John Kirk ’95 & Sarah (Baird) Kirk ’95

John Kirk ’95 and Sarah (Baird) Kirk ’95 have Whitman roots that run deep. Their contributions to Upward Together through the Baird Family Scholarship Endowment have solidified the importance of the role and impact Whitman has had in their lives. Created by Sarah’s parents, William and Nancy Baird, the Baird Family Scholarship Endowment exists to honor the belief and power of a liberal arts education. Today, the Kirks continue to support the endowment to aid Whitties majoring in any STEM-related field during the pursuit of their degree. Unrestricted giving is another way the Kirks give back to their alma mater.

John was an active member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He graduated from Whitman with a degree in Psychology. Today, he is a Principal Real Estate Broker at Tomson Burnham LLC.

For Sarah, Whitman had a constant presence in her household. Both of her siblings, Emily Baird ’97 and Daniel Baird ’00, also graduated from Whitman. Sarah was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and an active participant in choir. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and went on to receive a doctorate in Chemistry from University of California San Diego. She is now the Provost and Dean of Faculty at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

The Kirks currently reside in Geneva, New York. They are parents to the next generation of Whitties by way of their youngest Ali Kirk ’26. Their son, Jackson, is continuing the family’s ties to Walla Walla as he studies enology and viticulture at Walla Walla Community College.