![Justin Huertas ’09 and Kiki deLohr ’10 pose on stage before their production of Lizard Boy,Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at Theater Row in New York. (PLU Photo / Sy Bean)](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/huertas-delohr-banner-725x408.jpg)
From Eastvold to Broadway: Justin Huertas ’09 and Kiki deLohr ’10 debut on musical theater’s biggest stage
It’s 11 a.m. in Harlem. Justin Huertas ’09 and Kiki deLohr ’10 are feeling loose, relaxed — even a bit silly — as they sip coffee outside Sugar Hill Café. In a few short hours they will make their off-Broadway debuts in a musical written…
![Brian Bannon ’97, the Merryl and James Tisch Director of the New York Public Library, poses for a portrait, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at the iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in New York City. (PLU Photo / Sy Bean)](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/brian-bannon-header-725x408.jpg)
The People’s Librarian: Brian Bannon’s passion for democratizing information led him to the New York Public Library
In 1997, Brian Bannon was a PLU senior. An exemplary student, he wrote for The Mast, and was a double major researching social justice through the lens of queer rights movements. One afternoon, Bannon found himself in the office of history professor Beth Kraig, discussing…
![Two PLU football players stand in front of the practice field wearing their uniforms and smile into camera.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/20230519_sb_bone-marrow-donors_006-725x408.jpg)
How Erik Bainter ’23 and Jai Alapai ’24 answered a call that could save two lives.
THE PLU ATHLETICS MISSION STATEMENT spells it out. The “S” in Lutes stands for service — giving back and making an impact in the lives of others. It’s a value that two Lute football teammates put into action this past year. Just a few months…
![Aaron Bell smiles at the camera. There is a white wall behind him and he is wearing a blazer and glasses.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/aaron-bell-banner-725x408.jpg)
Aaron Bell ’04: A Philosopher in Finance
PLU graduate Aaron Bell ’04 learned early on that life is full of pathways — and that it was his responsibility to pursue his interests with passion to find his purpose. He grew up in Wisconsin where he was a standout student — an Eagle…
![Emily Peterson standing on the street in a New York alley. There is a brightly painted mural behind her. She is smiling, looking up above the photographer, and wearing a grey sweater.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/peterson-banner-725x408.jpg)
Emily Peterson ’14 : Global policy, politics and partnerships
Like many students, Emily Peterson ’14 began her time at PLU unsure of what, exactly, she wanted to do. “I wanted to work for the United Nations,” she says. “Although at the time, I didn’t know what it was, to be honest, when I was…
![Dayton Campbell-Harris stands on a park deck with water and the Brooklyn skyline behind him. He's wearing a blue blazer and half-smiling.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/campbell-harris-banner-725x408.jpg)
Dayton Campbell-Harris ’16: Fighting for voters’ rights
Originally, Dayton Campbell-Harris ’16 planned for a career as a high school history teacher and high school football coach — he played football for PLU when Scott Westering was an inspirational coach. But during his junior year at PLU, a social work class moved Campbell-…
![David Ward stands on the stairs of the PLU nursing center. There is a large gold image of the PLU rose window on the wall behind him. He is smiling and wearing a light blue shirt.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/david-ward-resolute-banner-2-725x408.jpg)
Therapeutic Leadership: David Ward discusses his approach to leading PLU’s College of Health Professions
David Ward is a practicing therapist who says the origins of his vocation go all the way back to his childhood home. “I grew up in a family where I benefited from strong family ties, and I saw the impact of imperfect but strong relationships,”…
![Ellie Dieringer sitting at a desk in a PLU clasroom with a big map of the world behind her.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/dierenger-banner-725x408.jpg)
Ellie Dieringer explores impact of the Holocaust in South America
Close to 50,000 Jewish refugees fled to Argentina during the rise of Nazism and World War II. In fact, between 1933 and 1945, Argentina received more Jewish refugees per capita than any other nation in the world, except Palestine. But to most – outside of…
![a photo banner split into two portrait photos. One the right is Stephanie Millett wearing nursing scrubs standing in front of Tacoma General Hospital. On the left, Raven Lopez is standing in front of NYU Langone hospital. Both women are smiling into the camera.](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2023/09/military-to-medicine-banner-2-725x408.jpg)
Military To Medicine: Air Force, Navy veterans become nurses after second chances at college
Stephanie Millett ’22 was in her early 20s when she walked into a U.S. Navy recruiting office after dropping out of the University of Oregon in 2010. The decision to enlist, she says, was “a bit of a last resort” to get her family and…
![Students work on building terraria in Prof. Daniel Heath's IHON class, Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at PLU](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2022/10/ihon-biosphere-cover-725x408.jpg)
Saving the World with a Starship
On day one of PLU Professor of Mathematics Daniel Heath’s Designing a Starship class, students have no idea what they have signed up for — and that’s exactly how Heath wants it. The course is part of PLU’s International Honors Program (IHON), which means it…
![](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2021/03/andrew-whitney-2-19-21-113-2-725x408.jpg)
Opening Doors to Opportunity: Andrew Whitney ’12, Director of Seed Internships
I had two internships during my time at PLU. One led to a full-time offer and I stayed there for almost seven years. Getting that second internship was about my talent and also about the right place, right time, right skill set, right newsletter subscription.…
![Summer music camp for children run by PLU music students, Friday, July 8, 2022, held at Trinity Lutheran. (PLU Photo/John Froschauer)](https://www.plu.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/573/2022/11/camp-songs-cover-725x408.jpg)
Camp Songs: PLU music majors produce free music camp for Parkland students
It’s a warm summer morning and the scent of scrambled eggs drifts from the kitchen at Trinity Lutheran Church into an adjoining room where more than a dozen campers busily make beaded jewelry. Ranging from second to sixth grade, the kids are participants in the…