Whittier College Winter 2013
E A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT HERZBERGER… Thank you, Poets! It was truly remarkable to see the spirit of the Poet family in action throughout December 5, 2012, for the “12/5 Trustee Challenge.” This challenge, which promised $25K to student scholarships if 250 gifts were made on that single day, quickly expanded to 375, and then to 750, as alumni, parents, and friends rallied in support of the College. I am excited to report that more than 1,000 donors contributed to Whittier in a record-breaking demonstration of Poet Pride and generosity— and with additional challenges issued by our trustees during the afternoon and evening hours, we were able to make an impressive finish to this campaign even in the final Watch the “Gangnam Poets-Style” video at www.youtube.com/ WhittierCollege! The The Magazine of Whittier College Editor Rock managing Editor Thank you again for your support and enthusiasm. I am humbled by what you have accomplished for our College, and I look forward to our continued success together. Go Poets! Warm regards, Sharon D. Herzberger Dana A. S. Rakoczy Ana Lilia Barraza ASSISTANT Editor Melanie J. Ramos Communications Interns Samantha Quintanar ‘13 Amber Orozco ‘13 Art Direction HELP US WITH OUR LATEST CHALLENGE—12,500 “HITS” FOR YOUTUBE VIDEO! The world-premiere of mascot John E. Poet in his “Gangnam, Poets-Style” parody video was another highlight of the 12/5 Challenge. With more than 7,000 views on YouTube to date, we hope this bit of fun continues to stimulate interest in Whittier College, as well as good thoughts and fond memories. “In particular,” notes President Herzberger, “I appreciate the many notes of support I have received for my participation. But personally, I think Campus Safety certainly stole the show. If you haven’t seen the video, please be sure to check it out!” An anonymous donor has offered an additional $25,000 for student scholarship support if we can reach 12,500 views by June 30, 2013. Please continue to demonstrate your Poet Pride by sharing the video with your friends and family! Lime Twig Poet to Poet Ann Gronewold Contributors minutes before midnight. What a celebration of our beloved College’s 125th anniversary! I also want to thank our Board of Trustees who, under the leadership of Chairman Don Herrema ‘74, generously supported the 12/5 Challenge. And, the Board was inspired by your strong response, as evidenced by their increased giving throughout the day! Increasing participation in giving is critically important to the College. Many grant-making foundations evaluate our ability to engage our alumni, parents, and friends before even considering their own support. Well, the 12/5 Challenge has given us something truly exceptional to highlight the commitment of the Poet family. Additionally, I hope that many of you who made your first-ever gift, or first gift in a long time, will choose to become Faithful Friends by renewing your gift annually. The Faithful Friends program recognizes those loyal supporters who have given to the College in two or more consecutive fiscal years. We are so proud of the many donors with more than 10, 25, and even 50 years of continuous giving. Steven Burns James Constancio ‘10 Colleen Daly ‘12 Lance Franey ‘09 Tony Leon Geoff Shepard ‘66 Dave Stelmach ‘94 Alex Tenorio ‘74 The Quaker Campus President Sharon D. Herzberger Vice President for Advancement Elizabeth Power Robison The Rock, Fall 2012 Volume 82, Number 2 Copyright© 2012 Whittier College The Rock is published by Whittier College Our mailing address is: The Rock Office of Communications Whittier College 13406 Philadelphia St. P.O. Box 634 Whittier, CA 90608 Phone (562) 907–4277 Fax (562) 907–4927 E-mail: therock@whittier.edu 2
