U Magazine - Fall 2011 by University Communications

Where to spot your professors

in the wild Learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom. It happens everywhere. Page 8

CHALLENGE

SUPPORT

SUCCESS

Why the Lutheran tradition ensures all faiths are expressed openly

You’ve graduated! So, was it worth it?

Students on the front lines of public policy

Page 16

Page 30

Page 22

ASK A LUTE

Upcoming

Dates

for First-year Students

Students celebrate the (near) end of the school year at LollaPLUza, page 6

September 6 First Day of Classes

TEST DATES ACT: Sept. 10, Oct. 22, Dec. 10 SAT: Oct. 1, Nov. 5, Dec. 3 September 18 Fall Preview Day October 15 Application Review Date Applications completed by this date will receive a decision and merit scholarship eligibility within four weeks November 11 Fall Visit Day November 15 Application Review Date Applications completed by this date will receive a decision and merit scholarship eligibility within four weeks December 15 Application Review Date Applications completed by this date will receive a decision and merit scholarship eligibility within four weeks

Receive up to full tuition! Regents’ and President’s Scholarships Deadline is December 15 choose.plu.edu/scholarships

To find these and other events, visit www.choose.plu.edu. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

>>> www.choose.plu.edu On the cover: Aaron Grossberg ’12, and Assistant Professor of Biology Julie Smith record the bird songs of a North American red crossbill in the coastal rainforest in Olympic National Park. Photo by John Froschauer

Table of Contents

Where to spot your professors in the wild At PLU, learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom. It happens everywhere

There’s a faith club for that

Learning from the floor

Student clubs ensure all perspectives on faith are expressed openly – no matter who they are or what they believe in

Students Robert Lynam and Bridgette Cooper head to Olympia to join the front lines of public policy

Hello There

Your New Home

FAQS

In Their Own Words

Direct from Campus

32 Visit

14 Something I Thought 34 I’d Never Do 35 20 Great Northwest 26

The Arts Apply

One-on-One TABLE OF CONTENTS

REAL

HELLO THERE

Greetings from Pacific Lutheran University

STORIES This magazine has found its way into your hands because you have indicated an interest in PLU as a place to continue your education. Published three times a year, “U” is a little bit different than the materials you might receive from other colleges and universities. But that's because PLU is a little bit different from other colleges and universities. So instead of just the facts and figures you might get in a typical college brochure, we tell you real stories about the students, faculty and alumni that make PLU such an extraordinary place.

Staff

Executive Editor Greg Brewis Editor Steve Hansen Writers Barbara Clements Chris Albert Art Director Simon Sung Photographer John Froschauer Ted Charles ’12 Vice President for Admission and Enrollment Services Karl Stumo Director of Admission Jennifer Olsen Krengel Admission Communication Coordinator Phil Betz ‘04

I know it’s not easy choosing where to go to school. But no matter what university or college you ultimately choose, be sure to take the time to explore your options. This magazine is a great start. Ask a lot of questions. Explore the Web. Come to campus to visit and take a tour. Talk with students. And remember that college is not just a place to earn a degree; it’s a place to experience life, to be challenged and to grow. By that measure, PLU ranks among the best. I hope you enjoy “U” magazine.

Online Manager Toby Beal

Volume 4, Issue 1 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. © 2011 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, 50% (PCW), REPLY CARD - 100% PCW Printed at a Forest Stewardship CouncilTM certified plant.

JENNIFER OLSEN KRENGEL DIRECTOR OF Admission

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE n

>> WINTER ’11

One-of-a-kind internships: How PLU students are prepared for life after college

n What does a PLU student look like?

A portrait of our student body n

Are Hinderlie Hall’s front desk workers the most powerful people on the PLU campus? Could be!

and much, much more...

HELLO THERE

PLU ONLINE

For more detailed information visit www.choose.plu.edu

FAQS

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

ANSWERS

Your questions answered by real PLU students Should I visit campus, or can I find enough about PLU on its website?

I think that the website has a lot of information, but visiting campus is really an invaluable experience. All of the people who come to visit campus really have a lot of fun either touring campus, eating lunch in the UC, or sitting in on a class.

I’m told you can spend the night when you visit campus. Is it worth it? You can – I think it is totally worth it. I stayed the night when I was applying to PLU and I had a blast. I really learned a lot about campus life and how it all works during that visit.

Do I have to be Lutheran to attend PLU? No. PLU takes a lot of pride in diversity. We accept students of all religions and ethnicities.

Are religion courses required? Yes, religion classes are required. You have to take two of them. One class has to be based around Christianity, and the other class has to be based on a world religion, such as Judaism, Buddhism or Native American religions. If you are in the International Honors Program, you don’t have to take any religion class, but you have specific honors classes that are based around religion.

Do I have to live on campus my freshman year? If you have first-year or sophomore

FEATURED

PLU GUEST EXPERT Evan Hildebrand ’14 MAJOR Theater and English HOMETOWN Bonney Lake, Wash. INTERESTS I like to ride my bike around campus and go out to dinner with friends!

status, and are under 20 years old, then you have to live on campus or at home with your parents. If you have junior or senior status, or are 20 years old or older, then you can live wherever you want. For me, getting to live on campus really helped with the transition into college life and kept me up to date with a lot of awesome events. You also get to meet a lot of people that you might not run into if you were living at home or off campus. I think that living on campus in a residence hall is a great experience that everyone should get to have.

Is there a residence hall curfew? No, but all residence halls have quiet hours. Sunday through Thursday, the quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., and Friday and Saturday the quiet hours are from midnight to 10 a.m. Also during dead week (the week before finals week), and finals week, there are 24-hour quiet hours so everyone can study in their rooms.

Does PLU have fraternities and sororities?

PLU does not have fraternities or sororities. Even though we don’t have them, that doesn’t mean it is harder to meet people. The residence halls are a great way to meet people. Also, another great way to meet people is by joining a club where you all have a common interest.

What are your favorite things to do on campus? When it is sunny I love to go outside and do homework on the grass. When it rains I like to get a big group of friends to go run around in the rain. I also enjoy bike riding, going to the gym, going to events in the Cave and volunteering at the Women’s Center.

Are students admitted into sporting events and concerts for free with a student I.D. card? Yes. Sporting events and concerts are free with student I.D. If it ever does cost anything, it wouldn't be more than $3 or $5.

What are the professors like at PLU? The professors at PLU are great. They are very accessible if you need help. Another really cool thing is that the majority of my professors will let me call them by their first names. U

GOT A QUESTION? your questions about PLU answered  Have by the experts – real students. Send your questions to askalute@plu.edu.

FAQS

DIRECT FROM CAMPUS

Macklemore revs up the crowd at PLU’s annual end-of-year fest, LollaPLUza, a community festival run by PLU students that pretty-much takes over near by Garfield Street for music, food and general summer-is-almost-here craziness.

qr 6

DIRECT FROM CAMPUS

Choir of the West goes east – and rocks This spring, PLU’s Choir of the West and KammerMusikk Orchestra toured Germany and France, making a special stop at the Harmonie Festival in Limburg, Germany, where they stayed just long enough to gather-up all sorts of hardware. (Anyone bring an empty suitcase?) As part of the four-day international event, the Choir of the West took second

place out of 17 groups – earning a gold medal – and the choir’s men’s and women’s groups earned gold and silver medals, respectively. PLU’s men’s a cappella group, PLUtonic, also earned a gold at the event.

To read about one student’s take on the European tour, see page 14

Black + Gold = Green PLU got props from Princeton Review as it was listed as one of nation’s greenest universities. The downloadable “Guide to Green Colleges” praises PLU for its leadership on environmental issues, from our high composting rate right down to our mission statement (which highlighted “care for the earth” long before other universities were even thinking about it).

Download here: choose.plu.edu/PR-green-guide.

FUL BRIGHT

Fulbright Factory?

PLU adds four more

When it comes to amassing prestigious international fellowships, PLU keeps adding to an already impressive total. This year, four PLU students increased the number of student U.S. Fulbright recipients since 1975 to 87. Allison Meyer, who has a degree in elementary education and an endorsement in teaching English Language Learners, will be working with South African university students on conversational English, reading and writing. Matthew Anderson and Matthew Palmquist, who both majored in German, will serve as teaching assistants in German high schools. Anderson plans to continue to develop his German language skills and pursue a doctorate degree in history once he's completed his fellowship. Palmquist plans to pursue a career in education – either teaching German or outdoor education. Reed Ojala-Barbour, who has a degree in environmental studies and Hispanic studies, will study terrestrial small mammals in the cloud forests of the Ecuadorian Andes. He’ll collaborate with an Ecuadorian university and a national park to understand more about how people and land-use practices impact the ecology of small mammals.

al PLU’s Internation

etition winners.

ess Strategy comp

Collegiate Busin

Students get down to business Over spring break, six PLU business students were doing anything but relaxing – they competed in the International Collegiate Business Strategy competition in Long Beach, Calif. Their hard work was rewarded at the 47-year-old competition: They took home first place in Outstanding Performance and first place in Outstanding Reports. The International Collegiate Business Strategy competition provides students with the opportunity to learn and compete with other universities through simulating the running of a company, as well as networking with business leaders and students from around the world. The competition challenges students to work together in making decisions that Fortune 500 executives must make every day.

Matthew Anderson and Reed Ojala-Barbour, two of PLU’s four Fulbright recipients this year.

For more than four months leading up to the Long Beach portion of the competition, senior business students Vitaliy Marchenko, Kasey Dorcas, Sanne Jacobsen, Alisha Fisher, Colin Zinnecker and Tiffany Brown worked toward making the decisions as an executive team of their simulated corporation. Collectively, they spent nearly 2,000 hours working on the competition. U

DIRECT FROM CAMPUS 7 DIRECT FROM CAMPUS 7

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

th e

wi ld

sso rs to s pot you r pr ofe

n ni

c he

ap h st e. u j r n’t whe s oe ery d v ing ns e n e ar Le app It h

Wh ere

om o r ss

We know that a good chunk of your college career will be spent in the classroom. And that’s good. A lot of great stuff happens there. But learning at PLU means much more than class participation alone. It also means venturing outside the classroom and diving into the real world. After all, that’s where our professors are. PLU’s faculty are actively involved in research and writing, just as they are at many other top-tier universities. However, there is a difference. They are at PLU because of their passion for teaching. That means students at PLU have a unique opportunity to engage with their faculty mentors in places beyond the classroom. You can never be quite sure where our faculty member’s curiosity will take them. But you can be sure of this – PLU students will be along for the ride.

Recording crossbills, near La Push, Wash. ”Aaron Grossberg and I are trying to record a newly described red crossbill call type. It is very exciting, but it is also very difficult getting good recordings this time of year. The winter wrens and swainson’s thrushes were singing so loudly that they were drowning out the crossbills in the canopy. I find that the opportunity for students to participate in research teaches them that research is largely a series of small failures, each of which teaches you something new until you end with success by following a most unexpected path.”—Assistant Professor of Biology Julie Smith For several years, Assistant Professor of Biology Julie Smith has been taking students into Northwest forests to study the North American red crossbill. Her's is one of more than 20 student-faculty research projects that take place in the natural sciences each summer, with more than 50 taking place across all disciplines. P hoto : J ohn F roschauer

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

in the wild

‘Hebrew Idol’ closing ceremonies “For Hebrew Idol, all celebrity judges must dress and act like a character from the Hebrew Bible, and this year I dressed as the ‘Witch of Endor’ from the book of I Samuel. She was technically a ‘necromancer,’ one who raises bodies from the dead so the living can communicate with them. I wanted my costume to be dramatic and exciting, so I updated a traditional ‘witch’ look with some steampunk touches, and I carried a life-size skull to represent the Prophet Samuel whom King Saul had her summon from the dead. I had a great deal of fun playing this character, and feel privileged to be included in Tony Finitsis’ panel of celebrity judges in Hebrew Idol.” —Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion Brenda Ihssen

10 ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

This is the fourth consecutive year Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion Brenda Ihssen has been a guest judge in Hebrew Idol, which is part of the class “Religion 211: Religion and Literature of the Hebrew Bible.” The innovative event challenges students to produce video interpretations of biblical stories. Anything goes during the event, with the final results decided by a panel of faculty and staff judges, including Ihssen’s ‘necromancer.’ P hoto : T ed C har l es ’ 1 2

‘Desserts and Demos,’ Rieke Science Center ”The demonstration I am doing is a dramatic explosion of a hydrogen balloon. The green color comes from the atomic emission of a copper-based salt that was inside the balloon. This demonstration can be fairly dangerous, so I use protective equipment, and the audience is kept at a safe distance. We often use different metal salts in three or four different balloons to produce a variety of colors.” —Professor of Chemistry Dean Waldow

Every year, Professor of Chemistry Dean Waldow and his fellow faculty members host ‘Desserts and Demos’ in Rieke Science Center. Whether ‘Demos’ refers to ‘demonstration’ or ‘demolition,’ we don’t know. We do know the event is a great way for prospective students and the PLU community to eat some good food and have fun leaning about the joys of science. P hoto : J ohn F roschauer

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

in the wild

LIFE ON CAMPUS DISTINCTION 12 ACADEMIC

Somewhere in Ecuador's Amazon Basin “We’re about to leave, down Ecuador’s Amazon River, to visit a very inaccessible Haorani community. We’re studying wildlife trafficking, which was later published as a cover story in Smithsonian magazine. With me is Matt Schmitz, a PLU student on the student-faculty research project, and Waira, a Quichua man. He is a good friend and guide, and is well known to many PLU students because I hire him for my J-Term courses in Ecuador. He’s beloved.” U —Professor of English Charles Bergman

It would be hard to list all the places Professor of English Charles Bergman has taken his students – the Antarctic icefields, Patagonia’s towering peaks, the Amazonian jungles. (That’s just a start.) And he’s only one of the many enthusiastic advocates for global study at PLU – every year nearly 400 students study away during J-Term someplace beyond the campus boundaries. P hoto courtesy of C har l es B erg m an

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

SOMETHING I THOUGHT I'D NEVER DO

“If I could go back in time and tell myself as a freshman, I would be directing a world-class choir performing my own composition on a European stage, I would have said ‘Yeah, right.’”

JASON SAUNDERS ’11

I never thought I’d wow European audiences Jason Saunders felt the pulsing applause reverberate through his body. On one side stood PLU musicians who had just performed his own composition. On the other side was a crowd of more than 1,000 – all peers from around the world. This past summer, Saunders ‘11 traveled to France and Germany with PLU’s Choir of the West and its small chamber music ensemble, KammerMusikere Orchestra. A high point of the two-week tour was an appearance in Limburg, Germany, at the Harmonie Festival. The prestigious festival takes place once every six years, and includes more than 200 choirs from nearly 50 countries. There, Saunders took the stage and directed The Choir of the West for one of his own choral compositions, “The

14 SOMETHING I THOUGHT I‘D NEVER DO

Lightener of the Stars.” He and the choir had worked on the piece for a number of months. And on that stage, in front of a delighted audience, the choir brought his notes to life. “They killed it,” Saunders said of the performance. “Hearing that applause was probably one of the most rewarding things to happen to me in my life.” It was only four years ago that Saunders came to campus as a first-year student, in awe of the caliber of musicians the PLU program helped develop. “If I could go back in time and tell myself as a freshman, I would be directing a world-class choir performing my own composition on a European stage, I would have said ‘Yeah, right,’” Saunders said.

Choir of the West

s with my own choral composition These moments may never have happened, had he not built upon his own talent by working hard to understand music better, Saunders said. Similarly, they might not have happened if, after writing a piece of music, he hadn’t asked for a critique from his music professor, Choir of the West Conductor Richard Nance. If he hadn’t done that, he never would have pursued asking to conduct his own composition with the talented musicians at PLU. “You need to be bold about asking for what you want,” Saunders said.

“The past four years I’ve gone from being in awe of how it sounds to being in awe of how it sounds – and knowU ing why.” — C hr i s A l bert

To see a video of Jason talking about composing choral music, visit choose.plu.edu/saunders To learn how to receive up to $12,000 in music scholarships, visit choose.plu.edu/music

By doing so, the world of music opened up for Saunders. “When I first came [to PLU], I heard Choir of the West and I thought ‘they’re perfect,’” Saunders said. “But now I’m more aware of what it requires to make that sound.

Jason Saunders outside Chartres Cathedral in France, one of the many European locations in which he conducted his composition, ‘The Lightener of the Stars.’

SOMETHING I THOUGHT I‘D NEVER DO

LIFE ON CAMPUS

Ben Diep is a regular at Breakdancing Ministries, which meets as often as three times a week. The group attracts PLU students and non-students alike.

16 LIFE ON CAMPUS

B y B arbara C l e m ents

There’s a

faith club

At PLU, student clubs ensure all perspectives on faith are expressed openly – so that all students grow in their faith, no matter who they are or what they believe in It could be any evening on the ground floor of the University Center: A group of young men and women – about 25 of them – drift into the lounge area, greeting each other. Some chat; others open their laptops – all as if they are waiting for something. Then, someone cranks up the hiphop, and its steady thrum echoes through the building. They start stretching. The moves begin – a balance here, a handstand there. Soon, they bust out the headmills and king flares. Juan Reyes, who lives in the area but is not a PLU student, is first with a headmill. Following Reyes’ lead, others –

for that

some PLU students and others not – follow. Soon, to the beats of James Brown and Ultramagnetic MCs, the long hallway on the lower UC is a mass of twirls, kicks and spins. Weaving his way through the throng, Colin Roth ’11, who started PLU’s Breakdancing Ministries, shows up about an hour into the set that will last until midnight. Roth wanted to reach out to local bboys and bgirls who love to show off their moves. And if deeper topics come up later? So be it. “My understanding of the gospel is that you build relationships first,” said Roth, a Hispanic studies and global studies double-major. LIFE ON CAMPUS

faith club

Ignite, sometimes as many as 100 students strong, meets on a weekly basis in the student-run hangout called The Cave.

At the same time, just a few steps away in The Cave, the student-run hangout in the UC, a traditional evangelical service is about to begin. About 100 students assemble for the weekly meeting of Ignite, one of the more popular groups on campus. Here, the music is also full throttle. A band onstage leads the group in praise songs, followed by a traditional service. These types of events happen at PLU all the time. If break dancing isn’t your thing – or mainstream Christianity, for that matter – there’s still a group for you. After all, students from all backgrounds and religious traditions attend PLU. That is what the Lutheran tradition is all about – making sure all faiths and perspectives are respected. It ensures a vibrant, intellectual spirit takes hold on campus, where students and faculty are open to ideas, new philosophies and intellectual diversity. For instance, take Bashair Alazadi ’13. As a commuter student, she didn’t have a residence hall room where she could pray five times a day, as prescribed by Islam. So she went to PLU’s office of Campus Ministry. After a bunch of discussions, Alazadi and others around campus of various faiths created the Reflection Room, a place for students of all faiths – or those with no professed faith – to reflect and think.

18 LIFE ON CAMPUS

If breakdancing isn’t your thing – or mainstream Christianity, for that matter – there’s still a group for you. “There is a strong population of people here that don’t believe in any faith,” said Anna Milliren ’13, who worked on creating the Reflection Room. “We want to have a place, and a group where people can seek out what’s comfortable for them.” Milliren also helped to create the Interfaith Council – where members of all campus groups meet to discuss what they are doing, and understand each other’s views. The council also fills in the gaps for some groups that are just starting, or in a transition period. For example, when the main leaders of the Aliyah Jewish Club graduated last year, the Interfaith Council helped pick up the slack and put on a traditional Seder service.

Then there is PLU POO. Not quite what you’d think – thankfully! – but it’s another new club that will gather Orthodox Christians to both explore their faith and explain it to others. The formal name is PLU’s Pan Orthodox Organization, explained Jordan Ramos ’12, whose faith journey took him from evangelical Christian, to Protestantism, to the orthodox faith about two years ago.

Bashair Alazadi ’13 and Carlos Sandoval ’13 have created a Muslim faith group that is open to students of all faiths that want to learn more about Islam.

Ramos found that this road and belief system satisfied both his heart and his intellect. “I really feel like I’ve found the modern embodiment of the early church,” he said. Ramos doesn’t exactly expect a big turnout, but like Alazadi’s group, he hopes that those with questions about Orthodox Christianity will show up to chat, when the group officially meets this fall. “I felt like I’d come home to a community,” Ramos said of his faith journey, and his eventual decision to form PLU POO. Community. That is the common denominator for students on campus – Lutheran, Muslim, evangelical, Jewish, Orthodox Christian, agnostic – there is a community for you, where you can grow, pray, discuss, believe. It’s the Lutheran tradition.

TO SEE A SLIDESHOW of students breakdancing in the U.C., visit www.choose.plu.edu/breakdancing

Colin Roth ’11 started Breakdancing Ministries as a way to reach out to both PLU students as well as others in the community.

Alazadi and her husband, Carlos Sandoval ’13, who converted to Islam about a year ago, are looking forward to the creation of a Muslim faith group in the fall. They haven’t yet decided on a name for the group, which numbers about seven. The pair wants to open up the group to those of every faith who are curious about Islam. “We plan to have speakers talk about issues of the day, or to address questions or misconceptions others may have about our faith,” said Alazadi, a business major who emigrated with her family from Iraq when she was three-years-old. Her parents were a bit nervous about their daughter attending a private college that her family thought “might be filled with white Lutherans,” Alazadi laughed. Not really the case. About 25 percent of the student population at PLU classify themselves as Lutherans. Alazadi said she found the campus warm and accepting of her beliefs. Ariel Madden ’13 wasn’t into the larger groups, but wanted to meet with fellow women of the Christian faith who wanted to support each other, and loved coffee. So Caffeine With Christ was born. “We talk about topics that are on our hearts as women, from stress, to test taking to eating disorders,” Madden said.

Anthony Chan Bounleurt is another regular at Breakdancing Ministries.

LIFE ON CAMPUS

GREAT NORTHWEST

Hiking the Coast

‘From Tacoma, you can go anywhere’ Jenny Taylor ’14 Hometown:

Anacortes, Wash. Major:

Hispanic Studies and Environmental Studies

The Hike:

Ozette trailhead to Cape Alava, Olympic National Park Approx. 7 miles, round trip

20 GREAT NORTHWEST

Before PLU, Jenny Taylor ’14 wasn’t much of a hiker. All that has changed.

This spring, Taylor and about 10 other students took a weekend trip to the northwest tip of Washington, where they hiked through the dense rain forest and along the rugged beaches of Olympic National Park. She loved every minute. “When I decided to come to PLU, I knew that I’d get out more,” she said. “From Tacoma, you can go anywhere – the Cascades, the Olympics, the coast, the mountains. Anywhere.” PLU’s student-run Outdoor Recreation program – called ”OR“ – makes it easy. OR guides take students everywhere – kayaking on Puget Sound, snowshoeing on Mt. Rainier, or rock climbing in the nearby mountains. It’s a great

AROUND THE SOUND

“I like OR trips, because you can forget about homework for awhile and just get outside.” —Jenny Taylor ‘14 way to meet people, and to learn something new from experienced student guides. And perhaps best of all: the trips are cheap. For Taylor’s backpacking trip, about $20 took care of everything – backpacking gear, food, even transportation. That makes it pretty easy for Taylor to get out and explore the region around PLU. And it is why she says she’ll be taking part in a lot more future trips put on by Outdoor Rec. “I like OR trips, because you can forget about homework U for awhile and just get outside,” she said.

Climb a

Visit the

Mt. Rainier

Seattle

Merely 90 minutes from campus, Mt. Rainier has long been a destination for PLU students. As early as 1896 – three years before it became a national park – students and faculty would organize excursions to take in its beautiful vistas.

The city of Seattle, the unofficial capital of the Pacific Rim, is 45 minutes north of PLU. It is everything you might expect from a great cosmopolitan city – home to numerous Fortune 500 companies, incredible hole-in-the-wall ethnic eats, and great concert and sporting venues.

mountain

city

Photo by Ted Charles ’12

GREAT NORTHWEST

PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

Learning from the FLOOR

PLU students head to Olympia to join the front lines of public policy

nder the Capitol dome in Olympia, Robert Lynam’s office is pretty much a glorified closet. Remove the computer, phone and a tattered Seahawks poster, and it would be a closet. But if you ask Lynam ’12, he’d tell you there’s no better place to be. If you’re going to work in a closet, then Lynam’s closet is about as good as it gets. It sits between the Washington state Senate floor and the office of his boss, Republican Bridgette Cooper ’11, and Robert Lynam ’12, pose under the capitol dome in Olympia.

22 PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

Senate Leader Mike Hewitt (R-Walla-Walla). If it is important to the state of Washington, from where Lynam sits, it’s hard for him not to hear about it. “I usually keep the door open because I like to hear people talk,” the political science major said. “And it gets really hot in here.” It also gets hot, Lynam has learned, when elected officials are hammering away at difficult budget decisions. And of that, Lynam and fellow PLU student, Bridgette Cooper ’11, have a front-row seat.

BY CHRIS ALBERT

PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

Learning from the FLOOR

“We're all tired,” said Bridgette Cooper. “But we love the work. After it‘s done, we'll probably sleep for a week.”

“By far, I think it’s one of the best times to be down here,” Cooper, a legislative intern for Sen. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor), said. As legislative interns, both students spend long hours listening and responding to the constituents of their senators, often writing letters in response to those questions. They also give tours of the Capitol and, in general, support their senator – and their senator’s staff – with whatever needs to be done. Being a legislative intern is not an easy job, Lynam said. There is down time, but the nature of public policy is immediate reaction. In a lot of ways, he thinks he overextended his commitments for the semester by having the job in Olympia and being part of the crew team at PLU. He loves both, but days that start at 5 a.m. and end at 8 p.m. have worn him a bit thin. “We're all tired,” Cooper said. “But it’s great because we love the work. After it’s (the legislative session) done we'll probably all sleep for a week.” That Cooper has come to love this job is something of a surprise – she never thought she’d pursue a political science degree when she first came to PLU. She had a passion for Egyptology, but after a trip to Egypt working in the Valley of the Kings, she decided it just wasn’t her “cup of tea” anymore. A few political science classes later, and she’s been drawn to public policy. “It was a change, but I couldn’t have asked for a better university experience,” Cooper said. For his part, Lynam, a transfer from Olympic College, had a similar experience. "I was really attracted to a smaller school and having a more personal relationship with the professors," he said. So he came to PLU – and he got what he wanted. One of the first classes Lynam took was with political science professor Ann Kelleher. It helped spark his interest in the political process. The insight gained from that class

24 PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

was enough for him to apply for a legislative internship. For both Lynam and Cooper, a lot of their time is spent researching and responding to constituent concerns. While answering hotline phones, often times the person on the other line has a lot to say and can even be angry. “It was hard the first couple of times,” Cooper said, “but you can’t take it personally because it’s not personal.” In one instance, a caller actually told Cooper he was just going to rant for a while. She appreciated that. She understood that the caller simply needed someone to voice his concerns to. "I think that's the best part of our job,” she said. “We’re here to listen and make sure they have a voice.”

Robert Lynam works in his glorified closet in the wings of the Senate, just across the hall from his boss, Senate Republican Leader Mike Hewitt.

None of the calls are taken lightly, they said. Each is taken seriously, researched and responded to according to their senator’s policy stance. The experience requires a thickening of skin, but also the ability to be flexible, Lynam said. It's not uncommon for the legislative schedule to change two or three times in a day. One time, it changed 12 times in one day, Lynam said. “It’s a quick learning curve. There were definitely those deer-in-the-headlights times,” Cooper said of the internship that spans from January to April. Cooper said this experience has prepared her for that first job out of college. Eventually, she hopes to return to Olympia as a session aide for a legislator. Lynam said his time at the capitol has sparked interest in pursuing a postgraduate degree, either in law or with a business focus.

“It’s taking what you learn in the classroom and pitting it against real life,” Cooper said. “What you learn you can’t put a price on.” For the PLU students they felt they had a strong grasp of political theory and even the practice of public policy, but how that applies to real life was new to them. Decisions about what is important, what is the priority and how to pay for it, certainly changed some of their perspectives. “That was a big reality check,” Lynam said. During this legislative session the interns have seen firsthand the tough decisions that have to be made and how there are many layers involved in legislative action. Lynam and Cooper said they can’t help but chuckle a little when they read about a new law that passes because they know the outcome was only part of the story. “That’s part of it,” Lynam said. “But there are a lot of things that are a part of it.” And from his closet door at the state Capitol, he gets to see U most of it.

Pre-law advising AT PLU

PLU offers an array of resources to help students achieve their goal of attending law school. The university has a designated pre-law adviser with whom all students can meet to discuss their plans and strategies for law school admission. Students can do so at any time in their college tenure. Since the law school application process can be daunting, the pre-law adviser works with all students to maximize competitiveness by giving advice on which classes to take, what extracurricular opportunities to consider, when to begin the application process, and how to put together the best application possible. In addition to a designated adviser, PLU regularly offers law school information sessions, in which law school admission officers from around the country offer advice to students on all aspects of the application process. PLU also offers a variety of opportunities for students to gain internship experience by working with local law firms. PLU also has two pre-law oriented student groups. The first group, the Pre-Law Club, works to provide information to members and the campus community about applying to law school and working in the field of law. The second group, Mock Trial, is a nationwide trial simulation in which PLU competes against students from other universities. It is a great way to learn trial procedure and to get a feel for being a trial attorney.

www.choose.plu.edu/pre-law

According to Lynam and Cooper, working in Olympia is ”taking what you learn in the classroom and pitting it against real life.”

PREPARED FOR THE WORLD

ONE-ON-ONE

26 ONE-ON-ONE

“If I know more about their culture, then the better I can connect with them. Learning for those children becomes a little bit easier.” —Vidya Thirumurthy

FACULTY PROFILE

Education

Connecting the Dots

>>> Vidya Thirumurthy, associate professor of instructional development and leadership Each morning, on the doorstop of every home in Vidya Thirumurthy’s hometown of Chennai – indeed, in much of Southern India – women and girls create what’s known as a kolam out of rice flour. An intricate geometric pattern based on a series of dots, a kolam is an artful design that Hindu households use to communicate with community: If there is a kolam on the doorstep, then all is well inside; if there is not, then neighbors know that all is not well. Thirumurthy uses the kolam to describe something else – something for which she earned a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program grant to study in her native India. She uses the kolam to describe what is called “funds of knowledge” – the idea that children, especially young girls, gain knowledge not simply in the classroom, but through their family and their culture. In the case of the kolam, children learn not just a Hindu tradition, but they learn simple mathematical concepts, and spatial orientation and relationships through

their daily creations. Later, children will unknowingly take those concepts to the classroom. When Thirumurthy returns to southeast India this fall, she will be looking for other instances of funds of knowledge, particularly as they relate to early childhood education in the Muslim community. She wants to know what learning practices south Indian Muslim children bring from home – like the kolam in Hindu communities – that might facilitate learning later in the classroom. Beginning in October, Thirumurthy will use her Fulbright grant to find out. Over seven months, she will meet with students and families in the Muslim and Hindu communities in Chennai, as well as observe the rituals and cultural practices of the children in their homes and communities. In the end, she will gather her findings and report back to the schools in hope of helping them develop a curriculum that takes advantage of these funds of knowledge. “If I know more about their culture, then the better I can connect with

them,” she said. “Learning for those children becomes a little bit easier.” In many ways, Thirumurthy’s upcoming studies are a slice of something in which she’s invested her entire career: understanding and exploring other cultures. It is one of the big reasons why she enjoys taking students to India as part of her J-Term course “Comparative Education in India.” Many of the students who took part in her course have become, or will someday be, teachers. So every opportunity to be exposed to different cultural practices can only help them become better teachers. “It changes their perception of the world,” she said. And that’s a good thing. As an instructor herself, she’s the first to admit it isn’t just her students that see a positive benefit from their travels to her home country. She does too. “I see India differently because of them,” she said. “They help me understand Indian culture.”

— S te v e H ansen

ONE-ON-ONE

YOUR NEW HOME

“The people who enjoy Foss Hall the most are the ones who want to get to know each other.” —Nigel

28 YOUR NEW HOME

Anselmi ’12

FOSS HALL Behind the ‘open door‘

FOSS

by the numbers n

186 students

6 wings

3 floors

6 washers and 6 dryers (located on all 3 floors) n

1 long water-balloon toss away from an all-out water-balloon war with Pflueger Hall

n 11

Resident Assistants

n Largest

residence hall kitchen on campus

2 study lounges, plus the “Red Room” (a new study lounge) and the “Green Room” (for TV, movie and video games) n

n Host

of annual F-Games

n Hall

motto: Foss is Boss!

n 10’

x 17’ average room size

n Named

for Rev. Halfdan Foss, known to students as Half Dan. His favorite color, they say, was beige.

After living his first year in Foss Hall on PLU’s lower campus, Nigel Anselmi ’12 decided to mix it up – he moved right next door to Pflueger Hall. But when the economics major from Bozeman, Mont., had a chance to move back to Foss Hall his junior year, he jumped at it. It’s no slight to Pflueger – Anselmi had a great time living there. But there was just a certain vibe that came with living in Foss Hall. “I missed it so much,” he recalled. The funny thing is, in a lot of ways Foss and Pflueger are nearly identical – they are right next to each other, they are the same size, they are closest to most of PLU’s athletic fields and facilities — and they both have the reputation as being, uh, not the quietest halls on campus. So what did Anselmi miss about Foss Hall?

“Foss is a super-inclusive community,” Anselmi said. “I can stop and chat with anybody – I love that about Foss.” He attributes some of this to the “open door policy” in the hall – the idea that, if you are in your room, and you don’t need to study really hard, you are encouraged to leave your door open. As a result, people feel comfortable to drop in and say “hello” – whether they know the occupants or not. “As the year goes on,” Anselmi said, “you see more and more doors open.” That kind of openness can be seen across campus. For instance, Anslemi says that groups of 20 or larger will often go to dinner together at the U.C. “The people who enjoy Foss the most are the ones who want to get to know U each other,” he said. “It is why I wanted to come back.” — S te v e H ansen

Photos by Ted Charles ’12 and John Froschauer

YOUR NEW HOME

In Their Own Words This year, more than 850 students graduated from PLU – 650 of whom strutted across the Tacoma Dome stage in their caps and gowns, ready to begin the next exciting chapter of their life. Before they did, we asked a few to reflect on their time at PLU – was it a good investment, in both time and money? Here’s what they told us:

After I get my Ph.D., I want to be a professor at a small personal institution like PLU because it has left its mark, and the professors I have encountered here have inspired me to be like them. But if there is anything that I have learned from PLU, it is to keep an open mind and follow your passion wherever it leads. Lauren T h i e l e Bachelor of science in biology

My favorite aspect of PLU was that although professors challenged me to look at issues from a fresh perspective, they did so in a way that encouraged my individual pursuit. J oshua H a m m er l i ng Bachelor of arts in German and English

Growing up a Lutheran in North Dakota, I wanted to go to a school that placed a great deal of importance on community. I knew that if I chose to go to school far from home I would want to be surrounded by the same support that I had at home. J oe N atw i ck Bachelor of arts in religion and classics

30 IN THEIR OWN WORDS

You can find more quotes from PLUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recent graduating class here:

www.choose.plu.edu/own-words

I have come closer to who I want to be, and I have a closer idea of where I would eventually see myself making the most impact in the world. Maur i ce E ckste i n Bachelor of arts in communication studies

Both my parents are alumni, so I really tried to avoid coming to PLU. However, I knew that I really wanted to pursue nursing. All it took was one visit. The beautiful campus and the welcoming people, as well as PLU's devotion to vocation and liberal arts, made this university a perfect fit. Mary W uest Bachelor of science in nursing

My experience at PLU has been far more than I ever expected. The people at PLU are what truly make this school amazing. The friends I have made and the academic support and challenges I have had from faculty, professors and staff has helped shape me into the person I am today. T i ffany B rown Bachelor of business administration, concentration in marketing

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Profi

Visiting PLU

Major

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 atmosphere at PLU. Hundreds of students visit each year. To schedule your visit go to www.choose.plu.edu/visit.

Hometown

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

Linda Luu ’14 Undecided, leaning biology and Hispanic studies

Bremerton, Wash.

Interests

Playing tennis, hanging out with friends, participating in clubs

Take a tour of campus. It’s a great introduction to PLU. Tours are guided by students like Linda who know all the essential information about our university. Tours are available by appointment Monday through Saturday during the academic year.

A Day in of a P the life LU st udent

Beauti fu tennis l day means w Trevor ith

me Dinner with so friends

Enjoyi ng a s nack after tennis

VISIT US

32 VISIT

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 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 through Thursday during the academic 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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even if you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t able to plan ahead. For a list of preferred hotels, directions to and from campus, please visit www.choose.plu.edu/visit.

Biology lab in Admin.

Chem is Rieke try lab in

Enjoying a beautiful (and dry!) day on campus

Want to see more? VISIT THE PLU VIRTUAL TOUR www.choose.plu.edu/virtualtour PLU Admission on the web http://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.

VISIT

FINANCIAL AID

VALUE

How to finance your college education

Here’s the main thing to remember when it comes to deciding 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 discovered that PLU is highly affordable. More than 95 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 family,” 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

Choosing a university is among the most important, most lifeshaping investments you will ever make.

2011-12 COSTS $30,950 tuition

$9,250 room and meals $40,200 total

Links & Info

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.

www.choose.plu.edu www.plu.edu/financial-aid n 800-274-6758 n 253-535-7151

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

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 opportunity 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.

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 Web site or call or e-mail us with questions. Kay Soltis and her financial aid staff are delighted to be of help to U students, parents and families.

What’s the average total PLU scholarships and grants for your family’s combined income? Combined family income for first-year students, Fall 2010

Number of aid recipients

Average total scholarships and grants from all sources

<$20,000

$23,401

$20,000 - $39,999

$23,601

$40,000 - $59,999

$20,372

$60,000 - $79,999

$19,154

$80,000 - $99,999

$16,442

$100,000 +

285

$15,272

34 FINANCIAL AID

APPLY

EASY

Applying to college is easy

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 800274-6758, and an admission counselor will be happy to answer your questions, 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 Review Your 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 selective 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.

Apply Online! PLU accepts the Common Application as well as the PLU application. Apply online and it is free. If you apply by the 15th of the month, we guarantee you’ll get a response – including if you qualify for academic merit scholarships – within four weeks.

www.choose.plu.edu/apply We’ll also let you know if you qualify for an academic merit scholarship. Applications received after February 15th will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn More Check 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, 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 U you’ll like what you discover.

APPLY

U, PLU Office of Admission, Tacoma, Washington, 98447-0003 Address change: If you do not wish to receive U, or wish to change your mailing address, please notify PLU Office of Admission. You can reach us by phone at 800-274-6758, by fax at 253-536-5136, or by e-mail at admission@plu.edu. PLU.UMG.0711

ON CAMPUS

Yeah! Liza Christensen and Abe Kim are two of 850 new PLU graduates who joined a network of more than 45,000 fellow Lutes. More than 96 percent of PLU graduates report employment or enrollment in graduate school within six months of graduation.