A newsletter for alumni & friends • May 2025

In this issue: Two Whitties paying it forward; Scenes from the 2nd annual Pášxapa Powwow; witness a total solar eclipse with Whitman; Tennis headed to the NCAA tournament; mentor students through Human Centered Design.

LATEST NEWS

New Scholarship Helps Inland Northwest Students Get World-Class Education Close to Home

Longtime Whitman College supporters Andy Braff ’00 and Marissa Sprank Braff ’00 honor their eastern Washington roots and hope to help more students from the region attend the college through a new scholarship endowment.

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Members at the Sherwood Athletic Center in Whitman College.''

Scenes From the the 2nd Annual Pášxapa Powwow

On Saturday, May 3, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and Whitman College celebrated the second annual Pášx̣apa Powwow at Sherwood Athletic Center.

Whitman College graduate Jessica Sutter ’15

Jessica Sutter ’15 Shares the Beauty of the Stars

After graduating from Whitman College with a degree in Astronomy, this alum has come full circle to join Whitman’s faculty as an Assistant Professor of Astronomy, where she introduces students to the wonders of the universe.

Student at Whitman College presenting at its annual Undergrad Conference

Whitman Undergraduate Conference Showcases Student Scholarship & Creativity

On Tuesday, April 15, Whitman College students and faculty came together for the 27th annual Whitman Undergraduate Conference—a celebration of the scholarship, critical thinking, self-driven exploration and creativity of Whitman students.

Meredith Hyslop posing with wine bottles at an outdoor table

Meredith Hyslop ’05: Traveling the World of Wine

At Whitman, Meredith Hyslop ’05 took the first steps toward a globe-trotting career in the wine industry. Today, she travels the world as a wine ambassadrice and founder of her own wine import and marketing company. See her path.

John Kirk ’95 & Sarah (Baird) Kirk ’95

John Kirk ’95 and Sarah (Baird) Kirk ’95 continue the family tradition of supporting STEM students at Whitman through Upward Together. Read more.

Witness the Total Solar Eclipse with Whitman

Travel to Iceland and Greenland alongside Dr. Gerard van Belle ’90, Director of Science at Lowell Observatory. The 11-day trip aboard the custom-designed Exploris One will include icebergs, glaciers, polar bears and more!

August 5-15, 2026. Full itinerary, pricing and reservation form.

Whitman Tennis Headed to NCAA Tournament

The first round of the Men's and Women's NCAA D3 tennis tournaments kick off this weekend. The Men's team is Ohio-bound while the Women are headed to California.

Matches begin on 5/10 at 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, Pacific time. Stream and view live scores .

Commencement 2025

Whitman College will celebrate its 139th Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 11 a.m.

Watch from wherever you are via the livestream, available at the link.

Commencement Info

Other Announcements

Seeking Alumni Mentors for Human-Centered Design

Apply to be an alumni visiting mentor in Whitman's Human-Centered Design concentration
Lead class meetings, offer workshops, and advise students and faculty.
Primarily remote, with two campus visits. Compensation included for the 2025-26 academic year.

Caine Ryan ’26: Studying Unexplored Species

Junior Caine Ryan is a Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (BBMB) major from Wilsonville, Oregon, who is taking his learning beyond the classroom.

Thanks to a Whitman Internship Grant, Ryan is a Fish Culture Technician at the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Mussel and Lamprey Lab. Research like this is made possible by gifts to the Whitman Fund - Internships.

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