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October 6, 2008 PLU music major decides to jazz up his life For Bryan McEntire, choosing to be a jazz player wasn’t much of a choice. In fact, the Pacific Lutheran University junior feels the craft chose him. He remembers his grandfather had an old saxophone in his Marysville, Washington home. So at 9 years old, he picked it up and started to play it. “I think my grandfather played it in high school, and then my uncle, and then they both stopped, so I picked up where they left off,” McEntire

January 18, 2013 Bonnie Nelson ’08 on top of a bactrian camel in Mongolia. (Photo courtesy of Bonnie Nelson) A volunteer experience in an elementary school sets alum on path to Mongolia By Barbara Clements University Communications After growing up in a small town near Chehalis, Wash., Bonnie Nelson ’08 at first wanted to just “be a face” in the crowd, and chose to go to a large public state university, rather than Pacific Lutheran University.   She soon realized this was a mistake. “I knew

July 14, 2014 Another Historic Harstad Hike From left, Carol Yenish of Mankato, Minn., the Beckers’ daughter and great-great-grandchild of PLU founder Bjug Harstad; Vance and Linda (Harstad) Becker of North Mankato; and Mark Harstad of Mankato display electronic and typed records of their ancestor’s journey to Yukon Territory in search of gold. (Photo: Amanda Dyslin/courtesy of The Free Press of Mankato) Founder’s descendants retrace 1898 Gold Rush quest to save PLU By Sandy Deneau Dunham PLU

Tracye Ferguson ’94 brings her principles to work at state education agency Posted by: Silong Chhun / August 24, 2022 Image: Tracye Ferguson ’94 is an assistant superintendent for early learning at ESD 113, a Washington state agency that helps ensure that students in Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston Counties receive an excellent and equitable education. (Photo by John Froschauer/PLU) August 24, 2022 By Debbie CafazzoPLU Marketing & Communications Guest WriterTracye Ferguson ’94

Musical Memories Posted by: Mandi LeCompte / March 21, 2014 Image: Choir of the West members prepare to board the bus at Pacific Lutheran College in 1939 for a 3,000-mile tour. (Photo courtesy of Lorna Vosburg Burt) March 21, 2014 Editor’s Note: When Lorna Vosburg Burt ’40, ’69 read our story on PLU’s annual Christmas Concerts in the winter 2013 edition of Scene magazine, she was inspired to recall—and share—her own Choir of the West story … from 1939. It was so full of history and facts and

October 13, 2008 Nurses tell of worldwide travels during panel They’ve traveled to the far corners of the globe: Liberia, Iraq, Vietnam and Colombia. They’ve seen desperate poverty, bombed out buildings, and quite frankly, incompetent medical care. However, the four nurses, all PLU alumni who returned to talk about their experiences for Homecoming on Friday afternoon, stressed that their stories don’t end there. Ed Hrivnak, ’96, Helen Holt ’97 (pictured above), Mary Barber ’02 and Mary Beth

intramural dodgeball experience. “It turns out I’m just not good at that, either – I’m always the second person knocked out,” she said. “But that’s okay, because then I could be on the sidelines and heckle everyone else. That’s just as much fun as anything.” And that’s why intramurals are so great. It is sport. It is also fun. This all squares with the ethic of PLU to “educate the whole student.” Yes, university life is about classes, preparing for a profession, and discovering a passion. But it is also

our equipment out, the first person to approach us was ex-military who had recently returned from a tour in Iraq. After inquiring into our topic, he retorts that he hopes we understand and do not disrespect the lives lost during the attacks and do not dishonor the sacrifice made by our military every day. That moment was a wake-up call to all three of us. In pursuing this topic, it was never our intent to dishonor the sacrifices made by U.S. service men and women. Empowerment SOAC Focus Series

July 8, 2008 Life is about choices. What choices have you made? A few years ago, student body president Joel Zylstra addressed the incoming freshman class at Fall Convocation. His timeless reflection on the meaning of success captures the unique culture of Pacific Lutheran University and the life-changing experiences that students encounter here. I was a camp counselor a while back for 5 to 8 year-olds. One night, after lots of games and activities, we were talking before I tucked them in to

Questioning Barriers: Angela Pierce-Ngo ’12 understands post-secondary success requires questions Posted by: Logan Seelye / November 3, 2022 November 3, 2022 By Lora ShinnResoLute Guest WriterWhile at PLU, Angela Pierce-Ngo ’12 was worried by a troubling pattern. After the first year of college, many peers and friends — especially classmates of color — left school or took an extremely long break.Even as she worked as a diversity advocate and progressed toward her degree in social work, she felt