Annual Programs
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Current Whitman College students and student/staff or student/faculty teams are eligible to apply for this annual prize given for projects designed to address critical issues facing queer communities through a variety of creative and scholarly mediums. Up to two recipients are chosen each year.
Recipients of the award will receive up to $2,500 for a creative project or scholarly research such as:
- Creating an art exhibit
- Producing a video documentary
- Conducting quantitative or qualitative research projects
- Developing a collection of poems
- Writing a one-act play
- Focusing a senior thesis on queer issues
- Others, as appropriate
Proposals detailing the project should include:
- A brief description of the nature and scope of the project identifying the main issues or themes to be covered
- A brief rationale indicating why the project is important
- A project time line (starting with proposal due date and ending with public presentation) illustrating your ability to complete the project by the end of the academic year
- Name of applicant(s) and faculty adviser for student projects
Successful proposals have typically been 2-3 pages in length. The award recipient will complete the project and make a public presentation to the campus community before the end of the spring semester.
Contribute to the David Nord Endowment
This annual award is funded by the David Nord Endowment. Support the David Nord Endowment by following the link and entering "David Nord Award" for the gift designation.
About David Nord '83
David Nord graduated from Whitman College in 1983 with honors in political science. An active member of Phi Delta Theta, he was elected president of ASWC. A recipient of the Truman Scholarship and the U.S. Senate Leadership Award, he worked as an intern with U.S. Senator Henry M. Jackson and served as a delegate to the 1996 Democratic Party Convention. David earned his master's degree in psychology from Antioch University and established a psychotherapy practice before becoming a full-time researcher and writer. He is the author of "Multiple Aids-Related Loss: A Handbook for Understanding and Surviving a Perpetual Fall." In November 1999, David died of AIDS. A generous and thoughtful alumnus, he established an endowment for this annual award prior to his death and attended the first presentation in 1996.
Award Winners:
2017-2018 |
Boken, C. (History and Art History) Perspectives: Binaries in Disruption and Zheng, A. (Gender Studies) Embodied Viscera |
2016-2017 |
None Awarded |
2015-2016 |
McCulloch, T. (Gender Studies & Film and Media Studies) Until Death Do Us Part: What Is Lost When Love Wins? and Ruff, M. (Rhetoric Studies & Politics): Rude Noises: Homocore, Unsettling the Symbolic, and Enjoying Abjection |
2014-2015 |
Name Withheld (English) A Production and Adaptation of Jean Genet's The Maids and Griffis, E. (Gender Studies) Somatechnic: Queer Disidentifications of Pleasure |
2013-2014 |
Roberson, B. (Religion) Sexuality at Whitman, the Untold Story: The Evolution of GLBTQ Discourse at Whitman College and Mulloy, S. (Politics) United States v. Windsor: Rethinking Victory, Normalcy, and Assimilation |
2012-2013 |
Pereira Azuaje, M. (Anthropology) I Love You, Man: Friendship and Brotherhood Across Sexual Orientation and Boesch, D. (Politics) Framing a Collective Gay Legal Identity: The Lasting Impact of Lawrence v. Texas |
2011-2012 |
Aguilar, A. (Spanish) Between Life and Death: Eroticism, Suicide and Dissidence in the Writings of Arenas and Piñera and Creal, R. (Art History and Visual Culture) Queer Street Art and the Legacy of 1980s AIDS Activism |
2010-2011 |
Crenshaw, R. (English) Queer Musings: The Art of Zestful Border Crossing and Mina, L. (Gender Studies) Virtual Invisibility: Visual Representations of "Diversity" and "Queerness" on LGBTQ Political Organization Websites. |
2009-2010 |
None Awarded |
2008-2009 |
Thurman, D. (Gender Studies) Queer Women's Community at Whitman. Where the Hell is it? |
2007-2008 |
Healey, S. (Sociology) Out and Proud? A Rural Community's Approach to GLBTQ Youth. |
2006-2007 |
Martz, K. (German Studies & Gender Studies) Man Love, Spiritual Trannies, Androgynous Ambisexuals and Frat Boys: 150 Years of Gay Activism. and Spiering, C. (undeclared) Homosexuality: Who's At Risk? |
2005-2006 |
Erickson, K. (Religion) What We Do Is Secret: Do-It-Yourself Sounds from the Queer Underground. and Espinoza, M. (Gender Studies) The Gender Fetish: Towards a Theory of Gender and Sexuality. |
2004-2005 |
Johns, M. (Psychology) That's Not Ladylike! Effects of Femininity and Exposure on Homophobia in Women |
2003-2004 |
LeRud, N. (English) "This Beauteous Forme": The Spirituality of Donne's Holy Sonnets and Gay Reader Response and Paulsen, S. (Art) On Campus Dyke |
2002-2003 |
Heinz, A. (History) Romantic Friendships and Girl Guides: Changing Conceptions of Female Friendships from 1890 to 1930 |
2001-2002 |
Maize, J. (Theatre) In One Room: Queer Conversations and Roberts, C. (Theatre) Female Impersonation: Homosexuality in China and England |
2000-2001 |
Whittaker, K. (Politics) Gloria Anzaldua's Art of Living |
1999-2000 |
Schumock, E. (Classics) Greek SeXXX: Why do We Care How the Greeks Had Sex? |
1998-1999 |
Huddleston, A. (Politics) How the Gay Rights Lobby and the Christian Right Have Influenced Each Other Politically in the Past Decade |
1997-1998 |
Dixon, K. (Politics and English) The Nature and Consequences of the Trials of Oscar Wilde |
1996-1997 |
Peterson, K. (Politics) Courting the Queers: Colorado's Amendment Two and the Romers v. Evans Decision |
Rainbow Graduation is held every year in May to celebrate the school year, student accomplishments, and specifically graduating LGBTQIA+ students. All LGBTQIA+ seniors are welcome to sign-up to receive rainbow tassels. Additionally, each year a student award is given out - details about the award will be published in March.
For more information, contact the Intercultural Center at 509-527-5596.