WHITWORTHTODAY

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our favorite hat

CONTENTS

I don’t sleep well the night before our first-year students and their families arrive. I toss and turn as I think about all of the faces and names to learn, and about the many messages of affirmation and assurance I’ll give. And I’m eager for these students to experience all that this great university has to offer. You’d think that after seven Whitworth orientations I’d be used to it, but I’m not. It’s new and fresh every year, and I love it that way.

I tossed and turned a little more this year. My excitement came from knowing that, after an extensive college search, Lauren — our older daughter and middle child — had decided to become a Pirate. Julie and I wear a lot of “hats” at the university, but I’m pretty sure that our favorite one will be that of Whitworth parents. I often remind our families that we share bonds of sacred trust and prayer. It’s not easy to drop off at college the people we love most in the world. So when we welcome new students, we’re entering into an important and deep partnership with the families who leave their children in our care.

Julie and I pray that Lauren will find true community at Whitworth among people who love her and see all of her promise and potential. We pray that she will grow intellectually as she engages in a challenging educational journey. We also pray that she will grow in her knowledge of Jesus Christ and of the work God is doing in the world, and that she will be called to participate in that work. We pray for her health, hoping that she meets the strains and pressures of being a college student with good habits and choices. And we pray that the opportunities she’s being given to grow in independence and maturity will have an indelible impact on the woman she is becoming.

While Julie and I share these common hopes for our student, we know that we’re privileged to have a different vantage point than most. We’ll have a front-row seat as Lauren is shaped by and through this community. It’s that perspective that allows us to speak confidently to other families about our students’ incredible experiences. Our highest aspiration for Lauren and for all of our students is that their Whitworth experience will equip them to “honor God, follow Christ, and serve humanity.” What an incredible journey it will be!

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

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EDITOR'S NOTE

PIRATE PLAUDITS

PULL-OUT POSTER

CLASS NOTES

IN MEMORIAM

CLASS ACT

JAZZ MASTER

OUTREACH

ENGINEERING SUCCESS

WICKED SMART

ON THE COVER - PAGE 06

FEATURED STORIES

STAFF Terry Rayburn Mitchell, ’93 (Editor), Heidi Jantz (Art Director), Julie Riddle, ’92 (Associate Editor), Lauren Clark Hughes (Assistant Editor), Garrett Riddle (Project Manager)

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Cleveland, ’01, Lauren Drury, ’18, Tobias Hendrickson, Camina Hirota, ’17, Caryn Knight, ’17, Will Kynes, Josh Leim, Kelly McCrillis, ’09, Greg Orwig, ’91, Matt Silvers, Elizabeth Strauch, ’04, Julia Stronks, Bao Tran, ’19, Tad Wisenor, ’89

EDITORIAL BOARD Kerry Breno, Lauren Clark Hughes, Josh Cleveland, ’01, Dale Hammond, ’98, Nancy Hines, Jim McPherson, Scott McQuilkin, ’84, Terry Rayburn Mitchell, ’93, Jonathan Moo, Greg Orwig, ’91, Garrett Riddle, Julie Riddle, ’92, Elizabeth Strauch, ’04, Tad Wisenor, ’89

ADMINISTRATION Beck A. Taylor (President), Scott McQuilkin, ’84 (Vice President for Institutional Advancement), Nancy Hines (Director of University Communications)

where music lives

WHITWORTH TODAY www.whitworth.edu/whitworthtoday

Fall/Winter 2016 Vol. 85, No. 2

ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send address changes to updates@whitworth.edu or Whitworth Office of Communications, 300 W. Hawthorne Road, Spokane WA 99251.

WHITWORTH’S ACCLAIMED MUSIC PROGRAM GAINS A VENUE WORTHY OF ITS CONTENT

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gettingour

story out there

EDITOR’S NOTE

SHADOW AND LIGHT In June 2013, artists and educators from the U.S. and six African countries gathered in South

Africa for two weeks of living and creating together. Participants undertook an intensive study of South Africa’s history,

culture and contemporary reality, and their resulting work appeared in Whitworth’s Lied Art Center from Sept. 13-Oct. 28

as Between the Shadow and the Light. WHITWORTH WELCOMES ZAKARIA Fareed Zakaria, host of CNN’s Fareed

Zakaria GPS, was the featured speaker at Whitworth’s fall President’s Leadership Forum. Zakaria, who also writes for

The Atlantic and The Washington Post, authored the international bestseller The Post-American World, along with The

Future of Freedom and In Defense of a Liberal Education. LEGENDARY ATHLETES During Homecoming Weekend,

Whitworth inducted its 27th class into the Heritage Gallery Hall of Fame. Emmanuel Bofa, ’10 (track & field); Joel Clark, ’07

(football); Jo Sonnett Roberts, ’06 (softball); and Todd Sabrowski, ’06 (soccer), joined Whitworth’s athletics elites in the

hall. TEARING DOWN WALLS A number of recent incidents in the U.S. have raised racial tensions in our communities

and our places of worship. To address these issues, the Whitworth Office of Church Engagement presented a conference,

“The Gospel & Racism: Jesus Has Broken Down the Dividing Wall of Hostility,” in late October.

PIRATE PLAUDITSCLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

I’m sure you’ve seen it by now.

“It” is Whitworth’s new logo, which appears in this magazine and which you may have seen on social media or on publications sent to you by the university. It’s simple, distinctive, and very different from our previous logo. And, quite frankly, some people like it very much and some people couldn’t like it any less.

That’s to be expected: We’re a diverse community, and I doubt we could all agree on any one visual representation of Whitworth. This place means a lot to each person who has worked or matriculated or supported a student here, and each of us has his or her own artistic vision.

Whitworth anticipated this, spending the better part of a year talking to constituents of the university — students, faculty, staff and friends — about what they think makes this a place like no other and what they’d like to see in Whitworth’s communications that reflects our story. That effort was part of a larger process through which Whitworth sought to refine and elevate its brand — to audit its printed and digital communications, to distinguish its look, and to hone its story to capture what we all know and love about this unique place. You’re already seeing the fruits of that process in the logo, in a different approach to photography, and in our messaging.

Whitworth Today undergoes a redesign every 10 years or so, and the branding revitalization was the impetus for the

new format of the issue you hold in your hands (or view on your monitor). You’ll notice larger, more engaging photos, considerably less text, less compartmentalization, and, by extension, room for more stories, more compellingly told.

Because that’s what the renewal of our brand, and the new logo, and the redesign of this magazine are all about: getting the Whitworth story out there. If we’re going to compete for the best students; to spark excitement about our faculty, our programs and our campus; to tell the Whitworth story in a way that encourages, excites and engages, we must keep changing and adapting.

Whitworth has always been up for change — the kind of change that brings people in and brings people home. This latest chapter in Whitworth’s history is a new way of ensuring that the values that have always characterized this university will continue to make their way into the hearts of a new generation of Whitworthians.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Whitworth Today. 

Share your thoughts with us! Email us at tmitchell@whitworth.edu, or write us at Whitworth Today, University Communication Office, Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Road, Spokane, WA 99251.

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As summer neared its long, lazy-for-some end, Cowles Music Center took shape at Whitworth. The newly expanded and renovated building was like a beautiful gift to music students and professors returning from Summer Break, and they remain delighted at the new space and the enhanced acoustics, collegiality and opportunities it offers.

“The center tells student-singers, as well as the Greater Spokane community, that choral music — and every type of music — is

BY TERRY RAYBURN MITCHELL, ’93

where musiclives

very important to Whitworth,” says Whitworth Choir Director Marc A. Hafsø. “We can employ vocal and rehearsal techniques — including movement-based activities and rehearsal formations — that were previously prohibitive. In short, it gives us academic freedom!”

Dorothy Wang, ’18, appreciates the center’s larger rehearsal spaces, which can be used without students having to waste precious time moving equipment around. “And it’s wonderful having a rehearsal room in which we can hear everything that’s going on within the orchestra,” Wang says.

Whitworth Wind Symphony Conductor Richard Strauch concurs. “The rehearsal room is where an ensemble lives,” he says. “This room is where we work toward excellence, where we struggle, argue, and finally come together. And this room gives us flexible space to rehearse music whose demands haven’t even been invented yet.”

Max Bennett, ’17, says, “I’m excited that jazz students now and in the future get a rehearsal space that’s all their own. I feel blessed that we have a room that is specifically for

jazz, since impromptu jam sessions are vital for a jazz musician’s growth.”

The new space fills a huge need. Whitworth had completely outgrown its original music building, constructed in 1978. At the time, there were four full-time music faculty, 20 adjunct faculty, 64 music majors, and eight vocal and instrumental ensembles. By 2015, the full-time music faculty had increased to nine, the adjunct faculty to 33, music majors to 85, and ensembles to 20.

The Cowles Center includes a 21,481-square-foot addition that, coupled with the original building, provides rehearsal space for Whitworth’s ensembles, additional teaching studios, and a number of smaller rehearsal and storage areas.

Extending her thanks to those donors who brought this project to life, Music Department Chair Debbie Hansen says, “We hope to return your gifts with music that will inspire for years to come. Thanks for believing in us, and in the power of music!”

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Born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. in 2005

Raised by a single mother in Tacoma, Wash.

Graduated from Mount Tahoma High School with a 3.9 GPA

Participated in competitive dance, National Honors Society, Upward Bound, tennis, soccer, church and more; invited to the National Academy of Future Scientists due to her academic accomplishments

Selected for the Act Six Scholarship & Leadership Initiative

Class Act

BY JULIE RIDDLE, ’92, AND GREG ORWIG, ’91

THIS FALL, THE WHITWORTH COMMUNITY

WELCOMED 595 FRESHMEN. HERE, WE

INTRODUCE TWO STUDENTS WHOSE

STORIES REPRESENT THE CLASS OF 2020.

MITCH CARBON, ’20 SARA TRUJILLO, ’20

Hometown: Spokane Valley

Graduated from University High School with honors

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in eighth grade, Mitch is the first youth worldwide to receive an experimental immunotherapy treatment after a brain-cancer relapse. He is now cancer-free.

Most colleges accepted me just for academics, but Whitworth looked at more than my grades. Whitworth has a mission statement I believe in. I like its small size, and it has lots of resources. I like that it’s a Christian school, without forcing faith on me or others.

I most enjoy the classes. It’s so cool to finally apply knowledge in my everyday life. I’m no longer regurgitating random information onto paper; I’m learning life skills.

I hope I can advocate for health in communities by implementing nutritional plans for schools, advocating for mental health, or making community clinics more accessible.

I considered Whitworth early in my junior year, when I was thought to be terminal. I had heard of the sense of fulfillment and calling that graduates of Whitworth had, and I wanted so much to feel that happiness in my life. My relationship with God was damaged, and after seeing online how Whitworth challenges its students to think critically and ask tough questions, I knew it would be a place where I could find peace with my faith. I couldn’t be happier with where I decided to take back my life.

I want to help people the way others helped me. I was so inspired by the teachers and nurses who took care of me when I was at my worst. An English teacher sparked in me a love of literature that took me away from my harsh reality, and it changed my life. I want to play a profound part in young people’s lives.

CLASS OF 2020 PROFILE

24 25 26% 3.76COUNTRIES REPRESENTED

STATES REPRESENTED

FROM UNDER-REPRESENTED RACIAL & ETHNIC POPULATIONS

AVERAGE GPA

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BY TERRY RAYBURN MITCHELL, ’93

JAZZ

MASTER

Branford Marsalis, one of the world’s most admired jazz and classical musicians, hit all the right notes when he appeared this fall with Whitworth’s outstanding jazz ensemble at Spokane’s Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox. In the immortal words of Whitworth President Emeritus Bill Robinson, Marsalis and the ensemble blew the roof off the joint.

Marsalis, a saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator who has been named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, is the head of Marsalis Music, through which he produces projects for himself and for some of the jazz world’s best and most promising artists. The three-time Grammy winner and Tony nominee is the oldest son of Ellis Marsalis and the brother of Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason Marsalis, all music virtuosos. A remarkably versatile performer, Branford Marsalis has toured with classical orchestras and with Sting, and he has jammed on National Public Radio as well as on The Tonight Show.

Marsalis’ interest in helping other musicians is a part of his legacy. Here at Whitworth, he held a jazz clinic/master class

including students from the university’s acclaimed jazz program and several hundred music students from around the area. After that event, saxophonist Max Bennett, ’17, told Jazz Ensemble I Director Dan Keberle, “Marsalis is a jazz purist and very opinionated, but he knows what he’s talking about.” Bennett went on to say that Marsalis had told him and the other players, “If you want to sound like John Coltrane, then you’d better listen to the jazz players that Coltrane listened to, because John Coltrane didn’t grow up listening to a recording of himself 20 years in the future!”

Under Keberle’s direction, the award-winning Whitworth Jazz Ensemble has welcomed to campus a number of jazz legends over the years. Such luminaries as Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton, Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, Arturo Sandoval and Pat Matheny have graced the Whitworth stage during Keberle’s 28-year tenure. And this fall, Whitworth hit the jackpot with Marsalis, whose work is known and loved by jazz aficionados throughout the world.

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New Avenue for Out-reachMany of the residents of Spokane’s Millwood community know poverty and hunger firsthand. In response, Millwood Presbyterian Church created a garden that stocks a food pantry, established nutrition programs, and built an industrial kitchen for nutrition and cooking classes. Health science major and Summer Fellow Joy Amado, ’16, furthered these efforts by cultivating new garden plots, researching and writing nutritional curricula to educate children about healthy eating, and overseeing a weekly farmers market next to the church. Amado’s work led her to make a powerful connection between food and faith.

“I learned that food is an amazing avenue for outreach,” she says. “All humans share hunger and the need to eat. When we are able to provide meals for the community, a door opens for conversations on faith to follow.”

The Whitworth Office of Church Engagement created the Summer Fellowship Program in 2015, funded in part by a $400,000 grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. Successful applicants are matched with a ministry based on its needs and the student’s gifts and interests. Students stay 10-12 weeks with a family involved with the ministry, receive a stipend and on-site mentoring,

and gain ministry experience. So far, 92 students have worked at domestic and international ministries; the program expects to place about 65 students next summer.

“Many of the fellows report that this experience is one of the most transformative they’ve had,” says OCE Director Terry McGonigal. “The ministry partners deeply appreciate the fellows’ work, whether the students are serving in a parish in Scotland, at a church in rural Montana, or at Union Church, in the heart of Amazon’s complex in downtown Seattle. We’re thrilled about the program’s positive effects, and we look forward to its growth as more churches catch the vision of what it can mean for their ministries.”

As a summer fellow, Amado caught a new vision for her vocation. She had been planning to become a dietitian, and her experience at Millwood Church expanded her goals. “After learning more about gardening, farmers markets, and the food and faith connection,” she says, “I realized that what I really want to do is more holistic work involving areas including mental health, physical activity, nutrition, spirituality, sleep and stress.” Amado is pursuing a career as a health coach.

BY JULIE RIDDLE, ’92

WEB EXTRA: To view profiles of summer fellows and their ministry work, please visit www.whitworth.edu/whitworthtoday.

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Think engineers sit isolated in cubicles all day, doing calculations? Not so, says Whitworth Professor of Physics Steven Zemke, a mechanical engineer who joined the faculty this fall. Zemke will teach in Whitworth’s new engineering degree program when it launches in fall 2017.

“It’s much more common for an engineer to work on a team, with a large number of interpersonal interactions, and to work with problems that have many non-technical constraints,” he says. “So listening, writing, reading, presenting and collaborating are paramount skillsets for an engineer.”

Engineering has also become highly interdisciplinary, Zemke says. A team of mechanical engineers, for example, will work with teams of electrical, firmware, protocol, manufacturing and procurement engineers. Enter Whitworth’s newly approved B.S. in engineering degree, which will replace the B.S. in engineering physics.

“The degree will be more interdisciplinary,” Zemke says. “It will also depend on Whitworth’s solid liberal arts education, which will prepare our engineering graduates to work in more than just the technical realm.”

Major changes include a variety of new classes, as well as 20 more credits in engineering science and six more credits in engineering design. Whitworth will continue to offer its 3-2 dual degree engineering program, in which students study for two years at partner institutions nationwide.

“Our students have wanted an option for an accredited engineering degree that could be completed solely at Whitworth,” says department chair John Larkin. “They are involved in many on-campus activities, and they don’t want to leave the community they love after their junior year, as they have to do for the 3-2 program.”

The B.S. in engineering is designed to meet the standards of ABET, the engineering accreditation organization. ABET accreditation will assist students in landing jobs after graduation and earning an engineering license. “Our engineering-physics students have also been highly successful in top-ranked engineering graduate programs, and we want to continue that tradition,” Larkin says.

Whitworth currently has three faculty members with engineering backgrounds: Kamesh Sankaran (mechanical and aerospace engineering); Markus Ong (materials science and engineering); and Steven Zemke (mechanical engineering). A fourth professor, most likely one with a background in electrical engineering, will be hired for fall 2018.

“Will our B.S. in engineering program educate engineers for every possible engineering position? No, but no program does,” Zemke says. “Will we educate engineers who contribute to society and honor God? Of course. We would think of nothing less.”

Engineering BY JULIE RIDDLE, ’92

SUCCESSENGINEERING

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WICKEDSMART

Some may see interests in public policy and ministry as an incompatible mix, but for Phillip Allevato, ’17, a political science major double-minoring in philosophy and law & justice, they combine perfectly.

This fall, Allevato was presented with the Daniel Burtness Memorial Leadership Award, established in memory of Dan Burtness, a Whitworth student and Young Life leader who died after a car accident in 2008. Allevato is passionate about people and studying law, investing his time in building relationships with alumni as an Alumni Discovery Project ambassador, caring for fellow students as a resident assistant, and tackling discussions of policy and culture as a member of Whitworth’s forensics and Ethics Bowl teams.

Allevato’s interest in forensics brought him to Whitworth. After competing on his high school’s team, he wanted speech and debate to be a part of his higher education. The quality and atmosphere of Whitworth’s forensics community attracted him, and the feel of campus made him stay.

“I fell in love with the campus when I visited,” he says. “And one professor’s comment has stuck with me ever since. She told us, ‘Don’t be afraid to be wicked smart!’ That attitude toward learning really resonated with me.”

Allevato stays engaged in his very busy schedule by asking himself what is truly important. “Forensics has taught me to ask good questions, whether in class, in speaking to professors, or in my personal life,” he says. “Having crucial and difficult conversations with my forensics teammates has always been a place where I have learned most. We hold just about every viewpoint imaginable, so our disagreements can be significant. However, we’re able to discuss tough topics in a way that is not seen as threatening the identity of our teammates.”

Isabelle Broussard, ’19, who participated in forensics with Allevato last year and who serves with him on the Duvall Hall leadership team, says, “Phillip is incredibly hardworking and serious in achieving his goals, but when he’s goofing around he can be the snarkiest person in the room. He’s a big brother to everyone younger, and that shows in the quality of his relationships.”

After graduation, Allevato plans to attend law school and eventually to do legal representation in the nonprofit world. “I chose political science because I’ve always been interested in systems of laws,” he says. “And I love problem-solving, which is a huge part of what political science is about.”

BY LAUREN CLARK HUGHES

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The Overflow Program began as a response to a spring 2015 request from students who wanted to hear their theology professors’ thoughts about controversial issues on campus. At the first meeting, the majority of the department faculty gathered with students to discuss the challenges of living as a Christian in a secular society. Students primarily listened as faculty members enjoyed a rare opportunity to debate ideas. As the meetings continued that semester and throughout the 2015-16 school year, the faculty shared with students the tasks of choosing topics and leading discussions. Now, five students form a leadership team with the two of us, to plan future meetings. Emily Larsen, ’17, was attracted to the group’s focus. “I also like that Overflow reaches beyond the theology department and offers the entire Whitworth community the unique opportunity and space to wrestle with hard issues through faith,” she says. Carter Hudson, ’18, another student leader, adds, “I think it provides a place for students to engage with one another and with professors in a unique context — a setting in which disagreement and critical dialogue are welcomed and encouraged as we consider what it means to honor God, follow Christ, and serve humanity.”

At Overflow meetings, a professor — sometimes from theology, often from another discipline — begins the discussion with a 10- to 15-minute introduction to the issue; student-leaders then provide questions for students to discuss in small groups; next, the large group reconvenes to work through that issue. The discussion incorporates input from various angles: from the professor who starts things off, from the students, and from other professors who attend. A wide range of majors join to discuss topics ranging from evangelism to political engagement to environmentalism. Upcoming meetings will address the gospel and race, and mental health and Christian discipleship. In the spring, three-time MLB World Series champion relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt will speak on the theology of sports.

Both of us have high hopes for Overflow’s future. Hudson invites students from other disciplines to bring their perspectives to the questions the group tackles. Larsen says, “My hope is that this event will continue for many years, providing relevant topics for students to discuss and exploring how theology and faith form their conclusions.”

BY WILL KYNES AND JOSH LEIMASSISTANT PROFESSORS, THEOLOGY

OVERFLOW

Before the start of the fall 2016 semester, Whitworth welcomed 43 freshman students to campus for a new, four-day pre-orientation. Developed by the office of student diversity, equity & inclusion, the Building Unity and Cultivating Success (BUCS) Bridge Program was created to serve students from first-generation and underrepresented groups as they adjust to a higher-education environment. During the program, students took part in sessions on community building, multicultural identity development and college navigation, and they connected with first-generation peer guides from sophomore-senior classes.

With 24 percent of Whitworth’s student body coming from families that make $50,000 or less per year, the BUCS Bridge Program attempts to support students and provide meaningful resources and relationships beyond the four-day pre-orientation. Throughout these students’ first year at Whitworth, first-generation sophomore-senior students will mentor and assist them.

“It has been positively overwhelming to have participants continue to approach me, a few months after the conclusion of the program, to share how much participating in the program meant to them,” says David Garcia, assistant dean of student diversity, equity & inclusion.

BRIDGING THE UN-KNOWN

BY LAUREN CLARK HUGHES

Social and cultural sociology major Austriauna Brooks, ’17, who served as a peer guide during BUCS Bridge 2016, wishes the program had been available to her as a freshman.

“Being a first-generation college student, I did not know the ins and outs of the Whitworth campus,” Brooks says. “What I enjoyed about this program is that we were able to converse with students and share our experiences and information about programs that will be useful for them in the future. They also began the school year knowing familiar faces — their peer guides, their leaders, and the other students who participated. I’m excited about this program because it can be very beneficial to the future of Whitworth students.”

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Attendees at this fall’s Whitworth Theatre production, The Music Man, saw fresh faces close at hand. The musical’s troupe included children from the local community — the cream of area youth actors — in its performances this fall.

The Music Man, Meredith Willson’s funny, warm musical comedy from 1957, won six Tony Awards. The play features supporting roles for child actors, and Professor of Theatre Diana Trotter and her staff solicited area theatres, such as the Christian Youth Theater and Spokane Children’s Theatre, as well as the Whitworth community, for children to play the roles of Winthrop, Amaryllis and Gracie Shinn. A number of ensemble parts were also available.

Nearly 25 child actors from 5 to 13 years old auditioned, and six were cast, including two “Whitworth kids” — Moriah Von Behren, daughter of Program Assistant in Education Jennifer Von Behren, and Chloe Taylor, daughter of President Beck A. Taylor and his wife, Julie.

Moriah, 12, played Gracie Shinn, the youngest daughter of the town mayor. The Music Man was her ninth time acting in a stage production, and her mom says she loves seeing her daughter on stage. “I can say, ‘That’s my kid!,’” Von Behren says. “But I also love watching my daughter grow in confidence and in responsibility. It’s a real responsibility to be at every practice and to memorize lines, dance moves and stage blocking. These are great life skills for everyone.”

When asked about her experience in the play, Moriah said she had fun learning about Iowa (where the musical takes place) and bonding with the college kids during scenes like the Shipoopi dance. “It was exciting to have my first lines in a big production,” she says. “Overall, I had a great time. The best part was making new friends.”

music manBY LAUREN CLARK HUGHES

BY

I have worked in the “death care industry” for almost a decade. My current job with Service Corporation International entails developing and equipping leaders in Washington, Oregon and Nevada who work each day with grieving people. I ensure that they have the proper tools and support to provide seamless service to families who choose cremation.

Education and building a knowledge base have always been priorities for me. When I was the general manager of four Spokane-area SCI funeral homes, I had reached a point in my career where I was looking for growth. The qualifications for positions at corporate headquarters included a bachelor’s degree. I had my associate’s degree, so I looked into local options for bridging the gap. I found Whitworth through its excellent advertising — and the rest, as they say, is history.

After I began classes at Whitworth, I was promoted to a regional position and began traveling almost weekly. The Whitworth School of Continuing Studies has been instrumental in providing the flexibility I need to succeed both in my new job and in my classes. And the cohort model allows me to grow in trust with my classmates as we traverse the program as a team. I can’t imagine another program that would provide access to a bachelor’s degree with as many benefits.

I am benefiting from my Whitworth education in myriad ways. The classes, the professors and my classmates have taught me priceless lessons about the business world, passionate teaching, and the roles of vulnerability and authenticity in group-work. I’ve also become more confident in taking on challenges and learning from them.

My kids both earned their bachelor’s degrees before I did, and they inspired me to do the same. Taking classes at Whitworth motivates me to keep growing, reaching and dreaming!

BY CARYN KNIGHT, ’17 B.A. IN ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT STUDENT

THIS ISWHIT-

WORTH

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THEOLOGY CENTER (CHAPEL REMODEL AND ADDITION)A lead gift from alumni Barney and Joyce Beeksma, both ’54, has provided well more than half the funds needed for the expected $2.4 million theology-center addition and the remodel of the existing Seeley G. Mudd Chapel. This project will allow, for the first time, for campus ministries, the office of church engagement and the theology faculty to be co-located. Details are available at www.whitworth.edu/chapeladdition.

PINE BOWLA $4 million Pine Bowl Project will provide artificial turf for the football field, as well as guest amenities including a new entry gate and plaza, restrooms and concessions. An upper level will add press-box, game-management and guest suites. Fund-raising is under way, and the university hopes to begin construction soon.

BUILD-INGMOMENTUM

ATHLETICS ADMINISTRATION AND FOOTBALL OPERATIONSWhitworth has begun design of a 20,000-square-foot facility that will house all athletics staff and coaches under one roof. The bottom floor will provide locker rooms, offices and meeting spaces for the program. Its estimated cost is $9 million. Funds are currently being raised for this highest-priority campaign project, and more information is available at www.whitworth.edu/athleticsfacilities.

$20.4M $24.5M $21.9M $19.5M $86.3MENDOWMENT

$30M GOALFACILITIES $23M GOAL

PROGRAMS $20M GOAL

BEQUESTS $27M GOAL

TOTAL RAISED TO DATE $100M GOAL

How do you teach students to apply their worldview to world problems? How do you get them interested in the relationships between epistemology, metaphysics, ethics and public policy? Core 350 began answering these questions decades ago.

The Whitworth Core Program has three elements: 150 (Christian Worldview Perspectives), 250 (The Rationalist Tradition), and 350 (Applied Ethics, Public Policy & Worldviews). Each course is an introduction to the next and to other, more in-depth, classes. Core 350 was relatively late to the game, and its early years proved difficult as faculty sorted through ideas and methods to enhance students’ understanding of the practical applications of metaphysics and epistemology. Students were largely unreceptive to their efforts, and Core 350 struggled to find its footing within the program.

Addressing that struggle, a team led by former Whitworth provost Michael Le Roy, ’89, and then-Assistant Professor of Philosophy Keith Wyma made big changes to Core 350 in 2003. Among these, the semester-long lecture format was changed to include a four-week, small-group breakout period during which students could pursue any of eight concentrated approaches to that semester’s big topic.

V.P. for Institutional Advancement Scott McQuilkin, ’84, a former Whitworth athletics director and professor, was a

member of the 350 team in the mid-2000s. He appreciated the innovative breakouts that “provided students with the opportunity to dive deeply into one aspect of the course material.” When the topic was public policy, team members led discussions within their areas of expertise: McQuilkin on public funding of stadiums and the constitutionality of drug-testing athletes, others on military spending, public art, money markets, the ethics of damming salmon streams, and genetic engineering of fruit. Addressing students’ interests within the bigger questions, faculty asked how, as graduates, students might use worldview, epistemology, metaphysics and ethics to make important decisions about these and other topics.

Students responded. The reviews were good; the model held. And today’s Core 350 thrives. Professor of Physics Kamesh Sankaran, the Core 350 team leader, reports that the class retains the model adopted by Le Roy and Wyma and says that “The key features of this course are its emphasis on the framework of making decisions for a group and the in-depth evaluations of specific policies in small groups.” And when he’s asked to compare the current Core 350 and its earlier iteration, Sankaran says, “Alums from the 1990s would not recognize Core 350 today.”

350BY TERRY RAYBURN MITCHELL, ’93

NOT YOUR MAMA’S CORE

CAMPAIGN PROGRESS

+ + + =

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2016 ALUMNI AWARDWINNERS

ALUMNI MIND AND HEART AWARDWhile at seminary, Sam Aylor, ’99, interned at a trauma center. There, he consoled devastated families and held the hands of countless patients. “It was scary, hard, and where the proverbial rubber met the road,” he says. Sam now works as a hospice chaplain in Portland, Ore., caring for the critically ill and their families. He hopes that “my vocation will uplift those closest to me, especially my family. I wish to leave a legacy of healing and love.”

ALUMNI SERVICE TO WHITWORTH AWARDDianna (Cooke) Pategas, ’92, began her career with a nine-year stint as a member of the university’s institutional advancement team. Even as a student, she saw the importance of financial support for Whitworth. As a result, she is endowing two scholarships, one of which will honor Professor of English Doug Sugano. Whitworth has been immeasurably blessed by Dianna’s deep, unselfish loyalty; this tireless ambassador always gives generously of her time, talent and treasure.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDBreean Beggs, ’85, began his legal career in 1991, representing the poor and the marginalized. As part of the Spokane City Council, Breean works to empower the disempowered and create lasting change through legislation. “My goal is that future advocates for justice and community reconciliation will have a modest example of what is possible by courageously speaking the truth about an imperfect status quo and persistently acting to improve it while still practicing unconditional concern for all,” he says.

RECENT ALUMNA AWARDAfter working two full-time ministry jobs, Morgan McKeown, ’03, founded Orphan for a Day, which exposes young people to the lives of African orphans. Morgan says, “It’s one thing to talk to American youth about how kids in Swaziland have to walk for water; it’s entirely different for American kids to carry water up a hill.” Morgan administers Orphan for a Day as CEO of The Cause. She says, “I hope that I will be used to empower, encourage and equip others to do the work they are called to do.”

WEB EXTRA: To see videos about the 2016 Alumni Award winners, visit www.whitworth.edu/whitworthtoday.

CLASSNOTES

Let us know what you’re up to! Email us at jcleveland@whitworth.edu, or write us at Alumni & Parent Relations Office, Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Road, Spokane, WA 99251

2010s

2010 Benjamin Bonnema wrote the book, music and lyrics for Adult Swim’s new musical video game, Peter Panic, now available via the app store.

Michele Ward started a new position in September as a pastoral associate at Broad Street Ministry, a new Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) worshipping community in downtown Philadelphia.

2011 Taylor Telford graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in May 2015 with her D.Min. and was ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She is serving as a year-long pastoral resident at Beacon, a new worshiping community in Philadelphia.

2012 Danielle Hand is in her fifth year of a clinical psychology Ph.D. program at Fuller Theological Seminary, in Pasadena, Calif. She is applying at internship sites around the country, and she plans to finish her degree in May 2018.

Andrea Idso is pursuing a master in teaching secondary English degree at Western Governors University.

2013 Raeann Huston earned her master of

science degree in biochemistry from Montana State University in May.

Margaret Shipe married Matt Shindler on July 10 at the Edmonds Yacht Club, in Edmonds, Wash.

2014 Thomas and Josie (Camarillo) Congdon moved to Oregon from Texas this summer after Josie’s graduation with her master of social work degree from the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University. Josie accepted a mental health/substance abuse counselor position with Adapt, a nonprofit, while Tom works on his restricted teaching license and graduate school applications.

Rosie McFarland backpacked around the British Isles for two months after graduating from Whitworth. She then spent two months in Haiti, working on a book project, Seeds in a Dark Fruit Sky, which helps locals write their stories.

Nathan Reid was promoted to urban renewal officer for the city of Albany, Ore.

2015 Christopher Engelmann is a first-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student at Fuller Theological Seminary’s School of Psychology. He works in a lab researching the impact of religious coping and support on psychological well-being and depression.

DEBUTS2010 a boy, Andrew Jay, to Collin and Jessica (Hall) Gibbs, Dec. 15, 2015

a girl, Ella Renee, to Alex and Emily (Royal) Schilperoort, March 20

a boy, Phillip Andrew, to Todd and

Linnea (Pearson) Wentworth, ’11, June 15

2011 a girl, Remy Blaine, to Andrew Belton and Hillary Madden, ’12, Jan. 6

a girl, Aurora Joy, to Kristine and Colin Sanders, March 10

a girl, Anna Adele, to Andrew and Katharine (Staudinger) Triplett, June 15

2012a boy, Azriel Joseph, to Kalli (Lochner) Samadi, June 1

2000s

2000 Phillip Hagen graduated on May 14 with a D.Min. degree from Columbia Theological Seminary, in Decatur, Ga.

Lynne (Zuege) Stembridge taught at Saint George’s School, in Spokane, after completing her MIT, in 2001. She now teaches at the high school in the Charter Academy, in Coeur d’Alene.

2001 William Appleby has retired after 45 years of pastoral ministry and five years as a hospice chaplain. He has published a book, He Came to Make Us Holy; The Sanctifying Work of the Holy Spirit.

Laura (Doughty), ’02 MIT, married Ming Shui in June.

Luke Hyder is now the pastor of Cascade View Presbyterian Church, in Everett, Wash. He and his wife, Marla (Meekhof), and their five-year-old daughter moved back to Washington after nearly 10 years in Illinois.

2002 Majid Tanas has been named chief of pharmacy at the National Institutes of

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

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Health, in Bethesda, Md.

2003 Martha Bayle serves as a national board-certified teacher and librarian at Horizon Middle School, in Spokane Valley.

Keith Spitzer is working in information technology for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA.

2004Jenna (Ronnquist) Spitzer is a professor of communication at Biola University.

2005 Nathan Boyer serves as the chief of respiratory therapy and chief of the Code Blue unit at Womack Army Medical Center, in Fort Bragg, N.C.

Brittney (Peterson) and her husband, Robert, adopted three children on April 6.

John Rush is beginning a new appointment at Covenant College, in Lookout Mountain, Ga., after serving two years as an economics professor at Marlboro College, in Vermont.

Dorothy Worden earned her Ph.D. in applied linguistics from Pennsylvania State University in August 2015. She is now an assistant professor of English at the University of Alabama, where she teaches courses in linguistics and language-teaching methods.

2006 Christopher Holmes received his Ph.D. in New Testament from Emory University in May. Through a Louisville Institute postdoctoral fellowship, he is now a visiting professor of New Testament at McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University, in Atlanta.

2007 Melissa (Bennett) Cummings is a full-time homeschooling teacher to her four children.

2008Jessica Cato married Chris Clayton on June 18 in Spokane. Jessica works for the Spokane Area Workforce Development Council. She was also selected as one of Catalyst magazine’s Women of Influence in business leadership.

Shannon Newth received a second-place award from the Society of Professional Journalists for producing and anchoring a half-hour long,

statewide program, Face the State, about National Police Week 2015.

Matthew Park began his master of fine arts in devised performance at University of the Arts in partnership with the Pig Iron Theatre Company, in Philadelphia.

Amy Scott married Matthew Mulder in January 2015.

2009 Sarah Huyck married Kabir Bhatia on May 29 in Hudson, Ohio. Whitworth alumni in attendance were Melanie Smith, ’05, ’10, Sarah Tunall, ’09, and Allison (Nichols) Klump, ’09.

DEBUTS2001 a boy, Jace, to Alan and Amanda (Bierlink) Baerlocher, Dec. 19, 2014

a girl, Norilee Grace, to David and Kendra Kimball Chapman, May 28, 2015

2002 a girl, Mia, to Matt and Andrea (West) Allen, Jan. 3, 2014

a girl, Eleanor, to Anthony and Tanya (Schaible) Aoyagi, ’04, April 25

a boy, Elliot Bowman, to Robert and Victoria (Klump) Clark, Jan. 21, 2015

a boy, Azai, to Luta and Jeremy Garbat-Welch, July 16

a girl, Audrey, to Holly (Knoll) Gindhart, Nov. 2, 2015

a boy, Asher Camden, to Brian and Jennifer (Marshall) Hunt, Jan. 1

a girl, Hailey, to Zachary and Elizabeth (Kear) Kintner, May 26, 2013

a boy, Barrett, to Bryan and Jeanette (Koshman) Lantz, ’03, Aug. 31

a girl, Lauren, to Anissa and Brendan Siefken, March 26, 2015

a girl, Elise, to Majid Tanas and Laura Ching-Tanas, Feb. 20

a girl, Kitra Mercy, to Jonathan and Tessa (Katolas) Wimmer, July 16, 2015

a boy, Levi, to Kathryn (Rice) and Jacob Young, ’12, Dec. 8, 2014

2003 a boy, Levi Thornton, to John and McCayla (Hudson) Butler, Feb. 25

a boy, Henry James, to David and Caitlin (Clapp) Manz, April 27

a girl, Charlotte Irene, to Shonda and John Roberts, Jan. 12

ALUMNUS PROFILE Luke Thomas, ’00, MIT ’01, is in his 15th year of teaching at Mount Spokane High School, where his classes include AP European History and AP Human Geography. Luke also serves as chair of the governor-appointed Professional Educator Standards Board. As one of just a few states that support self-regulating standards boards, Washington seeks to ensure that its schools maintain the highest expectations for all students. Therefore, the importance and influence of Luke’s work are far-reaching. “During my time at Whitworth,” he says, “I cultivated the conviction that I have been gifted and charged with the tremendous privilege of educating the next generation.”

a girl, Adaline, to Adam and Katherine (Burleigh) Roberts, Sept. 25, 2015

a girl, Eleanor Margaret, to Keith and Jenna (Ronnquist) Spitzer, ’04, Feb. 3

2004 a girl, Luna, to Liz and Lawrence Callaway, Sept. 15, 2013

a girl, Siena, to Andrew and Laura (Dilgard) Hershberger, March 24, 2015

twin boys, Aiden and Dylan, to Michael and Amanda (Baker) Murray, Oct. 15

a girl, Kinley Grace, to Kevin and Kristin (Tewell) Swisher, ’07, March 27

2005 a boy, Caleb James, to Keith and Jamie (Martin) Lorenz, Feb. 8

a girl, Mabel, to Ben and Juliette (Todd) Piepenbring, March 3

a boy, Whitman Joseph, to Jennifer (Crane), ’07, and Brandon Pyle, Nov. 20, 2015

a boy, Thomas, to David and Hailey (Nordmarken) Rohde, June 3, 2015

a boy, Noah, to Alexandra and John Rush, June 23, 2015

2006 a boy, Nels Brian, to Betty and Nels Berg, Feb. 20

a girl, Abigail Elena, to Rachel and Christopher Brown, April 29, 2015

a boy, Zephaniah James, to Nathan and Julie (Karber) Dresback, Dec. 15, 2015

a boy, Owen, to Brian and Lindsay (Treiber) Furber, Feb. 12, 2015

a girl, Olivia Ann, to Phil and Katie (Spence) Grahlfs, Oct. 25, 2015

a girl, Natalia Isabel, to Jorge Ramon Calleja Perez and Jenna Kubricht, Nov. 13, 2014

2007 a boy, Brooklyn Thomas, to Dylan and Lindsay (Tootell) Brown, Aug. 28, 2014

a girl, Alexa, to Daniel and Erin (Kimura) Chinen, Jan. 4, 2013

a boy, Simeon, to Steven and Melissa (Bennett) Cummings, Oct. 25, 2015

a boy, Weston, to Tyson and Erika (Smith) Lambert, Feb. 19, 2015

a boy, Kellan James, to Daniel and Kristi (Bechtel) Mullen, born Dec. 13, 2012; adopted April 29

a boy, Graeme Louis, to Colby and Elizabeth (Sutherland) Rutherford,

Feb. 26

a girl, Claire Elyse, to Melanie and Benjamin Tkach, Feb. 15

2008 a girl, Clara, to Jeannie (Sibbett) and Travis Huskisson, May 6

a girl, Jessa Noelle, to Michelle and Brent Unruh, March 21

twin boys, Garrett and Jackson, to Candace and Andrew Zugner, April 6

2009 a boy, Luke Wayne, to Leslie and Christopher Baldwin, April 30

a girl, Aayla, to Anders and Bethany (Lierman) Erickson, April 13

a boy, Judah Wesley, to Steven and Abigail (Horner) Johnson, July 9, 2015

1990s

1991 Katie (Vestal) Rodriguez received an MBA with a concentration in finance from New Mexico Highlands University in May.

Ken Russell received his Ed.D. from Washington State University in spring 2015.

Tricia Tedrow recently became the stated clerk of Mission Presbytery, Texas.

1992 Danette (Saltsman) Layne published her first book in 2015. She is a life and business strategist, coach, speaker and trainer.

1994 Andrew Dalzell is beginning his 11th year with Diablo Sound, the company he founded. Diablo Sound works on the Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood and just opened the Avengers STATION exhibition in Paris; another exhibition will follow soon, in Las Vegas.

1995 Sara (Revell) Krumm and her family returned to Washington, D.C., in September, and Sara began work with the U.S. State Department. The family lived previously in Canberra, Australia.

1997 Jamie (Pace) and Sidney Friedman, ’05, moved with their two daughters to Portland, Ore., where Jamie has taken a tenure-track position in the English department at Linfield College.

DISCOVERY UPDATEIzzy Broussard, ’19, is a mass communication major from Salt Lake City. Last summer, she spent time with Whitworth alums in her hometown as a part of the Alumni Discovery Project. “My favorite interaction was with an alum who worked at Whitworth for a number of years,” Izzy says. “Our hour together flew by, and I walked away feeling like I’d gained insight into my future simply from listening to her story.” Izzy returned to campus this fall ready to dive in to Whitworth life with new fervor. “My work as a student ambassador fine-tuned my communication skills,” she says. She’s also trying new courses “because of the stellar reviews of faculty and their classes” she heard from alums.

Student ambassadors have heard the stories of nearly 1,500 alums in the first four summers of the Discovery Project. To learn more, visit www.whitworth.edu/discoveryproject.

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public schools after 36 years and moved to Nevada to continue to be an elementary school principal.

1979 Russell Thompson is working as a writer after spending 36 years as an educator, including 14 years as a high school principal. He recently finished his second book, Fall Down, Stand Up: Advice for Aspiring Principals. Russ and his wife, Betty-Jean, live in Long Beach, Calif.

DEPARTURESColleen (Roberts) Holland, ’71, died Aug. 6 in Vancouver, Wash.

Billy Mitchell, ’72, died Feb. 23.

Carolyn (Appelt) Wallace, ’74, died Aug. 8 after battling cancer. Carolyn was well-respected in the field of vocational rehabilitation counseling.

Sarah Castner, ’77, died Sept. 4. Sarah earned her J.D. at Willamette Law School and began her career as deputy district attorney for Marion County, Ore. She later became assistant attorney general for the State of Oregon, a position in which she served for 25 years and from which she retired.

John Mauch, ’77, died Jan. 12, 2015. John dedicated more than 30 years to teaching students and teachers from Washington to Massachusetts and everywhere in between. His passion for chemistry and teaching, his love of science, and his quirky personality will be remembered throughout the science community.

1960s

1960 Paul Headland and his wife, Edna, have published a book about their 26 years of translating the Scriptures for the Tunebo Indians of Colombia, South America. The book, His Grace is Sufficient, is available via email.

1962 Robert Duvall published a book, Seeing and Saying: Poems. It is available on Amazon or is free to Whitworthians who write to Bob.

1964 Larry Chatterton retired in November 2015 as assistant regional administrator of the Washington State Department of Transportation, in Spokane. He was employed with the department for 50 years.

1967 Paul Chaffee celebrated five years of editing The Interfaith Observer, which goes to more than 12,000 faith and interfaith leaders.

1950s

1952 David Beamer is a certified hypnotherapist in private practice. He also teaches in the adult education program at Santa Barbara City College.

1956Joyce (Giedt) Lashua and her husband, Warren, ’60, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August. Joyce recently retired from her leadership duties in Stephen Ministry, and Warren was honored not only by being selected to Whitworth’s Athletics Hall of Fame last year, but was also given that honor at his high school alma mater this year.

1957 William Grant, Jr., taught English as a foreign language in Slovakia during the summers of 2007-09. He also taught diplomats of the Ministry of Commerce in Tai’an, Shandong Province, and the employees of the Bank of China.

1958 Ronald Rice builds wheelchairs in Jos, Nigeria, for those crippled by polio.

DEPARTURESPaul Ferg, ’50, died Aug. 4.

Corinne (Weber) Polley, ’50, died Aug. 18. Corinne served as a missionary with the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society in the Republic of Congo. She was a member of Whitworth Presbyterian Church, where she served as organist. Corinne is survived by her husband, Harvey, ’51, and daughter, Catherine Lawton, ’73, among others.

Gordon Eugene Lofgren, ’51, died Nov. 21, 2015, in Spokane.

Marilyn (Love) Cunningham, ’55, died Oct. 3. Marilyn served as a captain in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps as well as in various positions involving patient care, nursing education and management. She served on the boards of the League of Women Voters, the Friendswood Volunteer Fire Department, and the Bayou Preservation Society.

Ronald Zirkle, ’56, died Aug. 30. Ron served in the U.S. Army and later became the manager of the Everett Golf

Troy Miller and his wife, Jamie (MacKenzie), ’98, moved to Anchorage, where Troy is the regional manager in Alaska for Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Jamie has started her own construction-management-consulting company, which works primarily on commercial projects in Seattle.

The Rev. Aimee Moiso married the Rev. C. Nolan Huizenga on June 4 in Nashville, Tenn. Aimee is a Ph.D. student in homiletics and liturgics at Vanderbilt University, and Nolan is associate pastor at Second Presbyterian Church.

1998 The Rev. Danae Ashley is the associate priest on staff at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and is also the director for the Diocese of Olympia’s Episcopal Center

for Embodied Faith. She received a master in marriage and family therapy degree from Alder Graduate School in 2014 and is a licensed marriage and family therapist associate.

Justin Childers moved to the mountains of East Tennessee, where he is the pastor of two Adventist churches. He has completed one unit of clinical pastoral education at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, in Knoxville, Tenn.

DEBUTS1995 a girl, Hannah Louise, to Mark and Sara (Revell) Krumm, July 4

1996 a boy, Daniel Edward, to Adrian Valdivieso and Lesley Williams, Oct. 9, 2015

1998 a boy, Zane, to Darin and Charise (Asunción) Shigeta, born Oct. 1, 2015; adopted Jan. 15

1999 a boy, Raymond James, to Andy and Jeanne (Wehr) Gloudmans, June 23

a girl, Alison Grace, to Melissa and Phillip Harrington, June 29

1980s

1980 Deborah (Henderson) Dodd has served in Taiwan for 20 years as a training leader for a Chinese church.

1982 Charles Lewis and his wife, Ann, returned in August from a four-month sabbatical to the West Bank, Israel, Jordan, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

1985 Scott Starbuck is a lecturer in religious studies at Gonzaga University. His recent publications include a sermon, “The Lord Changed His Mind,” at the 15th year anniversary of 9/11, in Expository Times 127.

DEPARTURESDeborah Franseen, ’80, died July 23 after a battle with cancer.

Larry Lyle, ’84, died Sept. 20 in Spokane.

1970s

1970 The Rev. Stephen and Cinda (Warner) Gorman, ’71, retired on Jan. 1 after serving in Cairo, Egypt, for the last three years of their ministry in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

1972 Joseph Dunlap retired in June as president of North Idaho College. He served as president of Spokane Community College for five years.

Robert Hibbard retired after more than 40 years of teaching at Bellevue Christian High School, in Clyde Hill, Wash.

1974 Marlene (Medefind) VanBrocklin and her husband, Gary, are based in Sri Lanka, where they serve as South Asia regional liaisons for the Presbyterian World Mission.

1975 Alanna (Borgen) Crouch is a recipient of the 2015-16 Exceptional Faculty Award from the Community Colleges of Spokane Foundation and Spokane Teachers Credit Union. She teaches general education, adult basic education and life skills.

Eric Olson retired from The Boeing Company in July 2015 after working there for 35 years. He and his wife, Linda (Pontius), moved from Snohomish, Wash., to Chandler, Ariz., in July 2016.

1976 Mona Mendoza married Maureen Fishhugh and is retired, living on the Big Island of Hawaii.

1977Linda Cutting spent several weeks in China this summer, visiting Beijing, Xian, Changsha, Shanghai and Changzhou.

Janet (Hopkins) Dixon is a church choir director at Emmanuel Baptist Church, in Missoula, Mont. She has played in the Billings Symphony, Missoula Symphony, String Orchestra of the Rockies, and Montana Chamber Orchestra. Jan has taught kindergarten in both public and private schools and has also taught piano and violin students at home.

Marguerite (Fitzsimmons) Green published a book, Come Walk with Me: A Mother’s Journey through Grief. It is available through Amazon.

Bruce Williams retired from California’s

Save the date! Make plans to celebrate with us at Homecoming Weekend 2017. All alumni and their families are invited to return to campus Oct. 6-8. Members of the classes of 1957 and earlier, as well as ’67, ’77, ’87, ’97, 2007, and 2012 will celebrate their milestone reunions. Interested in helping to plan your class’s celebration? Contact alumni@whitworth.edu.

The Class of ’17 will participate in Whitworth’s 127th Commencement Ceremony the weekend of May 19-21, 2017. Visit www.whitworth.edu/commencement to learn more.

2017

EVENTS

ALUMNA PROFILE Malia Kaai-Barrett, ’89, is celebrating her 25th season as the general manager of the Hawai’i Youth Opera Chorus, the most advanced youth choir in the state. Malia has also been principal soprano soloist at the historic Kawaiaha’o Church since 1991. The church is the original site of Christianity on the Island of O’ahu. Malia graduated from Whitworth as a double-major in history and music, and she integrates both into all aspects of her work. “I love sharing my history and culture,” she says, “and I hope I help others appreciate more the beauty and unique gift that Hawai’i and the Hawai’ian people are to our world.” 

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Pamela Corpron Parker died Aug. 2, from cancer. She was 58. As a 1981 Whitworth alumna and a professor of English here for nearly 20 years, her influence as a scholar, teacher and mentor reached throughout campus, across the United States and into the United Kingdom and Asia. She was also a beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend.

Pam earned a master’s degree at the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, Vt., and a Ph.D. from the University of Oregon; she was also a post-doctoral fellow in the Lilly Program in Humanities and the Arts at Valparaiso University (Ind.). Her areas of expertise included Victorian literature and culture, feminist literary criticism, women’s studies, and literary tourism.

“Pam had convictions, and she was not afraid to share them. But she held to them without sacrificing relationships,” said Whitworth Professor of Theology Jerry Sittser at Pam’s memorial service on campus. “She was no ideologue. Conflict did not exact the cost of community. Pam built bridges, not walls.”

As a mentor, Pam encouraged, advised and inspired generations of Whitworth students and junior colleagues. She developed and led a study program in Thailand, where she lived as a child, and she created a number of original courses at Whitworth.

“When I was a student, Pam called my roommates and me one evening and invited us to see the movie Shakespeare in Love with her,” says Maggie Wolcott, ’00, a senior lecturer in English. “She picked us up and drove winding back roads to the theater. We held on tight; she drove the same way she did everything. Pam was a whirlwind of ideas, excitement and energy. She was a champion for her students, colleagues and friends — she saw ability in others before they could see it themselves.”

Pam co-founded the British Women Writers Association in 1991 and served as its chair. She authored numerous articles published in scholarly journals and was the keynote speaker at conferences nationally and abroad. She received research fellowships and scholarships, as well as awards. In deep appreciation of Pam’s legacy, the

Whitworth Board of Trustees honored her last spring as a professor emeritus of English.

Pam is survived by her husband, Rob, ’81, son Danny, ’15, daughter-in-law, Amanda Muchmore, ’15, son Luke, ’20, daughter, Alma Aguilar, ’15, and a large extended family.

WEB EXTRA: To read Jerry Sittser’s full tribute to Pam Parker, visit www.whitworth.edu/whitworthtoday.

PAMELA CORPRON PARKER

IN MEMORIAM

Do you know a prospective Whitworth student or family? Share your Whitworth journey and encourage every prospective student to consider Whitworth. Point them to www.whitworth.edu/admissions.

and Country Club and general manager of the Spokane Club. Ron was a 50-year member of the Club Managers of America; he held the designation of certified club manager.

George Ronald Jongeward, ’57, died July 30. Ron was an accomplished pianist who played at various piano bars and restaurants in Waikiki, Hawai’i, where he pursued his career in computer science. He and his wife, Jan, also spent time in Yakima, Wash., where Ron retired. Ron is survived by his brother, Paul, ’59, among others.

James Buckley, ’59, died Aug. 27.

Fern Dickinson, ’59, died Sept. 22. Fern worked at General Hospital, in Kennewick, Wash. She was involved in every area of the hospital throughout the 40 years she was there, from pediatrics to obstetrics and from the emergency room to human resources. Fern served her community through publishing the Nursing Class Letter every year since 1958.

1940s

DEPARTURESEverett Scott, ’47, died Dec. 28, 2014.

Lorraine (Milner) Ball, ’49, died March 16, 2014.

Dr. Elizabeth McNaughton (Main) Welty died Sept. 6 at age 101. She was an advocate and generous supporter of the arts and humanities, healthcare institutions, human-service organizations, and education. In 2008 she donated $100,000 toward the construction of Whitworth’s Robinson Science Hall, which has a chemistry lab named in honor of her father- and mother-in-law, Dr. Emil and Lillie Welty, and her husband, Dr. Robert Welty, who died in 1989. Emil was a friend of Frank Warren, Whitworth’s 15th president, and “Lib,” as she was known to those close to her, was a friend of Edward Lindaman, Whitworth’s 18th president. Welty also enjoyed attending concerts and theatre performances on campus.

Elizabeth Welty was born in Harrisburg, Pa. She earned an M.D. at Cornell University Medical College in 1941 and married Robert Welty in 1948. The couple moved to Spokane

the following year to set up a medical practice; Robert was a surgeon and Elizabeth was an internist. She practiced medicine until her retirement in 1985. She also invested her time and talents in the City of Spokane, serving as a volunteer board member with organizations across the community.

ELIZABETH MCNAUGHTON (MAIN) WELTY, M.D.

© Rick Singer Photography

IN MEMORIAM

YOURSTORY

Join us! Events for Whitworthians take place across the country throughout the year, and we would love to see you. Visit connect.whitworth.edu for more information.

UPCOMING

EVENTS

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Donald Trump will be our new president. I know Christians filled with despair about this, and I know Christians quite satisfied that a Republican government will bring about change. In the aftermath of this election, I am not sure how these two groups are going to respond to each other. But as we move forward, I want to share three things that I am counting on.

First, we serve the same God who requires us to seek justice for the poor, the weak and the sick.

There are different ways to do this. Some believe this is best achieved with an active federal government, while others believe states or non-governmental institutions should play a stronger role. All of us, though, have a responsibility to think through why and how our view of government responds to the call in Micah 6:8 to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.

Second, presidents have limited power.

Our entire constitutional structure is designed to frustrate concentrated power even when one party controls different branches of government. Congress may or may not go along with Trump’s agenda, but every policy implemented or eliminated at the federal level can be re-engaged at the state level. A great deal of environmental policy, LGBTQ rights, gun control, protection of life and even some immigration matters find their greatest advocates in state policymakers.

Third, citizenship is always more than voting.

Presidents are important. But when we emphasize the vote for president so strongly, we lose the perspective that comes from engaging issues at a local level. We also lose an understanding that citizenship requires actual work on

the part of all of us. We need to get involved in substantive policy issues, and we also have to think about how we will live next to each other despite our differences.

If the country is to be pulled together, then we each need to recognize our own responsibility in the process. For those of us who voted for Clinton, we must realize that Facebook and protesting do not solve problems. We have to understand why Trump supporters feel so differently than we do, and the only way to do this is to get to know them. In addition, we have to ask ourselves if we are offering more than lip-service. Are we sharing our homes, our time and our resources with those we say we care about?

To those of you who voted for Trump, you need to understand why people like me feel personally threatened right now. I am a sexual assault survivor and I am horrified by the audiotape of our incoming president speaking as if women are to be used by him at will. And my response is but a mere shadow of the fear experienced by those close to undocumented residents. They are having nightmares that the government will forcibly take their parents or siblings away. If you take Scripture seriously, you need to explain why your approach to government is best for the poor and the weak.

This was a tough election, but now we are in a season of Advent. Despite our differences, Christians have so much in common. We need to reach out to each other and then reach out to others. It is only after we care for and engage each other that we will be able to speak for God with a prophetic voice.

KEEP IT SIMPLE. Don’t start a bunch of new things at once or dive into elaborate nutrition and exercise plans. Start with one simple thing, do it well until it becomes habit, then make another simple change.

BREAK IT UP. Did you know that three 10-minute chunks of exercise each day can improve your health just as much as a single 30-minute exercise bout? New research indicates that cardiovascular disease risk may be even higher for those who sit all day after a morning workout, compared to when activity is interspersed throughout the day. Scheduling activity breaks throughout the day is an efficient way to gain maximum impact.

DO WHAT YOU LIKE. You’ll be more motivated to perform physical activity you enjoy. High-intensity workouts may be the rage, but they don’t work if you hate them and, consequently, never do them. Choose something you enjoy, and (sometimes literally) run with it.

WALKING IS AMAZING. Walking continues to demonstrate remarkable health benefits in study after study. It also happens to be cheap, simple and convenient for many people. So lace up and get in some steps.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF. Walk longer. Swim more often. Lift more weight. Whatever. Fitness will only improve in response to new challenges. Without them, fitness stagnates. Increase the difficulty of your exercise simply, slowly, steadily and in a fun manner.

Go get ’em, Pirates!

Wanna track more daily steps with your FitBit than every human on the planet? Need to buy the coolest fitness gear pitched in late-night infomercials? Relish the thought of scooping your daily calories from a protein jug, like Winnie the Pooh?

If this is you, keep on being you. You’re awesome.

For everyone else, these scenarios may not describe your health and fitness motives. I’ve been around the fitness scene for 20 years. I work out, coach, and conduct research. I’ve learned a few things over the years and there are some wonderful innovations right now within the world of exercise physiology. But — let’s be real — improving your health is not rocket science. If it were, then Whitworth’s very own Kamesh Sankaran, professor of physics and warp-drive designer, would have written this article instead of me. In lieu of his insights, I’ve compiled some practical fitness tips to jumpstart your health and fitness for 2017.

GET

FITBY MATT SILVERS, PH.D., C.S.C.S.ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HEALTH SCIENCE

BY JULIA STRONKSPROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

&ELECTIONS

FAITHFUL-NESS

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WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAYWhen you let Whitworth know of your bequest intentions, Trustee Walt Oliver, ’67, will

provide a one-time match of up to $5,000 to be put toward a strategically important

campaign objective. Your future gift will also make a difference today! Learn more

about this terrific opportunity to team up and change the lives of Whitworth students.

www.whitworth.edu/legacychallenge

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