Mind & Heart Newsletter: September 2012

An update from Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor

Before I knew it, I was on the gym floor wondering who'd kicked me in the back of the calf. Just seconds before, I'd been running and jumping like a gazelle (sort of) with no care in the world other than to have fun with the other students, staff and faculty members playing 4-on-4 basketball in Graves Gym. After I hit the floor, my first instinct was to look to see who had fouled me and sent me tumbling. I looked behind me, and no one was there. Then the pain in my left heel shot up my leg. I was down for the count. I feared I had done what every weekend warrior dreads: The kick in the back of the leg, the sensation of losing control of the foot, and the excruciating pain all signaled a ruptured Achilles tendon. The MRI confirmed my diagnosis. My 42-year-old body had finally caught up with my 18-year-old brain. I should tell you that when I visit the doctor's office, or get a haircut, or receive any other kind of service in Spokane, I rarely disclose who I am and the role I play at Whitworth. It's nice to maintain some anonymity. I broke protocol when I visited my orthopedic surgeon the day after the accident. I promptly declared that I was the president of Whitworth, and that regardless of his busy schedule I had to have surgery immediately so that I could be upright, even if on just one foot, when the Class of 2016 moved onto campus 10 days later. I couldn't imagine lying on my back with my leg in the air as our newest Whitworthians and their families experienced the magic of Orientation and Traditiation. He got me in the next day. So by the time students and families pulled U-Hauls onto campus to begin their Whitworth experience, I was hopping around on crutches and cruising The Loop on a cool red-and-black knee scooter. Of course, I embellished the injury story a bit each of the 500 or so times I got to tell it that weekend: for example, rather than chasing down a loose ball, I was slam-dunking over Professor of History Dale Soden (thanks, Dale, for being a good sport). It was a great weekend, as always, and I'm on the road to recovery. I'll spend about 14 weeks in an orthopedic boot, doing physical rehab. I told Julie my goal was to be in two shoes by Thanksgiving. A guy can dream. My surgeon says I have about 10 years left on my right Achilles, so perhaps someone from the Whitworth Class of 2016 will perform that surgery. Again, a guy can dream!

Special Event

Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist George F. Will is coming to Spokane to share his insights on our country's political landscape. His breakfast lecture, on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 a.m. at the Spokane Convention Center, will be presented by Whitworth University's annual President's Leadership Forum and sponsored by U.S. Bank. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information or to register, call Nancy Rau at 509.777.4250, or register online at www.whitworth.edu/leadershipforum.

Academics

Whitworth is pleased to welcome 24 international students from around the world – Spain, the UK, France, India, Germany, Bulgaria, Argentina, Austria, New Zealand, Korea, Fiji and the Netherlands. In addition, we are very excited to have four students from the new Brazil Science Without Borders Program: www.iie.org/brazilsciencewithoutborders.

We are also thrilled that 18 exchange students have arrived on campus, from Morocco, Malaysia, Korea, UK, Spain, Austria, Hong Kong, France, the Netherlands and Germany. We have an additional 11 international students coming here to matriculate, from Ghana, Guam, Nigeria, China, Serbia, Hungary, Australia, Vietnam and Turkey. I can't wait for our International Banquet in November!

We begin this year with more than 180 full-time faculty, including 17 new faculty members from diverse disciplines, backgrounds and locations: Michael Artime (Political Science), Mark Baird (Psychology), Eugene Bempong Nyantakyi (School of Global Commerce & Management), Brytton Bjorngaard (Art), Elizabeth Campbell (Psychology), Tibebe Eshete (History), Kaye Kamp (Education), Katherine Karr-Cornejo (Modern Languages), Andrew Kirkpatrick (Political Science), Corey McKenna (Education), John Pell (English), Erica Salkin (Communication Studies), Flint Simonsen (Education), Timothy Wilkinson (SGCM), Maggie Bullock Wolcott (English) and Cynthia Wright (Health Sciences). Welcome!

Roberta Wilburn (Graduate Studies in Education) was invited to return to Oxford University in England to present at this summer's Oxford Round Table on Women and History. The Oxford Round Table is a weeklong international, interdisciplinary forum designed to stimulate debate through meaningful dialogue and presentation.

Casey Andrews (English) participated in a Lilly Summer Seminar called "Teaching Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland." Also, his review of David Cronenberg's film A Dangerous Method appeared in the peer-reviewed online journal Scope, published by University of Nottingham: www.scope.nottingham.ac.uk/june_2012/film_rev_june_2012.pdf#page=33.

Costa Rica

"Nineteen Whitworth students have arrived at the Costa Rica Campus for the fall of their lives," writes Costa Rica Director Lindy Scott. "What awaits them? Excellent home stays, communicating (and even dreaming) in Spanish, experiential learning, eight hours of internships per week, and field trips to Nicaragua, Cuba, and the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Professors Patrick Van Inwegen (Political Science) and Nicole Sheets (English) join our local faculty to provide challenging classes on political economics, creative writing, ecology and social justice, Latin American literature, Spanish at four levels, and courage-filled conversations in Corazón 350 (oops, Core 350)." Our students escaped injury in the earthquake and we are so grateful to God. More from Lindy next month!

The Arts

An exhibit titled Mythical Landscapes, Large Space/Small Scale, Landscape Silence, by Ben Frank Moss, '59, a nationally known artist, Dartmouth professor and Whitworth alumnus, will run through Nov. 2 in Lied Center. Moss has exhibited extensively throughout the U.S. for the past 30 years and has received numerous honors and awards. As a landscape painter, he seeks to establish a sense of "place" in his work.

Honk! The Musical is coming to Whitworth this fall. Brooke Kiener, '99 (Theatre), will direct this adaptation of a Hans Christian Andersen story that incorporates a message of tolerance and acceptance. Show times (at the Bing Crosby Theater, downtown) are Oct. 18, 19, 20, 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 20, 21, 2 p.m. Tickets are available at TicketsWest and are $9 general admission, and $7 for students and seniors 62 and over. And don't miss Frosh on Stage on Oct. 7 at 3 and 7 p.m. in Stage II, Cowles Auditorium. See some of our talented new students in action, directed by McDonald Scholarship recipient Rhiannon Batson, '14.

The award-winning Whitworth Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Dan Keberle (Music), has just released its eighth CD, Sermon!, available through the music office for $10. Call 509.777.3280.

Student Life

Student leaders led new and returning students as they began "Traveling the World of the Mind & Heart" (this year's Traditiation theme). New students will quickly evolve from Whitworth tourists into seasoned travelers with the help of faculty, staff and students, and we're excited to have them here for this year's journey. September began with traditional events such as Yell Off, Mock Rock and the Stewart Lawn Dance, and students and other members of the community got to attend concerts by Step Afrika and Mat Kearney. More than 42 ASWU clubs are recruiting new members as our year of insightful and entertaining programs begins.

Alumni & Parents

Jena Lee Nardella, '04, a political science major who served as Whitworth's commencement speaker in May, gave the benediction on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention. Jena is the executive director for Blood:Water Mission. Thanks, Jena, for your witness for Christ and for your public service.

Homecoming 2012 is on its way! The weekend of Oct. 5-7 will feature an opportunity to revisit Core 250 and to hear from Leonard Oakland and Forrest Baird over dessert at the Woman's Club of Spokane; campus worship; a picnic lunch; refreshments in the alumni tent during the football game; a free poetry and fiction reading from Professor of English Laurie Lamon, '79, and distinguished alumna Lisa Ransom, '81; a catered banquet where we'll honor our 2012 Alumni Award winners; and celebrations of the classes of 2007, 2002 and 1992 throughout the weekend. To see the full schedule, or to register for the banquet/childcare, visit www.whitworth.edu/homecoming.

Parents' Weekend 2012 is Oct. 19-21. Join your student(s) and fellow parents for a weekend of activities designed just for you! Please register by Oct. 12 at www.whitworth.edu/parentsweekend.

Mark your calendars for early November events in the Seattle area. Join Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Intercultural Relations Larry Burnley for a conversation and dessert gathering in Tacoma on Friday, Nov. 2. Connect with fellow parents and alumni at a reception on Saturday, Nov. 3, as Pirate Football takes on Pacific Lutheran in Puyallup. Details coming soon.

Did you move or change your contact information this summer? We'd like to stay in touch. You can update your information easily at www.whitworth.edu/alumni/stayengaged.htm.

Admissions

We're excited to welcome the Class of 2016 that we've spent the past year or more recruiting. The class is just the size we wanted, with 637 members. They bring the highest average SAT (1807) and GPA (3.77) in Whitworth's history. With 120 students from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations, this is also the most diverse class in Whitworth's history.

Our counselors are already hitting the road to recruit the classes of 2017, 2018 and 2019. To read more about our great admissions staff and to see where they'll travel this fall, go to www.whitworth.edu/admissionscounselors. And please encourage college-bound students you know to connect with our staff either through their high school or at a college fair in their area.

Our first Why Whitworth Day campus visit event is Sept. 29, and our annual Whitworth Snapshot event for high school seniors is Oct. 14-15. Both of these programs allow students to visit classes, have a meal in our beautifully updated dining hall, take a campus tour, hear an admissions presentation, and meet with an admissions counselor. Encourage students you know to attend one of these programs or to schedule an individual visit.

Resources

Though it was tempting to bask in the generosity of Whitworth's alumni, parents and friends who gave nearly $1.32 million to The Whitworth Fund this past year, on July 1 we started all over again. Our student callers return to the phones this month, alumni are contacting their classmates to fund-raise in honor of their reunions this fall, and we continue our work to supply the greatest needs of the university. Of all the money that is raised for The Whitworth Fund this year, 75 percent will benefit student scholarships, 15 percent goes to academic programs, 5 percent will support our international initiatives (both on and off campus), and 5 percent is allotted to support our facilities and grounds. Please visit www.whitworth.edu/give to get ahead of the curve and make your annual gift this month.

Whitworthians for Life! Check out The Whitworth Foundation's new webpage under "Donors & Friends" on our website. Click on "Plan Your Legacy" for estate-planning tips, information on our Jay P. Graves Society, e-brochures to help you answer frequently asked questions, and many more resources. Here's the address: www.whitworth.edu/foundation. By including Whitworth in your estate plans, you help ensure that our founding mission of providing "an education of mind and heart" will continue well into the future. If you have questions as you finalize your estate plans, please call Holly Norton, director of The Whitworth Foundation, at 509.879.3224.

Sports

The football team has 72 players on the roster, and Head Coach John Tully is optimistic about his team's chances. Whitworth welcomes back several key players on both offense and defense, including senior RB Ronnie Thomas, senior WR Jake DeGooyer, senior LB Scott Carr, and junior LB Ryan Loutsis.

Volleyball hopes to make a run at a third straight NWC crown, which would be its sixth overall under Head Coach Steve Rupe. The Pirates will have to do it with some new faces, but juniors Kristine Kardell and Jalana White return to lead the squad.

Men's soccer graduated seven All-NWC honorees from last year's team. But Head Coach Sean Bushéy believes he has the tools to reload for this year, rather than just to rebuild for the future. Sophomores Robbie Ubben and Colin Shockman earned honorable mention All-NWC as freshmen.

The women's soccer team is full of first- and second-year players under Head Coach Jael Hagerott, '07. Seniors Mackenzie Grow and Kelsey Griswold, both Second-Team All-NWC last year, will provide leadership for their teammates.

Cross country also sports lots of new faces this year. Head Coach Toby Schwarz brought in strong recruiting classes for both men and women, and senior Joy Shufeldt will be looking for her fourth straight trip to the NCAA championships.

The golf teams begin their fall schedules soon. Warren Friedrichs has his largest men's roster ever, while the women look to continue their improvement behind senior Emily Guthrie, who qualified individually for last year's NCAA tournament. Can you say, "Go Bucs!"?

Closing Thoughts

As the academic year begins, let me remind you of the opportunity you have to pray for and with the Whitworth community. So many parents and alumni ask me what they can do to support Whitworth. My first response is always to ask them to remember Whitworth in their prayers. Last year, we started the On Bended Knee prayer blog (www.whitworth.edu/onbendedknee). Published weekly, the blog provides specific prayer requests for our campus. Through the blog, we also provide the scripture passage for that week's Tuesday chapel service and a link to listen to a recording of the sermons. I encourage you to check it out and to subscribe on the site to weekly e-mail updates. Thanks for your partnership in the mind-and-heart education Whitworth provides, and thanks for your prayers.