Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: October 2006
An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson
Last Saturday took the prize. Warm sunshine, dazzling fall colors and lush green grass adorned the campus as several thousand visitors saw women's soccer, men's soccer and football grind out hard-fought victories. Not only that, but I celebrated my birthday with a group of students in the morning, and then again in the late afternoon with more students and co-birthday man Grady Lockyear, '09, and then again with my family in the evening. A three-party day. On top of that, I got exactly the presents I asked for -- a new tire pump and ice-cream pie. Life is sweet. Two days earlier I thought I'd gotten the mother of all birthday presents when V.P. for Institutional Advancement Kristi Burns reported that she'd received a call saying we'd been left a nine-figure gift in an estate. Kristi was suspicious, and rightly so. Someone was jacking us around. Aesop's sour-grapes fable inspires us to rationalize that $100 million might have changed us. I'd chance that. I know I wouldn't be in an airport right now if that call had been the real deal. But I'm pretty sure Whitworth wouldn't change. I got more than a dozen e-mails last week from students and parents who wanted to express appreciation for the way this community cares for students. That will never change. It's who we are. We attract young men and women of uncommon intellect and virtue, and we do care for them. Most of all we educate them. That is our first calling. But we educate through relationships, and that brings joy to students and us alike. Please remember, you make that possible. Without you, we couldn't reach the high goals we set for ourselves as Christian educators. So thank you very much for your support and for your prayers. You're great partners.
Academics
We're upgrading Core 350 again. Pete Tucker (Computer Science), Jim Waller (Psychology) and Keith Wyma (Philosophy) received a grant to redesign part of the Core 350 curriculum to allow more active learning and prepare more science and math faculty to join the teaching team. This $3,000 grant is funded by the National Science Foundation through a grant to the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement. The program promotes active methods of teaching science based upon societal issues and civic engagement and responsibility.
I hope I never hear the phrase, "I'm going to go curl up with a good computer." Books are the best, and our children need to be able to read them. To that end, citizenship and teaching opportunities for our students come together in this week's opening of the Whitworth School of Education's After-School Literacy Center. Its focus will be on reading and language arts, using Direct Instruction curriculum materials and positive motivation systems. Also under the heading of contributions from our superb education program is the keynote speech that Margo Long presented Oct. 2 at the Washington State Certification Conference, in Lake Chelan.
If you're coming to Homecoming or Parents' Weekend, be sure you attend our theatre and music departments' production of The Pirates of Penzance on Oct. 13, 14, 15, 20 and 21. The director, Professor of Theatre Rick Hornor, '70, says, "We chose Piratesbecause it has a great cast of hilariously funny and unique characters, and the music is spectacular." This marks the first time Whitworth has done a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta. Marc A. Hafso, director of choral activities and vocal studies, will coach the singers, and Suzanne Ostersmith, coordinator of our theatre-dance minor, will choreograph the production. It will be a great show! (Call 509.777.3707 to purchase tickets.)
Regional newspapers continue to print the contributions of our faculty to the public political discourse. On Sept. 23, Spokane's Spokesman-Review published "Political Power in Our Hands, Not the Media's" by Jim McPherson (Communication Studies) and on Sept. 6 the Seattle Times published "Don't Let Interest Groups Influence Judicial Choices," by Julia Stronks (Political Science).
Both the Whitworth Jazz Ensemble and the Whitworth Wind Symphony were selected to perform at the 2007 Music Educators All-Northwest Conference in Portland next January. This is a great honor for Whitworth's fine student instrumentalists, as every college and university group throughout the Northwest is eligible to compete for an invitation to this conference.
Our 2006 Endowed English Reader is Mary Doria Russell, best-selling author of The Sparrow, an original and thought-provoking novel that we've used in Core 150. She will present a lecture (Nov. 2) and a reading (Nov. 3) from her latest book, A Thread of Grace. Both events are scheduled for 7:30 in Weyerhaeuser Hall. Spokane-area alumni and friends should note that the dates of the reading and lecture have changed from those listed in the Whitworth Speakers and Artists brochure you received in the mail last month.
Enrollment
Our fall enrollment looks very strong. At 1,855, we have the largest full-time student enrollment ever, which puts us right on plan. Our retention rate (freshman-to-sophomore return percentage) is a hair under 89 percent, almost 20 percent above the national norm. Our freshmen bring an average GPA of 3.67 and an SAT score mean that's off six points this year (from 1204 last year to 1198). Total enrollment is 2,504.
The financial-aid office reports that the college now has an all-time low Stafford Loan default rate of .1 percent. The staff attributes the low default rate to responsible Whitworth alums and to the college's dedication to educating our students on loan-repayment options and fiscal-management-education opportunities. Our staff does a great job of educating students in debt management, but it would be way better if students didn't have to accumulate so much debt -- which is another reason why it would be nice to get an authentic $100-million phone call.
Student Life
Student life has been rocking! Comediennes and Northwest bands have entertained students at Half-Past Nine (that's not just the time; it's the name of the program) on Thursday nights in the HUB. Our new coffeehouse, The Mind & Hearth, is unbelievably cool. On Friday evenings it retros back to the '60s, with students performing their original writings, music and poetry. Leonard Oakland (English) was recently spotted in there channeling Bob Dylan singing Just like a Woman (or something). As usual, hundreds of students are involved in intramurals, and last weekend Caitlin Storm, '09, carried her big brother, Colin, '07, to the doubles championship of our intramural tennis tournament. Outdoor rec went white-water rafting last weekend in Montana, and, overall, students just enjoyed college life.
In the midst of these good days, we still find ourselves battling culture's ugliness. In the past few weeks, more than 20 of our students have received obscene phone calls from off campus. The sheriff's department has arrested a suspect, who, according to our records, has never been an employee or student of the college. Every tragic news story underscores the vigilance and good fortune required to keep our campus secure. We must lean toward caution over convenience, so residence halls will remain locked around the clock.
Over 600 faculty, staff and students participated in Whitworth's annual Community Building Day Sept. 26. Buses carried volunteers to 32 locations around Spokane, where teams worked at a variety of jobs such as cleaning the Boys' and Girls' Club, washing windows at Catholic Charities and cutting tree branches at Riverside State Park. Whitworth Service-Learning Program Assistant Jacob Spaun, '03, says the day "helps students better understand service and perhaps capture a larger picture of their majors." I received an e-mail from one student who reported, "I just wanted to tell you that I had an awesome time at Community Building Day, and the RAs from Ballard and Schumacher are planning to get the dorms to go help more at the sites we visited. I really think that individuals and groups who care are what hold up cities. You can't get a system to do that."
Resources
You folks are amazing! It has been only a few weeks that our new phonathoners have been dialing alumni (do you think they know what dialing means?), and after just eight nights of calls from these high-achieving students, you've made gifts and pledges of more than $50,000. They're great and you're great. If you haven't heard from our students, you probably will. They love talking to you about what they are experiencing here at Whitworth and asking for your support. Thank you for taking the time to listen.
The Whitworth Foundation has received an unusual gift. Randy and Evie Hansen donated a $500,000 commercial fishing vessel to a charitable remainder trust that will provide them income for the rest of their lives and will ultimately benefit the students of the college. Randy once served as skipper for the immaculate boat, which was built by his family. Evie is the author of cookbooks about low-fat, heart-healthy seafood dishes. And the Hansens are the proud parents of Mickie, Class of 2009.
Athletics
At a special 8:30 HUB breakfast on Oct. 14, during Homecoming Weekend, one of Whitworth's greatest teams and one of its all-time finest hoopsters will be inducted into the Heritage Gallery Hall of Fame. The 1960 football team, which went 9-0 and played in the NAIA semifinals, will be inducted as a group. No fewer than seven members of that group, including Head Coach Sam Adams, have already been inducted as individuals. Marv Adams, the fifth-leading scorer in men's basketball history, will also be inducted. This three-time first-team All-Evergreen Conference player led the league in scoring two years in a row.
Whitworth football is celebrating its 100th year with one of its best starts ever. The Pirates are 4-0 and ranked 14th in the latest D3football.com poll. Whitworth has won tough, coming from behind at Wisconsin-Stout against a team with an offensive line that averaged 6' 4" and 304 pounds. The Bucs then defeated NAIA powerhouse Azusa Pacific 17-14, becoming the first NWC team ever to defeat the Cougars. Senior quarterback Joel Clark has already broken some long-standing career records, including total offense and career touchdown passes. Michael Allan is being scouted by several NFL teams and needs only one more touchdown catch to break the career record of 24, set by Hall of Famer Sam Adams way back in 1951. And I need only one more last-minute win before I start packing a defibrillator for these games.
Football alums, coaches and fans will celebrate the 100 years of Pirate football with a reunion during Homecoming Weekend. Many former coaches will return, along with players from throughout Whitworth football history. This should be a great time of fellowship and revisionist history.
The women's soccer team is 6-1-2 and ranked 25th in the latest NSCAA Division III poll. Greta Thibodeau, who scored the tying goal in the Bucs' 1-1 draw with nationally ranked UPS, has sparked the Pirates offensively with five goals and three assists. Sarah Brogden-Thome and Kimberly Mitchell have anchored a defensive back line that's allowing only seven shots per game.
Men's soccer is 4-3-3 and 3-1-2 in the conference. The Pirates are in the thick of the battle for the NWC title, aiming for their third in a row. Seniors Ali Seyedali and Niko Varlamos lead the team with three goals each. Varlamos is now Whitworth's all-time leader in goals scored, with 35; Seyedali ranks second all time with 27 assists.
The young volleyball squad is still trying to put the pieces together. Though the players find their overall record (3-13) a bit disappointing, the team is playing better since beginning its NWC schedule (2-4). Angie Florence leads Whitworth in kills per game, averaging more than three. Tamra Stark leads the Bucs in blocks, and Holly Ridings has taken over primary setting responsibilities.
The cross-country teams have shown that they know how to win. Led by junior Julie Lauterbach, the women won the Whitworth Short Course Classic. Lauterbach won the two-mile race to lead the Bucs to the team title over Gonzaga and Community Colleges of Spokane. Freshman Jo E. Mayer was third at the Whitworth race and has quickly developed into a threat for the Pirates. The men opened the season with a team victory at the Whitman College Invitational. Jacob Dietz won that race, and Dusty Caseria was the Pirates' top finisher at both the Whitworth short-course meet and the U.W. Sundodger Invitational.
Alumni
Alums, parents and friends are invited to join Craig Tsuchida (Biology) for a lecture, "Christian Evolutionist: An Oxymoron?," at Core 650 events Nov. 18 (Vancouver) and Nov. 19 (Seattle). The Q&A alone may well be worth the price of admission! Director of Communications Greg Orwig, '91, and Alumni Director Tad Wisenor, '89, will be on hand to answer questions about the college. And, of course, there will be dessert. Brochures will be in the mail soon; details, as well as online registration, are available at www.whitworth.edu/alumnievents.
Alumni and parents: Here's your annual opportunity to combine a delicious dessert with sweet jazz. On Nov. 11, the Whitworth Jazz Ensemble will perform with Grammy-winning trombonist Robin Eubanks. The evening begins at 6:45, and tickets are only $15 for dessert and a reserved seat for the concert; register at www.whitworth.edu/alumnievents.
Miscellaneous
Don't forget the fall jazz concert (mentioned above) with Grammy- winning trombonist Robin Eubanks and our award-winning Whitworth Jazz Ensemble. We hope to see you here when Eubanks and the band blow the roof off the joint on Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 (or $5 for students, sponsored by ASWC) through TicketsWest or the Whitworth Music Office (509.777.3280), or at the door.
And come December, be sure to catch our Christmas Festival concert, From Out of Darkness, We Have Light, taking place at the following times and places: Dec. 1, 8 p.m., Chapel Hill Presbyterian, Gig Harbor; Dec. 2, 7 p.m., First Presbyterian, Bellevue; Dec. 3, 3 p.m., First Presbyterian, Seattle; Dec. 8, 8 p.m., First Presbyterian, Spokane; Dec. 9, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., First Presbyterian, Spokane. Tickets go on sale Nov. 1: $15 regular admission; $12 students/seniors. Call 800.532.4668 for information.
Closing Thoughts
About the time I begin to decompose over the challenge of finding funds for our deeply needed capital projects, I get fresh perspective. I read this morning about a four-year-old who dumped a half-can of raisins into his yogurt. When his mom started to scoop some out, he exclaimed, "Don't take my raisins -- you're ruining my life!" I hear you, kid. We could use a few more raisins here. Every day I send myself a mixed message: We need capital funds desperately, and money isn't even close to being our most valuable resource. Well, I do know that we're doing our best to provide a great place for students to receive a mind-and-heart education. As a boy, I memorized the verse in Philippians that says, "My God shall supply all of your needs according to his riches in glory." That's a pretty big "according to," coming from a very loving God. Please keep praying for our students and for the resources we need to serve them. Thanks.
