When Emily Mitchell ’23 arrived in Kyoto, Japan, for 12 months of intensive language study, she carried more than a suitcase. As the University of Puget Sound’s Miki Memorial Scholar, she represented the university in a program designed to strengthen cultural understanding and friendship between Japan and the United States.
It wasn't a fictional plot twist but a real-life 19th-century cold case that had Mia Steiner ’27 and her classmates huddled around a whiteboard, mapping out suspects and motives. The students were investigating the infamous 1880 Donnelly family murders — an unsolved case that took place in Canada more than a century ago. Their work was part of a Puget Sound class, Murder and Mayhem Under the Microscope, taught by Amy Fisher, professor of Science, Technology, Health, and Society.
Everywhere Anna Dery ’27 looks, she sees stories waiting to be told. As a student at the University of Puget Sound double majoring in art history and economics and minoring in Spanish, Dery has spent her college career seeking out new opportunities to learn and grow. Whether studying abroad in Denmark, telling stories on her radio show, or starting a club for runners, Dery continues to find creative ways to express herself while building community.
University of Puget Sound has been recognized for its strong commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges: 2026 Edition.
The University of Puget Sound’s Taiko drumming club was not just an extracurricular activity for Lev Jersan '26 — it was a primary reason he chose to apply.
His journey from Missouri to Washington is a great example of the Puget Sound experience. It’s the opportunity to find a deep sense of community and fully invest in a passion. The Taiko club, known as Yume Daiko, serves as a home for students of all backgrounds, from those like Jersan who sought it out for years, to those who simply walk in curious, never having heard about it at all before.
Walking around the University of Puget Sound's campus, you're immediately surrounded by a rich and vibrant landscape. Trees, shrubs, and native plants fill the area, creating a living environment that supports and shelters a wide variety of animals and other plants. This ecosystem isn't just beautiful to look at — it plays a vital role in the physical health of students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
The University of Puget Sound is honored to announce that Dr. Vanessa Gomez Brake, the senior associate dean for Religious and Spiritual Life at the University of Southern California (USC), will deliver the Swope Endowed Lecture at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2025, in Kilworth Memorial Chapel.
