Mind & Heart Newsletter: January 2014
An update from Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor
The liturgical calendar calls the time between the church's two holy seasons of Christmas and Easter "ordinary time." It's an odd name that seems to imply that nothing very special happens during these intervening months – as if the promise of the Advent season, the celebration of the Incarnation, and the subsequent anticipation of Christ's redeeming work haven't changed us. But God does his best work during the ordinary times. In fact, God often uses the ordinary for the extraordinary. I am coming to understand now how God has used the "ordinary" times in my past to transform and prepare me for the extraordinary purposes he has ordained for me. Perhaps it was that ordinary job I labored to be excited about, or that ordinary relationship with an acquaintance, or that ordinary book I read or an ordinary speaker I listened to. How many of us can think back on those less-than-extraordinary events to see how God wove them into the beautiful tapestry of our lives and callings? There are no scraps. God is always at work in the ordinary, and our response is to be faithful to see it, even when we feel less than expectant, a little disoriented, or unsure of God's plans and purposes. God has extraordinary plans for all of us, and the ordinary times are the building blocks he uses. May God bless you in this ordinary season.
Academics
The psychology department recently held its 18th annual Undergraduate Psychology Conference, at which 48 students presented senior-thesis research projects. Subjects ranged from "Empathic Persuasion: Empathy as a Tool for Change" to "Modes of Communication and Their Effect on Physiological Arousal and Brain Engagement."
Arlin Migliazzo (History) recently published an article on Henrietta Mears and Fuller Seminary, "'She Must Be a Proper Exception:' Females, Fuller Seminary, and the Limits of Gender Equity among Southern California Evangelicals, 1947-1952," in Fides et Historia 45, no. 2 (Summer/Fall 2013).
Victoria DePalma and Shannon James-Kozlovich, both '14 and both students of Trisha Russell (Chemistry), were winners of the Murdock Poster Prize in Organic/Computational Chemistry for their presentation at the 2013 Murdock College Science Research Program Conference.
The Whitworth Theology Department continues to shine: Roger Mohrlang is in Nigeria doing consultant work with translators of the Kamwe Old Testament. Roger translated the New Testament into Kamwe many years ago while working for Wycliffe Bible Translators. Jonathan Moo is co-author of Hope in an Age of Despair: the Gospel and the Future of Life on Earth(IVP Britain). The book, written with a geophysicist from Cambridge, will appear in the U.S. this spring under the title Let Creation Rejoice: Biblical Hope and the Ecological Crisis (IVP). Jonathan is also co-editor, with Robin Routledge, of a book of academic essays, The Bible, Creation, and the Environment (IVP), due for release next month. Will Kynes participated in a panel on wisdom and prophecy at the annual meeting of the Institute for Biblical Research. And Adam Neder recently served as panel moderator at the Karl Barth in Dialogue: Encounters with Major Figures conference at Princeton Theological Seminary. He was also keynote speaker on the topic "What does it mean to be a Christian?" for a conference attended by 1,200 high-school students.
The third edition of Understanding Architecture, by Leland Roth and Amanda Clark (Library) is due out this month, published by Westview Press.
Janet Hauck (Archives) received a $1,700 grant from the American Library Association and National Endowment for the Humanities for a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Collection, Emancipation Proclamation 1863 and the March on Washington 1963.
Katie Creyts (Art) and Amanda Clark (Library) were awarded $13,207 from the McMillen Foundation for workshops and lectures on artists' books.
David Cherry (Education) has been appointed to a three-year Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education seat on the board of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
The Arts
Please drop by the Bryan Oliver Gallery to see Poetics & Public Projection: Layered History – Redrawn Memory, by Rose Bond, which will be open during university hours through Feb. 7.
The Whitworth Jazz Ensemble is in Rome this month for two weeks of concerts and Italian culture, art and history. This is the eighth time the ensemble, under the direction of Dan Keberle, has toured Italy.
Student Life
ASWU is in full swing on the Million Meals in May Campaign. Students are dedicated to raising $250,000 by the beginning of May so that they can pack self-contained meals for one million people in Spokane and the surrounding areas. Anyone interested in helping pack meals for a couple of hours on May 3, please contact Audrey Evans at aevans14@my.whitworth.edu. And if you're interested in donating ($10 buys 40 meals!), please visit www.whitworth.edu/onemillionmeals and go to the Generation Alive website link. What an amazing initiative! Please support our students and the community by helping.
Whitworth students were busy last fall offering their service to Spokane. During the semester, 924 students in service-learning courses offered 3,397 hours of service for a value of $77,077 to our community. On campus, Rachel Mackie (Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement) recruited 30-plus Whitworth students as volunteers for the annual Food for Thought meal at the House of Charity. Warren Hall leader Alicen Freeman, '15, organized Operation Christmas Child to pack 184 shoeboxes with gifts for children across the world. Ninety-five students from Warren and 23 from Arend gave more than 270 hours of their time to that project, and 30 residents of East Hall prepared holiday stockings for the children served by Youth for Christ in Spokane's West Central neighborhood. Forty students from Boppell, Stewart and The Village raised funds for the Whitworth Alzheimer's Association; a group of Mac men helped to terrace a portion of the Back 40 for cultivation; and 40 students from Baldwin-Jenkins gave 205 hours of their time on the weekend to help En Christo, a Whitworth student organization led by Veronica Fetzer and Austin Winkelman, both '14, that prepares and delivers meals to Spokane's homeless.
The Center for Service-Learning is undergoing big changes this spring that include a new website (serve.whitworth.edu) to help Whitworth students, faculty and staff find places to serve and a way to track their hours.
Alumni & Parents
Alums and parents in the greater Seattle and Tacoma areas are invited to a brief reception between basketball games as the women’s (4 p.m.) and men’s (6 p.m.) teams play PLU on Saturday, Feb. 8. Watch your inbox for details.
Alums and their fams can enjoy free Pirate basketball in the fieldhouse through early February. Start times/matchups are available at www.whitworthpirates.com. On Saturday, Feb. 1, attend our annual Alumni Night in the Fieldhouse festivities. Wear your crimson and black, and join us for complimentary refreshments in the aquatics center foyer during halftime of the men’s game against Pacific.
Join the Portland chapter of Whitworth alums to cheer on the Pirate hoopsters as they take on Lewis and Clark on Saturday, Feb. 21. Bring the whole family for a night of Pirate-themed fun, and gather with other Portland-area Whitworthians at around 5:30 p.m., between the two games, for a cookie-and-cider reception. Register online or contact Danika Heatherly, ’10, at 509.777.4761 or dheatherly@whitworth.edu.
Time to start thinking about reunions during Whitworth’s 125th Celebration Weekend, Oct. 10-12. Along with many other events, members of the classes of 1984, ’94, ’04, ’09, and all former members of Whitworth choral groups will gather to celebrate important reunions. Please mark your calendar now. More information about all of the 125th-anniversary events is coming your way soon!
Admissions
Jan. 31 is the recommended deadline for students admitted through our Early Action application program to submit their enrollment deposits. The $350 deposit, which can be paid online at www.whitworth.edu/enrollmentdeposit, holds a student’s place in the Class of 2018 and can also give students priority consideration in housing and class registration. The deposit is refundable until May 1, so all admitted students who are seriously considering Whitworth as a college option are encouraged to submit their deposits ASAP.
Auditions take place Feb. 8-9 for students seeking talent scholarships for participation in Whitworth music programs. Info about auditions is available at www.whitworth.edu/music; click on the Scholarship Auditions link. Live auditions are preferred but recordings are accepted. Students who participate in music ensembles are eligible to audition for talent awards regardless of their majors. Talent and participation awards also are available for students who participate in art, theatre, journalism, forensics and Young Life. Information will be mailed to students who indicated interest in these programs on their Whitworth admissions application.
This month we’ll host 18 extraordinary young leaders from Spokane and Tacoma/Seattle who are semifinalists in the Act Six Leadership and Scholarship Program. These students, who are gifted, equipped and challenged to be agents of transformation on campus and in their hometowns, were selected from several hundred applicants to compete for a spot in in Whitworth’s 12th cadre of Act Six scholars.
Financial Aid
The 2014-15 FAFSA website is now available for students to renew their need-based or federal financial aid. Families can file the electronic pre-filled FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov. Our priority deadline is May 1 for returning students who seek financial aid for 2014-15. For new freshmen and students who wish to apply for summer work-study, the deadline is March 1; for transfers, it's July 1. Families that file their tax returns prior to completing the FAFSA may be able to save time and assure accuracy by loading the IRS data into the FAFSA. Students who receive only a Whitworth academic scholarship do not need to file the FAFSA.
The 2013 1098T tuition tax form will be available electronically at the end of this month. Students, go to the Student Account Information section of Pirate Port (or WhitNet) and click on 1098 Electronic Consent. The electronic form can be viewed and printed at any time. And in using it, you'll help Whitworth "go green." This form supports your request for educational tax credits on your tax return. For more info, please consult your tax advisor or go to www.irs.gov. You may also take a look at the Worksheet for Reporting Scholarships/Grants on Your Federal 2013 Tax Return, which can be found at www.whitworth.edu/financialaid, to determine whether financial aid you/your student received in 2013 is taxable.
Resources
A huge Pirate thanks to all who made financial contributions to Whitworth in December! Each gift makes a big difference to the university. We just completed our Light the Match campaign, which was energized by a $50,000 matching gift from two of our trustees, Art Symons, ’51, and Judi Shupper. We’re excited to announce that we surpassed our goal of reaching 2,021 alumni and parent donors: In fact, 2,842 Whitworth alumni and parents made gifts! This crucial support strengthens our ability to support students through scholarships and financial aid, to invest in academic programs and facilities, and to advance Whitworth’s transformative mission of an education of mind and heart.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica Director Lindy Scott writes that during Jan Term, 34 first-year students are at the CRC taking an honors course in Shalom under the direction of Dean of Spiritual Life Terry McGonigal. Students stay with Costa Rican families and participate in field trips, service projects, and other opportunities to practice the Shalom of God in their lives. Cynthia Wright (Health Sciences) is leading a group of students who are developing their skills as medical practitioners in Spanish. They, too, are in homestays as they complete medical internships, study medical Spanish, and participate in field trips. Grant Casady (Biology) is at the CRC with nine majors whose coursework includes research in the fishing village of Tarcoles. Finally, under the CRC’s auspices, members of the Central America Study and Service Program are hard at work studying advanced Spanish in Guatemala and exploring the fascinating realities of Central America. Soon they’ll be off to Nicaragua for three months of service.
Sports
Whitworth welcomes new Head Football Coach Rod Sandberg. Rod comes to us from Wheaton College (Ill.), where he was a longtime assistant coach. He had been the Thunder’s defensive coordinator since 2003. Rod is busy hiring his staff and getting to know players and recruits.
Women’s basketball is 8-3 (2-0 in conference). The women amassed a 6-1 record against NCAA Div. III opponents in preseason play. Kayla Johnson, ’14, is leading the Pirates in both scoring average and rebounding.
The men’s basketball team is 9-3, following a 1-1 trip to Las Vegas, where they pushed No. 1-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point hard before losing, then defeated Wisconsin-Platteville for a weekend split. They, too, are 2-0 in NWC play.
The swimming teams are on Coronado Island, Calif., for their winter training camp. The Pirates will get 10 days of intense training, with swimmers accumulating up to 100,000 yards of work during the trip. The dual-meet season gears up again in January.
The indoor track and field season begins Jan. 18 with a meet at WSU.
Closing Thoughts
Last month, the Lilly Endowment granted Whitworth $1 million to form the Office of Church Engagement and to develop relationships and programs to strengthen congregations in the Pacific Northwest. Since its founding, Whitworth has been committed to serving local congregations, pastors, and lay leaders in a variety of ways. This grant will significantly strengthen our ability to support the work of the local church as the university comes alongside congregations to address, faithfully and creatively, the opportunities and challenges they face. I’m pleased to announce that I’ve appointed Dean of Spiritual Life Terry McGonigal to lead this important effort. Terry has served ably as Whitworth’s chaplain for 20 years, and that experience and the relationships Terry has developed will facilitate the exciting work he’ll be doing. Terry will continue to serve in his current role through the end of spring semester, and we’ll begin a search for Whitworth’s new dean of spiritual life immediately. I know you’ll join me in thanking Terry as we celebrate the legacy of faithfulness he has stewarded for our community. As always, thanks for the many ways you support Whitworth.
