U magazine - Spring 2012 by University Communications

TOP 10

reasons

why PLU can be a great fit for you

Montserrat Walker ’14 loves the focus PLU places on global issues, and how her classes investigate issues from multiple perspectives

PAGE 8

CHALLENGE

SUPPORT

What is the one book every first-year student is reading?

Do the math!

Page 14

Page 18

A quick way to see which college is the best value

SUCCESS

What’s to love about Tacoma? Just ask Frank and Jill, and they’ll show you

Page 22

ASK A LUTE

Upcoming

Dates

Hong Hall Live like any other student â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just do it in another language Page 30

for First-year Students March 10 SAT test date April 13-14 Passport Weekend, PLU campus April 14 ACT test date April 20 Latino Youth Summit, PLU campus May 1 NATIONAL CANDIDATE REPLY DATE All admitted students should notify PLU of their intention to enroll for Fall 2012 by this date May 5 SAT test date June 2 SAT test date June 7, 8, 11, 12 & 13 Charting Your Course registration dates, PLU campus June 9 ACT test date July 1 APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FOR FALL 2013 Students who have completed their junior year in high school may submit PLU application materials July Summer Preview Day Date to be announced

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

>>> www.choose.plu.edu TOP 10: Love dance, music, theater, art? PLU is for you Page 8

Table of Contents

Top 10 reasons why PLU can be a great fit for you A short list of some things PLU does really, really well. (And we think you’ll agree)

Why is everyone reading the same book? The new, and totally awesome, Common Reading Program for first-year students

Matthew Hegland ’13 sets foot on Antarctic soil. …or is it Antarctic ice?

Jill and Frank’s T-Town to-do list

Can someone who has always lived in Tacoma, and someone who‘s never lived here, find interesting things to do?

Hello There

The Arts

FAQS

Your New Home

Direct from Campus

Visit

Something I Thought 34 I’d Never Do 35 Financial Aid

Lute Pride Apply

20 One-on-One TABLE OF CONTENTS

REAL

HELLO THERE

U Staff

Executive Editor Greg Brewis Editor Steve Hansen Writers Barbara Clements Chris Albert Katie Scaff ’12 Mandi Brady Art Director Simon Sung Photographer John Froschauer Vice President for Admission and Enrollment Services Karl Stumo Director of Admission Jennifer Olsen Krengel Admission Communication Coordinator Emily McCann ’06 Online Manager Toby Beal Volume 4, Issue 3 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, 50% (PCW), REPLY CARD - 100% PCW Printed at a Forest Stewardship CouncilTM certified plant.

Greetings from Pacific Lutheran University

STORIES

WELCOME TO THE SPRING EDITION OF U MAGAZINE. We are excited you are considering Pacific Lutheran University. As you read through the pages of this magazine, we encourage you to imagine yourself as a PLU student engaging in some of the amazing opportunities available to you. Learning and personal development takes place both on- and off-campus; and wherever you find yourself immersed in the PLU community you will be challenged and supported – and success will be yours. We know this time of year you’ll begin to receive financial aid offers from a variety of schools. We have provided information and practical tools in this issue, so you and your family can do the math. The value of your college education is also something to consider as you decide on where you will attend college. There are many reasons students choose to invest in a PLU education. Learn how you can get involved in campus leadership, student-faculty research and studying away by connecting with your admission counselor. Between the “Do the Math!” worksheet (page 18) and your individual admission counselor, PLU is here to help! Finally, we encourage you to visit campus. When you visit, you can experience firsthand the friendly and welcoming PLU community. Take a tour of campus, meet with professors and current Lutes, and meet with your admission counselor to get all your questions answered. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Hannah Middlebrook and Bjorn Myhre, admission counselors

Flouger Floouger Pflueger

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

>> FALL ’12

Meet PLU students and their real-world mentors, and see what it means to be ‘Lutes for Life’

What makes PLU’s honors program so difficult? And why do students like it so much?

No matter how you spell it – or pronounce it – Pflueger is pfun

and much, much more...

HELLO THERE

PLU ONLINE

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

FAQS

ANSWERS

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

Your questions answered by real PLU students What is it like living on campus?

Living on campus at PLU is great – there are always things to do and people to talk to, but it is also easy to find good study spots when you need to dig into homework. One of my favorite things about the PLU community is that it is just the right size. Any event I go to, I am likely to find some people I know. But at the same time, I meet someone new almost every day, and I have been here for three years! As far as activities on campus, there is never a shortage. One of the first things that new students have to learn to do is say “no,” because you simply cannot do everything!

FEATURED

PLU GUEST EXPERT Matt Peters ’13 MAJOR Sociology HOMETOWN Eagle, Idaho INTERESTS Play intramural sports, attend lots and lots of meetings for RHA, and spend as much time as possible skiing

How does PLU choose my roommate?

When can I study away, and will my credits transfer?

The roommate selection process at PLU is extremely thorough and personal. The roommate questionnaire asks everything from your sleeping habits to your musical preferences. Residential Life wants to make sure that everyone is given the opportunity to live somewhere where they feel safe and comfortable. From there, PLU staff reads every questionnaire and each roommate pairing is hand-selected.

We have two main study-away options for students – J-Term trips and semester-away programs. J-Term trips are offered all around the globe, even in Antarctica. The other option, semester-away programs, gives students the opportunity to study at other universities around the world. Through these trips, students get to really immerse themselves in another culture. The awesome people in the Wang Center (our center for study away) will help you make sure that all of your credits transfer before you finalize any plans.

Do you feel safe when you are on or around campus? Coming to PLU from an Idaho suburb, Parkland was definitely a change for me. That said, I have never felt unsafe on or around campus. Campus Safety does an awesome job keeping the PLU community safe, including offering walking and driving escorts whenever students request them, 24 hours a day.

Are the professors easy to access if I have questions or need help? PLU professors are incredibly approachable and interested in the welfare of their students. One of my favorite professor experiences at PLU was the first time I went to office hours. I expected the professor

to answer my question and shuffle me out the door. Not only did the professor answer my question thoroughly, but he then proceeded to get to know me for about 15 minutes. This was my second week at PLU, and the class was the largest on campus. From there on out, the professor knew my name and took a personal interest in helping me succeed. To this day, I still stop by his office occasionally and chat.

Can students double major, and still graduate in four years? Absolutely. One of the great things about PLU is that you can pull off almost any combination of degrees that you can dream up, and you are not required to declare a major until your junior year. Personally, I would not recommend waiting that long to declare, but I would most certainly recommend exploring some classes before you decide on a major (or two). For example, I am a sociology major with chemistry and biology minors, intending to go to medical school. Not exactly your standard major-minor pair, I know, and it definitely was not my plan when I first came to campus. I changed my intended major three times, and did not actually finalize it until this year! My experience is not really that unique at PLU, because one of the great things about our liberal arts education is that students are given opportunities to study different U fields and think in new ways.

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

FAQS

Photo courtesy

DIRECT FROM CAMPUS

of Claire Todd

EXPLORE!

You survived your first university semester. Now what?!

First-year students India Irons, James Mamerto and Jazmyn Carroll get all twisted up during Explore!, the two-day winter retreat for PLU's first-year students.

You’d be surprised how many firstyear students ask that question. So many, in fact, PLU has implemented a unique January tradition to address precisely that. For the eighth consecutive year, the Explore! retreat took more than 140 first-year students off campus for some much-deserved change of scenery. Even better, the retreat is a great chance for students to reflect on their first semester, compare it to others, and begin pondering those great questions like

Photo by Igor Strupinskiy ’14

DIRECT FROM CAMPUS

… uh … so, what’s next? After all, the transition to university life is not over just because the first semester is.

To see a slideshow of this year’s retreat, visit: choose.plu.edu/explore-retreat

STEP

STEP STEP IT

Lute Nation pumps up Tacoma’s MLK Day festivities

Geosicences stu dent Matthew He gland ’13 sets fo Antarctica, than ot in ks to an a Air Fo rce C-17. He wou take another Ai ld later r Force transport more than 500 m the Antarctic in iles into terior.

PLU geoscience team rocks it in Antarctica For the second consecutive winter, a PLU geosciences student spent 40 days with his professor in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth – the mountains of West Antarctica, some 500 miles away from the nearest research station. Good thing for Matthew Hegland ’13 that his prof, Visiting Assistant Professor of Geosciences Claire Todd, is a lot of fun to hang out with. Oh yeah, and the science is interesting, too. Hegland is the only undergraduate student working on the six-member team whose project is to study deglaciation – that is, how fast ice has been melting – over the last millennia. Funded by a National Science Foundation grant secured by Todd, the group is collecting and measuring the glacial deposits in the area, thereby tracking the thinning history of the Weddell Sea Sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

To read about Matthew and Claire’s excellent adventures in Antarctica, visit: choose.plu.edu/rockon

As part of Tacoma’s 24th annual celebration of the work and dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King, Lute Nation, PLU’s step team, performed in front of more than 3,000 people at the Tacoma Dome. How’d they do? They rocked the house. Said Mamie Howard ’14, leader of the team, “It is inspiring as a team to be an inspiration by using our talent as a vehicle for change in the community that many of us belonged to before becoming a Lute.”

To see a video of Lute Nation in action, visit: choose.plu.edu/Lute-Nation

Global campus? It must be J-Term This past January, 21 classes took place someplace other than the PLU campus. As part of J-Term, the month-long term between fall and spring semesters, more than 300 students studied off campus in places like Mexico, Italy, Australia – even Antarctica. PLU students have found that the term is an excellent time to study away and not lose precious credits that can delay graduation. You can read the blog entries from many of the students who studied off campus at the link below. It’s unfiltered stuff: You might learn something useful (why we should think about the earth like we think about our body) or not (why there are so many stray dogs in Athens). But no matter what, you’ll know it is straight from the students themselves. U

Check out the blog at sojourner.plu.edu/2012/ Photo by Ted Charles ’12

DIRECT FROM CAMPUS

LIFE ON CAMPUS

TOP 10 reasons Every student has different reasons why they have found PLU to be a good fit. For some, it’s the welcoming feel they get on campus. For others, it’s the rigorous academics. Many love PLU’s tradition of preparing students to consider life’s bigger issues and to create meaningful solutions – those “Big Questions.”

why PLU can be a great fit for you

Here are some of the things we feel like PLU does really, really well. (And many students agree.) So dive in. As you make one of the most important decisions of your life – the university you will attend – remember that more than 3,500 students all have their own reasons why PLU is a good fit for them. We look forward to hearing yours.

No doubt you have your own reasons why PLU remains a top choice. Probably a lot.

’14 Montserrat Walker ces pla PLU us foc loves the w ho d an es, issu l ba on glo te her classes investiga issues from multiple perspectives Hometown: ico Distrito Federal, Mex Major: ertising and Public Relations & Adv Hispanic Studies Interests: of the Pacifc Jogging on the trails e Northwest, rain or shin

me still graduate on ti d an – ay aw y ud St away – and the Wang

LIFE ON CAMPUS

to study sy for you to be able . They work We want to make it ea making that happen to d ucation is dedicate Ed l ba transfer Glo d for roa r ab nte Ce m experiences t academic credit fro tha e sur en ay. How to aw dy me stu l-ti ful count toward king sure scholarships ma as ll e time we som as , at PLU ay to nts study aw arly half of PLU stude Ne it? at y rage is 3 the ave l are na od tio go comparable na eers. By contrast, the car c mi of how de a aca ide r ir tte the in to have a be o do you think is going wh lly, rea , So nt. rce pe the world works?

#10

There is no place quite like the Pacific Northwest We admit it – there are plenty of rainy days here. Still, students have year-round opportunities to get outside to bike, climb, surf, kayak, hike or ski – like here at Crystal Mountain, just up the road from campus. The Pacific Northwest is an outdoor Mecca. Go on your own, or let the student-run organization Outdoor Rec make it happen. Novice or expert. And did we mention that a few years ago, “Outside” magazine ranked Tacoma as the fifth best outdoor city in the country? When life is this good, we’ll take a little rain. Photo courtesy of Crystal Mountain

Unique opportunit ies for studentfaculty research At PLU, students spend more time working wi th classmates and pro in a close-up, hands-o fessors n environment. Many of those opportunities the laboratory worki are in ng with cutting-edge equipment. But it is no that: Other opportunit t on ly ies include archaeolog ical digs with the Ma Nation, working on Em kah my-award documentar ies with MediaLab, or ing climate change in studyAntarctica. All told, ea ch year there are mo 50 grant-supported stu re tha n dent-faculty research and creative projects. type of experience tha It is tha t t PLU is known for — professors and stude side, conducting resea nts sid e-b yrch in the lab or in the field.

LIFE ON CAMPUS

TOP 10 reasons

why PLU can be a great fit for you

#5 es sustainability issu PLU is a leader on Report College Sustainability

2010 A- on the influential de in the When PLU received an it was the highest gra ng eri sid con , ver we Ho A. an live with it. PLU has Card, we wanted rvard and Yale – we can Ha rd, nfo Sta as e r, PLU recycles up nation – the sam eutral by 2020. Each yea n-n bo car be to t en like crazy. Every new made a commitm ing services composts din d an , ste wa r ou and rain gardens, to 70 percent of w solar panel systems ne ing ild bu ’re We . two tons of fresh building is green rden provides nearly ga y nit mu com run ships for and our studentn paid student fellow d banks. There are eve en. gre re mo produce for area foo n ke PLU eve find new ways to ma students who want to

10 LIFE ON CAMPUS

Rachel WattleyWilliams ’14 appreciates the connections she has th made on campus, bo nts de stu low fel r he th wi s sor fes and with the pro s sse cla all in her sm

h e profs actually teac

th Small classes where

taught sses, and all classes are y few large lecture cla ver ve ha student l a u’l yo are , u yo PLU At s good news if ching assistants. That’ tea t no low s, fel sor d fes an s pro by your professor se-up, hands-on, with clo rk d writwo an to rch nts ea wa res o wh ly involved in ’s professors are active PLU ile Wh s. ate ssm cla is you. ing, their first priority

Hometown: Bellevue, Wash. Major: Education Elementary and Special Interests: ent Union, Young Life, Black Stud m Lute Nation Step Tea

We know what it means to be successful PLU is distinguished by the way we measure success. Our goal is to prepare you not only for success in a career, but also for success in service to others. That’s evident in the number of Fulbright scholars we produce, and in our placement rates in graduate school and medical school. We’ve also established Career Connections, a full-time department that helps students prepare for the working world – from academic guidance and internship placement to resume writing, interviewing and networking skills. That said, we also know that success isn't always about landing the job that makes you the most money, but is also about exploring your interests, discovering your talents and pursuing your life passions. PLU is about that, too.

Clayton Bracht ’14 , Katie Holt ’14, Ca ssady Coulter ’14 and Ian Kinder-Pyl e ’14 all say their fin ancial aid packages we better at PLU than an re y other university the y applied to

97% of students rece

ive financial aid

We know that choosi ng a university is amon g the most important, life-shaping investme most nts you will ever make . And not just for you your entire family. To – for that end, remember that 97 percent of PLU receive some kind of stu dents financial aid. That’s a lot. So is this number: That’s the average fin $2 6,7 00. ancial aid package at PLU.

LIFE ON CAMPUS

TOP 10 reasons

why PLU can be a great fit for you

Ian Kinder-Pyle ’14 likes that PLU provides numerous opportunities to get involved – whether it is in student government, in the classroom, or on the ultimate Frisbee field Hometown: Spokane, Wash. Major: Political Science Interests: Ultimate Frisbee, ASPLU, General philosophizing and argumentation with his friends

#2 12 LIFE ON CAMPUS

We’re Lutheran – and proud of it. But it doesn’t mean you have to be (Lutheran, that is) All this might sound funny, given our middle name. PLU reaches out to students of all faiths and all backgrounds – the 23 percent that are Lutheran, and the 77 that aren’t. This is exactly what Lutheran education is all about – a commitment to academic freedom and a learning atmosphere where all perspectives on faith and reason are expressed openly.

#3 ents er job preparing stud Nobody does a bett for medical school to UW Medicine is the

students state that sends more The only school in the o med school? That’s st odds of getting int be ur yo are at wh So successful pre-med UW itself. sends 66 percent of its UW the nk thi u yo Do easy: PLU. offers smaller classes, rget it. But we do. PLU Fo l? oo sch d Get me to s undergrad At a big state school? th a pre-med advisor. wi e tim re mo e, tim more lab instead. in line. Or choose PLU

#1 If you have a passio n for the arts, there’ s no better place PLU has a passion for the arts. Whether yo u are here for drama there’s no better place. or music, PLU just dedicated a cutting-edge studio the at the heart of campu ater s, and now the perfo rming arts center ma under renovation. Th in sta ge is e acoustically brilliant Lagerquist Concert Ha Baker Russell Music Ce ll in Mary nter plays host to mo re than 100 annual con And unlike many oth certs. er universities and con servatories with exemp programs, PLU has op lary portunities (and schola rships!) for performers experience levels – yo of all u don’t even have to be a major or minor get involved. U to

LIFE ON CAMPUS

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

Reading

Why does PLU want every first-year student to read this book?

The new, and totally awesome, Common Reading Program at PLU When first-year students show up to campus this June for the class registration sessions called Charting Your Course, they’ll be leaving with more than course catalogs and paperwork associated with their newly registered classes. They’ll also be leaving with the novel “Into the Beautiful North,” by Luis Alberto Urrea. Homework already?!! Not really. But in the eyes of Starre Helm ’12, an English major who helped select the book, the arrival of this novel is an easy, and interesting, way for students to become acclimated to the intellectual rigor associated with classes at PLU. Helm was part of a small pilot reading program during orientation when she was a first-year student. She loved it. She also remembers what happened to her when she was in her very first class a few days later. “The prof asked the first question about something we read, and I remember thinking to myself, ‘Oh my gosh! I would have never thought of that!’ I freaked-out a little bit – this was not like high school,” she said. “But I could start feeling my brain shift gears, thanks in part to the book discussions we did during orientation,” Helm continued. “I relaxed, and soon the class wasn’t nearly as scary and intimidating.” That is exactly the point, said Amber Baillon, associate director of student involvement and leadership, and codirector of the Common Reading Program. “I kind of think of it as a sneak-peek of what you’ll get out of your college education,” Baillon said. The idea is this: By having everyone read the same book before they arrive to campus, everyone will start college with at least one shared experience. At the same time, because novels are always filtered through readers’ own experience and perspective, each student will come to campus with their own, individual, understanding of it. Then, during orientation, students will split into small groups with other first-years, older PLU students and faculty members to discuss the book. But here’s why it isn’t homework: Nobody is going to be graded. The discussions are more about having a common starting point where everyone (faculty included!) can begin to talk about their lives, their own identity, and the many different lenses through which we perceive life.

14 ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

“When you have something in common, it makes things a lot easier,” Baillon said of the reading program and its value to students. “And one of the most important parts is the relationships students get out of it.” For Helm, it was absolutely the right way to start her college education. “Was there a better way to start college?” Helm asks. She doesn’t think so. “I knew from the moment I got my book, PLU was invested in my education.” U — St e v e ha n s e n

So, is the book any good? “Into the Beautiful North” by Luis Alberto Urrea is the story of a 19-year-old woman from Mexico who, after realizing that all the men have left her small village looking for work, heads north to recruit seven men who will return to the village to repopulate it. Amber Baillon said the novel was selected because it is a very accessible novel that can be read through many different lenses. It touches on issues of race, gender and sexual orientation, as well as contemporary political and economic issues. Starre Helm, who helped pick the book, has a simpler description. “It is funny and it is serious. It is really easy to get sucked in.” And isn’t that what summer reading is all about?

Starre Helm ’12 thinks you should read this book.

ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

SOMETHING I THOUGHT I’D NEVER DO

ROBERT DENNING ’12

sailing

I never thought I’d enjoy sailing so much that I’d buy my own sailboat What college student buys a boat? When still in college?

to live on the boat – hard to argue with the view from this post-college bachelor pad.

Robert Denning ’12 did.

As unique as this is, Denning would say that much of his PLU experience has been filled with similar surprises. He discovered – and loved – ROTC here. He was able to try out several majors before discovering that religion both encouraged his personal faith and, at the same time, helped him ask a lot of questions about other faiths. His religion focus, in fact, is Islam.

The religion major from Bigfork, Mont., knows it sounds crazy. But isn’t that the point of college? To follow your passion, even when it is something slightly unusual? The story goes like this: During his sophomore year, Denning took a sailing course. He loved it. So much so, he started an aggressive plan to save up the money he was earning at college as a member of the U.S. Army ROTC. “I actually used methods from my business class to create a savings spreadsheet, which helped me partition-off chunks of money I earned from ROTC,” he said. A year and a half later, he had his sailboat. It’s parked in the marina in downtown Tacoma, a stone’s throw from the Museum of Glass. When he graduates in May, he plans

16 SOMETHING I THOUGHT I‘D NEVER DO

“I have friends who went to state schools and are doing exactly what they intended – and they are happy with that,” he said. “But they just don’t know as much about themselves; they haven’t tapped into their potential. “I came here very focused on what I thought I wanted to do,” Denning added. “And I found things I love even more.” — St e v e ha n s e n

SOMETHING I THOUGHT I‘D NEVER DO

18 DO THE MATH

Student loans can be useful tools to help you go to the college that fits you best. Now subtract your loan amounts from the total bill.

DECIDE ON YOUR LOANS

These include any scholarships and grants you’ve received from each school, federal scholarships and grants, and outside scholarships.

SUBTRACT OUT ALL YOUR SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS

Calculate your total tuition, fees, room and meal costs at each of the schools to which you have been admitted.

ADD UP THE COSTS

—

Minus your total loans

Total out of pocket expenses

—

$42,420

$9,620

$32,800

Pacific Lutheran University

Choice 2

Minus your total scholarships

TOTAL

Room and meals

Tuition and fees

School name

Choice 1

—

Choice 3

USE THIS WORKSHEET TO COMPARE PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS’ FINANCIAL AID OFFERS.

Comparing financial aid offers

Congratulations seniors! You’ve made it to the final stages of the college search and by now most of the pieces are probably falling into place. Now it’s time to work through the financial aid process. Sometimes the financial aid forms, acronyms and deadlines can be confusing. To help you through this process, we suggest the following steps.

BE SURE TO COMPARE - COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID WILL VARY AT EACH SCHOOL

Do the Math!

FOR OPTIMAL READABILITY Rotate head (or magazine) 90 degrees so the arrow on the right is pointing up.

THIS SIDE UP

FINANCIAL AID

DO THE MATH

Once you’ve subtracted your scholarships, grants and loans from your total cost, you’ll know your out-of-pocket costs for the semester. You can decide to pay the entire fall bill at once or you may choose to make monthly payments throughout the year.

Grow your mind, body and your spiritual life – at the same time.

Being a part of a community of students who care about their success and the well being of others.

Experience PLU’s nationally recognized global education that helps you understand your place in the world.

Engage in research and creative projects alongside a nationally recognized professor.

Achieve a degree that helps you earn a living, and more im portantly, builds a meaningful life of purpose after graduation.

Now that you know your costs at each school, remember to think about the big picture. Value is more than just a low price. Value is what you get for your money, and in the college setting, there are big differences among schools.

The value and distinction of the PLU experience

MANAGE YOUR COSTS

Graduating in four years versus five – Priceless A freshman chemistry class of 25 versus 250 – Priceless Having a fast track into an internship in your field … as a sophomore – Priceless Studying with veteran professors versus graduate-student teaching assistants – Priceless Having a personal academic advisor versus stumbling through a catalog and registering for classes online by yourself – Priceless

$180,000+

$140,000 - $159,999

$160,000 - $179,999

$120,000 - $139,999

100

$80,000 - $99,999

$60,000 - $79,999

$100,000 - $119,999

$20,000 - $39,999

$40,000 - $59,999

Number of aid recipients

<$20,000

Combined family income for first-year students, Fall 2011

$13,951

$14,151

$14,834

$15,182

$16,042

$18,371

$18,692

$21,944

$24,125

$24,263

Average total scholarships and grants from all sources

What’s the average total PLU scholarships and grants for your family’s combined income?

+ + + + +

What’s the value of PLU versus a big state school?

Ready to reserve your spot at PLU? All you need to do is submit the $200 Advance Tuition Deposit. The easiest way to pay your deposit is online at www.plu.edu/BeALute. You’ll be able to submit your deposit and complete the Residential Life Housing Form. It can’t get much easier than that!

This is exactly why you have to do the math.

Now that you’ve calculated your out-of-pocket expenses for each college, it’s time to compare total costs. After working through this process, you may be surprised that a school you thought was out of your financial reach is, in fact, within reach. For example, while a larger scholarship from one school may seem more prestigious and attractive, after you do the math, you may find out that a lesser scholarship from another college with a lower tuition price may actually be more valuable.

COMPARE YOUR COSTS AND DO THE MATH

One-on-One

Kory Brown, assistant professor of business

business

Working together

On Kory Brown’s office wall there is a small rectangular plaque. He earned it 17 years ago for his participation in a business simulation competition when he was an MBA student.

The plaque is a curious memento given Brown’s accomplishments since then: for nearly two decades, he worked in the semiconductor and wireless industries on communication technologies like Bluetooth, USB, IrDA, ZigBee and related smart grid technologies. In 2006, he left industry to earn a Ph.D. in management and strategy. So, given all those accomplishments, what was it about that plaque? “I learned more from that competition than I learned from my four-plus years of MBA school,” he said with a smile. (And this comes from a guy who was named his university’s MBA Student of the Year.) To be sure, Brown’s comment contains some amount of hyperbole. But there is a point to it. As someone who has been deeply involved in so many levels of business – R&D, marketing, strategy development, engineering and executive management – he’s keenly aware of what it takes to succeed. But as invigorating as the challenges were, Brown decided

20 ONE-ON-ONE

to exit industry, earn his Ph.D., and look for a university that would enable him to pass along the experience he had gained over the years. He says that in choosing the university where he would ultimately teach, his thought process was similar to that of a high school student looking for a college. (And considering he has a daughter in college now and a high school senior exploring all options, he has some recent experience.) Every university, after all, has its positives and negatives. Brown considered his options. “Do I want a larger school where there may be greater opportunities for research,” he asked. “Do I want a school where teaching is prized; where it is honored? “What kind of students do I want to teach,” he recalls asking himself. “In the end, I wanted to work with highcaliber students.” Brown chose PLU and has been an assistant professor of business here since 2010. While here, he has also been able to continue his research, much of it related to his activities in business. Of particular interest to Brown is analyzing how large-scale alliances work – it is something he actively researches and acts as a

Professor Brown and five of the six new students who will be competing in the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition in Long Beach, Calif., this year. We’ll find out in April how they did.

consultant with industry leaders. As an example, he cites his work with BluetoothTM standards. That work involves more than 15,000 firms that are members of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, and about 600 unique individuals who actively contributed knowledge to Bluetooth technology development. Members of these firms actively collaborate to advance Bluetooth technology and then return back to their companies to compete for profits. Brown, in essence, wants to understand these competitive and collaborative dynamics while competitors work together. And that gets us back to the plaque on his office wall. The idea of working together for a greater common good also describes the business competition that was so influential for Brown when he was an MBA student. It was, and still is, called the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition. Teams of students create a simulated company, develop a product concept and business model for that company, and then run that company – top to bottom – for a simulated 20 consecutive quarters. According to Brown, about every aspect of business is evaluated and measured in the competition.

petition was still going and supportive business school leaders created the opportunity to take six outstanding PLU students to the competition in Long Beach, Calif. “These students were amazing and so dedicated to learning, working and winning,” Brown shared as he described the hundreds of hours each student put into the competition. How well did they do in their first time ever participating in the event? “The challenges, emotions and achievements my students experience in the competition are pretty close to what I experienced in the business world,” he said. They took first place.

— St e v e H a n s e n

To read about last year’s award-winning team, visit: choose.plu.edu/icbs-2011

Last year, upon arriving at PLU, Brown discovered the com-

ONE-ON-ONE

_ _ _

GREAT NORTHWEST

rank Roberts ’13 has lived the majority of his life in Tacoma. Before Jill Heinecke ’13 came to PLU from Minnesota, she had never even been to Tacoma. So, we wondered: Can someone who has always lived here, and someone who’s never lived here find interesting things to do? According to the two: Absolutely YES. “You can go pretty much any direction and find something different,” said Roberts. “There’s always something to do, something new you haven’t seen.” Tacoma has something for everyone whether you’re a city lover, outdoorsy, or something in between. “I’m not a fan of large cities,” said Heinecke, “but I like having all the restaurants and theaters close by.” In fact, there are so many things that they wanted to do that they decided to create a list to keep track of it all. “We just have a list of to-do things that we’ve started crossing off,” said Heinecke. “I’m not normally a list person but I’m okay with it, since none of it’s stuff we have to do – it’s stuff we want to do.”

22 GREAT NORTHWEST

Check out the official Tacoma to-do list from Frank and Jill.

B y K ati e Scaff ’ 1 2

Ruston W ay (13.9 m

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ iles from The two campus) -mile lon g sc enic walk Way off ers a go w a y along Ru rgeous p mencem ston anoram ent Bay, ic view o V a sh f ComMounta o n Is la nd and th ins. Fran k remem e Olymp experien bers com ic c e P u ing here get Soun dad too to d’s beau k me alo ty as a k ng Rusto said Fran id. “My n Way w k. “It wa h e n s I was litt the first the wate le,” time I w r.” as out h ere on

GREAT NORTHWEST

teway th Tacoma, at welco the 500-f mes peo oot Chih Museum ple to uly Glass of Glass Bri with the Museum Washing dge links the and the ton State nearby T and Jill e H acoma A njoy visit where th rt Museu istory ing the ey can se m. Frank museum e glass a walking ’s “ Hot Sho rtists at alo p,” work, an and Taco ng the bridge, w d they e ma nativ hich wa njoy s conceiv e Dale C hihuly. ed by art ist

_ _

Chihuly G at the Mulass Bridge and th (10.4 mile seum of Glass e “Hot Shop” s from ca mpus) Known as the g a

campus) m o fr s e il m a bite to Masa (10.8 mpus to get

et off ca oth worlds. Jill like to g e best of b th s er Frank and ff o ety, a a lot of vari er and Mas and offers eat togeth ve si a s en k’ p ex an t too ause Fr Masa is no couple bec id Frank. fect for the er rnivore,” sa p ca is a h ic ch h u w m y tt r both re fo p ff s u . “She’ at offer st vegetarian items, d places th n n fi ia to ar d et ar eg h d non-v “It’s really getarian an iches and a offers ve lads, sandw sa s, p u so of us.” Mas , es h is d an exic including M rs like Jill. r meat-eate burgers fo

24 GREAT NORTHWEST

campus)

o s hidden Jill like to g of Tacoma’ Frank and nd. It’s one e other ra G lik e ed th d to w o only go and not cr le ab films that y rd fo an af d shows m n gems. “It’s ra G e to not Th said Jill. they’re sure theaters,” eaters and er seen a th ev al n n e io ’v it ad who said, “I aren’t in tr k, an Fr to according disappoint, ere.” th e vi o bad m

_ _ _ _ _ _

miles from

The Man dolin Ca fé isn’t ju latté, sa st a grea ndwich t place to or pizza surprise . You wil get a d with w l almost hat’s go die resta always b ing on a urant – e t th from triv e funky bluegra little inia nights ss music to an all festival. -weeken d

Cafe (11.1

Mandolin

nd Cinema a r G e th t a Movie om campus) ovies but they usually fr s e il m 5 1. (1 to the m

Wright Pa

rk (11.5

miles from Nestled campus) in the h eart of T place to acoma, walk aro W ri g ht Park un and Jill. is a grea The park d and hangout, t accordin is home vatory a g to Fra to a bea s well as nk u ti several sc ful bota from the nical con ulptures Spanish-A serand eve merican n a cann War. on

GREAT NORTHWEST

Point Def (15.3 mileiance Park & Zoo s from ca mpus) The cou ple also en

__ 26 GREAT NORTHWEST

joys Poin the only t Defian combine ce Park d zoo an Northwe and Zoo d aquari st. Frank , um in th has visit a year fo e Pacific ed the z r as long o o at least as he ca somethin once n remem gh fiance b ber and ecause th e shares with Jill now it’s . “I reall ere’s so Jill. In ad y many dif dition to ferent th like Point Dethe zoo also fea ings the and aqu tures a 7 re,” said a 0 rium, Po 2-acre p beaches int Defia ark with and spe n natural ctacular forest, sa ce views. ltwater

nt St. Helens u o M t a g in Hik ffers om campus) onument o (96.1 mileSts. Hfrelens National VolcaninicedM trails that lead

Mount t terof mainta magnificen 500 miles rough the th more than erupll Ji 80 d 19 Frank an m the epic o fr g hikers like s for n ri ie ve pportunit is still reco excellent o acs rain that w er o ff sn o e so park al g, and som in t b an im w tion. The cl ’t in you don s, mounta lths. And if vo n t scenic drive o n m ce r ifi te n ther mag ng the win there’s ano tivities duri nt Rainier. way there, e PLU – Mou th l to al r se o cl en to drive ev ’s plore that cano to ex

Titlow

m campus) o fr s e il m .1 Puget Beach (13 d down to

Northwes t (20.7 mileTrek s from

______

ea me we’ll h rite tle bit of ti lit a of their favo e e n av o h is “If we d to ow Beach an tl d Ti n u ll. o Ji ar id alk Sound,” sa n here to w to take a come dow great way a ’s It . spots. They ic n ic p g to Frank. al n in io rd as co cc ac have the o omework, h d an s se clas break from

campus)

Northwe st Trek fe atures a more th narrated an 400-a tram tou cres of m can see r throug eadows bison, elk h and fore , moose, wildlife. st s m where y o T h u e park a ntain go can see ou lso has a ats and predato other walking rs and sm tour wh all forest ere you and wetl and anim als. U

GREAT NORTHWEST

THE ARTS

Sculpture

Scarecrows

Since 2006, Spencer Ebbinga, assistant professor of art, has lead his Sculpture I class in creating autumn inspired works of art – scarecrows. The students are instructed to sculpt scarecrows, which act as a self-portrait. Each scarecrow is uniquely different depending on the student artist. While passers-by would not find any hay-stuffed farmers around campus, they did find a sparkled faced, pink haired, skeleton inspired creation, or a dirt-brown sculpture with a crown of leaves. In all, there were 16 scarecrows that graced the PLU campus. U – M a n di B r ady

To see a slideshow of professor Ebbinga’s students as they create their scarecrows, visit: choose.plu.edu/scarecrows

28 THE ARTS

THE ARTSIO29

YOUR NEW HOME

“Ninety percent of the time we’re just like any other student, but it’s the 10 percent of the time that really sets my experience apart.” – Etha n M a n th e y ’ 1 3

30 YOUR NEW HOME

HONG HALL Living in another language

HONG International Hall by the numbers n

85 students

3 floors, 6 wings distinguished by the wing's shared academic pursuit in one of the following areas: n

• The Chinese House (Chinese) • Norskhuset (Norwegian) • Deutsches Haus (German) • La Maison Francaise (French) • el Albergue Mosiaco (Spanish) • International Honors

Hong is the product of a partnership between the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and Residential Life

4 washers and 4 dryers

6 Resident Assistants and 6 Residence Hall Council executives n

3 kitchens with composting bins

n 1

main lounge, 2 hall lounges, and 1 study room n 2

classrooms - residents roll out of bed and into class!

Language Resource Center Satellite Office located inside the hall

The way Ethan Manthey ’13 looks at it, 90 percent of his time at PLU is like that of any other student: he’s busy with his two majors (economics and environmental studies), his clubs (he’s president of the environmental action club and member of the rock climbing club) and his pursuits outside campus (like skiing at White Pass Ski Area southeast of PLU). What makes his life different, however, is that other 10 percent. Manthey is one of nine students who live in the Norwegian Wing of Hong International Hall. There, he and his wing-mates practice speaking Norwegian, listen to Norwegian pop music, or munch-down Norwegian candy. “Ninety percent of the time we’re just like any other student, but it’s the 10 percent of the time that really sets my experience apart,” Manthey said. Norskhuset, as it is called, is one of six wings that make up a unique partnership between the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and Residential Life. In each wing of Hong Hall, students are grouped by their interest – Chinese, German, Norwegian, French, Spanish and international honors. There, students have a unique chance to really immerse themselves in a language or culture.

You don’t have to be a language major to get in a wing – Manthey isn’t – you just have to be dedicated to the spirit of n Host of annual Hong Discoteca the hall. He spent a high school year in Norway, learned the language, and then decided Norskhuset would be the best place, as he said, “to continue to live that bi-cultural experience.” For Manthey, that experience means living like any college student – but he’s just doing it in Norwegian. And that, in the end, gets Manthey really excited. “The Norwegian you use in the hall is a lot more fun,” he said with a smile. “If you're building your language skills, you need the part of the language that you can’t always say in class.” —STEVE HANSEN U

Photos by Taylor Capellaro ’14 and Briana Frenchmore ’13

YOUR NEW HOME

Profi

Isamar Henriquez ’13

Major

Political Science

Hometown

Puerto Cortes, Chivana, Honduras

Interests

Hang out in the Diversity Center, work as the chair of the diversity committee for ASPLU, hang out in Downtown Tacoma.

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 atmosphere at PLU. Hundreds of students visit each year. To schedule your visit go to www.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 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 Isamar 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

Me, Ke Alexis li, Katie and an eve talking abou nt for t A.I.D .S. da World y

ara, Me, Elizabeth, Ki for Nate, Nadia plan Black Student Union topic

They s h “great ould add waffle the si s” to gn Street on Garfiel d

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.

s Discussing a clas in reading in the Adm building

Cour t me a ney show in g artic ender stu g le on dies her i Pad

Common transport here on campus

Want to see more? VISIT THE PLU VIRTUAL TOUR www.choose.plu.edu/virtualtour

The gum tree on lower campus. Is this one fresh?

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

LUTE PRIDE

School Spirit

Look like a Lute

numerous intramural opportunities. There is always something going on around campus, in the gym, or on the field – if you like to play, or if you just like to cheer.

PLU HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN as a sports powerhouse. Our 20 men’s and women’s intercollegiate teams – plus four club teams – regularly compete at the conference, regional and national levels. And then there are the

So, with that in mind, we asked Greg Fredlund ’11 from Hillsboro, Ore., and a goalkeeper for the men’s lacrosse club team, to provide us some important insight when it comes to getting revved-up to cheer on the mighty Black and Gold. U

DON’T

Forget to ask yourself an important first question: Will you be painting your entire body, or just your face?

DON’T

Use mustard as emergency replacement – it is hard on your skin. Plus, you’ll smell like a hot dog.

DON’T

Use spraypaint or other items labeled “permanent.” (Even if attending a multi-day tournament.)

DON’T

34 LUTE PRIDE

Lick your face if using lemon-flavor cake icing as emergency facepaint replacement. (It looks creepy.)

Eat Cheetos until facepaint is completely dry.

Forget: KISS isn’t cool anymore.

APPLY

INVEST

How has the investment in PLU paid off for you?

“PLU is not just about getting a good education and a good job – it is more than that. It is also about finding what makes your heart sing – discovering what you are really passionate about.” Kate Pritchard ’14 Major: Hispanic Studies Hometown: Portland, Ore.

“This is a great school to get really involved, and develop an understanding of what it means to find your calling – to find out what you are supposed to do with your life.” Lucas Kulhanek ’14 Majors: Religion and Hispanic Studies Hometown: Wenatchee, Wash.

“PLU’s small classes have been perfect for me – I didn’t want to be just another number and here, that is definitely not the case.” Rayanne Streeter ’12 Major: Sociology Hometown: Auburn, Wash.

“There is so much opportunity to get involved – it makes me grow stronger in who I am. I love that.” Erica Boyle ’13 Major: Psychology

Hometown: Lakewood, Colo.

Apply Online! We think you might find that PLU is a great investment too. If you haven’t yet applied for the 2012-13 school year, it is not too late. Call a counselor in the Office of Admission at 800-274-6758, or visit

www.choose.plu.edu/apply

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.0212

ON CAMPUS (AND OFF)

Prelude Members of the Choir of the West, University Chorale and the University Symphony Orchestra prepare for their concert in Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, which would take place later that evening. Each year, more than 100 concert performances take place on – and off – campus, featuring students, faculty artists and guest performers in an incredible array of musical styles and media.