Whitworth University - Spokane, WA

Yesterday I stepped foot on Whitworth University for the very first time! Honestly, I did not expect Whitworth to be anything more than a back up school I would check out since I was in the area. Whitworth was not even on my radar until about a month ago. Actually, I don't remember quite how I  even heard of Whitworth besides for the fact that Matt Kamada, my elementary teacher and coach, went here and loved it. I can see why. As of now, Whitworth is my first choice university and I am looking forward to submitting my application upon returning home. So what we have done so far at Whitworth University is...
1. Met the ladies in the admissions office and had a brief informational presentation.
>> Even the admissions officers were sweet and truly cared about my comfort and welcome. Even before I stepped in the office I felt welcomed; I had looked through the window to see three or four smiling faces all looking back at me. When I did walk into the office there was a screen that said "Welcome Taylor White" because apparently I was the only overnight guest today. To me that made me feel pretty special because they had planned a whole schedule just for me.
>> In the informational presentation given by Marianne Hansen, an admissions officer, I learned a lot about the school and got to just talk to Marianne about my preferences. I could tell that she genuinely cared about my interests and my happiness, no matter what university I will attend.
2. I met my two tour guides (Olivia and Emily) and went on a tour of campus.
>> The girls took my dad and I on a tour of the whole campus, and even though we only went into a few buildings, I had a chance later to go into almost all of them. Olivia went to Iolani and is from Hawaii and she was very easy to relate too. They answered every question to the fullest and by the end I was already close to being sold on this school.
>> The campus is bigger than I expected and it sort of had the same look as SPU mixed with George Fox, but it was more spread out and to me it is much more beautiful. Standing anywhere on the campus is beautiful and pretty much every view from any window is breathtaking. (Whitworth sounded really small from my previous knowledge but yesterday I learned that they accepted about 625 freshman this year). The school itself is a perfect size for me, both people-wise and campus-wise. I won't ever feel like i'm squished in the school because its a very spacious campus, and I won't feel like the school is too big because I can walk across campus in 10 minutes.
3. Then, my dad and I ate lunch in the HUB
>> First let me add that about a week ago, before I even got to Spokane, Megan texted me just to say hi, make me feel more comfortable, and to ask if I had any questions regarding anything. That was really sweet and I just felt a lot more confident and more excited to visit campus. So after I asked about the food I learned that there are always vegetarian options (like a normal college cafeteria).
>> My dad and I walked into the main food area and looked around, but I didn't see anything that I could eat besides for the salad bar. My dad, who always feels bad if I can't eat, asked one of the chefs about vegan options and they went in the back to ask. The head chef came out and she brought us all the way across the cafeteria into another room and showed us all the different dishes. They had a whole section dedicated to gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan dishes. That was the first time I walked out of a college cafeteria actually full.
>> On top of the food being amazing, that chef was so kind to come out of the kitchen and actually walk us to where the vegan food was. Also, on the way out, the lady who managed the card-swiping station stopped to just ask us how my dad and I are and how we liked Spokane, and to me that was just very caring.
4. I met Megan. We went to her dorm to put my bags down and then we set off to check out the other dorms. (Then I met Cynthia, and Ally, and Caleb, and Tyler, and Tad, and then a bunch of Megan's other friends and I can't remember their names).
>> There were so many people who came up to say hit to Megan or who we went up to and they all were so passionate about Whitworth and each other. They also all took to time to learn my name, although not that hard, but they actually talked to me and asked me questions about my life and my interests. I met a lot of people who are business majors, and one or two that were health science majors (others too) and they all talked to me about the program.
>> The dorms are nice, although not new, but there are about 7 different dormitories and they all had distinctly different personalities.
     - Warren - (where I stayed last night) with the most residents in three wings (has a lot of freshmen)
     - Oliver - newest dorms (ski lodge) with single, double, and triple rooms with balconies and unique common areas
     - BJ - (Baldwin-Jenkins) a freshman residence hall
     - Arend - single, double, and triple rooms (right next to the HUB)
     - Ballard - female dorm and sister hall to "Mac"
     - Stewart - four-person suite-style rooms (mostly for upperclassmen)
     - McMillan - all men dorm
5. We went to see an art show with Ally.
>> Not much I can say about the art show besides the fact that it was extremely unique and very advanced.
6. Dinner time!
>> Dinner was great! I had a salad and a burrito. There weren't too many vegan options like at lunch but I really enjoyed the burrito. (:
7. Megan and Cynthia took me to their night class from 6-7ish (Christian Ministries)
>> I actually learned a lot from this class about how to introduce a passage or text to a small group while keeping them involved and interested in learning. I think I really needed this because my small group back at home is still in the awkward stage even though we've been having small groups for about a month already, so this class was enlightening. I could feel that God really wanted me to be in that class last night.
(Also, Megan and Cynthia are business majors so anyone can take a Christian Ministry or bible class, and can also be a small group leader - which I hope to be when I get to college)
8. We went back to Warren but got caught in their Prime Time activity, which was writing things we want to leave behind on a piece of paper and then burning it later.
>> I got to experience how Prime Time really helps people meet each other because in about two minutes I was already immersed in conversation with people around me who gave me really good advice about coming to Whitworth and which dorms they like and just about life. Everyone was just so nice and accepting.
9. We went to Mac, to Caleb, Tad, and Tyler's dorm (I think) to do puzzles, listen to Megan's record player, play cards, drink hot cocoa (which the guys make for everyone every Monday night) and socialize.
>> Honestly, although way way way past my bedtime, I had so much fun! We played a weird card game that was a mix between uno and another card game I don't remember, but it was very fun (even though Caleb won every time...). I thought it was just so cool that these sweet guys would invite everyone into their home to just hang out and drink hot chocolate every week. In addition to that, everyone made me feel like I was part of their family and I forgot for a moment that I was two years younger than them.
10. We finally went to sleep!
>> Megan and Cynthia slept in one twin sized bed just so I wouldn't have to sleep on the floor. That was seriously so considerate of them to do that for me!
11. We woke up early and went to breakfast in the HUB.
>> Breakfast was good, with a bunch of options. There are always bagels, peanut butter, fruit, and cereal out for all meals, but I had oatmeal this morning (which I'll probably be having a lot). We ate with a lot of people in Megan and Cynthia's friend group and just got to enjoy a relaxing breakfast together.
12. Megan dropped me off at her dorm to relax.
>> Right now, I am on Megan's computer in her dorm room because she did not want me to have to sit through two hour-and-a-half long business classes. The small things that people do here just make it evident that God is working in this school and I really want to be a part of this.

(Added the next day)

13. Chapel time!

>> the chapels aren't required, yet my dad and I were amazed to find that the whole chapel was packed with students!

>> the message and worship was indeed different than I'm used to but still very good. I loved how they zoomed in and focused mainly on scripture rather than our lives. (Still made the connection though). It's amazing to see how many kids actually want to be there. 

>> presbyterian (denomination)

• Meal Plans:

- Everyone who lives on campus is required to have a meal plan

• On-campus jobs: 

- lots! (ex. tour guides, overnight host, library, fitness rooms) Tip: apply for all and apply early

• Average class size:

- less than 30 (11:1)

• Change Majors (easy?):

- Yes, can take general education classes for my first two years (also have freshman seminar class - can help undecided major students)

• Job palcement services:

- career service office in the HUB (internships, interviews, resume, counselors)

• Study-abroad programs:

- Yes, Japan, Ireland, Hawaii, France, Italy (other places in Europe) and can also try during Jan term (only a month rather than a semester)

[Jan term - three weeks in January where students take classes they're interested in + a PE class and take those three weeks to go to that one class everyday for about three hours and just study that.]

• Scholarship Availability: 

- great! (currently, I qualify for the trustee (18,000) but if I bump up my scores just a little I can get: Presidential (20,000) - 3.75/1870/28)

[take weighted GPA and superscore tests]

• Class accessibility:

- harder in freshman year because everyone is taking similar classes but if I sign up early it's not hard

• Professors personable:

- Very. One approached us on our tour just to say hi and welcome us to Whitworth. Mr. Lee, whose class we visited, made us feel very welcomed in the marketing class

- another time right after we visited Mr. Lee's class, I was waiting for my dad while looking at pictures and fliers around the business school when two professors just walked up to me and asked if I had been helped. After I told them who I was they started asking me questions about where I lived and what I wanted to study. I didn't even know who they were and they were so interested in me!

• Hours study per night:

- decent amount but depends on major and classes

• Freshmen have cars?:

- yes ($45), lots of parking

• Transport around campus:

- most have bikes, skateboards, and scooters

• Students on weekends:

- outdoor activities (have a club i'm interested in): greenbluff, Broadway shows, snowboarding or skiing, hiking

• Intramurals/clubs: 

- volleyball, basketball, frolfing (frisby + golfing - really big at Whitworth), Hawaiian club, outdoors club, swing dancing club

• Food (vegan?):

- they always have a vegan dish somewhere in the mix and is usually easy to find (have a whole section or vegan/vegetarian/GF needs) and they also have a salad bar

• Ministry:

- 65% students involved in ministry

- worship - Awake and Hosanna, small groups, and chapels (Tuesday and Thursdays - 11ish)

[none are required, but 1 bible credit is needed]

- foursquare church nearby

- volunteer for worship team and leading small groups encouraged

• Involvement opportunities:

- RA, small group leader or coordinator, intramurals, clubs (Hawaii, outdoor), worship

• Other (notes):

- majors: Business (management, marketing, etc.), athletic training, music ministry, biblical studies, certification for ministry, kinesiology, 

- housing: 2 years on campus at least (also have theme housing for rent as an upperclassmen)

- Prime time: every night the RAs host an event for the dorms

- Early action: November 30, housing priority and 10-day response (no application fee)

- 2 semesters language required (they have sign language - might be for edu. majors, and Russian and many different languages including Spanish and Japanese)

- "happy light" - Vitamin D light

- snows!!!

- Nicest fitness center EVER! (includes an indoor track and rock climbing wall)

- Greg Orwig (HI admissions counselor) - will be in Hawaii in October and November

[As Megan and I were walking to her dorm to put my bags down, Greg Orwig saw us and immediately asked if I was Taylor White. How he knew is a mystery, but everyone I met really reached out to me and was interested in getting to know me.]

Before visiting Whitworth I was a bit skeptical because I hardly knew anything about the school, but the pictures of the school and the wonderful convincing by Kamada threw Whitworth onto my list. It wasn't the best thing to do, but I prayed that my overnight host would be vegan and that would be what influenced my decision to go here. God didn't give me a vegan, but he gave me a beautiful vegetarian who was a business major, led a small group for Christian Ministries, and who spent all her time showing me around the whole campus, inside and out. Honestly, I don't think I could have found a better host to show me around campus. Everything about Whitworth, from the smiles on everyone's faces to the smell of pine, was great and I can really see myself here one day; It feels like home.

(Currently my first choice)