Senior Justinpal Singh’s heart for service, science, and creating community space
Image: Chemistry and Religion double major Justin Singh hopes to become a doctor one day, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at PLU. (PLU Photo / Sy Bean)
By Britt Board
Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications
Looking back four years ago, Justinpal Singh ’25 remembers that he was seeking a university that was more than just a place to get a degree.
“I really wanted a university that was not necessarily competitive, but more so encouraging and fostered individual growth,” Justinpal shared. “I saw that at PLU.”
Now a graduating senior with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry (emphasis in biochemistry), a Bachelor of Arts in religion, and a minor in biology, Justinpal has carved out a unique path that bridges science, spirituality, and service. His interdisciplinary academic experience reflects his deeply thoughtful approach to learning — and life. “PLU emphasizes global education through service leadership, which is a huge value of mine,” Justinpal notes.
Justinpal’s time at PLU is marked not just by academic achievement but by the impact he’s made from building spaces for connection and understanding. As the Coordinator for Religious and Spiritual Diversity with PLU’s Campus Ministry, he created events that brought people together across backgrounds and beliefs.
His most memorable contributions include organizing Holi and Diwali celebrations on campus.
Justinpal also led “The Gathering Table: Deepening Reflection on Religious and Spiritual Diversity,” a monthly event where students, staff, and faculty shared meals and meaningful conversations on topics like Black Joy, integrating gender and sexuality with faith, and questioning the very idea of evil. “Ultimately, they all went really well and I know many people who recommended this to other people,” he said.
His leadership and commitment to building community were recognized when he received the Emerging Leader Award for his work in Campus Ministry. “It was a nice way for the work I’ve done in Campus Ministry to be recognized, and it was a nice way to remind me that my work is meaningful for the PLU community.”
For Justinpal, moments of connection have been among the most meaningful experiences at PLU. He reflected on the Celebration of Light, a gathering of diverse cultural traditions. “Someone came up to me and thanked me for sharing about Diwali,” he said. “Since I was the only one tabling for Diwali, it was a little daunting to explain things to so many people, but having that reassurance inspired my future work to be even more meaningful.”
“It was nice seeing people of different backgrounds celebrate a popular South Asian holiday,” Justinpal recalled. “There were many people from all over campus learning about what these holidays were. It was also nice to see the South Asian community at PLU feel recognized and enjoy something that is so crucial to their culture.”
A talented violinist, Justinpal also found a home in PLU’s vibrant music community — even as a non-music major. “In addition to everything else, I also wanted to continue pursuing the violin as a passion,” he said. “PLU has an amazing music program and symphony orchestra. It makes learning music more about individual expression and that much more enjoyable.”
Thanks to a music scholarship and the Rieke Scholarship for his work in Campus Ministry, Justinpal’s passions — for music, for community, and for his academic interests — became central to his PLU journey. “Ultimately, scholarships helped make it possible for me to be here and to expand upon my values around diversity, justice, and sustainability,” he reflected.
As he looks ahead, Justinpal plans to continue working as an ER medical scribe and hopes to gain additional clinical experience before pursuing his long-term goal: earning a MD/PhD and researching amino acid structures that influence diseases like chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Justinpal noted, “My initial interest is because both of my parents have type 2 diabetes, and this is a common disease found in South Asians. During a class research project, I found that the epigenetics of South Asians is impacted by the multiple centuries of colonialism that led to famines and nutritional deficits, which further impacted my interest in this topic.”
Looking ahead at his career goals, Justinpal shared, “My path is inspired by my family, who gave me guidance on what work is the most meaningful to me.”
For Justinpal Singh, PLU has been a place where science, service, and spirituality intersect — and a launchpad for a future full of meaningful impact in all the areas he touches.