Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: March 2002

An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson

Yesterday I went for a run. I decided to go to the track because I wanted to clock three miles in less than 21 minutes. I'm not in super shape, so I knew I needed a fast track and the ability to picture imaginary fans in the bleachers. After I'd finished two swift laps, a brisk northern breeze kicked up and I knew what I had to do. I went straight to the HUB (by car) and wolfed down a breakfast burrito and a pile of waffles. While I was eating with some students, a visitor noticed my outfit and asked if I were a coach. After silently murmuring a cosmic apology to insulted coaches everywhere, I said no. Maybe I shouldn't have. Recently, a college president visited our campus to find out why our retention rates have risen so sharply. His conclusion was interesting. He attributed our progress to the fact that everyone on campus is committed to the success of our students. No matter what position we hold, our job is to encourage, guide and support students in reaching their goals. We all coach as students press toward the mark, as St. Paul says,"for the prize of the high calling of God." This athletics metaphor reminds us that our calling as educators is wrapped up in the success of our students. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our eyes on that prize.

Academics

In the world of philanthropy, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been saluted for funding crucially important projects around the world. So we're not only thrilled but honored that they have granted us $750,000 for technology initiatives across the campus. The funds will provide for all the technology in the new academic building ($420,000) and will also provide for new technology across campus. Within a year, every classroom at Whitworth will house computers with total online access and high-resolution projectors that show the monitor on a screen in the front of the classroom. Very few schools can claim this level of learning technology in every classroom.

Tami Echavarria (Library) also received a grant, from the Washington Commission on Humanities, to supplement the Live @ Your Library project in April. The program will feature writers Xu Xi, Alex Kuo and Gloria Bird, who will explore issues and ideas through a panel discussion and a reading that's open to the public. I'm not sure if the "i" in "Live" is a long or short vowel, so I would think it appropriate to bring your toothbrush to this program, just in case.

This semester boasts a stunning lineup of visitors bringing artistic, spiritual and intellectual enrichment to campus. Since the beginning of Spring Term, in February, we have enjoyed:

• Tom and Christine Sine, futurists, speaking compellingly about Preparing for Lives of Commitment in the Third Millennium: A Christian College's Obligation.
• Dean Borgman, professor of youth ministries, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, speaking on the topic With Eyes Wide Open: Youth Culture and Today's Society.
• Sharon Rupp and Katrina Humbert, sculptors, sharing their provocative works in an exhibit titled The Presence of Woman.
• Ken Meagor, '92, who works for the Bank of Nova Scotia in Mexico City, addressing Mexican Business Relations: Doing Business in the NAFTA Environment.
• Gary Howard, founder and president of the REACH center in Seattle, challenging our thinking about cultural and ethnic diversity.
• Werner Fornos, president of the Population Institute, lecturing on Profile of a Terrorist: Population Pressures in the 21st Century.

So far this month we've welcomed Endowed English Reader Scott Russell Sanders,distinguished professor of English at Indiana University, who read from his nonfiction books, Wilderness Plots and Force of Spirit and his children's books,Warm as Wool, A Place Called Freedom and Missing Trees. In music, the Deidre Rodman Jazz Quintet presented a concert and a clinic. And we're very excited to be hosting Parker Palmer for Faculty Development Day and for several public lectures. He is nationally known and will be lecturing on Educational Reform from the Inside Out. He is the author of To Know as We Are Known, The Courage to Teach, and his 2000 publication, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. I have heard Parker many times over the years and have always come away inspired.

As much as I like our motto, "An Education of Mind and Heart," we may want to consider "The College of Swing, Where Jazz is King." For the fourth time in six years, the Whitworth Jazz Ensemble has taken first place in the college/university band division at University of Idaho's Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. (New Whitworth music faculty member Brent Edstrom and guest director Terry Lack are leading the band while director Dan Keberle is on sabbatical.) It's worth noting that the group placed first in a field of 15 bands, including those from University of Idaho, WSU, and Utah State. In addition, congratulations go out to student musicians Mike Frederick (Outstanding College Guitar Solo) and Justin Keller (Outstanding College Saxophone Solo).

It is very exciting to report that we will offer a total of 37 service-learning classes this year. These are regular courses in which our faculty members have skillfully designed components around authentic service activities. The triple blessing of this pedagogy includes students blending theory and practice, support for people in need, and our growing reputation in the region as a service-centered college.

Enrollment

The Financial Aid Office has begun sending out awards to new students who have been admitted and have submitted their FAFSA forms prior to March 1. Continuing students who have reapplied for aid will receive their renewal awards in May and June. We are looking forward to a great entering class in 2002.

The Admissions Office's Sneak Preview for high school juniors and their parents is coming April 28-29 (see www.whitworth.edu/SneakPreview).

We have received a record number of applications for the fall '02 entering freshman class. Because we won't be increasing the size of the incoming class, it's important for students who want to enroll to get their deposits in as soon as possible.

Student Life

Tonight I'll be hosting the first of three student conversations on community at Whitworth. Roughly 40 students will pile into our living room to discuss being a Christian at Whitworth. The next two conversations will address being different from the majority at Whitworth and the intellectual culture at Whitworth. One of the great threats to a community is presuming that others are or should be "just like me." When that happens, grace and respect begin to recede. And, of course, we often lack grace when criticizing others for lacking grace. So it will be great to discuss how we can live as people who hold strong convictions humbly and always seek to build up others.

March is filled with activities, though none so popular as Spring Break. Students kicked off the month with the AbbaJava fund-raiser to help feed and minister to Spokane's homeless youngsters through Cup of Cool Water (an outreach program founded by Mark Terrell, '94) and Whitworth's Street-Kid Project. I loved seeing the joy in students as they supported an important cause while enjoying great bands and serious break-dancing. I sort of break-danced. I danced and I felt something break.

Resources

Some of you might be interested to know that even though the average college endowment lost 5 percent in calendar 2001, Whitworth's endowment went down only .02 percent. (The endowment committee had a bulletproof strategy, making a note of everything in my little portfolio and avoiding it like the bubonic plague.) Where we're getting beat up right now is on the minuscule return on our cash balance. In this fiscal year we will be six figures down from what we budgeted.

For the first time in Whitworth history, we are inviting all of our alumni to join in supporting a capital project. Information on the Weyerhaeuser Hall academic building is in the mail. We really need to open the building in 2003, but we are resisting the borrowing strategy being used by many schools and we will wait until we have cash and pledges to cover the cost. If that means a year's delay, I will sink into depression; but I'd rather be sad than highly leveraged in this volatile economy.

Just as we were getting ready to print this, I received the very sad news that longtime trustee Marty Polhemus had died. Marty, who had just been elected a lifetime trustee, was also a Whitworth Foundation board member and an elder at Spokane's Manito Pres. During his 35 years on our board, Marty had an amazing impact as wise counselor, generous supporter, innovative fund-raiser and tireless advocate for the college. We will miss him immensely. Please keep his wife, Jean, and their family in your prayers.

Athletics

I want to thank new dad Steve Flegel (Caleb Scott was born March 5), our great sports information director, for doing this section. I saw most of the events he reports on below and would love to comment on them, but I'm a bit short on writing time this month.

The Whitworth basketball teams concluded outstanding seasons by advancing to the Northwest Conference tournament championships. The women finished 18-9 overall and 12-4 in the NWC, good for second place. Whitworth defeated George Fox (66-58, the defending NWC champions) for the third time this season in the first round of the NWC playoffs behind the outstanding performance of freshman forward Tiffany Speer (22 points, 14 rebounds). Though the Pirates lost in the championship game at Pacific Lutheran (55-45), the tremendous accomplishments of the year were not diminished. Senior Erica Ewart was named NWC Player of the Year and was also selected to the Academic All-District first team. Helen Higgs was named Northwest Conference Coach of the Year (the second time she has won the award). Junior forward Chrissy Oneal was named to the All-NWC second team, while Speer was tabbed as an honorable mention pick.

The men were 20-7 overall and also finished 12-4 in the NWC. The Pirates finished the season well, winning their final five regular-season games and the first round of the playoffs at Willamette before ending the year with a hard-fought loss at Lewis & Clark in the championship of the NWC Tournament. Sophomore forward Bryan Depew was selected to the All-NWC first team for the second time in his career. Senior forward Gunner Olsen was named to the second team, while junior guard Chase Williams earned honorable mention. Williams also received first-team Academic All-District honors. Head coach Jim Hayford had the best debut season since Dick Kamm began as the Pirate coach in 1960 with an NAIA district title and a national tournament appearance.

The Whitworth swim teams had another outstanding Northwest Conference championship meet. The Pirate men won 15 of the 18 events, breaking meet records in four of them, and sophomore Kevin Wang and senior Brent Rice shared Outstanding Men's Swimmer honors at the meet. Wang won the 500 freestyle on Friday, and, in one of the all-time great performances in NWC swimming history, won the 400 individual medley and 200 freestyle 20 minutes apart on Saturday. He was also part of the winning 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle relays. Rice won the 200 IM (for the fourth straight year), 400 IM and 200 fly. Fifteen minutes after winning the butterfly event, he led off the winning 4x100 free relay, setting a meet record in the first 100. Junior Ryan Freeman won the 100 and 200 backstroke events and freshman Cory Bergman took home titles in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. Those four, along with junior Josh Andrew, have posted NCAA qualifying marks. With only one senior on the Whitworth team, a victory over conference champion UPS could be in the cards for next year. The women were led to their second-place finish by freshman Serena Fadel, who won the 200 and 400 individual medleys, the latter in meet record time. Senior Marta Holsinger was also victorious in the 500 freestyle. Fadel will be heading to the NCAA Championships.

This has been a remarkable year for Pirate Athletics. In fact, two-thirds of the way through the year, Whitworth leads the pack in points for the NWC's McElroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy. As one of nine schools in a conference that's very strong both athletically and academically, this makes us feel pretty good.

Alumni

As you can see below, Tad Wisenor (Alumni and Parent Relations) and his staff have been busy planning great events. You can contact the Alumni Office at 800-532-4668, 509-777-3799, or alumni@whitworth.edu for more information, and you can register for most events online at www.whitworth.edu/calendar/alumnicalendar.htm.

Come to campus on Friday night, April 11, for chocolate and comedy as the Theatre Department presents Congreve's The Way of the World. Our pre-play dessert begins at 6:45 p.m. and the play starts at 8. Enjoy all of this and a chance to hear from the play's director, Theatre Professor Diana Trotter, for only $10. Your check is your reservation.

If you're in Denver on April 13 or Colorado Springs on April 14, you won't want to miss our Core 650 lecture by Religion Professor Jim Edwards or the dessert reception hosted by Tad Wisenor for alumni, parents and friends of the college. Brochures will be in the mail soon. Cost is $10.

Join us for Core 650 in Vancouver (Wash.) on April 20 or Seattle on April 21 as Psychology Professor Jim Waller and Political Studies Professor Julia Stronks offer lectures and a dessert reception. Cost is $10. A couple of nights ago, Jim gave a standing-room-only lecture at Gonzaga that was probably as good as their basketball team. And last week Julia spoke many times at Wheaton College on issues related to the legal system and faith (and she was probably as good as their endowment).

Run back to campus on April 27 for a track-and-field reunion. Visit with fellow athletes, hear from Coach Toby Schwarz, and cheer for the Pirates (last year's men and women's conference champions) in the NWC meet. Breakfast begins at 9, and the cost is $7. Reservations are required.

Closing Thoughts

I waited until morning to record these final thoughts. Meeting with the students last night was wonderful, as I knew it would be. They love this college enough to expect from one another a caring and supportive community. After sleeping as fast as I could, I got up this morning and peeked at my computer before tearing off to a breakfast. This message from a student reflecting on last night's conversation provides the consummate starting point for a community of grace: "I lose patience but expect patience from others. I lose respect but expect respect from others. I lose trust but expect trust from others. I judge, but I don't expect judgment from others." Surely, all of our efforts to enrich relationships must begin with ourselves. The Lenten season calls for self-reflection. May this young woman's confession remind us how much we need a Savior. Blessings and thanks to you all.