Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: May 2003

An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson

I always wait until the morning after graduation to write the May Mind & Heart. On these days I find myself somewhere between reflective and sappy. It's a good writing mood. Actually, I thought I would be writing this from the sky. I had a Princeton Seminary board meeting scheduled this morning, to which I was supposed to be transported via a three-legged "red eye." On the way to the airport last night, my throbbing (and recently carved) L5 disc seemed to say, "You cannot stand in one spot, make 453 quarter-turns, shake 453 hands, and ask me to substitute three airplanes for a bed." So I did a U-turn and headed home. Although we had celebrated with our graduating son at a brief dinner, it was nice to be home when he tucked in another celebration with the family amidst a string of "I can't believe we made it" Sunday-night parties with his friends.

Well, the 113th commencement weekend was great. Here are some of the highlights that struck me:

• On Friday night we commissioned our graduates to lives of service. A very moving liturgy, followed by the communion sacrament, was consummated when we had the privilege to anoint with oil our seniors as they go out to serve the world.
• Saturday morning's graduate commencement in Cowles Auditorium was a great celebration by 114 master's-degree recipients. The address I gave on the leadership of Jesus can be found on our website.
• I received a note from a dad that summarized what so many parents felt all weekend. After praising specific members of our faculty and staff and even mentioning our great food service, he concluded, "We were surely in the right place.... With great sadness, and even greater thanksgiving, we leave ...a very special place."
• The growing creativity regarding what can be attached to mortarboards is certain to draw the attention of animal-rights activists everywhere. John Houk's (Biology) mice, sprinting in their caged mouse wheel atop his head, will likely prompt a new chapter in "Commencement Guidelines," particularly if claims that the mice were mating during my welcome proves to be true.
• If the weekend had a theme, it was reclaiming reality. In senior Marin Anderson's moving reflection, Philosophy Professor Forrest Baird's stirring baccalaureate message, my charge to the seniors and Colin Hesse's senior-speaker "Booyah!" address, it was clear that we cannot allow cynics and pessimists to define the "real world." Giving hope through service, compassion and truth is as real as drugs, AIDS and terrorism -- and it lasts longer.
• Federal judge and former trustee Ron Leighton, '73, gave the undergraduate commencement address, comparing and contrasting the world greeting graduates in 1973 with what the 2003 grads will encounter. He challenged the graduates to bring the justice of Jesus to a ready world.
• In my latest (well, only) book, I made reference to our son Ben as "the boy who means more to me than any male on this earth...." It was a thrill to put a diploma in his hand. But far more meaningful than his degree is the mark Whitworth leaves on his life. Like many parents, we don't know what this guy is going to do professionally, but we are certain that he will embody the Whitworth mission to honor God, follow Christ and serve humanity.

Academics

I burned a lot of words on these reflections, so I'll use my summer issue (end of July) to feature a host of students who won internal and external awards this spring. I have a list of some of the winners, but I just don't have the time or room to pull them all together right now.

I do want you to be aware of a special project that has the potential make a national impact. Archivist Janet Hauck and Project Assistant Rose Sliger, '02, have just completed an audio documentary project entitled From Coast and Camp to the Inland Empire: Japanese-American Evacuation and Relocation to Eastern Washington during World War II. The documentary compiles oral-history interviews, narration and music to chronicle the journeys of Japanese Americans, most of whom were escaping internment by moving from the coast to Eastern Washington; it takes into special consideration Whitworth alumni of that time. The project was stimulated by Dale Soden's curiosity about a photo of the 1944 basketball team -- a team that was largely made up of students of Japanese descent. A very moving CD-ROM has been distributed to nearly 200 schools and colleges in the Inland Northwest and the Seattle area. The project in its entirety can be found on the Whitworth website, at the following address: http://www.whitworth.edu/Library/Archives/CurrentProjects/Coast&Camp/Index.htm

Our science program continues to accumulate honors. The Physics Department received one of three 2003 Heuer Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Undergraduate Science Education. This award, given annually by the Council of Independent Colleges, recognizes undergraduate science programs that have made a significant impact on undergraduate students, improvements in the science program, and service to local schools through outreach. Along with the honor of receiving this award comes $10,000 for use by the department.

Sharon Mowry (Education) and Rick Hornor, '70 (Theatre), received one of three grants in the nation from the Character Education Partnership -- for $25,000 this year and $25,000 the following year. These funds will be used to infuse character-education teaching strategies in all of our education courses. Partners in this project include Mead and West Valley school districts. This project should succeed, because nobody is more of an expert on being a character than Rick Hornor.

April was another good month for speakers at Whitworth.

• Whitworth alum Mark Valeri, '76, professor of church history at Union Theological Seminary, spoke on Forgiveness and the Party of Humanity in Jonathan Edwards' World.
• Writer and scholar Thérèse Kuoh-Moukoury, from the African country of Cameroon, gave a reading sponsored by Whitworth's Women's Studies and Speakers & Artists programs, as well as by the Hewlett Foundation.
• Nigel Davey gave the last of the Entrepreneur Speaker Series presentations organized by our School of Global Commerce and Management. Davey is associate director of Spokane's SIRTI and former president of Johnson Matthey Electronics' $200-million Assembly Products Group.

Our associate dean for academic affairs, Gordon Jackson, has produced another anthology of quotes. This one, his third, is on leadership, and is titled Never Scratch a Tiger with a Short Stick -- And Other Quotes for Leaders. The quoteman has done it again. You'll love the book.

Enrollment

We received a record number of freshman applications again this year (1,895). With the Class of 2007 set, we will be enrolling 425 new freshmen this fall. Thanks to all of you who encourage prospective students to consider Whitworth.

The Admissions Office will be hosting eight picnics/BBQs this summer to help incoming students connect with the other new students from their areas. Whitworth staff, alums, and current students will be on hand for these events in Boise, Denver, Honolulu, Spokane, Seattle (2), Colorado Springs, and L.A.

Student Life

Student Life, as we know it, is over for another academic year; or at least it was replaced by caffeine and all-nighters as year-end academic requirements descended upon our students. We offer thanks to Senior Class Coordinator Cristina Moore, ASWC President EmmyLou Taylor; ASWC Executive VP Stacey Johnson; ASWC Financial VP Tim Frey, and all the other student leaders who made this a great year. Next year's leaders in these respective positions are Haley Dove, Ben Metcalf, Matt Duske, and J.D. Weiss. They'll be excellent.

Resources

Big news! With less than $500,000 to be given or pledged to the construction of Weyerhaeuser Hall, the board has given us approval to have our contractor, Walker Construction, bid the job. This means that a) we'll likely start the building in June, b) you have generously donated enough money for everything except the building endowment and the furniture, and c) if that other $500,000 doesn't come in, we either won't be able to occupy the building or we'll get very tired of standing.

Ah, May. It is my most humbling Mind & Heart month. I find myself in a humorless mood as I write my way down to "Resources." I know that when I get to this point I have to stop informing and start appealing. I keep telling myself that I'm giving you the opportunity to participate in God's good work, but it still feels like a last gasp to meet our annual-fund goal. Our fiscal year ends June 30, and we're behind where we should be. Most organizations dependent upon gift income have been battered by the economy, and we're no exception. Fortunately, our other sources of income have held up, and we have throttled back expenditures. So if you can help us make June a good giving month, we'll be okay.

In pursuit of boosting those June donations, Bonnie and I have decided to make a bit of a gift. I do not like premiums or giving incentives that go beyond the satisfaction of supporting a mission, but I'm willing to stoop on occasion. So, I've donated 100 copies of my latest and only book, Leading People from the Middle, for the first 100 of you who will make an extra gift to our annual fund. You decide what "extra" means, send your gift, and tell us if you want the book. We'll send it to you free. Given its sales pace, there is still an excellent chance of you being the first one on your block to own this book, but everybody seems to like its voice, whatever that means.

On May 2, Whitworth participated in the premier videoconference over Virtual Possibilities Network (VPnet), our newly installed high-speed fiber-optic network. VPnet consists of about 200 miles of optical fiber donated by Avista Corp. and Columbia Fiber Solutions for use by eight higher-education institutions in Washington and Idaho. Its mission is "to foster economic development in the Inland Northwest by facilitating the creation of and access to a durable high-speed communications network." The goal is to "enable the launch and subsequent development of new ideas, innovation and collaboration among participating members with projects for incubation, education and/or research and development." Jack Miller (Information Systems) and Ken Pecka (Instructional Resources) are providing leadership for this project.

Athletics

The Whitworth softball team completed the most successful season in its young history with an overall record of 18-21 and a Northwest Conference mark of 15-13. Head Coach Teresa Hanson managed to pull this off with a roster of 14 freshmen and sophomores and one senior, Jessica Shawley, a great leader. Sophomore outfielder Patti Stranger was named First Team All-NWC after leading the league in runs scored and stolen bases, shattering the previous single-season Pirate records. Freshman pitcher Jo Sonnett also rewrote the Whitworth record book, setting school marks for wins, earned run average and innings pitched. She received honorable mention All-NWC.

The Pirate baseball team finished with a record of 15-22-1 overall and 12-11 in the conference, to finish fifth. A season highlight was the three-game sweep of fourth-place Pacific University in the final home weekend of the season. The team had four players chosen honorable mention All-NWC: junior catcher Jeremy McMillen, senior 2B Jake Krummel, sophomore 3B Dan Gebbers, and senior pitcher Josh Mills.

Whitworth's men's and women's track & field teams both finished second at the Northwest Conference championships. The Pirates had solid performances from several individuals. Leslie Nelson won the women's 10,000, while the team of Nicole Brown, Sarah Marken, Karen Robnett and Kristin Shields won the 4x100 relay. On the men's side, Brett Aynsley won the 400 meters and the team of Bryce McDonnell, Ben Rorem, Jason Stevens and Dave Warren won the 4x100 relay. Head Coach Toby Schwarz will accompany seven athletes to the NCAA Division III championships, and I'll give you a report this summer on the outcome.

The men's tennis team finished fourth at the NWC tournament, and the highlight of the event for Mike Shanks' team was Whitworth's first win over Puget Sound since the Loggers joined the conference in 1997. Overall, Whitworth finished with a record of 8-11. Sophomore Chad Dierickx was named to the All-NWC team for the second straight season.

The Whitworth women placed second at the NWC tennis tournament. Head Coach Jo Wagstaff led the team to an overall record of 9-7. Whitworth defeated Pacific Lutheran and upset #2 seed Lewis & Clark to reach the finals. Seniors Jill Vaughan and Jill Huibregtse were named All-NWC, and Vaughan was selected NWC Sportswoman of the Year, for the second straight season.

Whitworth's assistant men's basketball coach, Rodney Wecker, has been selected as one of 500 assistant coaches from a field of more than 350,000 across the nation as a winner of the second annual AFLAC National Assistant Coaches of the Year Award. Weck has done a great job at Whitworth for the past 12 years. His nominator, Head Coach Jim Hayford, says, "Rodney has established himself as one of the premier assistant coaches in developing individual skills and player improvement." Weck responds, "At Whitworth, Coach Hayford and I have a great opportunity to teach our players life lessons on a daily basis. Coaching is a great profession, and for the past 15 years of college coaching the relationships I've developed with coaches and players have been an award in themselves."

Alumni

Alumni Family Weekend is coming up June 20-22. Visit the website soon at www.whitworth.edu/alumni/familyweekend2003.htm for updated lists of attendees and more details on the weekend's events. Reservations are still being accepted via mail or through our online registration form. Contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at 800-532-4668 or alumni@whitworth.edu for additional information. And don't forget to mark your calendar for Homecoming, Sept. 26-28.

The new alumni e-mail online directory is better than ever before. You will now be able to search by name for any individual alumna or alumnus in the database. In addition, addresses will now be safe from internet spammers seeking to download lists of e-mail addresses from the web. Visit the alumni pages on the Whitworth website and search for a classmate or add your e-mail address today.

Closing Thoughts

I have used up my word quota, and my mother-in-law is standing over me at this very moment. This means I could regret anything I write. So let me simply thank you and thank God for helping us through a wonderful year. As we traversed all that is Whitworth College, we faced ourselves, we faced each other, and we faced God. And we are better for these days together.