Wednesday, January 21, 2026

By Patrick Mulikuza ’28

In October, Whitman and Lincoln High School students came together in a unique collaboration to create an interactive world of fairy tales, mystery and fun for local families to celebrate Halloween. Grimm’s Dark Realm featured a cast of fairy tale characters (played by students and faculty) who challenged visitors to find the lost endings to their fragmented fairy tales in a series of puzzle rooms scattered throughout the three-story Lincoln High building. 

What guests probably couldn’t fathom was the behind-the-scenes creative work by Whitman’s Introduction to Human-Centered Design (HCD-101) class that went into creating the interactive experience. Students learning about Human-Centered Design (HCD) had the chance to put the skills and tools they learned in class into practice in a community project with real users and real stakes.

The partnership began last year when several Lincoln High faculty visited Whitman’s HCD classroom, and Lincoln High teacher April Sorensen proposed a multi-floor, fairy-tale–themed puzzle event. 

Sharon Alker, the Mary A. Denny Professor of English and General Studies and Co-Director of the HCD Program, was immediately enthralled by the potential collaboration with an institution known for its compassionate and student-centered teaching, as well as by the project’s thrilling interdisciplinarity. “As an English professor, I delight in stories,” she says, “and this project sits right at the intersection of literary studies and Human-Centered Design.” 

Read more.

This week, as the semester begins, we will be sharing some information related to the ongoing national discussions and policies related to immigration and citizenship. (For more information, refer to the email from President Sarah Bolton sent to campus in October.)

Campus policy states that no one will be granted access to nonpublic areas on campus (see attached map) without a signed judicial warrant unless they are an invited guest of the occupant of that space. Please note that a few buildings on campus are considered public; residential spaces, classes and private offices are considered nonpublic; and some buildings may have a mix of public and nonpublic use.

If you are approached by someone requesting access to nonpublic spaces, please refer them to Campus Security at 509-527-5777.

The Office of the President will host two informal receptions to welcome the new Vice President for Inclusive Excellence, Dr. Sylvia Carey-Butler, on Friday, Jan. 23, from 2–3:30 p.m. and Monday, Jan. 26, from 9–10:30 a.m. at Baker Center. Whitman faculty and staff are invited to attend on either date. 

Sherwood Athletic Center will close early on Friday, Jan. 23, at 2:30 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 24, at noon to accommodate basketball home games. 

The Outdoor Program will host the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. in Cordiner Hall. Tickets are available at the Outdoor Program Rental Shop. Admission will be free at the door for Whitman students, faculty and staff. (Watch the festival trailer.)

Have you ever wondered if you could get your textbooks through Penrose Library? The answer is ... maybe. Read this article to learn more. (Photo by @penroselibrary.)

Noon–12:50 p.m.

Information Session: Whitman Internship Grants

Reid Campus Center, Room 207

12:10–12:50 p.m.

Movement That Matters: Power Pump

Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 114

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

Whitman Today is emailed to Whitman College staff, faculty and students each weekday during the academic year and twice a week during breaks. An archive of previous issues is available online.

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