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President Emeritus Bill Robinson

  1. Whitworth University
  2. President Emeritus Bill Robinson
  3. Of Mind & Heart Newsletter
  4. September 2008

Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: September 2008

An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson

Four days ago we welcomed roughly 550 freshmen and 80-plus transfer students to Whitworth. Today we start classes. These students will have compressed more action into the four days of orientation than some people experience in a lifetime. Typically, new students hit campus with a strange blend of enthusiasm and fear, knowing very few people and very little about life at Whitworth. By the time they go to bed on Tuesday night, they have racked up an entire building full of best friends and they know more about Whitworth than I do. They think their new friends, for whom they would surely give life and limb, will be friends forever. And they are right. Young men and women who just shook hands for the first time will gather here in 54 years, following a lifetime of commitment and loyalty to each other. They will attend each other's weddings. They will name their children after each other. They will shed tears of joy and sorrow with each other. They will pray faithfully for each other. And some of them will be our friends, too -- friends with whom we will never lose contact. Our mission is to provide an education of the highest quality, and we believe such an education encompasses heart as well as mind. And that makes all the difference. Thanks for your partnership.

Academics

In addition to new students, we also welcome a talent-fest of new faculty members including Casey Andrews (English), Jennifer Brown (French), Katie Creyts (Art), Karen Peterson Finch (Theology), Todd Friends (School of Global Commerce), Fred Johnson (English), Kathryn Picanco (Education), Terry Ratcliff (Dean of Continuing Studies) and Meredith TeGrotenhuis Shimizu, '93 (Art and Core). Visiting faculty members for this academic year include Chad Carmichael (Philosophy), Anders Gardestig (Physics), and Nate Moyer, '04 (Math).

The Whitworth Speakers & Artists series this fall will enhance all that happens in our classrooms. Some coming features:

  • Michele Storms will give the annual Constitution Day Lecture Sept. 17. Storms is the executive director of the William H. Gates Public Service Law Program for the University of Washington Law School.
  • Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed will address the topic of Washington state election reform on Sept. 29.
  • John "Chuck" Chalberg, from Normandale Community College (Minn.), who delights audiences with historical impersonations, will present Teddy Roosevelt: One-Man Show, on Oct. 8.
  • David Oliver Relin, co-author of The New York Times beststeller Three Cups of Tea, our common-reading book for this year's freshmen, will talk about social issues and their effect on children, both in the U.S. and around the world, on Oct. 13.

You can find a complete list of Whitworth Speakers & Artists events at www.whitworth.edu/speakers&artists.

The Ernst F. Lied Center for the Visual Arts, Whitworth's new 20,000-square-foot visual-arts building, will open for classes on Sept. 3. In addition to new classrooms, the building features two galleries, six studios for a variety of disciplines, and interior view corridors as well as exterior views to the center of campus and toward the mountains to the north. I just toured the building and it is absolutely stunning.

On Sept. 9 we'll host the inaugural art exhibit in the Lied Center's Bryan Oliver Gallery. The exhibit features highlights from Whitworth's permanent collection and newest acquisitions, and runs through Oct. 19. It is fitting that this gallery be named after Bryan Oliver. The late son of Shirley Oliver, '77, and Whitworth Board Chair Walt Oliver, '67, Bryan could not have been more talented and full of life. We believe his spirit will live in this gallery through talented artists who depict life in what they display.

In July, the School of Global Commerce & Management celebrated the graduation of 16 new master of international management and master of business administration students.  The International Business Award, sponsored by Kim Hotstart, Inc., was presented to graduate Kenshiro Uki, who will manage the Japanese satellite of his family's Hawaii-based business. Andrea Lloyd received the Academic Achievement Award, sponsored by Advantage IQ, and Bonnie Wakefield was selected by her classmates to receive the Graduate Studies in Business Ambassador Award.

The Whitworth Organizational Management Program is a very rigorous and somewhat compressed curriculum designed for adult learners whose college careers were interrupted for any number of reasons. Many of the students have resumed their education after more than a decade out of school. Most wonder if they're up to the task. Well, they are. In the cohort of students that just graduated, our 23rd, five of the 11 will begin graduate study this fall, and one will start a program next spring. We are very proud of these Whitworthians who added school to work and family in order to complete a dream.

Roger Mohrlang (Theology) just submitted a particularly inspiring sabbatical report. Last spring he spent four weeks in Michika, Nigeria, where 40 years ago he began a six-year project to build a translation of the Kamwe (Higi) New Testament. On his trip this summer, he worked with the Kamwe Bible Translation Committee to lay a foundation for the translation of the Kamwe Old Testament -- a project that will probably take 10 years to complete. Roger taught a week-long course for 30 potential Bible translators and reviewers and spent time with the chief translators, checking their translations of Ruth, Esther, and parts of Exodus.  The Kamwe hope that Roger will be able to return to Michika every year as a translation consultant, until the entire Bible is published. Roger just glows as he tells of the relationships that rekindled instantly as he returned to these people he has loved and served.

Enrollment

We begin this fall with our largest incoming class of freshman students. They come from 18 states and include 15 international students. This class is not only the highest in number, but it also boasts the highest grade-point average. It's a good thing they're smart, because they'll need to figure out how to communicate with shredded voiceboxes. When I talked to new students at the "Plug-in Fair," where they sign up for pretty much everything, they all sounded raspy from Monday's "yell off." Last night, Mock Rock finished off what's left of their voices. By the time they start class today, they will have exhausted all of their non-academic impulses, leaving them anxious to start studying.

We plan on enrolling a smaller freshman class next year, so we urge any potential applicants to get their applications in early. Even though March 1 is the deadline, we admit students as their admissions files are completed. This is to say that we like "eager," and we don't have unlimited space.

We look forward to having a large new residence hall next year, and we apologize to you families who have students in crowded rooms. The sharp rise in the percentage of first-year men contributed to the challenge. We improved the situation somewhat by converting Schumacher to a male residence hall (prompting one of our student leaders to announce that over the summer Schumacher underwent a sex change), but we still have some triples in double rooms. We anticipate having enough space in the second semester.

Student Life

On the Sunday night of Orientation Weekend, Whitworth student David Kuraya dazzled new students with his famed magic show. He's amazing. Maybe he can do something about the Mariners. Next is a dance on the Stewart Hall lawn and a huge Bingo game.

The rest of the month will include Community Building Day, during which more than 500 students will go out into the Spokane community for a half day of service with members of our faculty and staff. We're also getting ready for Homecoming Weekend, featuring dorm competitions, the choosing of student royalty, the homecoming dance, the grand opening of the Ernst F. Lied Center for the Visual Arts, and, remarkably, home games for football, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball.

A note from ASWU President Obe Quarless: "August marked the return of students to Whitworth. Student-life leaders, student-government officials, varsity athletes, and international students all trickled onto campus to prepare for their leadership and athletic involvement this fall. Anxious freshmen and their parents have now poured onto campus, and returning students arrived on Sept. 1 -- all anticipating the first day of classes Sept. 3. Freshmen are now participating in dorm ‘traditiations' (traditions and initiations), which bond new students to build friendships and unity in the residence halls."

Resources

Because so many of you have been kind enough to take calls from our phonathoners, we have attracted a great group of students to make calls this year. Thank you so much for supporting The Whitworth Fund. We will kick off this year's drive at end of the month; it will continue through April. Most of you will get a call from a current student asking you to update your contact information and consider a gift. I hope you alumni "callees" will share a favorite Whitworth story with these students. It is a great way for today's generation of students to learn what Whitworth was like in years gone by. Again, thanks so much to all of you for your support.

Athletics

Cross-country is looking for big things in 2008. Nick Gallagher and Dusty Caseria, individual national qualifiers in 2007, hope to lead the men's team to the NCAA Division III championships this year. Jo E. Mayer will run at the head of the pack of an improved women's team. The Pirates hosted an opening meet on Aug. 29; they'll officially open the season on Sept. 6 at the Whitman Invitational.

The volleyball team began play by traveling to New York City to compete in the NYU Labor Day Invitational. Seniors Nikki Bardwell, Jill Solbrack and Holly Tomlin led the youngest volleyball team Whitworth has fielded in many years. They did a great job. Whitworth went 4-0 and won the tournament behind the play of freshman Kaimi Rocha, who was named MVP.

Men's soccer hopes to win its fourth Northwest Conference title in the last five years. The defense should be very strong, led by junior Bryan Olson and seniors Ben Rotert and Travis Jette. The Bucs got off to a great start with wins over Cal State East Bay and four-time defending MIAC champion Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 4-0.

The women's soccer team aims to improve on last season, the best in Whitworth's NCAA DIII history, when the Pirates finished 18-3 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Seniors Kelly Baker, Penelope Crowe, Kim Mitchell and Kara Tisthammer will lead what promises to be a strong and balanced team this fall. Whitworth defeated a strong team from Chapman on Sept. 1 in Tacoma, 2-0.

Football will play its first home game Sept. 13 against La Verne (Calif.). The Pirates have a chance to do something Whitworth hasn't done since 1955 -- win three straight conference titles in football. Senior QB Kory Kemp will direct a strong offense that will feature 2007 NWC Offensive Player of the Year Adam Anderson at running back. Senior Dan Sanders provides leadership for an experienced offensive line. Graduation has left the defense needing nine new starters, but we have a number of talented players ready to step in.

Alumni

Join SoCal Whitworthians in Orange, Calif., on Saturday evening, Sept. 27, for a pre-game barbecue at 5 p.m. and the inaugural football game (Pirates v. Panthers) on Chapman University's new field at 7 p.m. Details and online registration are available at www.whitworth.edu/alumni. I'll be there, and I'll be giving the sermon at the First Presbyterian Church of Irvine the next morning.

The fall musical, The Cradle Will Rock, will be performed on consecutive weekends in October, and if you attend on Oct. 11 you can enjoy a pre-play dessert at 6:45 p.m. before the curtain rises at 8. At the dessert, Associate Professor of Theatre Diana Trotter, the play's director, will preview this 1937 Federal Theatre Project production. Online registrationis now available.

You can also register online for Homecoming Weekend events, Oct. 3-5. We'll have a breakfast honoring the new Heritage Gallery Athletics Hall of Fame inductees shortly before the grand opening of the Ernst F. Lied Center for the Visual Arts. As it turns out, all of our fall sports except cross-country are home that weekend, so you can take in football, soccer and volleyball. We will also host reunions for the baseball team, the art department, and the classes of 1988 and 1998. All details are available at www.whitworth.edu/homecoming.

Miscellaneous

Travelin' Light, The Italy & Hawaii Tours is the new CD from the 2008 Whitworth Jazz Ensemble. The CD is from the outstanding band, featuring vocalist Molly Mason, that came in first at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival last year. The CD is now available in the music office for $15.

Closing Thoughts

It has been about 18 hours since I sat down to write this newsletter. Orientation hours are like dog years, so a lot has happened, including Mock Rock. It was wild. Even though I'm sure that wasn't your kid pirouetting across the stage wearing only his boxers and a smile, you probably would have seen a rather extroverted version of your child had you been in the fieldhouse last night. It's all fun, and the mood contrasts ferociously with the academic life that began this morning. I'm certain that 99 percent of the students feel ready to start classes today. It's why they are here. It's why we are here. These are bright students who carry a deep sense of purpose into their work. In Opening Convocation Thursday morning I will tell students the story of Queen Esther. Her initial response to the imperiled state of her people was to remain silent. But her sense of call seemed to awaken when her cousin Mordecai, who adopted her, asked the question, "Could it be that you are in this royal position for such a time as this?" From a global perspective, getting to attend college constitutes a royal position. It is a position of privilege and responsibility. Our students will hear that from us repeatedly. I wonder if some students starting classes today were led to Whitworth for just such a time as this -- a time when two billion people in the world need food, shelter and healthcare, and even more people need to know the fullness of Christ's love. I won't be surprised to find these students answering the call of leadership to make this a more loving and just world. Thank you for joining us in preparing them for this great cause.