Sharon Bailey Glasco was a double major in international studies and Spanish, and she completed both her M.A. in Latin American studies and her Ph.D. in history at University of Arizona. She is an associate professor of history at Linfield College, in McMinnville, Ore. Her first book, Constructing Mexico City: Colonial Conflicts over Culture, Space, and Authority, is forthcoming from Palgrave Macmillan Press. "Through opportunities for study abroad [at Whitworth], I was introduced to the culture, history and complexity of Latin America," she says. "A fascination was born that has only intensified over time. Through the mentoring of John Yoder and Jim Hunt, I was encouraged to embrace viewpoints and methods from a variety of disciplines, which helps me convey to my students today that history and the historical past are not one dimensional, but rich with a variety of experiences and meanings."

Also an international studies major, Michael Barram completed his M.Div. and Th.M. at Louisville Presbyterian Seminary and his Ph.D. at Union Theological Seminary. Since 2001 he has taught at St. Mary's College of California, where he is currently an associate professor of theology and religion. During recent travels to Nicaragua, he completed sabbatical research on biblical and theological perspectives on economic justice; he is now writing a book, tentatively titled My Brother's Keeper: The Strange World of Biblical Economic Values. "My experiences at Whitworth were absolutely key to what I do today," Barram says. "[My professors] taught me that academic and scholarly excellence could and should be linked with a passionate commitment to the gospel and values consistent with the reign of God."

Psychology major Matthew Bumpus attended The Pennsylvania State University, where he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in human development and family studies. He served as an assistant professor in the child development program at California State University, Chico, before joining the department of human development at Washington State University in 2003. He does research on parent-child relationships during middle childhood and adolescence and recalls the influence of retired psychology professor Bill Johnson. "Bill ignited in me an interest in research," Bumpus says. "He helped me to see that conducting research could be meaningful, interesting, and even enjoyable. He walked us through the process of designing, conducting and writing up a research study with wisdom, encouragement, and a great deal of patience."

Jeff Duerr completed his B.S. in biology and his B.A. in chemistry at Whitworth, and earned his M.S. at Portland State University and a Ph.D. at the University of Hawaii. He has taught at George Fox University, in Oregon since 1999. His research focus is on cellular bioenergetics and mitochondrial physiology. "The passion for learning about God's creation through reason and experimentation that was modeled for me by Whitworth faculty has been the basis of my ministry as a biology professor at George Fox," he says.

Michael Le Roy completed his Ph.D. at Vanderbilt and taught at Wheaton for several years before returning to Whitworth as professor of political science in 2002. In his fourth year as academic dean, he continues to be passionate about Latin America, comparative politics and international relations, and is shaping the future of internationalization of Whitworth's curriculum while managing a rapidly growing and changing faculty. "I remember most a significant conversation I had with [then-academic dean] Darrell Guder," Le Roy says. "He encouraged me to see the pursuit of academic work as a grateful response to God's gifting and a way by which we might give thanks. I hope I never forget this."

Judy Logan majored in English, and then completed her M.A. at Eastern Washington University, in Cheney, and her Ph.D. at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Since 1996, she has been an associate professor at Eastern Washington University, where she serves as director of the undergraduate and graduate programs in literature. Her academic emphases are American and British literature, and her specialty is Herman Melville. "Whitworth was like Disneyland for me," says Logan. "Returning to college at the ripe old age of 37,…I couldn't wait until the next class, couldn't read fast enough, couldn't believe how wonderful it all was. Vic Bobb would scribble lists of novels in the margins of my exams, and I'd run out and devour them as fast as I could. Whitworth opened up a whole new world for me, and I would never have gone on to grad school without the encouragement, mentoring and support of the folks in the basement of Westminster."

James Owens enrolled in the combined M.D./ Ph.D. program at the University of Washington after completing his undergraduate degree in psychology as well as pre-med requirements. He is an assistant professor in the departments of pediatrics and neurology at Baylor Medical Center, in Houston, Texas, where his focus is on child neurology, and his research interests include inflammatory mediators, inhibition and homeostatic plasticity in developmental epilepsies. "My experience at Whitworth provided not only an excellent academic foundation but also multiple examples of what it means to truly be a teacher," Owens says. "When I'm lecturing to medical students or residents, I try to channel a bit of Leonard Oakland, Forrest Baird, and Howard and Pat Stien, as well as many others."

Tim Robblee serves as director of bands and assistant professor of music at Washington State University. He is a candidate for a Ph.D. in music education and wind band conducting at the University of Minnesota. He completed his M.M. in conducting at Northwestern University. Before joining WSU two years ago, Robblee held a similar position at Willamette University, in Salem, Ore. He was a music education and clarinet performance double-major at Whitworth, and he then served as a high school band director in California for eight years before returning to graduate school. When speaking of his Whitworth mentors, Robblee cites the guiding influence of music faculty Richard Evans and Dan Keberle. "At Whitworth, I gradually came to realize that teaching was my calling. The personal experiences I had with both of these teachers drove home how much a professor can influence a student's life - as they did for me," he says.

Tad Wisenor, director of campaign planning, is in his 17th year as a Whitworth employee. The Class of 1989 will celebrate its 20th reunion at Homecoming Weekend, Sept. 25-27.

This article marks a new department in Whitworth Today. In future spring issues we'll feature each 20-year reunion class at the beginning of our alumni section. Our new department will be called Class Acts - and if you're a member of the Class of 1990, you're up next! Send items of special interest to us at tmitchell@whitworth.edu, and please mark them "For W.T. 1990 Class Acts." We can't promise to use them all, but they'll help us create a story that reflects the best of your class.

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