During the 1939–40 academic year, 16 students of Japanese ancestry formed the Japanese Students’ Club at what was then known as the College of Puget Sound and, as a gift to the school, planted 16 Japanese cherry trees in a “friendship circle” next to Anderson Hall. 

Just two years later, on the heels of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government ordered that the 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast be removed and incarcerated in internment camps. That number included 36 students at Puget Sound. 

As one of the students participating in the inaugural year of Puget Sound’s study-abroad program in Dijon, France, I was dropped into a gastronomically rich region—the heart of Burgundy wine country—for a semester. Of course I valued the academic courses, and being there definitely helped hone my language skills. But those months of exploring the region and having so many meals that demonstrated the melding of food and wine in French culture had a big impact on my future career path as well. That experience helped encourage my return to France to attend cooking school a few years later.

One of wine’s secret powers is that it stimulates all five physical senses. We look at its beautiful color in the glass. We appreciate its aromas, feel its texture and weight on the palate, and taste the miracle of fermentation that transforms grape juice into something that seldom tastes like a grape. Finally, we clink glasses in a toast, creating a bit of music to complete the experience. 

Who can resist? Now even people who do not consume alcohol can share in the wine experience because of the rise of quality de-alcoholized wines in America and around the world. 

Whether filled with milk crates and lava lamps or LED lights and laptops, residence rooms at Puget Sound have always been more than just places to sleep. It’s the place where you go to relax after class, where you learn to fold your own laundry, where you spend all night writing a term paper, and where friendships are forged that can last for a lifetime. 

The University of Puget Sound is proud to announce five new inductees to the Logger Athletics Hall of Fame. Emily Lau ’07, Janece Levien ’09, Chris Myhre, Al Roberts ’68, and Jill Voorhies ’02 will be honored during Homecoming & Family Weekend, Oct. 10–12, 2025.

“This is an exceptional class of inductees who have made significant contributions to Logger Athletics," said Interim Athletic Director Jeff Thomas. “Their achievements and dedication have left an enduring legacy on our programs, and we are thrilled to welcome them into the Hall of Fame.”

So in 2011—one year after his retirement from General Electric—the longtime clarinetist founded the Seattle Wind Symphony, an all-volunteer group of mostly professional musicians whose concerts feature top musical guests from around the country. 

More than a decade later, Kern, 83, who served as symphony president until 2018 and is now president emeritus, is proud the symphony has found the dedicated audience he believed would embrace it. 

Whether he was working with legislators on key educational issues as part of the U.S. National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or helping University of Puget Sound students just beginning their collegiate journey, Pietenpol’s desire to help others has been unyielding. 

And to think, it all started with a food and safety committee. 

Vincent Maurer, who felt drained due to a demanding career in healthcare and the death of his sister, hadn’t ridden since he was a teenager, but as soon as he was back on the bike, he felt his burdens disappear. “It was just this therapeutic thing that was incredibly freeing,” he recalls. “It made me feel like I was a kid all over again.” 

She volunteered at a local zoo in her hometown of San Jose, Calif., thinking she was interested in being a veterinarian, but later shifted her focus to human health. As a second-year Matelich Scholar at Puget Sound, Jiang was accepted to a prestigious medical school through an accelerated pathway with support from staff in Puget Sound’s Health Professions Advising program. But it was an internship with the Neighborhood Clinic in Tacoma that solidified her passion for helping patients navigate the complex world of healthcare.