Mind & Heart Newsletter: October 2010
An update from Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor
As I write this month's Mind & Heart, I find myself sitting in the lounge at the Portland International Airport, waiting on my flight home to Spokane and making dinner out of an oversized bag of pretzels and a Diet Coke. Despite my failure to find a nutritious dinner, I've spent a delightful four days celebrating aspects of Whitworth's fantastic athletics programs, both past and present.
I flew to Portland on Friday to speak at the men's tennis reunion banquet. More than 25 former Whitworth players descended on Eastmoreland Club to play golf and tennis and to enjoy reminiscing about their glory days. It was fun to hear the hilarious stories they told on former coach and Whitworth icon Ross ("Two Toots") Cutter, who was also in attendance with his wife, Shirley. On Saturday, the group played singles and doubles matches with 10 current Whitworth players who graciously traveled from Spokane with Head Coach Mike Shanks. The students beat the alumni handily (that's good), and I can proudly report no major injuries among the alumni (that's great). On Saturday night I enjoyed traveling to Linfield College with our volleyball team to watch the Pirates beat the Wildcats in a close but exciting match. On Sunday, I traveled with the men's and women's soccer teams to Willamette University, and I watched both teams come away with important conference victories. Finally, to finish my Whitworth sports weekend, today (Monday) I met with the other eight presidents from member schools of the Northwest Conference to discuss conference logistics and goals.
I absolutely love our student-athletes and coaches. They represent our university so well, excelling both on the field of play and in the classroom. As an NCAA Division III school, Whitworth prides itself in putting academics first, but we don't use that as an excuse to take it easy. For three consecutive years, and for four of the past six years, Whitworth has won the coveted all-sports trophy that recognizes the best athletics program in the conference. Last year, Pirate teams earned nine of 18 possible conference championships – that's domination! In the past decade, Whitworth has won no fewer than 44 conference crowns. And finally, last year's lowest team GPA was 3.0. I know you join me in thanking our teams and their coaches and trainers for their commitment to excellence in academics and athletics. Go, Bucs! (And thanks for the fun weekend.)
Academics
Last month, Anthony E. Clark (History) delivered the closing lecture at an international symposium, Legacies of the Book: Early Missionary Printing in Asia and the Americas. The lecture focused chiefly on his recent research on the missionary publications of Giulio Aleni (1582-1649), who produced some of China's first books on Christian belief. The lecture is based on Clark's original research in The Vatican's secret archives and the Pope's private library, as well as in Jesuit archives in Europe and Asia. Following the symposium, Clark's lecture will be published as a chapter in a scholarly volume.
Betty Williams (Education) and her co-author (and spouse) Randy Williams are proud to announce that their textbook, Effective Programs for Treating Autism Spectrum Disorder: Applied Behavior Analysis Models, is now available. To see a summary of its contents, go to www.psypress.com and search under Betty Williams' name. In addition to her duties with our School of Education, Betty is our current Whitworth Lindaman Chair. She is collaborating with Susan Mabry (Computer Science) to develop a highly specialized analytical software application that will screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder, help doctors make referral decisions, and track patients' progress. This is really exciting work.
Alumni/Parents/Events
After I've spent summer and fall mostly close to home, the alumni & parent relations folks are excited to take me on the road for a series of events they're calling The Taylor Tour. I look forward to meeting more of you alumni, parents and friends of Whitworth. Mark your calendar for Dec. 5 in Seattle, and watch for more details soon on events in Washington, D.C., Portland, Denver, Colorado Springs, Southern California, San Francisco, and Honolulu.
A few years ago, The 10 debuted as an online resource for alumni who are navigating their first years post-Whitworth. It's now a blog (see www.whitworth.edu/theten) that's updated weekly with stories, videos and photos related to alumni updates, events and other fun information. For those times when you wish you were back in the dining hall with a delicious French dip in hand, or when you're wondering, "What ever happened to...," or when you're simply looking for information on how to get a copy of your transcript, The 10 is thinking of you. I guess I'm just outside the target audience, so The 10 isn't thinking of me.
We hope to see you on Saturday, Oct. 23, at the dessert before Whitworth Theatre's fall production of Once Upon a Mattress– a light-hearted adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Princess and the Pea (see details in the "Arts" section below). Alumni, parents and friends are invited to join us for dessert and conversation with director Rick Hornor, '70, prior to the performance. Details and online registration can be found at www.whitworth.edu/alumnievents.
And I hope you'll join us on Saturday, Nov. 6, for dessert prior to the jazz concert featuring virtuoso jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. Sandoval is a four-time Grammy winner, a protégé of the legendary Dizzy Gillespie, and an unparalleled performer, fluent in musical languages from bebop to classical. Alumni, parents and friends are invited to hear from Sandoval and Director of Jazz Studies Dan Keberle at the dessert. Details and online registration can be found at www.whitworth.edu/alumnievents.
On the heels of a very successful Homecoming Weekend, we're looking forward to more reunion groups coming to campus in the next year. The classes of 1951 and 1961 are invited to celebrate their 60- and 50-year reunions during Commencement Weekend 2011, May 13-15. Also, Associate Professor Emeritus of Sociology Ron Frase will lead two more Central America reunions on campus, reminiscing with the 1996 and 1993 groups the weekends of June 24-26 and July 15-17, respectively. And while you have your calendar out, save the date for Homecoming 2011, which will take place the weekend of Oct. 7-9. We'll highlight the classes of 1991, 2001 and 2006, celebrating their 20-, 10- and five-year reunions. In addition, we'll welcome the classes of 1995-98 as well as all alumni from our swim teams. And we look forward to seeing all of you chemistry and biology alumni as we celebrate the grand opening of Robinson Science Hall.
I'm excited to announce the next international Core 650 tour for alumni, parents and friends. This is a repeat of our wildly popular Exploring Paul's Pioneering Pathways trip to Turkey with Bruner-Welch Professor of Theology Jim Edwards, '67, and his wife, Janie, '66. The tour will leave on Monday, May 16, and will return on May 29. All of the details are available at www.whitworth.edu/turkey2011, or contact Director of Campaign Planning Tad Wisenor, '89, at twisenor@whitworth.edu or 509.777.4401.
The Arts
Whitworth Theatre will present the delightful musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress in Cowles Auditorium at 8 p.m. Oct. 15, 16, 22 and 23 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 17. (See details about our pre-play dessert above.) Here's the plot: "Due to a most unusual and unpleasant curse, King Sextimus is unable to speak. His less-than-charitable wife, Queen Aggravain, has usurped control not only of the kingdom but also of the marital status of everyone in it. She has decreed that only the princess who can pass a test she personally designs may marry her son, Prince Dauntless. No one else may marry until he does." Professor of Theatre Rick Hornor, '70, directs the actors in this delightful musical, and Assistant Professor of Music Scott Miller wrangles the singers. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for students and seniors (62-plus). Buy your tickets online at www.whitworth.edu/theatretickets, through the theatre box office at 509.777.3707, or at the door.
As mentioned above, jazz giant Arturo Sandoval will perform with the Whitworth Jazz Ensemble at the group's annual fall guest artist concert on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 8 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium. Sandoval will also present a jazz clinic on Friday, Nov. 5, at 5:15 p.m. in the music building recital hall. The Whitworth Jazz Ensemble was the top scoring band at the 2010 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and has also been honored as one of just two college/university jazz bands selected from the six Northwest states to perform at the Music Educators' All-Northwest Conference in Bellevue next February. These cats can play!
Resources
Are you pure GOLD? The Graduates of the Last Decade giving club focuses on building financial support specifically from undergraduate alumni of the last 10 years. Because you GOLD alums make up such a significant portion of our alumni population, we're asking you to help current and future Whitworth students by giving monthly or annually to The Whitworth Fund. It doesn't take any more than the price of a trip to Starbucks each month to join Club GOLD, and the membership comes with some perks, too. It's all explained online at www.whitworth.edu/clubgold, and you alums from the class years since 2000 should already have received, or will soon receive, your official invitation to join the club. Thanks for your support!
Student Life
The enthusiasm from Day One of the school year has carried into the student body's fall programming. Bingo began the month, with $2,500 worth of prizes for lucky players. The traditional Stewart Lawn Dance was a crazy success, and Homecoming Weekend events rounded out the month of fun as students participated in T-shirt decorating, pepper-eating contests, a visit from comic Jay Malone, and the Homecoming game and dance. Large crowds also assembled to hear the presentation STAND on Sexual Assault and the program The Invisible Children, which helps raise awareness about children forced into sex trafficking. Finally, Community Building Day, Whitworth's longest-standing tradition, took place this month, and more than 900 students (along with 300-plus members of the faculty and staff) went out into the Spokane community to participate in small-group service projects. They concluded the event with a campus lunch, music, and speeches from community leaders. What great students we have here at Whitworth!
Sports
Whitworth's cross country teams are ranked nationally as they speed into the midpoint of the season. Tonya Turner, '11, has led the Pirate women by finishing first among the Whitworth runners three races in a row. At the Eric Anderson Invitational, in Spokane, Tonya was third overall while finishing second behind a pair of varsity runners from WSU. The men have seen great performances from Trevor Berrian, '12, and Aaron Jenkins, '12. After this weekend's race, at the Willamette Charles Bowles Invitational (the largest meet on the West Coast), the team will turn its attention to the Northwest Conference championships Oct. 30.
Kalen Darling, '12, a member of the men's cross country and swimming teams, won the USA U23 Elite Triathlon national title last weekend in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He competed against the best triathletes from around the United States, and his outstanding performance made him one to watch for a future Olympic berth.
Whitworth football is 2-2 after a rousing 38-20 win over Lewis & Clark at Homecoming. Julie, our 12-year-old daughter, Lauren, and I joined alumni as part of a huge Pine Bowl crowd that cheered the Bucs. Running back Adam Anderson, '11, continues to break Whitworth records. He now has 45 career touchdowns and 272 career points – both Pirate records that he hopes to augment in this, his final season. On the defensive side, DE Jeff Erlenmeyer, '11, and CB Cailen Thomason, '12, are having potential All-NWC seasons.
The women's soccer team made a big statement in the NWC by thumping eight-time conference champion Puget Sound 4-0 last weekend. Sarah Berentson, '12, has scored four goals in the last five games for the Pirates. Whitworth followed up its big win over UPS with a 4-1 win over Pacific Lutheran to improve to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the NWC.
Men's soccer is 5-2-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the conference. Balance has been the key to the Pirates' success, with no one player scoring more than two of the team's 14 goals to date. But Cameron Bushéy, '12, is setting up most of the goals and has five assists so far this season.
With three wins in a row, the volleyball team has improved to 6-5 overall and 3-1 in the NWC. The Pirates are undaunted at having to play five of their first six NWC matches away from the Whitworth Fieldhouse and have set themselves up to challenge for the NWC title. Kaimi Rocha, '13, is among the NWC's leaders in kills per set, while Bree Riddle, '12, is also a conference leader in assists per set.
The women's and men's golf teams began their fall seasons in style. The women won the Pacific Fall Invitational, in Oregon, led by Emily Guthrie, '13, the 2010 NWC Player of the Year, who picked up her first individual title. The Pirate men posted their best-ever performance at the St. Martin's University Invitational, which includes most of the nationally ranked NCAA Div. II teams from the West Coast. Jesse Salzwedel, '14, finished among the top 10 individually in a deep and talented field.
The tennis teams competed in the ITA/USTA Fall Pacific Northwest regional tournaments last weekend. Rachel Burns, '11, reached the semifinals, and Alli Marshall, '12, made it to the quarterfinals during the women's tournament at Whitman. Daniel Redfern, '13, advanced to the quarterfinals at the men's tournament in Salem, Ore.
The Whitworth Heritage Gallery Hall of Fame Class of 2010 was inducted during a breakfast ceremony prior to the Homecoming football game. The class included Bryan Depew, '04, the all-time leading scorer in Whitworth men's basketball history; John Gould, '90, the first soccer All-America player in Whitworth history; Melanie (Kosin) McGlaughlin, '93, a cross country All-America honoree and track & field standout; and Kevin Wang, '04, a swimming national champion and NCAA Div. III record-setter.
Closing Thoughts
Well, my plane is about to land in Spokane, home to the Taylor family for the past three months. What an amazing welcome we've received from the Whitworth community! Thanks for all of the cards, e-mails, Facebook-friend requests, and cookies (yes, we even received homemade cookies shipped all the way from Southern California by one gracious alumna). One quick reminder: Please join us for the inaugural festivities and Parents' Weekend, Oct. 11-17. Former Whitworth presidents Bob Mounce, Art De Jong, and Bill Robinson will join me as we celebrate Whitworth's amazing past, its courageous mission, and our promising future at the inaugural ceremony on Oct. 15. Julie and I hope to see you there. As always, please keep Whitworth in your prayers.
