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Department Spotlight

Whitworth Continuing Studies graduated an excellent class this year, and among that contingent were many adult learners who demonstrated uncommon courage. Kerri York, '07, is a good example. She began a B.A. in education in 1995, then took up duties as a stay-at-home mom. In 2001 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but that didn't stop her from returning to our Evening Teacher Certification Program in 2005, and she kept going when her husband was deployed to Germany in 2006. Working full time, fund-raising for the MS Society, and starting an MS support group at church would have been way more than enough for most of us, but she continued to pursue her degree. And last May, I handed her a well-earned, hard-fought-for diploma. "My story isn't unique," Kerri says. "Every single person in our cohort had life happen in some fashion, and we were there to lean on each other through the good times and bad." (Kerri's favorite study method?  Reading on the treadmill as she prepared for a half-marathon. Wow.) Congratulations to Kerri and to all of her Whitworth in the Evening colleagues!