Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: December 2007

An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson

Students are good at a lot of things. Waiting isn't one of them. If they get into a situation requiring them to wait more than a few seconds, they crank out 30 or 40 text messages. They dwell in an instant world. Advent reminds us that there is more to waiting than punching out a message. We hear the psalmist: "My soul waits for the Lord, as the watchmen wait for the morning...." Even when the outcome is sure, we watch and wait. Our students would benefit from softening the timelines that drive them. I suppose that's easy for me to say when I'm not staring at an unforgiving syllabus. But waiting tones our faith. It points us toward God's faithfulness. My Advent prayer this year is that our students will wait well, and that the words of God's promises will be their most important text messages. Our souls wait for the Light of day, and it never fails to arrive. May that Light shine brightly at Whitworth in this season of promise.

Academics

Arlin Migliazzo (History) has just published To Make This Land Our Home: Community, Identity, and Cultural Adaptation in Purrysburg Township, South Carolina, 1732-1865 (University of South Carolina Press). We find this publication very important for three reasons. First, it is the result of several decades of scholarly work. Second, the book examines brilliantly an ethnically diverse community of European settlers on the southern frontier of the American colonies. Lawrence S. Rowlands, past president of the South Carolina Historical Society, describes the book as "one of the most comprehensive studies done of any community on the southern frontier." Third, this tour de force was enabled by Whitworth's academic culture, which recognizes research quality and depth, not simply the number of one's publications. Arlin's work will, as Rowlands notes in the book's foreword, "stand for generations." Congratulations, Arlin!

Our faculty has been active this semester. Here are a few examples:

In September, John Yoder (Political Science) served on an observation team including African, European and American diplomats, government officials and scholars, monitoring presidential elections in Sierra Leone.
Two new faculty members in the School of Education, Roberta Wilburn and Dana Stevens, addressed the International Teacher Training Project Symposium.
Alan Mikkelson, '00, (Communication Studies) presented a paper, "Differential Solicitude of Social Support in Different Types of Adult Sibling Relationships," to the National Communication Association.
Nancy Bunker (Library) spoke on "Groundbreaking Faith: Three Women Pastors in 19th-Century Washington State," to the Western History Association.
Karin Heller (Theology) delivered "The Music of Messiaen: An Inspiration for Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger's Renewal of Liturgy in the Wake of the Second Vatican Council," to the Messiaen: The Theologian Conference.
Scott Miller (Music) performed at the National Convention of the College Music Society.

Three of our faculty are engaged in sabbatical research this fall. Jim Hunt (History) is researching a book on John Muir's 1,000-mile walk. Scott Kolbo (Art) is creating art, as well as studying new techniques for non-toxic printmaking. Ann Teberg (Education) is evaluating programs of early literacy development.

How great is it that Jack Burns' Leadership 350 students are changing lives in Honduras! Funds they raised this fall enabled the land purchase for a crafts store in a rural community. Kit Flowers, director of Christian Veterinary Mission, reports, "For the families, it is the first thing they have ever owned themselves. They are proud of their new building, and of their land ownership. But most important, they now have a permanent place to sell their handicrafts...nobody can move them out or chase them away. Thank you for making this possible for them."

Jennifer Johnston, '09, is one of three students nationally to be awarded an American Indian Science and Engineering Society scholarship. AISES awards scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students who are majoring in mathematics, science or engineering and are of American Indian or Alaska Native heritage. Kudos, Jennifer!

And speaking of student leaders, David Howell, '08, was elected student president of the Northwest Athletic Trainers Association for District 10 (Alaska, Oregon, Montana, Washington, Idaho and three Canadian provinces).

We may have been passed over for the Rose Bowl, but we did compete in the Ethics Bowl. Our team placed fourth at the Northwest Regional Ethics Bowl, held Nov. 10. The team was composed of Chris Caldwell, '09 (Communications), Mary Rupert, '09 (Marketing), Daniel Griffin, '08 (Philosophy), Joni Merrill, '08 (Journalism), and Tracey Brown, '08 (Journalism). The team, coached by professors Mike Ingram (Communications) and Keith Wyma (Philosophy), reached the final four for the fifth time in six years.

In November, the Whitworth Political Action Club organized a series of campus events focusing on national, state and community issues. The highlight of this series took place Nov. 1, when Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed spoke to a large audience about the state's electoral system. I found it especially interesting when he spoke of his role in the 2004 gubernatorial race in which Christine Gregoire (D) defeated Dino Rossi (R) by a handful of votes after two legally mandated recounts overseen by Reed. Our political science department also benefited from a campus visit by Michael Brintnall, executive director of the American Political Science Association. He spent the morning with political-science students in the Senior Seminar class, he commended the department on the close relationships between students and faculty, and he was impressed with the research our students are conducting. And speaking of excellent political-science research, Karin Holsinger Sherman, '97, just published a superbly written book in which she analyzes the work of James Douglass and his explorations of nonviolence and Christian discipleship. The book, A Question of Being: The Integration of Resistance and Contemplation in James Douglass' Theology of Nonviolence (Wipf and Stock Publishers), includes Douglass' forceful argument for the integration of contemplation and resistance, theology and cultural critique, spirituality and prophetic involvement.

In November, we joined a group of local pastors in hosting a dialogue between the mainline church and the emergent church. Representing the latter were Tony Jones, national coordinator, Emergent Village; John Franke, professor of theology, Biblical Seminary, Hatfield, Penn.; Doug Pagitt, pastor, Solomon's Porch, Minneapolis; and Karen Ward, pastor, Church of the Apostles, Seattle. I found the sessions very encouraging. I would probably survive as a member of the Solomon's Porch emergent church for about 45 minutes, but I would leave feeling great about the way Christ's gospel is reaching people who are SO not me. Clearly, there is much we can learn from each other.

Enrollment

Our admissions folks report that we are on pace to equal or exceed last year's record-breaking total of more than 5,000 applications. Our excitement is every bit as great when a student applies today as it was when we had one-fourth the number of applications we have now. The day we cease to feel honored that a student would apply to study in our community is the day we should change jobs.

Student Life

November ended on a high note with the many musical gifts of students involved in Warren Peace, the annual concert/fund-raiser for Warren Hall. Now we begin the last programs of the semester, starting with a full-contact dodgeball tournament that is raising money for the Christian Veterinary Mission and for Kanikapila, a Christmas festival featuring both authentic island food and dancing by our talented Hawaiian students and friends. Tomorrow (I'm writing this in the wee hours after the Sunday-morning Christmas concert in Seattle), Bonnie and I will staff the punchbowl at the President's Annual Christmas Reception, which will feature amazing delicacies. Next week will also include the formal Senior Class Christmas Dinner, a Caribbean Christmas celebration featuring the steel-drum stylings of student Obe Quarless, and, finally, the Whitworth Women's Auxiliary's bake sale and art fair, another event the campus can't wait to "consume." All these events will fatten up the students for finals!

Here's some Christmas advice from Scott Donnell, ASWU president: Parents, keep old traditions alive, send cookies, and don't even think about getting a fake tree this year.

Resources

Thank you so much for making this time of year one in which you stuff not only turkeys and stockings, but also those little gift envelopes we sent with the November Mind & Heart. I hope 2007 has been such a great year for you that you will benefit from making a tax-deductible gift. We would surely benefit from receiving one. December is our single biggest month for giving each year. Visit www.whitworth.edu/give or call the advancement office at 800.532.4668 to make a gift. Thanks again for your very generous support of the Whitworth mission.

Some of you graduates who remember fondly the crazed loyalty with which you defended your residence halls in dorm competitions might be asking yourselves, "How cool would life be if generations of Whitworth students screamed pledges of loyalty to a hall named after...well, me?" Apply now! Send a statement of 50 words or fewer telling us why your name should grace the 190-bed hall we're building next year. You'll also want to be sure to include the $5.5 million application fee. If you want an example of how freshman students might represent you in Mock Rock 50 years from now, go to www.whitworth.edu/mhdec07.

The Lied Art Center is taking on a beautiful frame. Not only will this building be the home of wonderful art; it will have an artistic appearance. And right now the building's outline and the rest of the campus enjoy the softness of a snowy white blanket -- something you really need in order to do Christmas right.

Athletics

The women's basketball team is off to a 2-2 start, and the Pirates are showing promise. Junior Tiffany Corigliano and sophomore Natalie Orrell lead the team in scoring, and freshman Courtney Gaddis has been strong off the bench for the Bucs, as well. Whitworth will conclude non-conference play during December with a home game against Eastern Oregon sandwiched between a couple of two-game trips, to Tacoma and Montana.

Men's basketball defends its Northwest Conference title with four new starters this season. After losing a frigid-shooting opener, the Bucs have moved to a 4-1 record, capped by a 35-point victory over the University of Redlands to win the Lee Fulmer Tournament in L.A. Whitworth will have senior leadership from forwards Ryan Symes and Collin Willemsen. And freshman David Riley has already broken the single-game school record for three pointers, with eight against Caltech. David's dad, Ed Riley, Ph.D., '80, was also a Pirate athlete.

Women's swimming has been unstoppable. The Pirates have won all their meets (6-0 overall, 4-0 NWC), including one over NCAA Div. II Seattle University (soon to be Div. I). Sophomore Natalie Turner and senior Samantha Kephart have already posted NCAA provisional qualifying times this fall.

Men's swimming (5-1 overall, 4-0 NWC) recently extended its Northwest Conference dual-meet win streak to 53. Fifty-three! The Pirate men are unbeaten over the last eight-and-a-half seasons of NWC dual meets, and the team has won seven NWC titles during that period. Senior David Dolphay continues to dominate the distance events, and freshman Michael Woodward has made an immediate impact with several conference-leading times.

Women's soccer wrapped up its most successful season ever with an 18-3 record and advancement to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Jael Hagerott, Greta Thibodeau, Kelly Baker and Kaylyn Plumb were named to the first team All-NWC. Thibodeau led the NWC in assists, and Hagerott graduates as Whitworth's all-time assists leader, with 30. She was recently named a third-team Academic All-American for the second straight season.

Men's soccer won its third NWC title since 2003 and finished 15-4-1. With a dramatic come-from-behind overtime win over Gustavus Adolphus College (a match that the Whitworth community watched live in the teaching theater) in the NCAA Division III tournament, Whitworth remains unbeaten in four first-round appearances there. Skye Henderson, Matt Friesen, Brett Kagawa, Scott Barnum and Keith Kirsch were named to the All-NWC first team.

Sean Bushey was named NWC Coach of the Year for both men's and women's soccerby his peers within the conference. That is an amazing honor!

Jay Tully, a four-year starter for the Whitworth football team, has been selected to play in the Aztec Bowl, an annual showcase that pits an NCAA Div. III all-star team against the best college players from Mexico. The game is held in Mexico every year, and Tully is the fourth Pirate to be selected to participate.

Sophomore Dusty Caseria and freshman Nick Gallagher competed in the 2007 NCAA Div. III cross-country championships. Caseria finished in 216th place and Gallagher took 219th as the pair gained valuable experience while competing against the nation's best at the DIII level.

Alumni

Whitworth will host two alumni weekends in 2008. The classes of 1958 and 1948 will celebrate their 50th and 60th reunions during Commencement Weekend next May 17-18. All alumni from 1957 or earlier are invited to the festivities. The classes of 1998 and 1988 will celebrate their 10th and 20th reunions, along with art department alumni, during Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 3-5. All alumni are invited back to campus for football, the grand opening of the new Lied Art Center, and other great events.

Alumni can enjoy free Pirate basketball from Jan. 11 to Feb. 2. We will still hold our annual Alumni Night at the Fieldhouse (free admission, snacks, and door prizes) on Jan. 26, when the Bucs take on George Fox at 6 and 8 p.m. But all other home games (Jan. 11, 12 & 27, and Feb. 1 & 2) are also free to alumni and their families. Start times and matchups are available on the athletics website.

Registration continues for alumni, parents and friends to join the Core 650 study tour of Turkey with Theology Professor Jim Edwards, '67. From June 11-24, 2008, the group will explore St. Paul's pioneering pathways. More details are available at www.whitworth.edu/turkey08, and space is limited.

Closing Thoughts

Last night's opening Christmas concert, Journey to Bethlehem, stirred many memories. It was my 15th opening concert. I ran across one choir alum who complimented me for remembering his name. I also remembered the concert where he forgot his pants, which might be why I remembered his name. All of us who joined the student-musicians in worship remembered Christmas days of our childhood. And, of course, the music reminded us of the Christ child -- gentle and kingly, beautiful and resolute. In this spirit, those of us at Whitworth hope for you, your families and our world the blessings and peace of the Savior who journeyed to Bethlehem.