Whitman Stories

When it came to higher education, Vincent "Jay" Broze '69 and Diana Cochener Broze '69 came from very different backgrounds. In Diana's family, the Quaker tradition meant that even her great-great-grandmother went to college.

After Chris McDade died in September 2018, Sandy wanted to create a tribute to her at Whitman that recognized her passion for nonprofit work and volunteerism. He established the Chris McDade Internship Endowment to support students interested in careers in community service. The endowment funds summer internships at nonprofit organizations for students who apply to the Whitman Internship Grant program.

For Emily Rigsby ’20, music is a superpower. “Playing violin and being a musician has built my confidence and personality in so many ways,” said the Whitman music major from Boise, Idaho. “Through all the adversities I’ve faced in my life, music has been the constant thing that has reminded me I am capable of overcoming any challenges. It makes me feel limitless.”

Growing up in Walla Walla, Miguel Baza ’20 always admired Whitman College — it held a certain mystique. “Whitman was kind of in its own bubble. I didn’t know much about it except that it had this prestigious name and that it was a private liberal arts college rich in academics,” he said. “To locals it’s like the holy grail if you go to Whitman. I remember thinking that there was no way a kid like me will ever be able to go to a school like that. Just no way.”

Undergraduate research experiences can have a big impact on student learning, mindset and career choice. Just ask chemistry major Kaia Martin '21. "Before I was doing this research, I didn't really know what I was going to do after Whitman," said Martin, who spent the summer between her sophomore and junior years conducting research in the laboratory of Assistant Professor Mark Hendricks.

In recognition of their 50th Reunion, the Whitman College Class of 1969 raised more than $2.6 million in gifts and pledges and documented more than $4.5 million in bequests and future gift intentions — making theirs one of the largest class gifts ever.

With humor and humility, Eddy Vazquez ’15, a visual designer at Amazon, shared his journey with Whitman students. Vasquez’s talk at Fouts Center for Visual Arts was the second installment in the Visiting Alumni Artist Series. He encouraged his fellow Whitties to take advantage of the opportunities they have on campus and in the wider world, to gain experience and to develop a dynamic portfolio.

Meet Our Whitties is an occasional feature produced by the Office of Communications. It features a Q&A with students from across Whitman College.

The fall 2019 production "Playing with Fire (After Frankenstein)" reimagined the classic monster tale while showcasing student talent in makeup, acting, stage design and lighting.

On a clear October day, students sit scattered across Ankeny Field, cross-legged with sketching notebooks balanced in their laps, using pencils, pens and colored pencils to capture the countless trees surrounding the grassy center of campus. It's a scene typical of any college campus art class. Except these students aren't just artists - they're budding scientists.

During a visit to Whitman, James Garrison ’04 gave two talks. “Black Bodies that Matter,” his public lecture, focused on his current philosophical work and writing on race. The other was a lunchtime session for students considering pursuing graduate school and careers in academia. Garrison walked students through his own journey, and offered tips and insights on how to navigate processes can be intimidating and daunting.

This fall, Whitman College psychology Professor Melissa Clearfield is teaching PSYCH 347A, a special topics class examining how teen school shooters develop, looking at cases from Columbine to Parkland. Clearfield spent her sabbatical during the 2018-2019 school year developing the syllabus for the course, including searching for scholarly resources on a topic that has drawn lots of interest, but little research.