Senior Admission Interns

Name: Jacqueline Luna (she/her)

Email: lunaj.sw@whitman.edu 

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Major(s): Anthropology 

Why you chose Whitman: I applied to Whitman through Early Decision 1. I was mainly looking at liberal arts college because my high school class sizes were frequently 30 to 40 people. I anticipated the curriculum would be more difficult, so I desired smaller class sizes. I also wanted to see and live in a place with all four seasons, and Whitman has a lovely campus. 

Favorite things to do in Walla Walla: I enjoy bowling with my friends. I also enjoy having picnics at Pioneer Park with paint, fun snacks, and music.

Favorite spot on campus: Reid is our student activities building and my favorite spot to hang out on campus. It is a great place to get a snack and play games in the basement. If necessary, an assignment could be completed in one of the available rooms upstairs, downstairs, or in the cafe, which is always convenient. 

What advice you'd give yourself when you were going through the college process: The best advice I could give any student applying to college is to be fearless and apply for Early Decision. Applying for Early Decision means you are committing to attending Whitman if accepted. It might sound intimidating, but it is a decision that will only benefit you in the long run and take the pressure off during your final year of high school. 

Best class you've taken on campus: I took Gender, Sexuality, Kinship, and Reproduction with Professor De La Cruz, and it was the best class I've ever taken. It showed me how gender, sexuality, kinship, and reproduction can impact our understanding of social arrangements, individual identities, and global human rights debates. It helped me let go of my internal homophobia. 

Favorite campus traditions: Our annual prom night is one of my favorites. We get to dance, play in a customized casino for prizes, take pictures in the photo booth with lovely friends, have a tasty meal, dress up, and have a good time.

Name: Brandon Martínez Serrano (he/ él/ ele)

Email: martineb.sw@whitman.edu

Hometown: San Salvador, El Salvador

Major(s): Politics and Psychology

Why you chose Whitman: Throughout my life, I have always liked to be challenged, whether that was in my academic or extracurricular activities. At the same time, I always knew that in order to succeed, I would need a supportive community that would be there in my wins and losses. Whitman is the place in which I could find an ideal combination of both worlds. 

Favorite things to do in Walla Walla: I love playing volleyball in the sand court at Whitman and then go downtown for a late afternoon Purple Velvet with Yogurt Poppers from Black Pearl!

Favorite spot on campus: The bridge next to the Arts building, exactly facing towards the sunset. Since my first year at Whitman I have come to this spot to see how beautiful the college blends into town when the sun sets everyday! 

What advice you’d give yourself when you were going though the college process: The best advice I could give anyone in the process of college searching is to look for an institution that will see you as more than just a number in their statistics. I know that admissions could sometimes be competitive and frightening, but that will make your four years at college easier. 

Best class you’ve taken on campus: Taking Applied Ethics with Professor Clearfield was a life changing experience. We would have class every week with students from the Washington State Penitentiary, where we would discuss the morals and values of various case studies through the use of different ethical frameworks. 

Favorite campus traditions: Definitely the Interest Houses Community (IHC) Block Party! We got to play different games, eat food from around the world, and get dumped in a water tank!

Name: Aziz Sahbazovic (he/him)

Email: sahbazoa.sw@whitman.edu

Hometown: Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Major(s): Music (Vocal Performance) and German Studies

Why you chose Whitman: I chose Whitman because of the small student-to-professor ratio, beautiful campus and town, and exciting opportunities for growth and education. As an international student, I found it exciting to learn in such a dynamic environment where there are other international students like me represented in the Whitman Community.

Favorite things to do in Walla Walla: Wandering around Downtown and exploring new places, going to different restaurants, and meeting community members from Walla Walla and beyond. I enjoy being able to connect to people beyond the Whitman community and Walla Walla is full of vibrant and welcoming people. 

Favorite spot on campus: Amphitheater, which is located close to Maxey Hall, and I love to hang out there, have picnics, and especially attend events there such as Summer Shakes or different concerts. 

What advice you’d give yourself when you were going through the college process: Don’t rush and try to talk to students about their experiences and know that everyone is going through a similar experience. And as an international student, make sure to check the opportunities for support for students with different backgrounds and identities so you can reach out for help if needed. 

Best class you’ve taken on campus: German 304 - The German Fairy Tale, with professor Emily Jones, which was one of the most interesting and inspiring classes I’ve taken. I loved how it went beyond the obvious fairy tales to how they impact our culture and the way children learn and are raised. 

Favorite campus traditions: Hanging out with friends on Ankeny, which is more of an everyday thing, but I love how everyone understands that sometimes all we need is some sunlight and taking a break on a green field, and everyone is welcome and respected.

Name: Diana Narvaez Vazquez (she/her/ella)

Email: narvaezd.sw@whitman.edu

Hometown: New Brunswick, New Jersey

Major: Politics

Minors: History and Hispanic Studies

Concentration: Global Studies Concentration 

Why you chose Whitman: I applied to Whitman mainly because I was interested in studying at a small liberal arts college. I applied regular decision and was awarded the Garrett-Sherwood Scholarship. I ended up choosing Whitman because out of all the colleges I applied to I felt like Whitman prioritized students the most.  

Favorite things to do in Walla Walla: Walla Walla is such a beautiful place! I love walking around downtown with friends and attending community events. Bowlaway Lanes is always super fun!

Favorite spot on campus: Whitman has such a nice library! I especially enjoy the Allen Reading Room which is a super quiet study room. The Politics lounge in Maxey is also another favorite of mine!

What advice you’d give yourself when you were going through the college process: Take time to really research the school’s you are interested in! It is very valuable to read student blogs, find out what special opportunities the school has to offer, and what life is like on campus. 

Best class you’ve taken on campus: I really enjoy politics classes at Whitman because they don’t feel like your average politics lecture but are rather much more discussion driven. I would highly recommend POL-354 Time, Law, and Justice!

Favorite campus traditions: As an First-Generation and//or Working-Class (FGWC) student I love Whitman’s Summer Fly-In Program for FGWC first years and transfer students! The duck hunt on campus is also really fun!

Name: Genevieve Vogel (she/her)

Email: vogelg.sw@whitman.edu

Hometown: Brunswick/Bath, Maine

Major(s): Economics & History Double Major

Why you chose Whitman: I found Whitman early in my college search and it stayed my top choice throughout, leading me to apply Early Decision 2. I wanted to go to a liberal arts college with a kind community that would support my journey, make me a more well-rounded student, and where I would feel valued. I was also excited to branch out in a new part of the country. A great conversation with a Whitman Admission Officer at a college fair confirmed that Whitman was where I wanted to be.

More about my decision to attend Whitman is in my podcast episode of Our Whitman, My Story.

Favorite things to do in Walla Walla: I love walking around the cozy tree-lined neighborhoods surrounding campus in the evening. I’ll often catch a glimpse of pink clouds and know it's time to get outside to catch a good sunset. My friends and I will have long conversations and imagine the people who may have lived in the homes we pass. The Walla Walla 2020 project has an amazing map that links to articles on Walla Walla’s historic homes. 

Favorite spot on campus: The benches in front of Penrose Library have an excellent view for people watching. I really enjoy watching Ankeny Field fill up with people walking all directions to classes, shouting hellos, and playing music to things going back to normal a few minutes later. It’s also a great place to run into friends going into the library for study sessions.

What advice you’d give yourself when you were going through the college process: Be your most authentic self. The college process is a bit of a matching game and it’s going to be much better if you’re honest about who you are, your needs, and what you want out of your experience.

Best class you’ve taken on campus: I think my favorite class I’ve taken at Whitman is The Americas, 1968-1999, a history course that focused on Latin America, colonization, and imperialism. The seminar format of the class empowered vibrant discussions and honed my presentation skills.

Favorite campus traditions: I love going to the Interest House Community (IHC) Block Party. There are tons of free games, activities, and cultural foods provided by members of the IHC community. When I was living in the French House, our French cookies with jam were a huge hit.