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President Emeritus Bill Robinson

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  2. President Emeritus Bill Robinson
  3. Of Mind & Heart Newsletter
  4. March 2009

Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: March 2009

An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson

Sometime around each Jan. 1, I announce to Bonnie, "My New Year's resolution this year is to undergo a major personality change." The first 15 or 20 years I made that announcement, she smiled and said, "Won't that be nice?" Now she mutters "Attaboy," without even looking up from the newspaper. I'm reminded, Next year make eye contact when you tell her about the personality thing. By Ash Wednesday, I am adding my forsaken resolution to the stack of failures I carry to the communion table. I yield to the futility of trying to rewrite my DNA. We are who we are. But Lent reminds us of who we can be. At Whitworth we work very hard to help our students hear the voc in vocation, the voice of their deeply embedded gifts and passions. Students report immense joy when they discover their calling and make peace with God's design in their lives. But our gifts can turn on us. They can be used to glorify ourselves and to damage others. This is where the Christ of Lent comes to the rescue. He offers redemption, even transformation; he offers a new you, but not a fundamentally different you. The cross of Christ redeems and purifies our gifts so they can be used for their original purpose – to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. And we can do that with our gifts better than with anyone else's. So, I hope our students will find this Lenten season to be one in which they hear the voice of their gifts in its most redeemed tones. Actually, that's not a bad hope for all of us. Lenten blessings to you.

Academics

During Jan Term, students enrolled in Chemistry Community Outreach offered a chemistry lab experience to more than 100 Spokane high school sophomores who are enrolled in a Mathematics/Engineering/Science Achievement course, to encourage underrepresented students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math careers. In lectures by Whitworth students, the high schoolers learned about the chemistry of color or the chemistry of survival. It was a great experience for both sets of students. 

Speaking of chemistry, while March is a time of waiting for many students who have applied to medical school, I heard that two of our seniors have already been accepted by at least four programs. Congratulations to Michelle Tully, '09 (Biology), and Taryn Clark, '09 (Chemistry). I'm sure a similar fate awaits their classmates. 

Our faculty is also active. Here are some examples of recent faculty scholarship presentations:

  • Lisa Laurier (Education) "Promoting Phonemic Awareness in Hearing-Impaired Preschoolers" to the AILACTE Annual Conference
  • Kamesh Sankaran (Physics) "Numerical Investigation of Plasma Detachment in Magnetic Nozzle Experiments" to the Division of Plasma Physics Annual Meeting
  • Alan Mikkelson, '00, (Communication Studies) "Maximization relationship possibilities: An examination of trait maximization and the Investment Model in romantic relationships" to the Western States Communication Association
  • Patricia Bruininks (Psychology) "Distinguishing positive affect states via conceptual and experiential descriptions of emotion" to the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

The Whitworth Symphony Orchestra will present Symphonic InspirationsMarch 20-29 during its first major concert tour across Washington, Oregon and California. Here's a list of venues and times for the orchestra's performances: March 20, 7:30 p.m., Hanford High School, Richland; March 21, 7:30 p.m., Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, Lake Oswego; March 23, 7 p.m., St. Andrew Presbyterian, Yuba City; March 25, 7:30 p.m., CUSD Performing Arts Center, Fresno; March 27, 8 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley.

Whitworth Theatre is currently presenting Tina Howe's Museum, which is about art and the way it affects its audience and reveals much about human nature through people's reactions to it. I hope you can still catch a show on March 11 or 12. You can purchase tickets online atwww.whitworth.edu/theatretickets or call 509.777.3707. 

Our art department faculty members are showing their work in Spokane: Gordon Wilson presents his exhibit Revisited through March 21 at the Tinman Gallery, 811 W. Garland. And Stephen Rue presents Revelationsat the Lorinda Knight Gallery, 523 W. Sprague, through March 28.

Enrollment

As of March 1, our application deadline, we'd received 5,799 freshman applications and 595 deposits for fall. The deposit deadline is May 1.

Student Life

ASWU passed a proposal this month that will decrease the total number of students in student government. It will also decrease the dollars spent towards salaries so that more money can be spent on student programming. This month, such programming included seminars by Women of Wisdom and Real Men of Genius. Students joined faculty and staff members to learn and discuss ideas about faith, relationships and gender. The men and women then came together to hear Bonnie and me talk about what we've learned in our 35 years of marriage. It was a huge privilege for us to share with students how much we really like each other. February ended with a very well-programmed conclusion to National Eating Disorders Month. We also seemed to have a ton of fairs in the HUB this month, starting with an ASWU club fair, then the summer camp and service-learning fairs, followed by the graduation fair and the internship and career fairs. Finally, we celebrated Black History Month with events including the Gospel Explosion and the Soul Food Dinner. It was a packed month.

Resources

On March 6 we celebrate Tuition Freedom Day – the symbolic point in the year when student tuition stops paying for the cost of enrollment, and gifts and other income sources kick in. Without support from donors, our endowment and a few other small sources, each student's tuition would be $6,500-plus higher per year. So another good name for this day would be "Thanks to Our Donors Day." You're great to help underwrite the Whitworth experience for our students.

Whitworth is working to build alumni giving participation, in part because foundations believe this is the most important indicator of graduates' satisfaction with their alma mater. Any alumni gift counts as participation; alumni couples' gifts count twice. You can make a Whitworth Fund gift at www.whitworth.edu/give, or call 800.532.4668. We'd love to count you among our partners.

Athletics

The Pirate men's swim team claimed its seventh straight conference title at the 2009 Northwest Conference championships. Sophomore Michael Woodward was the co-Men's Outstanding Swimmer after he took home individual championships in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle events, all in meet record time. Senior Tom Radtke won the 1,650 freestyle, while freshman Rory Buck won the 200 breaststroke. All three were part of the winning 400 and 800 freestyle relays. Whitworth broke five men's team records during the meet.

Whitworth's swimmin' women were edged in the final team battle by Puget Sound, but the Pirates put up outstanding performances. Natalie Turner was the Outstanding Women's Swimmer of the Meet for the third straight season, racing to victory in the 200, 500 and 1,650 freestyles – all in NWC record time. She then set another record in the 100 freestyle while leading off the 400 relay. Brittany Gresset won the 50 and 100 freestyles for the third straight year, and Ashley Lecoq swept both butterfly distances (100 and 200). The Pirates also set NWC records while winning the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays.

I joined the Whitworth faithful to watch in awe as the men's basketball team (22-5) upset University of Puget Sound, the No. 3 ranked team in the nation, in UPS's gym. This championship game of the postseason tournament went into overtime and gave Whitworth the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. I can't describe the game adequately, but point guard Ross Nakamura went crazy, David Riley and Tim Sellereit hit huge shots, Clay Gebbers and Bo Gregg played choking defense, Nate Montgomery repeated the monster game he had against Linfield, which got us into the finals, and Calvin "Double-Double" Jurich was great, as always. Check our website for details on the NCAA tourney.

Women's basketball closed with a 13-12 record, 7-9 in the NWC. The Pirates suffered a severe blow when senior forward Alida Bower injured her knee and was lost for the season with six games left on the schedule. Whitworth closed the season on a positive note with an 80-72 win over Lewis & Clark. Natalie Orrell and Cassie Pilkinton scored 25 and 23 points, respectively, in the win.

The women's tennis team is off to an impressive 7-0 start in NWC matches. Justine Hays, Katie Staudinger and Erica Bosman are all 7-0 in singles matches in those conference events.

The men's tennis team is 6-2 in NWC matches so far. Sophomore Joe Wales is 7-1 in those eight matches, while junior Michael Shelton and sophomore Colin Zalewski are each 6-2.

The Whitworth track and field teams have had outstanding success during the indoor season and they now turn their attention to outdoor events. Cody Stelzer (high jump), Emmanuel Bofa (800) and Michael Nahl (shot put) are all qualified to compete in the 2009 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships March 13-14. Alyssa Thompson has already broken the women's team record in the triple jump. The men have a legitimate chance to be national champions this year. 

The baseball and softball teams are still struggling to get outside and practice. Snow- and ice-covered fields have prevented that so far. The baseball nine played their season opening tournament in Arizona, losing three round-robin games before coming back to win the semi-final game (6-5 over Washington & Lee) and the championship (15-4 over Hastings). Mitch Nelson and Landon Scott hit the ball well throughout the tournament, while Peter Birdwell and Nathan Johnson had the strongest pitching performances.

The softball Pirates went 1-3 in a season-opening tournament in Portland. Lacey Kerr hit .500 during the tournament, and Jessica Mangis pitched a complete game in the Pirates' win over Eastern Oregon.

Whitworth golf opens play March 14-15 at the Pacific Invitational.

Alumni

Heritage Month was a great success, capped off by the Leonard Oakland Film Festival and Celebration Banquet. I was disappointed to miss the festivities, but Bonnie reported that the movies were superb, and 250 people attended the banquet at the Davenport to celebrate Leonard's 43-years-and-counting service to the university. The audience was treated to a new documentary about Leonard (directed by Andrea Palpant Dilley, '00), and we are working to make it available to all of you soon. Seventy-seven percent of our alumni have graduated since Leonard joined the faculty, and nearly all of them have taken Core 250 while he has been on the team. 

Whitworth will host two major alumni reunions in 2009. The classes of 1959 and 1949 will celebrate their 50- and 60-year reunions during Commencement Weekend, May 16-17. All alumni from 1958 and earlier are invited to the festivities. The classes of 1999 and 1989 will celebrate their 10- and 20-year reunions during Homecoming Weekend, Sept. 25-27. And we are kicking off a five-year reunion for the class of 2004 that same weekend. All alumni are invited back to campus for these great events. Homecoming information is available at www.whitworth.edu/homecoming.

Per my closing remarks below, here are the general times and places for the upcoming President's Receptions: Southern California (March 12 &13), Colorado (March 19 & 20), the Bay Area (March 26 & 27), Seattle (April 2), Portland (April 3) and Spokane (April 23). To register and get the specifics, call 800.532.4668 or register online for the event nearest you at www.whitworth.edu/presidentsreceptions.

Miscellaneous

Whitworth has earned a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. This honor roll, launched in 2006, is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. Honorees for the award were chosen based on factors such as scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

Eight urban student leaders from the Spokane area have fresh reasons for hope and celebration. The Act Six Leadership & Scholarship Initiativeannounced last month the first cadre of eight Spokane students who will receive full scholarships, four to Whitworth and four to Gonzaga. Launched in 2002 by Tim Herron and the Northwest Leadership Foundation in Tacoma, Act Six seeks to develop potential leaders into agents of transformation on campus and in their home communities. Since the program's inception, six cadres of ethnically diverse and mostly first-generation, low-income Act Six scholars from urban Tacoma and Seattle have enrolled at Whitworth. The seventh cadre enrolling next fall will include four students from Spokane and three from the west side. To date, 91 percent of the scholars in the first two cadres have graduated. This is an enormously successful program.

Closing Thoughts

I was probably a little grumpy last fall when our Whitworth Office of Alumni & Parent Relations was scheduling eight president's receptions for March and April (dates and venues are available on our website under "Alumni"). Now I'm glad they did. We want you to know how Whitworth is weathering this crippling economic crisis, and in addition to giving you an update on that, I'll be sharing some of the lessons I've learned about leadership. I've written a short book, Incarnate Leadership: 5 Leadership Lessons from the Life of Jesus (Zondervan, 2009), which came out last month. The third chapter urges us to lead humbly, and I think God decided to help me practice what I preach. I'd gotten good feedback on advance copies of the book, so the day after its release I went to amazon.com to give myself a little love. Instead, I discovered there were already used copies at reduced prices. I hope I get to see many of you at the Whitworth President's Receptions. Please keep us in your prayers, and know that we are praying for all of you. This is not an amateur crisis. Bless you.