Mind & Heart Newsletter: June 2025
An update from Whitworth University President Scott McQuilkin
My four-plus decades in higher education inform me that your typical college student doesn't go overboard in purchasing residence hall or apartment furnishings. I sure didn't. For on-campus decor, a couple of posters on the walls. Done. Later, for an off-campus apartment, cinder blocks separating particle board shelves. Mattress, yes; box spring and bed frame optional. 'Tis the season of life for Spartan living conditions. Those same 45 years at Whitworth have convinced me about a different, uncommon and far more important "furnishing" that our students receive. It's a furnishing of the mind and heart kind. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is a text about the usefulness of Scripture in our lives. The Apostle Paul encourages us to be people fed by God's word, not just for salvation, but for the practical aspects of daily living. One word at the close of the chapter captures me – "furnished." "So that," we are told, "the servant of God is furnished unto all good works."
Janice and I had a whole lot of opportunities over the past month to experience the ways our graduates have been "furnished unto all good works" by our brilliant and caring faculty and staff. We attended concerts and music recitals, took in honors program presentations, listened to the testimonials of student-athletes, learned from art students about their creative works, and were in numerous other settings where students reflected on whom they have become since they began their Whitworth journey. For readers, know that our graduates crossed the commencement stage last month furnished unto all good works, equipped to bring a redemptive arc to every space they will occupy. It's for that reason I could not imagine a better calling, or a better mission to which to be called.
13 Spring Term Highlights
1. We're celebrating our doctoral programs in physical therapy and occupational therapy, which both graduated their first classes of students and earned full accreditation. The OTD program was granted accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), and the DPT program received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Accreditation is a testament to the amazing work of our School of Health Sciences faculty who built these programs from the ground up.
2. Whitworth is thrilled to have received a National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) grant for nearly $2 million. The grant will provide financial and academic support to high-achieving, low-income students, preparing STEM scholars for graduate programs and careers.
3. Meg Fairborn '25, a double major in math and physics, has been awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation and will begin her Ph.D. in plasma physics at Columbia University this fall. Way to go, Meg!
4. Whitworth Honors Program student Melinda Mullet '25 and Honors Director Bert Emerson have received the Center for Public Justice 2025 Hatfield Prize, given to student-faculty pairs who integrate their Christian faith with academic scholarship to address social challenges through a public justice framework. Over the term, the pair researched Medicare benefits for end-of-life care and the disparities in hospice access and utilization in Spokane County. Their project will result in a policy report to be published in September by the Center for Public Justice.
5. One of the ways our faculty live out our community's passion for continuous learning is through their scholarly pursuits (see www.whitworth.edu/accomplishments). Congratulations to the following faculty members who recently received fellowships or published books:
- Katie Creyts (art & design) has been selected for the competitive Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad in Tanzania.
- Amanda Clark (library) has co-authored the fourth edition of Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History and Meaning.
- Brent Edstrom (music) has authored Sound & Music Projects for Eurorack and Beyond: Explorations in Teensy® Microcontroller Technology.
- Haley Jacob (theology) has authored The Preacher's Greek Companion to Colossians.
- Katherine Karr-Cornejo (world languages & cultures) has authored We Are All Chile: Representations of Difference in Contemporary Chilean Historical Fiction.
- Nathan L. King (philosophy) has edited The Virtues of Endurance.
6. This was an exciting semester for the music department. Over Spring Break, the Whitworth Choir and Whitworth Symphony Orchestra embarked on a concert tour of Taiwan. In April, our jazz students received accolades at the University of Idaho's Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, with the Whitworth Jazz Orchestra and the Somethin' Else Jazz Combo winning their divisions. Saxophonist Max Cannon '25 won in the category of Outstanding Soloist of College Instrumental Large Ensembles. Bravo!
7. I was pleased to appoint John Pell, Ph.D., as provost & executive vice president. John joined the English department faculty in 2012 and had served as interim provost since May 2024. Upon becoming permanent provost, John wisely appointed Erica Salkin, Ph.D., as permanent dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. We are grateful for these academic leaders who share a clear vision for Whitworth's future.
8. Two new appointments to endowed professorships will begin this summer. Megan Hershey (political science) has been named the Amy M. Ryan Endowed Professor within the College of Arts & Sciences. Her scholarship will focus on East African politics and increasing awareness about nonviolent protest methods. Doreen Keller (Graduate Studies in Education) is the recipient of the Sue Chandler Endowed Professorship in Education and will focus on upgrading the Master in Teaching curriculum and creating an MIT teacher-leader alumni network.
9. Our Seattle Career Trek took 30 students representing computer science, finance, chemistry and biology majors to tour and meet with alumni at companies like Adobe, Amazon, Bristol Myers Squibb, Costco, F5, Microsoft and PACCAR. Thank you to the alumni who helped our students discern future career paths through this immersive event.
10. Our generous community unleashed greatness on One Pine Day in February! An amazing 684 donors representing 38 states and five countries fully funded eight projects, including a respite room for the Military & Veterans Resource Center and equipment for the engineering building. Six other projects were funded more than halfway. Learn more at www.whitworth.edu/one-pine-day.
11. A group of our theology students and faculty joined in fellowship with counterparts at other area universities at the PNW Undergrad Theology Roundtable, held at Camp Ghormley. Students enjoyed spiritual refreshment and meaningful conversations about the gospel and living as Christians in the Northwest. Associate Professor Jeremy Wynne helped secure a Lilly Network grant to make the retreat possible.
12. Whitworth's undergraduate business program for adult students has partnered with Rize Education to offer five career-focused concentrations tailored to the Spokane job market. Students can specialize in AI literacy, business analytics, digital marketing, human resource management and supply chain management. To learn more, visit www.whitworth.edu/evening.
13. Whitworth Athletics won the Northwest Conference McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy, recognizing overall athletic excellence, for the 14th time in 16 years. The following are a handful of winter and spring achievements that helped make this a standout year: Our swimming teams swept the NWC championships. The women's team won for the first time since 2013, and Steve Schadt was the NWC Coach of the Year. Isabella Hoopes '27 was conference champion in both the 200- and 400-yard individual medleys. The Pirate men defended their title, their 21st since 1996, with the second-largest margin of victory and point total in conference history. The men's basketball team won another regular-season conference championship, its 19th in the last 35 seasons. Jake Holtz '24, MBA '25, and Garrett Long '24, MBA '25, earned first team All-NWC honors. The Whitworth baseball team won the NWC tournament for the first time since 2015 to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs. In track & field, Amblessed Okemgbo '26 earned an All-America finish in the women's shot put at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Upcoming
Enrolling for Fall 2025 | It's not too late to apply
We are excited to welcome 565 first-year students to campus this fall and equip them with a transformative education that will prepare them to serve the world. Some additional students are still working through their decisions, and we will continue to accept applications (www.whitworth.edu/apply-now) and award financial aid through early August (but earlier is better!). Transfer students have until July 1 to apply by the regular fall deadline (www.whitworth.edu/apply-now-transfer). Please contact the admissions office at admissions@whitworth.edu or 509.777.4786 with any questions.
Whitworth Ministry Summit | June 24-27 | On campus
The Office of Church Engagement will host the redesigned Whitworth Ministry Summit, which will include a celebration to mark the OCE's 10-year anniversary. The conference's theme is "Repairers of the Breach: Nurturing Faith Communities that Restore Hope and Peace." Come join us! Registration and details: www.whitworth.edu/summit.
Community music ensembles | Registration is open for fall
Yet another high point this spring was the joyful combined concert of the Whitworth Community Chorale and the Whitworth Community Concert Band. If you're looking to connect with musicians of all backgrounds, consider joining one of these ensembles! Register at www.whitworth.edu/community-ensembles.
President's Leadership Forum | Oct. 2, 7-8 p.m. | Fox Theater
Whitworth will welcome influential scientist and healthcare policy leader Dr. Francis Collins, former director of the National Institutes of Health, as the featured speaker at the President's Leadership Forum. His address is titled, "The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith and Trust." To register, visit www.whitworth.edu/plf.
One Big Whitworth Weekend | Oct. 10-12
Alumni and families of current students are invited to a weekend of fun, family-friendly activities. RSVP at www.whitworth.edu/obww-25. Milestone reunions will be held for the classes of 2015, '05, 1995 and '85. Alumni from the Classes of '75 and '65, if you would like to help organize a special gathering for your classmates, please email Dale Hammond '98 at dhammond@whitworth.edu.
Closing Thoughts
Whenever I'm with alumni groups, I invite ways by which I hope they stay connected to their alma mater. And I make several requests: 1) Come back and see us. We miss you; 2) Be an ambassador for Whitworth, helping others to experience what you did; 3) When and if you are able, give back to this place that shaped you, perhaps as a mentor, the provider of an internship, or financially; and 4) Pray for our mission and our people. At www.whitworth.edu/heart, you can make a gift that will help plant students at Whitworth, where they will grow and flourish. They will connect to a caring Christian community and be given life-changing opportunities. And, oh, how they will be furnished!
Scott McQuilkin