Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: November 2002

An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson

A lot of great things have happened since I last wrote you. A toasty October sun lit up the autumn colors for Parents Weekend, Homecoming and the week in between. We hosted a great campaign celebration at the elegant Davenport Hotel, followed by a celebratory on-campus eating extravaganza the next day. Athletics victories were abundant, our students performed masterfully in The Sound of Music, and my book clawed its way into the top 1,219,747 titles on the Amazon.com all-time best seller list (thank you for believing in me, America). Many of us reach Thanksgiving break feeling the punch-drunk fatigue of barely having had time to breathe for a couple months. But the weariness feels good as we think about the countless ways in which our students have grown in mind and heart. I hope you find goodness at your Thanksgiving table, as the awareness of God's grace lifts you above all that is so challenging in these difficult days. Whitworth is doing well, due in no small part to your prayers, friendship and support.

Academics

I think you might enjoy hearing a few words about our impressive autumn lineup of speakers:

Dr. Jean Bethke Elshtain, professor of social and political ethics at the University of Chicago and a nationally known political philosopher, discussed the possibility of war against Iraq at our annual Simpson-Duvall Lecture, part of a series that honors legendary Whitworth faculty Clarence Simpson and Fenton Duvall.
Tom and Christine Sine challenged our students to think imaginatively about living out their faith after graduation and also discussed the issues of medical ethics that we'll face in the future. Tom is a futurist and a widely known speaker on how Christians should respond to contemporary culture, and Christine is a medical doctor who has worked on the Mercy Ship and has done medical-missionary work in numerous locations around the world.
Rep. George Nethercutt, congressional representative from our district, is a veteran of two visits to campus this month. As a part of their capstone course, our School of Global Commerce students discussed with him the post-9/11 business climate, while our School of Education students heard him speak at a "Dream Conference." I should also mention that he followed me in a story hour with a dozen pre-schoolers at the new Borders bookstore. I, of course, lathered the little piranhas into a frenzied state, then handed them off with a cordial, "Here ya go, George. I believe they're in attack mode." He laughed and snuggled right up to them as if they were voters. Naturally, one kid got confused when he heard "George" and thought George W. was reading to him. I absolutely love reading stories to 4-year-olds. Their honesty is refreshing, when it isn't terrifying.
Jerry Pallotta, an award-winning author of alphabet and counting books for young children, was featured at the Whitworth Writing Rally. Les Francis (Education) may have retired last year, but he won't stay away from the rally, which has enthused thousands of children over nearly two decades under his leadership.
Naim Ateek, a Palestinian minister of the Anglican Church and director of the SABEEL ecumenical institute in Jerusalem, spoke on the heart-wrenching situation in the Middle East. Like so many Palestinians and Jews, Naim longs for peace and justice, and he's doing something about it.
Gus Lee, acclaimed Chinese-American author of four novels including China Boy (Dutton) and an upcoming memoir, Chasing Hepburn: A Memoir of Shanghai, Hollywood, and a Chinese Family's Fight for Freedom (Harmony Books), is Whitworth's 2002-03 Ada Redmond Reader; he's also presenting a business-ethics lecture titled My Hair is On Fire! Is This Business as Usual?
Jimmy Heath, the legendary saxophonist whose career spans more than 50 years and includes performances with jazz greats from Dizzy Gillespie to Wynton Marsalis, joins up with Dan Keberle's award-winning Whitworth Jazz Ensemble for their annual fall concert on Nov. 9.
Roger Fouts, the founder of the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute at Central Washington University, in Ellensburg, spoke on the topic of chimpanzee gestural language. Fouts' work has been a big hit in the media.
Suzanne Brown-Fleming of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., spoke on Religious Responses to the Holocaust: The Role of the Churches, reviewing the religious and political climate of Germany in the years preceding the Holocaust.
Ray Bakke, executive director of International Urban Associates and professor of global urban ministry at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, spoke to us about strategies for alleviating urban poverty and about the prophet Jonah's attitude toward Iraq.

This has also been a prolific year for faculty publications. In December I will include a list of books published in 2002 by our faculty. If I had space, I'd add their articles as well.

The School of Global Commerce and Management recently hosted a kickoff reception for its new Program for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Studies. Funded by a $137,628 grant from the Seattle-based Herbert B. Jones Foundation, the program will support the school's efforts to become a regional leader of entrepreneurship education and to strengthen connections between the college and the Spokane business community.

Enrollment

If you know high-school seniors who have Whitworth at the top of their list of preferred colleges, urge them to apply for early action. The deadline is Dec. 1. Early action is recommended for high-achieving students who identify Whitworth as their first college choice prior to the Nov. 30 Early-Action deadline. For more information on the early action program, check out www.whitworth.edu/admissions/freshmanapplication.htm.

Student Life

ASWC President EmmyLou Taylor and I have been thinking about how Whitworth might function as a preserve of civility amidst all the nasty rhetoric flying about. Some efforts in that direction include a living-room discussion at my house on how to disagree constructively and ASWC's Tuesday current-events luncheons at which professors discuss such topics as "Evolution and Christianity: Are they Mutually Exclusive?" and "Faith and Politics: Can you be a Christian Politician?" In addition to these serious efforts, students had plenty of fun at events such as Parents Weekend and Homecoming. Of course, the last event of the month was Mac Hall's Haunted House, which received the ringing affirmation of Resident Director Bill Stahley, who bragged, "It could have been worse."

When the popular game show Jeopardy! broadcasts its annual College Championship Tournament Nov. 11-22, Whitworth freshman Katie Orphan will stand at the podium, ready to ask questions that could win her $50,000 in cash, a 2003 Volvo, and the chance to appear in the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. The cash prize for the winner of that annual tournament is $1 million. Hmmm. I know just how Katie could avoid a tax problem.

Resources

The men of that once proud, now erstwhile dorm, Carlson Hall, set out to raise $100,000, hoping to name a classroom in Weyerhaeuser Hall. Through really hard work and very giving hearts they were successful, so we will now have a "Carlson Men Classroom" in the building. In accepting our appreciation, these generous fellows warned, "Don't get your hopes up for a Mac Hall Classroom." Ooh, sounds like a challenge to me.

The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant for a new Future Teachers of Color scholarship program. The goal is to recruit and retain higher numbers of students from underrepresented ethnic groups in Whitworth's acclaimed teacher-education program. When the people who stand in the front of America's classrooms look more like the students who are looking at them, it adds reality to students' hopes and dreams. We give thanks to the good folks at Coca-Cola.

More than 400 Whitworth supporters gathered at the magnificently restored Davenport Hotel Oct. 18 to celebrate all that has been accomplished during the successful Faith in the Future Campaign. Thanks to the generous gifts of our faithful donors, there was much for which to give thanks. Nearly $60.4 million was given or pledged to Whitworth during the campaign, including $14 million in endowed scholarships, support for major capital improvements and steady annual giving that preserves the college's margin of excellence. Guests were treated to a performance by Whitworth alum and acclaimed opera baritone Frank Hernandez, '93, the debut of our Faith Realized campaign video, and a special presentation to Campaign Co-Chairs Harvey Bolton, '60, and John Scotford, '51, who joined the college's advancement team in providing tremendous leadership for the campaign. Hundreds more friends, alumni and students took part in a campus celebration the next day that was part of a wonderful weekend of homecoming activities. For more information, visit our online campaign report at www.whitworth.edu/campaignreport.

Athletics

My athletics moles are swamped right now, so I'm just going to report to you my personal highlights of watching the Bucs this month. Next month I'll give you all the details of how fall sports finished. I really had not intended to just wing it about sports, but now that I'm doing just that, I would like to take the opportunity to abuse my privilege as writer of this newsletter and tell you first about my proudest moment ever in sports.

At the beginning of the season, one of the senior co-captains on the men's cross-country team set as his goal a top-three finish for the team and a personal achievement of being named All-Northwest Conference (finishing in the top 14 of the all the runners in the conference meet). On the UPS course, where the conference meet was held last Saturday, runners disappeared for the fifth and final mile until they turned the corner for the last 200 meters. As the first 14 rounded the turn, there was no sign of our captain. But several seconds later he came flying around the corner in 15th place and overcame a 20-meter deficit (and sluggish genes) to edge out the guy in 14th place and achieve his goal. Congratulations, Ben Robinson. The team did get 3rd place, led by Doug Blackburn's fabulous 12th-place finish and by Jesse Stevich's usual strong race. The women got great races from Leslie Nelson (second place by one second), Beth Abbey, Jessica Austin and Kristi Dickey, but was nosed out of first by three points. The women have a great chance to get revenge on Willamette at regionals in California.
After watching the meet in Tacoma, Bonnie and I got back to Whitworth just in time to see our volleyball team (ranked 9th in the nation) roar back from a serious deficit to win the conference championship over George Fox, 15-11, in game five. It was Senior Night, and starters Julie Weatherred, Michelle Etter, Nicole Weedman, Jill Vaughan, Annie Buck, Karen Robnette and Lindsay Wagstaff all had great nights. The team clinched its second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament and is NWC champ with an overall record of 21-2 and a conference record of 13-1. On to regionals!
My best football memory of the month came during Parents Weekend. Freshman Cameron Collings kicked a 37-yard field goal to force overtime with Willamette. On the first play of OT, junior Billy Condon scampered in for a touchdown, then Jonathan Hook picked off a pass and returned it for a touchdown and a 44-31 win. Scott Biglin and Duane Tawney had their usual great games. Whitworth is still alive in the chase for an NWC football title. The Pirates are 6-2 following last Saturday's 28-3 win over Eastern Oregon. The win clinched a third consecutive winning season for the Bucs.
For me, the soccer highlights were the women tying Willamette (the Bearcats' only non-win of the season) in a great game where I thought the women played especially well in overtime, and then yesterday seeing the men on senior day pound George Fox 4-1, with senior Scott Kerwien having a huge day. The men will finish in third place in the standings. They are 11-7-1 and finishing the season well. Only six of the season's 11 starting players are still in the starting lineup for the Pirates, mostly due to injury. However, freshmen Todd Sabrowski and Jonathan Carlson have really come through, scoring 12 goals between them. Scott Kerwien leads the NWC in total points and assists (13). The women, led by Heather Sale and Dalyce Young, were quite young this year but they worked hard.

Alumni

Parents, allow us to serve your students on your behalf. The Alumni Association Birthday and Gift Service information and order form is now available online at www.whitworth.edu/parents/birthdayservice.htm.

Milestone

Long-time Whitworth Foundation benefactor Marketta Whitlow Buckler passed away on her birthday, Oct. 17. Marketta and her late husband, Waldo, had established life-income gifts with the foundation over the years. Through these gifts, the Whitworth Endowment Fund will receive more than $1 million to establish a scholarship for music or religion students and a music endowment fund in Marketta's name.

Whitworth invites you to its 28th annual Institute of Ministry July 14-18, 2003. We extend an invitation to you to participate with us in this year's WIM, which will focus on the theme of Spiritual Renewal in Pastoral Ministry. Speakers will include Eugene Peterson, author of several volumes on spirituality and translator of The Message; Craig Barnes, Robert McNeilly Professor of Ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, author of Sacred Thirst and When God Interrupts: Finding New Life Through Unwanted Change, and recently retired senior pastor of National Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C.; and Marva Dawn, theologian, scholar, teacher, musician, and author of Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for the Turn-of-the-Century Culture.

Closing Thoughts

Tomorrow is election day. Tomorrow night I will host 40+ students in my living room to discuss ways in which our community can disagree constructively rather than divisively. According to St. John, the glory of Jesus was his grace and truth. These two virtues would put Jesus at a serious disadvantage if he were in a typical contemporary campaign of the type that too often features disgraceful behavior and the spinning of half-truths. In today's win-at-all-costs environment, teaching civility between people who disagree is not what you would call taking candy from a baby. Somehow we have to show our students a better way - the grace-and-truth way. We have to take seriously the profit Micah's claim that God wishes us to walk humbly. In my experience, it is the proud who most often and easily lose their civility. What this means for Whitworth is that we must teach our students both the power of truth and the limits of our understanding - a combination that cannot be embraced without conviction and humility. In today's world, grace and truth stand among the most important aims of a mind-and-heart education at Whitworth.