Meet the Whitties Behind The Whitman Outdoor Journal

Whitman College has long been known for its robust Outdoor Program and adventurous outings. Two current students—Harrison Whittemore ’25 and Arden Hunt ’25—are leading a team who have trekked into new territory on campus with the creation of a slick four-color print magazine, The Whitman Outdoor Journal (WOJ).

Current students, recent grads, notable outdoor alum adventurers and Whitman legends like Bob Carson, Emeritus Professor of Geology and Environmental Studies, have already had their stories shared or told by the journal.

All the Stories

Whittemore says he was inspired to launch WOJ by a friend who was working on a similar publication at Colorado College. It made perfect sense for Whitman, says the Brain, Behavior and Cognition major from Boulder, Colorado, who serves as Co-President with Hunt and heads up the layout of the magazine. “I’ve been a part of the outdoor community since I arrived on campus and have had such an incredible opportunity to get to hear a wide range of perspectives and tales,” he says. “This school has a profound love of the outdoors which is just contagious.”

Both Whittemore and Hunt say stories drive the journal content—and while they love a good summit story, it’s not just audacious adventures they’re after. “We want to hear all the stories,” says Hunt, who oversees outreach for content development for the journal. “We focus on the meaningfulness of the story, not necessarily the size of the achievement.”

As part of the WOJ’s editorial mission, the team also acknowledges the Indigenous land we live and recreate on, as well as the financial and situational barriers that can exist to outdoor adventures, says Hunt, a Psychology major from Bellingham, Washington. They want to make the journal available to everyone on campus, with the hope to both inspire and connect students to opportunities and each other.

The first edition of WOJ was released in the spring of 2023, with regular editions now planned twice yearly. Like other official student-led publications, funding is provided through the Associated Students of Whitman College.

Just the Beginning

While Hunt and Whittemore are spending their Spring 2024 semesters abroad—in Austria and New Zealand respectively—they’re leaving their passion project in caring, capable hands for now.

“For me, the most rewarding part has been watching the WOJ editorial team grow,” says Whittemore. “It started with just a couple of us and has grown to a team of nearly 20 incredible individuals. There’s so much energy and passion in this group, and I believe we’ve created something that will outlast our own involvement.” 

Explore more of The Whitman Outdoor Journal at whitmanoutdoorjournal.com.

Give a Gift of the Outdoors

The Bob Carson Outdoor Program Fund allows Whitman students to participate in Outdoor Program trips, regardless of their ability to pay. You may make your gift online at whitman.edu/give and designate your gift to the Bob Carson Outdoor Program Fund.