Mind & Heart Newsletter: October 2016
An update from Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor
I recently returned from speaking at a conference at Oxford University that focused on the impact that colleges and universities like Whitworth can have as they commit to creating healthy and nurturing environments while also exposing students to new and challenging ideas. I'm concerned that we live in a world today in which being exposed to new ways of thinking, or having one's assumptions challenged, is seen more as an ideological threat than an educational opportunity. I like to think of a university as a kind of "intellectual commons" where ideas about our world are discussed, argued and tested. If you're familiar with the Book of Acts, it's not all that dissimilar from the Areopagus, in Athens, where Paul argued with philosophers and thinkers of the day about the merits of Christianity. Not only does this kind of environment prepare students to enter a diverse world full of conflicting worldviews, ideologies and assumptions, but it also nurtures students' critical-thinking skills. Our students need the ability to ask probing questions, weigh the merits of opposing ideas, and make personal decisions based on the information at hand as they engage with the world and prepare for professional careers. On top of that, Whitworth asks students to apply a Christian lens to these discussions, and we encourage faithful students to think hard about how their religious convictions shape their understanding of and obligations to a world in deep need. Drawing students out of the echo chambers that so often cause them to surround themselves only with ideas and voices that confirm their current thinking, I want Whitworth to be a place that carefully and intentionally exposes students to the ways in which other thoughtful, and many times faithful, people see the world's challenges. Then and only then can Whitworth claim to be a "university" in every sense of the word. And if we meet these commitments while elevating Christ and seeking the wisdom and knowledge of God, we can also boldly claim – as we do – to be a university that equips graduates to honor God, follow Christ and serve humanity.
Academics
William Ntow and Jan Gard (both Chemistry) partnered with a North Central High school AP chemistry class in research on wetlands conservation at the Verbrugge Environmental Center. Additionally, the group completed maintenance on more than 100 trees.
Roberta Wilburn (Graduate Studies in Education) received the YMCA Women of Achievement Carl Maxey Racial & Social Justice Award.
Flint Simonsen (Education) will serve as keynote speaker at the Washington Teachers Association's fall conference.
Casey Andrews (English) has been selected by Humanities Washington as a member of its Speakers Bureau.
Mike Ediger (Health Science) and incoming nursing students worked alongside Parasport Spokane to complete maintenance and cleaning of wheelchairs for people in need.
Tony Clark (History/Lindaman Chair) has been selected by the University of San Francisco's Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History to serve on its editorial board and advisory council for Historical Legacies of Christianity in East Asia. The council's work includes a book series, fellowships and a new-scholars mentorship program.
Marc Robinson (History) accompanied students to Spokane's West Central neighborhood to learn about community-based policing programs and to canvas the community on behalf of Block Watch.
Markus Ong (Mathematics/Computer Science) accompanied students to St. Margaret's Shelter to prepare donated computers for low-income families. His colleague Pete Tucker, '91, and students taught the Hour of Code to fourth graders at Holmes Elementary.
Aaron Korthuis, '12 (Political Science), a Yale Law School student and intern with the Jerome Frank Legal Services Organization, is participating in a case challenging the injunction issued against President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative.
Vange Ocasio Hochheimer has been named Latina/o Leader of the Year by the Latino Hope Foundation, which provides financial and vocational support to Latino students attending Spokane colleges. Vange was recognized for her "leadership in advocating for education that addresses equity for our Latina/o students" and for her impressive career as an economist and professor in higher education.
Haley Goransen (Theology) and some of her students toured urban ministries in Spokane that support individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. They also organized a staff-appreciation activity for workers at First Presbyterian Church.
Karen Petersen Finch (Theology) has been invited to spend spring 2018 at the Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas, in Rome. Karen will write about the role of laypeople in dialogue between Christians. She has also been invited to Australia to present a paper next November at the fourth International Conference on Receptive Ecumenism.
The Arts
Come see Whitworth Theatre's production of The Music Man, Meredith Willson's funny, warm, romantic and touching musical comedy, which won six Tony awards. The play will be presented Oct. 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 16 and 23 at 2 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium.
Tickets are now on sale through TicketsWest and the Fox Theater for the annual Whitworth Guest Artist Jazz Concert, featuring worldrenowned saxophonist BRANFORD MARSALIS! The concert will take place Saturday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m., at The Fox Theater.
Brent Edstrom (Music) is the Washington State Music Teachers Commissioned Composer of the Year. Brent will be composing a new work for the commission and will premiere it at the state convention, in June 2017.
Student Life
ASWU and the Whitworth Political Science Club sponsored two important events hosted by political science faculty members: "Why Should We Vote?" featured Kathryn Lee, and Julia Stronks presented "Faith and Politics." Homecoming Week kicked off the month of October with competitions between residence halls, the movie Ghostbusters!, a concert by alumni Mama Dolls, and, of course, the big football game and a dance in The Loop. Camina Hirota, '17, our cultural events coordinator, brought the Black Jew Dialogues, a comedy presentation that examines cultural misconceptions, to campus, and we also hosted hip-hop artist Olmaca, who helped Whitworth celebrate Latin Heritage Month.
Financial Aid
In 2017-18, students may file for financial aid beginning Oct. 1 – a full three months earlier than in previous years! And for the first time, students and parents will file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using prior-prior year (PPY) tax data. This means that the 2017-18 FAFSA will collect 2015 tax information that can be loaded into the FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Financial aid staffers anticipate that these changes will mean earlier distribution of financial aid awards.
Alumni & Parents
We're excited to celebrate Family Weekend Oct. 14-16 with families of current students. If you haven't yet registered, it's not too late. Visit www.whitworth.edu/familyweekend.
The 2017 Core 650 Tour is going to be a great one! Tony Clark (History) and his wife, Amanda (Library), will lead a tour of China, exploring the roots of the missionary experience in this significant global power. From May 31-June 10, the tour will explore key locations in Beijing and Shanghai. Details can be found at www.whitworth.edu/china2017; registration is now open.
Calling all Whitworthians in Portland, Spokane, San Diego, Missoula and Boulder! We're hosting events in your area in the next month! For more information and to register, visit our Attend an Event page at connect.whitworth.edu.
Parents of current students, keep an eye on your inbox for an opportunity to order an Exam Survival Kit or Finals Week Fruit Bag for your student; orders are due in mid-November. This is a tradition at the university, and it's a great way to surprise and support your Whitworthian.
Admissions
High school seniors should be completing their admissions applications and requesting transcripts and letters of recommendation from their guidance counselors. Our early action I (non-binding) application deadline is Nov. 15, and the early bird is likely to get a quicker admission decision and an earlier financial aid award from us.
It was gratifying, yet again, to see U.S. News list Whitworth among the top 5 values and top 15 regional universities overall in the Western U.S. These rankings largely affirm what we already know – that Whitworth offers an outstanding education at a great price after factoring in financial aid. But we don't mind if U.S. News, Forbes, Kiplinger's, The Princeton Review and other publications want to help share the news with their readers.
Veteran's Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the brave men and women who have served our country in uniform, and it's also a great time to visit campus for one of our largest Why Whitworth Days of the year. Go to www.whitworth.edu/whywhitworth to sign up.
The Campaign for Whitworth
Thanks for picking up the phone! Our phonathon callers are great at leaving voicemails, but they love talking with you even more. Learn more about our enthusiastic team here: www.whitworth.edu/phonathon. Of course, if you prefer to make a gift online, you can always do so at www.whitworth.edu/give.
Whitworth Serves
Servestember included more than 1,000 current students and staff serving 60 locations citywide during Community Building Day. Please visit www.whitworth.edu/whitworthserves, and help us tell the stories of how so many Whitworthians are choosing to live out the university's mission.
Sports
The Whitworth football team is off to a 2-1 start. The Pirates followed their overtime, season-opening loss to Central (Iowa) with wins over Whittier and La Verne on the road in SoCal. Quarterback Ian Kolste, '18, ranks among NCAA Div. III leaders in passing yards/total offense per game. The Pirates will host Puget Sound Oct. 8 for homecoming.
Our volleyballers are surpassing all expectations so far this season. The Pirates replaced all but one starter from 2015's conference championship team. Yet they're off to a 10-3 start, including a 4-0 record in the NWC. The Bucs have won seven straight matches. Erin White, '18, has made a terrific transition to starting setter. And Emiko Kahler, '20, has led the team in kills in six matches during the current winning streak.
Men's soccer finds itself in the thick of another chase for the Northwest Conference title. Whitworth, winners of the last two league championships, is 2-1-1 in the NWC following the toughest trip of the season. Jonah Snyder, '18, is tied for the NWC lead in goals this season (with eight).
Women's soccer has won its two most recent matches to even its conference record at 2-2. Forward Leah Cora, '18, is tied for the league lead with five goals this season. GK Sienna Tanner, '18, picked up her first career shutout during a 2-0 victory over Willamette.
The cross country teams have competed twice, including at the annual Sundodger Invitational, in Seattle. The Pirate women finished in 7th place, and the men's team, with six freshmen, finished 21st. The Pirates will make three trips to the Salem, Ore., area in October for meets at Willamette (Oct. 1) and George Fox (Oct. 15), and for the NWC championships (Oct. 29).
The golf teams continue a busy fall schedule. The Pirate women posted a third-place finish at the Pacific Invitational in late September. Their roster includes four first-year players, including Maggie Peters – who tied for 10th place at Pacific. The men's team was runner-up to host PLU at the Lutes' Fall Invitational. Five of the seven players on the men's roster are freshmen. The NWC Fall Classic will take place Oct. 8-9 in Creswell, Ore.
Whitworth will induct its 27th class to the Heritage Gallery Hall of Fame in a breakfast ceremony on Oct. 8 in the HUB Multipurpose Room. Emmanuel Bofa ('10, track and cross country), Joel Clark ('07, football and baseball), Todd Sabrowski ('06, men's soccer) and Jo Sonnett ('06, softball) make up a talented and highly decorated class. You can reserve a seat for the HOF breakfast ($15 per person) by calling 509.777.3224.
Pirate Night 2016 is coming! The auction and dinner will take place Nov. 10 at the Hotel RL at the Park (formerly the Red Lion Inn at the Park). Online registration is available at www.whitworthpirates.com.
Closing Thoughts
October is full of fun activities on campus, including Homecoming Weekend and Family Weekend. I hope I'm able to see many of you as you visit campus in the coming weeks. Please stop me and say hello. Thanks for all of the ways you support Whitworth's educational goals.
