Monday, September 26, 2022

The following is an excerpt from "Heart of a Champion" a story by Pam Moore featured in the upcoming Fall issue of Whitman Magazine:

 

Tanner Filion ’23 won the NCAA Division III National Championships in the 200 backstroke in a record-breaking performance he never saw coming. The then junior’s time of 1:41.49 not only smashed the previous record by two seconds, it was a hairsbreadth from the qualifying time for Division I Nationals. Filion also made Whitman history as one of only two Blues to win a national championship in any sport.

 

After eating eggs for breakfast for eight consecutive days, on the morning of the 200 backstroke the psychology (pre-med) major opted for a bagel. The extra carbs might have played a role in supercharging his swimming that day, but Filion attributes his solo win that day to another thing that fuels him—his teammates’ and coaches’ unwavering encouragement and support.

 

read the full article

Noteworthy

President Sarah Bolton was published in the Union-Bulletin this weekend. In her commentary, Bolton reflects on her arrival to campus and celebrates Whitman's many connections to the Walla Walla community.

Baker Ferguson Professor of Politics and Leadership Emeritus Timothy Kaufman-Osborn has published an essay titled "Challenging the Faithless Trustees of Seattle Pacific University." The essay explores a recent lawsuit aimed at forcing the removal of trustees at Seattle Pacific University because of their perpetuation of anti-LGBTQIA+ policies. Kaufman-Osborn commends those bringing the suit but also argues that their challenge fails to question the structural constitution of power that enables governing boards to adopt and maintain such policies.

 

Whitman's employee wellness program Movement That Matter (MTM) will start up again soon, with a 10-week Fall Sampler Session from Monday, Oct. 3 through Friday, Dec. 16. Five classes will be available each week during the noon hour: Pilates, Yoga, Cardio, Strength & Stretch and MELT.

• $25 enrollment fee (Whitman pays the rest of the costs)
• Location: Sherwood Athletic Center
• Register online

Questions? Email Laura Cummings. 

Employees are invited to join a free walking moai organized by the Blue Zones Project. Walkers will meet at the fish statue near the tennis courts every Wednesday for 10 weeks starting Oct. 5 at the times listed below.

• 10-10:15 a.m. (sign up)
• 12:10-12:50 p.m. (sign up)
• 2-2:15 p.m. (sign up)

The Judd D. Kimball Endowed Lecture Series: Transforming Classics begins tomorrow at 5 p.m. with "Race and Ethnicity in Greco-Roman Antiquity," Speaker Rebecca Futo Kennedy is an associate professor of classical studies at Denison University. (Register to attend on Zoom.) The lecture series will continue on Oct. 18, Oct. 25, and Nov. 8. All lectures will be free, virtual and open to the public.

As a reminder, the new Omicron-specific COVID-19 boosters by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will be required for all eligible Whitman students, faculty and staff by December 31. Availability of the new boosters is increasing locally, and can be verified online (filter by "bivalent booster"). Exemptions will continue to be offered for medical and religious reasons as well as for those who wish to delay getting the booster until it is no longer under emergency use authorization. Stay tuned for instructions on confirming your updated booster information.

COVID-19 Updates

In accordance with Washington state Labor & Industries employer requirements, we are notifying the campus community that over the weekend, four people with Whitman access were confirmed positive for COVID-19.

 

Correction: The email version of Friday's Whitman Today incorrectly reported one positive test result instead of five. The online/archive version of the newsletter includes this correction.

 

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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“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.