What We’re Thankful For

The campus is somewhat quieter this week; many students have headed to the homes of friends or family for the week-long break. As we prepare for our Penrose House Thanksgiving Potluck, it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on what it is about Whitman and the work that we do that we’re thankful for.

For those of you who have read our Admission Staff blog posts over the last four months, you’ve seen us move from a summer filled with visitors, to a fall filled with travel, to the beginning of application reading season (a big congratulations to all of our Early Decision I applicants who submitted their applications last week!). This half of the year doesn’t always allow for a lot of time to reflect, but today, several of the admission officers have taken a moment to share what they’re grateful for.

John Loranger, Seattle Regional Officer: I’m thankful for a job that has given me the opportunity to see corners of the country I may never have visited otherwise, and that we live in a place where having a Thanksgiving feast composed entirely of local food is ridiculously easy!

Tony Cabasco, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid: I’m thankful travel season is over!

Robert Street, Assistant Dean of Admission: I am thankful for being surrounded by such engaging and super cool students that motivate me to do the work that I do!

Sadie Nott, Admission Officer: I’m thankful that I’m a part of an institution that breeds young people who are ready and eager to make a difference in the smallest of communities or the most global of senses. It definitely rubs off on the rest of the Whitman community!

Tillie Gottlieb, Admission Officer: I’m grateful that after a grueling travel season and a somewhat eternal reading season, I get to see all of my students begin their life at Whitman- see them in plays, play sports, run for ASWC, or do radio shows etc. etc. I’m also grateful that I get to walk 2 blocks to work and then spend the day with coworkers I love!

So, a big thank you to all you students out there (our readers!) who make enjoying the work we do so easy! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Travel Tunes

We have a special tool that we use in the Office of Admission when the drives get long and the layovers are frequent. It comes in the form of a CD, and it includes selections from all 10 admission officers. Who among us rocks out to Gangnam Style in a hotel room and who prefers to listen to Eric Clapton as they drive through the fall foliage? See if you can guess! Check out what we’ve been listening to over the last few months:

1) Make the Road by Walking–Menahan Street Band
2) Free–Ben Kweller
3) Brick House–The Commodores
4) Bright Side of the Road–Van Morrison
5) Chelsea Dagger–The Fratellis
6) Who Loves You–Four Seasons
7) Goodbye Porkpie Hat–Charlie Mingus
8) Into the Mystic–Van Morrison
9) Some Nights–Fun.
10) Autumn Leaves–Eric Clapton
11) Ain’t No Sunshine–Betty Wright
12) Mad Season–Matchbox 20
13) Madness–Muse
14) The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down–The Band
15) Gangnam Style–PSY
16) I Want You Back–Jackson 5
17) Wagon Wheel–Old Crow Medicine Show
18) What a Wonderful World–Louis Armstrong
19) Coming Home–The 88

And we have a class!

The class of 2014 is in!  The staff and I are so excited to welcome so many wonderful new Whitties.  We’ve got a great group of new students:  hard working, talented, engaging, diverse, accomplished people who have already made a difference in their schools and communities in so many ways.  We’ll be writing more about them later.

I’m sorry that we were not able to help those who were on the wait list.  We’re confident you’ve got great options and will enjoy wonderful college careers.

Best wishes to those admitted students who chose to attend elsewhere.  We recognize that Whitman is not the right place for everyone, and we hope you found the college that was the best match.  It was a privilege getting to know you through the college college search process and through your application for admission.

Congratulations from the Dean!

Congratulations to the newly admitted members of the class of 2014! My colleagues and I sincerely wish you the best as you make your final decision. I’m sure that you all have wonderful options and know that you will be making some tough decisions. We hope you have a chance to visit Whitman if you have not done so already.

Finally, remember that we admitted you because wanted you to be a part of the Whitman community. We know that you will contribute to the Whitman community. I hope to see you at Whitman this fall. Best wishes!

Letters are Out!

Letters are out!  As many of your know by now, we mailed letters on Friday, March 26, and Monday, March 29.  After months of intense reading by admission officers and weeks of review and discussion, we are all glad to be done with the selection process.  As many of my colleagues have shared, it’s always a privilege to be given a snapshot into the lives and minds of so many bright, interesting people.

The admission and financial aid spent a week getting ready for the mail to get out.  It was a week of printing letters, signing (all hand signed by Kevin Dyerly and me), then stuffing.  On Friday afternoon, a few of us helped deliver the boxes of mail to our on-campus mail center to be stamped and sealed.  A few folks then helped take them to the Walla Walla post office.  We know that so many students were anxiously waiting, so we wanted to get those letters out.

Regardless of the outcome of decisions, our staff appreciates the effort that students took to complete their application and to share with us their stories.  It truly was an honor to get to know so many interesting students.  Best wishes to all.