Earlier this week, some of our newest class of Whitties took part in Whitman’s first-ever Game Expo.
First Year Seminar students in the Games learning community filled Reid Ballroom to play board games they had created as a final project in their fall course. Some students were inspired by their intended major or career ambitions, while others themed their game on campus experiences. One group of students even took a globally inclusive approach with a game celebrating the different languages spoken on campus.
“We were playing a different game about guessing random words when we realized we all speak a different language, so we thought why not make a game that celebrates intercultural communication,” says Amy Li ’27, who intends to major in Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology.
The course isn’t just a play date—it’s a philosophical game-changer that explores connecting games to humanity. Faculty from a wide range of departments—Sharon Alker (English, General Studies), Tim Doyle (General Studies), Moira Gresham (Physics) and Albert Schueller (Mathematics)—taught students to understand the panoply of ideas by guiding them through the mazes of game design, the expansion of cultural representation, and the high scores of complex questions.
“When I was assigned this class, I didn’t know what on earth I would be learning,” said Sophia Freeman ’27, who is from Corbett, Oregon. “When I started reading the textbook, I realized there are a lot of things that we can learn from a simple board game—like ours about Lakum Duckum—that can be applied to life.”
Whitman’s First Year Seminars are designed to immerse students in deep thought and transformative conversations, while helping them gain the skills needed to succeed in college.
