It Takes a Village: Whitman Parents Support a Vibrant Campus Community

When Christina and Peter Dawson were helping their younger son, Adam Dawson ’16, explore his college options, one of the most important factors was the residential experience. The Dawsons already knew Adam would benefit academically from the small size and personalized attention of a liberal arts college, but they wanted to make sure he would be supported socially and emotionally as well. They found the environment they were looking for at Whitman College.

“There was a marked difference between what Whitman was offering in terms of residence life and what other colleges and universities that we’d seen were offering,” Christina says. “It felt so close-knit and welcoming. That was the draw for him—and also for us as parents. We wanted to know that he would be in the kind of environment where he would have a chance to thrive.”

And thrive he did. Adam quickly became part of the campus community and developed friendships that have lasted to this day. Now, thanks to a generous $3 million gift toward Whitman’s new junior-senior residential village, the Dawsons are helping even more students grow and thrive through residential living.

“College isn’t just about your intellectual growth. It’s also about your personal growth,” Christina says. “It’s about learning about yourself and how to live with other people, listen to other people’s points of view, and get along with other people.”

A Place To Grow & Explore

The Dawsons are native Londoners who learned about the American educational system through the experiences of their two sons. They first heard about Whitman as part of the college search process for their older son. 

“I was particularly interested in liberal arts colleges because I felt that was a benefit that this country has over the U.K.,” Christina says. “When you’re 18 years old, you might not necessarily know what you especially want to do. A liberal arts education gives you the opportunity to test some things out, change your mind or decide.”

Whitman turned out to be the perfect choice for Adam, who majored in Economics and Mathematics. He was active in intramural sports and served as a Resident Assistant for Anderson Hall.

“He had the best four years. He was beaming with happiness, and it truly was a very special time for him,” Christina says. After graduation, Adam joined the Whitman staff as a Resident Director, first for the Interest House Community and then for Stanton Hall.

The Dawsons also became active members of the Whitman community. Both Peter and Christina served on the Parent Leadership Committee while Adam was a student, from 2012 to 2016, and Christina served on the Board of Trustees from 2017 to 2022.

“Being involved in the Parent Leadership Committee gave us insights into the college’s strategies and the direction they were trying to go,” Peter says. “Those insights were really helpful because they helped us decide how to direct our philanthropy.”

A Transformative Project

As a trustee, Christina was a member of the original committee that developed the concept for the new residential village. The apartment-style living community will house 210 juniors and seniors and feature several common areas and outdoor spaces that will provide opportunities for collaboration and connection. This will benefit both the students living in the new village and the campus community as a whole.

“Having older, more mature students live in close proximity to first- and second-year students makes a big difference in the general maturity and integration of the campus,” Christina says.

“It’s also an important step for these students’ personal development as they prepare to make their own way in life.” 

The project also helps address issues related to access and equity. Finding affordable housing in Walla Walla can be a challenge for many students, some of whom end up living far from campus. Providing on-campus housing for juniors and seniors will deepen their connections to the community and help them stay engaged.

“It’s not a superdorm,” Peter notes. “The students will have a sense of independent living while remaining on campus as part of the community.” 

Scheduled to open in August 2025, the village will feature a parklike setting containing three buildings: Harvey Hall, Robart Hall and Stegner Hall. The terrace of Harvey Hall will be named for the Dawson family. 

Moving Whitman Forward 

The Dawsons have supported Whitman in several other ways over the years as well. They established the Christina M. and Peter A. Dawson Family Scholarship Endowment in 2015 to provide assistance to students with high financial need. They also made a $2 million gift in 2022 to endow the Kathleen M. Murray Chair in Computer Science. 

Christina is particularly passionate about student mental health and well-being, and she and Peter have made several investments in that area. Two of those investments honor the work of John Santa ’66 and Carol Minnick Santa ’66, who have dedicated their lives to helping struggling youth. The Dawson-Santa Counseling Endowment funds services at the Counseling Center, while the Dawson-Santa Alcohol and Drug Counseling Endowment provides funding for a full-time alcohol/drug specialist position.

The couple also provided financial support that allowed Whitman to become a JED Campus through the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit that provides colleges and universities with evidence-based best practices and data-driven guidance to protect student mental health and prevent suicide. 

“What’s great is that when we support our students, we help make a positive difference to them, their families, our Whitman community, and, I would hope, everyone they connect with when they’ve graduated,” Christina says. 

Giving to Whitman is just one part of the Dawsons’ philanthropic legacy. The couple has also supported Peter’s alma mater, the University of Cambridge, and Bucknell University, where their older son went to school. Through their generosity, they are making a difference and helping students thrive for generations to come. 

“We really have a lot of faith in Whitman. Sarah Bolton is a wonderful president,” Christina says. “We’re very happy with the direction that the college is taking.”