Whitman Stories

Thanks to the generous $3 million gift, work will begin this summer on a renovated, fully accessible auditorium in Maxey Hall—one of the college’s premier gathering spaces on campus.

Upward Together: The Campaign for Whitman College hit its $200 million goal one year ahead of schedule thanks to 15,292 alumni, family and friends who made gifts of all amounts. The campaign marks the most ambitious philanthropic endeavor in the history of the college—and we’re not done!

Longtime Whitman College supporters Andy Braff ’00 and Marissa Sprank Braff ’00 honor their eastern Washington roots and hope to help more students from the region attend the college through a new scholarship endowment.

As a Whitman College student, Willem Rasmussen ’15 co-founded Snakes Alive to introduce children to herpetology through the Science Outreach program. Today, he continues to promote a passion for science with annual gifts to the Biology Department.

Former Blues tennis players Amy Ly ’06 and Steven Ly ’07 found a top-notch education and the opportunity to pursue the sports they love at Whitman College. It’s why they’ve prioritized giving back to the college ever since.

Watch Stegner Hall in Whitman College's Junior-Senior Village get its top beam. President Sarah Bolton shares her gratitude for the generous donors—to the Upward Together campaign—who are making this exciting project possible and the dedicated teams who brought this vision to life. She also shares this exciting update with current students—the future residents of the village—which will open in August 2025.

Jim Dow ’71 and Natalie Meacham established the John and Shauna Lilly Bogley Scholarship Endowment to honor the couple’s years of service to Whitman College.

Beth Long Salaguinto ’88 and David M. Salaguinto Jr. ’87 established the Salaguinto Family Internship Endowment to help ensure that Whitman College students have the opportunity to gain practical experience and grow their professional network.

A generous gift from an anonymous donor has launched the Baker Family Whitman Experience Fund, which will help students access activities like the Outdoor Program, sorority and fraternity life, field trips and more.

With their new endowment, Charlie Nelson ’83 and Patti Hankel Nelson ’85 are helping to ensure continuous financing for the Bob Carson Outdoor Program Fund, which aims to make outdoor adventures financially accessible to all Whitman students.

Christina and Peter Dawson, parents of Adam Dawson ’16, were inspired by their son’s Whitman experience to dedicate their gift to enriching campus life by supporting a transformative campus project: the new junior-senior residential village.

Whitman gave Wing Lam ’12 confidence in her own voice, versatile skills that led to a thriving tech career and lifelong friendships. It’s why she’s committed to giving today’s students the same opportunities.