Pacific Lutheran University
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pacific Lutheran University is located in the Parkland suburb of Tacoma, Washington. As of September 2006, PLU had a student population of 3,640 and approximately 250 full-time faculty. It currently consists of the College of Arts and Sciences (consisting of the Division of Humanities, the Division of Natural Sciences, and the Division of Social Sciences), the School of the Arts, School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Nursing, and the School of Physical Education.
Founded in 1890 by Scandinavian immigrants to further Lutheran higher education in the Pacific Northwest, PLU is an institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The school merged with Everett's Columbia College in 1920, became a two-year school, and resumed operations as Pacific Lutheran College. Spokane College merged with Pacific Lutheran College nine years later. PLC resumed awarding four-year degrees in 1939. Pacific Lutheran regained university status in 1960. PLU retains strong ties with its Scandinavian heritage, having been visited multiple times by Norwegian and Swedish monarchs and the Norwegian Parliament, Stortinget.
The university is particularly known for its music department and touring ensembles, including the Choir of the West, and the Christmas concerts held each December. PLU's sports teams are called the Lutes.
PLU offers the following degrees:
- Bachelor's: Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Science; Bachelor of Arts in Education; Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education; Bachelor of Arts in Recreation; Bachelor of Business Administration; Bachelor of Fine Arts; Bachelor of Music; Bachelor of Music Education; Bachelor of Musical Arts; Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Bachelor of Science in Physical Education.
- Master's: Master of Arts in Education; Master of Arts in Education with Initial Certification; Master of Arts in Social Sciences, Marriage and Family Therapy; Master of Business Administration; Master of Science in Nursing.
[edit] Campus
The campus of PLU is unofficially divided into two sections, Upper Campus and Lower Campus, with a hill dividing them. Upper Campus is home to:
- Harstad Hall, or "Old Main", the oldest building on campus, once housed the whole university but is now used as a residence hall. It is an all female hall, the only single sex hall on campus.
- Phillip Hauge Administration Building
- University Center
- Eastvold Chapel
- Mortvedt Library
- Xavier Hall
- Ramstad Hall
- Ingram Hall
- Mary Baker Russell Music Center and Lagerquist Concert Hall
- Stuen Hall
- Ordal Hall
- Kreidler Hall (Originally West Hall)
- Hinderlie Hall (Originally South Hall for Women) became the mens' hall on campus, officially Hinderlie, but widely nicknamed "Rainier" or "Rainier House" from the 1970's to the early '90's. "Rainier" housed primarily new students and members of the varsity football team in the 1980's. Hinderlie went co-ed in 1993.
- Hong International Hall (Originally East Hall).
Lower Campus includes:
- Rieke Science Center
- Olson Auditorium
- Memorial Gymnasium
- Names Fitness Center
- Columbia Center
- Morken Center for Learning and Technology
- Foss, Pflueger, Tingelstad and South Residence Halls
- University Golf Course
- Keck Observatory
Additional buildings off campus are also used for University purposes, including offices, the Wang Center for International Studies, East Campus, and Trinity Lutheran Church.
For a visual, see these WikiMapia coordinates.
The rose window, located in Eastvold Chapel, has been a symbol of PLU since its dedication in 1952. The stained-glass window is eight feet in diameter and contains many elements of Christian theology.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Edna Goodrich '41, '65: National leader in women's correction work.
- Marv Harshman '42: Nation's winningest college basketball coach when retired at end of 40-year career.
- William Foege '57: Worked with World Health Organization to eradicate smallpox, former director of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Carter Center.
- Lois Capps '59: United States Representative, 22nd Congressional District, California.
- Lute Jerstad '58: Part of the first U.S. team to conquer Mt. Everest.
- Peter Wang '60: Came to PLU from Taiwan and went on to become a university professor and businessman who last year donated $4 million to endow the Wang Center for International Programs.
- Doug Herland '73: Bronze medalist in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
- Joyce Barr '76: United States Ambassador to Namibia.
- Paul Stumme-Diers '82: Became a pastor and now at the age of 41, the youngest bishop in the ELCA.
- Elizabeth Pulliam '85: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
- Rick Larsen '87: United States Representative, 2nd Congressional District, Washington.
- Connor Trinneer '92: Starred as Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III in Star Trek: Enterprise
- Ingrid Ford '97: Works with Doctors Without Borders, conducting AIDS research in Africa.
[edit] External links
| Northwest Conference |
|---|
| George Fox • Lewis & Clark • Linfield • Pacific • Pacific Lutheran • Puget Sound • Whitman • Whitworth • Willamette |
| Colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America |
|---|
| Augsburg • Augustana (IL) • Augustana (SD) • Bethany • California Lutheran • Capital • Carthage • Concordia • Dana • Finlandia • Gettysburg • Grand View • Gustavus Adolphus • Lenoir-Rhyne • Luther (IA) • Midland • Muhlenberg • Newberry • Pacific Lutheran • Roanoke • St. Olaf • Susquehanna • Texas Lutheran • Thiel • Wagner • Waldorf • Wartburg • Wittenberg |
Categories: Northwest Conference | Universities and colleges affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | Tacoma, Washington | Universities and colleges in Washington | Liberal arts colleges | Historically Norwegian-American universities and colleges | Lutheran universities and colleges
