In 1968, when he was 20, Louis Slangen ’69 left his family’s farm in the Netherlands for America. He brought along two suitcases, $200, and a game plan. After spending his senior year as an exchange student at the University of Puget Sound, his plan was to go on to earn an MBA, work in the United States for a few years, and return to the Netherlands. But the best laid plans often go awry — and sometimes, he says, they turn out even better.
Bree Beal ’97 and Lauren DiMaggio Jorgensen ’06 were quintessential theater kids. Jorgensen remembers belting out songs with her Fisher Price microphone, while Beal would dress her stuffed animals in costumes and have them perform short plays she created.
Now, these Loggers form the backbone of BEAT Children’s Theatre in Bend, Oregon.
When Northwest Repertory Singers (NWRS) gather to rehearse, the room fills with laughter, harmony, and an unmistakable bond that connects many University of Puget Sound alumni. This season, that shared energy feels even more special as NWRS celebrates its 25th anniversary and honors a legacy rooted at Puget Sound.
“You know, there is actually an art form to being curious. There is an art form to not knowing yet. And I have to remind myself [of that] every day.”
That’s what Grace Youn ’13 concluded near the end of a visit to campus in February, after she had given two master classes to students and community members as well as the Spring 2026 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture in Public Affairs and the Arts titled “The Art of Not Knowing Yet.”
Summer Reunion Weekend 2026 is just around the corner! While official reunion activities have varied over the years, Loggers have been getting together for as long as students have been joining the ranks of alumni.
In these archive photos from 1949 and 1971, campus community members of all types celebrated summertime with an enduring classic: the picnic.
For the last five decades, the Tides Tavern, founded by Logger Peter Stanley ’69, has been a beloved spot to grab a bite on the Gig Harbor waterfront. The historic eatery, which opened in 1973, entered a new era in January 2026 after it was acquired by the Anthony’s Restaurants chain. Amy Burns, president and CEO of Anthony’s Restaurants, said the company would maintain the beloved aspects of the Tides, including the menu, the team, the dockside service, and the award-winning women’s restroom (if you know, you know).
The University of Puget Sound is celebrating major milestone anniversaries for three honor societies this year. Phi Kappa Phi is in its 50th year, Phi Beta Kappa is in its 40th, and Phi Eta Sigma (formerly SPURS) is in its 20th. Mortar Board celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022.
"One of the greatest joys of my presidency has been the opportunity to work alongside you — our incredible alumni. Whether meeting you at events, welcoming you back to our beautiful campus for Homecoming, or seeing the way you mentor our students, I am constantly inspired by the way you carry the ‘To the Heights’ spirit into the world. You are the living legacy of this university, and your passion for this institution has been a primary source of energy for me throughout my tenure.
At the University of Puget Sound, the classroom has always been more than a place where faculty deliver information to students. It is where conversations unfold as students test ideas and begin the challenging and rewarding work of thinking itself.
For more than 700 Loggers, that work does not end at graduation. Today, they stand at the front of classrooms and labs around the world, continuing a lifelong relationship with learning, teaching, and discovery.
