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opportunity to study away two times during my time at PLU. The first was to Uruguay during J-Term in 2020 for extensive Spanish study, and the second was to the Bahamas this past J-Term to study marine biology. Immersing myself in different cultures has helped me broaden my worldview, and both have been valuable experiences both with learning about the culture as well as the class material I was learning about at the time. I also really enjoyed working in the biology department as a TA and lab prep. I

in the northwest United States, and the unique ways the sea has influenced their culture and identity. Reid prepared the following abstract for his lecture: “Twenty-five years ago, the Makah Nation successfully hunted a gray whale. This action drew the ire of animal rights activists who often rooted their criticism in racism and stereotypes of Indigenous authenticity. Drawing from the tribal nation’s historical and contemporary relationship with the sea, this talk will focus on Makah statements

,” she says. “A lot of Filipino culture is just music and dance and sharing that.”  What started as singing karaoke at family parties and listening to her parents sing in church choir was soon complemented by instruction in trumpet and conducting. Though Delos Reyes initially wanted to go into conservation—“and be Steve Irwin,” she says, laughing—it was PLU alumnus and band director at Tacoma’s Meeker Middle School, Micah Haven ’09, who pointed out that Jessa had a natural inclination to lead

languages. I love German but it’s fun teaching Norwegian, which is a little different. The grammar in Norwegian is somewhat simpler, so in a language class you can get to talking about bigger topics quicker,” he says. Professor Brown says that he appreciates the amount of time PLU faculty gets to spend with students. “I think it’s a part of a university culture of teachers, professors and instructors who want to get to know students and to help them as best they can. There’s just a lot more one-on-one

,” Nagel said. ” I’m not sure which career path I want to follow at this point but I believe that I have to start somewhere with ‘real-world’ learning. “I wanted to teach in Germany because I am not only passionate about both the culture and language, as I majored in German, but I also have familial roots there. Receiving a Fulbright Grant is an unbelievable opportunity for my post-undergrad future and it will open doors I haven’t even considered yet, nor imagined. I look forward to the growth it will

, nobody knew what youth development was—that was a really hard thing for people to grasp. I had to build their trust from the ground up.” While struggling to adjust to the food and cultural differences, Baghirov implemented a variety of programs for the locals, including movie nights and a women’s club. As time passed though, Baghirov’s job became easier. After the first year, she got into the rhythm of the culture, and, after the second year, she had really begun to develop her projects, so she

. culture and society. “I decided to apply for an English teaching assistantship to learn more about teaching, to gain experience in the education field and to make a meaningful impact in the lives of students,” Buley said. In his free time in Venezuela, he hopes to pursue work with a community-based organization that provides educational opportunities to low-income communities. “Within my formal Fulbright assignment and in my volunteer pursuit I look forward to continuing to refine my leadership skills

toddlers, and she can donate time to creative jobs for nonprofits. She also told the Business Examiner she’s already learned a profound, Lute-like life lesson: “Go with your gut. It’s often a lot more helpful than your brain.” Zach Powers ’10, Media & Content Manager, PLU. The Business Examiner cited Powers’ passions for communication, outreach and creative programming, along with his “all-in” engagement with local politics and government, arts and culture, athletics and education. Plus, he coaches

transition from active duty to college is difficult, as well. “Veterans, having not been students for some number of years, often come into this culture and struggle,” he said. Orzech recognizes this struggle in his peers, many of whom may feel out of place in an academic institution and miss the sense of camaraderie that military life provides. “I can imagine that it might be a little bit daunting for some vets, who maybe struggled in high school and have maybe never been to college before,” Orzech said

right into the (Peace Corps Prep) program with most coursework and volunteering hours satisfied, which I think mainly speaks to PLU’s alignment with the Peace Corps’ goals and values,” Bridgewater said. The program aims to provide a realistic look at service work, said Katherine Wiley, assistant professor of anthropology and director of Peace Corps Prep. This helps mitigate culture shock for students, and cultivates a better understanding of what it means to be a citizen of the world. For Wiley