Friday, October 21, 2022

Photo by Janis Be, professor of Hispanic Studies.

 

During the Fall 2022 semester, several faculty and staff members are working with students and community partners on many thoughtful and exciting collaborative projects, which are administered by Whitman's Community-Engaged Learning and Research Initiative (CELRI). Each project is meant to foster innovative teaching and learning experiences for faculty and students, and to build and sustain mutually-beneficial relationships with local organizations and residents. We will highlight several of these projects in Whitman Today throughout the semester. 

 

A Short Story in Community-Engaged Learning:

Visiting Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies Mariana Perez was awarded funding to facilitate a collaborative mural project in downtown Walla Walla. Perez's project, "A Mural, an Identity," involved a team of Whitman students, Lincoln High School students, and the artist Diego Perez (pictured above).

 

This past weekend, as part of the "Festival de Cultura Viva" community event, the group collaboratively painted a wonderful artwork featuring butterflies–a metaphor for migration–in the alleyway of TMACs in downtown Walla Walla. This participatory event was a vital part of a festival meant to celebrate the diversity of Hispanic arts and culture in the Walla Walla Valley. 

 

"I thought that the project was extremely fun and enjoyable!" said Jonathan Becker '26. "As someone who does not consider himself to be artistic, it was a wonderful opportunity to participate in a larger scale art project."

 

Check out the mural on your next walk downtown!

COVID-19 Testing Process

As a reminder, we are currently offering the following COVID-19 testing services for students and employees:

 

Weekday Testing: Students, faculty and staff may pick up a self-administered rapid test kit at the back door of the Welty Student Health Center from 7:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. No appointment necessary.

 

Weekend Testing for Students: Students should self-isolate and mask up when symptoms begin. If symptoms persist after one day, on-campus students should ask their RA for a test, and off-campus students should pick up a test from the Health Center on the next business day. If the test result is negative, continue to wear a mask while symptomatic. If symptoms worsen, test again on day three. If the test is positive, on-campus students should notify their RA in order to be moved to isolation housing, and off-campus students should continue to self-isolate.

 

Weekend Testing for Employees: Employees should utilize local community testing options if available or pick up a test from the Health Center on the next business day. 

 

All students, faculty and staff who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of the testing source, should report the results to the Health Center. In addition, faculty should alert Provost and Dean of Faculty Alzada Tipton, and staff should alert their direct supervisor.

This weekend is Family Weekend. On campus activities will include multiple concerts (Wind-Up Birds, Whitman Sampler, SpeakEasy), athletic games, improv, and more. The full Family Weekend Schedule is available online.

Whitman Friends and Story Time Programs are partnering to help beautify the Green Park Elementary School campus. From 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 (rescheduled from this weekend), volunteers will paint a giant, colorful mural on school grounds, help revive their garden and pick up leaves and trash. Sign up here. (Free donuts and coffee provided.) Bring your parents, siblings and friends! Questions? Email friends@whitman.edu or storytime@whitman.edu.

The Print Services department is available to assist the campus community with a wide variety of copy and print needs: from business cards and letterhead to posters and flyers to t-shirts and promotional items. Instructions for initiating a print project are available on the Print Services website. Please be prepared to provide funding source information (GL number and object code).

The Power & Privilege Symposium is designed to make space for conversations about structural oppression, on campus and beyond, including, but not limited to, racism, sexism, ableism and capitalism. The symposium strives to educate the community about the power structures prevailing around the world, questioning the paradigms which have socialized us. The team organizing this annual event is asking Whitman students, faculty and staff to contribute to the making of this symposium and submit suggestions for the 2023 theme.

Reminder: the rescheduled Academic Majors Fair will happen from 3:30-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26 in the Cordiner Hall Foyer. For more information contact Academic Resource Coordinator Richard Middleton-Kaplan.

Daily COVID-19 Update

In accordance with Washington state Labor & Industries employer requirements, we are notifying the campus community that since yesterday, no one with Whitman access was confirmed positive for COVID-19.

 

Please continue to follow all our campus COVID-19 protocols to help prevent transmission. If you have any symptoms that may be COVID-19 or know that you may have been exposed to coronavirus, please be tested. Additional masks and rapid test kits are available 7:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Welty Student Health Center. 

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Have an event you'd like to share with campus? Submit the information to the Events Calendar.

“Whitman Today” is produced by the Office of Communications and is emailed Monday through Friday to Whitman College staff, faculty and students. All times are listed in Pacific Daylight Time. 

 

All submissions are welcome! If you have accomplishments to celebrate, an event to publicize or other content to share with the Whitman community, email whitmantoday@whitman.edu. Submissions should be 125 words or less. The deadline is noon for the following day's newsletter. Submissions may be edited and/or held for a later date according to space and editorial needs. Your submission also authorizes use on Whitman's social media unless otherwise specified.

 

Previous issues of Whitman Today are archived on our website.