Chef Nimal Amarasinghe Named Chef of the Year
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Nimal Amarasinghe, affectionately known as Chef Nimal, is a familiar face at Cleveland Commons, known for serving up delicious meals with a smile. As Residential Executive Chef for Bon Appétit Management Company at Whitman College, he takes pride in creating menus that reflect the tastes of diverse campus cultures while reinventing comfort foods.
Recently named Bon Appétit’s Chef of the Year, he is celebrated for more than his culinary skills—he’s admired for the warmth, comfort and connection he brings to campus with every meal.
Chef Nimal says the best part of working on campus is bringing students a little piece of home while encouraging them to try new foods.
“Students are my No. 1 priority. My son is 19 years old, so I think of all Whitman’s students as my kids,” he says. “Many are far away from home. I want to bring them something familiar while also exposing them to new flavors and combinations.”
Chef Nimal often reimagines classic dishes by adding his own spin with local, farm-fresh ingredients. He draws inspiration from campus events—cultural, religious and seasonal—and welcomes requests from students, staff and faculty.
Read more.
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Family Weekend Event: Tonight
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- Paella on the Patio
Friday, Oct. 24, from 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Reid Campus Center patio
Chef Nimal will serve Chicken and Butternut Squash Paella featuring local produce from Hayshaker Farm and Frog Hollow Farm.
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Introducing Group Onboarding
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Human Resources is pleased to announce an exciting new group format for recently hired staff: “Onboarding with HR!”
Why are we doing this? Group onboarding and standardized start dates create a stronger, more efficient and equitable start for new employees as well as consistency for hiring managers. This new approach fosters immediate community by helping new staff build relationships across roles and feel part of something bigger from Day 1 by jumping into life at Whitman with a cohort of new hires.
Supervisors benefit too! Standardized start dates make planning easier and ensure new employees begin with clear expectations. “Onboarding with HR” also offers significant time savings by streamlining universal training topics. Plus, group onboarding encourages peer learning, allowing employees to share perspectives, energize one another, and strengthen collaboration from the start!
New staff members will get a strong launch into life at Whitman through this half-day, immersive onboarding experience, wrapping up with lunch at Cleveland Commons with the cohort and their supervisors.
The 2025–2026 onboarding schedule can be found on the Hiring Manager and Supervisor Resources webpage.
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A Capella Concert Tomorrow
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During Family Weekend, Whitman’s three a cappella groups will perform together at the annual SOS Speakeasy Concert, on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. in Cordiner Hall. Admission is by freewill donation to benefit SOS Health Services, a clinic that provides free healthcare to uninsured and underinsured patients in the Walla Walla Valley. (Flyer attached.)
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Help Move Students Into Stegner Hall
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Pending final inspections today, we plan to open Stegner Hall with move in times scheduled on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 4–6 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help students move their belongings from their vehicles up to their rooms. Sign up for a two-hour shift in advance.
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Free STI Testing Next Week
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Next week, the Planned Parenthood Generation Action student group and the Welty Health and Counseling Center are partnering to provide free testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia—two of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STI). Drop in daily between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. or email healthcare@whitman.edu to make an appointment. Additional testing and exams available by appointment; lab fees apply.
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Emergency Preparedness Training Next Week
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Students, staff and faculty are strongly encouraged to attend one of five hourlong emergency preparedness training sessions on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. or 4 p.m. in Olin Auditorium. Each session is identical and will include an overview on various emergency scenarios as well as a discussion about how to respond in the case of an active threat on campus. The sessions will be presented by EPS, a consulting firm that specializes in emergency management for institutions of higher learning.
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The DISCO Club recently partnered with the Climbing Center to organize a successful Accessible Climbing event. Two similar events are scheduled on Friday, Nov. 14 and Friday, Dec. 5, from 2:30–4 p.m. (Flyer attached.)
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Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 114
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Welty Health and Counseling Center
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Memorial Building, Room 205
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Reid Campus Center, Patio
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Reid Campus Center, Lower Level
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Saturday (Family Weekend)
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Reid Campus Center, Room 219
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McNary National Wildlife Refuge
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Reid Campus Center, Room G02
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Reid Campus Center, Room 210
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Harper Joy Theatre, Field
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Penrose Library, Room 313 (“The Fishbowl”)
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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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