PLU Department of Social Work

10/19/2026

Good health is about more than healthcare. Income, education, housing, employment, and public policy all play a critical role in shaping our health and well-being.

Join us for an engaging discussion exploring how inequality impacts community health and how health and human service professionals can help advocate for healthier, more equitable communities.

Featured Speakers:

John Van Buskirk, DO
Dr. John Buskirk served on the faculty of the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency for 32 years and is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is Medical Director of the Neighborhood Clinic and a member of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Economic Inequity and Health Task Force.

Stephen Bezruchka, MD, MPH
Dr. Bezruchka is Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems and Population Health and Global Health at the University of Washington. A physician for 35 years, he spent more than a decade working in Nepal, where he established a teaching hospital. He is the author of Born Sick in the USA: Improving the Health of a Nation and Inequality Kills Us All and founder of the Population Health Forum.

Jay Miller, MD, MPH
Dr. Miller serves as Health Officer for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. His public health experience includes having served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a Regional Medical Officer for the Washington State Department of Health.

The program will include approximately one hour of interactive presentation, followed by a moderated forum and audience Q&A with all three speakers.

FREE & OPEN TO ALL!

Join us in person or virtually! Advance registration is strongly encouraged to help us plan for attendance and ensure seating. A livestream link will also be provided upon registration. Registration: https://forms.gle/HASi2VxEwL52hKSi7

Please feel free to share this event with your colleagues, friends, students, and anyone you think would be interested in this important topic.

October 28, 2026
2:00–3:30 p.m.
AUC 203, Regency Room
Pacific Lutheran University

Good health is about more than healthcare. Income, education, housing, employment, and public policy all play a critical role in shaping our health and well-being.

Join us for an engaging discussion exploring how inequality impacts community health and how health and human service professionals can help advocate for healthier, more equitable communities.

Featured Speakers:

John Van Buskirk, DO
Dr. Van Buskirk served on the faculty of the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency for 32 years and is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is Medical Director of the Neighborhood Clinic and a member of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Economic Inequity and Health Task Force.

Stephen Bezruchka, MD, MPH
Dr. Bezruchka is Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems and Population Health and Global Health at the University of Washington. A physician for 35 years, he spent more than a decade working in Nepal, where he established a teaching hospital. He is the author of Born Sick in the USA: Improving the Health of a Nation and Inequality Kills Us All and founder of the Population Health Forum.

Jay Miller, MD, MPH
Dr. Miller serves as Health Officer for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. His public health experience includes having served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a Regional Medical Officer for the Washington State Department of Health.

The program will include approximately one hour of interactive presentation, followed by a moderated forum and audience Q&A with all three speakers.

FREE & OPEN TO ALL!

Join us in person or virtually! Advance registration is strongly encouraged to help us plan for attendance and ensure seating. A livestream link will also be provided upon registration.

REGISTER TODAY! Find the RSVP link in our Instagram bio.

10/19/2026

October 28, 2026
2:00–3:30 p.m.
AUC 203, Regency Room
Pacific Lutheran University

Good health is about more than healthcare. Income, education, housing, employment, and public policy all play a critical role in shaping our health and well-being.

Join us for an engaging discussion exploring how inequality impacts community health and how health and human service professionals can help advocate for healthier, more equitable communities.

Featured Speakers:

John Van Buskirk, DO
Dr. Van Buskirk served on the faculty of the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency for 32 years and is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is Medical Director of the Neighborhood Clinic and a member of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Economic Inequity and Health Task Force.

Stephen Bezruchka, MD, MPH
Dr. Bezruchka is Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems and Population Health and Global Health at the University of Washington. A physician for 35 years, he spent more than a decade working in Nepal, where he established a teaching hospital. He is the author of Born Sick in the USA: Improving the Health of a Nation and Inequality Kills Us All and founder of the Population Health Forum.

Jay Miller, MD, MPH
Dr. Miller serves as Health Officer for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. His public health experience includes having served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a Regional Medical Officer for the Washington State Department of Health.

The program will include approximately one hour of interactive presentation, followed by a moderated forum and audience Q&A with all three speakers.

FREE & OPEN TO ALL!

Join us in person or virtually! Advance registration is strongly encouraged to help us plan for attendance and ensure seating. A livestream link will also be provided upon registration.

REGISTER TODAY! Find the RSVP link in our Instagram bio.

10/14/2026

LAST CHANCE TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT💛

Today is the final day of Bjug Day — Give to What You Love and the last opportunity to have your gift to the Kathy Russell Practicum Scholarship Fund MATCHED.

PLU Social Work seniors complete hundreds of hours of practicum experience as part of their education, often in unpaid placements serving individuals, families, and communities throughout our region.
Your gift helps ease that financial burden and gives students with the greatest need more freedom to focus on what matters most: learning, serving, and preparing to become the social workers our communities need.

Give today and your donation goes twice as far.

Don’t miss this opportunity to support future social workers and carry forward Kathy Russell’s legacy of advocacy, compassion, and service.

💛 Give to what you love.
💛 Give to future social workers.

10/13/2026

It’s Bjug Days! 💛

Give today or tomorrow and your donation will be MATCHED — doubling your impact for PLU Social Work students. Make your gift go twice as far! Any amount truly matters, and every gift is deeply appreciated. Thank you for helping us support these amazing future social workers.

For PLU Social Work students, preparing for a career in service means more than completing coursework. Our undergraduate seniors also complete 400 hours of practicum experience, often in unpaid placements throughout the community.

That experience is essential to becoming a social worker — but for students already balancing tuition, work, transportation, housing, and everyday expenses, those unpaid hours can create a very real financial strain.

The Kathy Russell Practicum Scholarship Fund helps ease that burden by providing financial support to Social Work seniors with the greatest unmet need.

A gift to this fund can mean:
- more time focused on learning and serving
- less pressure to take on additional work while completing practicum
- greater financial stability during one of the most important parts of a student’s education
- continued support for the next generation of compassionate, skilled social workers

💛 Give to what you love. Give to future social workers. Give in Kathy’s memory.

Our donation page: https://bit.ly/bjugdaykathyrussell2026

10/08/2026

Wednesday, October 28, 2026
2:00–3:30 p.m.
AUC 203, Regency Room
Pacific Lutheran University

Good health is about more than healthcare. Income, education, housing, employment, and public policy all play a critical role in shaping our health and well-being.

Join us for an engaging discussion exploring how inequality impacts community health and how health and human service professionals can help advocate for healthier, more equitable communities.

Featured Speakers:

John Van Buskirk, DO
Dr. Van Buskirk served on the faculty of the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency for 32 years and is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is Medical Director of the Neighborhood Clinic and a member of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Economic Inequity and Health Task Force.

Stephen Bezruchka, MD, MPH
Dr. Bezruchka is Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems and Population Health and Global Health at the University of Washington. A physician for 35 years, he spent more than a decade working in Nepal, where he established a teaching hospital. He is the author of Born Sick in the USA: Improving the Health of a Nation and Inequality Kills Us All and founder of the Population Health Forum.

Jay Miller, MD, MPH
Dr. Miller serves as Health Officer for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. His public health experience includes having served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a Regional Medical Officer for the Washington State Department of Health.

The program will include approximately one hour of interactive presentation, followed by a moderated forum and audience Q&A with all three speakers.

FREE & OPEN TO ALL!

Join us in person or virtually! Advance registration is strongly encouraged to help us plan for attendance and ensure seating. A livestream link will also be provided upon registration.

REGISTER TODAY! https://forms.gle/PjmCqTPLBVj3DFHFA

Questions? [email protected]

Wednesday, October 28, 2026
2:00–3:30 p.m.
AUC 203, Regency Room
Pacific Lutheran University

Access to quality healthcare is essential, but healthcare alone accounts for only a portion of what influences individual and population health. Socioeconomic conditions—including income, education, housing, employment, and public policy—play a significant role in shaping health outcomes.

This interactive lecture and discussion will explore the relationship between inequality and health, the broader social conditions that influence community well-being, and the important role health and human service professionals can play in advancing policies that support healthier communities.

Featured Speakers:

John Van Buskirk, DO
Dr. Van Buskirk served on the faculty of the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency for 32 years and is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is Medical Director of the Neighborhood Clinic and a member of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Economic Inequity and Health Task Force.

Stephen Bezruchka, MD, MPH
Dr. Bezruchka is Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems and Population Health and Global Health at the University of Washington. A physician for 35 years, he spent more than a decade working in Nepal, where he established a teaching hospital. He is the author of Born Sick in the USA: Improving the Health of a Nation and Inequality Kills Us All and founder of the Population Health Forum.

Jay Miller, MD, MPH
Dr. Miller serves as Health Officer for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. His public health experience includes having served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a Regional Medical Officer for the Washington State Department of Health.

The program will include approximately one hour of interactive presentation, followed by a moderated forum and audience Q&A with all three speakers.

This event is free and open to all! Advance registration is strongly encouraged to help us plan for attendance and ensure adequate seating. Links in our IG bio.

10/08/2026

Wednesday, October 28, 2026
2:00–3:30 p.m.
AUC 203, Regency Room
Pacific Lutheran University

Access to quality healthcare is essential, but healthcare alone accounts for only a portion of what influences individual and population health. Socioeconomic conditions—including income, education, housing, employment, and public policy—play a significant role in shaping health outcomes.

This interactive lecture and discussion will explore the relationship between inequality and health, the broader social conditions that influence community well-being, and the important role health and human service professionals can play in advancing policies that support healthier communities.

Featured Speakers:

John Van Buskirk, DO
Dr. Van Buskirk served on the faculty of the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency for 32 years and is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is Medical Director of the Neighborhood Clinic and a member of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Economic Inequity and Health Task Force.

Stephen Bezruchka, MD, MPH
Dr. Bezruchka is Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems and Population Health and Global Health at the University of Washington. A physician for 35 years, he spent more than a decade working in Nepal, where he established a teaching hospital. He is the author of Born Sick in the USA: Improving the Health of a Nation and Inequality Kills Us All and founder of the Population Health Forum.

Jay Miller, MD, MPH
Dr. Miller serves as Health Officer for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. His public health experience includes having served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a Regional Medical Officer for the Washington State Department of Health.

The program will include approximately one hour of interactive presentation, followed by a moderated forum and audience Q&A with all three speakers.

This event is free and open to all! Advance registration is strongly encouraged to help us plan for attendance and ensure adequate seating. Links in our IG bio.

10/08/2026

Foster Care Program at Olive Crest is seeking a Child and Family Specialist (Tacoma)

FT/40 hrs. Provide case management services to 18-25 children/youth. Supervise the intake for each placement, ensuring that each child’s needs are met, and provide support for the child and caregivers. Other responsibilities include instructing, counseling, training, and supporting caregivers in meeting the child/youth’s needs and addressing any issues. Must be able to attend weekly staff meetings at assigned office. Qualified candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in social services, psychology or similar field, and at least 1 year of experience working with kids/youth. Must have flexible work hours, including some evenings and weekends when needed. Pay rate: $24-$27/hour.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

DCYF Region 5 is excited to announce that we are recruiting for a full-time After-Hours staff member to join our team. This role is a great fit if you’re looking for meaningful work that allows you to stay connected with the community, engage with families, and help ensure child safety—without the demands of working normal business hours.

The schedule for this position is as follows:
• Friday: 4:00 pm – 2:30 am
• Saturday: 1:00 pm – 11:30 pm
• Sunday: 11:00 am – 9:30 pm
• Monday: 4:00 pm – 2:30 am

Links to both in our IG bio.

10/07/2026

Thinking about your next step in social work?

Whether you’re a current BSW student, considering graduate school, or simply curious about where a Master of Social Work can take you, join us for our MSW Open House! Come learn more about PLU’s MSW program, meet faculty, ask questions, explore career possibilities, and discover how an MSW can help you turn your passion for helping others into an even greater impact.

Tuesday, October 13
5–7 PM
Xavier 201 | Pacific Lutheran University

10/05/2026

10/05/2026

Student Services Manager

Hybrid/Full Time

City University, Seattle, WA

Requirement: 2 years post MSW degree

Application link: https://yearup.wd503.myworkdayjobs.com/YearUp/job/Seattle/Student-Services-Manager_R3165Year

Up United are looking for a someone with two-years post MSW degree. The role is a hybrid role with 3-In Person days. They’re are currently located at City University in Seattle.