April 2008
Kent resident finds his voice-and his calling
Alumnus Noah Baetge has performed with the Seattle Opera and is currently a member of its Young Artists program, which trains young musicians pursuing a career in opera. As a Mary Baker Russell scholar at PLU, he discovered his talent for vocal performance.
Kent Reporter, April 05, 2008
PLU conference: Men’s program studies violence against women
At the PLU Men Against Violence program conference titled “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: Men’s Role in Ending Violence Against Women,” Sut Jhally, founder and executive director of the Media Education Foundation, presented the keynote address. Jhally is a documentary filmmaker who monitors the depiction of violence against women in the media.
The News Tribune, April 08, 2008
American witness to Rwandan genocide speaks out to prevent repeat in Darfur
Carl Wilkens, the only American to remain in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide, shared his experience with a PLU audience. A missionary in Rwanda, Wilkins stayed through the violence to bring supplies to orphanages and help rebuild a church. Currently, Wilkins is a full time speaker who shares his experience to encourage interest in the genocide occurring in Sudan’s Darfur region.
The News Tribune, April 16, 2008
Guns don’t belong in the hands of administrators, professors, or students
Jesus Villahermosa, founder of Crisis Reality Training and the former director of Campus Safety, advocates against the use of concealed weapons on college campuses. Villahermosa cites both logistical and ethical concerns that, in his opinion, make the use of concealed weapons an inappropriate response to school violence.
The Chronicle of Higher Education, April 18, 2008
Rally backs Alan Ingram for Tacoma schools superintendent
Sid Olufs, professor of political science, shared his support for Alan Ingram, a candidate in the Tacoma School District’s superintendent search. A member of the Education Action Group, Olufs actively monitored the school district’s search.
The News Tribune, April 23, 2008
Campus Community Gathers: PLU mourns death of football player, girlfriend
The campus community gathered to remember the lives of junior Brady Freeman and senior Jocelyn Denham who were killed in a car accident in Eastern Washington. Freeman was an offensive lineman for the PLU football team. Denham was active in the Boys & Girls Club of the South Puget Sound, and she was majoring in history.
The News Tribune, Daily News (Cowlitz), Spokesman Review, USA Today, The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, Skagit Valley Herald, April 27, 2008
Power of words rests in putting them into action
Jill Russell, a senior communication major studying away in London, discusses the influence and power of words in her own life and in our nation’s history. She cites the words of Adolph Hitler, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. as evidence of the power of words.
The News Tribune, April 27, 2008
Program brings popular author to PLU
A presentation by Alexander McCall Smith, author of the best-selling “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency,” drew 2,000 fans to PLU’s Olson Auditorium. It was the culminating event of the first Pierce County Reads program.
The News Tribune, April 27, 2008

