Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: November 2008

An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson

I was a little nervous going into the Parents' Weekend worship service. My printer had been playing hard-to-get with my sermon, so I was racing to get to Cowles Auditorium on time. And I was edgy about the mood I would find when I did get there. October's economic violence sent blistering losses in all directions. College isn't cheap. Our families have to be feeling deep stress. But as I hurried in the side door, what I found bore no signs of anxiety. Families, reunited for a weekend, worshipped with the steadfast certainty that what they didn't lose is worth so much more than whatever they did lose. When I stood up to speak, I said that. Everyone clapped. That never happens, except when I stop talking. I think there's a message in that. They say a recession purges an economy. Weak businesses don't survive. I wonder if it could be said that a recession also purges our values. When we feel the squeeze, weak values get weaker and strong values get stronger. We realize that we can do without stuff. And we become more aware than ever that we can't do without relationships. These economic threats are hard and they are scary. I don't mean to suggest that they aren't. But we need to see them in perspective. I pray that all of you will be okay, and that you will feel God's peace, especially if your pain is relational. For Whitworth, I think the deepest economic challenges are yet to come. I've been able to have quite a few meals and conversations with students this week. Their classroom reports are very positive, and they seem especially involved in campus activities. Students are doing well, but they are perplexed by the economy's threat to their families and to their own futures. It is a time when our faith in God's goodness and God's providence sustains us. Thanks for all you do to keep Whitworth strong. It feels especially generous in these trying days.

Academics

Faculty members stay active in presenting their research with disciplinary colleagues around the country and around the globe. Here are a few examples of recent presentations:

• Katie Creyts (Art) is exhibiting six solo works at the Arlington Arts Center Fall Solo Exhibition, in Virginia.
• Janet Hauck (Library) presented "What Do You Want? What Do You Need? The Northwest Digital Archives Moves toward Digitalization" to the Society of American Archivists, in San Francisco. Kudos to Janet for achieving certification by the Academy of Certified Archivists.
• Karin Heller (Theology) presented "Dietrich Bonheoffer's Theology in Today's World" to the International Bonheoffer Conference, in Prague, Czech Republic.
• Brooke Kiener (Theatre), '99, spoke on "Practicing Hospitality in Community-Based Theatre" to the Association of Theatre in Higher Education Conference, in Denver.
• Lindy Scott (Spanish) presented "Conversations about Religion: The Importance of Relational Frames and Relational Context" to the Latin American Theological Fellowship, in La Paz, Bolivia.

This month our Speakers & Artists Series features five events. On Nov. 12 we will host a forum at which four Christian denominational representatives will describe and present the differences and similarities of their denominations. On Nov. 19, the play The Gospel of John will be performed by Leonardo Defilippis. Musical performances include the jazz ensemble concert on Nov. 8, the wind symphony concert Nov. 16, and the concert band concert Nov. 18. (Visit www.whitworth.edu/speakers&artistsfor a complete list of fall speakers and events.)

On Nov. 7, former vice-presidential candidate and U.S. Congressman Jack Kemp will be lecturing in Julia Stronks' American National Politics class. How great will it be for our students to hear a post-election analysis from Jack Kemp! The only bad part of the deal is that one of the students in this class will walk in on crutches. In the second Whitworth football game of this season, Whitworth's two-year starting quarterback, senior Kory Kemp, broke his leg. I'm sure that former AFL MVP quarterback Jack Kemp would rather watch Kory play the last game of his senior year than have Kory watch him standing in front of a classroom. A couple days ago I watched our game against PLU with Kory's parents, Stacey and Jeff Kemp (Jeff played 11 seasons in the NFL). It's hard to tell who anguishes most in these situations -- the parent or the injured child. Maybe it's the grandparent. But the main thing is that Kory is a great young man, and I'm sure that makes all of his relatives feel proud.

In early October we enjoyed one of the best lectures we've ever heard when David Oliver Relin, co-author of the international bestseller Three Cups of Tea, challenged the freshman class to consider a vocation that gives "voice to the voiceless." Relin's stories about life in the remote mountains of Pakistan challenged and inspired the audience of more than 1,000 people. (Listen to Relin's lecture )

The first M.A. in theology cohort of 20 students is well into its third course, Karin Heller's Christian Spirituality class. The focus on contemporary applications of classical theology and spirituality has generated great enthusiasm. We are already receiving applications for next year.

The world is our classroom, not only as learners, but as teachers, too. Here are a few recent School of Education graduates who are teaching around the globe: 

• Bekah List, '08, is in Mexico. She teaches English to third-graders by day and to college-age future teachers by night.
• Amy Matti, '06, is in Panama this term and was in Japan last term.
• Laurel Tanza, '06, is in the Dominican Republic. Laurel is developing strategies with the Peace Corps for teaching children with special needs.
• Emily Wold, '07, teaches middle school in Thailand.

Last week the Whitworth Art Department kicked off a photography exhibit, "New/Like New: Current Works by Ross Sawyers." The exhibit runs through Dec. 5, in the Bryan Oliver Gallery of the new Ernst F. Lied Center for the Visual Arts. This exhibit honors Floyd Daniel, who passed away recently. Floyd was such a good man. He donated more than 1,400 volumes of photography books and periodicals to the university's Harriet Cheney Cowles Memorial Library. A career photographer and cinematographer for the Boeing Company, he also freelanced for many Christian mission organizations. He and his wife, Shirley, also established the Daniel Fund, which sponsors photography exhibits at Whitworth and brings professional photographers to speak to photography classes and to hold public lectures and workshops on campus. Ross Sawyers'work is influenced by high-density housing developments. The combination of living in increasingly smaller spaces and in closer proximity to others creates tension that Sawyers explores through exaggerating the architecture of the buildings and structures that compose these residential environments.

Award-winning author Tony Earley is Whitworth's Endowed English Reader for 2008. He will read from his works this Friday in Weyerhaeuser Hall. Earley is the Samuel Milton Fleming Chair in English at Vanderbilt University and the author of two novels, The Blue Star and Jim the Boy, as well as well-received collections of short stories and personal essays. The New York Times lauded Earley's The Blue Star as a "display of his own characteristic magic, which is a sure antidote to heavy-handedness," and called Jim the Boy "radiant, knowing, pitch-perfect;...a swift, lovely book."

Enrollment

The end-of-October application count is just about where it was last year. More than 3,000 applications have been submitted, although not all of the files are complete. Please encourage any students you know who might be interested in attending Whitworth to get their applications in soon.

Many generous donors have set up Whitworth scholarships that can be awarded only to returning students. Applications for these 2009-10 scholarships become available on the Whitworth financial-aid webpage (www.whitworth.edu/financialaid) after Nov. 10. The application deadline is midnight on Jan. 31, 2009.

Student Life

October began with Homecoming Weekend and was followed by hundreds of moms and dads visiting for Parents' Weekend. Parents and families became Whitworthians for the weekend as they attended faculty presentations, watched the Pirate soccer and football teams win on a beautiful fall afternoon, and attended the theatre production, The Cradle Will Rock. It was great to see so many of you.

Last year I reported how student trick-or-treaters blew through our candy so fast that we ended up passing out vitamins, teabags, leftovers and whatever else we could find. Well, the vitamins were such a hit that we decided to give the beggars their choice this year. And the winning treat? Vitamins. You have to love that.

Whitworth is sponsoring Cultural Awareness Week, "Our Global Mosaic," Nov. 17-21. This event features Whitworth clubs and community groups representing traditions, cultures, beliefs and lifestyles of different cultures. The event promotes learning and understanding of various cultures at Whitworth, in the surrounding community, and throughout the world. Michelle Bess, cultural events coordinator for ASWU, says it well: "With our world becoming more global, we can't afford to be unaware and unappreciative of other cultures." General admission tickets for the banquet are $13; students and children get in for $10, and children under 5 eat for free. Purchase your ticket prior to the event by calling 509.777.3796.

Resources

The November issue of Mind & Heart is the one to which we always add an envelope for your year-end Whitworth Fund gift. If you're a regular reader, you know I don't usually ask for money in this newsletter. And wouldn't you know that this year's "envelope month" comes on the heels of a brutal economic downturn? We considered blowing off the envelope this year, but we have been so encouraged by the unwavering support of our alumni, parents, churches and other members of the larger Whitworth community that we kept it in. You have supported Whitworth faithfully in this rough season. You have provided funds for our students who need them more than ever. So we're going to believe that we can reach our Whitworth Fund budget of $1.45 million. If the current crunch keeps you from giving, we totally understand. And if you can give, please know that every gift makes a big impact on The Whitworth Fund, regardless of the amount. Thank you.

Under the category of silver linings, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 allows individuals ages 70½ and older to donate up to $100,000 from their Individual Retirement Accounts to public charities (like Whitworth) without having to count the distributions as taxable income. If you want to know more, please contact The Whitworth Foundation by phone at 509.777.4363 or 800.532.4668, or visit www.whitworth.edu/ira.

Athletics

Football is wrapping up the year on a high note. Despite several injuries and a young squad, the Pirates are likely to finish third in the Northwest Conference. Much credit goes to Adam Anderson, '10, who is having a record-breaking season. He has set or tied school records for touchdowns in a game, touchdowns in a season, and all-purpose yards in a game. And he has a chance to set several more records in the season's final game this Saturday in the Pine Bowl.

The cross-country teams are celebrating. Whitworth won its first Northwest Conference men's cross country title in 36 years, knocking off seven-time champion Willamette University by placing four runners among the top 10. The Pirate women tied with Whitman for second place, as Willamette won the women's title. Next week the teams will run at the NCAA west regional; both can qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships in Minnesota in mid-November. Sophomores Dana Misterek and Nick Gallagher are running well in this championship phase of the season.

Men's soccer is in first place in the conference standings and has a chance to repeat as NWC champion. Freshman Eddy Prugh and senior John Prugh, brothers from Bozeman, Mont., have combined for 12 goals and seven assists this season. Bryan Olson and Caleb Barnhill have been named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.

Women's soccer can finish second in the NWC this season, and the Pirates have hopes of earning a second straight at-large bid to the NCAA Div. III tournament. Senior Penelope Crowe and junior Miranda Cosand were just named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team. The women continued their late-season surge, rolling past visiting Lewis & Clark 5-0 in a NWC match last Sunday.

The volleyball team continues through the ups and downs of a young team. At times there are five freshmen on the floor for the team. The Pirates have a chance to finish strongly the final two weeks of the year. Despite the youth this season, senior Nikki Bardwell has been demonstrating great leadership on the floor and has led the Pirates to several of their recent wins.

Just a week ago, Whitworth claimed the first major NWC tournament in the history of Pirate women's golf; the women won the NWC Fall Classic, holding off defending conference champion Pacific University. Krystal Pitkonen led the Whitworth women to the win. Men's golf, led by freshman Jeff Aly, finished fourth at the classic.

Alumni

Registration is now open to parents, alumni and friends for our 2009 Core 650 trip to Argentina and Uruguay with the Whitworth University Choir. Join Choral Director Marc A. Hafso and the choir next May 18-31 on a cultural exchange featuring a tour of the city of Buenos Aires, a visit to Cordoba, one of the first Spanish colonial capitals, and perhaps best of all, to hear the Whitworth Choir perform with five different local choral groups in churches and cathedrals. More details are available atwww.whitworth.edu/southamerica09.

Homecoming weekend was a great success. The classes of 1988 and 1998 celebrated 20- and 10-year reunions, respectively, and the campus community celebrated the grand opening of the Lied Center for the Visual Arts. Other highlights from the weekend included a lecture from Alumni Mind & Heart Award Winner Marty Miller, '89, on his vocational path from Whitworth to working with farmworkers and other low-income families in rural Washington state; the celebration of our donors and of Marty and fellow Alumni Award-winners Andrea Palpant Dilley, '00, John Rodkey, '47, and Dorothy Detlor, '61, at the annual George F. Whitworth Honors Banquet; and Sunday's alumni worship service.

Closing Thoughts

Once again, I've left myself room for only a few words. The big Whitworth news for October was our 10-year review by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Accreditation. Concluding their visit, Dr. Jane Atkinson, chair of the team, offered preliminary commendations and recommendations. The latter were fair and the former were encouraging. I'll conclude this letter to you with the first two commendations. 1) The committee commends Whitworth University for articulating, communicating and enacting its mission with exceptional clarity, integrity and dedication. 2) The committee commends Whitworth University for creating and sustaining a community of grace and truth notable for its collective spirit and shared commitment to service. For your many contributions to these immensely gratifying observations, we are very grateful.