believe my purpose is to bring hope to the world and make a difference in people’s lives.” Now, as she prepares to graduate with…
continue readingSenior 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…
continue readingA front-row seat to democracy: student Cady Wood interns with the Speaker of the House in Olympia
Interning in the Washington State Speaker of the House’s office isn’t an everyday opportunity – and for PLU student Cady Wood ’26, it’s an invaluable chance to, in her words, “be in the room where change is being made.” With civic engagement playing a key…
continue readingA Sweet Partnership: PLU students partner with Tonči Chocolatiers in Tobago
For a small-batch chocolatier in Tobago, it’s all about family. “My mother, Marie Jules, taught me to make drinking chocolate,” said Carlina Jules-Taylor, co-owner of Tonči. “Her father worked on an estate with cocoa, coffee, and coconut. My grandmother processed everything – squeezing sugar cane…
continue readingBridging Borders: PLU nursing students gain global health experience in Oaxaca
“I am forever changed by the people of Oaxaca, Mexico. Through direct community engagement, I learned how to meet people where they are and build trusting and meaningful rapport despite language barriers.” – Claire Hindman ’26, PLU Nursing Student What happens when classroom learning meets…
continue readingPLU’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…
continue readinglatest from Video
PLU move-in day 2024
September 4, 2024
Our newest Lutes have arrived! With help from family, friends and the PLU community, first-year Lutes moved into PLU’s residence halls on Friday, August 30, kicking off New Student Orientation. The day was full of joy, love and the beginning of lifelong friendships.
continue readingPLU and MultiCare leaders discuss new partnership on ARC Seattle (KOMO News)
March 26, 2024
PLU President Allan Belton and MultiCare CEO Bill Robertson discuss the recently announced Partnership for Health Innovation with KOMO News anchors Steve McCarron and Tyra Majors on ARC Seattle (KOMO News). Announced in February 2024, the Partnership for Health Innovation unites PLU, MultiCare, and Washington…
continue readingPLU nursing students help provide meals for Thanksgiving
November 22, 2023
PLU service-nursing club Delta Iota Chi assembled nearly 350 meal boxes which will feed over 2,000 community members this holiday week. Boxes stuffed with turkey, green beans, corn, stuffing mix and other food were distributed to local community organizations and individuals throughout the week.
continue readingA day in the life as a cancer research center intern
October 9, 2023
PLU chemistry major Elijah Singleton ’25 takes us with him for a day in the life at his summer internship at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle.
continue readingPLU students and faculty collaborate on summer chemistry research
August 29, 2023
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…
continue readingNewly minted PLU graduates reflect on what commencement — and earning their degree — means to them
May 30, 2023
“Commencement means the culmination of hard work and accomplishments with my teammates and my classmates — so it’s a great day.”
continue readingMoving Moments | PLU Commencement 2023
May 27, 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.
continue reading“We are uncatchable” | PLU Women’s Rowing
February 1, 2023
“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…
continue readingCampus Tour: PLU’s newly renovated anatomy and physiology lab
January 30, 2023
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.
continue readingA conversation with novelist Mari Matthias ‘94, author of “The Runestone’s Promise”
November 9, 2022
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…
continue readinglatest from PLU Media Coverage
May. 14, 2025
How a college baseball player in Washington saved a life, after his coach’s life was saved
The Seattle Times
Apr. 11, 2025
Eugene Reindel ’89 included in Marquis Who’s Who for his work in mitigating aircraft noise
Marquis Who's Who
Feb. 26, 2025
Hundreds Gather at Tacoma-Pierce County EDB’s Annual Awards Event
South Sounds Business
latest from Alumni, Internships, Career
Internships, Arts, and Advocacy: Gavin Ripka’s community-based learning experience
February 20, 2025
With a triple major, multiple internships, three study away trips, and lots of participation in campus life, Gavin Ripka ’25 is soaking up as many experiences as he can at PLU. We caught up with Ripka to learn more about his most recent internship experience…
continue readingCollective Action Rooted in Reciprocity
October 23, 2024
At a summer 2023 banquet launching the Uukumwe Project, Sanet Steenkamp, executive director of Namibia’s Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture, advised a group of Namibian and American teachers not to hold back. “The children,” she said, “deserve for us not to hold back.” Steenkamp’s…
continue readingHeven Ambachew ’24 combines her passions and experiences to design major in innovation studies
June 4, 2024
Like many students, Heven Ambachew ’24 wasn’t yet sure of her major when embarking on her PLU journey. Four years later, thanks to PLU’s individualized major pathway, she is the university’s first graduate with a major in innovation studies . Innovation Studies at PLU Courses…
continue readingStuart Gavidia ’24 majored in computer science while interning at Amazon, Cannon, and Pierce County
May 22, 2024
Stuart Gavidia is a first-generation Latino student who spent most of his life in Lakewood and then Spanaway, about 10 minutes from PLU. He knew he wanted to come here for college so he could remain close to his family. He also knew from an…
continue readingFrom the Court to the Classroom: Sianna Iverson’s continued resilience and drive is taking her from PLU to Duke University
May 20, 2024
Highly recruited as an outside hitter out of Chiawana High School, Sianna Iverson ‘24, a talented volleyball player, knew she found a home at PLU after a campus visit. “As soon as I visited, I knew it was going to be a great fit for…
continue readingFormer accountant Sarah Bell Rosenlund prepares for new career in nursing at PLU’s Lynnwood campus
May 15, 2024
Sarah Bell Rosenlund has always been a people person. She radiates positive energy, and smiles broadly when she talks about her PLU experience. “I realized that my gift is to be a helper to people,” she said. “I love to be in acts of service.…
continue readingCriminal justice major Raphi Crenshaw ’24 interned at Tacoma Pro Bono and plans to attend law school
April 30, 2024
After graduating from Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup, Raphi Crenshaw ’24 enrolled at PLU with plans to major in biology. “I was going to become a dermatologist, but when I started taking the classes, well, I wasn’t a fan of it,” Crenshaw remembers. By…
continue readingIsaiah Banken ’21 earns Torrison Scholarship because of his dedication to medicine and faith
January 3, 2024
Isaiah Banken ’21 knew he wanted to pursue a career in medicine. Banken, with a B.S. in biology and a minor in mathematics from PLU, explored various medical opportunities near his hometown of Wenatchee, WA, including working at a ski resort, serving in hospice care,…
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latest from Research and Academics
Senior Justinpal Singh’s heart for service, science, and creating community space
April 3, 2025
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…
continue readingA front-row seat to democracy: student Cady Wood interns with the Speaker of the House in Olympia
March 21, 2025
Interning in the Washington State Speaker of the House’s office isn’t an everyday opportunity – and for PLU student Cady Wood ’26, it’s an invaluable chance to, in her words, “be in the room where change is being made.” With civic engagement playing a key…
continue readingTech on the Slopes: PLU computer science students create a scheduling app for White Pass ski patrollers
February 27, 2025
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…
continue readingBridging Borders: PLU nursing students gain global health experience in Oaxaca
February 21, 2025
“I am forever changed by the people of Oaxaca, Mexico. Through direct community engagement, I learned how to meet people where they are and build trusting and meaningful rapport despite language barriers.” – Claire Hindman ’26, PLU Nursing Student What happens when classroom learning meets…
continue readingPLU’s women’s lacrosse: How PLU’s newest varsity sport centers community
February 14, 2025
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…
continue readingWhen community is the classroom – students learn through service in J-Term on the Hill course
February 13, 2025
At Pacific Lutheran University, service is a core value. That ethos is embodied in “J-Term on the Hill,” a social work class in which education is grounded in real-world impact. “It’s not a typical class,” notes Assistant Professor of Social Work Douglas Epps , who…
continue readingPLU professors Ann Auman and Bridget Yaden share teaching and learning experiences in China
November 4, 2024
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…
continue readinglatest from Student Life, Resources, Community
LeBron Smith’s game-changing experiences at PLU and beyond
May 15, 2025
LeBron Smith ’25 has spent his time at PLU making career moves. LeBron’s a big sports fan and hopes to capitalize on that passion with a future in sports administration. Through support from PLU and a lot of hard work, LeBron was invited to participate…
continue readingIvan Wilson ’25 directs his PLU experience toward the film industry
May 12, 2025
“We do it the way the film industry does it,” says senior Ivan Wilson ’25, co-director of a student film collective at PLU called Rose Window Studios . Under his leadership, the group has grown steadily, producing original short films and giving students hands-on experience…
continue reading“Creative freedom” guides Guillermo Baltazar-Munoz ’25 through art and life
May 5, 2025
Even in the whirlwind of senior year, Guillermo Baltazar-Munoz ’25 makes time to craft pottery for his fiancé, translate sermons at his church to Spanish, and help remodel his parents’ home. That’s just who he is — always building, always creating, always prioritizing family. A…
continue readingWith her son by her side, Zoneice Grose ’25 charts a path of purpose through social work
May 5, 2025
When Zoneice Grose ’25 walks across the stage at graduation this spring, she’ll have earned far more than a degree. A first-generation college student, a mother, and a dedicated advocate for equity in education, Zoneice’s path to social work was winding, but it all made sense.…
continue readingGracie Hansen ’25 turns a calling into action with a social work degree at 20
April 8, 2025
From a young age, senior Gracie Hansen ’25 felt a calling to help others. “I chose social work because I truly believe my purpose is to bring hope to the world and make a difference in people’s lives.” Now, as she prepares to graduate with…
continue readingSenior Justinpal Singh’s heart for service, science, and creating community space
April 3, 2025
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…
continue readingWhat’s in a name? As it turns out, just about everything.
November 8, 2024
Every person’s name — given or chosen — is infused with meaning. Some names connect us to our ancestors or our families, while others represent a purposeful break from our past. The PLU Names Are Sacred initiative promotes the concept of honoring someone’s name in…
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