Whitman in China celebrates 30 years of inspiring alumni to think globally

From left: Allison Munn '11, Dan Luecke '11, Kai Tamulonis '11 and Tumisang Mothei '11 in Changsha, Hunan Province. This year's batch of Whitman in China teachers recently attended a professional conference on how to teach English sponsored by the China Teacher Consortium. (Look closely and you'll see some elderly Chinese people ballroom dancing in the background. According to Brick, this is not an uncommon sight in the evenings in Chinese cities.)

In a constantly shrinking world, Whitman strives to help its students become global citizens. This year, the Whitman in China program celebrates thirty years of doing just that.

To date, more than 160 Whitman alumni have spent a year teaching English at a Chinese university through Whitman in China – and many say it helped prepare them for graduate school and careers.

“I don't think it's an understatement to say that my life today was extremely influenced by my experience with Whitman in China,” said Jeff Knezovich ’04, who now works at a research consortium focusing on global health services.

In 1982, following China’s cultural revolution of the 1970s, Whitman professor David Deal took a group of Walla Walla wheat farmers on an educational tour of China to learn about Chinese agricultural practices. These farmers were so inspired by the trip that they provided the start-up funding for what would become Whitman in China.

Susan Holme Brick, director of off-campus studies, believes that Whitman in China has greatly influenced its participants.

“For some alumni, teaching in China has really jumpstarted their careers,” she said. “Whitties are lucky to have the opportunity to learn about China beyond coursework and regular study abroad by being able to work in China.”

Whitman in China participants teach English at one of three Chinese universities: Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi’an, Shantou University in Guangdong Province and Yunnan University in Kunming.

Chantal Stieber '08 attends the annual Ice Festival in Harbin, China.

Several Whitman in China alumni have gone on to pursue careers closely related to their time in China. Peter Wonacott ’89 currently works as a journalist for the Wall Street Journal Asia. Susan McCarthy ’87 is a professor of political science with a China focus at Providence College in Rhode Island.

For Whitman anthropology professor Chas McKhann ’79, who went on one of the first Whitman in China trips, his experience inspired him to pursue his current academic specialty in Chinese ethnic minorities.

“I just fell in love with what I saw there,” he said.

Alumnus Matt Van Osdol ’04 also fell in love in China—he met his wife there while teaching English at Shantou University.

“My experience there has truly shaped my world-view and given me additional perspectives on how I think about both things in my everyday life and the world at large,” he said.

Van Osdol’s Whitman in China experience also informed his career path. After teaching at Shantou University for two years, he worked for a local pharmaceutical company. Now he is working towards his MBA at the University of Washington.

Knezovich made connections with someone from the London School of Economics during his time in China. He went on to get his MA there.

“I got my foot in the door there through a connection at the London School of Economics who I met because, one night a few years previous, she decided to do a headstand on a bar in Beijing,” he said.

Knezovich has fond memories of his Whitman in China experience.

“One of my favorite courses was American Culture and History, which was taught to juniors and seniors at the university,” he said. “In addition to lectures, I was able to host weekly movie evenings, demonstrate some American cooking and even give a swing dance demonstration. Who ever said teaching was boring?”

—Karah Kemmerly '14