Tuesday, November 11, 2025

By the Career and Community Engagement Center

Adam Simon (second from right) with the team of psychologists he worked with at Casa de la Amistad in Mexico City in the summer of 2024. 

When considering college options as a high school senior, Adam Simon ’26 was attracted to Whitman’s small class sizes, its robust study abroad program and the chance to see what life is like in a small town. Leaning early into the opportunities Walla Walla has to offer, Simon built a trajectory that has involved him with organizations across our community and around the globe.

As a Psychology major, connecting with people is an important aspect of the work that Adam has pursued. Volunteering with the Buddy Program in his first year at Whitman led to leadership roles throughout the Community Engagement Programs in the Career and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) and national recognition for his leadership in solving real community challenges.

His interest in community connections also extended well beyond Whitman and Walla Walla as Simon pursued an internship in Mexico City the summer after his sophomore year, with the help of a Whitman Internship Grant. Providing emotional and psychological support for children with cancer allowed him to build his language skills while extending his experience in ways that built on his background in Psychology classes and other nonprofit settings. His global exposure continued as he studied in Argentina his junior year and interned with the Red Cross in Buenos Aires.

As Simon looks ahead beyond graduation, he is considering direct, supportive social work in either the U.S. or abroad, as well the possibility of teaching English in Spain through the North American Language and Culture Assistants Program. He credits his experience with CCEC Community Engagement Programs for laying the fundamental groundwork to ethically approach volunteer and other community-facing social impact work.

Read more to see a visual timeline of Simon’s Whitman journey to date.

Professor of Sociology Alissa Cordner recently published two articles with PFAS Project Lab, the research group she co-directs. “The Landscape of PFAS Contamination in the United States: Sources and Spatial Patterns” is a quantitative and spatial assessment of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination across the United States, using two publicly available datasets created by the PFAS Project Lab: the Known PFAS Contamination Site Tracker and the Presumptive PFAS Contamination Dataset. “Regrettable for Whom? GenX Chemicals as a Case Study in Detrimental Chemical Substitution” analyzes a case of “detrimental substitution,” where a known dangerous chemical was replaced with another hazardous chemical. This second article started with the senior thesis project of co-author Anna Allgeyer ’22—currently pursuing graduate school at the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education.

Whitman employees are invited to attend a “Surviving the Holiday Party Food” webinar hosted by Active&Fit on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from noon–1 p.m. Participants will learn how to balance holiday indulgences with mindful eating, staying active and managing stress. Advance registration is recommended.

In preparation for the upcoming open enrollment period for Whitman employees, Navia Benefit Solutions will host a webinar on the topic of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Accounts on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 11 a.m. to noon. Please register in advance. 

Staff are invited to open drop-in office hours with the Staff Advisory Council (SAC) on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 2–3 p.m. in Jewett Café. Come learn more about how SAC advocates for staff and share your ideas, questions or concerns. If you are unable to attend but have topics of interest or questions for SAC, please email sac@whitman.edu or fill out this anonymous form.

The 2025–2026 Visiting Writers Reading Series continues on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. in Kimball Theatre in Hunter Conservatory. Guest speaker Alina Stefanescu is an award-winning author of poetry, essays and fiction. Read more.

Whitman students have access to free teletherapy and counselors through our partnership with Uwill (log in with your Whitman credentials). You can choose your therapist, a time of day that meets your schedule and appointment type (video, phone, chat). For questions, contact the Welty Health and Counseling Center at 509-527-5281 or reach out directly to Uwill at 833-998-9455 or support@uwill.com.

In October, Whitman’s Kappa Alpha Theta chapter held a “Thrift With Theta” fundraising event for Walla Walla Child Advocates and the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation—raising more than $1,000 in total through reselling donated clothing items. (Photo by @thetawhitman.)

12:10–12:50 p.m.

Movement That Matters: MELT

Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 106

5 p.m.

Wellness Tea Party

Welty Health and Counseling Center

5–7 p.m.

Whitman First Responders: What’s in Your Backpack?

Cleveland Commons

6–7 p.m.

Dracula Club: Presentation Night

Hunter Conservatory, Room 107

9–10 p.m.

Femme + Nonbinary Climb Night

Climbing Center

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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