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…
2025 grad Lydia Downs wins prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to teach in Thailand
Lydia Downs ’25, a Master of Arts in Education student at Pacific Lutheran University, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award to serve as an English teaching assistant in Thailand during the 2025–2026 academic year. Lydia, who previously earned her undergraduate degrees in global…
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…
Exploring the PLU Archives
South Sound Magazine interviewed Pacific Lutheran University’s archivist and special collections librarian, Lauren Loftis, and digital preservation specialist, Josh Smith, about PLU’s history and their favorite “historical nuggets.”
PLU’s choral ensembles head to Europe for their 2025 international tour
PLU’s choral ensembles head to Europe for their 2025 international tour since 2019! From May 25th to June 7th, 71 students from Choir of the West , University Chorale , University Singers, and Knights Chorus will travel to Switzerland and Italy to perform songs of…
Pacific Lutheran University Receives Over $1.9 Million to Enhance Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
Tacoma, Wash. – Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) is pleased to announce it has been awarded over $1.9 million in Clean Buildings Performance Grant (CBPG) funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce . This significant grant will enable PLU to undertake substantial energy efficiency upgrades…
A Sweet Partnership: PLU students partner with Tonči Chocolatiers in Tobago
For a small-batch chocolatier in Tobago, it’s all about family. “My mother, Marie Jules, taught me to make drinking chocolate,” said Carlina Jules-Taylor, co-owner of Tonči. “Her father worked on an estate with cocoa, coffee, and coconut. My grandmother processed everything – squeezing sugar cane…
PLU music professors take the stage in NYC premiere of “Schiele in Prison” Opera
Two School of Music professors, James Brown and Soon Cho , traveled to New York City this January to perform in the New York premiere of “ Schiele in Prison ,” an opera by American composer Jared Schwartz. While PLU students are known for their…
Lutes celebrate another impactful Bjug Day of Giving: a PLU tradition in support of students
The PLU campus community is grateful to the nearly 2,000 Lutes who came together to celebrate and support what they love at PLU during Bjug Day of Giving on October 17-18. Together, $1.2 million was raised in support of student success and experiences. Through the…
A family with a “Bjug” legacy of giving and service
“Our place in this world is to be of service to other people,” notes Eric Watness, a descendant of PLU’s founder and first President, Rev. Bjug Harstad. Bjug is also the namesake of Bjug Day , PLU’s day of giving, which started in 2013 and…