This year, we welcome 14 new faculty members to our learning community on Sept. 2. Our newest professors have interests that run the gamut from sports physics to organizational communication. We caught up with some of them to learn about their research, what drew them to Puget Sound, and their off-campus interests.
Students in Dr. Alexandria Drake’s Connections 490 course aren’t just learning about the history of pandemics, they’re stepping into the shoes of the people who faced them. From the Plague of Athens to the opioid epidemic, students in Bring Out Your Dead: How Past Outbreaks Informed Modern Public Health & Medicine at the University of Puget Sound are learning about the evolution of public health as a discipline and how it impacts our lives every day.
Several Logger faculty and alumni will be featured at the upcoming Art Party Festival in Darrington, Washington. The outdoor festival includes 24 hours of art installations, dance, music, workshops, theatre, readings, and interactive experiences. The festival is co-produced by Professor and Chair of Theatre Arts Jess K Smith ’05 and includes work by Assistant Professor of Art & Art History Dr. Mare Hirsch, and Jordan Moeller ’15. Participants are invited to take in the many forms of art, camp on site, join in a festival-wide meal, and dance the night away.
The University of Puget Sound earned national distinctions for the 2025–26 academic year, securing recognition as a College of Distinction, a Business College of Distinction, and a College of Distinction for Career Development. These honors highlight the university’s commitment to student-centered education, professional preparation, and post-graduate success.
Greater, We Ascend is a podcast from the University of Puget Sound about Loggers reaching to the heights. Subscribe today.
University of Puget Sound has been named one of the nation’s Best Value Colleges for 2025 by The Princeton Review, highlighting its academic excellence, career outcomes, and commitment to affordability.
The honor places Puget Sound among 209 top-tier institutions selected for their return on investment. The full list, ranking categories, and college profiles are available at PrincetonReview.com/BestValueColleges.
It is not uncommon to see a toddler talking to themselves. Self-talk is so common that scientists have termed it a normal part of human language development. Research conducted by Erin Colbert-White, associate professor of psychology at the University of Puget Sound, suggests a surprising parallel between self-talk and the self-directed vocalizations of a home-reared parrot.
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.
Beneath city streets, a stream of data flows, revealing the health, habits, and challenges of entire communities. Scientists from around the world will gather at the University of Puget Sound to tap into that hidden current at the Testing the Waters 8 conference, from June 1–4, 2025. This will be the first time the U.S. will host the international conference, welcoming global experts in wastewater testing—a growing field that turns sewage into public health data.
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.”