Mind & Heart Newsletter: April 2012
An update from Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor
I often say that I'm standing on tall shoulders as I lead Whitworth. Not only do I continue to benefit from the wonderful legacy left by my predecessor, President Emeritus Bill Robinson, but I'm also inspired by the important leadership of previous campus leaders like Frank Warren and Ed Lindaman. The shoulders I stand upon are not only tall – they're also quite broad, reaching across Christian higher education, to women and men who lead our nation's network of Christ-centered institutions dedicated to transformative education and moral formation for service to God. There are no shoulders taller or broader than those of my good friend and consummate Whitworthian, Seattle Pacific University President Philip Eaton, '65. Phil is stepping down this summer as president of SPU after 17 years of remarkable service. Many of you know that Phil is a proud Whitworth alumnus who taught English and American literature at Whitworth for many years, eventually serving as Whitworth's interim president before taking his leadership role at SPU in 1996. Tomorrow, I will be in Seattle meeting with the presidents of Washington's independent colleges and universities, and I've been asked to honor Phil's service to our state's consortium of private institutions. I will highlight three things in particular about Phil. First, he represents the best of faith-based education. Throughout his distinguished career, he has courageously championed the importance of integrating quality academics with Christian faith. There is perhaps no more articulate a supporter of Christian higher education than Phil. He has been prolific in his speaking and writing about how the Christian academy can best engage culture and ultimately change the world. Second, Phil represents the best of Whitworth. Our alumni continue to mention Phil among their most beloved professors, citing both his rigorous and comprehensive expectations of students and his warm and personal style. In 2000, Whitworth awarded Phil an honorary doctorate for his lifelong commitment to quality Christian education. Finally, there is perhaps no one who has been more kind and supportive to Julie and me in our first months at Whitworth than Phil and his wife, Sharon, '64. Phil graciously offered the prayer of dedication at my inaugural, and he continues to offer support, guidance and prayer to me and our family. Most of all, Phil cares for Whitworth and its mission. Whitworth is thankful to Phil for all he has done to "honor God, follow Christ and serve humanity." God bless you, Phil and Sharon, as you follow God's calling into the next exciting chapter of your lives.
Academics
Michelle Smith (English) has been awarded a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities summer stipend. The title of her project is Alice in Utopia: Transcendental Rhetoric and Domestic Labor at Brook Farm. This research will examine the Transcendentalist community of Brook Farm, illustrating a mismatch between the community's egalitarian rhetoric and the practices that relegated women to domestic drudgery.
Whitworth is one of 40 sites nationwide selected to host "Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible," a traveling exhibition that celebrates the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the KJV and examines its history. The exhibit will run in Harriet Cheney Cowles Library April 11-May 13. Jim Edwards, '67 (Theology), will lecture in the Robinson Teaching Theatre, Weyerhaeuser Hall, at 7:30 p.m. on April 19, after the opening reception. A panel discussion will take place Monday, April 23, at 7 p.m. in the RTT and will feature Meredith Shimizu, '93 (Art), Leonard Oakland (English), and Gonzaga Professor of Religious Studies Linda Schearing.
Join us at Gonzaga April 21 for the Spokane Intercollegiate Research Conference. Whitworth had the opportunity to host this important event last year; it included more than 200 student presenters and 70 faculty sponsors from Whitworth, Gonzaga and other Spokane institutions.
Forensics captured second-place sweepstakes awards at recent regional tournaments. During Spring Break the team placed 5th out of 26 schools at the National Christian College Forensics National Tournament, where Travis Walker, '12, won five trophies and took 6th place out of 100-plus students in the competition. Travis' parents are currently building him a new trophy room at his home.
Spring sabbaticals: Patty Bruininks (Psychology) continues her research into the effects of sociocultural environments on hope; Gordon Jackson (Communication Studies) is an administrative consultant to Christian higher-educational institutions in Egypt and Nigeria; Alan Mikkelson, '00 (Communication Studies), is writing a book on relationships, based on the Scriptures and social-science research; Deanna Ojennus (Chemistry) continues her work on R-body proteins and hopes to establish procedures for doing heteronuclear multidimensional NMR spectroscopy on our campus; and Raja Tanas (Sociology) is writing a textbook about the Middle East.
Last month, Casey Andrews (English) directed 10 students in a play at Salem Lutheran Church, in Spokane's West Central neighborhood. The play, Zacchaeus: For the Lord He Wanted To See, is based on Luke's Gospel.
Pamela Corpron Parker, '81 (English), is on the selection committee for the Lilly Fellows Graduate Program. She is also the presiding chair of the British Women Writers Association.
The Arts
Broadway Unbound, which will take place Friday, May 4, at 7 p.m. ($3 admission), is an end-of-the-year showcase of Whitworth students' acting talent in fully staged performances on the Main Stage in Whitworth's Cowles Memorial Auditorium. Please join us!
In March, 19 Whitworthians – piano students of Judith Schoepflin, Beverly Rhodes, and David Brewster – participated in the Washington State Music Teachers Adjudications. Each student performed two pieces and was evaluated by BYU-Rexburg's Stephen Allen. Nine performed at the Collegiate Honors Recital held at Spokane's Steinway Gallery.
Jared Hall, '08, won 3rd place overall at the National Trumpet Competition 2012, held last month in Washington, D.C. Jared attends Indiana University, Bloomington, where he will complete his master of music in jazz studies this summer; he is an associate instructor in the I.U. jazz studies program, led by renowned jazz educator David Baker.
Student Life
Arend Hall did an amazing job putting on its traditional Green with Envy Dance, where roommates were encouraged to set one another up for a special date and dance. (Blessing or curse? You be the judge.) Students also participated in KONY 2012 "Invisible Children" awareness programming that discussed the issue of kids who've been sold into soldiering and the sex trade. This month, students will show their skills with board and computer games at Whitcon. We'll also be deep into ASWU elections, the Whitworth Unplugged talent contest, a visit from spoken-word artist Shihan, and Dance Illuminate, a night of music and terpsichorean frivolity.
Honors
The Arc of Spokane recently chose Whitworth as its 2012 Organization of the Year. Each year The Arc, which works with local people with developmental difficulties, honors organizations that make exceptional efforts to improve its clients’ lives. The Arc is honoring Whitworth for our campus donation projects, innovative service-learning courses and campus-engagement project, which fosters the inclusion of individuals with disabilities at Whitworth.
The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll has named Whitworth to its 2012 list. The honor roll highlights the role colleges and universities play in solving community problems and placing students on a lifelong path of civic engagement; it recognizes institutions that achieve meaningful, measurable outcomes in the communities they serve. For the fourth time in six years, Whitworth has been named to this list by the Corporation for National and Community Service. This is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.
Alumni & Parents
The Class of 2012 is preparing to celebrate Commencement Weekend, May 11-13. Congratulations to our almost-graduates, who will soon be decorating their mortarboards, and to their parents and families! For information, visit www.whitworth.edu/commencement.
Commencement Weekend reunions for the classes of '52 and '62 are just around the corner. Alums who graduated in 1962 and earlier are invited to join us on campus May 11-13. You can still register for this weekend of celebration, but hurry! Visit www.whitworth.edu/reunions or contact the alumni office at 509.777.3799 or alumni@whitworth.edu.
Alumni and professors who were with the Central America Study Programs in 1979, 1982, 1987 and 2002 will reunite on campus this summer to celebrate their experiences. For information, visit www.whitworth.edu/alumni.
Alumni from the classes of 2007, 2002, and 1992 are invited to celebrate five-year, 10-year and 20-year class reunions during Homecoming Weekend Oct. 5-7. There will also be a special gathering for members of the classes of 1975-79. We'll catch up with one another, honor our 2012 Alumni Award winners, and cheer on the football Bucs as they face Willamette. More information is available at www.whitworth.edu/homecoming.
Admissions
The May 1 deadline is approaching: Incoming freshmen, it's time to submit an enrollment deposit to hold your spot in the Class of 2016. Submit your deposit online at www.whitworth.edu/admittedstudents, where you can also access important information about next steps for admitted students.
The first week of May will find admissions office staffers calling incoming freshmen to schedule telephone appointmentsduring which they can discuss academic plans with faculty advisors and register for fall classes. This is just one of many ways that our professors invest in the lives of our students.
Financial Aid
We have sent out awards to all new freshmen and transfer students who applied by the priority deadline of March 1. If you know a student who is planning to start at Whitworth this fall and who has filed a FAFSA but has not yet heard from the financial aid office, please have him or her call 800.533.4668 to speak with a staff member.
In May and June, the financial aid office will e-mail 2012-13 renewal award notifications to current students. The priority deadline to file the FAFSA for need-based financial aid is May 1. Academic scholarships are automatically renewed.
Resources
Each alum has a stake in Whitworth's success. Each month, about 17,000 of our alumni receive Mind & Heart. At last count, 1,440 of them have made a gift to Whitworth this year. The office of annual giving is reaching out to alumni to communicate how much every gift matters, and some generous alums have raised the stakes for new gifts to The Whitworth Fund: they've built a matching fund to encourage gifts from new alumni donors. We have until June 30 to reach our goal of 2,912 alumni donors. If every alum who reads this makes a gift (even $5 counts), we'll get there. Consider that a challenge!
Chapel
Join us at the 37th annual Whitworth Institute of Ministry July 9-13. Our focus this year is on "Our Hope for Years to Come: Theological Foundations during Turbulent Times." Speakers include Richard J. Mouw, president of Fuller Seminary; Tod Bolsinger, senior pastor of San Clemente Presbyterian Church; and MaryKate Morse, professor of leadership and spiritual formation at George Fox Evangelical Seminary. Register online at www.whitworth.edu/wim or by phone at 509.777.4345. And follow us on Facebook!
Costa Rica
The art students in our spring semester program are bringing life and color to San Rafael. They've painted a beautiful mural at an outdoor park there, and one student is creating a mural at a museum in San Jose; others are adding their paintings and sculptures to our own CRC. In March, the 50-plus-member Whitworth Wind Symphony played up a storm at concerts and musical workshops throughout Costa Rica. The CRC's official dedication took place on March 18, when Provost & Executive V.P. Michael Le Roy, '89, trustees David Myers, '64, and Scott, '84, and Sue Chandler, '85, joined me and the spring students, the wind symphony and 100-plus friends and neighbors as we publicly dedicated ourselves to God and to the service of our Costa Rican neighbors.
Sports
Baseball is off to a great start, with the Pirates tied for first place in the conference after series victories over PLU and Linfield. Tyler Pfeffer, '14, leads the league in RBIs, while Jason Renner, '15, is the King of Saves.
The softball Pirates have won 10 of their last 11, including five of six at the Tucson Invitational. Heather Hesselgesser, '13, is batting .400-plus, and Taylor Gilbert, '14, has won six of her first seven pitching decisions.
Men's tennis is 8-5 overall and 5-2 in the NWC. The Pirates went 2-1 during Spring Break, including a win over NCAA Div. II Augustana (S.D.). Daniel Redfern, '12, is 10-3 in singles play.
Women's tennis is 10-3 overall and 6-1 in the NWC. Whitworth went 3-1 during their Spring Break trip, including wins over Birmingham-Southern and SUNY-New Paltz. Jesse Steele, '13, leads the team with a 12-1 singles record.
Men's track and field continues to dominate. Carter Comito leads the nation in the discus and is second in the shot put, and Chibron Tomeo broke a 26-year-old school record in the pole vault.
Women's track is battling through injury and illness. Jheri Gates, '14, leads all NWC women in the high jump.
Emily Guthrie, '13, was the top NCAA Div. III finisher when the women's golf team competed in the Augustana Spring Fling during Spring Break.
Men's golf played a pair of one-day events in Arizona last week. Jesse Salzwedel, '14, shot a fine one-under-par 70 at the Arizona National Golf Course.
Closing Thoughts
I'm finishing this newsletter on Palm Sunday. I'm struck how quickly cheers and accolades turned to betrayal and hatred for our Lord during that first holy week in Jerusalem. I pray that my own relationship with Jesus isn't as fickle or as easily swayed by the sentiments of the crowd. But despite my shortcomings and lack of faith, Jesus still marched to Calvary for me. He saw past my imperfections, the frailty of my faith, to see the child He created in His own image...one worth dying for. That's the kind of Savior we have – full of grace. May we each be agents of that saving grace this week as we reflect upon Christ's death and Resurrection. Easter blessings on you all.
