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dCenter Alumni Making a Difference

Two Diversity Center Alumni, Andrew Larsen ('15) and Troy Andrade ('07) were honored this year with Distinguished Pacific Lutheran University Alumni Awards.


For his potential for a lifelong commitment to the university and alumni association, Andrew Larsen received the Brian C. Olson Student Leadership Award

Andrew Larsen was an Anthropology and Religion double major and Political Science minor from Helena, Montana. Larsen was accomplished in and out of the classroom during his time at PLU.


During his time on campus Andrew participated in a wide range of activities including Athletics, Associated Students of PLU, The Diversity Center, Student Involvement and Leadership, Residential Life, Campus Ministry, Office of Admission, Wild Hope Center for Vocation, Office of the President and the Academic Assistance Center. For all of these activities he served in a leadership role and showed his propensity to mentor and support the next generation of Lutes.

His accomplishments do not end with his co-curricular leadership roles. Andrew also received the Peace Scholarship in 2014 and studied away in the Balkans, Italy and Norway. Everything Andrew does, he does with passion and dedication, including his passion and dedication to being a Lute.



For his accomplishments as an attorney and his work forwarding civic education, Troy Andrade received the Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award. 

Troy J.H. Andrade is a Native Hawaiian attorney whose passion for social justice was ignited as a student at PLU, where as a Rieke Scholar he was provided a forum to organize events to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and to bring to the fore the Native Hawaiian struggle for justice.

Following his graduation from PLU, Troy received his law degree from the University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law.  While in law school, he tutored law students, substantially drafted a chapter of a legal textbook on Native Hawaiian reconciliation issues, and authored an award-winning law journal article on the harsh effects of the bar examination on minority applicants.  

After law school, Troy clerked for Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court.  During his clerkship, Troy assisted in organizing the Judiciary’s efforts to promote access to justice to those most vulnerable in society.

In 2013, Troy joined one of Hawaii’s premier law firms, McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP.  His practice has focused primarily on complex commercial litigation matters, administrative law, and appeals.  Troy is in the final stages of completing a PhD in American Studies.
  
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