Tuesday, December 5, 2023

This past weekend, Whitman College Debate & Forensics finished the fall semester with first place finishes across the board at the Big Tent online debate tournament.

In the National Parliamentary Debate Association/National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence varsity event, Whitman’s parliamentary debaters finished in the four top spots of the tournament, the team’s third closeout of the semester. The co-champion teams were: Kyle Mathy ’25 & Heather Romero Michel ’27, Alexa Grechishkin ’25 & Wren Snow ’27, Grace Canny ’24 & Kasey Moulton ’24 and Jas Liu ’24 & Sophia Pilling ’26. 

In the International Public Debate Association novice event, Grace Hardy ’27, Ada Adler ’25 and Louis Stark ’27 closed out the bracket for their first closeout of the year. Dylan Koerselman ’27 took first place in the junior varsity division.

Whitman Debate & Forensics will continue their season at the University of Utah in January.

Recent Whitman graduate Devon Player ’23 was interviewed in a recent University Business article titled “How community engagement is helping these colleges develop student career readiness.” Player credits her budding career at the Walla Walla Community Council to the support she received from the Career and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) while at Whitman College. 

Associate Professor of Theatre Daniel Schindler will present “The Virginia City Players Oral History Project” on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. In this virtual event (free registration), Schindler will discuss work he did this summer as a research partner with Montana State University Special Collections to document oral histories from the Virginia City Players—the longest-running summer theater west of the Mississippi.

Need a break as you finish out your classes for the semester? Security, Scheduling & Events and Environmental Health and Safety will host a Destress Event with dogs (from Blue Mountain Humane Society), hot cocoa and crafts, on Wednesday, Dec. 6 from 3–5 p.m. at the Technology Services Building. (Flyer attached.) The Welty Student Health Center and the Wellness Interest House will host a Destress Event with cats (from Blue Mountain Humane Society), cookies and crafts on Thursday, Dec. 7 from 5–7 p.m. (Flyer attached.) 

The Career and Community Engagement Center seeks volunteers to wrap gifts on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Cordiner Hall foyer (RSVP). The gifts are for local families and were purchased for Whitman’s Annual Walla Walla Family Gift Drive, a collaboration with Blue Mountain Heart to Heart, Lincoln High School and incarcerated communities in the Washington State Penitentiary. Holiday treats and warm beverages will be provided. (Flyer attached.)

The deadline to apply to be a session leader for the 2024 Power & Privilege Symposium has been extended to Sunday, Dec. 10. Participation is open to all Whitman students, staff and faculty. (Flyer attached.)

This past weekend, two Blues swimmers set meet records at the Vandal Invite at University of Idaho. Ian McClelland ’26 (pictured) set a record time of 51.96 in the 100 Butterfly. John Leeds ’25 set a record time of 1:44:17 in the 200 Freestyle. Go Blues!

Noon

Info Session: Whitman Internship Grant

Reid Campus Center, Room 207 (RSVP)

12:10–12:50 p.m.

Movement That Matters: MELT

Sherwood Athletic Center

3 p.m.

Info Session: Working Abroad in Japan

Olin Hall, Chikurakken (Tea Room)

6 p.m.

Homo for the Holidays

Glover Alston Center

7–9 p.m.

Contra Dance

Reid Campus Center, Young Ballroom

Would you like to share an event with campus? Submit the information to the Events Calendar.

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