Whitman Stories
November 6, 2019
Chris McDade Internship Endowment Honors a Life of Meaning and Purpose
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.
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![Emily Rigsby works with a student at the Walla Walla Symphony's Rock Camp.](/images/whitman-stories/stories/2019/Annual%20Report/EmilyRigsby-Thumbnail.jpg)
November 6, 2019
For Whitman Internship Grant Recipients, Practice Makes Prepared
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.”
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![Miguel Baza sells coffee at the Walla Walla farmers market.](/images/whitman-stories/stories/2019/Annual%20Report/MiguelBaza-Thumbnail.jpg)
November 6, 2019
Scholarships Create a Ripple Effect of Opportunity
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.”
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![A student researcher works in a lab.](/images/whitman-stories/stories/2019/Annual%20Report/ScienceCollins-Thumbnail.jpg)
November 6, 2019
Perry Endowment Provides Quantum Learning Opportunities for Summer Students
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.
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November 6, 2019
Class of 1969 Makes Historic Gift for 50th Reunion
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.
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![Hello I'm eddy slide](/images/whitman-stories/stories/2019/November/rsz_vazquez-presentation-slide1.png)
November 6, 2019
Visiting Artist Eddy Vazquez ’15 Shares Insights on Designing a Career
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.
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November 4, 2019
Meet Our Whitties: Liam Twomey '21
Meet Our Whitties is an occasional feature produced by the Office of Communications. It features a Q&A with students from across Whitman College.
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![The Creature next to his bride.](/images/whitman-stories/stories/2019/October/Frankenstein/20191023-Playing-with-fire-Frankenstein-3402.jpg)
October 30, 2019
Photos: "Playing With Fire" Showcases Student Talent
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.
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![A student sketches a tree in a notebook.](/images/whitman-stories/stories/2019/October/191008_Science-Drawing-11-Thumbnail.jpg)
October 30, 2019
Scientific Illustration Course Pushes Students to Examine the World in New Ways
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.
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![A portrait of James Garrison.](/images/whitman-stories/stories/2019/October/JamesGarrison-thumbnail.jpg)
October 30, 2019
Philosopher James Garrison ’04 Shares Hard-Won Wisdom with Soon-to-Be Graduates
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.
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![A portrait of Melissa Clearfield.](/images/whitman-stories/stories/2019/October/Melissa-Clearfield-Thumbnail.jpg)
October 29, 2019
Special Topics Psychology Class Examines Development of School Shooters
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.
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October 23, 2019
History Professor Elyse Semerdjian Discusses Turkish Incursion into Syria
Semerdjian, who teaches Islamic world and Middle Eastern history at Whitman, shed light on Turkey's actions against Kurdish fighters in the region following the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. forces from Northern Syria, as well as how Russia is now seizing the opportunity to fill the power vacuum.
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