Whitman Stories

April 27, 2021
Mom Really Knew Best: 2021 Graduate Reflects on His Whitman Journey
The first time that Maamoon Saleh, from Kent, Washington, travelled to Walla Walla—or anywhere on the eastside of the state—was late at night following his senior high school district track meet. Now, as a soon-to-graduate senior, Saleh reflects on his Whitman journey.
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April 26, 2021
New Outdoors Club Creates Welcoming Space for Students of Color at Whitman
Whitman’s recently founded BIPOC Outdoors Club seeks to create a welcoming and accessible space on campus for students of color to experience outdoor recreation. The idea of founding an outdoor club for Whitman’s students of color population came up during a meeting between the four outreach coordinators for Whitman’s climbing gym last semester.
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April 19, 2021
Assistant Professor of Film and Media Studies Tarik Elseewi Comments on Diversity in Academy Award Categories
"We as a society have to think long and deep about what diversity actually means," Elseewi says. "If it is simply a formal inclusion of different races or genders, then the problems of inequality we face now will never change."
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April 16, 2021
Whitman’s International Student Enrollment Strengthened by Financial Support
Whitman’s promise of diversity in student nationalities has led to a rise in international student enrollment over the past decade, supported by the college’s policy to meet international students’ full financial need.
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April 15, 2021
Virtual Undergraduate Conference Sparks Engaging Discourse
In its 23rd year, the Whitman Undergraduate Conference is an opportunity for students to present their original research from classes, senior theses, study abroad projects and summer internships. The 2021 conference showcased the work of 118 students and, adapting to the times, was held virtually. Presentations were pre-recorded and shown during the 16 panels, followed by a live question-and-answer session with attendees.
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April 14, 2021
Tiny House, Big Effort
Just a month into his senior year at Whitman, Brayden Preskenis received a phone call from his father. The region of Oregon where he grew up was on fire. Wanting to do something for his community, Preskenis decided he would build a tiny house on a trailer in Walla Walla and drive it to Ashland, Oregon, where it would become the home of a family who had lost theirs in the fire.
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April 14, 2021
Tommy Lloyd '98 Named Head Men's Basketball Coach at University of Arizona
After graduating from Whitman with a degree in biology, Lloyd was an assistant coach at Gonzaga for 20 seasons and a huge part of the that team’s success on the national stage.
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April 12, 2021
‘Getting Into Fishy Business’ Whitman Alum Tyler Dann ’00 manages salmon populations in Alaska
Fishing has always been an important part of Tyler Dann's life. After graduating from Whitman in 2000 with a degree in environmental studies politics, Dann knew he wanted a career in natural resource management, but wasn't sure where to start. Now, as a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington and a fisheries geneticist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Dann has found his passion and his career path.
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April 10, 2021
David Nord Award Funds Projects Supporting LGBTQ Community at Whitman
For more than 20 years, the David Nord Award has been presented to Whitman students, faculty and staff to support scholarly projects on issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community. The Intercultural Center looks for on-campus projects that engage with important issues through a variety of creative mediums. Over the years, the award has supported everything from plays to research projects.
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April 2, 2021
Senator Patty Murray and Whitman Students Discuss Health Equity
In a special virtual event for the Whitman community, Washington State Senator Patty Murray took part in a panel discussion. The discourse centered on a report authored by Murray’s office titled “COVID-19 & Achieving Health Equity: Congressional Action Is Necessary To Address Racism And Inequality In The U.S. Health Care System.”
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April 1, 2021
‘Banking on Whitman’ Rosendo Guizar ’94 credits his high school librarian, Darcy Judd Wyant Ahlquist ’54, with his success
Baker Boyer Bank's Chief Credit Officer Rosendo Guizar ’94 credits his success to the encouragement and guidance he received from his high school librarian, Darcy Judd Wyant Ahlquist ’54.
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March 26, 2021
Labyrinth Adds Interfaith Outdoor Space to Whitman Campus
Whitman College has a new interfaith outdoor space on campus. In early March, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life led the installation of a labyrinth behind Marcus House and the campus bike shop on Shady Rill Street.
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