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making career changes within today’s rapidly-evolving technological advances means that the workforce is more competitive than ever before. Further, in today’s increasingly competitive professional landscape, simply applying for a new position is not enough; employers in all fields are looking for candidates with highly-specialized skills — often developed by obtaining graduate-level credentials. What is the solution to changing careers when you don’t have a degree related to your new field of

benefits. PLU has A LOT of active clubs (more than 50!) where you can build your communities, connect with an affinity group, explore interests and talents, and develop your leadership skills. Two student-led clubs with a specific focus on mental well-being are Active Minds and the Student Neurodiversity Club. Active Minds is a club dedicated to changing the conversation surrounding mental health. They host yoga sessions and painting classes to connect with other Lutes. The Student Neurodiversity Club

specialized middle school for music.” But at the time, Ha’s teachers in South Korea didn’t value music as highly as other disciplines. “There seemed to be a prejudice, at least among some, that art and music were for kids who weren’t as good at academics,” she says. “It’s since changed, but back then a lot of my teachers thought that math and science were the most important skills to have, then language, then the arts. I showed talent in math as a young kid, and a lot of talent in language; but because

the city, a nearby slum called Namuwongo, and teach life and leadership skills in the process? The director of the Global Youth Partnership stateside, Jeremy Goldberg was interested in the idea. So working with a local contact, Ocitti Joseph, Kennedy set up a tournament involving 15 teams, interspersed with leadership meetings two times a week. Kennedy knew that there was no way that he, a white man from America, could sell the idea of a tournament and leadership classes to a group of 54,000

he’d be able to engage his passion so completely.“It’s been a lot of time and energy, but its also been really rewarding,” Ojala-Barbour said. Someday, he hopes to combine the land management skills he’s learned outside of the classroom, with what he’s learned inside the classroom, and work to better preserve what native land remains. This fall, Ojala-Barbour will be in Ecuador, as a Fulbright Fellow, studying small mammals and the environmental impacts on them. He calls it another chance to get

will focus on skills and strategies to facilitate difficult conversations around race in workplace and educational settings.Headlined by four nationally-known speakers (listed with bios below) with expertise in diversity, racial equity and multicultural education, The People’s Gathering will seek to help attendees increase their personal and professional cultural competency. “Our goal is to bring company leaders, employees and student leaders together to create a supportive space in which

of things — and people — that went into my decision to run,” she said. “This year, there was an open seat and a moment where I felt like my skills would be useful on the council. Like many people, I want to make change to be more inclusive and equitable in our cities and our society. Running for local office was/is my way of stepping up and working for change.” The married mom of two (her husband is Alex Walker ’03) was sworn in on January 7. We caught up with Walker to learn more about what it

students are writing, are you sensing a  spirit of anxiety or dread, or is there anything else in the writing that you’re reading from them that strikes you as feeling different than the overall tenor might be in a more “normal” year? Study English, Understand the WorldThe study of English offers excellent preparation for any future requiring integrative thinking, skills in writing, discernment in reading, and an appreciation of the human experience and aesthetic values. Business, law, government

herself outside of her comfort zone, she reaches out and asks questions as well as taking advantage of opportunities to receive feedback and think through her ideas. In addition, Samantha was extremely organized and self-aware about what she needed in order to thrive. These are skills Samantha was able to use in order to reach her goals.”Invest in Change-MakersThis spring, members of the community and PLU alumni, family and friends are invited to boldly invest in the new student leaders who will come