Remembering the life and legacy of Glen Laster

Glen Laster, an associate professor of sociology and psychology, who has been part of Point Loma Nazarene University for over 20 years, unexpectedly passed away on September 10, 2026. 

Laster served as a public safety officer, assistant director of public safety, associate professor and the founder of the Southern Civil Rights Pilgrimage program. He was actively teaching Psychology of Personal Development classes this semester.

PLNU President Kerry Fulcher sent out the news of Laster’s passing in an email, which also stated there will be more information regarding memorial arrangements soon. 

“Glen has been a bright light in our community, forming meaningful relationships and influencing the lives of countless students, faculty, and staff,” Fulcher said.

The email continued with Fulcher encouraging students to seek out support through campus pastors if they’re struggling with this loss. For staff and faculty, Fulcher said that PLNU wants to “offer a space to come together, talk, share memories, ask questions, or simply be with each other.”

“There is no expectation to talk or process the loss in any particular way; we simply hope to provide a supportive, caring space for anyone who would find it helpful,” Fulcher said. “We will share more information about the time and location of this gathering soon. Please know that we will also hold a separate gathering for the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences community, where Glen was a deeply valued colleague and friend. We will share details about that gathering directly with the School.”

Fulcher concluded the email by asking the PLNU community to care for each other during this difficult time.

“Grief touches each of us differently, so in the days ahead, may we extend grace, comfort and support as we mourn this loss together,” Fulcher said.

Liv Montez, a fourth-year health and human performance major, took her freshman year Psychology of Personal Development class with Laster. Montez said that his kindness is what stood out most to her.

“He was very open to learning about each and every one of us,” Montez said. “He did a lot of making sure he remembered our names. He liked to involve the class in discussion, and I feel like he really helped me think about different aspects of psychology that we were reading about, bring[ing] it all together.”

Laster was one of the first professors Angelica Vasquez, a third-year psychology major, had. Similar to Montez, Vasquez said that Laster made everyone feel welcomed and comfortable in that class. 

“Because he got to get to know his students so well, what he said did matter,” Vasquez said in a text interview. “He could connect the things that mattered in my life most, to the things I may be interested in.”

Laster helped Vasquez when she was trying to navigate through a potential major change, and helped her get connected with both peers and different campus resources through a taco party he threw each semester. 

The connection that Vasquez made with Laster remained after her class ended. She said that he continued to say hi and remember who she was throughout the years. 

“I feel like professors are getting lots of kids in and out each semester, but Glen remembers and he cares so much,” Vasquez said. “That really meant a lot especially because I valued him so much, it was nice that he valued me as well.”

Montague Williams, PLNU professor of church, culture and society, said that mentoring young adults was something Laster was committed to, helping them become “Christ-following leaders and change-makers who are not afraid to understand and wrestle with the realities of racial injustice.”

Williams first met Laster when he began teaching at PLNU. They quickly connected with their shared passion for helping students engage learning and transformation through pilgrimage.

“A few years ago, he invited a group of faculty to help him reimagine the Southern Civil Rights Pilgrimage and turn it into a class,” Williams said in an email interview. “I enjoyed that journey with him and seeing him come alive in the various communities where he built deep relationships over time. But maybe my favorite was when he had an office in the Public Safety building, which is relatively close to my office in Smee. I would randomly stop in for unplanned but very meaningful chats.”

Having these “meaningful chats” wasn’t something Laster just did with his co-workers. It was something he did with everyone.

“I can’t count the number of times I walked by his office in our hallway with a different student in long, quiet conversation,” Jamie Gates, professor of sociology, said in an email interview. “He did that for all of us. When he was with you, he was fully present. Glen will be remembered for his pastoral guidance, for being the hands and feet of Jesus in those quiet spaces and in the public marches of the Civil Rights Pilgrimages.”

Reflecting on the pilgrimages, Laster spoke with PLNU’s Marketing Office earlier this year. In the video, he shared the calling he felt God had placed on him to work at the school.

“I had never heard of PLNU until I started working here,” Laster said. “But I knew for a fact God drew me here. … PLNU is a special place. There is freedom here for me. There’s freedom here for every student here that wants to do something. They allow me to do something so different that I have to give back. I have to. So why PLNU? I think it’s just God-ordained for us to be here and do these things. It’s the season for this. I don’t know when it’s going to stop, but I’ll be here doing my part, and I believe someone else will come along and do something else. That’s what I believe.”

If students need support, they can reach out to PLNU’s campus pastors, the Student Care office, or the Counseling Center.