Mind & Heart Newsletter: Summer 2013
An update from Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor
I'm an "interim" president. That's not the official title you'll find on my business card, but it captures my sentiments about the position I am privileged to hold. No, I'm not planning to leave Whitworth. I feel called to this special place of mind and heart, and I hope with all of my heart to serve you and all of Whitworth's constituencies for years to come. Other than our callings as Christians, it's healthy, I think, to view the rest of our respective callings as interim by default. First, God has called each of us to a variety of roles and responsibilities, and he has demonstrated in the past that his purposes might call us to new opportunities and experiences. We must be ready to serve wherever and whenever God calls us. Second, for those of us who serve institutions and organizations, we are likely not the first people to serve in our positions; nor are we likely the last. We have been called to serve here and now, to be good stewards of the foundations others have left us, and to prepare for a future others will guide and direct. Finally, if we embrace our roles for what they are, interim by nature, then our efforts are more likely to be directed toward the people we serve and with whom we work, and toward the goals and missions of the organizations we steward, rather than simply toward building and protecting our own reputations and legacies. Good leaders know these things, but great leaders allow these realities to shape every aspect of their lives. What "interim" roles do you occupy?
Academics
Arlin Migliazzo (History) received the 2013 National Award for Research and Preservation from the National Society of Daughters of Colonial Wars for his book To Make This Land Our Own: Community, Identity, and Cultural Adaptation in Purrysburg Township, S.C., 1732-1865.
Patricia Bruininks (Psychology) is the author of a chapter, "The unique psychology of hope," in Art, Imagination and Christian Hope: Patterns of Promise, by T. Hart, G. Hopps, and J. Begbie (eds.).
Lyle Cochran (Mathematics & Computer Science) is hard at work on a high-school AP calculus book, as well as on a second edition of his first college calculus book, which was published in January 2010. Both are set to come out this fall. I attempted all of the end-of-chapter problems in Lyle's last calculus textbook, but I got one question wrong. I'm losing my edge.
Each spring our undergraduate auditing class examines Whitworth's finances, enhancing students' learning and providing an essential benefit to the university. This year, Margie Ness LaShaw (Accounting), Brad Sago (Marketing) and Senior Accountant Tara Lambert, '93, MBA '12, published the experiential-learning benefits of this annual project. Their article appears in the International Journal of Business, Humanities and Technology, April 2013, Vol. 3, No. 3.
Todd Friends (Business) was sponsored by the U.S. State Department to attend an Asia Studies Conference at which he participated in meetings to educate international scholars on critical language-scholarship opportunities.
This spring, three of our athletic training students – Heidi Hendrickson, Lauren Dickey and Andy Knox, all '13 – won the district quiz bowl competition and qualified to compete against the top 10 schools in June's national quiz bowl.
The Whitworth Literacy Center, under the direction of Flint Simonsen (Education), is currently serving 65 elementary-age students who benefit from intensive academic tutoring that goes beyond the traditional school year. About one-third of the students are English-language learners who come from eight different countries – some as far away as Ethiopia and China.Two-thirds of the students are working on individualized education plans and have disabilities as diverse as autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome.
"Explaining the NGO Boom: The Case of HIV/AIDS NGOs in Kenya," an article by Megan Hershey (Political Science), has been accepted by the Journal of East Africa Studies.
Seventeen marketing majors from the Class of 2013 presented original projects at the Northwest Intercollegiate Business Research Conference in May. Each student undertook an extensive literature review prior to developing and administering a survey instrument. Students then developed theoretical and practical applications to benefit businesses and marketing. The presentations dealt with a range of topics in social media, sports, word-of-mouth promotion, online advertising, and loyalty programs.
The Arts
Scott Miller (Music) has been elected to a second term on the National Board of Directors of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Scott, who is governor of the Intermountain Region, hosted the NATS summer workshop on campus in July.
Philip Baldwin (Music) served as conductor, clinician and performer at the Hong Kong Youth Music Camp in July. He led a student youth symphony performance and lectured on the topic of alternative string styles, encompassing jazz, folk, rock and hip-hop. The camp, which attracts advanced student musicians from Hong Kong and around the world, is managed by the Leisure and Culture Service Department of Hong Kong.
The University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press will soon publish two works for jazz ensemble by Dan Keberle (Music). His original Well Alright Then and his arrangement of Jimmy Van Heusen's I Thought About You bring Dan's total works with the UNC Jazz Press to 20.
Student Life
We're already preparing for the arrival of our newest students on Aug. 31. Residence hall leaders will welcome new students at 9 a.m., and there will be a welcome fair in the HUB from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. To mark the opening of our new university recreation center (which includes a climbing wall as well as new courts, workout areas, and an indoor running track), this year's Orientation Week theme is Climbers Ready? Climb Away! Ascending the Heights of the Mind & Heart. Orientation schedules will be sent out at the beginning of August, so be watching for more information.
Athletic training major Victoria Reardon, '14, organized a week-long coin drive to support Special Olympics, and eight students and one faculty member volunteered to provide first aid at the Special Olympics regional competition in Cheney in May.
Whitworth will host approximately 35 conferences and events this summer. Visitors of all ages from all over the country are enjoying the great weather and our beautiful campus. And our student conference assistants are ensuring that everyone feels welcomed and at home during their time at Whitworth!
Alumni & Parents
Whitworth welcomes Dale Hammond, '98, as director of alumni & parent relations and annual giving. Dale embodies our mission well, returning to his alma mater after serving most recently as the director of development and communications at Hospice of Spokane. Welcome home, Dale!
Homecoming 2013 is just around the corner (well, maybe two corners), and the campanile's chimes are calling you to return to campus Oct. 4-6 as we celebrate Whitworth's 124th year! The classes of 1993, 2003 and 2008 will return for their reunions, while members of the classes of 1986-89 and all forensics graduates will come together to celebrate, as well. We invite allWhitworthians to join in the festivities. For a full calendar of events and to register, visit www.whitworth.edu/homecoming.
Families of current students are invited to Family Weekend (formerly Parents' Weekend), Oct. 18-20. Family Weekend 2013 will be a great time for your family to hang out with your Whitworth student, hear from faculty, visit a class, enjoy events around campus, and appreciate Spokane's autumn beauty. Please register at www.whitworth.edu/familyweekend.
We want to keep you updated on athletics and music events – whether they're at Whitworth or at a location near you. Come out and support Whitworth's groups and teams. Check the new Whitworthians for Life website at www.whitworth.edu/alumnifor details on events, games and performances in your area.
Summer Sendoffs are taking place in 21 hospitable homes across the West. At a Whitworth SSO, incoming students and their families are greeted by generous hosts who open their homes to provide the newest Whitworthians for Life with introductions, info and encouragement for their first college semester. Welcome to the members of the Class of 2017 and their parents!
If you find yourself in Spokane this summer, please stop in for a visit at Hardwick Alumni House. Grab a cup of coffee, visit with alumni staff, flip through old yearbooks, and take a campus tour! Hardwick House is at 118 W. Hawthorne, across from Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church.
All alums and their families are invited to Picnic with the Pirate, Sat., Sept. 7, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on the lawn of the Hardwick Alumni House. Wear your crimson & black and join us as we relive French Dip Fridays, take photos with the Pirate, and catch up with other Whitworthians. Then head on over to the Pine Bowl for Whitworth's first home football home game of 2013!
Admissions
Enrollment deposits for transfer students are due Aug. 1. Interested students can go online to www.whitworth.edu/admittedstudents and click on "Guarantee Your Spot" to find a link to the transfer deposit submission form. We're expecting to enroll 100-110 transfer students this fall; they are always a great addition to the Whitworth community.
Resources
The Whitworth Fund celebrates the end of another fiscal year. We received nearly $1.3 million for Whitworth's annual budget – a huge help. But we still have work to do in the years to come in building the ever-important alumni participation numbers, which came in at 19 percent, just shy of our 20.7 percent goal for the year. Whether you're an alum, parent, friend or recent graduate, we are grateful for the support you provide Whitworth each year. Thanks for helping to make this one of the best years in recent memory for The Whitworth Fund and for our campus community.
Please join The Whitworth Foundation for clear answers to difficult questions in a "back to the basics" estate-planning seminar. "Personal Planning & End-of-Life Considerations" will take place Wednesday, Aug. 7, 6:30-9 p.m., in Weyerhaeuser Hall Room 111. Sessions will include Estate Planning 101, with Jeff Smith, '88; Financial Planning through the Seasons of Life, with Chris Brandkamp, '01, '02; Living & Moving Transitions, with Deb Fry, '05; and Planning for Potential Long-Term Care Needs, with David Wolf, '94. Space is limited, so please respond early. For more information and to register, please visit www.whitworth.edu/estateplanningseminar or call 509.777.4268 by Aug. 2.
Whitworthians like the members of the Class of 2013 give us reason to believe that we'll soon reach our alumni-giving-percentage goal. This spring, they raised money for the Taylor Fenters Service Endowment, in tribute to a classmate who battled cancer throughout his teen years and, sadly, passed away in 2011. Taylor's passion for meeting the needs of others, and his personal investment in serving those needs around the world, inspired 50 percent of the senior class to contribute to the gift. With the help of parents and a few other donors, the fund was endowed in time to celebrate during Commencement Weekend.
Costa Rica
In June, nine Whitworth professors and staff traveled to the Costa Rica Center for a workshop to prepare them for teaching at the CRC. They met with students, faculty, host families and internship supervisors, and all enjoyed field trips to the Tarcoles fishing village and a nearby coffee farm/processing plant. The summer has also included 60-day Spanish classes at a variety of levels and student internships in areas as diverse as hospitals, schools, bakeries and Christian NGOs. Students have also enjoyed Costa Rica's natural beauty through many field trips. In addition, the CRC has welcomed students from Hope, Westmont, George Fox, Azusa Pacific, and Wheaton. The CRC staff hated to say goodbye to its 2012-13 graduate assistants – Travis Walker, Hollie McCrae and Taylor Faranda, all '12 – who did wonderful work in their many-faceted jobs (as residential life leaders, teaching assistants, field-trip leaders, etc.). Director Lindy Scott and rest of the gang will miss them dearly. (And in our September update we'll tell you about the new GAs who have taken their place.)
Sports
Whitworth is sad to see Aaron Leetch leave his role as director of athletics to return to Illinois State University after just two years guiding the Pirates. But we thank Aaron for his excellent work, and we're excited for long-time department member Melinda Larson, '92, who has distinguished herself as Whitworth's head athletic trainer, as she takes on the role of interim A.D.
Several Whitworth teams and coaches are conducting camps over the summer. These include team football camps, individual and team basketball camps, individual camps for volleyball and softball, and tennis camps. All have been well attended – no surprise when you consider the caliber of our six-consecutive-McElroy-Lewis-Trophy-winning athletics programs here at Whitworth! Go, Bucs!
On July 1, Whitworth welcomed the official addition of the two newest full-time members of the Pirate coaching staff. Kati Bodecker takes over as head volleyball coach, while Morgan Cathey begins his tenure in men's soccer. Kati and Morgan will do their best to fill the roomy shoes of Steve Rupe, '90, and Sean Bushéy, respectively, who are on to other great opportunities after long and distinguished careers at Whitworth.
Closing Thoughts
Julie hosted a tea party in June for the daughters of past Whitworth presidents. This was an opportunity to get together in fellowship with women who have been important to the history of the office I now hold. Present were daughters of four Whitworth presidents (Warren, Lindaman, Robinson, and Taylor), all of whom lived in Hawthorne House. The event reminded Julie and me that we hold a sacred trust that was guarded previously by special families who also gave themselves to George Whitworth's dream. It was fun for Julie to hear stories from other faithful participants in that legacy, and to be reminded that we are in these roles for only a moment in time. My daughters, Lauren and Chloe, also learned from some of the daughters present (no names, but their dad's last name begins with R) how to climb out an upstairs window to sunbathe on the roof of the house. I'm sure Lauren and Chloe now feel like fully initiated members of the club. Have a great remainder of your summer, and thanks for all you do for Whitworth.
