Westwind, Fall 2022

Passion projects

Four alumni share pasttimes turned professions p. 10

Eswatini service trip Students in EWB assess new project site, build local relationships p. 6

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Alumni

Homecoming

Weekend

April 28–30, 2023

Celebrate 90 years of business majors and minors, 75 years of the automotive program, and Kellogg Hall’s 65th anniversary! New schedule this year starts on Friday morning!

• Kellogg Hall 50’s-style Friday dinner.

• Alumni of the year celebration on Saturday night

• Honor class reunions and photos for Vanguards (pre-1963), and former and current bookstore employees

• Music concerts and much more! Find details and register at wallawalla.edu/homecoming. Submit your class member profile at wallawalla.edu/alumnotes.

About the cover

PHOTO: JOE KLINE

THE MAGAZINE OF WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY // FALL 2022

Boulais, Emmalani Dodds, and Kayla Hastings Design L/Bailey Design

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEX WANG

“God has given me a passion for ministry and a passion for the outdoors. Those have slid together here so seemlessly.”

—Randy Folkenberg ’16

Meaningful guidance

And what a time it is for today’s college students, Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012), to be taking their very first professional steps!

Social scientists report that our nation’s workforce is redefining what it means to be professionally fulfilled in a post-COVID world. Reports of a “great resignation” circulate in popular media, millions of workers are demanding better work-life balance, and others are launching entirely new careers around hobbies, interests, and personal networks.

Over the years I have met many in our WWU alumni family who are deeply passionate about their work. I am inspired by their accomplishments and proud when I hear how the university influenced where they are today. I am especially moved by those alumni who take the time to support the newest generation of professionals as they step into this unpredictable work environment. From colloquium speakers to internship supervisors, as mentors and prayer warriors, and as generous financial supporters, many have stepped forward to show the way, and to share what is possible when you do what you love.

In the pages of this Westwind issue you will meet Jessica and Robb Coffee, Rob Folkenberg, and Terri Neil, four alumni who are building fulfilling careers around their hobbies and talents. And you will read how Ivory Vogt’s interests in international aid have led to a meaningful work in climate advocacy.

You will also find an annual report and a hearty “thank you” for your generous support of the university. Your gifts to scholarships, academic departments, student services, capital projects, and the WWU Fund have provided much-needed support during one of the most difficult periods in our 130-year history.

Indeed, we face challenges that include lower enrollment, increasing employment and health care expenses, and increased demand for student services that address academic and mental health issues. But through it all, our mission remains clear:

We are a community of faith and discovery committed to excellence in thought, generosity in service, beauty in expression, and faith in God.

The good news? Walla Walla University faculty and staff are passionate about connecting our students with the risen Christ. This is our highest priority as students undergo rigor ous preparation for meaningful and successful professions.

And we genuinely like what we do here—whether it is sponsoring an Engineers Without Borders trip to Swaziland, working towards achieving BlueZones approval for healthier worksite environments, or upgrading our campus studio (all of which you will read about in this issue).

We believe this is blessed and holy work.

We invite you to participate in our ministry as we work through these challenging times. Maybe you will share your professional knowledge with students through a colloquium or presentation. Perhaps you can arrange for your work place to offer internships or summer jobs for WWU students. Or you might consider providing financial support for worthy students, an academic program, or a student service that is close to your heart.

Above all, we encourage you to pray for God’s blessing on Walla Walla University, our students, and our faculty and staff.

John McVay, president

PHOTO: CHRIS DRAKE

“What do you like to do?” We at Walla Walla University ask that question often around this time of year as we guide prospective college students toward a future of success and fulfillment. Our advisors join generations of others who echo some version of this counsel from Confucius, the great Chinese philosopher and politician: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

College Avenue

Innovative studio

PARTS OF the film studio at Walla Walla University were revamped to allow students to discover innovative film tech niques related to virtual production.

Virtual production is a new process in the filmmaking industry that allows special effects and backgrounds to be filmed in-camera instead of created in post-production. Jerry Hartman, pro fessor of communication, said, “This is one of the biggest changes to film since the beginning of the film medium.”

WWU students now have the ability to explore this innovative technology thanks to updates in the film studio.

Three projectors cast images on to a curving floor-to-ceiling wall freshly painted white. A custom-built computer will sense where the camera is in rela tion to the wall and allow the projectors to adjust the background in real-time.

Matt Webster, production and facilities coordinator, said virtual production has quickly developed in the last three years. He said, “This puts us on the leading edge of teaching what is being used in the industry.” Students explored the implementation of this relatively new technology most deeply in the Interactive and VR Storytelling class this fall.

To learn more about studies in film and media at WWU, visit wallawalla.edu/ comm-lang.

The latest from across campus

Film studio refreshed to teach up-andcoming film technique

PHOTO: MATT WEBSTER

Eswatini trip Students in Engineers Without

Borders club assess new project site

IN EARLY September a group of four Walla Walla University students traveled to the remote village of Manzini, Eswatini, accompanied by two WWU employees. The purpose of the trip was to complete preliminary assessments of a new hu manitarian project site. While the final project might include a women’s rescue center and an orphanage, right now the group is focused on creating basic infrastructure such as a wastewater treatment plan.

The students—who are members of the Engineers Without Borders (EWB) club at WWU—spent four days collecting technical data, taking soil samples, and making valuable connections with locals. On Sabbath afternoon after church, the group played and sang with underprivileged children who lived in a homeless camp. Alex Fazio, senior engineering major, said, “In the past I’d heard stories of the happiness shown by children completely undimmed by their living situations. However, seeing it in person was a completely different experience, and it’s something I will never forget.”

Fazio explained this new project site was selected over other options because of the acute needs of the community and the potential for making a real impact in the area. The area is so remote that EWB does not have a presence there, and the WWU chapter is working with an organization called Saving Orphans Through Healthcare and Outreach (SOHO) to make the project a success.

This is the first international project undertaken by the WWU group in several years due to travel restrictions and area unrest. Recent projects have been based in Walla Walla and Holbrook, Arizona.

To support EWBWWU and their projects, visit ewb-wwu.org.

Jordanian dig

History professor leads archeology dig in Middle East

THIS SUMMER Monique Roddy, assistant professor of history, returned to Khirbat al-Balu’a in central Jordan as one of the direc tors of an ongoing archeological dig. The Balu’a Regional Archeo logical Project has been running since 2017 and has included WWU student archeologists in the past.

The site is a multi-era city, although Roddy noted that this summer’s work focused primarily on the Iron Age remains of Moabite houses. She and the team of 44 staff, students, volunteers, and local workers helped to uncover how the Moabites lived and the simple realities of their everyday lives, which are not as well-known as those of their more famous contemporaries, the Israelites.

“As an archeologist, the work at Balu’a is my primary research,” said Roddy. “The work we did this summer will keep me busy organizing and writing publications for years to come.” She looks forward to presenting about the team’s work to the history department at WWU and at an Archaeology Institute of America public lecture in Walla Walla this December.

New preprofessional advisor

Jeremy Wiggins ’96, associate professor of biology, is heading up the pre-professional program and working with a team of advisors

to ensure every student has personal guidance on achieving their career goals. Wiggins comes to WWU after having spent the last 20 years in private practice as a highly successful pediatric dentist. He enjoys music, golf, and delicious food.

PHOTOS: CHRIS DRAKE, COURTESY OF DAVID LOPEZ AND MONIQUE RODDY

EWB is open to students of any major.

Roddy has co-lead several digs at this multi-era site.

BY THE NUMBERS

Preprofessional programs

Students enrolled in the preprofessional program each year on average. 7

Annual networking and recruiting events that feature professional programs. 13

Preprofessional tracks available to WWU students, including preparation for medicine, occupational therapy, pharmacy, veterinarian, law school, and more.

Building community leaders

ANEW CERTIFICATE program will prepare students to impact the world through an introduction to humanitarian issues, intercultural work, and meaningful service. The Com munity Impact Certificate (CIC) will be available to students in all areas of study starting in fall 2022.

The new certificate focuses on classes that build the skills and knowledge necessary for impactful service, including Christian ethics, multicultural communication, and global development. Students will also

engage in at least 80 hours of service to a community, either locally or abroad, through robust service programs already avail able on campus.

“A part of the program is mak ing sure students continue being relevant, working members in the community,” said Jonathan Simons, associate director of the Center for Humanitarian Engagement at WWU. “How is our church relevant in the communities and how are we making sure our young people are gaining the skills and experi ence to be a part of that work?”

He also notes that nonprofits,

healthcare providers, interna tional development agencies, and church organizations have expressed a growing interest in students who are prepared to succeed in community impact careers.

Whether students plan to be an engineer or an artist, head into the start-up world or go on to medical school, a Community Impact Certificate can critically inform both their personal lives and professional practices.

Learn more about the certificate at wallawalla.edu/CIC.

The CIC prepares students for impactful careers across a variety of fields.

1Student club tailored for those pursuing a professional career.

94 th percentile

On average over the last 4 years, WWU students scored in the 94th percentile on the biology major field test, a standardized test taken each year by seniors at 350 to 400 colleges in the U.S.

Learn more at wallawalla.edu/ pre-pro.

PHOTO:

Blue Zones Project

Worksite for well-being

THIS SPRING, Walla Walla University met the requirements to become a Blue Zones Project approved worksite. By documenting the adoption and continuation of employee wellness initiatives, this designation recognizes the univer sity’s support of employees’ health and well-being, particularly through its decade-long effort to create an

employee wellness program.

“I think the most exciting thing has been the merging of the university’s wellness initiatives with the Blue Zones Project programs; creating joint activities, events, and health resources,” said Erika Sanderson, WWU director of human resources. Now as a Blue Zones Project ap proved worksite, WWU receives extra resources and training materials.

books + sites

Reading and browsing recommendations from our experts

Forty Autumns: A Family’s Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall

by Nina Willner (William Morrow, 2016)

While walking or cleaning, I was transported into the family story of Nina Willner, a former army intelligence officer once stationed only miles from loved ones she’d never met in East Germany. Nina’s mother had escaped early in the Cold War, leaving behind parents and seven siblings. This is an incredible story of a family’s survival and commitment to each other for 40 years. Truly, love never fails.

—Andrea Keele, associate chaplain for missions

Wolf Hall

by Hilary Mantel (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2009)

Welcome, new faculty!

Back row from left: Jeremy Springer, assistant professor of social work and sociology; Darryl Penney, associate professor of tech nology; and Jeremy Wiggins, associate professor of biology.

Middle row from left: Margaret Carmen, assistant professor of nursing; Steven Forbis, assistant professor of business; Sara Kakazu, professor of English; and Matt Weber, production and facilities coordinator.

Front row from left: Stefan Sremac, assistant professor of math; Natalie Smith-Gray, assistant professor of engineering; Kristen Coffeen-Smith, assistant professor of social work; Karlyn Bond, chair and professor of music; and Lauren Peterson, assis tant professor of English.

In September 2022, author Hilary Mantel died at the age of 70 following a stroke. Praised as perhaps England’s best current writer, her most famous books are a trilogy about Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s right hand man and the driving force behind the English Church’s break with the Roman papacy. Her historical research was meticulous, and she brought out a provoc ative new appreciation of Cromwell. If you have an interest in the English Reformation or quality literature, then dive into this first book of the series.

—Greg Dodds, chair and professor of history

Isaac’s Storm: A

history

by Erik Larson (Vintage Books USA, 2000)

Any history lover is sure to have read some thing by Larson. This gripping tale of the 1900 hurricane that landed atop Galveston, Texas, seemed a particularly timely tale because of its vivid description of the power of nature, the impotence of a divided gov ernment in the face of that power, and the deadly consequences it had for many.

—Kelsi Nash, university relations supervisor

PHOTOS: JENNIFER BUYCO, AARON NAKAMURA, ERIC ASHLEY

man, a time, and the deadliest hurricane in

Walla Walla honored WWU’s commitment to employee wellness.

Muddy mayhem

The start of school coaxes students back into classrooms amidst fall foliage—but it also brings a slate of social events, including the annual OPS Mud Bowl. This time-honored matchup was established by the men’s residence hall club, Omicron Pi Sigma. As early as 1981, students played football in a field of mud each October, although many were content to watch from the drier sidelines. More recently, the Mud Bowl has expanded to include a version for women’s teams as well.

Passion proje cts

Turning a pastime into a profession

Written by AMY WILKINSON ’04

GIVEN THAT we all have the same 24 hours in a day, how we choose to spend those precious minutes and seconds says a lot about who we are and what we value. Perhaps walking in a blooming meadow soothes your soul. Or baking (and sharing) cookies makes you feel more connected to your community. Or playing the violin keeps your fingers nimble and mind sharp. Whatever reason drives you to pursue a hobby, the benefits are real: Multiple studies have found an association between enjoyable leisure activities and positive mental and physical effects. But what happens when a pastime transcends free time to become something more: a career? Does the passion fizzle or burn even brighter? These four alumni dis covered the challenges and triumphs of turning an avocation into a vocation.

Robb Coffee enjoys renovating and decorating houses—both big and very, very small.

PHOTO: RUSTY WILLIAMS

Home is where the heart is

THE FIRST dollhouse Jessica (Craik) Coffee made wasn’t exactly worthy of the pages of American Miniaturist magazine. But, then again, Jessica was 7 years old at the time, and her construction materials were limited to a large cardboard box and pages from the Sears catalog.

“I built some really terrible dollhouses as a child,” Jessica recalls. Though she outgrew the hobby—or so she thought—her creative spirit never waned. After earning a technology degree at Walla Walla University in 2003, she became a graphic designer— and amateur home renovator.

Fast-forward to 2019, when Jessica, now married to Robb Coffee (att.) and a mom to three young sons, stumbled across a listing for a used dollhouse on Facebook Marketplace.

“I kept telling Robb, if we ever have a little girl, I will build her a dollhouse,” Jessica says. “Robb finally was like, ‘I think I’m onto you. This has

nothing to do with a little girl.’”

Robb recalls the moment well: “Just get yourself a dollhouse!” he told her.

So the San Francisco Victorian from Facebook found its way to the Coffee’s home, and Jessica went about sourcing tile and sundry finishings to complete the home.

“She put it on Instagram and got a little following,” Robb explains. “People were asking her where she got some of the things that she designed.”

To meet demand and earn a few bucks, Jessica opened an Etsy store for enthusiasts to purchase her peel-and-stick wallpaper and thumb-sized wall sconces. The business, Jessica Cloe Miniatures, began to grow.

By early 2020, the Coffees were faced with a decision: Stay in their jobs—Jessica as a graphic designer; Robb as an X-ray technologist on-call 15 to 20 days a month—or quit and pursue Jessica Cloe Miniatures full time. Burnt out, they decided on the latter. It would be

Jessica (Craik) Coffee CLASS OF 2003 and Robb Coffee ATT.

a fortuitous choice, as the COVID-19 pandemic closed down brick-and-mortar businesses and schools just a couple of months later. Being able to stay home with their boys and run their online enterprise was a boon.

“They are well aware that we’re going to be sitting with them doing homework and sanding lampshades,” Jessica says.

That flexibility would again prove invaluable as the couple moved their family from College Place to Summerville, South Carolina, with little disruption to their business. Now, nearly three years into running Jessica Cloe Miniatures, the couple have found a good rhythm. Jessica is the ideas person, while Robb tries to make those ideas come to life with his garage full of tools.

“Because I just love work ing with my hands and creat ing things, it leaves her able to go on to the next thing,” Robb says. (Still a work in progress: Fulfilling Jessica’s dream of a miniature-sized Eames-style molded chair.)

Also evolving is their design aesthetic, which started out as farmhouse modern and now leans more into Scandinavian simplicity. Scroll their Instagram page, and you’ll see miniature homes painted in pristine whites with black and gray accents and tasteful pops of color from bespoke wallpaper and lush greenery. No detail is too small, down to the minia ture Trader Joe’s grocery bags and Wellington Boots that look like the real things.

Their precision work has earned them clients beyond

fellow hobbyists. Last year, The Washington Post com missioned them to design a “cloffice” (that’s an office in a closet) to illustrate an editorial on the growing trend. And the couple recently designed a room box for a Samsung campaign, showing off miniature versions of the tech company’s latest products. Their work has also been highlighted in numerous magazines including Dolls House & Miniature Scene and, yes, American Miniaturist.

Turning her enthusiasm for dollhouses into a career hasn’t come without its downsides, Jessica admits.

“If you convert a personal hobby to a business, you definitely lose the hobby part of it,” she says. “There’s no way for me to now scroll miniature accounts and just enjoy the cuteness.”

But, she adds, spending six hours on a Sunday reno vating a dollhouse to post on social media still feels like a moment of zen for her, and when she needs a break, she happily turns her attention to the real-life renovations taking place in her home.

“I love changing out stuff in our house,” says Jessica. “We bounce between big-time renovations and designing little stuff.”

Ultimately, the couple’s hobby-turned-business has given them something a typical 9-5 couldn’t: the ability to be present with their family.

“We can go experience life in different areas in different places with our three boys and just enjoy life,” says Robb. “Not a lot of people get to do that, so we’re trying to take full advantage.”

The Coffees’ miniatures are full of detail, right down to fresh-baked treats on the table.

Climbing ever higher

GROWING UP as a missionary kid, Randy Folkenberg’s introduction to the great outdoors was unlike any other.

“I remember being two or three years old, living outside of Beijing,” he says. “My dad took my brother and me out backpacking and hiking up to the top of a ridge, and we camped on the remnants of the Great Wall.”

While Randy doesn’t recommend attempting that particular expedition nowadays, he says it—along with the many camping and hiking trips he later took as a teen in the Canadian Cascades—instilled a lifelong love of adventure. Once at Walla Walla University, he was introduced to rock climbing by his older brother, Rob, and went on to take the rock climbing class taught by Marvin Denney.

“I’ve been climbing ever since,” he says, adding that the pursuit fits his personal ity well. “For a goal-oriented person, such as myself, it was really rewarding to be able to focus in on a single line on a single route and work at it and improve as a climber until you’re able to climb it without falling.”

Randy also got a thrill out of sharing his newfound passion with friends—a theme he would often come back to.

“I loved seeing people experience nature and creation in a way that they had never experienced it before,” he says. “I think climbing offers all sorts of lessons on perseverance and overcoming fear and trusting one another. I love

CLASS OF 2016

helping people experience those more transcendent things through this specific niche of climbing.”

It was also while at WWU that Randy discovered his life’s other passion: ministry. He arrived on campus intent on becoming a lawyer and ultimately declared a theology major—as he comes from a long line of pastors and was interested in the crossroads of law and religion. But as he took more and more classes in the theology department, he felt a pull away from the law and a push towards ministry.

“It became more and more clear to me that the intersec tion of my passions and my giftings and my personality would be a far better fit for pastoring,” Randy explains.

So after graduating in 2016, he and his wife Chantel (Mote) Folkenberg, a 2015 social work and 2016 mas ter’s of social work graduate

people who, for whatever reason, haven’t connected with a traditional church environment. It was just the challenge Randy and Chantel had been looking for—they had been praying for an opportunity to connect with the unchurched people in their community.

Their planning and hard work has since manifested as a new faith community called Common Ground, with a vision that “the outdoor community of Central Oregon would expe rience abundant life through supportive community, meaningful service, rhythms of rest and adventure, and thoughtful worship.”

Common Ground doesn’t function like a traditional church—and that’s by design.

“In the analysis of the post-religious outdoor community of Central Oregon, we realized that a typical Saturday or Sunday

festival, which took place next to Smith Rock State Park, was free to all, thanks to generous donations from the community, and featured climbing, short teachings and messages, and roundtable discussions. All in all, 300 people attended the event.

“Feedback was over whelmingly positive—above and beyond anything we anticipated,” Randy says. “People are already asking, not if but when we’re doing it next year.”

Randy has big plans for Common Ground, and his diligence is bearing fruit: While the group doesn’t have a traditional membership list like most churches, they have a regular roster of partici pants that averages 25-40.

“Even in the absence of metrics and the ambiguity of the uncharted nature of the terrain that we’re in, God is blessing and moving,” he says.

Through it all, Randy

and avid rock climber, answered a call to pastor in Salem, Oregon. They spent two years there before leav ing for Andrews University, where Randy earned his master’s of divinity. They returned to Oregon—this time the city of Redmond.

About six months into pastoring the Redmond Adventist Church, the Oregon Conference approached Randy with a proposal: They wanted him to plant a new church that would minister to a broad spectrum of

morning worship service is a non-starter for them,” Randy says. “People want to be outside, want to get out and do things.”

So worship and fellowship take many forms: smallgroup Bible studies in com munity members’ homes; service opportunities, like maintaining local mountain biking trails or providing food at the finish line of a cross-country skiing event; and retreats, like the On This Rock event this past April. The weekend climbing

continues to relish the hobby that, at least in part, helped make this possible: rock climbing.

“I still get that joy,” he says. “I do have to some times shut out of work mode. God has given me a passion for ministry and a passion for the outdoors, and those have just slid together here in Central Oregon, and specifically with Common Ground, so seamlessly. I see the common ground of the outdoors as the most ideal place to represent Jesus.”

“I think climbing offers all sorts of lessons on perseverance and overcoming fear and trusting one another.”

Randy Folkenberg

Randy’s work in the Oregon Conference is a superb blend of ministry and the outdoors.

Sewing seeds

TERRI (Dickinson) Neil is a dabbler. Chat with the 1982 business education graduate for just a few minutes about her love of quilting, and you’ll also hear about her interest in perennial gardening and the time she constructed a greenhouse at her kids’ school; the piano lessons she took as a child and how she still plays at her local church; and the handful of years she spent making greeting cards.

“I like to do things with my hands in a creative way,” Terri says.

It was yet another hobby that led her to quilting. Terri has always been tall (she stands at 6’1”), and as a youngster she sewed a lot of her own clothes. And that stitching know-how came in handy while making her first quilt for the birth of her daughter, Jenna, in 1992. The blanket was sweet and simple, sage green and mauve, and Terri also sewed matching curtains and a bumper to complete the set. The project, however, was born out of necessity more than amusement.

“My husband, Jay, was in residency, so we were poor church mice,” Terri recalls. “I probably went to a local thrift store for the fabric.”

She made another quilt when her son, Mason, arrived a few years later, but after that, she took a hiatus. That is, until—after four years serv ing as Walla Walla University’s Director for Alumni and Parent Relations—Terri, along with her husband, relocated to the small town of Farmington,

Maine. The move rekindled something in Terri.

“When I left Walla Walla in 2016, I decided rather than dabble I wanted to be really good at what I was doing,” she says. “I can be fast and get a zillion things done in a day, and they’re all done well, but not with as much precision as might be good to have. So that was my intent when I came back to quilting.”

Terri, who describes her style as modern, has immersed herself in the hobby. She joined the local quilt club and even worked a few hours a week for a shop owner in town. She started out making quilts to give away—“humble” ones, as she says, for weddings and baby showers—and she got quick at making them. But her hobby was becoming expensive.

Here’s where we take a quick pause for the unini tiated. A brief quilt-making explainer, if you will: A finished quilt is composed of multiple components. There’s the top, the section with the pattern or design;

the batting, which goes in the middle to fluff up the blanket and add warmth; and the backing, which completes the quilt sandwich, as it were. Then there’s the final compo nent—the step Terri couldn’t do on her own—which is topstitching all three parts together. For this, you need a longarm machine. (Picture a long table with a stitching mechanism suspended above that glides back and forth across the fabric.)

A longarm machine is an investment, so most quilters outsource that final step to a longarmer, at a cost of around 2 cents a square inch. And that finishing touch was hitting Terri’s pocketbook hard with the number of quilts she was churning out. But a solution soon presented itself: Terri heard about a used longarm machine for sale, and after trying her hand at it, she decided to take the plunge.

For the next year or so, she tested her longarming skills and designs (think: feathers, florals, swirls) on

Terri (Dickinson) Neil CLASS OF 1982

the celebratory quilts she made for friends. She found it to be so enjoyable that she launched a business, Quilting Rubies (the name a nod to both the preciousness of quilts and her West Highland Terrier, Ruby) in 2019.

Over the years, Terri has done little-to-no advertising. Her clients come largely through word of mouth, from as near as her small town of Farmington and as far as bus tling Boston, Massachusetts. She’s become so adept at longarming that she recently purchased another valuable piece of equipment—a computer guidance system. Before, Terri would take a topstitch pattern composed on a piece of paper and use a laser to trace the longarm over the quilt. Now, the pattern is programmed into the computer and the arm moves autonomously (though Terri still needs to be nearby to troubleshoot and cut the thread at the end of a row).

She’s just finished a handful of quilts with the new system, but she’s already finding it easier on her body. (Longarming an 85” x 85” quilt, for example, typically takes about four hours.)

Despite the investments of money and time (Terri dedicates about 20–25 hours a week to Quilting Rubies), she still contends that quilting falls in the realm of a hobby. She charges an hourly rate that is on par with the industry standard, but her goal isn’t to rake in large profits. It’s mostly to fund her hobby. And, perhaps, find a new purpose.

“Coming off of the Walla Walla gig, I still needed an identity of some sort outside of mom and wife and CEO of the family,” she says. “This has been a cool kick.”

Terri’s longarm sewing machine allows her to finish quilts with intricate, swirling patterns.

Photographs by JOHN BEDFORD PHOTOGRAPHY

Standing FIRM

THE WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2021–2022

WHEN THE BELL rang that first day in December 1892, students gathered around an unfinished building atop a snow-covered hill west of Walla Walla and prepared to start their educational journey. They weren’t complaining about the cold weather or the challenging cost of being there. They knew what they were made of. They were singing. They were praying. And they were determined to heed God’s call one way or another. The fire they lit now spans nearly 130 years of joys and sorrows, highs and lows, difficulties and successes.

In recent years, Walla Walla University has leaned into our resilience in a more pronounced way than any time in recent memory. When the largest freshman class in more than four decades arrived in the fall of 2019, we celebrated. When, just weeks later, a serious ransomware attack crippled our campus computer systems, resourceful faculty and staff rose to the challenge and found unique solutions.

Then in March the pandemic sent us home, and for the first time Walla Walla University offered its slate of classes completely online. This too required creative adaptations. The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology was created to help faculty continue offering exceptional Christian education

in a variety of changing formats. It continues to raise the bar with innovative teaching strategies and technologies.

In the fall of 2021, shifting pandemic regulations inspired the construction of a four-sided stage on Centennial Green surrounded by seating that accommodated socially distanced events for 1,500 people. This outdoor cathedral included a sound system, lights, chairs, and an elevated stage all assembled underneath large trees just beginning to turn red and gold. The outdoor venue was used for all major programming for the first three weeks of school.

Events such as vespers, Mosaic Church, CommUnity, and week of worship all met in this impressive space. Joyful inventiveness and teamwork found a way to bring the campus family together in person once again, lifting songs of praise to our returning King under the canopy of the star-filled night sky.

These moments of corporate worship, service to others, and personal communion with God give meaning to our pursuits.

Students are encouraged to take the lead in campus ministries in response to God’s call to their hearts. The Chaplain’s Office depends on more than 30 students to maintain and support 17 weekly worship and church opportunities. Students lead small group worships and plant unique, on-campus churches.

ReNew is a student-led Sabbath school on campus that focuses on Biblical discussion and creating community through music. Catherine Thompsen, a current student and ReNew co-leader, said, “ReNew creates a safe space where people from a variety of walks of life can deeply discuss the Bible and Christian life. On a campus with many worship outlets, it is easy to fall through the cracks, and the pandemic has been a major isolating event for us all. That is why finding a community you connect with is so important. I am grateful to have something that draws me back to a community of faith even when my energy is low.”

Finding a faith family that provides support and encourages growth is critical as young adults branch out into the world on their own. These experiences provide an arena to learn essential skills in discipleship, leadership, music, friendship, ministry, and more—skills they will bring to their future faith communities for the rest of their lives.

Despite the triumphs and trials, we still know we were made for this. Our hearts still burn to contin ue the holy task of preparing our students to work capably and serve faithfully. We’ve celebrated bright moments, accomplishments, graduations, and many times when we recognized God’s leading. And when we glance into our future, we know Walla Walla University, God’s university, is in His hands.

This report is an abbreviated version of the Walla Walla University report for delegates to the 2022 North Pacific Union Conference Quinquennial Constituency Session that took place on August 7, 2022.

ANCHORED IN FAITH and finding belonging

Our focus on faith continually affirms to students

Students take the lead. Students are encouraged to lead in campus ministries in response to God’s call. More than 30 students maintain and support 17 weekly worship and church opportunities.

Integrated with learning. Each student’s general studies program includes a course in Seventh-day Adventist beliefs plus a robust set of other religion and Biblical study courses. 97% of students say their professors have encour aged me to be a thoughtful follower of Jesus.

A local church laboratory. The University Church invites students into a multigener ational community where they learn to serve as student pastors and through music, broadcast production, and Eden’s Pantry food bank. In this laboratory, students are prepared to become integral to their local church families.

New center for service. The Center for Humanitarian Engagement (CHE) was created in 2018 to help students find a calling—not just a career—by connecting them with service-oriented opportunities such as CARE projects, the annual Fall

Service Day, Blue Zones Walla Walla Valley, projects led by the WWU chapter of Engineers Without Borders, and more.

A commitment to diversity. Since 2009, the percent of the student population made up of White students has declined from nearly 80% to 54%. The Hispanic student population has increased from 9% to 21%. In response, the university has established the Donald Blake Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Culture and taken deliberate steps to study and celebrate diversity on and off campus.

ALUMNI CLASS GIVING

Class year Total giving Participation

1947-49 $25,817 5.5%

1950 $7,400 7.7% 1951 $340 10.4% 1952 $10,700 6.4% 1953 $1,185 8.0%

1954 $2,160 10.6%

1955 $11,285 12.3%

1956 $1,300 20.7%

1957 $64,125 15.9%

1958 $43,678 22.6%

1959 $789 11.8%

1960 $245,831 21.8%

1961 $3,680 13.9%

1962 $30,425 20.2%

1963 $4,460 23.1%

1964 $11,516 17.6%

1965 $96,780 17.5%

1966 $18,310 19.2%

1967 $3,450 18.9%

Class year Total giving Participation

1968 $156,870 11.3% 1969 $16,022 9.6%

1970 $8,408 15.7% 1971 $28,773 8.6% 1972 $10,840 13.4%

1973 $40,765 8.0% 1974 $233,100 9.3%

1975 $14,585 8.1%

1976 $15,662 12.3%

1977 $5,690 8.0%

1978 $39,305 13.0%

1979 $52,348 9.9%

1980 $28,625 13.0%

1981 $13,500 8.5%

1982 $26,925 4.8%

1983 $26,095 8.3%

1984 $7,120 10.4%

1985 $15,915 6.9% 1986 $30,614 10.5%

Class year Total giving Participation

1987 $120,755 9.0%

1988 $9,930 11.0%

1989 $29,290 5.4%

1990 $5,500 8.7%

1991 $21,995 4.1%

1992 $7,550 5.7% 1993 $2,508 5.1%

1994 $20,515 4.8%

1995 $3,000 5.0%

1996 $3,645 5.3%

1997 $14,200 5.3%

1998 $13,036 4.2%

1999 $6,225 2.8%

2000 $3,069 3.6%

2001 $19,328 5.7%

2002 $2,630 3.8%

2003 $22,565 3.3%

2004 $511,845 3.8%

2005 $5,162 4.0%

ROLLERCOASTER CHANGE IN ENROLLMENT

Walla Walla University’s average first-time freshmen enrollment rate skyrocketed in 2019 as we welcomed the largest freshman class in 42 years. Subsequent years have been a challenge—for WWU and most other Adventist colleges and universities, as this comparison shows.

WWU –27.9%

Adventist colleges and universities

Class year Total giving Participation

2006 $410 2.9%

2007 $2,273 1.5%

2008 $2,765 1.9%

2009 $20,366 2.8%

2010 $905 1.8%

2011 $1,465 1.0%

2012 $1,582 3.0%

2013 $1,941 0.8%

2014 $3,402 1.6%

2015 $1,115 1.2%

2016 $3,472 1.7%

2017 $890 1.6%

2018 $495 0.8%

2019 $230 0.2%

2020 $100 0.2%

2021 $700 1.0%

2022 $402 1.7%

Join in at wallawalla.edu/give.

THE WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2021–2022

LEGACY SOCIETY

The Legacy Society honors individuals who included the university in their estate plans or make a deferred gift of any size to provide for the work of Walla Walla University.

Anonymous (28)

Paul and Patricia ’68 Ackerman

Ed ’90 and Julie Ammon

James and Barbara Anderson

Kirk and Melody Ayers

Beverly Beem

Jack ’48* and Evelyn Bergman

Darold ’66 and Barbara Bigger

Maxine Blome ’50

Bob ’60 and Georgene Bond

Marjorie Bregar

Robert ’50 and Treva* Burgess

Daryl and Patricia Burghart

Merle Calkins

Lois Carscallen

Sam ’60 and Grace Carvajal

Challis Casebolt ’75

Leonard* and Sue Cason

Ruth Christensen ’57

Douglas ’70 and Carmen Clark

Carlton Cross ’66

Dorothy Curameng

Don ’48* and Orletta ’68 Dealy

Laurel* and Virginia Dennis

Jon and Kathryn Dybdahl

Jim and Vicky Edwards

Joyce Engel ’63

Kerry Ferris

Allen and Donna Fisher

Kerry and Marian ’70 Forschler

Jim ’67 and Christie ’90 Forsyth

Brant Foster

Gary ’67 and Udell ’66 Fresk

Leslie* and Barbara Ann ’62 Fromm

Henry ’62 and Mayme* Gerber

Keith ‘60 and Elizabeth Gibbons

Theo and Marianne Goltz

Don ’68 and Trish Hall

Jim ’65 and Ruth ’65 Hall

Howard* and Elizabeth Hanafin

Yvonne Hanson

Stan ’68 and Irene ’70 Hixson

Jeanie Hixson ’72

Eunice Johnson

Ed ’66 and Marilyn* Karlow

Robert ’57 and Peggy ’60 Kaye

Susan and Alvin ’34* Kincaid

Clarence ’50* and Helen Klopfenstein

Edward ’75 and Priscilla ’73 Ko

Diane Wagner Lampson ’62

Mel and Joyce ’73 Lang

Bill ’55* and Rose Lay

Sandra Love-Dahl ’62

Sam* and Donna LeFore

William ’49* and Edna Mae ’50 Loveless

Karen MacIvor

Edward ’67 and Ruth ’71 MacKenzie

Dan ’57 and Betsy Matthews

Marja-Leena McChesney ’91

James and Kathy McMillan

Walt ’62 and Bonnie* Meske

Phyllis Miller ‘52

Lloyd ’51 and Maud ’51* Moody

William ’50* and Marjorie Moreno

Olen ’52 and Mary ’53 Nations

Ted ’72 and Nancy ’74 Nedderman

Gregory Neustel ’72

Howard* and Monta Osborne

James ’59 and Della ’65* Park

Tom and Barbara Pelett

Lawrence Perrigoue and RuthAnn May* Jen ’97 Pinder

Jim ’96 Pinder

Lloyd and Fern ’55 Piper

Marvin A. Piper, MD ’60

Hoe ’52* and Mary Poh Kenneth Purdom ’57

James M & Sandra Dassenko ’75 Reilly Avonelle Remboldt ’53

Bob ’62 and Barbara Richards

Norton* and Lois ’59 Ritchie-Ritter

Marilyn Rollins ’83

Nancy Ann Romine ’82

Brian ’01 and Trasa ’02 Roth

Glenna Ryder

Elmar and Darilee Sakala

Robert ’88 and Janelle ’87 Schmidt Roy Schmunk ’50

Gerald and Shirley Schoepflin Don ’49* and Marcella Schwisow

Gene ’69* and Caroline Settlemier Dorothy Smith ’52

Jaclin Smith

Samuel and Carol ’67 Smith

Ralph ’81 and Franice Stirling Craig ’84 and Cheryl ’81 Stowers

Muffy Piper ’83 and Rob Sweezey ’80* Doug Taylor ‘78

Mark ’81* and Dorita ’80 Tessier

Everett* and Shirley Tetz

Alden ’65 and Wanda ’65 Thompson

Kelly Turner ’96

Dennis Vories ’74

Philip and Reid Wasser Ray and Pat Watson Dorothy Weisz ’49

Florene Wells

Keith ’78 and Joyce ’78 Wilkens Stephen ’98 and Kelly Wilson

Tim and Cheri Windemuth

Vicki and Gerald Winkle Vera Young ’53

*deceased prior to June 30, 2021

To learn more about joining the Legacy Society, contact Dorita Tessier at (509) 527-2646 or visit legacy.wallawalla.edu.

ENDOWED FUNDS & SCHOLARSHIPS

The endowed scholarhip funds listed here provided $1,026,940.02 in scholarships and other forms of support for Walla Walla University during the 2021–22 year. Funds from the new endowed funds will begin to be awarded in 2022–23. Your investments today help secure the future success of WWU and generations of students to come. »

Administration Building Maintenance

Advancement of Chemical Research at Walla Walla University

Paul W. Anderson Scholarship

ASWWU Student Aid Endowment

Claude Barnett, Ph.D., Scholarship

James and Ruth Bebee Computer Science Scholarship

James and Ruth Bebee Nursing Scholarship

Dr. Frederick and Mrs. JaneAnn Bennett

Engineering Scholarship

Beverly Math Faculty

Improvement

Shannon Marie Bigger

Memorial Christian Service Volunteer Scholarship

Lester and Geraldine Border Christian Service Scholarship

Alice I. Bowden Memorial

Theology Scholarship

George W. Bowers Excellence in Chemistry Scholarship

Boyson Family Communication Scholarship

John F. Bregar Memorial

Scholarship

Burton and Carol Briggs Chemistry Scholarship

Junior Senior Business Scholarship

School of Business Fund

Clair and Myrtle Calkins Library Book Fund

D. Ordell and Margaret A. Calkins Business/ Education Faculty Development

Merle Clairon Calkins

Computer Science Faculty Development

Lewis Canaday Memorial Technology Scholarship

Dr. James R. Chambers Memorial Scholarship

Janice P. Chance

Memorial Nursing Fund

Dr. Muriel Chapman Nursing Scholarship

Percy W. Christian Excellence in History Scholarship

A.J. and Gladys E. Christiansen Memorial Scholarship

A PLACE TO thrive

Students find more than an excellent education.

AKUA OWUSU ANASAH ’22

“I came to Walla Walla University from North Dakota State University. I felt like God closed all the doors for me there in terms of looking for internships and jobs. I prayed about it and was led to apply here.

NDSU is much bigger, and the teachers do create relationships with students, but at WWU it’s much more face-to-face. You can talk to them about more than just classes, and they’re willing to give you advice. The professors at WWU understand the call to a life of service. A lot of non-Chris tians might say we should serve too, but they don’t understand it’s God’s calling for us. There’s a significant difference when your professors share your faith, and it’s one of the reasons I regret not coming here sooner.”

DANIEL STRATTE ’22

“My life has been dramatically impacted by my four years at WWU. The skills from my major in bioengineering translate well into my future plans in the medical profession. Learning the systems, interactions, and techniques have taught me how to efficiently study and apply a subject.

Meanwhile, my major in music and my general academic studies have allowed for balance. My perspectives, shaped through intriguing ideas in various class es, have given me inspiration and appreciation. My studies and music also help me express and explore what being a child of God really means. From studying intri cate and beautiful complexities of life to expressing the beauty I see through music, I am inspired to learn about the true meanings of life, fully and deeply.”

Class of 1954 Scholarship

Class of 1955 Scholarship

Class of 1956 Scholarship

Class of 1957 Scholarship

Class of 1959 Student Missions Scholarship

Class of 1960 Student Missions Scholarship

Class of 1961 Student Missions Scholarship

Class of 1965 Scholarship

Class of 1968 Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Class of 1971 Scholarship

Class of 1978 Scholarship

Class of 1983 Scholarship

Class of 1984 Scholarship

Class of 1989 Edwin Zaugg Memorial Scholarship

Class of 1996 Scholarship

Class of 1997 Scholarship

Class of 2003 Scholarship

Class of 2009 Student Missionary Scholarship

Class of 2011 Shari Booth Memorial Scholarship Class of 2012 Scholarship

Class of 2014 Scholarship

Class of 2017 Merit Award

Verlin L. and Thelma (Kumalae) Cochran Memorial Scholarship Communication Development Course Computer Science Magazine

L.P. “Jim” Corbett English Scholarship

L.P. “Jim” Corbett History Scholarship

L.P. “Jim” and Jane B. Corbett Student Aid Scholarship

Lee Crain Memorial Music Scholarship

Edward F. Cross Engineering Scholarship

Nancy Cross Memorial English Faculty Development Fund

Vera Davis-Michel Memorial English Scholarship

Edward F. and Clara M. Degering Memorial Educational Scholarship

Claude and Annie Deming Memorial Fund

Loren Dickinson Communications Scholarship Dietrich/Wilkinson Aviation Scholarship

Frances Dixon Special Education

Dr. Ralph A. Drake Scholarship

Lars and Anna Dybdahl Scholarship

Josephine Cunnington Edwards Memorial Scholarship

H. Russell and Genevieve Emmerson Memorial Scholarship Engineering Chair Endowment

Mary Garner Esary Memorial Scholarship Faculty/Staff Scholarship

Dena W. and R. B. Farnsworth Nursing Scholarship

Lawrence C. Folkes, M.D., Scholarship

Ray and Alice Fowler Scholarship

Norma S. Gardner Memorial English Scholarship Wilford and Emma Goffar Scholarship

Graduate Dean’s Award

Graham Family Schol arship

Albert E. and Reta J. Graham Memorial Scholarship

Grellmann Family Scholarship

J. Paul Grove Memorial Scholarship

John J. Hafner Music Scholarship

Lovyl and Mary Hagle Memorial Worthy Student Scholarship

Richard and Dena Hammill Memorial Scholarship

Thomas Hampson Humanities Merit Scholarship

THE WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2021–2022

Facing change WITH RESILIENCE

WWU’s

New degree offerings

WWU continually hones degree offerings to match today’s interests and tomorrow’s job market.

For example, the School of Social Work began offering the university’s first doctoral program in 2020. The com puter science program has been modernized and six certificate programs expand students’ skills in in-demand areas of expertise. A master’s of engineering degree will be offered as soon as next year.

Supporting our faculty

The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology was established to help faculty adjust to online instruction during the pandemic. It con tinues to innovate teaching strategies and technologies.

Certified peer tutors

Student tutors can earn a national certification that marks the high standard of help they provide to other students. Students received more than 3,000 hours of personal help from a peer tutor in 2020–2021.

Building on wellness The Health and Wellness team

includes professional counsel ors to provide mental health care and wellness resources. Mentors meet with students weekly to talk about every thing from classes and grades to roommates and spiritual life.

Competitive results WWU students consistently score at or above national averages on standardized

MAJOR FIELD TEST SCORES

WWU students consistently score at or above national averages on standardized tests—even during the height of the pandemic.

In 2020, three academic programs ranked above 90% of the more than 350 colleges and universities who held these tests.

BIOLOGY 96th percentile BUSINESS 99th percentile COMPUTER SCIENCE 90th percentile

tests in a wide range of fields, including chemistry, business, literature, and biology.

Launch of a service certificate The Community Impact Certificate provides a transformative complement to students’ chosen major by pre paring them for humanitarian careers or lives of impactful service in any field.

Campus improvements

Improvements include a completely renovated busi ness building, updated Health and Wellness Center and bookstore, improvements to parking facilities, expanded indoor rock climbing wall, a new bioengineering labora tory, modernized film studio spaces, and new pickleball courts and walking path.

ENDOWED FUNDS & SCHOLARSHIPS

Juanita Wagner Holm

Howard E. Hanafin

Scholarship

* NEW! Bryan G. and Susan J. Harris

Endowed Excellence in Work Ethic Scholarship

Clyde and Mary Harris

Challenge Grant

Pauline Hart Memorial Social Work Scholarship

Richard and Georgiana Hayden Christian Service Scholarship

Rodney Heisler Engineer ing Scholarship/Grant

Robert A. and Solange

Henderson Memorial History Scholarship

Wilma E. Hepker Scholarship

Paul and Frances Heubach Memorial Theology Scholarship

Jess Holm Memorial Scholarship

Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Helen and Archie Howatson Nursing Scholarship

Oland F. Hubbs Memorial Theology Scholarship

Vera Johnson Hubbs Memorial Business Scholarship

Dr. and Mrs. Harold Huber Scholarship

Wynelle J. Huff Nursing Scholarship

Jess M. Hutson, M.D., Memorial Scholarship

IBCC

Jensen Memorial Math Scholarship

Dr. Gordon Johnson Physics Scholarship

Murray L. and Ilene Johnstone Scholarship

Carl and Lucile Jones Nursing Scholarship

Peggy Henderson Kaye Nursing Scholarship

Robert Kaye, M.D., Rosario Scholarship

Helen Wineberg Kendall Women in Business Scholarship

KGTS Positive Life Radio Announcer Fund

Meade and Frances Kinzer and Family Nursing Scholarship

Betty Klein Engineering Scholarship

Rudolf and Anna Klimes

Learn Well Physical Education Scholarship

* NEW! Edward and Priscilla Ko Math & Nursing Scholarship

A.H. and Mary Koorenny Memorial Scholarship

Robert H. and Thorna Koorenny Scholarship

Kretschmar Hall Maintenance

Luella Latham Kretschmar Memorial Scholarship

Laura G. Larson Memorial Nursing Scholarship

H. Lloyd Leno Memorial Music Scholarship

Lewiston/Clarkston Scholarship

Paul Lindgren History Scholarship

Jennie M. Livingston Memorial Library Fund Dr. C. Stanley Lloyd Jr. Scholarship

Kelly Logan Social Work Scholarship

Romulo and Mercedes Lozano Scholarship

Mary E. Marker Memorial Theology Scholarship

Roy and Lois (Dorland)

Martin English Scholarship

Sukhdev Mathaudhu Engineering Scholarship Mathematics Alumni Scholarship

Dorothy and Byron Miller Mathematics Scholarship

Warren Matheson

Memorial Christian Service Scholarship

Matiko Theology Award

Harden M. McConnell and Alvin L. Kwiram Award

Eldena McDow Scholarship

Jacob G. and Lois A. Mehling Business Scholarship

Messenger/Loewen Scholarship

* NEW! RS Michel Endowed Scholarship for Entrepreneurship

Jack Evan Miles Memorial Scholarship

MariAnne Jensen Moore Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Wilda Means Morasch Nursing Scholarship

Joseph and Beth Murray Memorial Scholarship for Resident Assistants Music Scholarship

Dan and Mary Morrison Necker Scholarship

Llewellyn and Vivian Nixon Scholarship Nursing Scholarship

Daniel A. Ochs Memorial Theology Scholarship

Alfred R. Ogden Endowed Theology Award

Mary Ogden Art Scholarship

Orland Ogden Memorial Music Scholarship

Orland and Mary Ogden Music Scholarship

Dr. and Mrs. Howard Osborne Scholarship

Blythe Owen Music Scholarship

Doreen Paulson-Evans Memorial Scholarship

Yvonne Pickett Memorial Scholarship

Piper-Johanson Scholarship

Helen L. Popoway Endowment

Robert L. Reynolds Excellence in History Scholarship

long history of meeting obstacles with joyful inventiveness has upheld a high level of academic rigor and student support despite challenges.

Robert M. Reynolds Memorial Scholarship

Donald W. Rigby Biology Award

Donald W. Rigby Biology Faculty Research Donnie Rigby Drama Award

Rigby Hall Maintenance

John D. Rogers, M.D., Memorial Scholarship Rosario Marine Station Maintenance Rowsell Family Memorial Scholarship James and Thais Thrasher Sadoyama Scholarship

Doyle B. and Lorelei Pierce Saxby Business Scholarship

Gayle L. Saxby Memorial Scholarship Schlotthauer-Risinger

Math Scholarship

Eleanor B. Schofield Memorial Teachers Scholarship

John Montgomery Schultz Engineering Fund

2021–22 WWU BOARD OF TRUSTEES

John Freedman, CHAIR Rhona Kwiram, VICE CHAIR John McVay, SECRETARY

MEMBERS

Daniel Bergeron

Douglas Bing

Andrew O. Carrington

Bryan Clay

Lowell Cooper

Larry Dodds

Stephanie Gates

Rena Holland

Yvonne Iwasa

David Jamieson

Monty E. Knittel

Steve Kreitner

EuGene Lewis Dan Linrud

Bill McClendon

Kevin Miller

Joyce Newmyer

Ken Norton

W. Todd Pascoe

Dennis Plubell

David Prest, Jr. Elden Ramirez

Mark Remboldt

Paul Rhynard Jaime Rodriguez

Rodney Wehtje Ron Wilkinson

2021–22 WWU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD

Jackie Stonas Crombie, CHAIR Eric Denney, PRESIDENT Jerry Woods, PRESIDENT-ELECT Jimmy Johnson, TREASURER Laurel Rogers Smith, SECRETARY Jodi Wagner, VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY RELATIONS AND ADVANCEMENT, EX OFFICIO

Claudia Santellano, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AND PARENT RELATIONS, EX OFFICIO

MEMBERS

Craig Cummings

Briggitte Davis David Hall

Mindi Irvine Jilma Jimenez Teresa Wilkens

Donavon and Marcella Schwisow Scholarship

Seibly Family Endowed Scholarship

Cecil W. Shankel Memorial Chemistry Scholarship

Shattuck/Zitterbart Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Donald and Virginia Sherwood Memorial Scholarship

Herbert Z. and Jessie K. Shiroma Scholarship Endowment

Cliff and Betty Sorensen Scholarship Fund

Carolyn Stevens Shultz English Scholarship

Dan Shultz Music Scholarship

Robert and Susan Smith First Generation Endowed Scholarship

Robert and Susan Smith Social Work and Sociology Scholarship Solomon Scholarship

Gene and Betty Soper Music Scholarship

Robert L. Spies Memorial Scholarship Glenn Spring Music Scholarship

Eldon and Barbara Jean Stratton Scholarship

Joseph L. Stubblefield Memorial Scholarship

Janis Suelzle Memorial Student Missionary Fund

T5 Foundation Business Excellence Fund

Stephen and Margaret Tan Engineering/Computer Science Scholarship

Theology Library Book Fund

George and Lola Thompson Memorial Scholarship

Thomas M. Thompson and Kenneth L. Wiggins Excellence in Mathemat ics Scholarship

Harry and Ella Thornton Memorial Scholarship

E. E. and Jane Breese-Trefz Christian Service Scholarship

Clarence O. Trubey Memorial Music Scholarship Undergraduate Advanced Study

Marilyn K. (Dammrose) Van Stee Memorial Nursing Scholarship Verde Fund for Graduate Marine Research Eva Stratton Vliet and Jess Vliet Scholarship Dennis L. Vories, PE, Engineering Scholarship

* NEW! Eldon and Barbara Vories Student Missions Endowment Scholarship

Stanley E. Walker Music Scholarship

Raymond L. and Rosemary Watts Scholarship

Francys C. Welch Scholarship

Melvin K. West Music Scholarship

Lois Whitchurch Nursing Scholarship Monte Wilkins Memorial Scholarship

John and Inez Willey Family Memorial Scholarship

WWU Student Aid

Randy Yaw Pi Contest Scholarship

Young Memorial Lecture in Biology

Norma R. Youngberg Scholarship

Helen Thompson Zolber Fund

Melvin L. Zolber Fund

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS IN CANADA: If you or a member of your family is a WWU alumnus or student, you can make charitable donations to the university and claim them on your Canadian tax return without the need for United States source income. For more details, contact advancement.office@wallawalla.edu

THE WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2021–2022

Vogt has worked across the globe to advocate for climate

“I keep being inspired by the spirit of service that Jesus exemplifies—of helping others, of protecting our communities and the world.”

justice.

photograph by ALEX WANG

Committed to action

Idiscovered my passion for service and international development when I was the director of the ASWWU’s Global Service team. From 2016–2017 we organized events and campaigns to raise money to allow Congolese refugees to complete their secondary education in Rwandan Adventist high schools. I had the best time fundraising and planning events with a team of five other students. I got to travel to Rwanda with other ASWWU leaders and together we interviewed students, visited refugee camps, and visited schools in order to really understand the issues they faced. This experience made it apparent to me that whatever work I did after graduation had to be in service to others and have a real, positive impact on people’s lives.

This summer I had the chance to participate in the United Nations’ Ocean Conference and its Youth Innovation Forum. This event brought together more than 150 young people to create innovative solutions to ocean climate challenges in only 24 hours. While other groups of young advisors focused on solu tions related to sustainable seafood or plastic pollution, our group had the winning idea for ocean renew able energy. We were inspired by the energy problems facing small island developing states and developed a floating solar panel system we called SUNREEF. The best part, however, was collaborating with passionate and inspiring youth who are taking climate action seriously.

After the kickoff event, I stayed for the rest of the Ocean Conference as a delegate from Palau, which is my home county. Islanders like to call themselves large ocean states because our ocean is and always has been a significant part of our lives, particularly as Pacific Islanders.

There is a lot of traditional knowl edge that we can use to conserve our environment. My passion for climate action and its impact on our oceans is so closely tied to my home. Being able to celebrate Palau’s commit ment to end deep seabed mining, explore blue carbon solutions, and continue to advocate for ocean conservation was a huge honor.

And the work is not over! I cur rently work full-time for Sustainable Travel International as their program manager for climate and resilience. I work every day with travel businesses and tourist destinations to take climate action. The tourism industry is a huge source of income for many islands and strengthening that industry in a climate-positive way will make tourism in islands a positive force for change. A huge part of my job is running carbon footprint assessments for organizations, which allows them to reduce emissions and offset those they can’t. The offsetting of emissions encourages businesses to invest in the environment and

renewable energy solutions.

My work with carbon markets has allowed me to continue to support Palau’s U.N. and climate change office at these various international events. I will be a Climate Youth Negotiator for Palau at the upcoming COP27 Climate Change Conference in Egypt. As a Palau negotiator, I’ll be helping in meetings specifically relating to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to ensure the develop ment of carbon markets that are transparent and fair to all parties involved and have real impact.

I feel blessed to have had so many experiences and to now be able to work for a cause that is so dear to my heart. One can take many paths to fulfill our life’s purpose, but I would say focus on the path where you can have the most impact. For me and my love for Palau, this path is contin ually weaving across the world, but the ethos remains the same. My love of my work blended with my respon sibility to act keep me going.

I would encourage students to lean into their liberal arts education by learning about what is going on in the world, discovering their pas sions, and taking advantage of all the opportunities WWU offers outside of studies. All the volunteer work I did both locally and internationally during college is what gave me my start. And along the way, I keep being inspired by the spirit of service that Jesus exemplifies—of helping others, of protecting our communi ties and the world.

Ivory Vogt graduated from Walla Walla University in 2017 with a bachelor’s in international communications. She also holds a Master of Science in Tourism, Environment and Development from King’s College London.

BACK TO YOU // IVORY VOGT ’17, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION

1960s

Joe Galusha ’68 lives with his wife, Marilyn, at the Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory in Anacortes, Wash., where he enjoys hiking. Many of his favorite memories from WWU included Rosario and his classmates there. He also fondly recalls conversations with Joseph Barnes.

Bart Moore ’68 lives with his wife, Janet, in Walla Walla. They have two children, Jeremy att. and Jason ’95. Bart is now retired

but worked as a Washington Conference pastor and a family medicine physician. He continues to enjoy community health education and nutrition research. Some of his fondest memories of WWU center around singing with The Messengers and Schola Cantorum.

1970s

Nancy (Adams) Cronnelly ’78 lives in Somerset, Calif., with her husband, Roy. She is retired after finally quitting her job as a surgical registered nurse. She is thoroughly enjoying retirement and being a grandma. She and Roy love travel and scuba diving, and they hope to get back to these activities soon.

Toni Lynn (Van Stee) Palmer ’77 worked for thirty years in the Walla Walla School District before retiring and settling in Vancouver, Wash. She has four children. Toni now enjoys making cards and working part-time at See’s Candies. Her favorite memories of WWU are dorm life and her elementary education classes.

Cindy (Kromrei) Schultz ’78 lives in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, Ed. They have two children, Ryan att. and Emily (Schultz) Carper att. Cindy works as a health and safety adminis trator for Jacobs Engineering, where she has worked in a variety of programing and technology roles as computing has developed. She continues to develop software tools but is looking forward to retiring in 2023 so she can spend more time with her grandsons. Of WWU, she says, “I truly enjoyed all of it.” However, her friends from her student job in account ing and Friday night vespers are especially dear memories.

1980s

Curtis Kramer ’84 lives in Grants Pass, Ore., where he works as a direct support professional for Partnerships in Community Living. “I help make life happen for developmental and other mentally or physically alter-abled people who expe rience a slower than normal world,” he says. He also has other ambitions such as working in the glamping business and traveling to Thailand to help a friend grow bananas, mangoes, and grapes.

Patricia (Patsy) Maxwell ’87 lives with her husband, Gary Robertson, in Chula Vista, Calif., and has two children. She is an adjunct professor at Grossmount Community College and Mira Costa Community College. “After more than 25 years as a profes sional in the field of marketing and communications, working for such organizations as the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and Catalina Island Conservancy, I have transitioned to teaching and research in the field of electronic media,” she says. Her many great memories of WWU include rubber band fights in the college paper newsroom, spin ning classical records for KGTS, and her foray into video editing with a commercial for podiatrists.

Jodi (McDow) Smith ’86 lives in Riverbank, Calif., where she has worked as a senior compliance engineer for 23 years at the Applied Process Cooling Company. She has two children who currently attend Pacific Union College. As a member of the Audubon Board, her hobbies include bird watching, crochet, and outdoor activities. Her favor ite memories of WWU include Dr. Cross teaching Engineering In Training certification classes and labs in the bottom of Kretschmar.

She also fondly recalls friends singing from the Administration Building fire escape.

1990s

Dan Downs ’98 lives with his wife, Ferne, and two children in Palmer, Alaska, where he works in maintenance control for Aleutian Airlines. He has also worked for Ravn Alaska and Peninsula Airways. His hobbies include hiking, hunting, ATV riding, and snowmobiling, all

of which he loves to do most with family and friends. From his time at WWU, Downs fondly remembers snowmobiling in the Blue Mountains, hiking and camping with friends, and working for Stan Holm.

Cara Fisher ’98 lives in Papillion, Neb., where she is an associate professor of oral biology at Creighton University School of Dentistry. “I enjoy doing research on anatomical variation, clinical anatomy, and orthopedic sur gery,” she says. She completed her doctorate in biomedical sciences in 2018. Her favorite memories from WWU include walking out to Whitman Mission in the rain, Friday night vespers and the following get-togethers at Merchants, Mrs. Saturno’s anatomy and physiology class, and making new friends.

Heidi (Kubly) Ramirez ’99 lives with her husband, Alex, in Marana, Ariz., and has three children. She has worked as a case manager at CVS for 21 years and enjoys helping people by coordinating their medical care. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and watching her kids play sports. “We especially love going to the beaches in Belize to snorkel the reef and go deep sea fishing.” Her best memories from WWU come from all of her social work classmates and teachers. “We were like a big family and had a lot of fun doing socials and just being together,” she says. Watching ice hockey was another favorite.

Pamela (Duncan) Rodman ’98 lives with her husband, Jerald, and two boys in Centralia, Wash. She works as a paraeducator for the Centralia public school district, serving students in the local elementary school. Her favorite memories of WWU include participating in choir and ICantori, taking a year to serve as a student missionary, and making friends.

2000s

Mary Cheney ’03 lives with her husband, Greg, and two children in Battle Ground, Wash., where she is the associate director of research and instruction at Lewis and Clark Law School. She is the co-author of a legal research book and has authored numerous articles, three of which have won awards. She is also a frequent speaker at professional conferences. She has fond memories from WWU from her time spent working for The Collegian and serving as a student missionary in Bangkok. She also has special memories of speaking at the baccalaureate on Friday night of graduation, going on a date with her now-husband to the symphony, working for Ron Joliffe, and taking honors classes with Dan Lamberton.

Christopher Santana ’03 lives with his wife, Mackenzie, and their two children in Frederick, Colo. He works as a medical staff manager for Centura Health and enjoys spending his free time backpacking, running, and traveling.

2010s

Nonhlanhla NgazimbiCunningham ’13 lives in Hartford, Conn., with her husband, Tajloi ’13. They are excited to welcome their first child in the spring of 2023. Nonhlanhla works as a nurse practitioner and Tajloi is a hospital chaplain and reserve chaplain for the National Guard. They both enjoy discovering culture through food. Her favorite memories from WWU were formed on Friday and Saturday evenings over homecooked meals with her friends. She says, “These times are where I built lifelong friendships that have transcended the borders of College Place.”

Anastasia Haddad-Scott ’12 lives in Milwaukie, Ore., with her husband, Sam. She completed medical school at Loma Linda University in 2018 and currently works as a physician at Legacy Health. She says, “I fondly remember my years at WWU. I loved the campus community and surrounding areas.” She particularly remembers the an nual Biology Club trip to Rosario, weekly Honors Tea, and a fun tenure at Positive Life Radio.

Corrections

We hate it, but it happens.

Summer issue, 2022. Page 30. Lisa Jervey Lennox earned her master’s degree from Western Washington University.

Fall issue, 2021. Page 24. Sandra (Leach) Zaugg is widowed and her son Edwin passed away in 1988. She served at WWU as an assistant dean of women and a former faculty member.

Jeremy Mays ’98

Jeremy Mays ’98 lives in Walla Walla with his wife Stephanie “Lisa” (Phillips) Mays, who graduated in 1986 with English and applied music degrees. Jeremy feels his time at Walla Walla University helped him engage in meaningful experi ences that taught him the “profound value of listening.” He says, “Here I was given the opportunity of walking alongside a much broader swath of humanity than I had previously encountered. These conversations impressed on me the personal gains to be had in trying to see beyond myself and understand the view from someone else’s shoes.” Mays is passionate about listening to others and actively working to support those who have been underprivileged.

After graduating from WWU as a technology major, he initially pursued a career in graphic design. In 2008, Mays earned a master’s in marriage and family therapy from Seattle Pacific University. Since then, he has worked with youth who have experienced homelessness and various forms of abuse, which he feels has deepened his empathy and self-awareness. “The privilege of collaborating with people in therapy has affirmed my strong belief in our ability to heal, find confidence, restore personal agency, and benefit from lifting each other up,” he says.

Mays now owns and operates Breaking Wave Therapy in Walla Walla and works as a licensed marriage and family therapist. His practice specializes in anxiety, grief, depres sion, life transitions, and relationships. He and his wife, Lisa, have two children who are both currently students at WWU.

His favorite memories from WWU include navigating the labyrinthine passages of the old administration building, the many adventures he shared with friends, and wonderful professors such as Tom Emerson, Martha Mason, Bob Henderson, Ron Jolliffe, and others.

Alumni Currents

In Memory

Kathleen Alexenko att. was born in 1934 in New York City, N.Y., and died Sept. 19, 2022, in Roseburg, Ore., at age 87.

Surviving: husband Duane ’61 of Roseburg; daughter Rene att. of Franklin, Texas; sons Curtis, and Daniel; sister Janice Clayton ’62 of Ridgefield, Wash.; and brother Richard Turner.

Robert Ash ’80 was born in 1944 in Corvallis, Ore., and died June 12, 2022, in Walla Walla, at age 77. Surviving: wife Linda Jan Ash of College Place; daughter Amy att. of Lewiston, Idaho; sons Christian att. of Ellison Bay, Wis., and Eric of Angwin, Calif.; sisters Susan (Ash) Ricker of Pullman, Wash., and Heather ( Ash ) Leiske ’76 of Evans, Wash., and Janet ( Ash ) Hilliard ’75 of Keene, Texas; and brother John III ’65 of College Place.

Lloyd Bolster ’70 was born in 1948 in Minot, N.D., and died Feb. 21, 2022, in Eastlake, Ohio, at age 73. Surviving: wife Renee att. of Eastlake; daughter Erica Cordova of Timberlake, Ohio; and son Gary att. of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Stephen Brothers ’77 was born in 1955 in Oregon City, Ore., and died July 1, 2022, in Ridgefield, Wash., at age 67. Surviving: daughter Ashley of Lander, Wyo.; sister Julie Ann “Brothers” Wilhelmson ’83 of Holly Springs, N.C.; brothers Loren att. of Mount Vernon, Wash., and Theodore ’82 of Thief River Falls, Minn.; and father James of Camano Island, Wash.

John Dawes ’59 was born in 1934 in Veradale, Wash., and died July 20, 2022, in Spokane, Wash., at age 87. Surviving: daughter Terri ’88 of Grandview, Wash.; sons Barry of Radcliffe, Ky., and Larry of

Aumsville, Ore.; and brother Jerry ’59 of Wenatchee, Wash.

Kenneth Dunlap ’59 was born in 1935 in Portland, Ore., and died June 5, 2022, in Battle Ground, Wash., at age 86. Surviving: wife Dotti of Battleground; daughters Starla Ross ’89 of Battle Ground, and Janelle Breedlove of Springfield, Ore.; and sons Kris Kenneth ’84 of Sacramento, Calif., and Michael Praegitze of Cottage Grove, Ore.

Diane (Dalrymple) Engle ’57 was born in 1934 in St Helena, Calif., and died Feb. 19, 2016, in Bellingham, Wash., at age 81. Surviving: husband Howard of Bellingham; daughters Lara Sendjaja of Seattle, Wash., Desiree of Newport Beach, Calif., and Delanie Paul of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and son Eric of Lumda-Gruenberg, Germany.

Carmen Graham ’56 was born in 1934 in Loma Linda, Calif., and died June 3, 2022, in Issaquah, Wash., at age 88. Surviving: husband Richard of Issaquah; daughters Kari Hutton att. of Puyallup, Wash., and Susan att. of Kirkland, Wash.; and son Scott ’86 of Normandy Park, Wash.

Jerry Hiner ’66 was born in 1934 in Bartlesville, Ore., and died March 29, 2022, in Walla Walla, at age 87. Surviving: wife Gayle att. of College Place; daughters Ann Adele att. of Walla Walla, and Julia Kay of Kirkland, Wash.; sons Tad ’86 of Walla Walla, and Robert of College Place; sisters Marie Dawes of Wenatchee, Wash., and Gene of Walla Walla; and brothers Jim ’57 of Harrah, Okla., and Dean of Zillah, Wash.

Betty Jean (Skeels)

Magnuson ’66 was born in 1944 in Yakima, Wash., and died April 19, 2022, in Walla Walla,

at age 78. Surviving: husband Jay ’65 of Walla Walla; daughter Amelia Messervy ’03 of College Place; and sons Warren ’99 of Rainier, Ore., and Nathaniel att. of Burbank, Calif.

Thelma Johnson McCoy ’46 was born in 1924 in Waitsburg, Wash., and died June 24, 2022, in Bellevue, Wash., at age 97. Surviving: daughters Nancy Nedderman ’74 of Gig Harbor, Wash., and Colette Sharer att. of Bellevue.

Loren M. K. Nelson ’69 was born in 1947 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and died Aug. 1, 2022, in Topeka, Kan., at age 74. Surviving: wife Linda “Sichely” (Nelson) att. of Topeka; daughter Leslie Falor of Topeka; and son Loren M. (Nelson) III of Marshall, Wis.

Patricia (Lewis) Rusher att. was born in 1942 in Corvallis, Ore., and died Jan. 27, 2022, in Mishawaka, Ind., at age 79. Surviving: husband Max of Niles, Mich.; and daughters Linda Monroe of Niles, and Wendy Monroe of Niles.

JaneAnn Schlader att. was born in Devil’s Lake, N.D., and died June 24, 2022, in College Place, at age 89. Surviving: husband Frederick Bennett ’55 of College Place; and daughters Carol (Bennett) Bovee ’88 of Hanford, Calif., and Janna (Bennett) Quaile ’79 of Pendleton, Ore.; and sons George Bennett att. of Walla Walla, and Frederick Bennett att. of College Place.

Michael Villanueva ’07 was born in 1983 in Montebello, Calif., and died Feb. 15, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif., at age 38. Surviving: sisters Jennifer of Montebello, and Aileen Guadiz of Montebello; mother Esther of Montebello; and father Regino of Montebello.

Barbara Waldal ’60 was born in 1938 in Helena, Mont., and died Sept. 3, 2022, in Altamonte Springs, Fla., at age 84.

Surviving: daughters Krystal Tavasci ’83 of Apopka, Fla., and Diane Opp ’87 of Midvale, Utah; and sons Randy Opp ’91 of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, Shane Opp of Anchorage, Alaska, and Shaun Opp of Missoula, Mont.

Terry (Terrance) Watson att. was born in 1938 in Bend, Ore., and died Jan. 29, 2022, in Baker City, Ore., at age 83. Surviving: wife Susanne of North Powder, Ore.; son Ken of Lehi, Utah; and sister LaDonna of Madras, Ore.

Timothy Watters ’79 was born in 1954 in Lebanon, Ore., and died Jan. 26, 2022, in Everett, Wash., at age 66. Surviving: wife Connie of Snohomish, Wash.; daughters Sasha (Watters) Salsman att. of Monroe, Wash., and Misty (Watters) Lamb ’10 of Los Angeles, Calif.; sister Jenny ’85 of Portland, Ore.; and brothers Kevin ’86 of Battleground, Wash., and Monte att. of Battleground.

Richard Glen Williamson ’70 was born in 1934 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and died March 20, 2022, in Greeley, Colo., at age 87. Surviving: wife Connie of Greeley; daughters Susan Hess of Ellabel, Ga., and Heidi Krise of Briggsdale, Colo.; sons Richard of Augusta, Ga., and Andrew; sister Anita Archer of Midland, Mich.; and brother William of Dallas Center, Iowa.

Hugh Perry Winn att. was born in 1937 in Pocatello, Idaho, and died April 2, 2022, in College Place, at age 84. Surviving: daughters Denise Rutledge of Walla Walla, and Deanna Miller of Loma Linda, Calif.; and brother Ted ’64 of College Place.

KEY: att. = attended curr. att. = currently attending

Family members may submit obituary information for their loved ones at wallawalla.edu/obituary.

The

University Fund

Walla Walla makes a difference.

Ashly

“I believe WWU tries their best for each of their students to succeed here.”

Katie

“Walla Walla University got me to believe in a future where I could thrive regardless of my circumstances.”

Lucy

“Visiting Walla Walla University for U-days sealed the deal because I was able to experience the community atmosphere.”

Support students like these, and make your gift today at wallawalla.edu/give.

Walla Walla University

204 S. College Ave. College Place, WA 99324

See you there!

DECEMBER 9

The WWU Department of Music will present its annual Christmas Concert with performances at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the University Church. Enjoy the concert in person or online at wallawalla. edu/concert.

JANUARY 12–14

We’re headed to Seattle! Reconnect with Walla Walla University and fellow alumni at multiple events in Tukwila, Auburn, and Kirkland, WA. Find more details and make plans to join us at wallawalla. edu/alumni-events.

JANUARY 26–28

More than 20 high school and academy basketball teams will join us for the annual Friendship Tournament. We’d love to have you come cheer on your favorite teams! Learn more at wallawalla.edu/ friendship.

FEBRUARY 17, 18

Join fellow alumni both young and old for events in Southern California. We are pleased to host Pie with the President on Friday and Saturday evening. Let us know you’re planning to join at wallawalla.edu/rsvp.

MARCH 2–4 AND APRIL 2–4

Check out campus life at WWU during U-Days! High school students from throughout the Northwest (in March) and across the country (in April) will visit and discover college life at WWU. Register by Feb. 14 for the March event and by March 14 for the April event. Learn more at wallawalla. edu/udays.

APRIL 28–30

Plan now to join us for Homecoming Weekend 2023 ! A new weekend schedule will include many old favorites, from a golf tournament to PRISM vespers. Watch for more details at wallawalla.edu/ homecoming.

PHOTO: KEVIN HERNANDEZ-NINO