On May 30, a small orchestra at Carnegie Hall will perform an original song written by University of Puget Sound graduate Madison Hening ’26. Hening’s piece, titled “Lily Rose,” was written for a class as part of the Lullaby Project, which pairs new and expectant parents with artists to compose personal lullabies for their families.

When Rocio Guevara Perez ’23, MAT’26 walked through the doors of Lincoln High School in Tacoma, it was a full circle moment. After leaving Lincoln as a high school graduate seven years earlier, she was now returning as a student teacher, completing her internship as part of the University of Puget Sound’s Master of Arts in Teaching program. For Guevara Perez, it was both a homecoming and a chance to help students like her succeed.

With the FIFA World Cup 2026™ less than a month away, the University of Puget Sound has launched a new Faculty Experts page — a resource designed to connect journalists, community members, and organizations with faculty whose scholarship and experience bring depth to the global tournament.

University of Puget Sound Assistant Professor of Biology Elisa Frankel has launched a new research program focused on synapses, the vital connections between brain cells, following a successful grant proposal to the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. The project investigates the molecular mechanisms that help synapses remain stable as the nervous system ages.  

Rovin Ian Antonio ’23, DPT’26 is graduating with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. An army veteran and Puget Sound alumnus, Antonio has been a steadfast leader within his cohort, serving as co-president of the Student Physical Therapy Association. In this role, he organized program-wide events and secured partnerships to fund student research and global travel. Antonio also coordinated the Fall 2025 PT/OT Job Fair, connecting more than a hundred students with potential employers.

Isa Fitzgibbons ’26 is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts. Since joining the University of Puget Sound as a transfer student, Isa has distinguished herself as an exemplary scholar and artist, stepping into leadership roles both on and off the stage. In 2025, she studied abroad in London and was one of 15 students to receive the Agricola Scholar Award, which she used to develop Every Sound I’ve Ever Made, an original one-woman show weaving together writing from various women authors.

The University of Puget Sound will launch a new interdisciplinary emphasis in Artificial Intelligence and Human Values in Fall 2026, offering students a structured pathway to understand AI not just as a technology but as a force reshaping democracy, creativity, health care, law, and human relationships.

Abi Longbottom ’26, a politics and government major at the University of Puget Sound, has been honored as a 2026 ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) award recipient. She was recognized alongside 168 students across the country for their contributions to creating a more civically engaged culture within their campus communities.