Finding My Story at Whitman: A Love Letter to Belonging
By Deo Rubangakene ’28
When I first stepped onto Whitman’s campus, I felt extreme excitement and nerve-racking anxiety, the kind where you’re smiling but also internally screaming. And honestly? Every second since then, I’ve returned to the same question: What story do I want to tell of my time at Whitman?
For a very long time, I really wanted to build a place in the universe where everyone belonged. Not just the “you can sit with us” kind of belonging, but the deep, soul-level feeling of home. At Whitman, we all become a reflection of hope and home for our friends and classmates. Sometimes this means holding a smile for a stranger crossing campus or meaningfully watching the ducks by Lakum Duckum. Sometimes it means attempting to have coffee with what feels like everyone on campus or writing poetry that celebrates the collective humility of this place.
Because here’s what I’ve learned: stories have this beautiful, almost magical way of mending cracks and building bridges across differences and emotions within our own little galaxies. My story at Whitman has been one of building community, not just any community, but one with the deep intention of making Whitman feel like home for as many people as possible.
On the Left: (Left to right) Eyleen Menchu Tuy ’25, Gelic Gerona ’27 and I became best friends at Whitman. The three of us were often seen at campus cultural celebrations. We even joined the Whitman Events Board so we can help plan such events! On the right: Through our involvement, we met Mavie Pham ’25 (first from the right) and the four of us welcomed prospective students at our campus visit days. These memories are some of my greatest joys.
Whitman values diversity and everyone on campus does their part to make sure we all feel like we belong here. I’ve been incredibly lucky to make friends and meet mentors at Whitman who encourage me to dream bigger and who fuel the courage to build something new. Last spring, my close friend and I founded what started as just a club, Global Whitties. Today, it’s championing belonging by creating space for diverse cultural events at Whitman, including the first-ever Cultural Cafe in Whitman’s history. We served traditional dishes from various parts of the world and played games from different countries, too. The turnout was remarkable, and honestly, seeing people from completely different backgrounds sharing food, stories and laughter in the same room made every late-night planning session worth it.
My desire to tell this story of belonging extends beyond student clubs. As the inaugural student liaison for the Welty Health and Counseling Center, I’ve gotten to push student voices into spaces they haven’t always reached, whether that’s advocating for wellness initiatives that actually reflect what we need or being one of the first Peer Educators for the CHECK IT program. It’s a new sexual violence prevention and bystander intervention program that equips students with the necessary toolkits to intervene when they witness harm. It’s always been about ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table when we’re building a campus we can all call home.
As Special Events Director for the Whitman Events Board, I’ve spent countless hours crafting event ideas that create fun memories and opportunities for my peers to share a little about themselves and tell their own stories. From large-scale events like bowling nights to cozy movie screenings and sign-making workshops, it’s all been about creating a place for belonging.
Whitman is the place where people who show up, care and stay up too late planning things that might just make someone’s day a little brighter. From sing-alongs at the wheatfield with my Intervarsity Fellowship to mind-altering debates at our dining hall, Cleveland Commons, our stories have enriched the life in the red bricks of the Reid Campus Center and added rhythm to the dongs of the Memorial Building clock tower.
And because I’m as passionate about cultural learning and celebration as ever, I got to develop and present a workshop titled “You Already Belong Here: Reimagining Belonging as an Invitation” at our annual campuswide Power and Privilege Symposium. Classes are shut down for a full day so that all students, faculty and staff can engage in meaningful conversations.
I’m continuing to dream up new ways to bring people together. This spring, I’ll be DJing Global Tunes, a radio show on student-led KCWC that invites guests to share their stories and music with the broader Walla Walla community. It’s another bridge, another connection, another way of saying: your story matters, and we want to hear it.
So here’s my question for you: What is your college story going to be about?
I hope it’s about everything you’re passionate about, the weird stuff, the serious stuff, the things that make you you. Because wherever you end up, hearts are yearning for exactly what you can bring. Find the place where you can tell your story boldly, proudly and without apology. For me, that place has been Whitman. For you? That’s the adventure waiting to unfold.
Deo Rubangakene ’28 is a Davis United World College Scholar from Gulu, Uganda and is majoring in Brain, Behavior and Cognition at Whitman. He has a deep desire to tell stories and explore culture. Deo is excited to keep planning more exciting and engaging events and ideas at Whitman, including authoring a poetry anthology before graduating and leading fellow Whitties as president of the Associated Students of Whitman College for 2026-2027 academic year.