Dhaval Patel on Forging His Own Path
Dhaval Patel found his calling when he was a computer engineering major at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Spoiler alert — it had little to do with binary digits, buffer or bandwidth. “I was drawn to student affairs because when I was a college student,…
On the Court and in the Classroom: A Brother and Sister Find Success at PLU
On the day of high school class choices, a middle school teacher noticed the normally outgoing Jackson Reisner sitting quietly, acting withdrawn. Jackson grew increasingly anxious as the morning progressed. A movie buff, the Burlington eighth grader had seen all the difficult depictions of high…
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…
PLU students go on stunning rock climbing adventure in Vantage, Washington
Pacific Lutheran University student videographer Matt Shaps ’24 joined our Outdoor Recreation program on an epic rock climbing adventure in Vantage, Washington. Learn about Outdoor Rec’s upcoming day and weekend trips at plu.edu/recreations/outdoor-rec .
Makaela Whalen ’23 adds a pre-law minor to full schedule as she prepares for law school
Makaela Whalen ’23 has a passion for the environment and animals. Her desire to find a meaningful vocation that feeds those passions resulted in her pursuing a degree in either environmental or animal law. “As long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to…
Despite pandemic challenges, transfer student finds community at PLU
Monya-Dawn Wilson ’22 is a DJS Fellow and Rieke Scholar who came to PLU as a transfer student. Wilson is a Biology major, and dreams of becoming a pediatrician. “I’ve always liked science and learning,” said Wilson. “I like learning about the body, learning about…
Karen Marquez ‘22 aspires to help her community through her studies
Karen Marquez ‘22 is a senior social work major with minors in Hispanic studies and criminal justice. Marquez is a heritage speaker of Spanish, and has a deep love for languages, culture, and diversity. She hopes to use her degree and the skills she is…
Multi-talented senior and composer TJ Wheeler ’22 views music as his vocation
TJ Wheeler ’22 is a music composition major at Pacific Lutheran University. This semester, he was a valuable member of six music ensembles, including Choir of the West, Opera, Steel Band, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and the PLU Ringers handbell choir. We talked with Wheeler…
Yaquelin Ramirez’s ’22 passion for helping others leads to a future in healthcare
As a child, chemistry major Yaquelin Ramirez ’22 often went to work with her mother at a Federal Way nursing home. The time spent watching her mom help the residents sparked something inside of her — a desire to pursue a career where she helps…
History and literature senior Kathryn Einan ‘22 aspires to be a lifelong learner
Kathryn Einan ‘22 is a self-proclaimed “book nerd.” Einan is a triple major in Literature, History and Nordic Studies with a minor in Chinese. She has a deep love of learning and hopes to become a teacher one day. “There are so many interesting things…
Musician turned math major is excited about teaching in his community
Kevin Canady-Pete ’22 has a history with the Pacific Lutheran University campus. He grew up down the street, just a couple of miles from the university. The Franklin Pierce High School graduate came to PLU intending to pursue a music education major. While he enjoyed…
PLU Record-holder Bailey Hamilton ’22 balances athletic involvement with academic excellence
Bailey Hamilton is a senior nursing student at PLU. She is also a member of PLU’s swim team. Recently, she was a member of the winning four-member relay team at this year’s Northwest Conference Championships —one of which set a new PLU record for the…