Whitman Today
 

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Community Learning Days Event

All Whitman faculty and staff members are invited to attend a Fall 2023 Community Learning Days Event on Monday, Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. to noon in Olin Auditorium.


Michelle M. Jacob, Ph.D., will deliver a presentation titled “Nákxtwishana pxwit, wáwnakwshash, ku wak’íshwit (We are strengthening mind, body and spirit): Inclusive Excellence Honors Indigenous Education.” Jacob is an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, Professor of Indigenous Studies and Co-Director of the Sapsik’wałá Program in the Department of Education Studies at the University of Oregon. She participates in scholarly and activist work that seeks to understand and work toward a holistic sense of health and well-being within Indigenous communities and among allies who wish to engage with decolonization.

Michelle Jacob, a Native American woman with long, dark braids, and wearing a multi-colored traditional outfit.

Jacob has won numerous awards for her scholarship, leadership, mentorship and teaching, including most recently the United Academics Strong Voice Award and the University of Oregon College of Education’s Equity and Inclusion Award. She is the author of seven books and has numerous articles published in social science, education and health science research journals. 

Community Learning Days provide Whitman faculty and staff with access to essential information and valuable learning opportunities prior to the start of each semester. Community Learning Days help faculty and staff prepare for the arrival and return of our students by providing information about the changing needs and demographic profile of Whitman students, while also building capacity to advance inclusive excellence. Previous sessions have focused on strategies to create a more inclusive classroom, cultural taxation and systems of oppression, as well as content to help staff navigate professional boundaries and hierarchies from different social identities.

Please RSVP in advance.

Noteworthy

Biology Professor Presents at Yeast Club Meeting

Associate Professor of Biology and Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Brit Moss recently presented at the first Pacific Northwest Yeast Club which took place in Bellingham. Moss presented on her development and refinement of the Biology 331: Synthetic Cell Biology course—a class that engages students in a semester-long research project using yeast and focuses on what it means to “do” science and “be” a scientist. Students read and present on recent research papers in the field of synthetic biology, learn how scientists acquire funding for their research, write short research grant proposals similar to those submitted to the National Science Foundation, engage in peer review of each other’s proposals and present their final research results in a poster session.

Submit a Noteworthy Announcement

Announcements

Help Welcome New Students Today

Please help us welcome our newest students to campus by lining the sidewalks on both the north and south sides of Sherwood Center at 3:30 p.m. today to cheer them on as they head to Cordiner Hall for a special welcome event.

 

Home in Pásx̣apa Presentation Tomorrow

Whitman College is situated in the Walla Walla Valley, known by the Cayuse and Walla Walla tribes as Pásx̣apa—the place of the balsamroot sunflower. The “Home in Pásx̣apa” student orientation session focuses on the history and heritage of the Walla Walla Valley from a Native American perspective. This year, we are pleased to invite any interested Whitman students, staff and faculty members to attend the session, which will take place on Thursday, Aug. 24 at 2:45 p.m. in Cordiner Hall.

 

Designate a Beneficiary for Retirement Account

Did you know that the beneficiary designation you make on your TIAA 403(b) retirement account takes priority over your will? To add or change your beneficiaries, login to TIAA.org, and select “Beneficiaries” under the “Action” tab. For assistance, call 800-842-2252 or visit the online beneficiary resource center.

Photo Finish

Jocelyn Awe, with dark hair, beard and wearing blue, sits on a weight bench.

Jocelyn Awe is starting his third year as Director of Sports Performance and the Baker Ferguson Fitness Center. Learn about his coaching philosophy and more in “Q&A: Fast 5 with the Director of Sports Performance” from the latest issue of Whitman Magazine.

Happening Today

 

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

New Student Check-In

Reid Campus Center

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Residence Hall Move-In (Group 1)

Residence Halls

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Residence Hall Move-In (Group 2)

Residence Halls

Noon, 12:30, and 1 p.m.

Orientation: Campus Tours

Reid Campus Center

Noon

Orientation: Shopping Shuttle

Reid Campus Center

1–2 p.m.

International Student Support Group

Counseling Center 125

2:30 p.m.

Orientation: Meet Your Opening Week Leader (OWL) Group

Ankeny Field

3:30 p.m.

Welcome Our New Class

Sherwood Center

4 p.m.

New Student & Family Welcome

Cordiner Hall

5:15 p.m.

Orientation: Class of 2027 Group Photo

Cordiner Hall, South Lawn

5:45–6:45 p.m.

Orientation: Dinner

Cleveland Commons

7 p.m.

Opening Week Keynote: Darryl Bellamy

Cordiner Hall

8:30 p.m.

Orientation: All Hall Meetings

Residence Hall Lounges

Whitman Events Calendar

Would you like to share an event 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 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 of 125 words or less are due by 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.

Mountain graphic

Find us on social media: @whitmancollege

instagram TikTok YouTube twitter facebook LinkedIn