News
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August
Study Abroad Whittier Style
08.27.10 More than 65 Whittier College students went abroad last academic year, venturing all over the world, representing Whittier College in Denmark, France, Spain, England, Scotland, Ireland, Russia, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Austria, Jordan, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, Costa Rica, New Zealand, and Australia.
According to Director of International Programs Katy Hunter, dozens of Whittier students are once again poised to take on the world "studying everything from political science to anthropology, environmental studies to English literature, French to Wolof, film to sociology, you name it."
Read more here.
Whittier College's Diversity Noted in College Rankings
08.17.10 It's that time of year again when college rankings are released in anticipation of the fall college application process. Whittier College has once again been included in the college ranking lists released by US News and World Report, Princeton Review, and Forbes magazine.
In Forbes "America's Best Colleges" issue, Whittier was listed as #215 of 610 overall colleges and universities in the country. Meanwhile, US News' "Best College" issue gave Whittier kudos for its campus diversity.
Whittier was also included in the 2011 edition of the Princeton Review's annual college guide, "The Best 373 Colleges" (click here to read more).
More importantly, Whittier College participates in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) which measures colleges on five qualitative "benchmarks" related to student involvement in key practices associated with learning, persistence, and graduation. Whittier has received top marks in the areas of: level of academic challenge, student-faculty interaction, and enriching educational experiences. More »
New Wichita Elementary School to be Named After El Jefe Martin Ortiz '48
08.16.09 A school board in Wichita, KS, has voted to name a new elementary school, slated to open in 2012, after the late Martin Ortiz, well respected staff member and alumnus.
Ortiz, a Wichita native, was the oldest of 12 children. At the age of 13, during the Great Depression, he ran away from home in search of work. He returned to Wichita when he was 16 and graduated from North High School and became the first Hispanic to serve as student council president.
After serving in the marines during WWII, Ortiz enrolled at Whittier College. He worked at the College for more than three decades, founding the Center of Mexican-American Affairs and helping raise scholarship funds to help support countless Latino students at Whittier. Ortiz died in January of 2009 at the age of 89.
Click here to view a video of Ortiz.
More »
Whittier College Professors’ New Publications Deal with International Activism
08.04.10 Rebecca Overmyer-Velazquez, associate professor of sociology at Whittier College, recently published the book, Folkloric Poverty: Neoliberal Multiculturalism in Mexico (Penn State Press).
The book tells the story of an indigenous peoples movement in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero that gained unprecedented national and international prominence in the 1990s and yet was defunct by 2002. Folkloric Poverty examines the many challenges this, and other indigenous groups, face in trying to secure a foothold in the country's political and economic system.
Meanwhile, political science professor Joyce Kaufman co-authored the book, Women and War: Gender Identity and Activism in Times of Conflict (Kumarian Press).
Women and War examines how women respond to situations of national conflict and how conceptions of gender are deeply intertwined with ideas about citizenship and the state. As the authors show, women do more than respond to conflict situations; they are active agents in their own right shaping political and historical processes. Their conclusions encourage readers to rethink the prevalent assumptions of international relations, history, and feminist scholarship and theory. More »
Bloggin with the Poets in Costa Rica
08.03.10 As part of their international tour, the Whittier College men's basketball team is in San Jose, Costa Rica this summer.
Fans can stay up-to-date through a team blog written by Jake Carter, son of head coach Rock Carter.
Here are some excerpts 
form the blog:
"The coaching staff commented not only on their newfound appreciation for what they have back at the Graham Athletic Center but also for the hardworking members of teams all over the world that play the game they love in conditions less than the posh environments than are normally seen in the United States."
"Nearing San Ramon the road became rougher and the jungle seemed to creep onto every part of civilization...The bus had to dodge the innumerable motorcycles that bounce along the dusty streets to finally reach the gimnasio de Rafael Rodriguez."
"According to the minister of the Costa Rican basketball league San Ramon takes their basketball 'very seriously.'" The Poets explore their new arena, smaller than the national one, but still spartan. Their first surprise is a lucha libre wrestling cage right behind the south basket. However, this arena's character makes up for the fact that it is a basic building for play. The floors are dark and most likely made from local lumber and the benches are actually benches, not chairs."
Read more on the Whittier College Poets website by clicking here.
More »
Whittier College Named a "Best In The West" College by The Princeton Review
08.01.10 Whittier College is one of the country's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features the school in the new 2011 edition of its annual college guide, The Best 373 Colleges. Moreover, Whittier made the list of the 120 "Best in West" educational institutions in an online article published on The Princeton Review website.
Only about 15% of America's 2,500 four-year colleges and two Canadian colleges are profiled in the book, which is The Princeton Review's flagship college guide. It includes detailed profiles of the colleges with rating scores for all schools in eight categories, plus ranking lists of top 20 schools in 62 categories based on The Princeton Review's surveys of students attending the colleges.
As in previous years, Whittier College's professor received top marks by students surveyed.
"Really, the professors MAKE Whittier College," summed up one senior.
"[They're here] because they love to teach and it shows," said another student.
In its profile on Whittier College, The Princeton Review praises the College for providing "the quintessential liberal arts education by placing a strong focus on writing and maintaining a wide breadth and depth of knowledge within the humanities."
More »
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July
Yasmin Khorram '10 Documents Lives of Iranian Americans
07.27.10 Playing to her strengths, aspiring television journalist Yasmin Khorram produced a 60 Minutes style documentary on the 2009 Iranian elections for her Whittier Scholars senior project.
Khorram's documentary, So Far Yet So Near: Iranians View Their Homeland Crises, explores the controversy surrounding the June 2009 elections and subsequent protests and demonstrations that brought Iranian politics to the forefront around the world.
"[What was] surprising is the prominent role Iranian women and the younger generation played in these protests," said Khorram.
A native Farsi speaker, Khorram interviewed members of the Iranian-American community in Los Angeles which is home to one of the largest Iranian communities outside of the country itself.
"I realized that many people may not be familiar with the history of Iran—specifically the 1979 Revolution—so I explain its history throughout my segment," she added.
The recent Whittier grad has previously completed two internships with CNN where she worked closely with the West Coast news crew to cover breaking news surrounding the Iranian elections. Khorram also helped establish the campus television news program QCTV.
To view Khorram's documentary click here.
More »
President Sharon Herzberger Speaks About Minority College Graduation Rates on Minnesota Public Radio
07.22.10 Earlier today, President Sharon Herzberger was a guest on Minnesota Public Radio's news magazine, Midmorning, speaking about Whittier College's successful efforts to matriculate and graduate Latino students.
According to a new report by the nonprofit College Board, many colleges are recruiting and enrolling more underrepresented minority students, but at the same time these students are not graduating at as high rates as their white peers.
This is not the case at Whittier College where Latino students are outperforming their peers on national level in regards to graduation rates. In 2009, 63 percent of Latino students graduated in a four years. Nearly one-third of Whittier student are Latino and 50 percent are students of color.
Click here to listen to the program.
More »
Alumnus Michael Muller '01 Wins on Jeopardy
07.22.10 Whittier College graduate Michael Muller '01 made his television debut on the popular game show Jeopardy this week.
According to Muller, his half-hour stint on one of the longest-running television quiz shows was an event that was years in the making. In addition to reading up on everything from history to science to literature, Muller completed multiple pre-tests and interviews. He was finally called to the stage in early 2010.
Muller, who teaches junior high school history in Downey, CA., did not go home as a first place winner, but did make an impressive come back from third place to second during the "Final Jeopardy" portion of the game — winning a little more than $18,000.
And what was his final clue: "When the body of this man who died in 1870 was moved in 2002, a cloth with the motto, 'Un pour tous, tous pour un' was used."
Answer: "Who is Dumas?" (Click and drag to see the answer.) More »
Poet Lacrosse Player Sam Russell '12 Makes His First Goal in World Games
07.16.10 Thursday marked the official start of the Lacrosse World Championships being held in Manchester, England.
Whittier junior Sam Russell, the second-youngest member of the senior English squad and a "rising star" in England lacrosse, scored one of a dozen goals during the opening match between England and Germany.
During his sophomore year at Whittier he started 15 of 15 games, scored 31 goals, made 25 assists, 56 points in total, with 33 groundballs.
Click here to view an interview with Russell on the BBC.
Poet alumnus Jeff Gombar '89 is also participating in the world games. A former goalie, Gombar is one of the assistant coaches with Team Canada. This is Gombar's fifth world championship with the first three appearances as a player and the second two as a coach.
The popularity of the World Lacrosse Championship has grown in the last two decades, going from four team contest to a 30 team competition.
More »
ASWC President Gabe Papa Goes to the Capital
07.12.10 ASWC president Gabe Papa '11 was one of 13 students selected nationwide for a summer internship with the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS). The goal of the eight-week internship program is for participants to learn the ins and outs of working at the nation's capitol.
During a welcome reception in the Rayburn House Office Building the interns heard from top members of Congress including California Representatives Barbara Lee (D-9) and Grace Napolitano (D-38).
"APAICS is very proud of our selection of interns for the Class of 2010. These students are our future leaders and we want them to learn from their experiences in Washington to help them in making decisions regarding their future," said Ruby G. Moy, Acting Executive Director of APAICS.
Along with the congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the Congressional Hispanic Institute for Congressional Studies, APAICS is part of Washington's Tri-Caucus.
Prominent Asian American alumnus William "Mo" Marumoto '57 was president and CEO of APAICS up until his death in 2008.
Read a blog entry by Gabe Papa by clicking here.
More »
Whittier Graduate Among Top Ten on NBC's Last Comic Standing
07.06.10 Whittier College alumnus James Adomian '02 is one of the top 10 finalists on the NBC reality program Last Comic Standing.
Last Comic Standing features some of the best and brightest comics from all over the country in a competition for top comic. America will vote to decide who will be the winner of the $250,000 prize and an exclusive talent deal with NBC.
Adomian is an actor and writer from Los Angeles best known for his impersonations of George W. Bush among other characters including Vincent Price, Al Franken, Joe Lieberman, Sean Hannity, Paul Giamatti, Sam Elliott, Rufus Wainwright, William H. Macy, and many others. He performs sketch comedy and improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and was a member of the Groundlings Sunday Company.
Catch his latest performance by clicking here.
Read a profile on Adomian from Spring 2008 edition of The Rock by clicking here.
More »
Whittier College Included in the Top Selling College Guide in the U.S.
07.06.10 Whittier College has been included in the 2011 edition of The Fiske Guide to Colleges which features the country's "best and most interesting" colleges and universities.
Edward B. Fiske, a 17-year education editor for The New York Times, wrote The Fiske Guide to Colleges more than 25 years ago to provide college-bound students and their families better information on which to base their educational choices. Inclusion in the guide is based on financial aid, academic quality, social life, and quality of life at featured institutions.
The 2011 edition of The Fiske Guide to Colleges was released in July. For more information, click here.
More »
Legendary Whittier College and NFL Coach Don Coryell dies at 85
07.02.10 Whittier College Hall of Fame coach Don Coryell, one of the founding fathers of the modern passing game, has died. He was 85.
An outstanding professional and college football coach, it was under the direction of Coryell that the Poets won three of eight straight SCIAC titles from 1957-1964. Moreover, it was while he was at Whittier (1957-1959) that Coryell developed his well-known I-formation
running game as a means for featuring outstanding running backs.
Subsequently, Coryell spent 14 seasons as an NFL head coach, five with St. Louis and nine with San Diego. His famed 'Air Coryell' offense led the league in passing yardage every season from 1978 through 1983.
Coryell is the only coach in modern day history to win 100 games in college and pro football and is a member of the college Hall of Fame
and was a 2009 finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Coryell had battled a lengthy illness and was surrounded by his family when he died at Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, the Chargers said.
Read more in the Los Angeles Times, click here.
More »
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June
Whittier is on list of California's Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges
06.30.10
US News and World Report has included Whittier College in its list of top 10 liberal arts colleges in the state. The list, which includes other top schools such as Pomona and Occidental, is part of the 2010 edition of America's Best Colleges rankings.
According to the report, the selected schools emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half of their degrees in the liberal arts fields of study.
Over many decades,
Whittier College has provided a distinctive, high quality academic program based upon the liberal arts that also integrates selected professional and pre-professional programs into the core of the college through innovative interdisciplinary curricula. The College's primary mission is to educate students in a small college atmosphere where they can learn, acquire skills, and form attitudes and values appropriate for leading and serving in a global society. More »
Whittier Alumna Julie Nise '78 Helps Parents of World's Only Deaf-Blind Triplets Keep Their Marriage Together
06.30.10 Nationally recognized relationship coach Julie Nise made an appearance on the Dr. Phil Show where she was recognized for her work with George and Liz Hooker, the parents of disabled triplets.
The situation with the couple, who are the parents of the world's only deaf and blind triplets, was causing tremendous stress on their relationship just at the point when they needed to pull together. Nise's direct, yet compassionate, and no-nonsense approach to relationship counseling helped them to reconnect and focus on their strengths as a couple so they could deal with their children more effectively.
In her new book, 4 Weeks to a Happier Relationship, which Dr. Phil promoted on the show, she shares the tools and secrets to long term success and happier relationships. This latest appearance was Nise's sixth visit to the Dr. Phil. The program that aired on May 31 is tentatively scheduled to air again on August 13. More »
Geologist Alumnus Profiled for Groundbreaking Earthquake Study
06.27.10 Dr. Ramon Arrowsmith '89, a geologist and professor at Arizona State University, was part of a team of researchers studying earthquake behavior, specifically along a key part of the San Andreas Fault in California. Supported in part by the NSF, the team's work, heralded as "the most comprehensive analysis" of the faultline section, revealed "new information about fault behavior and changed scientists' understanding of the fault's potential for producing damaging earthquakes." Arrowsmith was subsequently interviewed for the article "Unlocking the Mysteries of the San Andreas Fault," posted on LiveScience.com, a "go-to" website for science, health, and technology news. More »
Edmonton Press Gives Alumnus Due Respect for Sports Prowess and Being All-Around "Nice Guy"
06.27.10 In the recent article "From Senate Chamber to Center Court" (Edmonton Journal), CA State Senator, campaigning State Controller on the Republican ticket, and two-season L.A. Lightning basketball athlete Tony Strickland '93 demonstrates why he's a versatile and valuable player. Strickland is part of the International Basketball League's Los Angeles team, and shares the court with the likes of NBA pros such as
Bryon Russell, Fred Vinson, and Lamond Murray, among others. In the recent game against the Edmonton Energy,
Strickland stepped up and scored a career-high 14 points, contributing to his team's 136-133 win.
In Sacramento, Senator Strickland is also posting a significant win; his latest authored bill, which places greater restrictions on where registered sex offenders may reside in relation to their previous victims, passed 61-0 in the State Assembly. The bill has since been sent to the governor for consideration.
More »
Latino Retention Rates: Whittier College Shares Key to Success
06.06.10 Whittier College's targeted efforts to successfully graduate Latino students is the focus of an Associated Press article that ran this weekend in the Los Angeles Times, Houston Chronicle, USA Today, and San Diego Union-Tribune, among other publications.
According to the article, studies show that more Latino students are enrolling in college, but a disproportionate number—an average 51 percent—drop out with debt instead of degrees. Yet, Whittier College is defying these trends with above-average Latino graduation rates, according to the March study by the American Enterprise Institute.
Brownie Sibrian '10, who graduated in May and was interviewed for the article, is a prime example of this trend at Whittier College. Despite personal challenges, the intimate setting at Whittier encouraged him to flourish and successfully complete his college education. More »
Whittier Student Film-makers Have Vegas Debut
06.06.10 Four Whittier College student-produced films will be screened at the Campus MovieFest (CMF) 2010 International Grand Finale (IGF) at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. From June 10-13, CMF—the world's largest student film festival—will host student filmmakers from across the globe at a weekend full of events — including screenings of over 200 movies, industry workshops, networking opportunities, alumni gatherings, concerts, and a red-carpet, star-studded final ceremony at the Encore Theater.
The movies screening at IGF highlight the best of the best from over 50 participating schools, giving students an opportunity to share their movies with their peers, guests in Las Vegas, and industry leaders. The Whittier student films that will be screened throughout the three-day festival are Phoebe's Fifteen, Best Picture category; A Family on Probation, Best Drama category; Audition, Best Comedy category; and Palaver, Wild Card category.
Visit www.campusmoviefest.com for more information about Campus MovieFest or to see the best CMF movies. More »
Professor Fred Bergerson Returns to Vietnam Four Decades After the War
06.01.10 Political science professor Fred Bergerson was featured in Bill Bell's Memorial Day column in the Whittier Daily News.
Bergerson recently led a group of alumni and friends of the College on a 10-day trip through Vietnam. For Bergerson, a Vietnam veteran, it was his first trip back in 42 years. The group journeyed from Ho Chi Min City (Saigon) to Hanoi, along the way stopping at various former military sites including Camp Radcliff, China Beach, My Lai, and Khe Sahn.
Former Captain in the First Cavalry Division (Airmobile), Bergerson participated in the relief of Khe Sanh, known as Operation Pegasus. Bergerson received a Bronze Star for his meritorious achievement in assisting in the planning of the successful relief of the base.
On the last leg of the trip, the group held a remembrance ceremony at a rural site that was once LZ Evans to honor four fallen soldiers — Richard Frasca, Ray Robinson, Robert Wiedemann, and Ross Applegate — who served with Bergerson.
To read the column click here.
Read more about the trip at www.wcvietnam.wordpress.com.
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May
Whittier College Celebrates 107th Commencement Ceremony Under Sunny Skies
05.28.10 A sunny spring morning welcomed the class of 2010 to Whittier College's 107th Commencement exercises. The more than 360 graduates in attendance received words of wisdom and encouragement from commencement speaker and award-winning author Tim O'Brien.
The author, who previously graced the Whittier campus during the 2006 New Student Convocation, remarked on the graduates transformation over the course of four years.
"Just watching you now, what confidence you have gained. What different people you seem to me know than you seemed to be four years ago. It's as if I met high school students when I arrived and now I am saying goodbye to more than 300 adults."
Read more in the Whittier Daily News.
More »
Whittier College Celebrates Latino Graduates
05.25.10 The 9th Annual Latino Graduates Celebration kicked off 2010 Commencement Week activities, with more than 50 Whittier College students donning the traditional cap-and-gown to be formally recognized by President Sharon Herzberger on the stage of the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts.
The event began with an Aztec ceremony by the dance group Copali Copili. While on stage, students had the opportunity to direct a few words to family and friends from a podium.
Click here to see highlights from the ceremony on YouTube.
The keynote address was delivered by well-respected immigration lawyer Alan Diamante. Diamante has devoted his career to the protection of immigrant rights and maintains a private practice in downtown Los Angeles.
Read more in the Whittier Daily News.
More »
Greenleaf Gallery Features Art Students' Prized Works
05.21.10 The Studio Arts Department held their annual end-of-the year juried exhibit of student works.
The jurors awarded first place to Jeff Edwards '10 and second place to Tiffany Desy '10. Jackie Jones '10 and Jane Edwards-McNear '10 tied for third place.Trillium Santin's '11 was chosen for the President's Purchase Prize, which was funded this year by a gift from alumna artist Kelly Thompson '95, and created with the help of Professor Jenny Herrick to enable the College to acquire works by talented Whittier students. These works will become part of the College's already impressive collection of art and exhibited on campus for successive generations of students and visitors to see.
All student works are currently on exhibit at The Greenleaf Gallery in Mendenhall on the Whittier campus. More »
Latino Alumni Mentors Host Etiquette Dinner
05.19.10 The Latina Alumnae Mentorship Program (LAMP) and the newly formed brother organization, Mentoring Excellence Through Alumni Support (METAS) recently hosted a networking and etiquette dinner for Whittier College students.
The event, held at a local restaurant in Uptown Whittier, was designed to connect Latino, and other underrepresented students, with alumni professional. The ultimate goal is to help guide and encourage students to complete their college education and enter professional paths.
Read more in the Whittier Daily News.
Established three years ago by alumna Rosemary Donoyan '05, LAMP engages both Latina students and Latina alumnae to provide collaborative opportunities that foster community involvement, self empowerment and career development. METAS, which means goals in Spanish, was established by alumni Erasmo Fuentes '07 and Gabriel Chabran '07 to meet the needs to Latino males students at Whittier.
Read a profile of Donoyan in Latina Style magazine, click here.
According to a recent study of national college graduation data by the American Enterprise Institute, Whittier College's Latino students are outperforming their peers on a national level— achieving a 63 percent graduation rate.
More »
Parent of Freshman Reviews Son's Whittier Experience, Revs Up for His Summer Homecoming on Dallas Morning News Blog
05.16.10 Nancy Churnin, journalist for the Dallas Morning News and parent of Sam Granberry '13, focused her latest blog installment, "My College Boy is Coming Home," about the ups and downs of her son's freshman year at Whittier College, what he learned and how he matured, and the anticipation she has of welcoming back her now adult-child.
The blog post is a follow-up to an earlier story she published, "Taking My Son to College" (9.12.09), musing over her worries and parental emotion in saying goodbye to him last fall at his Whittier College Orientation. (To read this earlier post, click here.)
More »
Author Geoff Shepard '66 Explores Five Watergate Scenarios
05.16.10 Author and lawyer Geoff Shepard will participate in a special forum, "Five Watergate Conspiracies," at the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library on Monday, May 24.
The panel discussion, part of a series of Legacy Forums, will compare prominent Watergate conspiracy books, with a special focus on the role of former White House Counsel John Dean in the events that followed the Watergate break-in.
Shepard was an attorney on Nixon's White House staff for five years, and helped in his Watergate defense.
The Richard Nixon Legacy Forums are co-sponsored by the Nixon Foundation and Nixon Presidential Library.
The discussion will be broadcast on C-Span III, the American History channel, on Sunday, June 13 at 9:45 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. (PST).
You can also view the program on the Nixon Foundation website by clicking here.
Whittier College Hosts Citizens of Burma Award
05.14.10 Whittier College recently hosted the "Citizen of Burma Award." The event honored five finalists who presently help the poor and disenfranchised.
The winner was U Kyaw Thu, who along with several other initiatives, organized a society that provides free funeral services to the poor.
"The Citizen of Burma Award is by far the most historically important event that I have participated in as a person who teaches and writes about cultural events around the world," said religious studies professor Jake Carbine, who helped organize the event.
The Award ceremony opened with a dance by the well known Burmese performers Daw Lay Naing Ei, and closed with a comic performance by a Burmese youth organization from Oregon.
Votes for the award, collected and monitored by a third party via an internet polling system, numbered over 280,000 and came in from 54 countries around the world. The event was broadcast live into Burma, which has been ruled by a military regime since the early 1960s, via Radio Free Asia.
More »
Professor Danny Jauregui's Work Exhibited in the Greenleaf Gallery
05.12.10 The Whittier College Greenleaf Gallery's most recent exhibit featured work by art professor and emerging artist Danny Jauregui. The collection, There Goes the Neighborhood, features his most recent work, which deals with the impact of the AIDS epidemic on the gay movement in the United States.
Jauregui has shown his work widely and currently has a solo exhibit at Bowdoin Museum in Brunswick, Maine. In addition, his work is part of a traveling museum exhibition, Phantom Sightings: Art After the Chicano Movement, which premiered at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and is currently on view at El Museo del Barrio in New York city.
Jauregui's work can also be seen at www.dannyjauregui.com.
More »
Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright Becomes Honorary Poet
05.04.10 Award winning dramatist Nilo Cruz delivered a special lecture at Whittier College last night marking the inaugural event of the Center for Collaboration with the Arts. During his lecture, the playwright spoke about his experience as a writer and creator of characters. Cruz was also on campus to receive an honorary degree from the College: a doctorate of humane letters (L.H.D.).
Cruz, a young Cuban-American playwright, won the Pulitzer for his play Anna in the Tropics in 2003, becoming the first Latino playwright to receive this award. A year later, the play premiered on Broadway with actor Jimmy Smitts in the lead role.
The Center for Collaborations with the Arts is designed to maximize student learning by advancing the College's deep commitment to interdisciplinary curricula, collaborative teaching, undergraduate research and internships, and the integration of student learning experiences within local, national, and international communities. Undergraduate fellowships are a focal point of Center activities allowing students to participate in student-faculty research and summer internships.
Click here to see a video of the lecture. Click here to see a slide show.
On Sunday, Cruz attended the Whittier College theater department's all-student production of his original play Beauty of the Father. During a Q&A session after the play Cruz gave the cast accolades for their performances.
"This play goes beyond realism and is bigger than life, lyrical and poetic. Of all the productions [of Beauty of the Father] that I have seen staged, this is the one that was right on in terms of theatricality," said Cruz.
Cruz is currently writing the book of the new Frank Wildhorn/Jack Murphy musical Havana. The show will have its world premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse in June 2010.
More »
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April
International Community Celebrated at Whittier
4/29/10 Fifty flags reflecting Whittier College's international community have been installed in the West Dinning Room of the Campus Inn. The 50 flags on display represent nations in six continents, such as Denmark, Jamaica, Ireland, South Africa, and Mexico—honoring the home country of students who have studied at the College over the last five years.
View a slide show of the opening ceremony by clicking here.
More »
Whittier College featured in Princeton Review's Guide to 286 Green Colleges
04/29/10 Whittier College is one of the country's most environmentally-responsible colleges according to The Princeton Review. The nationally-known education services company selected Whittier for inclusion in a unique resource it has created for college applicants — The Princeton Review's Guide to 286 Green Colleges.
Developed by The Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, the Guide to 286 Green Colleges is the first, free comprehensive guidebook focused solely on institutions of higher education who have demonstrated an above average commitment to sustainability in terms of campus infrastructure, activities and initiatives.
Whittier College joins the ranks of outstanding universities and colleges nationwide that are leading the "green" movement through their own special programs and initiatives.
The free Guide can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/greenguide.
"Students and their parents are becoming more and more interested in learning about and attending colleges and universities that practice, teach and support environmental responsibility," said Robert Franek, senior vice president and publisher, The Princeton Review.
In addition, Whittier College is part of a national college initiative to reduce its carbon footprint; as part of this initiative, the College is participating in a program offered by the National Association of Environmental Lawyers that provides guidance and examples from other participating institutions about how the college can reduce its carbon emissions. To read more click here.
More »
2010 Spring Honors Convocation Recognizes Outstanding Poets
04.26.10 Dozens of Whittier College students were bestowed with various honors from departments and college heads for their dedication to academics and service during the 2010 Spring Honors Convocation. To see a full list of students honorees click here.
Professor of Chemistry and 2009 Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award recipient Devin Imoto delivered the keynote address, Crossing Boundaries.
In his speech, Imoto reflected on his life in academia, "I now understand that my undergraduate years were really just the beginning point, my initial preparation for what we in academia call 'the life of the mind,' a journey that has been challenging, fulfilling, frustrating, and delightful all at the same time."
Later in the program, Professor of Philosophy Paul Kjellberg was named the 2010 Nerhood Award winner. More »
Religious Studies Professor Joseph Price Discusses Earth Day and Spirituality in Whittier Daily News
04.28.10 As Whittier College and the country celebrated the 40th annual Earth Day, Professor of Religious Studies Joseph Price spoke to the Whittier Daily News about the event's true origination.
"Although Earth Day was not one of the agricultural festivals during biblical times, the roots for it's celebration reach back into the earliest stories and statements of biblical faith, and the love of the earth has been expressed in psalms and hymns throughout the years."
Price describes that"the celebration of Earth Day goes hand in hand with spiritual practices" for the Earth can be found in a number of poems and songs celebrated by Christians centuries ago.
More »
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March
Tina Rinaldi '10 is President for a Day at Whittier College
03.30.10 With the goal of seeing life from the other side, Whittier College President Sharon Herzberger and senior Tina Rinaldi switched places for a day. "Student" Herzberger was able to live first-hand the life of today's student who must juggle academics, work, and extra-curricular activities. Her day included painting the Rock with a fellow Palmer sister, attending classes, lunching at The Spot, and participating in choir practice.
For her part, "President" Rinaldi started her day at 7:30 a.m. with a "Walk and Talk" with students. Throughout the rest of her day, she met with administrators, faculty, and students to discuss Cal Grants, fundraising, WASC accreditation, and a number of other hefty issues. Ending her day in an upbeat tone, Rinaldi delivered a pep-talk to the women's lacrosse team.
Read their blogs here: President for Day and Student for a Day.
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Whittier College Receives Grant From Fletcher Jones Foundation
03.30.10 The Fletcher Jones Foundation has awarded Whittier College a grant for $147,000, over the course of three years, to establish the Fletcher Jones Foundation Undergraduate Fellows Program in Health and Science. The funding will support 20 fellowships enabling students to engage in health-related internships and science research. The Fletcher Jones Foundation Fellowship program is part of the recently launched Center for Science, Health, and Policy at Whittier College.
"The Fletcher Jones grant recognizes the extraordinary student body that is present at Whittier and the impressive student-faculty research that is being done at the undergraduate level," said President Sharon Herzberger. "Through this new fellowship program, the Center for Science, Health, and Policy will receive the backing needed to train diverse leaders who will help address and solve the multitude of health issues facing our nation and world." More »
Professor Joseph Price Discusses Religion and Baseball on Talk Radio
03.24.10 Professor of Religious Studies Joseph Price was on CR Radio today speaking about faith, American life and baseball. Price, author of Rounding the Bases: Baseball and Religion in America , joined a conversation about the relationship between America's favorite pastime and religious life.
CR Radio regularly explores the issues, questions, and opportunities facing faith communities and their leaders today.
To listed to the full program click here.
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Whittier Business Students Win Championship at Regional Competition
03.23.10 Whittier College's
Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) club
won a championship in the 2010 SIFE USA Regional Competition held in Orange County on March 19. Whittier competed against colleges such as Chapman University, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Azusa Pacific University, and Cal Poly Pomona.
Whittier will compete again at the 2010 SIFE USA National Exposition in Minneapolis on May 11-13. Through a written annual report and live audiovisual presentation, teams report the results of their community outreach projects to panels of business leaders serving as judges and are evaluated based on how successful they were at creating economic opportunity for others.
SIFE is an international non-profit organization that works with leaders in business and higher education to mobilize college students to make a difference in their communities while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders. More »
Student-Faculty Research Presented at American Chemical Society National Spring Meeting
03.23.10 Chester and Olive McCloskey Junior Faculty Chair in Chemistry Ralph Isovitsch, and Professor of Chemistry Devin Imoto, along with Whittier students
Joshua Smith
'11, Michael Galbreath '11 and Andres Villapando '11, presented collaborative student-faculty research at the annual professional conference of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in San Francisco March 21-25.
Smith and Imoto presented a poster entitled "Quantifying fibrolase using a widely available technique: Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis."
Galbreath's poster presentation, "Antioxidant activity of the dichloromethane extract of commercially available prunes on differentiated PC12 cells," examines the properties of commonly used antioxidants. Meanwhile, Villapando's research involves creating new compounds that glow and can potentially become more stable LCDs.
Isovitsch has presented his collaborative student-faculty research at the annual conference for the past three years.
Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me... it's the Poets!
03.22.10 "Poets" was the correct answer on National Public Radio's popular game show program Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! this past weekend. A segment of the program, hosted by Peter Sagal, focused on unusual college mascots.
When quizzed about Whittier's mascot, special guest, Paddy Moloney founder of the Grammy-winning Irish musical group The Chieftains, got the answer right on the first try.
Listen to the program by clicking here.
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Nobel Prize Winning Scientist Luc Montagnier Received Honorary Degree from Whittier College
03.19.10 Dr. Luc Montagnier, 2008 Nobel Prize recipient and world renowned virologist, gave a special lecture,
HIV/AIDS Research: past and prospects, to launch the new Center for Science, Health, and Policy at Whittier College. Montagnier also received an honorary degree from Whittier: a doctorate of humane letters (L.H.D.).
Montagnier, of the Pasteur Institute in Paris, is credited with the 1983 discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), identified as the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Montagnier is the co-founder of the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention and co-directs the Program for International Viral Collaboration; he is also president of the Houston-based World Foundation for Medical Research and Prevention. His ongoing research focuses on the search for an AIDS vaccine or cure.
Montagnier has received more than 20 major awards, including the Légion d'Honneur, the Lasker Award, and the King Faisal Foundation International Prize (known as the Arab Nobel Prize). In 2008, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of HIV.
The lecture was sponsored by the Japan-based OSATO Research Institute. The work of the Institute, and its president Yuki Hayashi, focuses on overall wellness and the relationship of aging and the environment to immunological processes.
This is the inaugural event for the Center for Science, Health, and Policy. The Center is designed to maximize student learning by advancing the College's deep commitment to interdisciplinary curricula, collaborative teaching, undergraduate research and internships, and the integration of student learning experiences within local, national, and international communities.
Read more in the Whittier Daily News.
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Latino Students Thriving at Whittier Despite National Graduation Trend
03.18.10 With a 63 percent graduation rate, Whittier College's Latino students are outperforming their peers on a national level.
According to a new study of national college graduation data by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), across the country, only 51 percent of Latino students who start college complete a bachelor's degree in six years, compared to 59 percent of white students. That disparity holds true no matter the ability of the students or the reputation of the schools.
"These data show quite clearly that colleges and universities cannot place all of the blame on students for failing to graduate," said Andrew P. Kelly of the AEI. "Colleges struggling to graduate their Hispanic students should learn from the successes of leaders like Whittier College, which has successfully closed the gap between its Hispanic and white students."
The authors found that graduation rates improve with an increased institutional focus on graduating all students, better consumer information, and reformed government funding that focuses on performance instead of enrollment.
"Schools that say 'we just don't have the resources' aren't trying hard enough," said Whittier President Sharon Herzberger. "If we can achieve the outcomes we do with our modest endowment, so can many others."
The report comes at a time when the Latino population in the United States is rapidly growing, and their academic achievements have important implications for America's future. Click here to see the full report.
Read articles about Whittier's Latino graduation rates in La Opinion and the Pasadena Star News.
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Doug Booth '91 Named Entrepreneur of the Year
03.15.10 Nevada businessman and Whittier graduate Doug Booth was named the Reno Gazette-Journal's 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year.
Booth is the co-owner of Buckbean Brewing Co. based in Reno.
Buckbean, established in 2008, is a microbrewery that distributes its goods to stores, restaurants and bars, with a distribution presence in three states and more than 300 retail outlets.
Booth told the Gazette-Journal that the idea for opening a brewery's came to him two decades before the business launched, when he attended the Oregon Beer Festival.
"I thought to myself, 'That would be the coolest thing in the world, to make a really good quality beer,'" he said. "People are happy when they choose to buy a good beer, as opposed to having to buy insurance or get a root canal. I wanted to be part of making people happy."
Booth has distinguished himself as a business development "guru." In 2009 he launched the successful CANFEST, a first-of-its-kind beer festival featuring 33 canned beer brewers.
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Academic Calendar Modified; Sparks Discussion
03.12.10 In a letter sent March 10 from President Herzberger, the Whittier College campus community was updated on a variety of news items, including the implementation of a modified academic calendar for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years. In short, this new schedule will decrease the January Interim Session (Janterm) by three days and consolidate the calendar by eliminating some of the "dead time" between the end of Janterm and the beginning of the spring semester. With this new calendar, Whittier will conclude the school year in mid-May. The change has sparked some discussion on campus regarding the impact on courses and required coursework, as well as the Society pledging process, which has typically taken place across almost four weeks in January.
Read the full story by clicking here.
On Wednesday of this week, the Inter Society Council, comprising all Society presidents, met with Deans Ortiz and Coleman to begin discussions on a revised pledging calendar, and a meeting with Society alumni advisors and other interested alumni has been set for this evening, Friday, March 12, at 7p.m. in Hoover 100.
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Poets Meet With State Legislators for Advocate for Cal Grants
03.10.10 Whittier students Brownie Sibrian '10 and Kourtney Zilbert '11 traveled to Sacramento with Dave Carnevale '97, director of financial aid, as part of the 2010 Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) Cal Grant Student Lobby Day. The students met with state legislators to stress the the importance of maintaining funding for Cal Grants.
"The overall message of the day was that we were there to say 'thank you' to our legislators and to give them an opportunity to connect with students directly impacted by Cal Grant funding," said Carnevale. "The students did an amazing job of engaging the policy makers with their stories and asking intelligent, well-thought questions."
The Whittier contingent met with Senator Carol Liu, Assemblyman Charles Calderon, as well as staffers from the offices of Senator Tony Strickland '91, Senator Alex Padilla, and Senator Ron Calderon.
"I told them that had I not been given a Cal Grant I would not be attending Whittier College," said Zilbert. "Coming from a family of five kids there is no way I could afford it otherwise."
Whittier was joined by more than 30 AICCU member schools.
American Novelist Tim O'Brien to Keynote Whittier College's 107th Commencement Ceremony
03.03.10 Tim O'Brien—award-winning author of The Things They Carried—will give the keynote address and Keith Jackson, lauded sports announcer, will be a special guest at Whittier College's 107th Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 28, 9 a.m. in Memorial Stadium on the Whittier College campus. During the event, at which approximately 340 undergraduate and graduate students are expected to receive their degrees, O'Brien and Jackson will also each receive an honorary degree from Whittier: a doctorate of humane letters (L.H.D.).
In 2006, all entering Whittier students read O'Brien's book, The Things They Carried. As such, the commencement address will be a meaningful way to "bookend" the graduating class' Whittier experience.
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February
Miguel Santana '91 Takes on City Hall
02.22.10 City Administrative Officer and Whittier alumnus Miguel Santana is profiled in the Los Angeles Times.
Less than a year into the post as the highest ranking, non-elected official for the city, Santana has had a significant impact in helping the mayor and city council address Los Angeles' herculean deficit.
Santana was on campus last fall participating in a career preparation workshop for Whittier students, "What Can I Do With a Major in...the Social Sciences?," as part of the Backpack-To-Briefcase series.
To read a profile of Santana that will appear in the upcoming issue of The Rock click here.
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Wanberg Hall First To Go Green
02.22.10 Sociology professor sal johnston will be the new Hartley House faculty master for fall 2010. As part of his new post, johnston, who also coordinates the environmental studies program, is leading the charge of converting Wanberg resident hall—situated next to Hartley House—into a green living environment.
"How do you take an existing dorm, with a structure that wasn't built to be particularly sustainable, particularly efficient, and make it more so?" asked johnston in an interview with Whittier College's QCTV. "There are some interesting things we can do, heating and cooling [techniques], strategic placement of trees. There are some really, really low cost, low tech [strategies] that have been implemented other places."
This project is one of several "green" projects initiated by johnston at Whittier. Beginning in 2008, johnston's environmental students class worked to reduce the amount of food waste produced by students in the Campus Inn. According to research, food waste produces carbon gases that negatively impact the environment. The educational campaign led by the class, coupled with the elimination of trays in the dining hall, helped reduce food waste from 7.4 ounces per person in the fall to 2.7 ounces in the spring.
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Professor Joseph Price Explores the Spiritual Side of the Secular
02.22.10 As the Christian lenten season begins, professor of religious studies Joseph Price reflects on how non-religious films and other forms of popular culture can offer a spiritual message.
"There's actually quite a bit of spiritual in the secular," said Price in article for the Columbus Dispatch.
According to Price, films that people have seen for fun and that don't seem preachy have a lot of power to evangelize.
"It meets the people in the pew where they live their lives," he said. "It's not an ancient text that's being resuscitated." More »
2010 Feinberg Lecture: Performance Artist Claudia Stevens Presents an Evening With Madame F
02.19.10 Nationally recognized performance artist, playwright, and musician Claudia Stevens gave a talk and presented her solo production, An Evening with Madame F, a play about women musicians at Auschwitz, for the 2010 Feinberg Lecture.
Stevens' original musical drama, An Evening with Madame F, stands among a handful of Holocaust-related theatrical pieces that give artistic expression to a catastrophe that defies comprehension. While drawing on several first-hand accounts by women musicians who survived the Holocaust, the story of Madame F primarily chronicles Fanja Fenelson, who, as a youth, performed in the women's orchestra at Auschwitz.
The show's haunting musical score incorporates songs once performed by concentration camp inmates.
In her performance, Stevens meditates on issues of survival, guilt, and resistance. For instance, the character of Fanja Fenelson recounts how, despite the dire situation they found themselves in, the women's orchestra at Auschwitz secretly incorporated banned music into their arrangements.
The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Stevens' was originally advised by her family not to touch the subject.
"When I was growing up the holocaust was off limits — if you went there you paid the price. Twenty years ago, when I began the piece it lead into the unknown. The first time I performed the play I literally fell off the stage at the end," she told the audience.
Since 1990, this one-woman show has been presented at more than 100 venues across the country and produced for public television.
Established nearly two decades ago by former Whittier College Trustee Sheldon Feinberg and his wife, Betty, the Feinberg Lecture Series was created to invite major scholars to the college to discuss the broad historic, religious and political issues encompassed by Judaism and its role in a changing world.
More Transfer Students Choose Whittier College
02.18.10 Whittier College has seen an increase in transfer student enrollment for the 2009-10 academic year. With about 120 new transfer students on campus, it more than doubles the transfer enrollment from last year.
Admissions counselor Gabriel Chabran '07, who has worked closely with the transfer student population, explains that the economy and cutbacks at public institutions are two reasons that more transfer students are opting for a private liberal arts college. But Chabran adds that the lure of small campus with a small student to faculty radio is a major attraction.
"At community college it was difficult to make connections," said Chabran, who transferred to Whittier from a community college himself. "Once I transferred to Whittier, the school helped me focus on my studies, especially in my writing intensified courses. In addition Whittier faculty and staff gave me a lot of personal and academic attention."
Recently Whittier was featured in the transfer newsletter for East Los Angeles Community College — read more by clicking here.
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Private Colleges Display Diversity
02.18.10 According to the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, private colleges enroll and retain a more diverse student population than the University of California.
For its part, Whittier College proudly boasts that no one ethnic group on campus has the majority. About a quarter of the campus population is Latino and 10 percent is of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. Moreover, nearly 40 percent of faculty are people of color.
"The diversity on campus provides a welcoming and supportive learning environment," said Brownie Sibrian '10 who is the first in his family to attend a four-year college.
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Tina Merlino '11 Nabs SCIAC Athlete of the Week Honors
02.02.10 Junior forward Tina Merlino became the eighth Whittier student-athlete of the year to earn Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week honors when she recorded a pair of double-doubles for the week ending January 20.
Merlino currently leads the Poets in points per game (11.4) and rebounds per game (8.5) and is shooting a conference best 60 percent from the field.
Read more about the women Poets basketball team in the Whittier Daily News by clicking here.
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Whittier Students Speak Up for Love and Justice During Annual MLK Jr. Speech Contest
2.1.10 Quaker Campus editor Josh Wood '10 was the first place winner of the 9th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Oratorical Contest at Whittier College. The annual event honors the life and legacy of Dr. King and seeks to inspire students to imagine how they can play a role in the continuing struggle for civil rights and social justice in the U.S. and around the world.
"...in order to make change possible at all, every person must start the change within him or herself. On this night, in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I urge you to start with yourself by opening your heart to love. Without love, none of his hopes for equality, progression, or acceptance would have taken root," said Wood during his speech.
Each of the winning speeches echoed the night's theme—"It's Your Time"—motivating fellow classmates to take action to eliminate racial prejudice, poverty, and hatred.
The competition was organized by Director of residential life Delaphine Hudson and the residential life staff.
Click here to view a slide show of the evening.
Click here to view a video on YouTube.
Read the winning speeches here: Josh Wood '10 , Adrian Gonzalez '12 (second place), and Mario Obando '13 (third place).
Whittier Staffer Shares Personal Connection to Haiti Disaster
2.1.10 For residential life staff member Andel Fils-Aime the news of a magnitude-7 earthquake in Haiti had a personal association. Fils-Aime, the U.S.-born son of Haitian immigrants, lost one cousin—a 23 year-old medical student residing in Port-au-Prince—in the January 12 earthquake. Other relatives made it through with their lives but remain homeless.
In a Whittier Daily News article Fils-Aime shared that he plans to make a trip to Haiti as soon as commercial flights are more available.
The Whittier College community has responded to the great need in Haiti with a blood and clothing drive, as well fundraising efforts during Poet basketball games.
"I would like to encourage the Whittier campus community to continue to support Haiti through this crisis in any way that we can," said Fils-Aime. "In the long-term we can use our education as a primary means to assist Haiti in this time of rebuilding. As the education and literacy rates begin to rise in Haiti, the poverty and illiteracy will slowly be eradicated internally." More »
Former Nixon Lawyer Geoff Shepard '66 Speaks about Domestic Policy on C-SPAN
2.1.10 Author and lawyer Geoff Shepard participated in the first of a series of Legacy Forums at the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library. The panel, entitled
Domestic Policy Initiatives of the Nixon Years: Bringing Innovation and Progress to the American People,
included former Domestic Council members responsible for spearheading policy initiatives during the Nixon administration.
Shepard was an attorney on Nixon's White House staff for five years, and helped in his Watergate defense.
The Richard Nixon Legacy Forums are co-sponsored by the Nixon Foundation and Nixon Presidential Library.
View the panel on C-SPAN by clicking here.
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January
Former Poet Lacrosse Player Selected by Outlaws in MLL Player Pool
1.29.10 Former Whittier goalie Ben Brown '09 received an invitation to try out for Major League Lacrosse's Denver Outlaws for the upcoming 2010 season. Brown was selected in the player pool last Friday afternoon.
In his final season with the purple and gold, Brown played and started all 12 games for Whittier and finished the year ranked in the Top 20 in the country in saves percentage. He totaled 143 saves and ended the year with a .598 saves percentage. Brown concluded his senior season with an 8.53 goals against average in over 700 minutes in the cage. Denver finished last season 9-3 with the best regular season record.
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Professor Eric Lindgren Comments on Proposed Spending Freeze
1.27.10 In anticipation of the State of the Union address, political science professor Eric Lindgren comments on President Barack Obama's proposed three-year federal spending freeze for the Spanish-language daily La Opinion.
"In reality it does not sound like a good idea; freezing spending is not something you should do in a recession. Government spending helps reactivate the economy and I believe that it has helped the country, in particular minority communities." More »
Whittier Receives Grant from W.M. Keck Foundation to Launch Centers for Cross Disciplinary Learning
1.29.10 The W.M. Keck Foundation has awarded Whittier College a grant for $250,000 to launch two interdisciplinary learning centers: the Center for Science, Health, and Policy (CSHP), and the Center for Collaborations with the Arts (CCA). The funding from the Keck Foundation will primarily support cross-discipline course development and student fellowships. Theatre professor Jennifer Holmes will serve as CCA's inaugural director, and biology professor Dave Bourgaize will serve as the inaugural director for the CSHP.
"Support from the Keck Foundation to launch the Centers affirms Whittier's approach to education—that we are educating students to see the world from multiple perspectives—and applauds Whittier faculty for their excellent commitment to interdisciplinary teaching. The Keck Foundation award also will further enable us to recruit talented students who can make significant contributions to these fields in the future," said President Sharon Herzberger. More »
Whittier Sophomore Makes Half-court Shot at Clippers Game
1.22.10 Poet football player Brett Dunham '12 inadvertently made it to center court while attending the Clippers-Bulls game on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
During half-time, as part of a Clippers promotion, Dunham was invited to make a half-court shot between the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth. The successful basket earned Dunham a year's worth of free travel on JetBlue Airlines.
To see footage of the shot on YouTube.com click here. More »
Beloved Theatre Professor Robert Treser Dead at 83
1.12.10 Professor Emeritus Robert Treser, 83, passed away on January 7. Treser joined the Whittier faculty full-time in 1965 as a theatre professor and served as department chair for 18 years. During his three decades at Whittier he directed countless number of plays and regularly taught his notoriously rigorous theater history course.
He also served for a period of time as director of the Copenhagen Program through the Danish Institute for Study Abroad. As noted by his former student, "What a great man and teacher. He saw things in people that they hadn't found yet in themselves. All of our lives are richer for having known him."
Treser graduated from Lehigh University
an earned an MFA from the University of Oklahoma and a Ph.D. in theatre arts from Tulane University. He is survived by his daughter Nancy and son David. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Whittier College in honor of their father's memory.
A specific designation for memorial gifts will be determined by the family at a later date. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 13 at 1:00 pm at the La Habra United Methodist Church, 631 N. Euclid Street, La Habra, CA. There will be a reception after the service.
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