Whitman Stories

Brit Moss, Associate Professor of Biology and Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (BBMB) at Whitman, conducts student research in the Moss Lab. Moss is a non-traditional, first-generation college student who says she enjoys having a front-row seat to young people discovering their passion for science.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Shampa Biswas, the Judge and Mrs. Timothy A. Paul Chair of Political Science and Professor of Politics, knew it was a historic moment in global politics—and she wanted to give students a space to learn, think and talk about it.

In 1947, India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. An exhibition curated by Associate Professor of Art History Krista Gulbransen in the spring of 2023 at Whitman College’s Maxey Museum maps out the historical, political, social and geographical factors and forces at play: “Mapping India: Colonialism, Nationalism, and the Partition of South Asia.”

For Kanesha Johnson ’23, Whitman College initially felt completely out of reach. After spending her teenage years in foster care, dropping out of college and taking community college classes while juggling multiple jobs and a family, she knew she needed her bachelor’s degree but saw herself enrolling in an online program.

A Whitman College alumna takes an active approach to educating others about climate change. Kim Smith ’90 started her journey as a sociologist and environmentalist at Whitman and has carried that work on by educating others with her motto educate, empower, engage.

The Whitman College Community Fellow Program is celebrating 10 years of serving the Walla Walla community and helping students gain valuable professional and life experience. The fellow program is community-driven—local nonprofits, schools and government organizations propose projects, and a CCEC committee selects up to 10 partner initiatives each year.

Whitman College students volunteer at the local SOS Health Services Clinic to gain valuable experience in the medical field. The SOS Clinic provides health care services to individuals with inadequate health insurance in the Walla Walla Valley, regardless of citizenship status.

At the end of the 2022-2023 academic year, Peter Harvey ’84 is retiring. Harvey served 25 years as Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (CFO)—longer than anyone in that role in the history of the college. He began working for Whitman College in 1991 and was promoted to CFO in 1998. Among Harvey’s significant achievements was leading an investment of $125 million for new construction and renovation.

Here’s a preview of how the college and Whitman community will commemorate Whitman College’s 137th Commencement—and celebrate the exceptional accomplishments and bright futures of its Class of 2023.

Whitman College student Bertine Lakjohn ’23 sits down with Whitman Magazine to answer five questions about youth climate activism.