Five Questions: Stephanie Johnson, Dean of the College of Liberal Studies
What does liberal studies mean to you? To be liberally educated quite simply means to be educated broadly and generously, without restriction and the College of Liberal Studies is at the heart of this education at PLU. The foundation of liberal studies extends back to…
Inspired by Students to Serve
As Amy Siegesmund sat in her office in the Rieke Science Center, the gray and drizzle of a Washington December afternoon hanging over the day, she couldn’t help but feel joy. Across from her sat two students who had just finished her “Intro to Microbiology”…
Wellbeing Services & Resources: The Living Room at the Heart of Student Wellbeing
In many ways, WSR’s cozy living room is the center of it all: a space where needs surface, support shows up, and no one has to figure it out alone. “We act fast, like the Avengers,” says Eva Frey ’95, PLU’s associate vice president of Wellbeing…
How I built my life while fighting for it
It all started with a golf ball-sized bump on my neck. During winter break of my freshman year, I was travelling to Mexico to visit family when I noticed I couldn’t move my neck. The discomfort was excruciating. I thought it was a knot. I…
ResoLute Fall 2025 Opening Note
“Educating for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership, and care, — for others, for their communities, and for the Earth.” My guess is you started reading that and you immediately were brought back to a favorite memory of your time at PLU. Lutes know the…
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…
Big Questions, Complex Answers: Lorelei Juntunen ’97 drives public policy across the West Coast
Growing up in a small town in Idaho, Lorelei Juntunen ’97 had not spent much time in cities. But when she moved to Parkland to attend PLU, she suddenly had access not only to local cities like Tacoma and Seattle, but also to cities across…
Spiritual Care: Professor Erik Hammerstrom listens and learns during a sabbatical year spent as a hospital chaplain
Global studies and religion professor Erik Hammerstrom has spent his career researching and teaching about the history of Chinese Buddhism. He’s a quintessential teacher, beloved by students for leading engaging discussions, his imaginative project assignments, and planning field trips to nearby temples. It’s hard to…
All flourishing is mutual
Merriam-Webster defines “flourishing” as marked by vigorous and healthy growth. Sounds lovely! Who doesn’t like vigorous and healthy growth? There is a lot to like in this definition, but I think the way we often think about flourishing misses something essential. Flourishing is a significant…
A Blue Zones Boosts
Sponsored by MultiCare Health System, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, and Pierce County, the Blue Zones Project Parkland-Spanaway is an initiative working to address local healthcare costs, improve economic and social vitality, and increase public awareness about health and well-being in Parkland. Blue Zones’ goal is…