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…
“My Indigeneity shapes the way I walk in the world”: Paradise Gladstone’s story
Paradise Gladstone ’25 nearly dropped out to become a mortician. That wasn’t the plan when she started at PLU, but between helping raise her younger siblings, working over 30 hours a week, and juggling 16-credit semesters, the idea of switching paths crossed her mind more…
“Aha moments are pure joy” — Steph Smithingell’s journey to becoming a teacher
For 14 years, Steph Smithingell ’25 ran an in-home childcare and preschool, building a community of curious, active, joyful kids. Now, as a soon-to-be PLU graduate, she’ll bring those experiences to her new career path as an elementary school teacher. Steph is an education major…
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…
Ivan 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…
“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…
With 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.…
Collective Action Rooted in Reciprocity
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…
Ethos in Action
Five 2024 graduates who exemplify PLU’s commitment to asking tough questions, centering community, embracing complexity, making it happen and opening doors. #LutesAskToughQuestions Emma Stafki ‘24 Advocating for Orcas Emma Stafki ‘24 grew up on Washington’s Key Peninsula, hearing stories about the heart-wrenching capture of Hugo,…
Present & Future Providers
After graduating from PLU, Melissa Wollan Francis ’02 spent two years in a University of Washington genetics lab before joining the Air Force and attending Yale School of Medicine, where she became a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN). “I’ve always been drawn towards challenges…
Humanization is Vocation: Angie Hambrick discusses student well-being, interdependence and retention
Angie Hambrick still identifies as a Midwest girl, but after working at PLU for 18 years, she’s also a Lute through and through. As the associate vice president for diversity, justice and sustainability, Hambrick provides strategic vision on matters related to equity and inclusion and…