Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: January 2005
An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson
As I begin writing, most of you are preparing to close out 2004 with shouts of "Happy new year!" Ten time zones east of Spokane, I'm already six hours into 2005, but the only voices I've heard so far this year were early and amplified Muslim calls to prayer, delivered in Arabic with surgical precision that wakes only me. Bonnie, our daughters and I have journeyed here to Cairo, Egypt, to see our son, Ben. As you can imagine, the joy of reunion overwhelms all else. But surprises and contrasts still hit us with jarring force. The first surprise came at the airport when Ben invoked a new language to bargain with a cabbie. It doesn't take him long to exhaust his Arabic vocabulary, but he seems to get the most out of it by working the volume control. He also claims that waving his arms and smacking himself in the forehead is part of ancient Egyptian sign language. Though I'm here on vacation, Cairo's severe contrasts keep Whitworth's mission before me. Yesterday we went from the City of the Dead to dinner on the Nile. Today, we will trek through Garbage City before we worship at a comparatively plush international church where Ben works. Gaps. Massive gaps. They're everywhere. They're in Egypt; they're in America. They're economic, they're physical, they're educational and they're spiritual. A mind-and-heart education should attack those gaps. In the Magnificat, Mary took a swipe at economic gaps. Her baby's whole purpose was to bridge the great spiritual gap. The need is desperate, and I hope in 2005 Whitworthians in Spokane and around the world will be gap-attackers. Happy new year to all of you who join us in this hope.
Academics
As you read this, Jan Term is in high gear. (I'm back in Spokane, having been convinced by my family that working on vacation is for losers.) This intensive "one course in one month" opportunity takes many of our faculty and students off campus while allowing those who remain here to experience learning by immersion. We have students on location from Mexico to Thailand and Australia, where Kyle Usrey, dean of our School of Global Commerce and Management, is leading our first down-under study program. Another first is the group with Raja Tanas (Sociology) that's studying anthropology in Hawaii. Forrest Baird (Philosophy) is once again leading a Core 250 group around a chilly Europe, where he may run into either Jim Edwards (Theology), with his group studying the Reformation, or Karen Heller (Theology), whose class is studying European roots of spirituality. I just ran across the street to bid an early morning vaya con Dios to our Central America group. They'll head to Nicaragua for language training before moving on to Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador and then home in May with forever-changed lives. On campus, we have an even wider array of course offerings, including Women, Sports and Economics, with Rich Schatz (Economics), Biology of Northwest Agriculture, with Mike Sardinia (Biology), and Chaos Theory, Leadership and Management (for which I serve as poster child), taught by Jack Burns (Education).
Students who stand in line to fill the ceramics classes offered by Jeff Harris are daily witnesses to his abundant gifts. Jeff's recent works will be on display in the Koehler Gallery until Jan. 25. I hope to get over there this afternoon to see to see the exhibition, titled Nomad. I know it will be great.
Dan Keberle, chair of our music department, just got word that the National Association of Schools of Music has voted to continue Whitworth College in good standing. While that affirmation comes as no surprise, no one takes re-accreditation for granted. Kudos to Dan and his gifted colleagues! Last month I mentioned that our School of Education was re-accredited by two outside bodies. Were I to critique these department-specific accreditations, I'd surely point to their benefits. They are important and prestigious. But I am concerned that so many resources are consumed in proving our quality, resources that could directly benefit our students. Yet we congratulate the music department for its superb quality and NASM for recognizing the excellence that we've enjoyed for years.
Sharon Mowry, director of our Graduate Studies in Education Program, now serves as president of the Washington Council of Educational Administration Programs. She is presenting a session on Washington's new principal-certification process at this month's Hawaii International Conference on Education. Tough duty.
Each new year brings new faculty openings. This year, positions are available in accounting, chemistry, communication, economics, mathematics, music and philosophy. I'm seeing candidates almost daily. Last month we also hosted three very strong prospects for the academic dean's position. This office plays a crucial role in helping us reach our high aspirations. As our current dean, Tammy Reid, returns to the classroom, she bequeaths a record of energy, optimism, strength and achievement. She's been great, and now students will benefit more directly from her wisdom.
Enrollment
We're running way ahead of last year in applications, but we suspect we're "early more than over." As of yesterday's report, we continue to expect fewer available spots for freshmen than we had for 2004-05, but the reduction may not have to be as large as we expected. It would still be smart for prospective students to get their applications in as soon as possible.
The 2005-06 FAFSA website is now available for students who wish to renew their need-based financial aid for the coming year. Families can file the electronic renewal FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Our priority deadline for summer aid is March 1. For all other renewals of federal or need-based financial aid, the deadline is May 1. (Students who receive merit scholarships only do not need to file the FAFSA.) Also, in late January we will be mailing Federal Form 1098-T to verify full- and part-time enrollment. This form is used to support Hope or Lifetime Learning tax-credit eligibility. Consult your tax advisor or go to the IRS website, www.irs.gov, for information on educational tax credits. You may also visit the IRS website or use the Worksheet for Reporting Scholarships/Grants on Federal 2004 Tax Return (on our Forms webpage, at www.whitworth.edu/financialaid), to determine if any of your 2004 financial aid is taxable.
Student Life
It would be accurate to say that students chill a bit during Jan Term. The temperatures chill their bodies and the altered course format allows their mojos to chill out somewhat. Student activities, however, take no break during the month. Men's and women's basketball games precede ice-cream socials and wacky inter-student competitions. Half Past Nine, our entertainment series in the HUB, continues with popular movies and a special concert by Thornbird. Excitement runs high for intramural three-on-three basketball. No doubt, part of that buzz results from my schedule keeping me from again dominating the competition (and I just saw a pig fly by my window). Outdoor Rec will be going to Canada to ski and soak in the hot springs. The Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday will include many celebrations in Spokane, and students are invited to the downtown march to commemorate King's legacy. Finally, road trips, residence-hall parties and Slurpee runs will undoubtedly break out spontaneously during this festive month.
On the financial side, we are pleased to announce that students can now access their student-account activity using Whitnet. Soon we'll also provide a way to make payments on the web (www.whitworth.edu/studentaccountingservices) via credit cards and e-checks. The student-accounts folks welcome your questions and comments at 509.777.4324 or stuaccts@whitworth.edu.
Resources
You're so solid! As of this writing, we're still counting the last few December gifts and it looks as if you've outdone yourselves. You've already exceeded last year's December giving by more than $100,000, with significantly more donors, including 304 first-time contributors. Besides the money, which we sorely need, this level of generosity really strengthens our hand with foundations, rating agencies and oft-monitored rankings. I won't belabor you again next year with a special edition of the M&H, but I want to thank the many of you who responded to my attempt to explain how and why we need your support. I look like I'm reading the comics as I smile my way through the gift reports. Thanks again.
Our biggest news is that the Lied Foundation Trust has given Whitworth $2 million for a project, the specifics of which I will tell you soon. This is unbelievably important and helpful! The story of what Christina Hixson has done with the fund that Ernst Lied left her to manage would dazzle the finest investors in the land. It is so uncommon for savvy, generosity and integrity to be found in one person to the extent that they abound in her. She has taught and inspired me much. This gift brings the Lied Trust's overall support of Whitworth to $5 million, putting it up there in Weyerhaeuser territory.
Trustee John Scotford, '51, has been around since just before the Big Bang, so we missed him at our last board meeting. Never silent for long, John and his wife, Judy, are now making their presence known with a very generous leadership gift for the new tennis courts and parking lot planned for the west side of campus. For us to get cracking on this project, we need an additional $280,000 in gifts by April. We'd love to hear from former tennis players and other Whitworth athletes who could help us. Please contact Bob Hutchinson (Institutional Advancement) at 509.777.4605 if you're interested in this project. Except for the tennis courts, our outdoor athletics facilities stand among the best in the Northwest.
We recently learned of the death of H. Kenneth Loveless, '57. Ken attended Whitworth for only his senior year, but it left such an impact on him he wanted to remember the college in his will. Whitworth will receive approximately $1 million from Ken's IRAs and estate. The H. Kenneth Loveless Endowed Scholarship Fund will benefit Whitworth students for years to come. We are very appreciative of this wonderful gift.
Athletics
Women's basketball is going nuts. They're off to their best start ever with a 9-0 record and are ranked as high as 14th in the nation. Whitworth's All-America forwards Tiffany Speer and Sarah Shogren are both having MVP-caliber seasons.
The men's basketball team is 4-4, but seems to have found its identity in sophomore guards Bryan Williams, Jon Young and J.J. Jones. Williams runs the offense, Young shoots three-pointers, and Jones is a defensive menace. The Pirates have won three of their last four, and the loss was last night to NCAA Division I Utah. I connected to a Salt Lake radio station on the Internet so I could hear them play. Our guys did great, staying within 20 points of one of the country's top Division I teams.
The swim teams came back from their intense Christmas training trip to SoCal ready for the rest of the season. The teams will compete in several dual meets leading up to the NWC championships, which Whitworth will host in February. Cory Bergman, Loren Killgore, Serena Fadel and Samantha Kephart have already posted NCAA qualifying times this season.
Leading the report I promised on fall sports is men's soccer, earning a Northwest Conference championship and reaching the second round of the NCAA tournament with a 16-3-1 record. We also witnessed a stirring win over Colorado College (2-1) in the first round of the national tournament. The Bucs swept the All-Northwest Conference awards with Sean Bushey named Coach of the Year, Todd Sabrowski Defensive Player of the Year, and Niko Varlamos Offensive Player of the Year. Joining Todd and Niko on the All-NWC first team was Kevin Bostock. Whitworth is also a recipient of the NSCAA/Adidas Team Academic Award. The Bucs tied with MIT (yeah, that MIT) for the third-highest team GPA (3.43) in the country. Great job, guys!
Women's soccer finished 13-5-1 this season and took second place in the NWC.
The Pirates also had the third-highest team GPA (3.60) in the country among four-year schools, earning an NSCAA/Adidas Team Academic Award. Jael Hagerott was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team, and Jael, Mary Hultgrenn, Ashley Fisk and Ashli Anderson were named to the All-NWC first team.
Football completed a very successful season with a 7-2 record and an inspiring 38-35 win over Pacific Lutheran in the Pine Bowl. Several players earned All-NWC honors: Jared Thomas, Michael Allan, Tyler Neely, Cam Collings and Jeremy Scroggins were named to the first team, and the following players were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team: Kyle Havercroft, Cam Collings, Nick Kuntz and Austin Richard.
Pirate volleyball also surprised the pundits by finishing the season with a 19-5 record,taking third place in the NWC. Whitworth ended with impressive 3-0 road sweeps at Whitman and George Fox. Julie Marsh was named first-team All-NWC and All-West Region. Bekah Hornor received All-West Region honors and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team.
Wrapping up a "no team worse than third in conference" fall season, the cross-country women took second place at the NWC championships and third at the NCAA West regionals, just missing a team berth to the NCAA national championship meet. Kristi Dickey, Elaine Heinemann and Julie Lauterbach earned All-NWC honors, and Dickey went on to finish second at the regional meet, earning an individual spot at the NCAA championship, where she finished 56th of 215 runners. The Whitworth men were third at the NWC championships and fifth at the regional meet. Doug Blackburn was the NWC runner-up; he went on to take fifth in the regional meet, earning an individual spot at the national championships, where he placed 54th. What a great fall for Whitworth Athletics!
Alumni
The Whitworth Choir is headed for Southern California in March. I'll provide additional details in the next M&H, but here's the crucial stuff about where and when they'll be appearing: 3/13, 9 a.m., Bel Air Presbyterian; 3/13, 7 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian, Westlake; 3/14, 7 p.m., El Montecito Presbyterian; 3/15, 7:30 p.m., LaCañada Presbyterian; 3/18, 7 p.m., First Presbyterian, Hollywood; 3/19, 7 p.m., LaJolla Presbyterian; 3/29, 7:30 p.m., St. Augustine, Spokane. We'll be holding receptions after most of the performances, so be watching for additional details.
Closing Thoughts
The need to write this letter, manufacture four speeches for this weekend, and send off our Central America students shot me out of bed at 3:15 this morning. It was worth it. The students were just wired. At 7 p.m. they'll deplane in Managua. From the time they step onto Central American soil, they will ask relentlessly what they can do about the gaps. Our son went on this tour during his time at Whitworth. He wouldn't be in Cairo now had he not gone. As I said in my opening remarks, I hope 2005 turns out to be a year in which some of the devastating gaps in our world will narrow. Maybe we can find gaps in our communities, our workplaces or even in our families that we're especially well-suited to reduce. I think addressing these problems honors Christ's ministry of reconciliation, the biggest gap-closer of all. We at Whitworth send you warm greetings for a great new year.
