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“As a staff member and Faithful Friend of Whittier College, I’m inspired to support our students and my colleagues in co-creating exceptional learning experiences that cultivate the next generation of leaders, thinkers, scientists, and artists. Our fractured world needs them urgently. I believe in the College’s mission and remain heartened by our values. Giving is a privilege and if we who do this work daily are not moved to support it philanthropically, who will?”
Lisa Newton is the Director of Research, Sponsored Programs & Fellowships. She has worked at Whittier College since 2015 and has decades of experience in higher education andsocial services for immigrant communities. Lisa seeks grant funding in collaboration with Foundation Relations, manages post-award grant administration and compliance, directs student fellowships, administers the Institutional Review Board/Human Subjects Protection Committee, and coordinates the College’s COVID-19 prevention and response activities.
Julie Rivera '59 graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English. After graduating from Whittier, she pursued a career in teaching at San Gabriel High School for 36 years. Rivera finished her career at Cal State Long Beach as a Lecturer in Chicano and Latino Studies and was named the Chair Emeritus of the President's Commission on the Status of Women. In 2006, Julie was honored with the Excellence in Teaching award by Whittier College for her years of devotion to her students.
Leon and Karen (Christensen) Bennett '68 graduated from Whittier College in 1968 with degrees in history, Karen with a minor in philosophy. Leon earned his master's in history at the University of California Santa Barbara and worked as a federal employee for 30 years. Karen, who earned her master's in history at the University of California Irvine also received her teaching credential. She went on to teach for 40 years and has acted as a city Historic Resources Commissioner in Whittier for more than 30 years. She and Leon married in Whittier's Memorial Chapel in 1973 and have continued to support Whittier ever since.
Stan Smith '73 has been a dedicated supporter of Whittier College for 49 years. Having served as an Alumni Board member and initiating an endowment for the History Department, Stan also sponsors the Alumni Homecoming Swim Meet and Water Polo match. His involvement with the Veteran Resource Center is aimed at encouraging veterans to join the Sachsen Society, founded by World War II veterans, to ensure that their stories and legacies endure. Stan Smith's life journey is a beacon of inspiration for future generations of Poets, highlighting the transformative power of education and commitment to creating a lasting impact.
The Whittier tradition has lived on in the Torres-Retana family. Raquel and her husband are proud Poet parents to their youngest child, Viviana, who graduated from Whittier's Class of 2024. Throughout Viviana's time at the College, Raquel witnessed her daughter's academic and personal growth fostered by professors like Danilo Lozano and José Orozco.
She was thrilled to learn that US News & World Report recently ranked Whittier College as a top institution for social mobility, a testament to how this education has empowered many first-generation alumni like herself. She is humbled to be able to give back to Whittier College as a new member of the Board of Trustees. Her family has also contributed to the Martin Ortiz Fund and the Whittier Now! initiative.
Sanjay Das '93 has been a member of the Poet Council for the last few years. He has also hosted the Summer 2024 Poet4Life event in Seattle. Das '93 believes that he would not be where he is now without the experience that Whittier provided him. Whittier allowed him to fearlessly take on several challenges and in return, he will always be grateful for that
David Carnevale '97 received a degree from the Whittier Scholars Program with an emphasis in Theatre History. He has worked both in theatre, running his own theatre company, and in higher education enrollment. In his previous role as the Director of Financial Aid at Whittier College, he was able to see how gifts made to the college directly impact students. Through this, he has grown an appreciation for philanthropy.
Elizabeth Cruz '01 is a Whittier Alumna who has earned two degrees from Whittier. She received her Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Education. Cruz has had a successful career teaching for the Whittier City School District, Whittier Union High School District, Trinity Lutheran, Palm View Christian, and East Whittier School District. She also came back to Whittier’s campus to teach at Kaplan Incorporated, a language school that used to be located at the college. She now owns and operates Cruz Tutoring and Arts Center, located in Uptown Whittier. She comes from a family of Poets, being the third of her family to attend Whittier College where she continues to promote her support of being a proud poet.
English major Floyd Cheung, who was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Nevada, graduated from Whittier College in 1992. As a student, he sang in the choir and was a member of the William Penn Society. Cheung is now an English professor and Vice President for Equity and Inclusion at Smith College in Massachusetts.
Chris Martin graduated with a bachelor's in political science and played four years of baseball for the Poets. He was also involved in student government and on the Quaker Campus newspaper staff. Martin has stayed connected to his alma mater through service on the Poet Council and the Board of Trustees and is a 30-year member of the Faithful Friends of Whittier College.
Martin holds a master's in sports management from the University of Richmond and has had a 20-plus-year career in intercollegiate athletics, including working at the NCAA national office and serving as an NCAA Division III conference commissioner. His career began in professional sports, working for the San Diego Padres Baseball Club following internship opportunities with the Baltimore Orioles Baseball Club as a student at Whittier.
Katrina Wong '17 graduated from Whittier College with a Bachelor of Arts in kinesiology and nutrition science, with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy. As a student, she was a member of the cross country team, president of the Kinesiology Club, and resident advisor for the first-year students. She currently runs her own private physical therapy practice, Whole Body Wellness, and Physical Therapy, in the Bay Area, and specializes in pelvic health, pregnancy, postpartum, and digestive health.