The many worlds of Ashley Lopez Mora ’26
Some of Ashley’s transformation happened in classrooms. Much of it happened in residence halls, with fellow student leaders and musicians, or while lobbying as a student advocate in Olympia. And an incredible amount happened far beyond campus, in five separate study away programs that stretched…
Caden Ankrom ’25 designs his path to success
Caden Ankrom ’25 has designed everything from clothes and posters to billboards and train wraps. As a student worker on the Marketing & Communications team at PLU for the last two and a half years, he has created industry-grade designs. Finding a creative home at…
Senior Carmen Kiewert ‘26 goes all-in on business, competition, and connection at PLU
When Carmen Kiewert arrived at PLU as a transfer student, she was searching for a place where she could grow academically, professionally, and personally. She found all three. “I chose PLU for a variety of reasons, and I’m really happy with my decision to transfer,”…
Meet Yuta Shimazu, PLU’s first data science graduate
This winter marks the culmination of a journey for Pacific Lutheran University’s first data science graduate — a path that stretched from classroom to coffee shop to the soccer field. Before he heads back to Japan to begin his career, Yuta Shimazu ‘25 sat down…
After experiencing PLU’s “Community of Care” first-hand, PJ Morales ’25 strives to reciprocate that care to local high school students.
PJ Morales ‘25 comes from a small town on Maui named Lahaina. Although she loves her island, PJ realized that the “small island life” wasn’t for her and began to look for colleges in the continental United States. When her admissions counselor, fellow Filipino Brandon…
Zari Warden’s ’25 PLU journey leads to an interdisciplinary tapestry of creativity and advocacy
Zari Warden ’25 arrived at PLU as a vocal performance major ready to pursue a career in music. However, her journey quickly took a transformative turn, one that would redefine not only her academic path but also her sense of identity and purpose. “I came…
Olivia Tate: Interdisciplinary scholar, advocate, and future nurse scientist
When Olivia Tate ’25 tells people she’s triple majoring in nursing , religion , and Native American and Indigenous studies — with a Peace Corps prep minor — the usual response is one of confusion and curiosity. But for Olivia, those reactions confirm that she’s…
Stories Matter: Lydia Downs ’25 helps students connect, reflect, and grow
At the heart of Lydia Downs’ ’25 PLU journey is a simple but potent belief: stories matter. Lydia knows that stories shape who we are and who we might become. “Literature lets us step into lives different from our own,” Lydia says. “It helps build…
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…