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…
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…
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…
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 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 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,…
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…
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…
At on-campus food pantry, a nutritious meal is a swipe away
TACOMA, WASH. (March. 16, 2020) — Food insecurity is on the rise on college campuses across the nation, and PLU is no exception to the trend. In a 2017 survey entitled “Healthy Minds,” one in five PLU students reported experiencing food insecurity ranging from “once…
Jeremy Knapp ‘21 talks interning for a state senator in Olympia, passion for political science and future career
TACOMA, WASH. (March. 16, 2020) — Pacific Lutheran University political science major Jeremy Knapp ‘21 swears he has no desire to run for office, but his resume speaks of someone with great political aspirations nonetheless. The junior turned 21 on March 4, and he already…