PLU alumnus, Tacoma teacher draws from his own tough life lessons to inspire students in similar situations
TACOMA, WASH. (March 17, 2016)- Joshua Cushman ’08 stood in front of a crowd at the Wang Center Symposium last month and recalled his childhood in which nobody asked him about his future. The Tacoma native was the product of a broken home, plagued by…
PLU alumna collects, studies mosquitoes in the pursuit of improved public health
TACOMA, WASH. (March 9, 2016)- Mosquitoes are pests to some, but for Rebekah Blakney ’12 they carry a wealth of information that can unlock solutions to global health issues. Now with the outbreak of the Zika virus, that’s as important as ever. Blakney isn’t at…
Lutes at the Legislature: PLU students and alumni contribute at every level of the legislative process
TACOMA, Wash. (March 3, 2016)— About 25 miles south of Pacific Lutheran University, lawmakers in Olympia are in the midst of the 2016 Washington state legislative session. While the governor and state legislators direct the proceedings, they are supported and informed by a dedicated legion…
PLU alumnus, Android co-founder uses his marketing expertise to help students land jobs
TACOMA, WASH. (March 2, 2016)- Co-founder of Android and Pacific Lutheran University graduate Nick Sears took the technology world by storm when he teamed up with inventors Andy Rubin and Chris White to market and launch Android, one of the world’s top operating systems for…
PLU awarded total of nearly $590,000 in state grant money for intensive, alternative route for teacher certification
TACOMA, WASH. (Feb. 29, 2016)- Garrett Wade bounced from desk to desk in a crowded classroom one recent Thursday morning, guiding his students through the online program they were learning at Sylvester Middle School in Burien. “Mr. Wade! Mr. Wade! I need your help,” a…
Musher turned author: Alumna harnesses her PLU education to recount experiences on Iditarod Trail
TACOMA, WASH. (Feb. 24, 2016)- Debbie Moderow’s future in Iditarod racing started in her family’s backyard with a retired sled dog named Salt. The 7-year-old Husky was the first member of a backyard sled dog team that was initially assembled so Moderow’s sons could have…
Students from PLU and Tacoma’s Lincoln High School work together to fight racism
TACOMA, WASH. (Feb. 4, 2016)- Kamari Sharpley-Ragin reluctantly admits that he used to joke about racism. The ninth-grader from Lincoln High School in Tacoma says it didn’t seem like a big deal, since he never really experienced overt discrimination himself. Now, he says he knows…
Ed Hrivnak ‘96: Firefighter, Flight Nurse, Veteran
Ed Hrivnak graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. His decorated career as a public servant included 20 years in the armed forces where he served as the Crew Director of a medical-evacuation team. A veteran of the…
Marissa Meyer ’04, Best-Selling Author
Marissa Meyer ’04 is the author of The New York Times best-selling series The Lunar Chronicles . She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Children’s Literature at PLU and went on to receive her MFA in Publishing from Pace University. Meyer is one of…
Mary Beth Sheehan ’00, Immigration Law Attorney
Mary Beth Sheehan ’00 is an award-winning attorney specializing in immigration law, including removal defense, asylum, U visas, VAWA claims, family-based petitions, adjustment of status and naturalization. Sheehan is one of 11 notable alumni currently featured in a billboard campaign that asks “what can you do with a PLU degree?” Others featured…
Teacher, Veteran, Mentor: Willie Stewart ’69
Willie Stewart , who earned a Masters in Education from PLU in 1969, became the first black principal in Tacoma School District history when he was appointed principal of East Tacoma’s Lincoln High School in 1970. After decades of leading Lincoln, in 1999 Stewart was elected…
Christmas Concert Gala to Feature Two Musical Premieres and a Superstar Headliner
TACOMA, WASH. (Nov. 2, 2015)- Pacific Lutheran University’s annual Christmas Concerts have entertained and inspired audiences across the Pacific Northwest for decades. For 2015, PLU is making Christmas Concert history in celebration of its 125th Anniversary. As in previous years, the concerts will be performed…