Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1970 - 2012 (Creation)
Extent
33 boxes
Name of creator
Biographical history
Loren J. Anderson was born on July 6, 1945 and was raised in Rugby, North Dakota. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Concordia College, and a master’s degree in rhetoric and public address from Michigan State University in East Lansing. Later, he earned a doctorate in communication theory and research from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He has also participated in the Institute for Educational Management and the Seminar for the New Presidents at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.
Before joining Pacific Lutheran University as president in 1992, Anderson served Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, between 1972 and 1992 as the director of institutional research, assistant professor of speech communication, assistant to the president, vice president for planning and development, and executive vice president. Anderson also worked for the American Lutheran Church between 1984 and 1987, first as its executive direction for the division of college and university services, and later as its national director of the Commitment to Mission Program. Anderson retired from PLU in 2012.
In addition to his duties as president of PLU, Anderson was also involved with many civic and professional organizations. He served on the Council of College Presidents – ELCA; was a board member of the Washington Association of Independent College and Universities; past chair of the National Association of Independent College and universities; and was a board member of the American Leadership Forum.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This collection consists of President Anderson’s personal papers, miscellaneous papers relating to his time as president of PLU, speeches, media, and various other related papers and materials. Anderson’s personal papers include newspaper clippings, biographical information, and his writings for the Tacoma News Tribune and other publications.
The PLU papers contain notes on PLU 2000, 2010, and 2020 initiatives, board of regents meetings, the presidential search and many more things related to Anderson’s presidency. They are dated 1992 – 2012. The remainder of the collection consists of Anderson’s speeches and sermons, records of his travels, and recorded media of events throughout his tenure as president of the university, as well as media recordings and artifacts pertinent to his time at Pacific Lutheran University.