Community service efforts earn recognition

In 2009, 526 of Whitman’s students were engaged in community service of some kind, resulting in a total of 8,025 service hours. That level of involvement in community service and service projects has resulted in some recent recognition from Washington D.C.

The college has been placed on The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for 2009. The honor roll, launched in 2006, annually recognizes institutions of higher education for their commitment to and achievement in community service. Whitman is one of 745 colleges and universities recognized for “exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs,” according to a news release.

Lina Menard, community service coordinator, said this is the third time for Whitman to receive this honor. She said that every year Whitman has applied for placement on the honor roll, a program started in 2006, it has been accepted.

The honor roll includes six colleges and universities that are recognized as Presidential Awardees, with an additional 115 named to the Distinction List and 621 schools, of which Whitman is one, named as Honor Roll members. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

It’s not yet spring, but fall admission is the hot topic

Last week the admission team reported on Early Decision (ED) applicants: there are 128 who have committed to enroll for fall 2011 with a handful pending. “Early indicators look good for the academic profile,” said Tony Cabasco, dean of admission and financial aid. “In addition to the representation from states we would normally expect, our ED pool this year includes students from Alabama, Arizona, Missouri, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming, plus two Canadians and a Chinese student from Nanjing.”

The team expects to admit 1,500, and the entering class goal is 415. “The overall pool continues to run about even with last year’s numbers, which was an all-time high at about 3,400,” Cabasco said. “The admission officers and I are busily reading these applications. Once again the quality of the students who are considering Whitman is amazing.”

Faculty accomplishments

Elizabeth Vandiver, associate professor of classics, has written a book titled “Stand in the Trench, Achilles: Classical Receptions in British Poetry of the Great War” that has been published by Oxford University Press. The publisher describes the book as “A pioneering study that demonstrates the importance of classics in both popular and ‘high’ culture during the First World War.”

The first review of the book, by Professor Tim Kendall of the University of Exeter, reads in part, “Vandiver is among the most discriminating of critics… Vandiver’s close readings are superb, and not merely when her extraordinary acoustic memory enables her to tease some classical allusion out of the most unlikely places. The book is abrim with research … [and] is enthrallingly written” (war-poets.blogspot.com). Also, Vandiver will deliver a keynote address on British Great War poetry and the classics at the 10th annual conference of the Robert Graves Society in Mallorca in July.

Remember the Enron scandal? A chance to learn more

The Enron scandal was a virtual poster-child for corporate irresponsibility. But how did it get to that point? Learn all about it from this year’s Hosokawa Journalism Lecture speaker, author Bethany McLean. She was one of the first journalists to expose the scandal.

The lecture is Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. in Maxey Auditorium. McLean is co-author of “The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron”. A book signing follows the lecture.

Coming Events
All free unless otherwise noted

Monday, 3/1
Henry M. Jackson Lecture: “Rethinking Global Climate Justice: Capabilities, Vulnerability and Adaptation.” Presented by David Schlosberg, professor of politics and international affairs and director of environmental studies at Northern Arizona University. 7:30 p.m., Olin 130. Click here for more information.

Tuesday, 3/2
Lecture: “Behind the Great Firewall of China: The Internet in Chinese Politics” presented by Visiting Educator Xiao Qiang, who will explore such questions as: How is the Chinese Internet controlled? How are new media empowering political activists in China? 7 p.m., Maxey 310. Contact x5958.

Tuesday, 3/2
Music: Student Violin/Viola Recital with Kristin Vining-Stauffer, Nathan Shiu, and Rachel Wishkoski, piano at 7:30 p.m., Chism Recital Hall, Hall of Music.

Wednesday, 3/3
Art: "Photographer and Translator, A Collaboration: Travels Along the Armenian Genocide Trail" Presentation by Kathryn Cook and Elyse Semerdjian at 7 p.m., Sheehan Gallery, Olin Hall.

Wednesday, 3/3
Film: "Prom Night in Mississippi” follows students, teachers, and parents associated with Charleston High School as the school prepares for its first integrated senior prom in 1997. An official selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Runtime: 90 minutes. 7 p.m., Kimball Theatre, Hunter Conservatory.

3/4 – 3/7
Theatre: Harper Joy Theatre presents “Around the World in 80 days. Click here or contact Nancy Simon x5292 or Qi Jia x5279 for details.

Thursday, 3/4
Hosokawa Lecture: “Media as Watchdog: Exposing Corporate Scandal,” presented by Bethany McLean, author and Vanity Fair contributing editor, and one of the first journalists to expose the Enron scandal. 7 p.m., Maxey Auditorium. Click here for more information.

Thursday, 3/4
Lecture: “Living Downstream: Environmental Protection as Cancer Prevention” by ecologist and author Sandra Steingraber. 7:30 p.m., Chism Recital Hall, Hall of Music.

Friday, 3/5
Seminar: “The Image World” with photographer Kathryn Cook. This seminar follows points from the book "Well, What is Photography?", especially the idea that "Photography is creating the world that we want to and will remember by means of its images." 1-3 p.m. in Maxey 302

Friday, 3/5
Art: Artist talk and opening reception for Sheehan Gallery’s exhibit, titled “Triptural: Photographic Views.” 5:30 p.m., Olin 130. Exhibition runs March 2 – April 15. Click here for details.

Friday, 3/5
Music: Marshall Baker senior composition recital. 7:30 p.m., Chism Recital Hall, Hall of Music

Saturday, 3/6
Music: Jacqueline Kamm senior voice recital. 7:30 p.m., Chism Recital Hall, Hall of Music.

Saturday, 3/6
Seminar: “Truth in Photography” with photographer Kathryn Cook. This seminar addresses the flood of images today, where almost anyone with a cell phone can take a photograph. However, the ease of which anyone can use a digital camera doesn’t mean we are more informed or aware of the world in which we live. What role does the press photograph play, does it inform or is it just to reinforce? What is truth in a photo and whose truth is it? 1-3 p.m., Maxey 302.

Click here for a listing of all coming events.

Athletic Events – Home Games

Men’s Baseball (Borleske Stadium)

Saturday, March 6 – 11 a.m. Doubleheader vs. Puget Sound
Sunday, March 7 – noon vs. Puget Sound

Men’s Tennis (Bratton Tennis Center and/or outdoor courts)

Saturday, March 6 – 2 p.m. vs. Willamette
Sunday, March 7 – 2 p.m. vs. Lewis & Clark

Parting Shot
By Greg Lehman, photographer/communications officer

An apple a day keeps... this squirrel above the tennis courts very happy indeed.   Full size.

The Fountain is published by the Office of Communications. Send news to thefountain@whitman.edu. Photos are accepted. Submissions are due by Tuesday at 5 p.m. for the following week's issue. Director of Communications: Ruth Wardwell. Online: www.whitman.edu/fountain