Whitworth University Board of Trustees Elects Two Members
Rev. Kelly Hostetler
Kelly Hostetler currently serves as pastor for congregational care and families at Sammamish Presbyterian Church in Sammamish, Wash. As an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Hostetler previously served as associate pastor for St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina, a time of growth and healing that provided numerous opportunities for the church to minister through community recovery efforts. In addition to her church role, she was a founding board member for Eden House, a recovery home for adult victims of human trafficking and commercial exploitation, and a member of Common Good, a network of civil society organizations begun after Hurricane Katrina to seek consensus as a basis for collective action to rebuild the city.
Hostetler grew up in Spokane and graduated from Eastern Washington University with a bachelor’s in English literature and a master of fine arts in creative writing. She received her master of divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary in 2007. A few years later, she grew in ministry with colleagues from other denominations through the Micah Group she co-facilitated through Fuller Seminary.
Her family has strong ties to Spokane’s Presbyterian community and to Whitworth. Her father, Foster Walsh ’68, mother, Jeanne Walsh ’69, and sister, Erin Griggs ’97, are all Whitworth alumni.
“My whole family has been impacted by Whitworth in so many ways over the years – of course the student experience, but also the professors who were part of our church family and taught classes on Sundays, the friends who enriched and deepened our family life, the summer WIM experiences, and more!” Hostetler says. “It’s an honor and privilege to join such an esteemed group of people in serving a community that has long been a foundation and encouragement to me.”
Hostetler lives in Sammamish with her husband, Matthew, an architect in Seattle, and their son, Caedmon.
Jocelyn Wilson, M.D. ’07
Dr. Jocelyn Wilson ’07 is a family physician at Baylor Scott and White Clinic in Waco, Texas, the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Texas and one of the largest in the United States.
Wilson received her bachelor of science degree in biology from Whitworth in 2007. She went on to earn her master’s in public health, with an emphasis on health planning administration, at the University of Tennessee and her M.D. at East Tennessee State University in 2013 and completed the Baylor Family Medicine Residency at Garland in 2016.
In addition to family medicine, Wilson’s interests include Christian apologetics and French, British and American literature. She is a covenant member of Highland Baptist Church.
Wilson’s sister, Jasmine Jiang ’05, M.Ed. ’07, also earned her degrees from Whitworth.
“I am humbled and honored to serve Whitworth as a member of the board of trustees,” Wilson says. “My Whitworth education strengthened my Christian foundation and prepared me for the pursuit of my vocational goals. I am delighted to give back in this way.”
“Whitworth’s board has shown tremendous wisdom in electing Rev. Hostetler and Dr. Wilson to its ranks,” President Beck A. Taylor says. “Both women bring strong ties to Whitworth and an understanding of Whitworth’s distinctive Christ-centered approach to higher education. I know both will serve with distinction for years to come.”
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Scott McQuilkin, vice president for institutional advancement, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4386 or smcquilkin@whitworth.edu.
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
