Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: November 2009
An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson
A few days ago we wrapped up Parents' Weekend. There's no shortage of joy at this annual gathering. Students, relatives and local merchants spend most of the weekend grinning. We always do a Sunday morning worship service in which I give a little sermon. This year I told the story of Jairus, a synagogue leader who makes a bold request: He asks Jesus to come to his house and heal his daughter. It's a happy-ending story. Things work out, although not exactly the way Jairus has planned. Jesus gets waylaid en route when he stops to find a woman whom he has healed "accidentally" when she touched his cloak. He wants to compliment her faith, but all the while Jairus' little girl is dying. Jesus and Jairus receive news that the child has died, but Jesus claims that she is just sleeping. Usually, someone can tell the difference between death and sleep, but whatever she's doing, Jesus puts her back on her feet. One minute, Jairus is a wreck; the next, he's a happy man. He doesn't understand what's going on with Jesus. He doesn't understand what's going on with his daughter. But the final outcome is life. As parents, we stay pretty busy directing traffic between Jesus and our children. Half the time, we're not sure what's going on with either. So we say to ourselves what Jesus said to Jairus when he got the news that his daughter was dead:"Don't be afraid, just believe." That's hard. Jesus seems to get interrupted, even when we've been very clear in giving him directions about what he's supposed to do with our kids. And it's brutally hard if the happy ending never comes. But the metaphor of the Jairus story is that Jesus brings life, and he brings life on his schedule. Life. Gospel writer John said Jesus was the light, and the light was the life of all humanity. Our campus feels a little dark right now. The days are getting shorter and the academic demands of midterms feel oppressive. Further, we just got news of a dear nontraditional student whose bout with cancer did not have a happy ending – at least not for us, at least not right now. So we repeat after Jesus,"Don't be afraid, just believe." Through the interruptions and the dark seasons we do believe. We believe that, ultimately, the Light of the World brings life. It's our best and only hope. It's a big part of the reason we embrace Whitworth's mission. Thank you for joining us.
Academics
Pamela Corpron Parker, '81, (English) has received a Chawton House Library Fellowship for her sabbatical next spring. This highly competitive fellowship for British literature scholars will allow her to live on-site in Hampshire, England, while she works in the Chawton House Library on her book about British women writers.
The Fulbright Program recently announced that Whitworth was a top producer of students who received Fulbright awards in 2009-10.Since 2000, 10 Whitworth students and four faculty members have been selected as Fulbright scholars, according to John Yoder (Political Science), our Fulbright advisor. We're in great company, too. Check out the following site for more info: chronicle.com/article/Top-US-Producers-of-Fulbr/48847/.
The Speakers and Artists Series features these exciting events in the Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall, each at 7 p.m. On Nov. 6, our Endowed English Reader, Bruce Guernsey, a distinguished professor emeritus from Eastern Illinois University and a widely published poet, will read from his work. On Nov. 10, Al Staggs will present a one-man show, A View from the Underside: The Legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And also on Nov. 10, the arts faculty will open a show of their own work in Lied Center (see below). Join us at 5 p.m. for the opening reception and at 7 p.m. for a panel discussion with the artists.
Every other year, Whitworth Art Department faculty members bring in some of their recent work to provide an opportunity for students to see that they practice what they preach. The theme of this year's exhibit is What Are You Laughing At? Artists were asked to display work that responds to the idea of humor in visual art. The exhibit runs in the Oliver Gallery from Nov. 10-Feb. 12.
Rebecca Johnson, '11, has been awarded the prestigious Woodrow Foundation Scholarship. The $29,280 scholarship covers her tuition and books this academic year."Winning this scholarship is very significant to my continuing as a pre-med student," says Johnson, a chemistry major on the biochemistry track."I have many more years of education ahead of me in medical school, and this scholarship has given me confidence to keep going when the classes become even more difficult."
Senior Danjuma Quarless earned first place in the 2009 Scientific Poster Presentation in the summer research fellowship program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dan also was accepted to present his research at the American Society of Cell Biology's annual conference. His study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, examined the genetic regulation of flagella growth in the microbe Chlamydomonas. I know you know this, but flagella are similar in structure and function to human cilia, which are cells that create a lashing movement. Defects in human cilia are linked to kidney disease, male sterility, retinal degeneration and obesity. All three judges gave Dan perfect scores for the presentation of his poster in the categories of overall verbal skills, overall poster quality, effectiveness of the verbal presentation, effectiveness of the poster presentation, quality of work and organization. He took first place in the competition for the entire program as best overall poster, presentation and experiment.
Recordings of many of Whitworth's visiting and faculty lectures are available on our website at www.whitworth.edu/podcast. We also recently posted a video recording of Ambassador Ryan Crocker's great Oct. 21 lecture to www.youtube.com/whitworthuniversity. If you can't make it to campus for these events, the web is the next best thing.
Lee Konitz, a jazz saxophone legend and winner of the National Endowment for the Arts 2009 Jazz Master Award, will perform with the award-winning Whitworth Jazz Ensemble at the Fox Theater in downtown Spokane on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m. Tickets are available through ticketswest.com and the Fox Theater box office.
This year's Christmas Festival concert, Ye Shall Have a Song, will be great. I have loved the roughly 80 concerts I have attended during my time at Whitworth. Here's this year's schedule: Dec. 5: 7 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Bellevue; Dec. 6: 3 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Seattle; Dec. 11, 8 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Spokane; Dec. 12, 3 p.m. & 7 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Spokane. Tickets go on sale Nov. 2: $18 regular admission, $15 students/senior citizens (62+). For more info, call 800.532.4668 or visit www.whitworth.edu/musictickets.
Admissions & Financial Aid
For the freshman class entering next fall, we are 300 applications ahead of where we were at this time last year.
Many generous donors have set up Whitworth scholarships that can be awarded only to returning students. Applications for these 2010-11 scholarships will be available at www.whitworth.edu/financialaid after Nov. 15. The application deadline is Jan. 31.
Student Life
Parents' Weekend welcomed more than 650 attendees. Football and volleyball, faculty-led mini-college presentations, a special presentation by Cool Whip (our student improv group), Whitworth Theatre's production of The Illusion, and the Ethnic Fest put on by all of our cultural clubs were just some of the events that filled this great weekend.
The International Student Club and ASWU joined together to raise money for Kelvin Garner, our Ghanaian student who suffered a swimming-pool accident last summer. Kelvin is being cared for at St. Joseph, where he will remain indefinitely. The fund-raiser is a wonderful effort by students to support Kelvin and his family. His mom has been here in Spokane since the accident, and she graciously prepared Ghanaian cuisine for Ethnic Fest. All proceeds from the event will go toward a fund created to support Kelvin.
Our outdoor recreation program took advantage of the Pacific Northwest in October with local rock-climbing trips, zipline adventures in Idaho, and a kayak trip to Orcas Island. ASWU has more than 45 chartered clubs this year, and these folks have been busy sponsoring events such as the Lindy Hop Ballroom Dance, LAN parties (group video-game competitions) and informative discussions, featuring local political journalists, about upcoming referendum elections.
Resources
We're about to start construction on the new biology/chemistry building. There is a ton of excitement over clearing the final hurdle to begin work in time for a fall 2011 opening. We still need donations, but extremely favorable conditions have intersected in a way that enables us to get going on the construction. We have launched a website that will describe and track the building's progress. Visit www.whitworth.edu/scienceinitiative for a virtual tour of the building by floor. The site features notable science alumni and timelines chronicling the history of science education at Whitworth, along with numerous renderings of interior locations in the facility as well as video interviews with students, faculty and staff. We're very grateful for this development.
Whitworth Fund fact: For the past five years, the November issue of Of Mind & Heart has included a return envelope, making this the one month of the year in which I make an outright request that you consider making a gift to The Whitworth Fund. Over those five years, these little envelopes have carried more than a quarter of a million dollars for The Whitworth Fund. These gifts, both large and small, have provided the margin-of-excellence support we need as we near the end of the calendar year. In this season of thanksgiving, every envelope that makes it back to the annual giving office is among the things for which we are most grateful. Thank you for your generosity through the years. For those of you receiving M&H via e-mail, we hope you'll give to Whitworth online at www.whitworth.edu/give.
The Class of 2008 gift to Whitworth, a veterans memorial in The Loop near Cowles Auditorium, is nearing completion and will be dedicated at the annual Veterans Day ceremony, on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. While cost increases have prevented the completion of some components, the memorial itself, featuring basalt columns, a brick plaza and a number of plaques, will be an important gathering place for years to come and is a wonderful testimony to all alumni, faculty and staff who have served in the armed forces. The memorial pays special tribute to those alumni who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country's freedom. For more information, contact Delynn Siemieniec (dsiemieniec@whitworth.edu) in the advancement office.
Parents, we hope you've received final-exam survival kit orders in the mail by now. Students love getting goodies and packages from their loved ones. The office of alumni & parent relations is taking orders for these treats until Nov. 16. The cost is $20 per kit, and this year there is a fruit bag option. All proceeds benefit the scholarship fund for children of Whitworth graduates. To order online, visit www.whitworth.edu/finalexamkit. Students love to receive your handwritten notes, so feel free to send a message to go with your order. Kits will be handed out during Finals Week, Dec. 15-18.
Athletics
Men's soccer is 10-2-3 and is currently tied for first in the Northwest Conference. The Pirates have a chance to become the first school in 20 years to win three NWC men's soccer titles in a row. Sophomore Brian Sherpe has been outstanding in goal, posting three straight shutouts.
The women's soccer team has won eight of its last nine to improve to 14-3. The Pirates have a chance at postseason play if they can continue to win. Lindsey Oakes and Sidonia Davin lead the team with five goals apiece.
Volleyball has won five of its last seven matches. Included in that stretch are wins over regionally ranked Puget Sound and George Fox. Senior Tracy Schwada is one of the conference leaders in hitting percentage this fall.
The football team (3-5) has struggled through injuries so far this season. The Pirates can even their final record with a pair of wins. Senior Eric Entel is having the best year of his career with 39 catches for nearly 500 yards. Fellow senior Brandon Martin is having another great year on the defensive line and will likely become a three-time First-Team All-NWC honoree.
The cross-country teams head into this weekend's NWC championships hoping to claim a couple of team championships. Dana Misterek and Tonya Turner lead a women's team ranked 16th in the nation. The men's team, led by defending NCAA West Region champ Nick Gallagher, is hoping to defend its title but must overcome a highly ranked squad from Willamette.
Our golf teams finished in second place at their respective NWC Fall Classic tourneys. Freshman Emily Guthrie was the women's tournament medalist, becoming the first Whitworth woman to win a"counting" NWC tournament.
The swim teams open their 2009-10 schedule this weekend. Whitworth's men are heading into the season as seven-time defending NWC champs. And after losing last season in one of the closest meets in NWC history, the Pirate women are hoping to reclaim the title they won in 2008.
Closing Thoughts
Our campus has stayed pretty healthy in spite of the flu strains swirling around. We have vaccinations for H1N1 available, and we're taking the recommended prevention steps. I got hit with a bug on Tuesday morning during a meeting in Tacoma. When I got to the airport to catch a flight home, I stumbled into the wrong line at the wrong gate. They redirected me. Then I went outside and got on the wrong plane. When I realized I was on the wrong plane, I also realized that I didn't care. Not having to get up was worth going to the wrong city. Fortunately, the guy whose seat I was in did care, so I trudged over to the right plane. The next day I was fine. It's a good thing I was gone when I got sick. I could have screwed up this university in a hurry. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving. We have a ton for which to be thankful. At the top of my list this Thanksgiving will be God's immense grace in bringing us to Whitworth.
