Three University of Puget Sound students, Julio Deloya-Garcia ’27 of San Jose, California; Hayes Freeman ’26 of Crested Butte, Colorado; and Isabeau Fuller ’27 of St. Peter, Minnesota, have been awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships by the U.S. Department of State for study abroad trips through Spring 2026.
It is not uncommon to see a toddler talking to themselves. Self-talk is so common that scientists have termed it a normal part of human language development. Research conducted by Erin Colbert-White, associate professor of psychology at the University of Puget Sound, suggests a surprising parallel between self-talk and the self-directed vocalizations of a home-reared parrot.
It’s summer in Tacoma and school may be out of session, but for the middle and high school students enrolled in the University of Puget Sound’s Summer Academic Challenge, it’s the perfect time to gain new skills and stave off summer learning loss.
Sports have always been a core part of Kaila Bonawitz’s identity. Growing up in an athletic family first in Hawai`i and later in Washington, she played soccer and volleyball, but an ACL and meniscus injury threw her plans of pursuing college athletics in doubt. She recovered, but had to switch gears to a new sport—golf. It was a decision that would ultimately lead her to the University of Puget Sound.
Good afternoon, Class of 2025, faculty, family, and friends.
Today, we celebrate not just an achievement but a transition, a moment where we take everything we’ve learned at Puget Sound and step into the world beyond. Over the years, we’ve challenged ourselves, expanded our perspectives, and grown into the people we are today. As we look to new opportunities and uncertainties, I want to remind each of you: we are ready.
During his internship in an acute psychiatric care facility, University of Puget Sound Occupational Therapy student Conner Kankelborg OTD’25 noticed Indigenous patients falling through the cracks of the healthcare system. Oftentimes, they were discharged without being referred to specific tribal health resources. The care they received didn’t always consider traditional knowledge and healing—factors that greatly improve tribal clients’ health outcomes.
University of Puget Sound will honor its graduates on Sunday, May 11, at 2 p.m. as part of its 133rd Commencement. The ceremony at Baker Stadium will celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2025, including both undergraduates and students completing one of Puget Sound’s five graduate programs.
It all started with a work-study job during Iliana Barnes Diaz’s first semester at the University of Puget Sound. She was tasked with raising voter engagement on campus—a daunting challenge for a first-year student who had only just become eligible to vote. Over the course of her four years at Puget Sound, Barnes Diaz has become passionate about civic engagement and showing up at the ballot box to demand change at the local, state, and national level.
