PLU expands cycling programming
After students at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) expressed interest in cycling in 2021, PLU’s Recreation team partnered with SportsArt’s Campus Challenge to purchase 25 bikes and help create a healthier campus.
An MSW in action: Stephanie Gulledge ’25 gives back where her social work journey began
For Stephanie Gulledge ’25, earning a Master of Social Work at PLU was just the beginning — she now serves the same community that shaped her education. Today, as a clinical care manager with PLU’s Wellbeing Services and Resources , she oversees clinical operations within…
Alum Caitlin Harris ’10 creates a nonprofit for printmaking and community
In a decidedly digital world, Caitlin Harris ’10 has built a career around the tactile art of printmaking. Today, the PLU alum is channeling that passion through Open Letter Collective , a Boise-based nonprofit she co-founded in 2025 that brings printmaking, book arts, and independent…
PLU Professor Emerita Sheri Tonn receives 2026 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize
For decades, Sheri Tonn, a former PLU chemistry professor and administrator, has worked to make Puget Sound healthier and, in her view, more peaceful. Sheri Tonn worked at PLU for 40 years, beginning in the chemistry department and serving in several leadership roles as serve…
Full Circle Moment for Van Hulle & PLU Softball
If you ask Cindy Van Hulle ’76 what’s her favorite sport to coach, don’t be surprised if she replies, “Whatever’s in season.” And why not? Over the years, Van Hulle seemingly has coached just about every sport in every season. Volleyball and cross country in…
A promise worth fighting for
In 2007, Washington State made a promise to low-income students that if they worked hard, graduated high school, and stayed out of trouble, the state would help pay for their college. That promise, cemented in the College Bound Scholarship and Washington College Grant programs, helped…
Into the Grove
Three PLU researchers are finding something extraordinary hidden in the small stands of aspen trees scattered across Tacoma’s parks and college campuses. While most people ignore these quiet groves, the research team sees them as vital hosts to a complex, diverse ecosystem that scientists still…
The Night Shift: Late-night summer research at Keck Observatory
Upstairs, they work beneath the observatory dome. Downstairs, they analyze data, troubleshoot problems, and build the kind of camaraderie that only comes from chasing answers together late into the night. This summer’s research projects tackle two big questions: What can the structure of spiral galaxies…
Smarter submarines: How generative AI is rewriting the rules of marine exploration
Scientists are building artificial intelligence that gives these underwater explorers the autonomy to navigate the planet’s most unpredictable and dangerous currents entirely on their own. At the forefront of this digital frontier is PLU Associate Professor of Computer Science Jeff Caley, students Ember McEwen ’27,…
Introducing PLU’s Class of 2030
PLU is getting ready to welcome the Class of 2030 — 617 new students bringing their own interests, experiences, and ambitions to campus. This fall, 508 first-year students and 109 transfer students will arrive from across Washington, the country, and the world. They join PLU…
PLU launches accelerated 3+3 law school pathway partnership with Gonzaga
Starting in fall 2026, PLU is launching a new accelerated pathway for students interested in law school through the 3+3 Law School Partnership Program with Gonzaga University . Stephanie Johnson, PLU’s Dean of the College of Liberal Studies, shares, “ I’m excited about these partnerships…
Professor Emerita Dr. Sheri Tonn awarded 2026 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize
Sheri Tonn, Professor Emerita who served on the chemistry faculty from 1979 to 2019, was awarded the 2026 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize for her profound care for the environmental and physical health of our community, her visionary leadership, and her lifelong dedication to building a healthier,…