Good Food & Good Business: Lessons in Changemaking
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For Lisa Curtis ’10, learning she’d been named to the National Peace Corps Association’s 2025 “40 Under 40” list was both surreal and satisfying. “It’s always fun to get an award,” says the Oakland, California-based social entrepreneur. “But because the Peace Corps led me to start Kuli Kuli, this was a special full circle moment.”
It all started when Curtis, a vegetarian, was seeking more nutrients in her diet while serving in the Peace Corps in a remote village in Niger. With few options beyond rice and pasta, she felt lethargic and asked the village women for help. They offered her kuli kuli, a traditional peanut snack, and mixed it with leaves of moringa—a drought-resistant tree rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
When Curtis incorporated the snack into her diet, her energy returned—and the experience laid the groundwork for Kuli Kuli Foods, the company Curtis founded after returning from the Peace Corps in 2011.
Kuli Kuli—known for its superfood-based powders, lattes and gummies—is now sold in 11,000 stores across the U.S., including Kroger, Whole Foods and Walmart. The company grew out of Curtis’ desire to bring Americans the health benefits of superfoods like moringa while empowering the communities who grow them. By sourcing traditional ingredients from small, rural family farms in India and seven different countries across Africa while prioritizing equity, collaboration, and sustainability, Kuli Kuli has generated over $40 million in revenue, planted millions of trees, and currently supports the livelihoods of more than 4,000 farmers.
Read the full story in the Winter 2026 issue of Whitman Magazine to read Curtis’ advice for Whitties who aspire to build successful social enterprises.
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Astronomy Professor Secures Use of James Webb Space Telescope for Observation
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Assistant Professor of Astronomy Jessica Sutter ’15 was a member of the scientific team on three accepted proposals for the use of the James Webb Space Telescope for observations in Cycle 5. These proposals represent 267 hours (about 3%) of the approximately 8,009 hours available in the telescope’s fifth year of science operations beginning this July. The proposals focus on observing nearby galaxies in near- and mid-infrared, providing both images and spectroscopy that Whitman students will be able to work on.
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Staff Coffee Break on Thursday
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The Office of the President and Facilities Services will co-host a Staff Coffee Break on Thursday, March 26, from 10–11 a.m. at the Facilities Services Building, 804 Penrose Ave. Enjoy a break to socialize with your colleagues and learn more about the operations of Facilities Services.
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Nominate a Staff Member for the Janice Abraham Award
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Each year, Whitman College recognizes staff members with the Janice Abraham Award, celebrating staff who have gone above and beyond job expectations in providing outstanding service to our campus community. Nominations will be accepted through Friday, May 1. Visit the Janice Abraham Award webpage to view previous award winners.
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Last month, three members of Whitman College First Responders (from left: Madeleina Shear ’28, Avery Riley ’28 and Lyla Lopez ’28) attended the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation’s annual conference, where they were able to attend workshops and skills sessions and network with collegiate EMS organizations from across the country. See more photos on Instagram.
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Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 114
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Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 106
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Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 114
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8:30–9:30 a.m. and
Noon–1 p.m.
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Facilities Services Building
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Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 114
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Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 114
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Would you like to share an event with campus? Submit the information to the Events Calendar.
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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.
All submissions are welcome! If you have accomplishments to celebrate, an event to publicize or other Whitman content to share, email whitmantoday@whitman.edu. Submissions of 125 words or less are due by noon on the business day prior to publication. 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.
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Find us on social media: @whitmancollege
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