WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE POET CAMPUS
WHITTIER COLLEGE
2018-2019 ANNUAL REPORT
r e h t toge . . . e w Welcomed 493 first-year and 82 transfer students in fall 2019. About 70% are from California, 26% are from other states, and the remainder represent nine countries, including India, Spain, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and more.
CLASS OF 2023 AT A GLANCE • Jona Inniss ’23 has been playing steel drums for eight years in Brooklyn’s renowned D’Radoes Steel Orchestra. • Francesca Suster ’23 organized and brought to her high school an official U.S. Naturalization Ceremony with 400 guests celebrating 60 new Americans, as a tribute to her Romanian immigrant parents. • Chandler Nayman ’23 represented Team USA as its starting goalie in the Junior World Indoor Lacrosse Championships in Toronto. • Shanti Nelson ’23 earned enough money working during her senior year to buy a plane ticket to Nantes, France, where she subsequently spent a gap year acquiring a second family as an au pair for a 9-year old girl and her two dads. • Diego Espinosa ’23 attended a local high school where he created a curriculum to assist his peers in developing their confidence and social skills; topics ranged from preparing for an interview to asking a girl out.
President Oubré is pictured above with an incoming Poet family.
Dear Poets, This fall, we welcomed a dynamic group of first-year and transfer students to the Poet campus. These students are passionate and driven, and they join our student body fully prepared to put their talents to use, to satiate their curiosity, and to grow into confident adults who can see (and solve) the world’s challenges from multiple perspectives. The crux of our work at Whittier College is student success, and finding new pathways to assist all students, not just some, in achieving their goals. This report highlights the many ways that you, our generous alumni, parents, and friends, have participated in this process. Thanks to your generous support of the College, we are able to provide robust financial aid packages, world-class teaching by talented faculty, and innovative programming that prepares students for the complexities of life after college. Together, we can continue to be the partners that our students need to be successful at and after Whittier College. Their success is your success, and we are committed to the thrilling, transformational endeavor of preparing today’s Poets to become leaders in our everchanging society. Thank you for your enduring partnership and Go Poets!
Linda S. Oubré, Ed. D. President
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
e w r e h t o g e t CESS AND AFFORDABILITY IMPROVED AC
Whittier College is a small school with a big impact on the people we educate, and in turn, on the larger world.
38% FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS &
48% TRANSFER STUDENTS
Among California institutions, Whittier is noted among the
TOP FIVE
national liberal arts colleges for social mobility of its graduates, and ranked in the
TOP 15% of colleges & universities for diversity and inclusion
The median individual income of Poet alumni at the age of 34 places them in the
TOP 20% of California college graduates
ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PELL GRANTS Nationwide, more than 80% of all dependent Pell recipients come from families earning annual incomes of $40,000 or less
Whittier’s 2018 tuition and fees totaled $49,886, with
90% of students receiving some form of financial aid
Whittier College graduates students who are Pell grant recipients at a rate that
IS 58% BETTER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE
31%
first year
38%
transfer
students
& students
ARE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE
THE AVERAGE STUDENT LOAN DEBT FOR WHITTIER COLLEGE GRADUATES IN THE CLASS OF 2018 WAS $32,167 – THANKS TO YOUR GENEROSITY, THIS AMOUNT WAS NEARLY 15% LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
MARTIN OLMOS ’21 For Martin Olmos ’21, the path to becoming a doctor took an unexpected turn at Whittier College. Olmos, a biology major with a minor in chemistry, has known since middle school that he wants to treat patients. Naturally he chose the pre-med track, but this path has led him somewhere he didn’t expect. He still wants to become a doctor, but now he’s adding cancer research to those plans. It all started with a course he signed up for partly because it sounded cool: Cancer: Can We Win the Fight? This first-year writing seminar introduces students to basic research skills and teaches them how to create a solid lab report. He felt comfortable in the course, led by biology professor Sylvia Lopez-Vetrone ’99, the James Irvine Foundation Chair in Biological Sciences. He says he could be himself in that class: curious and outspoken, and Lopez-Vetrone noticed. She pulled Olmos aside and asked if he would be interested in applying his natural inquisitiveness to more advanced research. She selects a student or two every year to join her cancer research team, and if he kept up his impressive work, he could be that student. “I got excited,” he said, brimming with enthusiasm. “I was like, wow, my professor’s kind of pointing me out. I felt accomplished already.” He would soon have much more to feel proud of. In his sophomore year, he won a grant funded by the National Science Foundation to pursue his own study looking at the potential for cannabidiol (CBD) as a cancer-fighting agent. He wants to investigate the potential for natural substances like CBD to treat diseases, and step away from synthetic chemicals that are harder on patients’ bodies. “I was so happy. For that proposal, I put in so many hours of work,” Olmos said. “I was like, let’s get started right now.”
His experiments have proven consistently positive results, building his already growing excitement. “As I’m going through this, without even knowing it, I’m finding more of a passion to do research,” Olmos said. “What’s the next step? What’s next? I want to do it right away.” He’s brought his results to multiple conferences, both academic and professional, where he can share his excitement with a wider audience. Lopez-Vetrone helped Olmos, and his peers in her lab, to attend such conferences. As he walks around and sees everyone else’s experiments, he says his enthusiasm for research is further cemented. He wants to be a part of the amazing work that’s being accomplished to combat cancer. He’s grateful to call Lopez-Vetrone his mentor now, and thankful that she was tough on him at the beginning. She set high expectations, and in rising to meet them, Olmos quickly became confident and independent in the lab. Along the way, Olmos’ has also received support for his research experiments through fellowships, including the Keck Undergraduate Summer Fellowship. Now, as a junior, he’s able to return that favor and guide fellow students who are new to their labs. As he shows them how to culture cells and use lab equipment, he’s setting them up for the same success he’s enjoyed. Olmos says that he has grown a lot since he was in their shoes. In meeting the demands of time and attention that come along with research, he feels better equipped to manage his time, stay organized, and get things done. “I feel like I’m a different person than when I started. All through the college experience I’ve been able to mature and grow,” he said. “I feel like I’ve grown tremendously in and out of the classroom since my first year at Whittier.” ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
e w r e h toget T FORWARD PAID I
TIME + TALENT Over 1,700 Poet alumni volunteered their time and talents in 2018-2019! Some examples of the ways our alumni give back to today’s students include: • Speaking to students in their favorite professor’s class • Volunteering to Skype with students on Mentoring Mondays • Signing up to become an unforgettable alumni mentor on Handshake • Speaking on professional panels (for instance, during STEM Week) • Welcoming students to their organization for site visits • Connecting students with internship and job opportunities at their organization • Joining a leadership group (Alumni Board of Directors, Alumni Ambassadors, President’s Executive Advisors Council, etc.) • Attending or hosting regional and campus events • Delivering the keynote address at our cultural graduation celebrations Author, entertainer, and award-winning businessman JaMarr Brown ’95 was the keynote speaker at the 2019 Black Cultural Graduation ceremony.
• Providing important feedback, for instance, through our recent alumni survey
LAUREN VARGAS ’08: WHY I MENTOR As a first-generation college student, I was responsible for building my own professional network from the ground up. I did the leg work, but if it were not for people who replied to my emails, agreed to meet with me in their office or for coffee, reviewed my resume and cover letters, and/or mentored me, I would not have had any of the experiences I have today. At Whittier, Linda Ross—former director of the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD)—was one such invaluable resource. I found her insights and advice to be objective and pragmatic. In fact, the version of the resume I use today was first drafted with her. In addition, her mentorship led to my first paid internship in Washington, D.C. This internship opportunity was with a fellow Whittier alumnus,
Rene Islas ’00, who told me my resume stood out because I had received a notable public policy fellowship, one that Linda encouraged me to apply for. Because of the path public policy has led me, I am fortunate to have a broad network from various professional, alumni, and other affinity networks. I recognize that it is not easy to start a professional network from scratch, and I am happy to pay it forward and share my advice and these networks with other Poets. In fact, in my current role I was hired by another Whittier College alumnus, Mark Taylor ’89, and work with recent graduate Detrick Manning ’19. I keep in contact with the staff at the CCPD to connect with and mentor students who are interested in public service. I have also served as an alumni speaker for the College’s Backpackto-Briefcase series, and I am an Alumni Ambassador. There are many ways to get involved on campus today, and I’d encourage everyone to reconnect in support of today’s students!
$6.4 MILLION
treasure
Total gifts received from donors, realized bequests, and grants from charitable foundations in 2018-2019.
Over 4,800 alumni, parents, and friends supported Whittier College in 2018-2019. Consider the ripple effect of your generosity—it goes far beyond the success of one student, ultimately transforming families and broader communities.
22% ALUMNI PARTICIPATION
The national average for private schools is 18%. This percentage impacts national college rankings and benefits the College when seeking grants from notable foundations. Every gift, every year—no matter what amount—makes a difference.
2,897 FAITHFUL FRIENDS
Our sustaining donors who faithfully support Whittier College in two or more consecutive years (July 1 – June 30).
18 NEW PHILADELPHIANS
Pledged a gift to Whittier through their estate. In the past two fiscal years, over $2.8 million has been received from the estates of generous alumni and friends whose visionary generosity is ensuring a bright future for the College.
The Big Poet Give, held on March 27, 2019, was once again the biggest giving day of the year! Together, we raised $279,000 for the Whittier Fund, athletics, scholarships, and more!
$1.06MIL
$784K $510K $190K
2016
Over the past FOUR years, the Poet Family has contributed a cumulative $1,000,000+ during the Big Poet Give!
2017
2018
2019
e w r e togeth S REACH FAR T N E D U T S D E P L E H
Whittier students today are able to acquire marketable career skills and add practical knowledge to their classroom instruction through internships, fellowships, research experiences, and study abroad trips. Many of these competitive opportunities are created and supported by generous donors.
LEARNING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT
MAKING STRIDES AT HOME AND ABROAD
Two Whittier College students returned from a sponsored trip to Tanzania with much greater insights and experience in how to make a real, communitydriven difference.
For Craig Rogers ’20, Whittier College has been an opportunity for growth, experiencing new cultures, and creating community on campus.
Piper Lowinger ’20 and Harrison Fuller ’21 were the recipients of the Brethren Community Foundation (BCF) Fellowship—a partnership between BCF, Global Partners for Development, and Whittier College. Lowinger is majoring in Global Cooperation Strategies, a major she designed herself through the Whittier Scholars Program, and is minoring in French. Fuller is working toward a double major in applied philosophy and political science, with a concentration in international relations. The fellowship is designed as an elite opportunity for participants to team with Global Partners, a non-profit that works with East African communities to find sustainable solutions to critical needs such as health care, education, and access to clean water.
Between his junior and senior years, Rogers traveled to Xiamen, China, as part of the INTEX Fellowship.“It was a great experience to have the opportunity to see firsthand how a successful manufacturing company is operated,” he said. “It was also a great pleasure to be able to visit a new culture and find a new appreciation for Chinese and American society.” At Whittier, Craig is the president of Black Men of Whittier College, a club whose goal is to increase the retention rate of Black students at Whittier. “I want to be able to help [my peers] find their path and show them that they belong here,” said Craig who found his stride at Whittier after joining the William Penn Society, running track, playing football, and getting involved with his professors’ research.
TAKING IT TO THE STAGE
GETTING A HEAD START ON HER DREAM
Jacob Shore ’19, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, recently graduated with a double major in theatre and communication arts and business administration.
Rachel Villareal ’20 has wanted to be an optometrist since she was 12 years old. Now, the biology major is graduating a year early and has already been accepted to one of the state’s top-ranked optometry schools, Marshall B. Ketchum University.
A talented and involved student, he held multiple roles within the theatre department including scenic carpenter, production manager intern, and shop foreman intern. He also took the stage at the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts in several campus productions, including Next to Normal, The Good Person of Sichuan, and most recently, he starred in Whittier’s production of Pippin. Jacob’s talents earned him the Mary McGraw Miller ’33 Music Endowed Scholarship, Vivian Schulte Gardner ’54 Endowed Scholarship, and Whittier College Theater Talent Scholarship. Jacob was also a member of the Whittier Tells Funnies Improv Group, House Blend A Capella group, 56th Street Comedy Club, Alpha Psi Omega—the theater honors society, and was a DJ with KPOET radio. He graduated magna cum laude with recognition for Outstanding Academic Achievement in Theatre and Communication Arts.
Besides a doctor of optometry degree, Villareal’s post-graduate program offers her an opportunity to continue working in a lab and earn a master’s degree in vision science. It’s a space she feels confident in, thanks to her experience at Whittier. At Whittier, Villareal began conducting cancer research as she entered her sophomore year, under the guidance of Professor Sylvia Lopez-Vetrone ’99. Villareal proposed testing the effectiveness of bitter melon, a fruit commonly found across eastern Asia, in killing cancer cells. She tested a derivative from the melon on different cell lines—and it was working. Villareal investigated their causes of death during her junior year, essentially becoming a cell coroner. Much of her research in the past two years has been supported by fellowships, including a National Science Foundation mini-grant and the Barbara Ondrasik ’57 and Dr. David E. Groce SURF Fellowship. She credits Lopez-Vetrone, who is also the College’s fellowships director, with helping her learn how to successfully apply for the funding, as well as for helping her grow as a student researcher.
“THE GENEROSITY OF OUR DONORS PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS. I HOPE YOU SHARE IN THE TREMENDOUS PRIDE FOR ALL WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER. YOUR PASSION FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUR INVESTMENT IN THEIR LIFE’S JOURNEYS ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR THEIR SUCCESS AND ALL THAT IS TO COME FOR THEM IN THE FUTURE.” - Bruce Smith, Vice President and Dean of Students
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
e w r e h toget PARTNERSHIPS D E N E H T G N E R ST
In 2018-19, we received support totaling nearly $1.7 million from generous foundation partners who recognize the investment potential in Whittier College, and have made the decision to fund interdisciplinary, cutting-edge initiatives across campus.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: A $583,102 grant from the BCM Foundation benefitting Whittier’s Center for Engagement with Communities (CEC). The CEC provides Whittier students with academic/service learning opportunities through outside partnerships with individuals and institutions that benefit community organizations. This grant specifically supports community-based learning programs and after school tutoring and mentoring of children at the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier. A grant of $500,000 from new grant-making partner, the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, which will more fully integrate the use of digital technologies into the arts curriculum, better positioning students to enter the workforce out of college. Through two grants totaling $230,000, the Mellon Foundation supported enhancements to the College’s Student Disability Services office and the foundation supplemented existing funding for the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program, which creates opportunities for underrepresented students to advance toward careers in the professoriate. A $50,000 grant from the ECMC Foundation, a new grant-making partner, will improve student support offered through the Center for Advising and Academic Success (CAAS). Funding of $10,000 from the Beckman Coulter Foundation, a new grant-making partner, will support first-generation college students majoring in STEM fields.
FORGING HER OWN PATH AND MAKING CONNECTIONS Amy Trinh ’20 has exemplified the timehonored advice of making the most of your time in college, and now leaves it well-prepared for a career in marketingfocused graphic design. Beyond the classroom, Amy found much of that preparation in her long list of fellowships and internships. It all began during her first year, when a career center advisor encouraged her to apply for a fellowship. Combing the options, she found opportunities that matched her self-designed major, which combines marketing and psychology. She went for it, and landed two: the James R. Parks Prize and the Jan Cauffman Fellowship. The latter also benefited Amy’s minor: studying Chinese. She was mentoring students in the language and, with the fellowship’s support, she designed a website—something she had never done—to provide centralized digital resources for her mentees. The experience would prove lastingly helpful. “It was extremely applicable to what I ended up doing, which was graphic design, and that often leads to web design or digital content creation,” she said. It was also her first step in learning how to make an online portfolio, an important component of her resume as a digital artist. Meanwhile, the Parks Prize, which uses grant funding to reduce loan burdens for students interested in business, supported Amy to start building her realworld experience with a summer internship. Taking initiative, Amy landed one with a real estate company, Lewis Group, by approaching a guest speaker who visited her class. Her older sister had given her useful advice: always carry a resume in your school folder. Amy had listened.
AMY TRINH ’20 Impressed with what they saw, they soon hired her to help market Lewis Group online during the summer before her sophomore year. It was an informative experience: she not only built her professional skills, she learned that she enjoyed the graphic design side of marketing most of all. Lewis Group certainly wouldn’t be her last internship. During her four years at Whittier, she’s added positions with A3 Marketing Services, Los Angeles County Public Libraries, and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (better known as LA Metro) to her resume. She also interned at the College’s Office of Communications and Office of Equity and Inclusion, crafting print and digital collateral to help tell Whittier’s story. She’s been no stranger to research, either. During her junior year, she won the Nixon Fellowship, which is designed to prepare exceptional students for informed citizenship and service by funding a broad range of research related to Richard Nixon ’34. Amy, who’s also double majoring in art and visual studies, found a design-focused angle to studying the alumnus’ presidential tenure: how Nixon and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) made good graphic design a national priority. In the 1960s, funding for the NEA was at risk, but Nixon advocated for continued, strong support. With access to the Nixon Presidential Library and Archives, she dove into old memorandums, design assembly materials, and more, to better understand what effect this renewed support of the NEA had on America. Before long, the story came together: the federal government had a critical role in encouraging better design standards on a national level.
Under Nixon’s leadership, the Federal Design Improvement Program was established, and this led to rebranding dozens of government agencies. “I pulled a lot of pieces on national design assembly and how during these assemblies, they had design professionals and government officials meet together and talk about the importance of design, and how they can save money with design, or simplify communication with design, and how that can impact the agency,” she said. Through the lens of this national rebranding, she learned a lot about how society values design. Now, she’s continuing her research and applying it to today’s businesses. The Barbara Ondrasik ’57 and Dr. David E. Groce SURF Fellowship is funding a research project with her business administration professor, Kristen Smirnov, comparing how two ice cream stores and a bakery-cafe build their brands, both on social media and in their physical space. “This actually tied really well into my sister and I opening our own business,” said Amy, whose family opened Carmel Cafe earlier this year. She’s been able to directly apply the lessons she’s learned from the Groce Fellowship to her and her sister’s small business, demonstrating the immediate, real-world value of the research. Speaking to the interdisciplinary nature of her Whittier education, Amy sees how brands are an intersection of marketing, psychology, design, and more. These principles are relevant to her future career, as she plans to work with a large brand or multiple small brands to develop them as relatable, engaging, and cohesive. ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019