Whitman Stories

Amid a global pandemic, Steve McConnell ’85, a software engineer and data scientist, was frustrated with his inability to understand what was going on. He encountered what he saw as biased and unreliable data.

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education recently announced that it will be investigating Princeton University for possible misrepresentations in its reports of adherence to federal non-discrimination law because its president publicly recognized that historic racism has been embedded in the institution over time.

From writing letters to pen pals at Washington Odd Fellows Home through the Adopt-A-Grandparent program to recording children’s books in Spanish through the Storytime Project, Whitties are continuing the tradition of community engagement despite distance learning.

Whitman College invites interested students to submit academic information and financial data before they apply, so they can see how much money in scholarships and financial aid they'll be awarded if admitted. This option is especially useful for students considering applying early decision.

She notes that the shift toward college students studying at home due to COVID-19 challenges traditional definitions of adulthood. "The criteria might change. There might be less emphasis on geographic independence to be an adult."

She appeared on the Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell to talk about mail in voting in her state and refute claims that it leads to fraud.

U.S. News evaluated more than 1,400 colleges and universities on 17 indicators of academic quality. The data used for the rankings was gathered in spring and early summer 2020.

Due to the pandemic, college students across the country are adjusting to living and studying at home again rather than on campus. Janning provides context and advice for families navigating this new normal.

The seats inside Harper Joy Theatre may not be filled with audiences this fall. The stages may remain empty. But that doesn’t mean that the Department of Theater and Dance isn’t actively working to produce meaningful art. In fact, new department Chair Laura Hope, associate professor of theater, is excited to see the new types of performances and pieces created over fall semester.

Whitman College faculty members who received tenure or promotion to full professor for the 2020-2021 academic year answered questions about their areas of expertise, their passions and what they love about Whitman students.

Whitman College students are known for their passion for serving the Walla Walla community. But this summer, more than a dozen students were able to explore community engagement in a new, more holistic model thanks to a community-engaged learning grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Caity Collins ’08 has spent her career studying families, starting during her time at Whitman College. The sociology major began with a research project with Professor Michelle Janning, looking at the way that divorce was represented in children’s rooms.