Brendan Lanctot, professor of Hispanic studies at the University of Puget Sound, has been recognized by the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Nineteenth Century Section for his chapter, “Civic Festivals, Popular Spectacles, and the Art of Drawing Republics.” He earned an Honorable Mention from the organization, highlighting Lanctot’s innovative exploration of how 19th-century public spectacles shaped political identities in Latin America.
University of Puget Sound is a learning community where students benefit from faculty and staff mentorship to develop a lifelong love of learning. Whether standing in front of the classroom or working behind the scenes, this year’s retirees have a shared commitment to supporting students and promoting intellectual curiosity. Together, they represent over 300 years of service to the university and an invaluable resource to the community.
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.
Josh Cunningham ’25 sees the world differently. A Lillis Scholar with a double major in biochemistry and studio art, he finds overlap between the realms of science and of art in everything. So, when he decided to pursue a summer research project heading into his senior year at the University of Puget Sound, he knew it needed to involve bringing his two disciplines together.
