Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026

On many Wednesdays, our campus is visited by elementary and middle school children from Walla Walla Public Schools. They are here for Friends Rock, a mentorship program that builds confidence through rock climbing and STEAM activities at Whitman.

Each semester, Friends Rock works with students from a specific school—for the spring semester the participants are from Edison Elementary School. Split into two groups, the students get one hour at the climbing wall and one hour working on a STEAM project. The last session of the semester is a cooking class hosted by Bon Appétit.

Friends Rock is one of nine student-led community engagement programs facilitated by the Career and Community Engagement Center. This program was launched by Sociology major Cassidy Washburn ’23 during their graduating year and continues today, supported through on-campus partnerships with the Outdoor Program, science faculty members and Bon Appétit.

The primary community partner for Friends Rock is 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21 CCLC), which uses federal funding to support community learning centers that offer enrichment activities outside of school hours. Director for Community Engagement Abby Juhasz was recently interviewed for a video about the success of the 21 CCLC program.

Friends Rock volunteers are needed on Wednesdays from 2:30–5 p.m. To apply, email friendsrockww@whitman.edu and fill out the CCEC volunteer application. Prior rock climbing experience is not necessary to volunteer for this program.

Assistant Professor of Gender Studies Giramata is participating in two community conversations in Portland, Oregon this month. Last week, they were a featured guest at a Free First Thursday event at the Portland Art Museum celebrating Black History Month through community conversation and storytelling sessions with members of the African diaspora. This week, she will facilitate the post-screening discussion of  the Ugandan film “Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions" at the 36th Annual Cascade Festival of African Films—the oldest African film festival in the Pacific Northwest.

Whitman students are invited to complete The Princeton Review survey to share their unique perspective and experiences about academics, social activities, residence life, food and more. These anonymous insights help guide future college-bound students and will be featured in The Princeton Review’s resources. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card! The survey will close on Thursday, Feb. 12.

The Career and Community Engagement Center will host an alumni panel discussion titled “Mix. Match. Master. Thriving in a Career Between Industries” on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 4:30–6 p.m. in the Reid Campus Center Young Ballroom. Attendees will hear directly from three Whitman graduates: Tom Howe ’17 (Salesforce), Mikaela Slade ’19 (OpenAI) and Clara Merlino ’16 (ClimeCo). (Flyer attached.)

The Whitman College Equestrian Club will host a Barn Work Day on Sunday, Feb. 15, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Students are invited to RSVP and sign up for transportation in advance. Activities will include barn chores, grooming horses and learning about horse anatomy. No prior experience with horses is required. (Flyer attached.)

The 18th Annual Juried Art Salon at the Fouts Center for Visual Arts closed this past weekend. Students whose art was included in this exhibition are encouraged to pick up their artwork by Friday, Feb. 13, or make alternative arrangements with Sheehan Gallery. (Photo by Eamon Winkelman ’28.)

12:10–12:50 p.m.

Movement That Matters: Power Pump

Sherwood Athletic Center, Room 114

8–10 p.m.

Open Kayak

Harvey Pool

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