Check out these 10 stories you may have missed this year
It’s been yet another incredible year at the University of Puget Sound. From launching innovative new programs to celebrating the accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, there are so many Logger stories that highlight the power of a liberal arts education to transform lives. Here are 10 stories from 2025 that you may have missed.
Puget Sound is launching a hybrid Master of Education in Counseling program. The program, which builds on the success of the School of Education’s successful MEd graduate program, comes at a critical time when the demand for qualified mental health professionals is surging, and the capacity for training them is shrinking.
“This program not only equips students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed but also provides the flexibility to make education accessible to a wider range of individuals, directly addressing regional needs,” said Heidi Morton, associate professor and director of the MEd Counseling program.
For four years, Iliana Barnes Diaz ’25 worked to increase student voter registration and turnout. Her efforts helped Puget Sound earn the 2022 Gold Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for achieving the highest voter registration rate among four-year institutions nationwide — an impressive feat in a midterm election year. For her service to the campus community, Barnes Diaz was honored with the Governor’s Student Civic Leadership Award and the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award.
“I was raised to feel responsible to my community,” Barnes Diaz said. “If you want to see change, you have to be a part of that change. Those values are what led me to do civic engagement work in the first place.”
After winning the coveted Lamberth Cup for a third consecutive year, the Logger Crew team had something else to celebrate — a $1.05 million gift from alumnus Richard N. Laurance ’74 to establish an endowment to sustain the school’s 60-plus-year tradition of competitive rowing. Laurance fell in love with rowing during his time as a student. After graduation, he went on to compete professionally before embarking on a 22-year coaching career.
“This endowment is something that will support the program long-term,” Laurance said. “I’ve been fortunate in life, and I wanted to give back — I’m hoping this will inspire other alums to join in.”
This past year, Hurley Scholar Cecilia Turetzky ’26 launched a mobile blood pressure clinic to provide hypertension screenings and education across Tacoma. Turetzky was inspired by her role as a volunteer at the Neighborhood Clinic, which serves individuals without insurance or those who face significant barriers to accessing medical care. For her service to the community, Turetzky received the Student Civic Leadership Award from the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good.
“I hope that people, if they read this story, realize that you don’t need a degree or title in order to make a difference in your community,” Turetzky said. “You just have to be willing to ask, ‘what can I do to help?’”
At this year’s Homecoming football game, the university unveiled a new look for Grizz, the Loggers’ No. 1 fan. The new design honors the original mascot that was introduced in 2005 and celebrates the 115th anniversary of the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound (ASUPS).
“Grizz is so much more than a mascot. Grizz plays a pivotal role as an icon, ambassador and emotional connection to our Puget Sound spirit and values,” said Chelsea Herman, director of athletics. “We look to Grizz to unite, inspire, engage, and provide a shared identity for our students, staff, faculty, and alumni.”
A report published by Puget Sound drew national attention this fall for its findings on how colleges can better support incarcerated students pursuing higher education. The report, Bridging the Divide: Teaching and Learning Across Higher Education in Prison Programs, led by Professor Tanya Erzen, identifies systemic barriers that prevent incarcerated students from receiving the same academic and student support services available to on-campus students and offers practical recommendations for higher education in prison programs.
“Education in a prison setting isn’t just about transferring knowledge — it’s a transformative act that can redefine a person’s future,” Erzen said. “By fully investing in these students, we are not only changing individual lives but also strengthening our communities and our democracy.”
Bikes are a common sight on campus and around Tacoma. In this feature article from Arches, Puget Sound’s alumni magazine, alumni, students, faculty, and staff share their love of cycling, from commuting to competing in the Paralympics to setting a new world record for circumnavigating the globe by bike.
“Time spent on a bike is never time wasted,” said alumna and ultra-endurance racer Lael Wilcox ’08. “You can process everything you’re experiencing, everything you’re learning. Yes, there’s a lot of stimulation, but there are also opportunities to let your mind go free.”
Over winter break, 13 students, four alumni, and three professors traveled to the remote Galápagos Islands to learn about natural history and environmental issues in one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. The group’s itinerary included water- and land-based excursions, with daily activities that included snorkeling alongside sea lions and tropical fish, hiking through volcanic landscapes, and visiting conservation sites home to the famous Galápagos tortoises.
“It’s one thing to study environmental science in the Pacific Northwest, but going somewhere entirely different gives you a whole new perspective,” Professor Kena Fox-Dobbs said. “Experiential learning like this helps students become global scholars, understanding not just ecosystems but the cultures and communities that depend on them.”
This year, Puget Sound’s Summer Academic Challenge celebrated 35 years of offering a tuition-free, four-week enrichment program for students in grades 7 to 12. Over the course of the program, students explore real-world issues through an innovative, project-based STEAM curriculum. In addition to time on campus, whether in the classroom, lab, outdoors, or in the library, students learn teamwork, refine their writing and oral presentation skills, and participate in field trips and special events.
“The idea is to provide opportunities to students who may not have had the same academic opportunities as others to really immerse themselves in the sciences,” says Professor Peter Hodum.
This year, alumna Zoe Branch ’18 interviewed alumni who are walking unconventional paths to rewarding careers in the show business industry for Arches. For some Loggers, that looks like making their way — often solo and as independent contractors — through the worlds of comedy, film, theater, and more; for others, pursuing a career in the arts through an established institution offers an opportunity for financial stability and a chance to approach their artistry from a different angle. All of them, however, share a love of the art-making itself: a quality that keeps them engaged in what can be a difficult but incredibly rewarding line of work.
“If you’re willing to say yes to them,” Allegra Ritchie ’18 said, “there are so many opportunities that arise for cool, weird projects that might just change your whole outlook on show business.”
Want to help make more Logger stories possible? Give today to help us write the next chapter in the Puget Sound story. Make your gift today.
