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favorite parts was the data analysis. Her love of math has also been a way to serve the wider PLU community. “While completing these degrees, she also had time to be an SI (supplemental instruction) leader for precalculus in 2020 [and] to grade for multiple instructors,” said chemistry professor Dr. Andrea Munro. “She is an incredible student.” Jackie’s sense of initiative has also been developed by club activities outside the classroom. As an Outdoor Rec trip leader and Ultimate Frisbee coach for

hopes that they too realize that discovering your vocation isn’t always a linear process — there are setbacks, false starts and plenty of learning opportunities along the way. His hopes set on running a business, Thorpe’s first job after graduating was with Enterprise Rent-A-Car as part of its management training program. Not his dream job by any means, it nevertheless paved the way for his eventual transition to SuperGraphics. “I’m definitely not passionate about renting cars,” Thorpe said. “But I

interested in. I knew that I would have a chance at getting an associate’s degree while I was in the military through the language training program. That was definitely one of the motivating factors, as a first-generation college student. Do you feel that language acquisition has helped you in the transition to becoming an undergrad student? Absolutely. The military language school is no joke, so that honed my work ethic. Also, I am able to use my language skills in my research as a history major — it

not have that luxury. When she left, Ford felt like a failure abandoning the group. Years later, she heard from the leader of the group that the Kenyan community was doing well. She thinks her brief time with the group, and the training and support she provided, were just what they needed to stick together long enough for them take the next step. “You just never know what your impact is going to be,” Ford explained. “Maybe it was small … but maybe my work with the youth group helped them get to

progressed and, in the end, at conference, I felt I had a good chance.” “Jay came in this year after a strong first season, and continued training in the off season,” said Allison Kolp, who served as PLU’s interim head coach while Johnson took a year off because of illness. “We were able to push Jay in practice further than we did last year and increased his distance in the pool significantly. Jay knew what he needed to do this year, and he was able to swim smarter races, which comes from experience

interest in advanced training in Economics, we steer them toward acquiring the mathematics they will need to be successful in a graduate economics program,” adds Peterson. “For those interested in law school, we encourage our students to work closely with the pre-law advisor and to take a wide variety of applied courses in economics, philosophy, history, and politics. The wide exposure to theory and application in our courses is excellent preparation for the kinds of analyses they will be expected to

expenses, taking full course loads and leading co- and extracurricular groups in his free time. “I thank Pacific Lutheran University,” Kim says. “It is my prayer that this institution continues to raise up generations of world-changers. It is also my prayer that PLU continues to be a powerful platform, a training and an equipping ground for forerunners who contend for the full release of true Justice in this nation.” A PLU Economics Degree: The First Step For Many World-Changing LutesHow did you get to

exercise their problem-solving muscles in fun and creative ways, such as turning fruit into musical instruments with a so-called “makey makey,” an invention kit, or becoming familiar with Lego robotics. “I want to get them fired up about this,” Reisberg said of teachers in training. “It really intersects with project-based learning.” Students learn basic skills in this comprehensive process, he said; problem-solving, creativity, following directions are all at the core of makerspace activities. “I hope

U.S. defeated Canada in overtime, with only one day on the ice before the tournament started. “They had a confidence and a belief and tenacity and sense of mission of purpose,” Hacker said. “And I think that overcame all the traditional impediments that would keep a team able to perform on the world stage in a sold-out rink 24 hours later.” So why does Hacker stay at PLU, especially when she has a full-time job training history-making Olympic athletes?  “I must get asked that about 400 times a

because the performers’ experience is also different every time.” It’s this excitement, freedom, and creativity that drew Vianna to jazz music. He began his musical training as a child in classical music playing the organ and piano. But growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he was surrounded by Latin music and found Brazilian Jazz — a genre that shares the improvisatory, groove-based nature of jazz music but is infused with Latin rhythms—as a teenager.  “My first meaningful experiences as a jazz