Thadeus Smith started a new job as a speech and debate teacher at the American Heritage School in Broward County, Fla. On March 3, the team won the 2024 Florida Varsity State Championship.

Emily Groseclose started her own photography and videography business in June 2023. After working at a local news station for two years, she took matters into her own hands to create Emerald Rose Studios. She focuses on weddings, maternity, newborn, and family.

Annika (Matias) Hernandez and her husband, Aj Hernandez, welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Alina Hernandez, on July 13, 2023.

McKenna Morin married her best friend, Hayden Bell, in an afternoon garden ceremony on Aug. 19, 2023. Their guests were former Lutes, Megan ’19 and Dina Longstaff ’19, Sam Carson ’19, Natalie Mooney ’19, and Kara Barkman ’19. The six women met as first-year Lutes during New Student Orientation. They stuck together through all four years, taking classes together and living in the same dorms (Stuen and South) and standing as McKenna’s maid-of-honor was former Lute Siobhan Warmer-Hinds ’19, who was McKenna’s roommate and teammate on the PLU rowing team. All the women have continued their strong friendship as PLU alumni.

In February 2024, Katie King started at PBS Engineering and Environmental as an industrial hygienist and earned a certificate in HAZWOPER, radon testing, AHERA, and NIOSH 582. She participates in oversight and surveys involving lead paint, PCBs, and asbestos. In 2022, she and her fiancé, Tristan, welcomed their son, Forest, who turned 2 in 2024.

In Q1 2024, April Rose Nguyen was promoted to program manager II at Amazon. She transitioned to a new team known as Amazon Community Impact (ACI), where she serves as the program manager for Disaster Relief and Food Security Operations. She also accepted volunteer roles for the Asians at Amazon Global Board as the first internal communications director and for Filipinos at Amazon as Seattle Chapter co-president.

Abigail Shedd earned the title of Miss Cherry Blossom 2024.

Bailey Takacs and his wife, KayLee Wiest ’18, met at PLU but didn’t get together until after their time there. They had their first child, son Braxton, in June 2022 and their second child, daughter BlaikLee, in October 2023. They are grateful that God led them together and thankful that PLU was the common ground they shared on their paths to one another.

On June 21, 2023, at 7:57 a.m., with the summer solstice, Kate Rose-Marie Selden and Daniel Jay were married in the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle (where Kate now lives and works). In another update, Kate published their first Early Childhood Education article, “Pride in the Gender Expressions of Preschoolers,” in the Summer 2024 edition of Exchange Press.

Grace Hancock joined Teach for America upon graduating from PLU in 2018 and is now in her fifth year as a teacher. She serves as a high school special education teacher and Student Council advisor in Buffalo, Wyoming. In May 2024, she graduated with her second Master’s in Education (Early Childhood Education in 2020 and now Special Education) from the University of Wyoming. Grace also recently started working part-time managing the local movie theater.

Stephen Compton and Katie Powers ’20 started their journey to become doctors at the University of Washington School of Medicine Alaska WWAMI campus, class of 2023.

In March 2024, Kevin Lester was published twice in Killer Whale Science, co-authoring with friend and research partner Josh McInnes. The publications were featured across Canadian news stations, National Geographic, Popular Mechanics, Global News, Science Direct, The Sun, Phys.org, among others. The publications are entitled “Evidence for an Oceanic Population of Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Offshore Waters of California and Oregon” and “Foraging Behaviour and Ecology of Transient Killer Whales within a Deep Submarine Canyon System.”

Amy Wooten and Daniel Landram ’15 married on April 6, 2024, in Palm Springs, Calif. Their bridal party included PLU alumni Blake Warner ’15, Jasper Sortun ’16, Melissa Sawtell (formerly Dean) ’16, Nicoya Benham-Marin ’16, Andrew Alness ’15, and Neil Bateman ’15. Amy Wooten’s parents also met at PLU: Steve Wooten ’83 and Liz (formerly Benson). More than 20 other alumni were also in attendance from graduating classes of 2011-2017. The photo includes PLU alumni and the bride and groom.

Shannon Reynolds was elected mayor of Fircrest, Wash., on Jan. 9 for a two-year term.

In January 2023, Janae Reinhardt was promoted to clinical director/head of service at the Children’s Home of Stockton, where she oversees the provision of specialty mental health services to foster teen residents. In January 2024, Janae passed the Association of Social Work Boards exam and is now a licensed clinical social worker in California.

Pamela Barrington graduated with a DNP in Nursing Administration from the University of Miami in 2023. She accepted a CNO position at a Behavioral Health Hospital and started at the beginning of April 2024.

Emily Roska and her partner, David Carroll, welcomed their daughter, Olivia Rose, on March 25, 2023.

Robert Lynam and Sarah Lynam ’14 welcomed their second child, Charlotte Mathie Lynam, on Aug. 4, 2023.

Living in the Hong Global Community and studying abroad twice during her time at PLU sparked a passion for global citizenship for Hannah Thiemann. Hannah and her wife moved to Uruguay in February 2023, where she works remotely as a behavior consultant for dogs struggling with fear, anxiety, and separation anxiety.

Dr. Jen Jepsen married Tom Crotty on Aug. 26, 2023. The wedding was a weekend-long summer camp event surrounded by family, friends, and several Lutes.

Mycal Ford celebrated his union with Avonda Fogan by jumping the broom on Oct. 7, 2023, at the Salamander Hotel in Washington, D.C. On Dec. 7, 2023, he was inducted into Foster Senior High School’s Alumni Hall of Fame for inspiring young people to pursue careers in public service and community engagement.

Danielle Jackson married Zac Jackson in Boise, Idaho, on Sept. 23, 2023, in an intimate ceremony with their closest family and friends. Lutes in attendance included the sister of the bride, Breanna Young ’16. Danielle is a certified personal trainer and owns a fitness business, while Zac owns an SEO Consulting Agency. Danielle and Zac live in Boise, Idaho, with their corgis, Link and Penelope.

Katherine Alegado was promoted to major in the U.S. Army Reserve. Maj. Alegado serves as a public affairs officer for the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command – Army Reserve Element in Norfolk, Va.

Erik Torgerson and Kayla (Griffin) Torgerson ’11 welcomed Grant Patrick Torgerson into the world on April 30. He was born at 7 lbs 10 oz and 20 inches. Erik and Kayla’s oldest child, Norah Grace Torgerson, 3 years old, is thrilled to become a big sister.

Carrie (Locken) Huber received the $24,000 James Madison Memorial Fellowship and is working on a Master of American History and Government through Ashland University. She was also named the 2023 Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year for South Dakota. She teaches government at Stevens High School in Rapid City, S.D.

Amy Spieker and her husband, Ben Rowland, welcomed their son, Alexander Reid Rowland, on May 8, 2023.

Ryan Hart celebrated 10 years of marriage with his wife, Katie, and welcomed twins (kids No. 5 and No. 6) in August 2023. Ryan works for ZoomInfo, is on the board of a rural church, and advises SaaS companies.

Kenneth Chilcoat and his wife, Michelle, welcomed their first child, Eleanor, into the world on March 18, 2024.

After ten years of service, Jennie (Krauszer) Barge will assume the position of lead speech-language pathologist for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District in the fall of 2024.

Emma Coulson married Israel Ledesma on July 7, 2023, in Emma’s hometown of Colorado Springs, Colo., at the historic Broadmoor Hotel. Jennifer Curtiss ’07 was in attendance. The couple lives in West Seattle with their dog, Sammy.

Samantha Prevot passed away in Lakewood, Wash., on Sept. 3, 2023. While attending PLU, she was a member of the crew team. Samantha will be missed and is loved by many family and friends.

Andrea Shea published her first series of historical romance novels, “The Reluctant Lords,” under the name Andie James.

Gabi Brockman married Candace Phillips in a small ceremony in Kona, Hawaii, in October 2021. In June 2022, she accepted a promotion to crime prevention specialist with the Omaha Police Department.

Jason Russell and Misty (Addison) Russell ’04 welcomed their son, Antonio James Russell, on Aug. 7, 2023. He joins big sisters Annalise (pictured) and Abigail.

Judy Scott retired from nursing as a Department of Defense civilian with the Air Force Developmental Behavioral Family Readiness program. She will also soon hand over leadership of the Scandinavian Cultural Center Council but will continue active involvement. She’s looking forward to spending time with her three grandchildren and flying her plane as she chooses. Judy says it’s “handy to be living on an airport!”

Kristine Bingman has been promoted to shareholder in Ogletree Deakins’ Portland office. Kristine’s practice focuses on health and welfare plan compliance. She advises clients on all aspects of ERISA and Internal Revenue Code compliance as it relates to health and welfare plans, as well as on compliance with the Affordable Care Act, COBRA, HIPAA privacy and security, Code nondiscrimination rules, wellness programs, fiduciary compliance, reporting and disclosure requirements, and more. She earned her J.D. in 2002 from Lewis and Clark Law School and her B.S. in 1996 from PLU.

Sean Brendan-Brown has passed away. A graduate of PLU’s Business Administration program, he also studied closely with Jack Cady. Sean graduated from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He was a two-time winner of the National Endowment for the Arts fellowship for poetry and short fiction. Sean published broadly and authored multiple poetry chapbooks and collections, including Everything Repeated Many Times and The West is a Golden Paradise; and fiction works, such as Monarch Of Hatred and Beat it to Fit, Paint it to Match: Collected Short Stories 2000-2015. His latest poetry collection, Super Collider, will be published this year.

Mary DeMuth released her 48th book in September 2023. Her recent books include The Most Misunderstood Women of the Bible (Salem), Love, Pray, Listen (Baker Publishing Group), and We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis (Harvest House). She’s also a literary agent at MaryDeMuthLiterary.com.

Greg Schieferstein is now a communication manager for the State of Washington in Olympia after 34 years in television news. Greg works for the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, writing, producing pictures, videos, graphics, and social media. In addition, he supports educational and organizational outreach across the state. He also earned his certification from the FAA as a commercial drone pilot. Greg and his wife, Barbara Andrews, are glad to return to the Northwest.

Amy Swanson was promoted to CEO of WCP Solutions, a Washington-based wholesale distributor with 14 locations across six states.

Gayle Ann Scheele passed away in West Seattle on Feb. 24, 2023. She graduated from PLU with a degree in business administration. In 1995, she was awarded an MBA from Bellevue City University. She was an accountant with commercial and residential property management companies in Seattle and Bellevue. Her love of travel took her to several countries. She was an avid sports fan and prolific reader. Gayle is survived by her mother, Marjean (Lawhead) Scheele ’62, father, Gerald Scheele ’60, and brother, Mark Scheele. Her Aunt Beatrice Scheele ’58 and Uncle Ted Scheele ’57 preceded her in death.

Rusty Carlson and Anna (Peterson) Carlson ’87 welcomed their first grandchild, Annalise, in May 2023. She’s a “blessing to our family.”

David Chun’s son, Marley, graduated from Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, Hawaii, and entered PLU in the fall of 2024. “Go Lutes!”

Patt (Gamino) O’Neil’s stories have been featured in over 40 anthologies, online journals, and magazines. She and her husband reside in Thurston County, Wash. Her collections, Witness Testimony and Other Tales and Two Sides of the Same Coin, are available on Amazon (search P.A. O’Neil). She won the 2023 Mustang Flash Fiction Award with “The Great Burro Revolt,” which was also featured in the Saddlebag Dispatches anthology West of Dodge. Her article, “Northwest Passage,” about the Ellensburg, Wash., Rodeo from the summer 2022 issue of Saddlebag Dispatches Magazine, won 4th place in the national competition for nonfiction short essays (Will Rogers Medallion Award).

Jan (Berg) Hazelton published Life, Faith, and Saltwater Taffy (under J.B. Hazelton). Written in a conversational tone, it combines a playful beach theme, relatable anecdotes, and a scriptural foundation to bring fresh perspectives to topics we all face.

Paul Griffith Swanson was born Feb. 28, 1955, and died Sept. 13, 2023. He was raised in Magnolia with his two sisters, Jean and Marji. He attended Queen Anne High School. After spending years in business, Paul began teaching middle school science, which turned out to be a rewarding job. A dedicated scout, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout and later served as a Cub Scout den leader and Troop 406 Scoutmaster. Paul is survived by sons Kevin Swanson and Matthew Swanson, step-daughter Ashley Human, and six grandchildren (Caleb, Paige, Grace, Teagan, Blake, and Hawkens).

Julia (Weisenborn) Scott received her post-masters Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Washington State University Vancouver in May 2024 and was awarded the Outstanding DNP Student award. With over 46 years in nursing, Julia has worked in medical-surgical services, labor and delivery, school nursing, and nurse delegation. She’s currently a clinical instructor in the nursing program at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash. Julia also retired from the Air Force Reserves with the rank of colonel in 2014 after 29 and a half years of service as a flight nurse and nurse administrator. Julia and her husband, Curtis, live in Vancouver.

(Left to right): Cheerleaders Cece Dempsey ’76, K.J. (Johnson) Colombini ’77, Jill (Ahola) Adams ’77, Deb (Virak) Robertson ’77, and Joan (Nelson) Mattich ’77 recently reunited after 50 years in Palm Desert, Calif., for several days sharing joyful memories of their years of cheering for the Lutes in the mid-1970s. While Lute football and basketball filled their calendars, they also recalled cheering for several other teams, including baseball, cross country, and swimming. PLU friendships are continuing throughout the years!

Dr. Randall S Fowler, MD retired from emergency medicine after 42 years as a physician. He agrees with Mark Twain – that if you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life! He still volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corps and the Doctor Patrol at Grand Targhee Ski Resort and spent two weeks in Turkey caring for refugees with Global Health Outreach. Now, he serves as a volunteer firefighter. He celebrated retirement and 42 years of marriage to Keri Lu, by spending 10 days in French Polynesia. He has great memories of PLU and welcomes emails at RSFowlerMD@gmail.com.

Deanna (Thorp) Nowadnick recently released her fourth book and first children’s book, Grandma, You Found Me!. Deanna manages an investment advisory firm on Mercer Island, Wash., when not writing. She’s active in her church, volunteering and serving on the leadership team. Deanna lives in Monroe, Wash., with her husband, Kurt ’76. She’s the mother of two adult sons and the grandmother of four—her inspiration for additional books.

Wendy (Enger) Gibson and Helen Pohlig were together in Florence, Italy, in October 2023. Wendy lives in Florence and studies classical portraiture in a three-year art program. Helen has retired from teaching contract law seminars and traveled for two weeks in Italy.

Thomas “Tom” Edward Fenn passed away on May 1, 2024, at age 78, after a courageous battle with cancer. Tom was a proud PLU graduate, earning his bachelor’s in 1968 and master’s in business administration in 1984. He was an accomplished athlete in swimming and rowing, even taking turns in the wooden shell made famous by the novel The Boys in the Boat. After PLU, Tom had a successful career as an insurance executive. Passionate about athletics, he completed marathons and triathlons, including Ironman Hawaii and the World’s Toughest Triathlon. He was a devoted family man to his children, Brian and Karin, and grandchildren, Graham, Odin, and Aneva.

Serendipity brought the six newcomers to PLU in the Fall of 1963, and their lives would never be the same.  The three couples, Tim and Marcia (Wake) Sherry ’67, upper left, Fraser ’66 and Lynn (Burchfield) Rasmussen ’68, lower left, Mark ’67 and Bonnie (MacMaster) Andersen ’66, right, were all married soon after graduation. They raised families, completed successful professional careers, retired, and now help raise grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They’ve stayed connected through the years, and this spring, reunited at Manzanita, Ore.

Jack Kintner was awarded second place statewide in general news photography by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association for 2021. His photo selected for the prize showed a couple whose wedding had been postponed at the last minute by the sudden COVID border closure. The couple is less than 10 feet from each other, talking across the ditch that marks the U.S.-Canada border, but neither is allowed to cross. Kintner was ordained in 1971 after attending Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. He served in Michigan, Washington, and British Columbia for 30 years until retiring to change careers to photojournalism.

James Reece passed away on March 7, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. He was born on Nov. 24, 1944, in Palo Alto, Calif. As an undergraduate at PLU, he studied abroad in Germany at the University of Heidelberg, where he recognized his passion for German language and literature. He graduated magna cum laude from PLU with a bachelor’s degree in German. After PLU, he earned a master’s degree and a doctorate from the University of Oregon alongside lifelong friend Gerald Fetz ’66. In 1970, Reece relocated to Moscow, where he spent 38 years teaching German language and literature at the University of Idaho.

Theodore “Ted” John Vigeland (born April 13, 1943) passed away on Jan. 31, 2024. Ted graduated from the University of Oregon Medical School, completing his internship and orthopedic residency. In medical school, he married his high school sweetheart, Julie Shiffer Vigeland, and they were married for 58 years. Over the years, they visited 67 countries. Ted relished his work in Peru and Ecuador with a local medical team. After years of private practice, he joined the medical staff at Oregon Health Sciences University, where he served as associate professor and later at the Veterans Hospital. He and Julie had two children and six grandchildren.

Lou Blaesi passed away on Sept. 4, 2023. He was a devoted husband to Karen, a loving father to Matt and Chris, and a proud grandfather to Andrew, McKenzie, Tyler, Ben, and Jack. He played football at PLU for four years, from 1958 to 1961. He was a teacher and coach in the Federal Way School District and was inducted into the Federal Way Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010 for his 28-year teaching and coaching career. He remained active at his Lake Chelan and Palm Desert homes in his retirement. Lou had a passion for the outdoors and hard work.

Neil Eastvold passed away on Sept. 19, 2023. He earned his business degree at PLU, but equally important, it’s where he met the love of his life. After graduation, he spent his tenured career working in sales and later as an engineer at various cement companies in Seattle. He had a full life with many adventures, but his favorites were the ones with his family. Neil is survived by his wife of 65 years, Janice (Campion) Eastvold ’59; children Lynn, David, and Bryan; grandchildren Kelsey Smith ’11, Shelby, and Tyler; and one great-grandchild.

Don and Alta (Prestbye) Gaarder graduated from “PLC” in 1955 and married in 1956. At PLC, Alta was in the Homecoming Royalty during her junior year. She taught 3rd and 1st grades for over 30 years and participated in parish activities. Don, a three-sport letterman, was student body vice president during his senior year. After over 30 years in Lutheran ministry, he sold insurance and volunteered with Sanford Health. He served on the Augustana University Board of Regents and was inducted into its Honorary Alumni Association in 2023. Don and Alta turned 90 in 2023 and celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary. Alta passed away on June 27, 2024. Don resides in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Grace (Foege) Holmes passed away on Feb. 8, 2023, in Lenexa, Kan. She was the first woman to graduate from PLU to be accepted to the University of Washington Medical School and one of two women in her class who graduated with M.D. degrees in 1957. Grace married Fred Holmes, a fellow medical school classmate, in 1955. She had an interesting career serving on faculties at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, interspersed with medical mission work in Malaysia from 1959 to 1963, and in Tanzania from 1970 to 1972, in addition to publishing medical papers, writing several books, and caring for six children (five adopted and one biological).

Frank E. Witt passed away on May 16, 2023, at age 94. He attended PLU after serving in the Army in WWII. Frank’s teaching career began in the Steilacoom School District. He transferred to the new University Place School District and Tacoma Community College, retiring in 1990. He volunteered to teach horticulture at the women’s prison in Purdy. He did this well into his 90s. He received his master’s from Washington State University in 1966, and was also a Master Gardener. He’s survived by his wife of 74 years, Gloria (Christenson) Witt ’66, and his children Virginia ’75, Chris ’78, and Margaret ’86, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.