Pacific Lutheran University

PLU seeks to educate students for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care—for other people, for their communities and for the Earth. Founded in 1890 by Norwegian immigrants, PLU is an exemplar of the New American University—integrating the liberal arts, professional studies and civic engagement—in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. With distinctive international programs and close student-faculty research opportunities, PLU seeks to educate its 3,100 students for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care—for other people, for their communities and for the Earth. The distinctive tradition of Lutheran higher education helps students from all faiths and backgrounds discern their life’s vocation through coursework, mentorship and internships at world-class Puget Sound-area businesses and institutions. Located in the Parkland neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington, PLU is set in a region that also offers vast opportunities for outdoor recreation, culture and sports. To support students and faculty as they explore life’s big questions and engage in fulfilling and meaningful work, the university established the Wild Hope Center for Vocation through a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment. A distinctively hopeful exploration, the search for vocation that faculty and students undertake together endures even in the face of the untamed and unpredictable nature of the world in which we live. The first American university to have Study Away classes on all seven continents simultaneously, PLU is also the first private university on the West Coast to receive the prestigious Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. An honoree on President Obama’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, PLU hosts an Emmy Award-winning MediaLab; a MacArthur Award-winning detachment of Army ROTC; and more than 100 clubs and activities, including 19 varsity athleti...