Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Photo by Kim Fetrow ’96 of Kim Fetrow Photography.

Four years after they arrived on campus full of hope, energy and dreams, more than 315 graduates of the Whitman College Class of 2026 traversed the stage to receive their diplomas on a sunny Sunday morning in May.

President Sarah Bolton welcomed graduates, families, faculty, staff and alumni to the 140th Commencement Ceremony, held on the south lawn of Memorial Building.

President Bolton thanked the Class of 2026—whose arrival at the college paralleled her own in 2022—for helping to rebuild the campus community after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We celebrate your amazing individual talents and accomplishments, but also who you are as a community,” she said. “You have built this new Whitman, and now you give it to the students who will follow you. What an extraordinary gift and legacy.”

Senior speaker Tenzin Udin, a Computer Science and Economics double major and Davis United World College scholar from Bhutan, also reflected on the vibrant community that she and her classmates built here and how to carry that momentum forward.

“We have already practiced rebuilding,” she said. “We have already practiced listening across differences. We have already practiced turning small acts into movements. We have learned how to think, how to care, to question and imagine something better. So let us step forward, not as passive inheritors of the future, but as catalysts for positive change.”

Read more.

This summer, we will be taking the opportunity to remove some trees that are in decline, highly invasive or posing accessible path issues. 

Tennis Courts: 
Several trees will be removed as they are causing stain and slip hazard issues on the sidewalk; have roots growing under the tennis courts; have branches blocking lighting and play; or are in poor health.

Prentiss Hall:
As part of the Prentiss Hall accessibility improvement project, several trees will be removed to allow placement of ramps for better access to sorority chapter rooms. 

Cordiner Hall and North Hall:
Some trees will be removed that are listed by the state of Washington as highly invasive and Class C noxious weeds. These trees are the preferred host for the spotted lanternfly, an insect that can damage many crops in Washington.

For every tree that is removed, two new ones will be replanted on campus to continually improve our tree canopy. If you have any questions about this work, please contact Facilities Services.

Given the additional work related to commencement this past weekend, the Office of Facilities Services will be closed on Thursday, May 28, and Friday, May 29. Next week, Facilities Services will switch to a summer schedule (details below). 

As announced last week, a new Flexible Work Scheduling Policy provides guidance on how supervisors can consider flexible work schedules that meet the needs of their areas year-round. Flexible work arrangements, including adjusted work days and work weeks, may be available when they support both the operational needs of the department and the needs of the employee. These arrangements are intended to provide flexibility in start and end times or work schedules, while maintaining required work hours and ensuring departmental effectiveness.

Employees interested in requesting a flexible or hybrid work arrangement must submit a Work Flexibility and Hybrid Work Approval Form to Human Resources and receive approval before any arrangement begins. The agreement helps ensure a shared understanding between the employee and supervisor and provides appropriate documentation.

The Office of Off-Campus Studies and International Student and Scholar Services has a new name: the Office of Global Programs. This change better reflects the integrated work of its staff, bringing together support for off-campus study and international students and scholars under one unified identity dedicated to broadening students’ global perspectives and enhancing their intercultural skills. The staff offices remain in their same locations in Memorial Hall 205 and 206. 

Please note that the Walla Walla Fire Department will be conducting a training exercise all day on Thursday, May 28, at College House (behind Baker Ferguson Fitness Center). 

We are now operating on the summer schedule. Most buildings will require a Whitman ID card swipe to enter, and some offices will have modified hours, including:

Baker Ferguson Fitness Center (starting June 1)

Facilities Services (starting June 1)

Penrose Library

Post Office (starting June 1)

Sherwood Athletic Center (starting June 1)

Welty Health and Counseling Center

Whitman College Bookstore

Whitman had a strong showing at this year's Educational Advertising Awards, earning Gold recognition across both video and print. Three college-produced videos took Gold: the 2025 Anthem Video welcoming the Class of 2029; the 2025 holiday video featuring student vocalists and musicians; and an alum profile of a 2022 grad competing as a professional para snowboarder. The Winter 2025 Whitman Magazine also earned Gold.

Video credits: Patrick Record, Video and Multimedia Producer, and Margie Reece, Director of Content.

Magazine credits: Melissa Welling, Managing Editor; Kirsten Erwin, Freelance Designer; Matthew McKern, Senior Designer; Ryan Barnes, Director of Creative Strategy and Operations; and Margie Reece, Director of Content.

All Day

Walla Walla Fire Department Training Exercise

College House

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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.