Uncomfortable Truths: Introduction to Holocaust and Genocide Studies class examines the past to change the future
“There is nothing comfortable about studying genocide,” Beth Griech-Polelle, a Pacific Lutheran University history professor and the Kurt Mayer Chair in Holocaust Studies, says. “It’s filthy, violent, degrading, and the worst of humanity.” Yet Griech-Polelle says the study and discussion of these atrocities are crucial…
Questioning Barriers: Angela Pierce-Ngo ’12 understands post-secondary success requires questions
While at PLU, Angela Pierce-Ngo ’12 was worried by a troubling pattern. After the first year of college, many peers and friends — especially classmates of color — left school or took an extremely long break. Even as she worked as a diversity advocate and…
Music and Medicine: Elizabeth Larios ’21 returns to Namibia to research infections and teach marimba
Elizabeth Larios ’21 decided she was going to be a neurosurgeon in the fourth grade. That’s when her class took a field trip to a science museum and Larios saw an exhibit about the human brain. Returning home that day, she told her mom: “I’m…
Nursing major sees value in studying and investing in health services
Parker Simpson ’24 is spending his summer working at an assisted living facility in his hometown of Spokane, Washington. He comes from a family of healthcare professionals and has always wanted to help people. We sat down with him to discuss his experience taking classes…
Innovating for Access: PLU lives out its mission by blazing new trails
He was working by age 8, picking cherries and apples under the Yakima Valley sun. In the spring he worked as a smudger. He’d sleep overnight in an orchard and when the alarms rang he’d sprint to light the smudge pots that warmed the trees…
Despite pandemic challenges, transfer student finds community at PLU
Monya-Dawn Wilson ’22 is a DJS Fellow and Rieke Scholar who came to PLU as a transfer student. Wilson is a Biology major, and dreams of becoming a pediatrician. “I’ve always liked science and learning,” said Wilson. “I like learning about the body, learning about…
Multi-talented senior and composer TJ Wheeler ’22 views music as his vocation
TJ Wheeler ’22 is a music composition major at Pacific Lutheran University. This semester, he was a valuable member of six music ensembles, including Choir of the West, Opera, Steel Band, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and the PLU Ringers handbell choir. We talked with Wheeler…
National Guard member and nursing major Justyn Freeman ’23 prioritizes service to his community
Before attending Pacific Lutheran University, Justyn Freeman ’23 served in the Air Force for six years. Now, he is a senior nursing major and will soon begin his residency at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. Justyn is a current member of the Washington Air…
After a pandemic hiatus, study away trips returned during J-Term
After a hiatus last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 65 undergraduate and 22 graduate students from Pacific Lutheran University were able to participate in January term study away trips this year. The program took PLU students all over the world, with courses designed and…
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…
PLU Wind Ensemble: Musica Ignota
The PLU Wind Ensemble performed the world premiere of Ingrid Stolzel’s “Musica Ignota” on October 9, 2021. Stolzel traveled to PLU to attended the premiere and work with the PLU wind ensemble and Professor of Music Edwin Powell in advance. A composition almost 1,000 years…
Housing Our Neighbors
Housing is something many of us take for granted. Much more than just a place to sleep and a structure to shelter us from the elements, our homes provide the space we need to maintain a functional life. It’s where we manage our mental health,…