Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Brice Johnson ’99 finds vocation in Red Cross leadership. Two neighborhoods in St. Paul, Minnesota share streets and a zip code. Interstate 94 runs down the middle, and since the freeway’s construction in the 1950s, the life expectancy between Summit Hill and the historically Black…
Committed to Kuleana
Cheri Souza’s philanthropy leadership is motivated by the responsibility she feels to serve her Hawai‘ian community. When Cheri Souza ’01, MBA ’03 first stepped onto campus at Pacific Lutheran University, the undergraduate from Hawai‘i could not have imagined her future would include redefining philanthropic efforts…
Ash Bechtel ’24 combines science and social work for holistic view of patient care; aims to serve Hispanic community
Ash Bechtel always wanted to be in healthcare, she just wasn’t sure which direction to take — nursing or medical school. So, Ash counseled with family and academic advisors before deciding to pursue a biology major that would put her en route to becoming a…
From the Court to the Classroom: Sianna Iverson’s continued resilience and drive is taking her from PLU to Duke University
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…
Former accountant Sarah Bell Rosenlund prepares for new career in nursing at PLU’s Lynnwood campus
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.…
PLU professor curates an Oxford Univ. museum collection at the intersection of religion, medicine and disability
In April 2023, PLU religion professor Brenda Llewellyn Ihssen , Ph.D., attended the Natural History Museum Late Night with PLU students at the University of Oxford. At Late Night events, the Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum host tours and various evening activities offered…
Isaiah Banken ’21 earns Torrison Scholarship because of his dedication to medicine and faith
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,…
An internship with the Portland Pickles solidifies Simon Luedtke’s plans for the future
Simon Luedtke ’24 is a strategic communication major from Newberg, Oregon. His communication studies, combined with his part-time job with PLU Athletics, helped him land a summer internship with the Portland Pickles, a baseball team with an unforgettable name and a legendary Portland brand. Simon…
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…
From Oxford, England to Oaxaca, Mexico, Jackie Lindstrom ’23 uses math to understand migration
Recently, chemistry major Jackie Lindstrom found herself in Oxford, England, conducting a series of informational interviews with public health representatives from Oxfam and the International Organization for Migration, a United Nations advisory agency that promotes international cooperation on migration. Traveling under a Wang Center Research…
Venice Jakowchuk ’23 travels through time, a dancer’s journey toward archaeology
For Venice Jakowchuk ’23, a single general education class sparked a passion that has since taken her—literally and/or metaphorically—from Herefordshire, England and Aberdeen, Scotland to the central highlands of Mexico and back to the lands of the Nisqually peoples. Originally from Arizona, Jakowchuk entered PLU…
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…