Skip to Content
Whitman College Mobile Logo Upward Together Logo
Home

Whitman Stories

Clear Filters

[Alt] Portraits of Bassett Fellows Ruth Iiyambo (left) and Ishaan Swami (right).

Two Whitman Grads Will Have Global Experiences as 2026 Bassett Fellows

Congratulations to Ruth Iiyambo ’26 and Ishaan Swami ’26, this year’s recipients of the Bassett Fellowship, as they prepare for Whitman’s “mini Watson.” Learn more about their projects and where they’re headed.

June 05, 2026

Selfies of John Bannon (left) and Keenan RiggsTurpin (right)

Two Blues Named 2026 Goldwater Scholars

Whitman College juniors John Bannon and Keenan RiggsTurpin have been named 2026 Goldwater Scholars. This national award recognizes their outstanding promise in STEM research and supports their journey toward leadership in the global scientific community.

June 01, 2026

Sky Pasena-Littlesky receives her diploma from Sarah Bolton

Class of 2026: ‘The World Needs Exactly Who We Are’ [Video]

For the graduates of the Class of 2026—and all the people who’ve supported them on their journey—Sunday’s commencement ceremony was an unforgettable day of celebration and community. Relive the highlights.

May 28, 2026

Graeme Esarey and Janna Cawrse Esarey stand outside Memorial Building with fall foliage in the background

Unmoored by Design: Reimagining Life, Work & Family on the Water

Since they met at Whitman College, entrepreneur Graeme Esarey ’92 and writer Janna Cawrse Esarey ’94 have made an art of balancing career exploration and innovation with epic adventures at sea.

May 27, 2026

A graduate in a blue cap and gown celebrates above a crowd of classmates

Catalysts for Change: The Class of 2026 Celebrates Their Commencement

More than 300 graduates of Whitman College’s Class of 2026 received their diplomas on Sunday, May 24, in a sunny celebration in front of Memorial Building, featuring historian and justice advocate Gwendolyn Trice as commencement speaker.

May 24, 2026

Dancers in traditional Mexican attire perform on an outdoor stage

Whitman & Community Partners To Co-Create Learning Experiences That Center Indigeneity, Immigration & Incarceration

A $1.5 million Humanities for All Times grant from the Mellon Foundation will create opportunities for students to learn from diverse communities in the Walla Walla Valley and understand how studying the humanities can fuel real-world change.

May 21, 2026

An artistic illustration by Patchanop Boonsai of Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, the largest dinosaur discovered in Southeast Asia

Whitman Alum Discovers New Species of Dinosaur in Thailand

Biology-Geology major Thitiwoot “Perth” Sethapanichsakul ’20 identified and described a new species of dinosaur, Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, in Thailand. The discovery was published in Scientific Reports and featured on NPR.

May 19, 2026

An oil painting of an Alutiiq woman holding a small bear in an Alaskan landscape

The Art of Belonging: How a Whittie Artist Connects With Landscape & Legacy

In a career that has spanned continents and decades, artist Linda Infante Lyons ’81 explores her Alutiiq roots, Alaskan history and her deep relationship to the land in her iconic oil paintings.

May 13, 2026

Graduation caps

Whitman College Prepares for 2026 Commencement Weekend

Here’s a preview of how the college and Whitman community will commemorate Whitman College’s 140th Commencement Ceremony—and celebrate the exceptional accomplishments and bright futures of its Class of 2026.

May 12, 2026