1ASK A LUTE

C H A L L E N G E S U P P O R T S U C C E S S

The thousands of reasons why

you should fill out the FAFSA on Jan. 1

Page 34

A few good reasons whybigger is not always

better

Page 22

I never thought I’d spend my summer on Mt. Rainier – with my prof

Page 20

Making all the difference in the job hunt Page 8

Real-World Mentors

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Upcoming

Dates

To find these and other events, visit choose.plu.edu.

for First-Year Students

December 15ApplIcATIon RevIew DATeCompleted applications will receive a decision in four weeks.

December 15presidential Scholarships Application Deadline

January 1Start the FAFSA

January 15ApplIcATIon RevIew DATeCompleted applications will receive a decision in four weeks.

January 15conditional nursing Admission Application Deadline

January 28Game Day at plU (plU athletics visit day)

February 1Music Scholarship Application Deadline

February 15ApplIcATIon RevIew DATeCompleted applications will receive a decision in four weeks.

March 1International Honors program Application Deadline

March 16passport to plU (Admitted student open house)

April 12 & 13passport weekend (Admitted student open house)

>>> choose.plu.edu

on THe coveR:

Bryce Manso ’10 with colleagues Tisha Graham ’09 and Julie Williams ’09 at the Fred Hutchinson cancer Research center in Seattle, wash. Manso and williams run efficacy studies on HIv vaccine trials, while Graham works in a nearby lab and focuses on the herpes simplex virus, west nile virus, HIv and flu. photo by John Froschauer

04 Hello There

05 FAQs

06 Direct from campus

20 Something I Thought I’d never Do

26 one-on-one

28 Great northwest

30 Your new Home

32 visit

34 Financial Aid

35 Apply

Real-world Mentors08

Fields of Dreams16changes to plU’s athletic facilities will improve not only the student-athlete experience, but the experiences of all students

why bigger is noT always better22when it comes to college, class size is so important. But the numbers tell only part of the story – it’s what happens in those small classes that makes plU so unique

TAbLE Of CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

Meet five recent plU graduates who have found colleagues, mentors, friends – all of whom know the value of the plU experience

,

For more detailed information, visit choose.plu.edu

PLUONLINE

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE >> SPRING ’13n Top 10 reasons why plU can be a great fit for you

n what is it about Tacoma that students like so much? Don’t ask us – they will tell you

n visit the unique residence hall dedicated to students who are interested in social justice and leadership

and much, much more...

REALSTORIES

HELLO THERE

Greetings from pacific lutheran University

U

4 HELLO THERE

Staff Executive EditorGreg Brewis

EditorSteve Hansen

WritersBarbara Clements Chris Albert Katie Scaff ’13

Art DirectorSimon Sung

PhotographerJohn Froschauer

Vice President for Admission and Enrollment ServicesKarl Stumo

Director of Admission

VolumE 5, ISSuE 2 U is published three times a year by Pacific Lutheran University, S. 121st and Park Ave., Tacoma, WA, 98447-0003.

Postage paid at Tacoma, WA, and additional mailing offices. Address service requested. Postmaster: Send changes to PLU Office of Admission, Tacoma, WA, 98447-0003, admission@plu.edu. © 2012 by Pacific Lutheran University

PrIntED uSIng:Eco-friendly Inks – vegetable based and certified as Ultra Low in Volatile Organic Compounds. Sustainable Papers COVER 55% Recycled paper, 30% Post-Consumer Waste (PCW), TEXT 100% Recycled paper, 60% PCW, REPLY CARD 100% PCW.Printed at a Forest Stewardship CouncilTM certified plant.

Jennifer Olsen Krengel

Admission Communication CoordinatorEmily McCann ’06

online managerToby Beal

we ARe excITeD that the winter Issue of U magazine has found its way into your hands. whether you are deep into your college search or just beginning, we hope plU is still on your college list. If you haven’t applied yet, there is still time. we look forward to reviewing your applica-tion and to staying connected with you.

January 1 is not only the start of the new year, but also the first day the Free Ap-

plication for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available. The FAFSA determines eligibility for need-based aid. At plU, we use the FAFSA to build a comprehen-sive financial aid package for each student, which includes merit- and need-based financial aid. we know the cost of a university may be a determining factor in which university you choose. contact your admission counselor with any questions you have about financial aid opportunities at plU.

As you continue with your college search, it is important to visit university campuses to help you determine if those schools are the right fit for you. when you visit plU, you have opportunities to tour campus, sit in on a class, meet individually with an admission counselor, meet with a professor or coach, enjoy a meal in our dining hall, and stay the night in a residence hall. Any of these options will give you a deeper insight into the plU campus com-munity as you discern which school will provide you with your best academic and co-curricular experience. we hope that you take advantage of visiting our campus community to experience the plU classroom environment and campus life for yourself.

we look forward to your visit and to hearing from you soon.

Anna lambdin and obe Quarless, admission counselors

10REASONS

,

What will my classes be like?

All of my classes at plU have been in-teractive and interesting on a variety of levels. classes at plU are also small, and I always end up talking to my friends at other schools about how great it is to be at a school with an average class size of 21. while certain classes like psychology 101 or Biology 101 may have 40 people or so, I’ve personally never had a class with more than 20 students in it. Some-times I’m even in a class with seven students. Since all classes are taught by professors (as opposed to teach-ing assistants), you’re always able to speak with them on a personal level, and they always end up knowing your name by the second week or so. Some classes are more lecture-based than others, but all the classes I’ve had are fairly interactive and discussion-based.

Do I need to know my major before coming to PLU?

Definitely not! The great thing about the General education program (Geneds) here is that you are actually encouraged to take classes in a vari-ety of subjects. You’re only expected to declare your major during your junior year, so your first and second years are a great time to experiment with different areas of study to see what is a good fit for you. For example, since you are required to take eight hours of social sciences, if you were thinking about being a political science major, you could take a political science class, learn about the subject, and still get important credit for the class if you decide it’s not your thing. You’re also paired with an academic adviser to help you sort through possible courses and talk

about what major might interest you – professors are also always excited about talking to students potentially interested in their field of study.

Why did you choose PLU?

I chose plU because I wanted a new experience. Being originally from a small town in central Texas, I felt like college was a great opportunity to experience a new place. I came to campus during Regents’ and president’s Scholarship weekend and just fell in love with the campus, the community, and everyone I talked to. My interactions with professors dur-ing my first semester really reassured me that I had made a great decision. plU’s liberal arts tradition has really encouraged me to expand my educational pursuits and to become a more well-rounded person.

What do students do for fun on campus?

This question is hard to answer because there are so many opportuni-

fAQS

5FAQS

ANSWERSADvIce FRoM THe expeRTS

Your questions answered by real plU students

FEATURED ties available. There are always a variety of organized events going on around campus at any given time, whether it’s a sports event, theater production, residence hall event, recital, or concert. ASplU also puts on many events, and there are more clubs on campus than I can count – from the Swing Dancing club to the Unicycle club to the Root Beer club. There are also a lot of really important events designed to help expand your intellectual horizons, and also focus on things like social justice, sustainability, and academic excellence.

I’m from out of state. What is it like to live in the Pacific Northwest?

I’ll admit that, for me, coming from Texas to the pacific northwest did require a bit of an adjustment to the climate. while the stereotype of it always raining here may hold a little bit of truth, the rain never stops anyone from doing anything! Fall is beautiful here. winter can get cold, but it’s nothing a jacket and a sweater can’t fix. we’ve also gotten some snow the last two years that I’ve been here, which was awesome, since I have never been around snowfall before. Spring is amazing, and the weather is perfect. Since it can rain somewhat often during a few months, whenever it is sunny you will always see everyone outside, and it’s given me a renewed appreciation for sunny weather. U

Have your questions about PLU answered by the experts – real students. Send your questions to askalute@plu.edu.

GOT A QUESTION?

REALSTORIES

plU GUeST expeRTDylan Bakka ’14

MAJOR economics and political Science

HOMETOWNwimberley, Texas

INTERESTS

playing music,

theater, hiking,

camping, getting

sushi, drinking

coffee

6 DIRECT FROM CAMPUS6

DIRECT fROM CAMPUS

6 DIRECT FROM CAMPUS6

DIRECT fROM CAMPUS

>>

nIke SenDS 2010 GRAD To THe SUMMeR olYMpIcSwhen Tyson Bendzak ’10 was a student at plU, he framed something he scribbled on a piece of paper one day and hung it above his desk. It read: “Somehow, someway, someday, I am going to work for nike.”

not only did he do that, the athletics giant sent him to london to cover the 2012 Summer olympics for the company’s employee blog. During his two-week

stay, Bendzak spent much of his time at the nike Hospitality Building, interviewing nike-sponsored athletes, attending competitions, and cruising the city on his unicycle. (Yes, nike sent that to london, too.)

when Bendzak, a physical education major, isn’t covering global sporting events, he’s hard at work in nike’s child development center. He credits his gig to the advice he got from colleen Hacker, plU professor of movement studies and wellness education. She encouraged Bendzak to write down his goals, but also to go on informational interviews even if no job was available.

That’s exactly what happened – he landed an informational interview at nike and nailed it. “It was a chance to get past the paperwork and get to a real person,” he said. “The director told me later that she looks for that, steps that show commitment.”

To read the full story of Tyson’s olympic adventure, visit

Tyson Bendzak ’10

choose.plu.edu/tyson

7

lUTeS AT plAYStudents unwind during “lutes at play,” part of plU’s student orientation, in which more than 600 first-year and transfer students took part this September. The four-day event not only helps students get to know each other, but it helps students prepare for the rigors of university life.

plU joins nobel peace prize ForumplU is joining the norwegian nobel Institute’s only academic affiliation outside of norway – the nobel peace prize Forum. The annual three-day forum seeks to inspire

citizens to become active participants in peacemaking efforts through a

multidisciplinary focus in science and health, business, and global studies.

Aside from sending students to the event in Minneapolis, plU will also participate in the peace Scholars program,

in which two plU students will be selected for an academic

experience in norway each sum-mer that includes an interdisciplinary

six-week undergraduate-level course in peace studies.

“For our students to be able to go to such an intense and high-quality learning environment is something they just can’t learn any other way,” claudia Berguson, associate professor of norwegian and Scandinavian studies, said.

The nobel peace prize Forum was established in 1988 by a consortium of private lutheran colleges founded by norwegian-Americans. plU joins Augsburg, Augustana, concordia, luther, and St. olaf as a forum sponsor. plU is the only participating university outside the Midwestern United States.

G.I. Jobs magazine named PLU a top “Military Friendly School.” The honor acknowledges the top 15 percent of U.S. colleges, universi-ties, and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace as students America’s service members, veterans, and spouses. The honor also recognizes universities that provide ex-ceptional resources and assistance for military students and their families. To see more:

DID YoU know?

>> choose.plu.edu/military-friendly

plU launches center for community engagement and ServiceA new center at plU aims to connect plU students to the community by making it easier to get involved as a volunteer throughout the Tacoma and parkland community. According to its newly appointed director, Joel Zylstra ’05, the center for community engage-ment and Service will help to make plU known as much for its involvement in the local community as it is now known for its nationally recognized study-away programs.

“community service is great for resume building, no doubt,” Zylstra said. “But it’s also part of plU’s mission revolving around what it means to be a citizen, what it means to be a good neighbor, and our individual and collective responsibility to participate in our community.”

choose.plu.edu/community-engagement

Jose Bonilla gets inked up by his fellow students (for a donation) as part of the Sign-Me Drive, which raises money for Tacoma’s Mary Bridge Hospital. The drive, which is the type of thing the Center for Community Service and Engagement might help with.

7DIRECT FROM CAMPUS

U

8 PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

PREPARED fOR THE WORLD

9PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

NEXT PAGE

For decades, Pacific Lutheran University has built a reputation for sending talented, proficient students into the workplace. Their success is proof that challenging academics

– hours spent in the classroom and laboratory, the practice room and concert hall, the playing field and court – all while working closely with professors, will indeed produce results. By the time PLU students receive a diploma, they are fully equipped for success in the world.

A PLU education, however, does not stop at graduation. The education continues, as graduates plug into a network of people who share a common bond – those who know what it means to be a Lute.

To follow are five profiles of recent PLU graduates who have taken their degrees, entered the workplace, and made a connection with a fellow Lute. There, they have found colleagues, mentors, friends – all of whom share a unique understanding of the value of the PLU experience.

Real-World Mentors

10 PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

Real-World Mentors

I f there is one discipline where finding a job is heavily weighted on “who you know,” it’s the arts, even more so

with opera.

As Sorayah Surkatty reflects on her new career in the realm of big voices and classical music, she is well aware of that fact. The vocal performance graduate credits her connections with her voice coach and PLU music lecturer Holly Boaz, and Jim Brown, associate professor of music, with securing her con-nections with the Vashon Opera on Vashon Island, Wash.

Surkatty recalls Boaz initially recommending her for a part in “Hansel and Gretel” with the opera company. She played Gretel. Then Brown hired her this fall to work on a stage production of “Cosi fan tutte” by Mozart.

She clearly relishes the chance to both sing and help with the productions of the relatively new company.

“People really appreciate doing business with people they like, and that’s all the more true for the arts world,” Surkatty said. “In opera,

a lot of the castings begin with recommendations. That’s eventually how you land the big gigs.”

That, and a passion for your craft. Surkatty was born in the United States and then traveled back with her family to Indonesia when she was only a few weeks old. Her fam-ily returned to the Yakima, Wash., area when she was 14 – in the middle of the winter. Not only was the weather a shock to the high school freshman, but the culture was a shock as well. She was more acclimated to a laid-back atmo-sphere and a tropical climate.

“I was really lost when I came here. But then I found my friends, my

home in the choir,” she said.

As for opera, Surkatty was hooked when a traveling opera produc-tion came to her high school “and just blew me away. Before that, I thought it was all fat lady with the horns, but there’s such a magnifi-cent beauty to an operatic voice.”

And when it came time to choose a college?

“For me, there was no other choice,” she laughed. “It was PLU or bust.” Part of her focus on PLU stemmed from the reputation of its music department, as well as the connections and reputations of the professors. It’s those connections with the local arts scene that has served many graduates well.

“In this job market, or really any job market, it never hurts,” Brown said on the topic of recommendations and “who you know.” But he’d like to make one clarification.

“I don’t think really any of us ‘get these people jobs,’” he said. “We give them opportunities. It’s the remarkable talent and intellect of our graduates that get them jobs.”

B A R B A R A C L E M E N T S

Profile

Sorayah Surkatty ’10

Major

Vocal performance

EMployEr

Vashon Opera

plU ConnECtion

Associate Professor of Music Jim

Brown, and PLU Music Lecturer Holly

Boaz

‘We give them opportunities. It’s the remarkable talent and intellect of our graduates that get them jobs’

‘So much of what we learned in the education department really sets us apart from others’

11PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

Sometimes the connection occurs in the job search, but other times, that key link with a fellow Lute may

occur after a career is launched. That was certainly the case with Maura Gannon.

During Gannon’s School of Educa-tion graduation ceremony two years ago, she remembers hearing Erin Jones speak about her experi-ences in the field and what inspired her. She encouraged the new graduates to go out into the world and make a difference. Two years later, their paths crossed again, much to Gannon’s delight.

Gannon was entering her third year

as a third-grade teacher at Mirror Lake Elementary School in Fed-eral Way, and Jones was in her first year as the director of equity and achievement for the district. Jones’ job entailed traveling throughout the district teaching workshops, includ-ing at Mirror Lake.

“We connected right away,” Jones said.

She was asked to do some intensive work on team building with a few teachers, including Gannon. Before the school year started, Jones asked Gannon if she could be her mentor.

“That would be incredible,” Gannon recalled saying. “It’s funny because

in the world of education she’s a big deal, and I felt like, ‘Wow, Erin Jones knows my name.’”

And as a mentor, Jones is bringing more to Mirror Lake than just help-ing a single teacher, Gannon noted.

“I don’t think she realizes she’s not just affecting me and my 25 kids, but she’s impacting our whole school,” Gannon said.

Jones was excited because so much of her philosophy as an administrator is to stay connected to the classroom. She told Gannon’s class at the beginning of the year that she had basically adopted all of them. Jones reflected that, in a sense, she’s continuing the first

experience she had at PLU: becoming part of something bigger and part of a com-munity. In Gannon, Jones sees someone who is doing what PLU instilled in her.

“I think what excites me about Maura, and why I’m eager to mentor her, is that before we even talked about mentoring she was already asking for help and doing more to learn more,” Jones said. “For some-one that is eager to learn, I will make the time. She’s already doing great things.”

The pair is just implementing the skills they were both taught at PLU, Gannon said.

“So much of what we learned in the educa-tion department really sets us apart from others,” Gannon said. “I’m practicing what I learned and I feel like I came into teaching with 20 more sets of skills than other new teachers.”

C H R I S A L B E R T

Profile

Maura Gannon ’10

Major

Education

EMployEr

Federal Way School District

plU ConnECtion

Erin Jones ’01, director of equity and

achievement at the Federal Way

School District

NEXT PAGE

Real-World Mentors

‘Lutes always seem to be a few steps ahead of the others’

12 PREPARED FOR THE WORLD12

13PREPARED FOR THE WORLD 13

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F ive weeks after Bryce Manso graduated with his biology degree from PLU, he got his first job

as a lab technician at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. He remembers his interview well. Before Manso could even shake his hand, his interviewer enthusiastically said to him: “Go Lutes!"

The interviewer would be Manso’s future boss. And while the future boss hadn't attend PLU, his wife had. In fact, the two had the same swim coach 15 years apart.

In the two years he has been working at The Hutch, Manso has worked in four different areas of the lab, and he’s already been promoted. He is currently respon-sible for efficacy studies on the HIV vaccine trials conducted in the research and development depart-ment. He credits his professors in the PLU biology department, particularly Mary Ellard-Ivey and Ann Auman, for being able to move so fluidly – and quickly – up the ranks.

“My profs had a very similar view: No matter what we were studying, they would always bring it back to the bigger picture,” Manso said. “They would put everything we were learning in context, quite literally saying, ‘Here’s how this will look in the workplace.’”

That ability to take scientific

Profile

Bryce Manso ’10

Major

Biology

EMployEr

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research

Center

plU ConnECtion

Everyone! His boss, his profs, his

colleagues

concepts and quickly implement them in the workplace has served him well.

It has served other PLU graduates well, too. Manso says he is in one of the larger labs at the research center and, by his unofficial count, PLU has a higher representation in his lab than any other university, except perhaps the much larger University of Washington.

The large number of Lutes builds a certain camaraderie in the lab – Julie Williams ’09 and Tisha Graham ’09 will also attest to that. In the years he’s been at The Hutch, Manso has noticed that, among the new employees that join his lab, it is the PLU students who seem to be significantly more self-reliant than graduates from other schools. “Lutes always seem to be a few steps ahead of others,” he said.

He chalks that up to the prepara-tion he and his colleagues received at PLU.

“The professors always prepared us for how things would be in the ‘real world,’” Manso said. “They kept saying, ‘You’ll use [these skills] for the next 50 years of your life.’

“And so far,” he added, “they were exactly right.”

S T E V E H A N S E N

PLU graduates have the skills. Now, a central place to make a connectionBobbi Hughes, executive director of Career Connections, would like all lutes who are looking for a job, or have a position to offer, to check out the Career Connections website at www.plu.edu/career-connections. She encourages both employers and alumni to review the Career Connections opportu-nities Board.

the online resource is the main location for all on-campus jobs, state work-study jobs, intern-ships and, of course, full-time career placement. it’s not just for students. alumni are encouraged to use these resources, especially those who have graduated in the past few years.

“Many alumni think that once they’ve graduated, that’s it,” Hughes said. “and the fact is they can use our services for free for up to two years after graduation. We help with the job searches, resume reviews, and we can talk with them by phone or by Skype.”

and if alumni know of jobs within their organizations, she encour-ages them to send them to Career Connections at career@plu.edu.

the site is also great for employ-ers, she said. in the past, if a company had multiple offerings to post – say, an internship and a full-time position – they would often have to go to separate locations to post the announcement. now, both students and employers can all go to the same place. Hughes estimated more than 730 employ-ers have put jobs on the site, and currently there are 230 active jobs in the system.

B A R B A R A C L E M E N T S

14 PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

Real-World Mentors

A s part of her senior year capstone project, Jessica McGifford was required to take an internship.

Through a recommendation from the PLU Women’s Center, she wound up at Pierce County’s Crystal Judson Family Justice Center, working with individuals and families affected by domes-tic violence. There, she met Abi McLane, the victim services super-visor, and also a PLU grad.

McGifford and McLane were never on campus at the same time, but their experiences are remark-ably similar. Both were sociology and women’s and gender studies double-majors. Both built lasting relationships with their professors and PLU staff members who, now that McGifford and McLane are in the working world, have turned into professional relationships.

And, most certainly, both devel-oped real-world tools through mentoring and training programs at places like the Women’s Center. For graduates like McGifford and McLane who aspire for a career in advocacy, there is no better way to prepare.

“The interns who go through the PLU sexual assault peer education team training program are prepared weeks in advance (compared to other schools),” McLane said. “That has to do with the mentoring and the faculty at PLU. The professional identity of PLU students comes out a lot sooner.”

McLane would know. In addition to being the victim services supervi-sor for the Family Justice Center, she runs its countywide internship program.

When McGifford reflects on her senior internship at the Family Justice Center, she recalls how explicit McLane was with her. “Abi made it clear to me,” she said. “She gave me a list and said, ‘Here are all of the things you will be able to do after your four-month internship.’ And she was exactly right.”

McLane added: “On that list is everything we would want an entry-level advocate to be able to do. When they leave here, we know they can say, ‘I have the skills.’”

McGifford did have the skills – it was evident just one month after she graduated in May. When a posi-tion opened at the Family Justice Center’s community partner Our Sister’s House, a non-profit agency that provides domestic violence services to families and youth, McLane suggested McGifford ap-ply. She was scheduled first thing Monday morning. By the end of

the interview, McGifford was told, “Here’s some paperwork you need to fill out. It’s for your new job.”

McLane said that type of connec-tion is not unique. After all, she too was able to take the skills she gained at PLU, combine them with an internship brokered by her men-tors at the Women’s Center, and turn them into a job.

“Our Sister's House has a long history of hiring people from PLU,” McLane said.

She was hardly the first. In fact, PLU has been placing students in the social work field for decades.

S T E V E H A N S E N

Profile

Jessica McGifford ’12

Major

Sociology and Women’s and Gender

Studies

EMployEr

Our Sister’s House

plU ConnECtion

Abi McLane ’08, victim services

supervisor at Crystal Judson Family

Justice Center

‘The professional identity of PLU students comes out a lot sooner’

15PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

V ictor Bull and his admissions advisor Melannie Denise Cunningham were in

a verbal bean bag toss as they relaxed on a warm day this fall just off of Red Square.

“I give all the credit to her,” Bull said, as he talked about first finding an internship, and then a job, at State Farm.

“I just opened the door and he walked through it, fully prepared,” said Cunningham, PLU’s director of multicultural recruitment.

The conversation goes on like this for some time, but in the end, they both agree that the strong connections that PLU has with its local business community was key in both getting Bull his first internship and getting his career launched. He recently moved back to the San Francisco Bay area for another State Farm job.

Looking back, Bull laughed as he recalled that he wasn’t even considering PLU when he visited the Seattle-Tacoma area on his college tours. He knew he wanted to get out of California, and he knew he wanted a smallish college. He knew he wanted to play basketball, but since he “wasn’t basketball draft material,” he wanted a college that would give him a good education and have strong connections to the business community.

But still, Bull said his mom’s jaw dropped when he told her of his decision to go to PLU.

“She’d thought I’d never want to go to a Lutheran college,” he laughed.

Almost from the moment he stepped on campus, a series of mentors took Bull under their collective wings. Basketball Coach Steve Dickerson immediately introduced Bull to Cunningham, who introduced him to key upper classmen. When Bull inquired about

an internship, Cunningham knew how to connect the dots.

She first reached out to an acquaintance who is a recruiter for State Farm’s intern program. It all led to Bull applying, interviewing,

and competing in a very rigorous process that led to his being hired for a summer internship during his sophomore year at the DuPont, Wash., firm. He was offered a job in the claims department upon his graduation with a business degree.

“He did the work,” Cunningham cut in, unwilling to have Bull hand her all the credit. “He was prepared. He showed up ready for the interview and ready for the challenge.”

B A R B A R A C L E M E N T S

Profile

Victor Bull ’11Major

Business

EMployEr

State Farm Insurance

plU ConnECtion

Melannie Denise Cunningham ’12,

PLU director of multicultural

recruitment

‘I just opened the door and he walked through it, fully prepared’

U

16 LIFE ON CAMPUS

LIfE ON CAMPUS

Fields of DreamsChanges to PLU’s athletic facilities will improve not only the student-athlete experience, but the experiences of all studentsIn many ways, the season-opening 4-2 victory over Trinity Lutheran College was like so many women’s soccer matches on PLU’s lower campus. It was a beautiful blue-sky summer day with gray-and-white striations of Mt. Rainier glistening in the distance, and the evergreen firs looming just south of the soccer field.

And the grass was green. Really green. Artificial-green green.

For the women’s soccer players who were the first athletes to

officially compete on the synthetic-surface sports field, that color couldn't have been more beautiful.

The lighted multi-purpose field, on which the men’s and women’s soccer teams will play their home matches, is just one part of a long list of athletic facility renovations that have been taking place during the past two years.

NEXT PAGE

17LIFE ON CAMPUS

18 LIFE ON CAMPUS

Some changes – like the artificial-turf field and an additional natural turf field to the west of it – are obvious. The new fields provide ample space not only for intercollegiate competition, but for all students’ recreational needs.

Other changes may not be immediately apparent, but they also enhance the PLU student experience. For instance, the con-struction of an all-weather track (which allowed the university the honor of hosting the 2012 Northwest Conference Cham-pionships last May), the rebuilt roof over the swimming pool, and the revamped locker rooms in both Olson Auditorium and the swimming pool, all have taken place in the past year.

And future changes – like plans for a rebuilt football field and stadium complex, or improvements to the softball field, home to the current NCAA Division III national champions – make it clear that more good things are to come.

But, any way you look at it, it is clear that much is happening on PLU’s lower campus. All told, several million dollars’ worth of improvements have taken place, all with the goal being not simply to improve the student-athlete experience, but also improve the experiences of all students, as part of PLU’s educational mission of “educating the whole student.”

At the groundbreaking ceremony for the multipurpose field last May, Director of Athletics Laurie Turner said the new field would “level the playing field,” in regards to raising where PLU athletic facilities rank in the Northwest Conference.

Shane Gutierrez, a junior midfielder on the men’s soccer team, would know – he’s been playing in the Pacific Northwest Conference for years.

“We went from having one of the worst soccer fields in the conference to one of the best soccer complexes in

Fields of Dreams

It’s not just the soccer field that is changing. Much of the lower campus athletic facilities are being upgraded

THE ALL-WEATHER TRACk was rebuilt last summer, enabling plU to host the 2012 northwest conference championships in May.

19LIFE ON CAMPUS

the conference,” the applied physics major said.

Erica Boyle, a senior midfielder on the women’s soccer team, agrees. The Lakewood, Colo., native acknowledges that the Pacific Northwest weather can have some ill effects on a heavily-used grass field.

“The new field is awesome,” she said with a laugh. “It is so nice to have that consistency, to know that with every touch of the ball, it will behave the same way – that your pass isn’t going to hit some random hole.”

Boyle notes another benefit. She also guides tours for prospec-tive students for the Office of Admission. She said that when she would take students to lower campus, she was not exactly ashamed of the facilities, but she knew they were nothing to boast about. That, she said, has changed. She notices that prospective students, athletes or not, have an interest in the continued development and upgrades to the athletic facilities.

“People like to see that progress is happening,” she said.

That progress will benefit everybody. Even though the new soc-cer field was open only to PLU’s athletes this fall, come spring, it is likely to serve many more teams. For instance, club sports, such as Ultimate Frisbee and lacrosse that play in the spring,

will also have the opportunity to utilize the field.

And for students who want to play intramural sports, the changes offer a whole new world of opportunities.

Every year, more than 400 students play intramural sports, rang-ing from traditional sports like softball, flag football, and soccer, to more playful ones like dodgeball. In all, there are more than 30 sports opportunities a year, geared toward all students – those who live and breath sports to those who’ve never played before, but want to try.

For PLU intramural sports, all are welcome. Unless there isn’t enough field space to accommodate everyone – a problem that sometimes Jud Keim ’86, director of intramural programs at PLU, encounters. “The thing with intramurals, we could only get so big,” he said. “This will allow us to meet the demand, and allows us to expand what we can offer to the students.”

And that, in the end, is what these changes are all about.

“What does this mean for PLU?” asked junior goalkeeper Joe Rayburn. “It is definitely a huge upgrade – a huge improvement for the varsity athletics community, but for the PLU community, as well.”

— S T e v e H A n S e n

“We went from having one of the worst soccer fields in the conference to one of the best soccer complexes in the conference.”

THE BASEBALL FIELD has a brand-new turf infield and will have lighting for night games installed soon.

THE SWIMMING POOl has seen a major overhaul, including a new roof and locker rooms.

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SOMETHING I THOUGHT I’D NEVER DO

20 SOMETHING I THOUGHT I'D NEVER DO

wHen colleGe STUDenTS dream up the perfect sum-mer, it usually doesn’t involve getting up at

3 a.m. to take water samples, living out of your backpack, and sleeping in the trees. But for geosciences major nathan page ’13, there was no better way to spend the last summer of his undergraduate education.

page set out on a series of research trips with four of his peers and As-sistant professor of Geosciences and environmental Studies claire Todd to study waste management on Mt. Rainier.

“It was a great way to spend the summer,” said page, who spent two to three days each week in the national park. “I never thought I’d have the opportunity to do research outside and kind of mix my love for recreation and being outside with a potential career.”

Since coming to plU, page has found

his passion being outdoors. He took a J-Term hiking course in new Zealand during January 2011 and hiked around the patagonia Mountains with a friend during January 2012. He’s also an active guide for plU’s outdoor Recreation club.

“I pictured myself doing more of this kind of stuff in college,” said page. “You’ve got the olympics to the west, the cascades to the east – plU’s loca-tion and just the accessibility really made a difference to kind of push me outside more.”

when he heard about plU’s under-graduate research fellowship oppor-tunities, he decided to apply. He and four other students were chosen to research various environmental issues on Mt. Rainier with professor Todd.

each week, they spent two nights on Mt. Rainier, hiking anywhere from three to 15 miles to their research area, collecting a sample before bed, then getting up at 3 a.m. to take water samples and begin the hike to another glacier for more samples

NATHAN PAGE ‘13

HikingI never thought I’d spend my summer on Mt. Rainier – with my prof

before turning in for the night.

while his peers slept on the ground, page nestled into his red and gray hammock – page’s preferred camping set up, which can make for either the best or worst night’s sleep, according to page.

Because they were gone for days at a time and had to carry their research tools, food, camping gear, and clothes on their backs, packing light was a must.

“It kind of got to a competition this summer, who could pack the lightest – who could make do with the least amount of clothing,” page recalled.

Although such a research project wasn’t required for his major, page said there’s no other way he could see himself spending the summer. “I feel more at home in those types of envi-ronments than I do in a more human-dominated environment,” said page. “Mount Rainier this summer turned into a home for me. when it was over, I felt weird not going back.”

— k AT I e S c A F F ’ 1 3

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SOMETHING I THOUGHT I'D NEVER DO 21

HikingI never thought I’d spend my summer on Mt. Rainier – with my prof

22 ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

IS noT AlwAYS BeTTeRBIGGeRnIne ReASonS wHY

Sometimes bigger is better. Sometimes it’s not.

Bigger is better: offensive linemen. pizza. SAT scores. care packages. Financial aid packages.

Bigger is not better: phone bills. Spiders. pimples. college class sizes.

As you continue your college search, we under-stand that we are not telling you anything you don’t already know: when it comes to college, class size is very important.

In that regard, we’ve got your number. plU has a 14:1 student-faculty ratio and an average class size of 21. In fact, more than 81 percent of your classes will have fewer than 30 people.

But the numbers tell only part of the story – it’s what happens in those small classes that makes plU so unique. we call it learning together. At plU, you’ll have very few large lecture classes, and all classes are taught by professors, not teaching assistants. Most of your time in class will be close-up, hands-on, working with your professors and fellow classmates. This ability to work closely with faculty on research or creative projects is something undergraduate students at most universities – large or small – do not experience.

Below are nine* reasons why, when talking class sizes, bigger is not better.

*Why nine? Ten seemed so BIG!

vISUAl RepReSenTATIon oF plU STUDenTS AnD TeAcHeR. AnY lIkeneSS To ReAl people IS enTIRelY coIncIDenTAl (excepT FoR THe SMIleS).

student-faculty ratio 14:1

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION 23

It’s easier to move class to the upper campus lawn on a sunny dayIt’s good to mix things up sometimes – especially on those bluebird north-west afternoons in early fall and late spring. So why have class inside? That’s the opinion of sociology major carlos Sandoval ’13, who says having a smaller class makes it easier to convince your professor to ditch the classroom and move it outside. And who’s to argue? After all, profs like sunshine, too.

#9It’s just a better way to learnSmall classes allow students to spend more time actually discussing a subject, as opposed to simply being “talked at” by a prof at a lectern. That’s really

important to biology major kolter Grigsby ’13. “You’re able to look at dif-ferent perspectives from your classmates and your professor. Your peers provide a different understanding of something – you might understand something one way, and they might understand it another way.” It is not just true in science class. Grigsby thinks back to a poetry class he

took, where his classmates brought up ideas he hadn’t even considered. “And I probably surprised them with the way in which I read it.” Grigsby

loves these small settings where students are more willing to ask questions, which furthers their understanding of the topic. “It’s just less intimidating because there’s less people,” he said. “I feel like I’m more noticed if there’s a smaller class. If there’s fewer people, I feel more inclined to start talking.”

#8

NEXT PAGE

24 ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

It’s harder to hide when you haven’t done your reading“It’s embarrassing to have to explain that you slacked off,” said communica-tion major leah Traxel ’14. After being asked to share her opinion on a read-ing during her peace and justice studies class – and not having a good answer – Traxel made sure not to miss any more readings. (It happens to even the best of them!) “You can’t hide behind your classmates in a small class – especially in classes where you’re discussing hot-buttons topics, where everyone has a really strong opinion. It’s better to know (as much as you can), so you can back up your argument,” Traxel said.

STUDenT wHo DID noT Do HIS ReADInG, TRYInG To HIDe BeHInD Two STUDenTS wHo DID.

nIne ReASonS wHY BIGGeR IS noT AlwAYS BeTTeR

#7It’s a lot easier to get a personal, knowledgeable recommendationDarien Upshaw ’15 is a theater major. He knows that when he wants to audition for a performance, the best way to land an audition is to have a personal, knowl-edgeable recommendation from his professor. That’s true for anything – an internship, a job, graduate school. For Darien, having a professor like Associate professor of Theatre Jeff clapp ’90, who has worked closely with him, who knows his skills and talents, who can articulate what he brings to the table is, simply, priceless.

There are more opportunities to take learning off-campus

“I had three classes last year that went on field trips,” said biology and environmental studies double-major kristin neuneker ’13. “we went to Mt. Rainier for environmental studies, where we went snowshoeing. In my ornithology class, we went on lots of field trips during our lab to identify birds, like to vashon Island, and we

went to Fort lewis. Animal behavior was the other one, and we went and did a lot of viewing of animals. we went to Titlo Beach and lake Spanaway and looked at bird territoriality and other bird behaviors.”

#6

Your study group can fit in your dorm room

Have the budget to host a study session for a 700-student class? we didn’t think so. Smaller classes mean a late-night study session is, uh, also small. And that’s good, even if you never intend to pay for pizza. Heck – even if the whole class shows up, you can still probably cram them all in your room.

#5

#4ARTIST DepIcTIon oF enTIRe STUDenT clASS cRAMMeD InTo YoUR RooM. (AnD YoU onlY oRDeReD pIZZA FoR one.)

PREPARED FOR THE WORLD 25

nIne ReASonS wHY BIGGeR IS noT AlwAYS BeTTeR

You actually get to know your classmates“You can make more connections with your classmates than you ever would in a lecture class. when it’s small, it’s super chill – we’re all way more relaxed. even if we don’t talk to each other, we’re hearing each other talk. There’s more eye contact and more discussion directed to other classmates. That is just completely impossible in a lecture class,” said Tova lyng ’15, a biology major.

Office hours are one-on-oneMinda Jerde ’13 remembers the first time she was sched-uled to see her professor, kate luther, during office hours. “She made us come in so we could improve on our test score,” said Jerde. “I was nervous.” She didn’t need to be. Assistant professor of Sociology luther decided that she’d ask students to visit her office as part of her Sociology 190 Inquiry Seminar. “Just spending 15 minutes in office hours with each of my students changed the class dynamic,” luther recalled. “They were more comfortable and I was able to help them problem-solve any difficulties.”

#3

#2Your professor knows your nameeven at plU, students will sometimes have larger classes. when Rachel lee ’13 was a first-year student, she recalls her psychology 101 class, a popular general university require-ment and a prerequisite for psychol-ogy majors. At approximately 100 students, it was the largest class lee ever took – by far. even so, psych 101 never felt too big. “I came to plU because I wanted small classes, to be at a place where the professor makes eye contact and calls you by your name,” lee said. That was the case even in her psych 101 class – her prof made it a point to call her by name, as well as just about everyone else in the class.

BY kATIE SCAFF ’13 AND STEvE HANSEN

#1

”I came to PLU because I wanted small classes, to be at a place where the professor makes eye contact and calls you by your name.”-RACHEL LEE ’13

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION 25

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2626 ONE-ON-ONE

journalism

RoBeRT MARSHAll wellS was looking out the window of his corner office at AT&T, where he was work-ing as a public relations specialist, looking beyond the rolling hills and D.c.-area cityscape, not really seeing anything. wells was pondering his future.

He had already racked up an im-pressive set of credentials, with a bachelor’s of general studies from American University in washington, D.c., and was then completing a master’s of communication, also from American. For nearly 10 years, he’d worked in banking, marketing, and finally public relations.

“I didn’t like it, I certainly didn’t hate it,” wells, associate professor of com-munication, mused recently during a break from sabbatical work on a certificate in documentary studies at Duke University.

“But I came home at the end of each day and asked, ‘what have I really accomplished today?’” That question began to gnaw at wells.

His entire career track changed in 1989, when a journalism professor in his master’s program pointed out a posting for a job fair at The news Tri-bune in Tacoma – wherever that was. on a whim, wells booked a flight out to the northwest and showed up at the job fair with hope, a resume, and no journalism experience whatsoever.

wells received polite passes from most of the editors, until one, TnT city editor Gary Jasinek, sat down and gave wells the cold hard facts of journalism: He was probably going to face long hours and make half of what he was making at AT&T. Maybe less.

But wells was resolute. “I remember wanting to feel involved in some-thing, something larger than myself.”

The interview concluded, and wells was walking out of the door of the TnT and into the fall sunshine, figur-ing “oh well, back to pR” when he heard someone hail him. Jasinek told wells that an internship would be available that next summer. pay was lousy, but would he be interested? wells snapped at the chance to follow his passion, and a journalist was born.

Since then, wells worked for the TnT, congressional Quarterly, and the Seattle Times. He arrived at plU in the fall of 2003, as a fill-in for now-retired communications professor cliff Rowe. wells found himself delaying, and delaying, his return to the Times.

Finally, he admitted to himself he just didn’t want to leave plU.

“There’s something about this place. It gets into your blood,” wells mused, now going on 10 years at plU. In that time, wells has fed his passion by shaping future journalists, creating the award-winning Medialab, and contributing to efforts to create a media studies center at plU.

FACULTY PROFILE

Education and Journalism: Hard work and worth the effort

>>> Robert wells, associate professor of communication

The Medialab idea was born in 2004. The best and brightest media students in journalism, video, photography, public relations, and other disciplines have since scored over a dozen awards as well as one emmy. Medialab students have traveled into areas ravaged by tornados and oil spills, gone up the Alaskan Highway in search of unsung war heroes, and looked into weighty topics such as im-migration, the changing American family, and attitudes towards Islam in the United States.

“I view teaching much like I view journalism,” wells said. “It’s still an education process. And here, you give students a good start, and help them find their way. I think of the professors who encouraged me, and gave me a kick in the butt when I needed it.”

wells would like to return the favor. And he has found it here – a place that is small enough that he knows each and every student, and large enough “so we can do some pretty remarkable things.”

His job at plU is more to encour-age students, rather than tell them what to do. And his advice for recent graduates, not only facing a tough job market, but an industry in turmoil? Take chances, albeit calculated ones. (He’s not sure about flying across the country based on a classified ad.) Be flexible, and learn how to think. Finally, learn to write well and tell a good story.

“That will lead to everything else.”

— B A R B A R A c l e M e n T S

ONE-ON-ONE

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27ASK A LUTE 27ONE-ON-ONEST

journalismEducation and Journalism: Hard work and worth the effort

>>> Robert wells, associate professor of communication

GREAT NORTHWEST

Wwhen first-year students came to campus for orientation weekend this past September, organizers made sure that, on that first Saturday, those students were promptly

sent off campus.

It was part of plU’s on the Road program, which takes place each year during first-year orientation. More than 300 students registered for on the Road, visiting 18 different locations. Some visited Tacoma’s art and glass museums. others hiked pinnacle peak on Mt. Rainier. Some volunteered at l’Arche Tahoma Hope Farm. others tried their hand(s) at throwing pots at the open Arts Studio in Tacoma.

no matter what the students chose, the organizers all had the same goal – to help first-year students become familiar with the region that will become their home, and to help them better get to know the people with whom they will share their lives for the next four years.

www.plu.edu/student-involvement

GREAT NORTHWEST28

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29GREAT NORTHWEST

YOUR NEW HOME30

YOUR NEW HOME

”I like the atmosphere and the people. people know each other’s name in ordal.“w H I T n e Y M A D D e n ’ 1 5

31YOUR NEW HOME

FRoM THe MoMenT whitney Madden ’15 walks through the door in ordal, it’s obvious why she calls this upper campus residence hall home. There are friendly, smiling faces wherever she looks.

“I like the atmosphere and the people. people know each other’s name in ordal,” said Madden, a resident as-sistant on ordal’s third floor.

All her residents are returners to the hall this year and, after spending just a few minutes in ordal, it’s easy to see why.

“no matter where you are in the hall, you’ll find people talking. we’re one big community,” Madden said.

The nursing and pre-athletic training double-major from Auburn, wash., is kept fairly busy with her coursework, but living in ordal has made it easier for her to find balance in her life.

Madden’s wing, like many wings across campus, practices the “open door”

policy, which means that residents leave their doors open when they’re home so others can stop by. An open door is an invitation in and helps create a more inclusive living space.

“I will be sitting on my bed and there are heads popping in my room non-stop,” said Madden. “when you’re leaving to go to class, you pop your head in and say ’bye. when you’re coming back, you pop in and have a little conversation.”

ordal’s also known for its annual all-campus beach party, and its oversized lounges, where students congregate for movie and game nights, according to Madden.

“every night there’s a movie night – every night,” said Madden. — k AT I e S c A F F ’ 1 3

ORDAL HALL

ORDAL by the numbers

n 153 students

n 4 floors

n 2 pool tables, 1 air-hockey table and 3 big screen Tvs

n 5 washers and 5 dryers in a non-haunted basement

n 3 long Frisbee tosses to Upper campus lawn

n1 long water-balloon toss to three other residence halls

n 9 resident assistants and 13 Residence Hall council members

n 3 kitchens with composting bins

n 1 huge lounge and 1 game room

n 3 study rooms

n Host of annual ordal Beach party

n larger rooms with bay windows

n 11’ 3” x 14’ 8” room size

Where friendships flourish

U

photographs by John Froschauer and Jesse Major ’15

VISITING PLU

is one of the most important things you will do during your college search. For that reason, we hope you visit campus to become better acquainted with the special atmo-sphere at plU. Hundreds of students visit each year. To schedule your visit go to choose.plu.edu/visit.

THINGS TO DO DURING A PLU VISIT. Talk one-on-one with an admission counselor. Ask everything that’s on your mind. counselors in the office of Admission are ready to answer

PROfILElinsey Tomaro ’14MAJORBiology

HOMETOWNJuneau, Alaska

INTERESTSRiding bikes, dances in the cave, and exploring Tacoma and Seattle with friends. I also love to hike on the weekends!

32 VISIT

VISIT US

fALL IS HERE

playing in the leaves on

lower campus

1-2-3 JUMP! Hanging out on the old

golf course

CARAMEL MACCHIATO

My mid-morning caramel

macchiato at the Tahoma

Bakery and cafe

DINNER TIME

The community dinner at

Trinity lutheran church

with the food club

Want to see more?vISIT THe plU vIRTUAl ToUR

choose.plu.edu/virtualtour

coach, music director, or professor.

STAY OVERNIGHT. You can stay with a friend on campus, or we can arrange for you to stay with one of our Red carpet club student hosts. You will be given meal passes and a guest pass to athletic facilities and campus activities. Available Monday

VISIT 33

PLU Admission on the webhttp://www.plu.edu/admission/first-year/

or download the free QR code reader application at:

http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/ and take

a camera phone photo of the image on the left.

bONES Studying bones for anatomy class

your questions about admission, academic programs, financial aid, cost, campus activities, residence halls and much more.

TAkE A TOUR Of CAMPUS. It’s a great introduction to plU. Tours are guided by students like linsey who know all the essential information about our university. Tours are available by ap-pointment Monday through Saturday during the academic year.

ATTEND A CLASS. This is a great opportunity to get a feel for the academic atmosphere at plU. You can also request to meet with an athletic

through Thursday during the aca-demic year only.

GIVE US A CALL. Reach us at 253-535-7151 or 800-274-6758 so we can make the necessary arrangements for your visit. You are still welcome to drop by anytime – even if you aren’t able to plan ahead.

fOR A LIST Of PREfERRED HOTELS, or directions to and from campus, please visit choose.plu.edu/visit.

DING-DING! Going for a mid-afternoon bike ride through campus

PHYSICS CRAM Studying in the library for our next physics test

U

U

fINANCIAL AID

HeRe’S THe MAIn THInG To ReMeMBeR when it comes to deter-mining if you will be able to afford to attend plU: Take the time to work through the financial aid process.

Many students just like you – and families just like yours – have discov-ered that plU is highly affordable. More than 96 percent of plU students receive some form of financial aid, and many students find that, once these factors are figured in, their cost to attend plU is comparable to the many other institutions they may consider – even state schools.

So, we’d like to invite you to work through the financial aid process with us. Ask a lot of questions. know that we are here to help. we think you will like the results.

“choosing a university is among the most important, most life-shaping investments you will ever make. And not just for you – for your entire fam-ily,” says kay Soltis, plU’s financial aid director. “Think hard. Take your time. And remember that value is more than just money spent, value is what you get for your money.”

value of a PLU education

The value of a plU education is different from other colleges and

universities. To be sure, there are many private colleges that cost far more than plU. There are dozens of less expensive options, too. But the question “How much is this going to cost?” represents only part of your decision.

we think there’s a more important question to ask: “what do you want to accomplish during your college years and beyond?”

That’s why we believe in the things that make plU so unique – the student-faculty interaction, the op-portunity to get hands-on experience, the chance to get the classes you need, when you need them.

we also know that college is about experiences and relationships, both in and out of the classroom. At plU, you will find this, and more. You will be challenged. You will have support. And because of this, plU students find success – any way you choose to define it.

VALUEHow to finance your college education

choosing a university is among the most important, most life-shaping investments you will ever make.

2012-13 COSTS $32,800 tuition

$9,620 room and meals

$42,420 total

34 FINANCIAL AID

All of these characteristics mark the value of plU, what you can expect from your time during your college years and beyond. At plU we look to extend the classroom by emphasizing experiences and relationships, and the impact those will have on your life. And that is why we value the investment in a plU education.

we know that the financial aid process can sometimes be confusing, so please take a look at the resources that are available to you on our website or call or email us with ques-tions. kay Soltis and her financial aid staff are delighted to be of help to students, parents, and families.

Average total scholarships and grants from all sources

what’s the average total plU scholarships and grants for your family’s combined income?

<$20,000 47 $27,651

$20,000 - $39,999 70 $27,458

$40,000 - $59,999 79 $24,887

$60,000 - $79,999 66 $21,463

$80,000 - $99,999 87 $19,127

$100,000 + 223 $16,651

Links & Info choose.plu.edu www.plu.edu/financial-aid

n 800-274-6758

n 253-535-7151

FAFSA on the web, www.fafsa.ed.gov

U

Number of aid recipients

Combined family income for first-year students, Fall 2012

YoU cAn FInD eveRYTHInG you need to know about applying to plU online at www.choose.plu.edu. once you’re there, check out our upcoming events, learn more about financial aid, set up a campus visit, and take our virtual tour.

You can always give us a call at 800-274-6758, and an admission counselor will be happy to answer your ques-tions or send you information that will be helpful in your college search.

“The best advice for you while you’re comparing colleges and universities is to surf the web, ask lots of questions, and be sure to visit campus,” said karl Stumo, vice president of admission and enrollment services.

“After all, universities are as unique as you are, and finding the best one will take time and research. The rewards, however, are life changing.”

Holistic ReviewYour application will be read by your admission counselor who is looking for students who will bring their special talents and abilities to plU. Test scores and GpA are part of that – admission to plU is selec-tive and competitive – but we also take the time to look at the courses you’ve taken, the activities you’ve been involved in, and your essay and recommendations. A personal visit with an admission counselor during a visit to campus can be part of the process, too.

when you get down to it, the application process at plU is simply about you getting to know us and us getting to know you. we take the time to get to know you as a person, not just a student, and we hope you’ll do the same by getting to know our community.

EASYApplying to college is easy

we’ll also let you know if you qualify for an academic merit scholarship.

Learn Morecheck out www.choose.plu.edu to learn more about the SAT and AcT, required and recommended prep courses, Ap, IB, and Running Start credit, transfer admission, U

and international admission.

You’re bound to have questions during your college search, so don’t hesitate to contact us. look us up online, give us a call, and come visit! we believe it’s the best way to get a real feel for life on campus. we think you’ll like what you discover.

plU accepts the common Application as well as the plU application. Apply online and it is free.

Dec. 15, Jan. 15 and Feb. 15 are upcoming application reading dates. complete your application by one of these dates, and we will guaran-tee you’ll get a response – including if you qualify for academic merit scholarships – within four weeks.

Applications received after February 15 will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

choose.plu.edu/apply

Apply Online!

APPLY

Application Checklist

• Undergraduate Application – You can use the PLU application or the Common Application

• Personal Essay – of at least 250 words

• Official Transcripts – from all high school and college coursework

• Test Scores – PLU accepts SAT and/or ACT test scores

• Academic Recommendation – from a qualified person familiar with your academic record, such as a principal, teacher, or counselor

35APPLY

ON CAMPUS

Move-In 2012venus Bongolan (and her dad, Jessie Bongolan) start filling up Harstad Hall on Move-in Day, August 30. More than 600 first-year and transfer students were welcomed to campus, as part of a five-day orientation program geared toward making sure the newest lutes are ready to be successful in college.

U, PLU OFFICE OF ADMISSION, Tacoma, washington, 98447-0003Address change: If you do not wish to receive U, or wish to change your mailing address, please notify the plU office of Admission. You can reach us by phone at 800-274-6758, by fax at 253-536-5136, or by email at admission@plu.edu. Plu.umg.1112