University of Puget Sound mourns the passing of W. Houston Dougharty ’83, a long-time staff member and devoted alumnus, who died late last week in his hometown of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was 63 years old.

Celebration of Life Information: 

This spring, the University of Puget Sound campus will get moving for a meaningful cause—public health awareness and workforce development. Hosted by the Public Health Student Association (PHSA), the Walk, Run, & Roll 5K and Data Walk invites students, faculty, and staff to take part in an event that blends physical activity, community building, and public health education.

Washington state Speaker Laurie Jinkins JD’90 will deliver the keynote address for the 133rd Commencement Ceremony at the University of Puget Sound on Sunday, May 11, 2025, and receive an honorary degree alongside long-serving and groundbreaking Tacoma education leader Willie C. Stewart Sr.

Producer and Podcaster Hrishikesh Hirway will be the featured speaker of the Spring 2025 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture in Public Affairs and the Arts.

Hrishikesh Hirway is an acclaimed musician, producer, and podcast host. He is the host, creator, and executive director of the popular podcast Song Exploder, which was adapted into a Netflix series, and has co-hosted podcasts such as The West Wing Weekly, Home Cooking, and Partners. Hirway will explore the intersection of creativity and artificial intelligence during the Spring 2025 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture.

University of Puget Sound’s Iliana Barnes Diaz ’25 has been awarded the Governor’s Student Civic Leadership Award from the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good for her work with voter registration. Originally from Eugene, Oregon, she will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony on March 28, 2025, at Seattle University, where she will receive a $1,000 stipend.

Sara Protasi, University of Puget Sound associate professor of philosophy, will expand her research on how courage and fear shape character and moral behavior thanks to a Teacher-Scholar Grant from the Educating Character Initiative at Wake Forest University. The grant will support her project, “Cultivating Courage in an Age of Fear,” and will help researchers understand how courage is acquired, especially in the context of intense political division.

Admitted undergraduate students and their families are invited to attend Puget Sound Bound, a special event that elevates the traditional campus visit. The event allows future Loggers to truly envision themselves at Puget Sound, and for many, it will be their first time setting foot on the campus they’ll call home for the next four years—an exciting moment in any prospective student’s college search process. 

The University of Puget Sound will host "Insights into the Changing World of Artificial Intelligence," a business summit and panel discussion, on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle, 99 Union St., Seattle.

This year's University of Puget Sound Business Insights event will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on business, providing insights into navigating the evolving AI environment. Topics will include disruptive technologies, emerging trends, and ethical considerations.

The Arches team asked President Isiaah Crawford to share his thoughts on partnering with the community to benefit students and a good cause.

From the classroom to the Capitol, the University of Puget Sound is making its voice heard. On Jan. 30, students and faculty joined a statewide advocacy day in Olympia, meeting with legislators alongside representatives from more than 100 colleges to champion sustained higher education funding and programs like the Washington College Grant. The experience offered students a firsthand lesson in civic engagement and the critical role of state support in their education.