![Charleen Tachibana ‘77, a PLU Regent and senior vice president at Virginia Mason Health System, serves as the chief nursing officer for the Seattle-based hospital healthcare nonprofit.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2020/04/tachibanashop-scaled-1-725x408.jpg)
PLU Regent and Virginia Mason Chief Nursing Officer Charleen Tachibana ‘77 Discusses Service, Leadership and Self-Care
TACOMA, WASH. (April 22, 2020) — As a senior vice president at Virginia Mason Health System, Charleen Tachibana ‘77 serves as the chief nursing officer and oversees the quality and safety of the Seattle-based hospital and healthcare nonprofit. We recently spoke to Tachibana, who also…
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Kevin Andrew explores Alumni & Student Connections’ virtual services, impact on graduating seniors
TACOMA, WASH. (April 21, 2020) — Worried about graduating into an uncertain job market? Need to hear some encouragement or advice from a PLU alum who’s been in your shoes before? Alumni & Student Connections has gone virtual to make sure resources to help you…
![Chair of the Faculty Michelle Ceynar has sewed almost 40 face masks for PLU’s dining and culinary staff.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2020/04/masknewsbanner-scaled-1-725x408.jpg)
Lutes craft handmade face masks, donate them to community members
TACOMA, WASH. (April 18, 2020) — Even before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended U.S. citizens use face coverings when in public, there was a national shortage of masks due to COVID-19 — so members of the PLU community have been stepping up…
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PLU alumna is helping educators nationwide adapt to teaching from a distance
TACOMA, WASH. (April 14, 2020) — Jessica Anderson ’07 is hunkering down at home in Montana with husband Chris, kids Bryer and Jase, and Jethro the dog while working for an EdTech company supporting educators across the country as they transition to distance learning. As…
![Sean Boaglio ’13 and Chrissy Boaglio ‘14 are both in the thick of New York City's fight to contain COVID-19 — Sean as a physician and Chrissy as a physician assistant.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2020/04/combined1-725x408.jpg)
PLU alumni husband-wife duo doing their part in New York City’s COVID-19 battle
TACOMA, WASH. (April 14, 2020) — In a parking lot outside Stony Brook University Hospital, two tents allow physicians to triage up to 100 patients per day. They discern between the “worried well” and those showing more severe symptoms of cough, fever and low oxygen…
![Hosted by the Consortium for Mathematics and its Application (COMAP), the Mathematical Contest in Modeling competition allows student teams of three roughly 100 hours to solve an open-ended problem that challenges their mathematical modeling, computer programming and writing skills.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2020/04/2-math-modeling-banner-725x408.jpg)
Largest-ever PLU student cohort participated in rigorous mathematical modeling competition
TACOMA, WASH. (April 13, 2020) — Six teams of PLU students, the university’s largest-ever cohort, participated in the 34th annual Mathematical Contest in Modeling on Feb. 13-17 — an international competition that challenges students to solve real-world math problems over the course of a grueling…
PLU announces new major in criminal justice
TACOMA, WASH. (April 11, 2020) — Pacific Lutheran University is announcing a new major in criminal justice. Officially launching in fall 2020, the new program is designed for students interested in a wide variety of career fields, including law, policing, corrections, and victim services and…
PLU debuts new ‘CheckFive’ initiative, designed to strengthen communities virtually
TACOMA, WASH. (April 9, 2020) — Physical distancing and shelter-in-place directives have made traditional ways of keeping in community challenging at best during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why PLU is rolling out “CheckFive,” a social media initiative designed to rebuild networks and spark connections among…
![Kari Plog ‘11, a digital journalist for local NPR affiliate radio station KNKX, has been telling the stories of Western Washington residents trying to deal with the fallout of a global health crisis while navigating the challenges that come with that — like turning her closet into a makeshift recording studio for audio.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2020/04/kariknkx-scaled-1-725x408.jpg)
Kari Plog ‘11 on telling the stories of those most impacted by COVID-19 pandemic
TACOMA, WASH. (April 7, 2020) — No matter what field or industry you work in, the COVID-19 pandemic has probably dramatically reshaped the way you do your job every day. For Kari Plog ‘11, a digital journalist for local NPR affiliate radio station KNKX, telling…
![PLU's Division of Natural Science, School of Nursing, and School of Arts and Communications teamed up to donate more than $10,000 in essential medical supplies to the Pierce County Emergency Operations Center for use in the fight against COVID-19.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2020/03/covidnewsbanner-725x408.jpg)
PLU donates medical supplies to help Pierce County in fight against COVID-19
TACOMA, WASH. (March. 30, 2020) — Pacific Lutheran University has donated more than $10,000 in essential medical supplies to the Pierce County Emergency Operations Center for use in the fight against COVID-19, thanks to the collaboration of campus partners. The university’s Division of Natural Sciences,…
![PLU Professor of Hispanic Studies Bridget Yaden works on class slides for a course she's now teaching remotely this semester. (Photo courtesy of Anderson Smith)](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2020/03/yaden-scaled-1-725x408.jpg)
Prof. Bridget Yaden on using technology to make remote learning inviting and accessible
TACOMA, WASH. (March. 25, 2020) — Distance learning and teaching can feel isolating at times. PLU Professor of Hispanic Studies Bridget Yaden has been combating these potential limitations by using different technological tools to make her virtual classroom as accessible and accommodating as possible. The…
![PLU professor of music Gregory Youtz teaches a distance-learning music course from his home. (Photo/John Froschauer)](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2020/03/youtz1-scaled-1-725x408.jpg)
Prof. Gregory Youtz talks transitioning classrooms and teaching styles to distance learning
TACOMA, WASH. (March. 19, 2020) — Switching a campus-based curriculum to a distance-learning model mid-semester in the face of a pandemic is no easy feat. Luckily, PLU professor of music Gregory Youtz and his faculty peers have proved to be up for the challenge. Under…