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they only had two buildings. He was employee #850. “Why would a liberal arts degree matter?” he asked, musing on the days after his graduation. “It got me a job!” The job was at Microsoft Press, the software giant’s in-house book publishing division. He worked there until 1993 and then set off on his own. By 2000, he had authored more than 30 books on how to master various software programs, from Microsoft Office to Visual Basic. He’s sold more than a million copies. And then, as Halvorson

a solider with more than 20 years of service in the Army. He spent time deployed around the world, including tours in both Iraq wars. It was a life of service and sacrifice. It’s a story many veterans share, he said, but each story is also unique. At PLU alone there are more than 130 veterans enrolled and about 200 cadets in the ROTC program, he said. As Farnum transitioned from military service to civilian life, programs like the Yellow Ribbon Program at PLU have helped in working toward a

that so many PLU students experience the world through study away programs – that experience provides them with a unique perspective. In fact, PLU students regularly study on every continent in the world and more than 40 percent study abroad during their time at PLU. The national average is less than 3 percent. While he was always good with numbers and knew working in business was his professional path, what would most adequately be described as the entrepreneurial spark struck him at PLU. “You

January 7, 2013 A small group of students, staff and faculty join hands at the Explore! Retreat for first year students during J-Term. (Photo by John Froschauer) Explore! retreat helps students understand vocation, and just have fun By Katie Scaff ’13 The annual Explore! retreat offers students the chance to have fun and make new friends, but unlike other first –year programs it also offers students the opportunity to reflect on their journey and consider broader questions of meaning and

throughout the competition and Blessum is excited to gain their input and knowledge. “Anytime I get to do that is really rewarding,” he said. Blessum will be competing against chefs from large universities from around the region who have established culinary programs. “We’re kind of an underdog in these kinds of competitions,” he said. However, even though PLU does not have a culinary program, Blessum and his team have found they can be, and are, successful preparing for competition with what they have

eligible to receive a limited number of student scholarships for the CFA Program each year. “Students in these programs study the Candidate Body of Knowledge, which include knowledge, skills, and abilities that investment experts worldwide have identified as essential best practice,” said Stephen Horan, Ph.D., CFA, CIPM, Head, University Relations & Private Wealth. “By mastering the fundamentals of the CFA Program as well as the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, these future investment

Peace Corps volunteers. PLU has produced more than 250 Peace Corps volunteers since 1961—and it seems a natural fit. “PLU graduates are driven toward programs like the Peace Corps because of their orientation toward others, their curiosity about how the world works and their commitment to addressing challenges that impact real people,” said Joel Zylstra, director of PLU’s Center for Community Engagement and Service. “The Peace Corps provides a framework for graduates to learn about themselves, to

-Athlete Advisory Committee President, spoke about the leadership lessons and opportunities gained through PLU athletics. She pointed to partnerships with Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity as programs that allow student-athletes to give back to their community and learn from those experiences. Wooten mentioned that PLU student-athletes have volunteered more than 2,000 hours in the community during the 2013-14 academic year. One student-athlete from each of PLU’s varsity sports attended the

ASPLU Programs Director Olivia McLaughlin ’14. LollaPLUza Help Wanted ASPLU is looking for volunteers to help with this year’s event. If you are interested in lending a hand (and getting a free breakfast, lunch, and LollaPLUza 2014 T-shirt), email Olivia McLaughlin at mclaugom@plu.edu. “This year at Lolla we wanted to cater to more of the student body,” said McLaughlin. “We’ve really tried hard to hit a big group of students with the variety of music we have.”Lolla-goers can expect to hear hip-hop

job creation. Donations from the Moveout drive will directly provide revenue and resources to fund job-skills retraining and placement programs,  helping 9,000 of the approximately 74,000 unemployed people in a region that covers a 15-county area. “So much can be reused and repurposed,” said Christine Cooley, Sustainability Manager at PLU. “If someone else can reuse the item, we want to make sure they have that opportunity.” “Together, we can turn student dorm items into something that will