Mind & Heart Newsletter: September 2019
An update from Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor
When prospective students and their families are on campus looking at Whitworth, I often remind them that they are about to make an important, and expensive, decision. Time, money, sacrifice, separation – these are the currencies with which our future Pirates will access a mind-and-heart education. Big investments indeed. But, at opening convocation earlier this month, I encouraged our newest students to avoid the trap of thinking about these transactions as the bottom line of their educational investments. Our society is transactional by nature. For our students, how easy would it be to think of Whitworth as simply a place to which tuition dollars flow and from which a degree is earned? Or, for that matter, how tempting for our employees to think that Whitworth is just a place to earn a paycheck? For students and employees alike, the Whitworth promise is not summed up in transactional terms, as favorable as they might be, but rather, in transformational ones. When I spoke at convocation, I reminded those present about the story in Acts of Peter and John healing the lame man at the temple gate. The man needed something, and he was asking for a coin hoping that small token would get him to the next day. A simple transaction was all he was asking for. But the disciples had more in mind – true transformation, the kind that could only come with the ability to walk. The opportunity for transaction became the promise of transformation. I promised our students that they have an important choice – they can enter into a worthy transaction with Whitworth, or they can utilize all this campus has to offer to transform their own lives, and through Whitworth, transform the lives of others. I'm confident they will make the wise choice.
Academics
Gordon Wilson (Art) will be the featured artist at Marmot Art Space in Spokane in October. A reception will be held Oct. 4 from 5-9 p.m.
Whitworth's M.S. in athletic training program hosted an interprofessional emergency simulation with Inland Northwest Health Services Emergency Medical Technician. About 30 people gathered last summer to practice lifesaving emergency skills relevant to athletic injury scenarios.
Thom Caraway (English) relaunched Millwood Print Works as the Spokane Print & Publishing Center, a nonprofit education space. The new location includes letterpress, screenprint, fine art printmaking, bookbinding and digital processes.
Analisa Holcomb-McCann '10, MIT '11, was named ESD 101 Regional Teacher of the Year. She teaches at Broadway Elementary in Spokane Valley, Wash.
Spokane Journal of Business named three Whitworthians among this year's Rising Star honorees: Sinead Voorhees (School of Business), Lacy Crowder '09 and Adam Jackson '06.
EVENTS:
Nov. 21 | Whitworth's 2019 International Education & Diversity Forum – Spokane Salish School leaders LaRae Wiley and Chris Parkin will speak on the theme "Embracing Cultural Identity and Native Ways of Knowing."
The Arts
The Whitworth Art Department and the university's Bryan Oliver Gallery are proud to present an installation of the paintings of Anna Baer '09, MIT '10, through Oct. 18. Based in Germany, Baer uses the nature in and around her as her muse.
The 31st annual Whitworth Guest Artist Jazz Concert will feature Ryan Keberle & Catharsis on Nov. 2 at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox. Ryan Keberle & Catharsis will present a free jazz clinic the evening of Nov. 1 in Cowles Music Center.
Whitworth Theatre begins its season with William Shakespeare's beloved comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. The fall mainstage production will be performed at the Bing Crosby Theater Oct. 11-13. Tickets: ticketswest.com or 800.325.7328.
Student Life
Whitworth welcomed over 775 new Pirates to campus during Orientation 2019! New students were taught the history and traditions of Whitworth and their residence halls and given an introduction to life in and out of the classroom. They built a sense of community through activities such as Yell-Off and the Whitworth Decathlon. Students were also treated to a free concert from Grammy award-winning Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae!
The Dornsife Center for Community Engagement announced its faculty fellows for 2019-20. Fellows will spend the year learning how to develop community partnerships that involve the faculty's academic expertise. Congratulations to Bert Emerson (English), Robert Francis (Sociology), Derek Taylor (Theology) and Horizon Worden (Sociology) on their appointments as Dornsife Fellows.
Admissions
Wow! We just welcomed the second largest incoming class of new students in Whitworth's history (topped only by last year's), with 685 freshmen and 90 transfer students. Nearly 50 percent of freshmen are first-generation college students, come from traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic populations or are international students. They are smart, boasting an average GPA of 3.71 and average SAT of 1180, and come from 20 states and 21 countries. They are ready to make their mark at Whitworth and to be shaped in profound ways by the community they find and form here.
Admissions counselors are hitting the road to recruit the classes of 2024, 2025 and beyond. To read more about our fantastic admissions staff and see where they will be traveling this fall, go to whitworth. edu/admissionscounselors. Please encourage college-bound students you know to connect with our counselors either at their high school or at a college fair in their area.
We hold our first Why Whitworth Day admissions visit event on Friday, Sept. 20, and have additional visit opportunities almost every week throughout the school year. Campus visits allow students to sit in on classes, take a campus tour, enjoy a meal in our dining hall, connect with current students, professors and coaches, and even stay overnight in a residence hall. There is no better way for students (and parents) to find out if Whitworth is a good fit. Plus, we offer a $1,000 scholarship to admitted seniors who attend one of our visit programs and enroll in the fall. For more information and to sign up, go to whitworth.edu/visit.
Financial Aid
Our financial aid team is working with students still needing to submit documents or finish processes to complete their financial aid file and receive their full financial aid. Students can view their "Required Documents" related to financial aid in Self-Service. Outstanding balances will be assessed service charges starting in October.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens for the 2020-21 school year on Oct. 1. The 2020-21 FAFSA will collect 2018 tax
information that can be loaded into the FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Incoming freshmen who apply on or before Nov. 15 can expect their 2020-21 financial aid offer in mid-January.
Balance Your Bucs is a student-led group that provides personal finance workshops for students throughout the year. Learn more: whitworth.edu/balanceyourbucs.
Alumni & Parents
Families of current Whitworth students, there's a Facebook group just for you! Log into Facebook, and search for "Parents and Families of Whitworth University Students '19-'20."
Alumni, join our new book club, facilitated by Laura Bloxham '69. The club is starting the year with Educated, by Tara Westover. You can find the group on goodreads.com by searching for "Whitworth Alumni Book Club." Wherever you live, if you can connect to the internet, you can join in this alumni activity.
Whitworthians are invited to join Jonathan Moo (Theology) for our 2020 Core 650 study tour to Turkey. All of the details for the trip, to be held May 23-June 7, can be found at whitworth.edu/turkey2020.
EVENTS
Oct. 4-6 | Homecoming Weekend – All alumni are welcome, and reunion activities are planned for the classes of 1959 and earlier, '69, '79, '89, '99, '09 and '14, as well as the 1960 national championship baseball team. We'll also celebrate 50 years of Core 250 and Baldwin-Jenkins Hall. Learn more and register at whitworth.edu/homecoming2019.
Oct. 11-13 | Family Weekend – Families of current students still have time to sign up for a weekend full of opportunities to experience campus life. To register, visit whitworth.edu/familyweekend.
The Campaign for Whitworth
Support scholarships when you celebrate a milestone reunion in 2019 (classes of '59 to '09 on the nines and 2014). We will adorn a tree in The Loop with red pinecones during Homecoming Weekend, with each pinecone representing an alum who has made a gift to support students during their reunion year. Find out how your class is doing at whitworth.edu/reuniongiving.
Become a member of The Crew that sustains Whitworth students! By giving an amount that fits comfortably in your monthly budget, you will provide ongoing support that allows Whitworth to deliver reliable, lasting impact to students. Plus, automatic monthly donations save you time and hassle and save us mailing and administrative costs. Signing up is easy – just visit whitworth.edu/give.
Thanks to a significant campaign gift, the Megan E. Thompson Aquatic Center has undergone a $1.5 million renovation and is being rededicated on Sept. 27. Check out the illuminating transformation on your next campus visit.
Sports
Fall sports have begun. The football team opened the year ranked 11th in the D3football.com preseason poll and led off with a 50-24 victory at the University of La Verne on Sept. 7. QB Leif Ericksen '20, DB Zach Hillman '20 and K/P Noah Alejado '21 swept the Northwest Conference football awards for that week.
The volleyball team finished its non-conference schedule with a 6-4 record against a challenging slate of opponents. Emiko Kahler '20 needs only 70 more kills to surpass 1,000 in her career. Kiana Vandaele '21, a libero, was the NWC's Defensive Player of the Week after Whitworth opened with three victories in Texas.
The soccer teams are also done with non-conference matches. The men's team heads into NWC action with a 2-3-1 record, including two wins in Southern California. Goalkeeper Jesus Nunez '20 was the NWC's Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the two California victories. The women's team went 1-3 against non-conference opponents.
The cross country teams have run in two meets so far, both against primarily NCAA Division I competition. Joel Mott '21 led the Pirate men in both of the races. Krystal Roberts '20 has been the most consistent front-runner for the Pirate women.
The golf teams opened their fall schedules. The women fell in a tight match play duel to Whitman 3.5-2.5. The men's team tied for second at PLU's Collegiate Open.
The 30th class of the Heritage Gallery Hall of Fame will be inducted on Oct. 5 at 9 a.m. in the Hixson Union Building. The class includes Sean Bushey (soccer coach), Jael Hagerott '07 (women's soccer), Rory Buck '12 (men's swimming) and Carter Comito '13 (men's track & field). Call 509.777.3224 if you are interested in attending.
EVENTS
Nov. 7 | Pirate Night – Mark your calendars for the biggest night of the year for Whitworth sports! The auction and dinner begins at 5:15 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel. More information: whitworthpirates.com/piratenight.