Whitworth student explores computer programming as Microsoft intern

For three months this summer, Colleen Forbes, ’14, gained work experience as an intern for Microsoft in Redmond, Wash. This internship allowed Forbes, a computer science major, to experience three technical roles in Microsoft. Alongside two fellow interns, she learned the tasks of a program manager, a developer and a tester of an embedded Windows 8 demo application.

Whitworth art, political science alum runs world-renowned glass studio

Thirty-one years ago, Whitworth alumnus Pete Hunner, ’76, and his wife, Maibritt Jonsson, established Baltic Sea Glass on the Danish island of Bornholm. Since then, their studio has flourished, hosting between 80,000 and 100,000 visitors annually.

Whitworth alumni and faculty emeritus explore the world as Fulbright scholars

One year after being named a top producer of Fulbright students, Whitworth has produced three more Fulbright scholars for the 2012-13 academic year. Siri Carlson, ’12, is currently teaching in Thailand, Marylee Keller, ’12, is teaching in Germany, and Professor Emeritus of Theatre Rick Hornor, ’70, will begin teaching in Lithuania next month.

Siri Carlson

Whitworth communication studies professor receives high honors for dissertation

Last October, Erica Salkin, an assistant professor of communication studies at Whitworth, was chosen from a nationwide pool of applicants to receive the Joseph C. Beckham Dissertation of the Year Award for her dissertation on students’ free speech. Along with this award, Salkin presented her dissertation at the Education Law Association’s annual conference Nov. 9-12.

Whitworth English professor and poet enjoys recent literary success

In the competitive world of literary journals, Whitworth Professor of English Laurie Lamon, ’78, has had 17 poems accepted for publication so far this year. Publishing one’s poetry requires considerable time and research, which makes her recent success all the more impressive.

Dennis Sterner to step down as dean of Whitworth’s School of Education

After more than two decades of service to the university, Dennis Sterner, Whitworth’s founding dean of the School of Education, announced Nov. 26 that he will step down from his position on June 30, 2013. After a brief sabbatical, he will resume his original role at Whitworth as a professor on the School of Education faculty.

Whitworth professor compiles witty anthology for the thoughtful mind

After two decades of collecting quotations both comical and profound, Gordon Jackson, a professor of communication studies at Whitworth, has published his sixth anthology of quotations. His book, released last month, is titled Sleep Faster, We Need the Pillows: 500 Logical Lapses, Paradoxes, and Other Mental Delights. This compilation, filled with intellectual witticisms, is intended to be both amusing and thought-provoking.

Whitworth SGCM welcomes new assistant professor of marketing

The School of Global Commerce & Management is pleased to welcome Claudia Dumitrescu as an assistant professor of marketing. Dumitrescu has nearly 10 years of experience in both the academic and business worlds. She graduated from law school in Romania, her home country, obtained her MS from Arizona State University, and will complete a business administration doctoral program at ASU in May 2013.

Fifth annual education forum, Nov. 15, to feature keynote speech by Whitworth professor

Forum also to include panels, workshops by Spokane-area educators

In honor of International Education Week Nov. 12-16, the Whitworth School of Education, in conjunction with several other departments on campus and Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute, will sponsor a forum, "Global Citizenship: Leading Courageously in a Diverse World," featuring a keynote speech by Associate Professor of Psychology Adrian Teo. The forum will begin at 6 p.m. in Whitworth University’s Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall. Teo’s lecture will take place at 6:15 p.m. in the same location. The forum also will feature workshops led by local educators and community members. Admission to the forum is free; the event is open to the public. For more information, call (509) 777-3228.

Whitworth choirs to present 2012 Christmas Festival Concert, “Laud to the Nativity”

The 2012 Whitworth University Christmas Festival Concert, “Laud to the Nativity,” will take place in Spokane Dec. 1-2, and in Seattle Dec. 8-9. The concerts will feature more than 120 student performers, including members of the Whitworth Choir, the Whitworth Women’s Choir, the Whitworth Men’s Chorus and the Whitworth Chamber Singers, as well as student instrumentalists and narrators. For more information, please call (509) 777-3280.

Whitworth Lindaman Chair to deliver Nov. 14 lecture on immigration reform through Christian perspectives

>> Listen to Podcast

On the heels of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the controversial Arizonan immigration law, Whitworth Political Science Professor Julia Stronks will present her second Lindaman Chair lecture, "Christian Perspectives on Immigration Reform," on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Whitworth University. Stronks is a prolific author and thinker who has published numerous articles and books in her disciplines, including the forthcoming So You Want to Be a Christian Lawyer? She will give her lecture at 7 p.m. in Whitworth’s Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-4937.

Whitworth forensics team garners 25 awards at regional competition in Idaho

After two days of intense competition, Whitworth’s forensics team brought home 25 awards, including a third-place Sweepstakes Award for the team’s overall performance, from its second tournament of the season, the Coyote Classic, in Caldwell, Idaho. The Whitworthians have earned a total of 53 individual and four team awards so far this season.

Whitworth, Gonzaga and Spokane Public Schools receive $500,000 grant to improve teacher education

Grant will also help support Whitworth’s collaboration with Holmes Elementary

Whitworth University, Gonzaga University and Spokane Public Schools have received a $500,000 state grant, which will be used to design ways to improve teacher education at both universities and to help Holmes Elementary School students. Washington State University will provide an initial needs-assessment.

Whitworth once again named a Kiplinger’s best value among private universities

Whitworth jumps 24 spots, remains one of the highest-ranked schools in the Pacific Northwest 

In an economic environment that makes a college education even more essential than in the past, yet also more difficult to afford, Whitworth University was included for the sixth straight year on Kiplinger's annual rankings of the 100 best values among private universities in the United States. The university joins some of the most elite schools in the country in the magazine's 2012-13 rankings. Whitworth is one of the smallest universities to appear on the list, yet it is the second-highest-ranked school in the Pacific Northwest and ranks ahead of all but a handful of other private universities on the West Coast.

Whitworth senior awarded full-tuition scholarship from Woodrow Foundation

Each academic year, the Woodrow Foundation awards a scholarship to one Whitworth student based on academic excellence, leadership skills and financial need. This year’s recipient is Nichole Webber, a double-major in health science and psychology from Spokane. Webber’s $34,464 Woodrow Foundation Scholarship covers full tuition, books and fees for the 2012-13 academic year.

Expert to present Nov. 7 Whitworth lecture on virtues of the mind

Jason Baehr, an associate professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University and an expert in the field of virtue theory, will deliver a lecture, “Virtues of the Mind: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?,” on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. in Whitworth’s Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-4939.

Whitworth business professor named an ambassador for critical language program by U.S. government

Last summer, Todd Friends, an assistant professor of business at Whitworth, was one of 20 people nationwide to be selected a 2012 Critical Language Scholarship Ambassador by the U.S. State Department. Friends’ ambassadorship will allow him to share with regional college students the increasing importance of language and cultural knowledge development as business markets become increasingly globalized.

Nine-time Grammy nominee Kenny Barron to perform Nov. 3 with Whitworth Jazz Ensemble

Barron also to present free jazz clinic Nov. 2 at Whitworth

Nine-time Grammy nominee Kenny Barron, hailed by The Los Angeles Times as “one of the top jazz pianists in the world,” will perform in concert with the award-winning Whitworth Jazz Ensemble on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 8 p.m. in Cowles Memorial Auditorium at Whitworth. Admission is $15 for adults; $10 for students/senior citizens over 62. Tickets can be purchased online at www.whitworth.edu/musictickets or www.ticketswest.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the information desk in the Hixson Union Building on campus.

Founding partner of The Simple Way ministry to present Oct. 17 Whitworth lecture on Christianity and American citizenship

>> Listen to Podcast

Shane Claiborne, whose ministry experience ranges from working alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta to serving a mega-congregation in Chicago, will give a lecture, “Christianity and American Citizenship: Jesus for President,” on Oct. 17 at Whitworth University. His lecture will take place at Whitworth’s Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-4937.

Whitworth Theatre to stage “Honk! A Musical Tale of The Ugly Duckling” Oct. 19-21

For the first time, Whitworth Theatre will stage its fall production at Spokane’s Bing Crosby Theater, at 901 W. Sprague Ave. Performances of “Honk! A Musical Tale of The Ugly Duckling” will take place Oct. 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 20 and 21 at 2 p.m. General admission is $9; admission for students and senior citizens (62 and up) is $7. Tickets may be purchased at 1-800-325-7328, at www.ticketswest.com, or at the door.

Distinguished alumna, Whitworth English professors to give Oct. 6 poetry reading

Lisa Flesher

As part of Homecoming Week, alumna Lisa (Ransom) Flesher, ’81, Professor of English Laurie Lamon, ’79, and Senior English Lecturer Thom Caraway will give a poetry reading on Saturday, Oct. 6, at Whitworth University. Flesher, Lamon and Caraway will share both new and previously published works. The reading will take place at 4 p.m. in the  Lied Center for the Visual Arts Student Gallery. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-3253.

Renowned professor, author to give Oct. 4 Whitworth lecture on multicultural education

>> Watch Video Interview

Geneva Gay, a professor of education at the University of Washington who is internationally known for her scholarship in multiculturalism, will present a lecture, “Choosing Course Content for an Inclusive Mind and Heart Education,” on Oct. 4 at Whitworth University. Gay is the recipient of several scholastic awards, including the first Multicultural Educator Award presented by the National Association of Multicultural Education. Her lecture will take place at Whitworth’s Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-3203.

Youth for Christ’s Sri Lanka teaching director to present Oct. 2 Whitworth lecture

>> Listen to Podcast

Ajith Fernando, the teaching director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka, will present a lecture, “What is our Passion? Jesus in a Pluralistic Culture,” on Oct. 2 at Whitworth University. Before accepting his current role, Fernando served as Youth for Christ’s national director for 35 years. His lecture will take place at Whitworth’s Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-4345.

African Enterprise founder to give Oct. 1 lecture at Whitworth on the church’s role in South Africa

>> Listen to Podcast

Michael Cassidy, author and founder of African Enterprise ministry, will share his insights on the South African church at Whitworth University during his lecture, "The Role of the Church in Healing a Nation: Lessons from South Africa." The lecture will take place Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at Whitworth University. Admission is free. For more information, call (509) 777-4739.

Whitworth alumna, award-winning teacher to give Sept. 25 lecture on education excellence

Whitworth alumna Jessica Shawley, ’03, will present a lecture, “Going Above and Beyond with Excellence: Answering the Call to Educate” on Sept. 25 at Whitworth University. Shawley was named the 2012 National Teacher of the Year for Middle School Physical Education by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). The lecture will take place at Whitworth's Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-3229.

Ten Whitworth athletic training graduates pass national board exam

The national Board of Certification exam for athletic training graduates – with an average first time passing rate between 60 and 80 percent – is daunting. But last April, all 10 Whitworth athletic training alumni who sat for the national Board of Certification exam passed on their first attempt, and are now certified athletic trainers eligible for state licensure and employment.

Whitworth invites public to attend Sept. 21 groundbreaking for recreation center

On Sept. 21, the Whitworth University Board of Trustees will officially break ground for the Whitworth Campus Recreation Center, which will be open to Whitworth students, faculty and staff in fall 2013. The public is invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, which will take place behind Whitworth’s Westminster Hall from 12:30-12:45.

Whitworth alumna to give Sept. 21 reading of spiritual memoir

>> Listen to Podcast

On Sept. 21, Whitworth alumna Andrea Palpant Dilley, ’00, will give a reading of her new memoir, Faith and Other Flat Tires: Searching for God on the Rough Road of Doubt (Zondervan, 2012). The reading will take place at Whitworth's Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-3253.

Whitworth claims No. 4 spot in “U.S. News” rankings of best values in the West

Whitworth listed in top 10 of annual rankings of best regional universities for 13th year in a row

Whitworth University captured the No. 4 spot in U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings of the best regional university values in the West. For the 13th consecutive year, Whitworth also maintained its position as one of the top 10 best regional universities in the West.

Hundreds of Whitworth students, staff and faculty to team with Spokane nonprofits for Sept. 18 Community Building Day

More than 40 Spokane County nonprofits to benefit from Whitworth volunteers

On Sept. 18, approximately 1,200 Whitworth students, faculty and staff, including Whitworth President Beck A. Taylor and his wife, Julie, will lend a hand to nonprofit organizations across Spokane in efforts to improve the community.

Whitworth professors debate First Amendment issues at annual Constitution Day lecture Sept. 17

The Whitworth University 2012 Constitution Day Lecture will feature a debate by Whitworth communication studies professors Jim McPherson, Mike Ingram and Erica Salkin. The three will discuss contemporary politics during their debate, titled, “First Amendment Gone Wild: What We Dislike but Tolerate,” on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at Whitworth University. Admission is free. For more information, please call (509) 777-4739.

Renowned political commentator George F. Will to speak at Whitworth President's Leadership Forum Oct. 16

U.S. Bank to serve as title sponsor for the event

Three weeks before Americans vote in the 2012 presidential election, Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist George F. Will will share his insights into the election and the country's political landscape at Whitworth University's annual President's Leadership Forum, sponsored by U.S. Bank, on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 a.m. at the Spokane Convention Center. Sponsorship opportunities are available. RSVP by calling Nancy Rau at (509) 777-4250 or online at www.whitworth.edu/leadershipforum. 

Whitworth named Washington Monthly’s No. 1 master’s-level university in Pacific Northwest

Whitworth climbs 12 spots to No. 9 in nationwide rankings

This month, Whitworth claimed the title of Washington Monthly’s highest-ranking master’s-level university in the Pacific Northwest. Nationwide, Whitworth ranked No. 9 among 681 other institutions in the country.

Whitworth ranks among top ten private schools in Pacific Northwest on Forbes’ 2012 list of Best Colleges

Whitworth climbs five spots to Forbes’ No. 31 private school in the West

Whitworth has landed once again on Forbes’ annual rankings of the top undergraduate institutions in the United States. Whitworth joins some of the most prestigious schools in the country in the magazine's latest rankings, where it is listed as one of the top ten private schools in the Pacific Northwest.

Whitworth once again named one of Princeton Review’s best universities in the West

For the fourth consecutive year, Whitworth University has been designated one of the best colleges and universities in the West in a recent college guide published by The Princeton Review. The education-services company ranked Whitworth among 122 institutions it recommends in the "Best in the West" section of its website, “2013 Best Colleges: Region by Region,” which posted this month on www.princetonreview.com.

Whitworth alum Andy Robblee elected to university’s board of trustees

Andy Robblee, ’95, president of Six Robblees’, Inc., was elected to the Whitworth University Board of Trustees on April 18 during the board’s spring meeting.

Whitworth to co-host 10-year anniversary convention Aug. 1 with Act Six Leadership and Scholarship Initiative

Four-day convention kicks off at Gonzaga University

On Aug. 1, Whitworth and Gonzaga universities will host the tenth-anniversary celebration with the Act Six Leadership and Scholarship Initiative at Gonzaga. Nearly 300 Act Six scholars, alumni, staff and supporters from Spokane, Portland, Tacoma and Seattle will gather for the four-day event, sponsored by 7-Eleven, Group Health and REI.

Whitworth physics students team with Northwood Middle School for high-altitude balloon launch

Launch supported by funding from NASA’s Washington Space Grant Consortium

>> View Photos

On April 21, students from the Whitworth physics department and Northwood Middle School launched a helium-filled weather balloon in Lind, Wash. The balloon reached approximately 105,000 feet – three times higher than a commercial jet reaches – before it burst and landed about 100 miles away near Oakesdale, Wash., two hours later.

Whitworth history professor receives prestigious grant to conduct research in China

As research grants in the humanities become scarcer and more fiercely competitive, Anthony E. Clark, an associate professor of history at Whitworth, has been selected as one of seven scholars worldwide to receive one of the highest honors in his field. Last May, Clark was recognized with the 2012-13 National Endowment for the Humanities/American Council of Learned Societies Grant.

Whitworth to be represented at July 19 statewide meeting on liberal arts education

Noelle Wiersma, newly appointed as dean of Whitworth University’s College of Arts & Sciences, will represent Whitworth at the Liberal Arts Washington meeting on July 19. Academic leaders from more than 60 institutions across the state will gather at The Evergreen State College, in Olympia, to build a coalition that promotes the value of a liberal arts education.

Donors create full-tuition scholarship for Whitworth international students

First scholarship recipient hails from Republic of Moldova

The 2012-13 academic year will mark the first awarding of the Elsie A. and Melvin K. Fariss Scholarship for International Students at Whitworth, thanks to a generous donation from this alumni couple. The award will cover an international student’s tuition, books, meal plan, personal living expenses, local travel, and housing for four years. Recipients must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and are expected to share aspects of their home culture with members of the community. The first student to receive the award is Eugen Lazarenco, of Chisinau, Moldova.

Whitworth once again featured by Colleges of Distinction as a leader in education excellence

For the fourth time in five years, Whitworth University was named a top school in the country on CollegesofDistinction.com, an online guide that takes a fresh look at colleges and universities appealing to students’ unique and varied interests. Based on the opinions of guidance counselors, educators, and admissions professionals, Colleges of Distinction honors colleges excelling in key areas of educational quality.

Whitworth education alumna wins national P.E. teacher of the year award

Whitworth alumna Jessica Shawley, ’03, was named the 2012 National Teacher of the Year for Middle School Physical Education by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). Shawley, who teaches at Moscow Junior High School, in Moscow, Idaho, was selected in 2011 as the Northwest District Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year, making her eligible to compete for the national award.

Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, to lead Whitworth Institute of Ministry July 9-13

            >> View Photos

Noted author and scholar Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, will lead the 37th annual Whitworth Institute of Ministry July 9-13. WIM provides clergy, laity, and their spouses and children a week of spiritual encouragement, equipping for ministry, and inspiring worship.

Whitworth mourns the loss of trustee Linda Cunningham

Whitworth Trustee Linda Cunningham lost her brave battle with cancer on June 4, 2012. A memorial service for Linda will take place on Sunday, June 10, at 1:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 318 S. Cedar St., in Spokane.

Greg Orwig appointed Whitworth's vice president for admissions and financial aid

Orwig has served in interim capacity since 2011

Whitworth President Beck A. Taylor announced that Greg Orwig, '91, has been named the school's vice president for admissions and financial aid. Orwig has served in that role in an interim capacity for the past year. Previously he served the university as Chief of Staff in the Office of the President and as Director of Communications.

Whitworth senior receives prestigious language scholarship from U.S. State Department

Whitworth senior Grady Kepler, a sociology major from Lewistown, Mont., has been selected among 5,200 applicants nationwide to receive a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) from the U.S. State Department to study critical languages this summer. Kepler will be studying Arabic in Tunisia through the scholarship program.

After being accepted into four esteemed graduate schools in Great Britain, Whitworth alumnus Adrian Kitimbo, '12, has decided to attend the University of Oxford this fall, where he will conduct graduate work on international development and conflicts.

Whitworth alumnus appointed president of North Idaho College

Joe Dunlap, '72, will assume new position July 1

On April 26, Whitworth alumnus Joe Dunlap, '72, currently president of Spokane Community College, was selected as the ninth president of North Idaho College, in Coeur d'Alene.

Whitworth alumna releases memoir, "Faith and Other Flat Tires"

For the majority of her life, Andrea Palpant Dilley, '00, was surrounded by Christian influences. She spent her childhood in Kenya raised by Quaker missionary parents before moving to Spokane, where she was active in a Presbyterian youth group and later attended Whitworth. Yet when she reached age 23, she says, "I stepped over the threshold of the church and walked away. I had no idea if I would come back." Dilley has since returned to the faith, and decided to chronicle her struggles in a new memoir, Faith and Other Flat Tires: Searching for God on the Rough Road of Doubt (Zondervan, 2012).

Gates Millennium Scholar chooses to attend Whitworth

Recipient is a member of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe

Coeur d'Alene Tribal Member Vernie Ronald Johnson III, who was recently selected as a Gates Millennium Scholar (GMS), which provides a full-ride college scholarship, has decided to pursue his education at Whitworth University. He plans to major in kinesiology.