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The Campaign for Whitman College

Rising to the challenge

Pursuing Our Highest Peak Yet

The Upward Together campaign is a compelling and collective effort to elevate and enhance a Whitman College education for generations of students—tomorrow's thinkers, leaders and changemakers. It’s time to build on Whitman’s historic strengths while seizing new opportunities before us. Join us as we move Whitman forward and go upward, together. 

Our Priorities

Together, we will expand access and affordability; magnify academic excellence and distinction; foster a vibrant campus community; advance diversity, equity and inclusion; and launch strong graduates into meaningful careers.

Access & Affordability Expand Access & Affordability

A bold pledge to meet the full financial need of all Whitman students—opening our doors wider to the most talented, motivated and deserving.

academic excellence Academic Excellence & Distinction

A commitment to advancing academic programs, student-faculty research and experiential learning that will inspire students to choose Whitman and prepare them for great futures.

vibrant campus Vibrant Campus Community

A historic investment in residential life, community-building, wellness and athletics to ensure that students connect and flourish.

Advancing DEIA Advancing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

A dedicated focus on programs that foster diversity, inclusion and belonging so that all members
of our community thrive.

Strong Launches Strong Graduate Launches for All Students

A heightened effort to help students explore careers, find their passions and create opportunities for postgraduate success and impact.

The Whitman Fund The Whitman Fund

A collective endeavor to meet our students’ immediate needs.

Join Our Campaign

We’re Getting There Together

$ 200 M
Our Goal
$ 148 M
Dollars Raised
13834
Total Donors

Stories of Impact

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President Sarah R. Bolton toasts the new Robart Hall during the Seattle Reception

Whitman Names Robart Hall Following Leadership Gift to Student Village

Whitman College received a leadership gift for a new junior-senior residential village and will name a hall in honor of Judge James Robart ’69. The announcement was made at a November 2023 Seattle event at T-Mobile Park launching the college’s Upward Together campaign.

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More than 1,530 Donors Go ALL IN for Whitman

More than 1,500 alumni, faculty, staff, families and friends supported the college through ALL IN for Whitman giving days in October 2023. The collective effort raised more than $532,500 for scholarships and college’s greatest needs, as well as support for athletics and a broad variety of student-focused programs.

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An architectural rendering of the buildings and outdoor common spaces for the planned Junior-Senior Village.

Whitman’s Vision for a Junior-Senior Village

Whitman College is setting the stage for launching a transformative junior-senior residential village. The Board of Trustees, along with alumni and friends, initiated $10 million in gifts for this innovative project, with a goal of raising $30 million to commence construction.

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A group of Whitman athletes and Whitman community members gathering at the new Whitman turf field

New FieldTurf is an Investment in Excellence For Blue Athletics

This summer, Whitman student-athletes and coaches saw significant facility upgrades. Generous gifts of $3.6 million from alumni and friends led to the installation of a new FieldTurf surface, offering year-round training and competition. The field was dedicated on October 14, 2023, as James Hayner Field in honor of a Whitman trustee and Walla Walla community leader.

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Drew Shoals ’05 plays the drums during the Upward Together celebration.

‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’: Highlights from the Upward Together Launch

Enjoy highlights from the launch of Upward Together: The Campaign for Whitman College. This historic and ambitious campaign will focus on key priorities to enhance and enrich the student experience—from access and affordability to campus life and mental health.

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Roger and Rosemary Knapp stand next to each smiling. They are standing in front of a tree trunk and behind them is green grass and leaves.

The Knapp Family’s Tradition Of Giving

The Knapp family’s connection to Whitman College spans three generations and eight family members over 80 years. Their commitment to the institution is underscored by the establishment of the Knapp Family Scholarship Endowment, which supports underrepresented students at Whitman. Roger and Rosemary Knapp, both Whitman alumni, emphasize the transformative power of education and the value of a liberal arts education.

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Darrell Baggs stands smiling on a balcony with multi-story apartment buildings in the background

Scholarship Supports Small-Town Students Pursuing Big Dreams

Darrell Baggs, a Montana native, broke barriers to attend college due to his mother’s unwavering belief in education. He established the Frances Jane Ford Baggs Scholarship at Whitman College to help students from rural backgrounds access a liberal arts education. Baggs has been a dedicated supporter of Whitman, both financially and through his service on the Board of Overseers. His story epitomizes the enduring impact of a mother’s dream and the transformational power of education.

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Whitman students jumping in excitement in front of a Whitman sign

Whitman Receives $1.5 Million Alumni Gift for Scholarships & Aid

Whitman College received a gift of $1.5 million for student scholarships and aid from Gordon ’68 and Kathy Britt Keane ’67 to support the recently launched Upward Together campaign.

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Generational Threads: One Family’s Journey of Fortitude and Generosity

Esther Hook Milnes ’73, her mother Laura Rodgers Hook Kurtz ’45, and son Douglas Hook Milnes ’02 share a strong connection with Whitman College. Their enduring commitment to giving back has provided scholarships and support to numerous students over nearly five decades.

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The Whitman Community Celebrates Going ‘Upward Together’

The Whitman community came together on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, to celebrate the launch of “Upward Together: The Campaign for Whitman College.” The campaign will focus on key priorities, including access and affordability, academic excellence and a vibrant campus community.

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Upward Together campaign launch

Whitman College Announces Upward Together Campaign

Whitman College announces its largest fundraising campaign in its history: Upward Together: The Campaign for Whitman College. The Whitman College campaign will focus on key priorities, including access and affordability, and academic excellence and distinction.

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Helen and John Logan

Whitman Alumna’s Gift Will Provide Housing Support for Faculty & Staff

Whitman College is grateful to announce a significant gift from a late alumna of the college. More than three decades ago, Helen McAuslan Logan-Schneider ’55 set up a charitable trust that with her passing gives the college ownership of three rental properties near campus which will provide housing support for faculty and staff.

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Whitman Blues new clubhouse

Construction Underway for Baseball Clubhouse at Borleske Stadium

Donor gifts are making possible a new clubhouse facility to serve the Whitman Blues baseball program. Located at Borleske Stadium in Walla Walla, the $3.7 million, 3,300 square-foot clubhouse will include locker and training rooms, as well as recruiting and multipurpose team meeting spaces.

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Architectural rendering of Harvey Hall

Whitman Receives $10 Million in Gifts Toward Harvey Hall and Student Village

The Whitman College Board of Trustees, alumni and friends of the college made gifts of $10 million toward the first building of a student residential village—Harvey Hall—which will be named in honor of the college’s longest-serving Chief Financial Officer Peter Harvey.

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Kathryn Woodburn in lab.

When Giving Back Just Makes Sense

Wendy Sanger McGuire ’77 lives a life of adventure and meaning—and when she did retirement planning, she thought of her alma mater, Whitman College.

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New field turf

Whitman College to Install FieldTurf Field for Lacrosse and Soccer

Whitman College intercollegiate soccer and lacrosse teams will train and compete year-round on a new FieldTurf synthetic field starting in the fall 2023 season. 

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photo of Ankeny Field on Whitman College campus

Historic Gift Meets Full Financial Need for Washington Students

A $10 million gift from the late emeritus professor J. Walter “Walt” Weingart and Kathie Weingart will establish a scholarship endowment to meet the full financial need of students from the state of Washington starting with first-years in the fall of 2023.

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Computer Science students discussing a project.

$2 Million Gift Endows Kathleen M. Murray Chair in Computer Science

A gift from Christina and Peter Dawson, parents of Adam Dawson ’16, will enable the college to expand the department toward providing students with increasingly critical digital skills.

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Nancy and Greg Serrurier, parents to Ben Serrurier ’11, have established the Serrurier Life After Whitman Endowment to transform the way Whitman students prepare for callings and careers, beginning with the Class of 2025 pilot program.

$5 Million Gift Reshapes Student Career Preparation

Nancy and Greg Serrurier, parents to Ben Serrurier ’11, have established the Serrurier Life After Whitman Endowment to transform the way Whitman students prepare for callings and careers, beginning with the Class of 2025 pilot program.

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Three dozen original Emile Lahner pieces donated to Whitman College

Whitman College will celebrate the addition of 36 original drawings and paintings by European artist Emile Lahner to its permanent collection with a special reception this month.

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Whittie Internships 2013

Whitman Internship Program provides students with experiential learning opportunities

For many college students, internships are the first step toward finding jobs after graduation.

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Sherwood grant expands internship endowment for Whitman students

The $235,000 grant is a continuation of last year's grant, which established the Sherwood Trust Internship Endowment and enabled the college to launch its popular Community Fellows program.

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Whitman College Students

Pacific Power Foundation grant supports science tutoring in Walla Walla

A new, $3,500 grant from the Pacific Power Foundation will allow Whitman students to serve as tutors for Walla Walla High School AP science students.

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Mellon Foundation grant supports academic excellence through faculty strength

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has approved a grant of $800,000 to support Whitman’s ongoing efforts to upgrade long-term adjunct faculty positions to tenure-track appointments and to strengthen library holdings in the fields in which these faculty members teach.

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Record giving in 2011-12 affirms campaign and college priorities

Record giving in 2011-12 affirms campaign and college priorities

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Upward Pathways

Extraordinary Journeys Into the World

Our alumni’s diverse student experiences and career paths showcase the transformative power of a Whitman education. Explore how your gifts shape lives and empower Whitties to excel and make a difference in the world.

Klaudia Kyjovska ’22

Klaudia Kyjovska ’22

Klaudia Kyjovska ’22 started at Whitman with an interest in economics. Now, at Trilogy Search Partners, she works every day with other Whitties to advance people’s dreams.

Grace Fashanu ’22

Grace Fashanu ’22

At Whitman, Grace Fashanu was a student-leader building communities grounded in justice for all. Now at the FDIC, she works daily to apply that value in the banking industry.

Cameron Conner ’20

Cameron Conner ’20

Cameron Conner ’20 was a student leader passionate about making a difference. As a Watson Fellow, Conner examines how communities come together to meet their needs.

Salma Anguiano ’22

Salma Anguiano ’22

Serving as a advocate in her community and at Whitman, Salma Anguaino ’22 is still learning about how to help others near and far.

Juan Pablo Liendo ’21

Juan Pablo Liendo ’21

At Whitman, Juan Pablo Liendo ’21 was a student-leader curious about making impactful change. Now, at the Seattle Foundation he works daily to foster that change.

Arthur Shemitz ’17

Arthur Shemitz ’17

Inspired by policymaking while he was a student, Arthur Shemitz ’17 goes the extra mile to reimagine government at the Centre for Public Impact.

Heather Lovelace ’15

Heather Lovelace ’15

Called to medicine since she stepped foot on campus, Heather Lovelace ’15 works every day toward getting others healthy and moving again.

Tyler Calkin-Low ’09

Tyler Calkin-Low ’09

Now teaching those whose shoes he was once in, Tyler Calkin-Low ’09 continues to build a career in art, drawing inspiration from his Whitman education.

Fifty Under 50

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Jeff Razwick

Jeff Razwick ’98

Jeff Razwick made a generous commitment to Upward Together to help bring a new competition training surface to Whitman for the varsity lacrosse and soccer teams.

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Jeremy Floberg and Sara Sakamoto

Jeremy Floberg ’95 & Sara Sakamoto ’98

Jeremy Floberg and Sara Sakamoto are excited to support the junior-senior residential village and the naming of Harvey Hall.

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Sarah Wang

Sarah Wang ’89

Sarah Wang has generously supported the First Opportunity Scholarship; the junior-senior residential village; diversity, equity and inclusion; and the W Club.

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Court Wyckoff ’00

Court Wyckoff ’00

Court Wyckoff and his family made a generous investment through Upward Together to help bring a new turf field to Whitman for Blues athletes.

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Tricia and Paul Montgomery

Paul Montgomery ’89 & Tricia Putnam Montgomery ’90

Paul Montgomery and Tricia Putnam Montgomery created an internship endowment to provide student stipends for unpaid internships.

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Leigh Ann Lucero ’91

Leigh Ann Lucero ’91

Leigh Ann Lucero and her husband created a scholarship endowment to help make a Whitman education accessible for students of all walks of life.

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Daniele Garbe Reser

Danielle Garbe Reser ’97

Danielle Garbe Reser is dedicated to investing both in the college’s greatest needs and in scholarship programs that make a Whitman education accessible for more students.

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Aaron Perrine ’99

Aaron Perrine ’99

Aaron Perrine and his wife are making a gift to help realize Harvey Hall and a new junior-senior residential village on campus.

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Eric Jacks

Eric Jacks ’03

Eric Jacks has donated to Whitman annually since he graduated. He and his wife support The Whitman Fund through unrestricted gifts.

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Andrew Davis

Andrew Davis ’18

Andrew Davis made a generous multiyear pledge to The Whitman Fund designated to scholarship aid and internships.

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Jed Schwendiman ’92 and Paea LePendu ’96

Jed Schwendiman ’92 and Paea LePendu ’96

Jed Schwendiman ’92 and Paea LePendu ’96, who both have careers in higher education, support a variety of Whitman programs because of their great experiences on campus.

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Interested in Going Upward Together for Whitman Students?

You can make a gift through a variety of ways to meet your financial and philanthropic goals. To request a conversation with a development officer, please contact us at 509-527-5165 or .

To make a gift online now with your credit card:

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