Whitman Stories

At six, Kirkley suffered a seizure that left him unable to read, write and speak for years. Doctors warned he would never be a regular student, but Kirkley, now a geology-environmental studies major at Whitman in addition to a standout on the basketball court, has overcome obstacles with the support of his professors and coaches.

The Walla Walla community is invited to join Whitman College in creating positive social change during its inaugural Unity Week events, Jan. 20-24, 2020. It’s a week that brings together community members, leaders in social justice, and college students from Whitman College, Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) and Walla Walla University (WWU) with speakers and workshops aimed at transforming a passion for equality into action.

Technical skills are increasingly important in this digital age, but that doesn’t mean the skills emphasized in a liberal arts education — often considered “soft skills” — are any less valuable. The high-tech industry has long valued the versatile, creative mindset and soft skills that are hardwired in those who study in the liberal arts tradition.

In the nearly 70 years Whitman’s 3-2 Engineering program has been in place, more than 200 students have completed the program, which includes three full years at Whitman College, and then an additional two years at a partner engineering school. The student finishes with two complete bachelor degrees — one from each institution.

For Whitman College orchestra conductor Paul Luongo, it makes no difference what his students study, as long as they love the music. One year, the lead violinist in the Whitman Orchestra might be a music performance major preparing to compete for a place in a major conservatory. The next, it might be a student majoring in English literature, biology or anthropology.

After losing her toddler in a furniture tip-over accident, Crystal Ellis has dedicated herself to campaigning for laws that demand furniture manufacturers meet a higher safety standard.

Since coming to Whitman from Jamaica as a Davis United World College (UWC) Scholar in 2017, Jordon Crawford ’21 has partnered with others to improve the experience for international and underrepresented students, particularly other men of color.

Though books and lectures are the foundations of traditional academic learning, some lessons require hands-on experience.

Associate Professor of Psychology Erin Pahlk, who co-authored a study last year about kids' reactions to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, said that right now children need some help "thinking through the different politicians’ perspectives and the different policies."

The new decade is being ushered in at Sheehan Gallery with a trio of nature photography shows, which open at Whitman College’s art gallery on Jan. 31. The larger gallery space will feature “Fire Stories,” an exhibit displaying the photography of John Marshall and the Osborne Panorama Project

Carl Ye ’21, a junior from Qingdao, China, will spend spring semester studying abroad in Hungary through the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics.

Native American beadwork artists Marcus Amerman ’81 pushes the envelope on traditional beadwork by creating realistic pieces based on historic photographs. A member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Amerman earned a degree in art from Whitman College and often infuses his work with sociopolitical messages.