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The ex – there are many we encounter over our lifetime, ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, ex-boss, ex-neighbor, ex-spouse. What about the ex-presidents of ASWC? They were once our fearless leaders who followed bylaws and led meetings by parliamentary procedure. They navigated the ideological space between students and the administration, all while shouldering a full-time academic course load. In the spirit of keeping up with our ex's, we thought we'd ask what they have been up to since their presidential turn.
 Selby Hansen, 1998-1999
Since graduating from Whitworth in 1999, my life has been filled with adventure and excitement. My wife, Rachael (Gazdik, '99), and I moved to Columbus, Ohio, so I could attend The Ohio State University College of Optometry. Although I only completed two years of the program before pursuing a pharmaceutical sales position, we lived in Ohio for five years and became huge Buckeye football fans! We also found out that Rachael was pregnant within a week after my withdrawal from OSU. Enthusiastic about starting a family, we were surprised to learn that God was planning to bless us with twin boys! So in December 2001, Blake and Brandon were born. We added a third boy, Tate, to our family in June 2004. At about that same time, we relocated to the Denver area. In May 2006, I left the healthcare industry and joined Ariat International as a regional sales manager. We love living in Colorado where we enjoy the mountains, camping, playing soccer, leading a LifeGroup, and volunteering in the Married Life ministry at our church.
 Kevin Benson, 1999-2000
How a mind-and-heart education ended my sales career:
"I have to do something that positively changes the world around me." That's a quick and pithy way that I could sum up what I learned and took away from being involved in student leadership at Whitworth.
I always thought that after I left Whitworth I would get a job, and do some volunteer or ministry work on the side. Wow, was I wrong! I tried selling furniture for a while after graduation. And, I couldn't do it. I sucked. I mean, I have never failed so miserably at anything in my life. (Except for maybe intramural Ultimate Frisbee.) Not only did I stink at selling furniture, I was telling customers to go across the street because they could get a better deal.
After that, I started working for non-profit organizations, including Whitworth, and I haven't looked back.
I love sharing my passion and vision for a cause and asking people to support my organization with time, money or ideas. It's exhausting and thankless work sometimes, but I go home to my family every night knowing that at least I didn't sell someone an over-priced armchair they'll never use. Hopefully, in my little corner of the world, I'm trying to do something that positively changes the world around me.
 Daniel Clapp, 2000-2001
It probably won't surprise anyone to know that Whitworth crosses my mind regularly. My years there were extremely meaningful and have secured a place deep in my heart.
Post-graduation led me to Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Penn., in order to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education. While there, I worked as a Resident Director and then as the Director of Student Activities. To my surprise, I spent five years in Western Pennsylvania—three more than originally planned.
Two years ago I returned to the West Coast in order to take an RD position at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Westmont and am honored to be a member of its community.
I remain grateful for the intentional efforts of so many faculty and staff that saw reason to invest in me while at Whitworth. As a result, I am able to remain proud of the work we accomplished during my time in ASWC and convinced that my life-work will reflect the foundational years of my undergraduate experience.
 Tony Hoshaw, 2001-2002
Post-Whitworth, I attended McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Ill. I graduated from McCormick in 2005 with a Master of Divinity. I also graduated with the understanding that I did not want to be a pastor. I became a social worker, and I worked with wards of the State of Illinois. Frankly, I did not enjoy being a social worker – so I became a flight attendant for United Airlines. While flying the friendly skies, I am preparing to apply to doctoral programs (I am interested, primarily, in theological anthropology) and blogging with my friend Matt at www.queermessages.com. I continue to live in Chicago.
 EmmyLou Taylor, 2002-2003
Since Whitworth, I have lived almost exclusively in Boston, pursuing a master's degree in two different fields—abandoning the field of Religion/Theology in favor of Philosophy at Boston University. I'm writing my master's thesis (as we speak, in fact) on Kant's pre-Critical ideas of space, focusing on the tension between natural science and metaphysics in the 17th and 18th centuries. I will apply for doctoral programs in the fall. In short, I read lots of books written by dead white guys. Some of my fondest Boston memories have been Dale Soden coming out for a visit and talking about Moby Dick and the Red Sox winning two World Series. Since my "tenure" as ASWC/U President, I have never had the need to use a planner. I intend to keep it that way.
 Ben Metcalf, 2003-2004
Hola all you awesome Whitworth Alumni! Four years on from tossing the old hat, life finds me in the beautiful city of Ventura on the Gold Coast in California. I am on the tail end of my commitment to the United States Navy as a Supply Officer. Just got back from Kuwait (think camels and 130 degree heat) and will head to Okinawa for a short stint before transferring to "civilian" life. Looking forward to traveling and grad school but in the meantime I am just loving every day charging out of the office with my surfboard or climbing shoes and living 100 paces from the sand watching the sunset with friends and a good bottle of wine. Hope you all are enjoying the adventure of life and when our paths cross I'll look forward to the reunion. Cheers!
 Courtney (Daly) Boyer, 2004-2005
Since graduating in 2005, Nathan, my husband (also an alum) and I moved to Indianapolis, Ind. He just finished his second year of medical school at Indiana University. I received my master's degree in education from Widener University in 2007 and was certified by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists as a Sexuality Educator. I work as a sexuality educator for Planned Parenthood of Indiana and as a private sexual health consultant. I volunteer for Dress for Success, Hunger Inc., and our church, Southport Presbyterian.
We bought a house in 2006 on the Southside of Indianapolis and live there with our two dogs and cat.
 Jeff Hunter, 2005-2006
After graduating from Whitworth College two years ago, I enrolled in an international business M.B.A. program at Temple University. I spent time living and studying in Mumbai (India), Tokyo (Japan), and Philadelphia before graduating in January of this year. I recently started a business and am currently traveling through Asia and the Middle East helping small business owners with business plans, import/export issues, and online marketing ideas while, at the same time, making time to attend weddings (not my own), working on a couple personal projects, and getting a pretty nice tan. Clearly, my post-Whitworth years have been terrible.
 Fa'ana Fanene, 2006-2007
My transition into the "real" world has been a busy one. I have a nonstop schedule, but you can still find me smiling, laughing and having great conversations. In this short year many things have come to pass. I was blessed to travel to Sierra Leone and help run a sports camp for children. I have always been passionate about working with kids, and I am thrilled that I found my niche working in my hometown. Currently I have two part-time jobs working for the Seattle's Union Gospel Mission (UGM) and Lake Burien Presbyterian Church (LBPC). When working for UGM, I help to tutor kids in their homework and studies from nearby elementary schools. While working for LBPC I am the Director of Children's Ministries working to grow children in their faith. I love this phase of my life and have yet to discover jobs that can beat the two that I have.
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