Whitman Stories
May 9, 2025
Scenes From the 2nd Annual Pášxapa Powwow
On Saturday, May 3, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and Whitman College celebrated the second annual Pášx̣apa Powwow at Sherwood Athletic Center.
Learn More
May 2, 2025
Caine Ryan ’26: Studying Unexplored Species [Video]
Follow junior Caine Ryan behind the scenes at the CTUIR Mussel and Lamprey Lab. From spawning rare lamprey to studying Pacific freshwater mussels, Ryan’s work blends science with cultural significance, offering real-world experience that can’t be taught from a textbook.
Learn More
April 25, 2025
Whitman College to Host Second Annual Pášx̣apa Powwow on May 3
This vibrant celebration of Native American culture and community will feature dancing, drumming, singing and special competitions, with participation from tribal nations across the Pacific Northwest. The powwow and three educational presentations leading up to the event are free and open to the public.
Learn More
April 2, 2025
Former National Park Service Director Chuck Sams to Address Whitman’s Class of 2025
Enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and former Director of the National Park Service, Chuck Sams will speak at Whitman College’s 2025 commencement ceremony on May 25.
Learn More
November 22, 2024
Whitman College Hosts Inaugural First Foods Festival
Whitman College hosted the First Foods Festival on Nov. 9. The event offered activities and education about the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation and their exciting initiatives for environmental stewardship.
Learn More
November 11, 2024
President Bolton Highlights Whitman’s Unique Curriculum at Family Weekend
Whitman College welcomed visitors to campus for Family Weekend last month. President Bolton kicked off the events with an informative Q&A, touching on the curriculum, campus climate and more.
Learn More
October 22, 2024
‘Spirit Run’ Author Noé Álvarez ’07 To Read at Whitman
The Whitman alum returns to campus this week as a featured author for the 2024–2025 Visiting Writers Reading Series. In his memoirs, Álvarez explores his relationship to nature, spirituality, and his Mexican and Indigenous heritage.
Learn More
July 3, 2024
CTUIR Students Earn Full Scholarships to Whitman College
Three Native American students received the Šináata Scholarship created in partnership by Whitman College and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Learn More
May 24, 2024
Landscape Course Encourages Students to Reenvision the Whitman Campus
As a student, recent graduate Quinn Miller ’24 created a biology course, Campus Landscape: A Living Laboratory that was offered to fellow students in Spring 2024. The course and lab focused on developing projects that helped reintroduce native plants and Indigenous culture into the Whitman College campus.
Learn More
April 11, 2024
Inaugural Salmon Film Festival: A Cultural Celebration
With a combination of film screenings, tribal speakers, cultural performances, traditional salmon bake, and ceremonies, the Salmon Film Festival is designed to educate, inspire and celebrate the heritage of regional Indigenous communities. All festival events, taking place April 12 and 13, on Whitman’s campus, are free and open to the public.
Learn More
January 12, 2024
Alum Roger Amerman Brings Native American Heritage to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Classroom
Roger Amerman ’80 is a Choctaw beadworker who brought his expertise to the Marvel series "Echo." Now he's returning to Whitman as the O'Donnell Visiting Educator in Global Studies for Spring 2024. Amerman will teach a new course delving into the paleo-history, history and ethnogeology of salmon-centric Tribal Peoples in the southern Columbia River Plateau.
Learn More
November 22, 2023
Pášx̣apa Powwow Celebrates Culture and Collaboration
Whitman College, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and Walla Walla Community College partnered to host the inaugural Pášx̣apa Powwow. More than 400 people came from three states and five tribal communities to attend this monumental event.
Learn More