Thursday, December 2, 2021

Aidan Schutter takes in the view from the top of a church on the island of Christianshavn in Copenhagen.

 

In spite of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fourteen intrepid Whitties have been studying in Whitman Off-Campus Studies (OCS) Partner programs around the world this fall to gain a global perspective in various disciplines. Step into their worlds for a moment through insightful blogs from Aidan Schutter, Ella Veljovich, Natalie Ritter and Olivia Myers.

 

Fall 2021 OCS Participants:

• Tillman Amstutz (senior; French language and literature) and Ella Veljovich (junior, biology): French studies in Nantes, France
• Jacob Grisham (senior; history) and Kat Boys-Kirgis (junior; history and music): history at University of St Andrews in Scotland
• Liam Failor-Wass (junior; politics): migration studies in Rabat, Morocco
• Michael Lans (senior; physics) and Irene Tsai (junior; Japanese and psychology): engineering and psychology in Stockholm, Sweden
• Aidan Miller (senior; politics): United States politics and House of Representatives internship at the American University Washington Semester Program in Washington, D.C.
• Olivia Myers (junior; German studies and environmental humanities): German studies at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany
• Natalie Ritter (junior; biology): marine resource management in Turks and Caicos
• Aidan Schutter (junior; BBMB) and Delaney Talovic (junior; biology-environmental studies): human health and climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark
• Anika Vucicevic (junior; physics-astronomy): astronomy and physics at University College London, England

Noteworthy

Mitchell Retiring After More Than 30 Years at Whitman

Nancy Mitchell is retiring after 36 years as director of alumni relations. Her decades of service touched generations of alumni through reunions, events across the nation and alumni trips spanning the globe. “Nancy’s depth of service to Whitman College is truly extraordinary,” says Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Steve Setchell. “We cannot thank her enough for forging and sustaining countless alumni relationships that have strengthened the college and advanced our work to change the lives of young people.” The Whitman community is invited to celebrate Mitchell at a party at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 14 on the side lawn of Baker Center.

Northam Promoted to Director of Alumni Relations

Jennifer Dilworth Northam, a 1991 Whitman graduate, member of the alumni relations staff and a Walla Walla community leader, began serving as the college’s director of alumni relations yesterday, Dec. 1. “Along with a depth of Whitman and Walla Walla experiences and relationships, Jennifer brings an exceptional energy and charisma to this important leadership role,” says Steve Setchell, vice president for development and alumni relations. “I am eager to partner with Jennifer and to see what she will deliver for the college and with our loyal alumni.”

Uddin Essay Published in Journal on Black Art

Lisa Uddin, associate professor of art history and visual culture studies, published "Black One Shot and the Art of Blackness," in the new open-access liquid blackness: journal of aesthetics and black studies. The essay reflects on her co-edited art criticism series with Associate Professor of Film at the City College of New York Michael B. Gillespie, which solicits 1,000 words on a work of black art, broadly conceived, from emerging and established scholars and curators. 

Whitman Students Represent at Northwest Singing Auditions

On Saturday Nov. 13, five students represented Whitman College at the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Auditions – Inland Northwest Chapter: Cade Gordon (first-year; undeclared), Aziz Sahbazovic (sophomore; music), Carmel Stephen (first-year; undeclared), David Kretz (first-year; undeclared) and Leisha Casimoro (senior; music performance). Two of these highly talented students advanced to the highly competitive final round, with Kretz placing third and Casimoro first in their respective categories.

Wind-Up Birds to Perform at Local Theatre

Student band Wind-Up Birds is hosting a concert at the Gesa Power House Theatre in Walla Walla on Saturday, Dec. 4. The band is playing all original music from their album "Sweet Dreams, Goodnight" as well as some new unreleased songs. The group features band leaders Mo Dow (junior; music composition) on guitars and vocals and Zac Bentz (junior; film and media studies) on piano and synth, with Carsten Wallace-Bailey (first-year; undeclared) on guitar, Mia Castrina (first-year; undeclared) on bass, Jonah Panzer (sophomore; undeclared) on saxophone, Leander Swan (junior; sociology-environmental studies) on trumpet and Aniruddh (Rudy) Gupta (first-year; undeclared) on drums.

Positive COVID-19 cases in our campus community are noted in Whitman Today in compliance with state regulations. We also update the data in our COVID-19 Dashboard every Monday.

 

In accordance with Washington state Labor & Industries employer requirements, we are notifying the campus community that in the past 24 hours, a person with Whitman access was confirmed positive for COVID-19. This person is now in isolation for 10 days in accordance with our campus and CDC guidelines. Though the likelihood of transmission is low due to our campus COVID-19 protocols, it is possible that others may have been exposed to COVID-19. There is nothing you need to do at this time aside from following our campus COVID-19 protocols. Anyone identified through the contact tracing process as a close contact (within 6 ft. for at least 15 minutes over 24 hours) will be personally notified. 

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