Westwind, Summer 2022

Homeward bound

Power of perseverance

Alumni and friends celebrate Homecoming 2022 together again p. 14

WWU alumnus helped create instrument currently on Mars p. 30

THE MAGAZINE OF WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY SUMMER 2022

We are church people Exceptional education at WWU begins with the integration of faith and learning— and learning how faith can be one’s own. p. 10

MEET THE WESTWIND TEAM

What’s one of your favorite worship songs?

“Trust in You”

by Lauren Daigle When I experience something particularly challenging in life, this song helps me remember how God has intentionally and lovingly led me in the past and seen me through some tough situations.

—Claudia Santellano, director for Alumni and Parent Relations

“Cornerstone”

by Hillsong This was the theme song for Week of Worship during my freshman year at WWU. It brings back a lot of good memories from that time, and I also appreciate its uplifting message.

This song is my ultimate favorite. I am inspired by Spafford’s resilience and resonate with the hope he expressed through the lyrics. A close second is “How Great Thou Art,” which was eventually translated from Carl Boberg’s initial poem into today’s version. I love the sense of awe and wonder and worship conveyed in the song.

—Jodi Wagner, vice president for University Relations and Advancement

“Come Thou Fount” I love this hymn as performed

by Celtic Worship. It was the first song I sang solo in front of an audience, and it holds a special place in my heart.

—Lauren Vizcarra, student staff writer

“Came to My Rescue”

by Hillsong United When I was a high school student deciding if I wanted to follow in the way of Christ or not, I chose to say one pivotal prayer telling God that if He really wanted me, He would have to call me.

This song and its following “Reprise” on Hillsong United’s United We Stand album literally became the telling of that story—my story.

God called, I answered, and I dedicated all of my life’s work to Him.

—Aaron Nakamura, director for Marketing and University Relations

“As Water to the Thirsty” by Timothy Dudley-Smith My Lord truly is like water to the thirsty, sleep that follows fever, gold instead of grey, and

—Brooke Fisher, student staff writer

“Amazing Grace” To me this song encapsulates the grace that has been offered to me in my journey and that I should, in turn, offer to others when our journeys intersect.

—Chris Drake, senior media manager

“Give Me Your Eyes”

by Brandon Heath This is one of my favorite worship songs. It’s special to me and my family, and the artist is very generous and kind.

—Summer Boulais, guest feature writer and student staff writer

“Me on Your Mind”

by Matthew West

“My Cat Jeoffry” by Christopher Smart I’m not very musical, but I do love poetry. Although at first glance this poem may seem trivial, for me it shows God’s tender care for all creatures and sets Jeoffry’s actions as a model of worship.

—Ashley Herber, student staff writer

“Amazing Grace” Many artists perform this beloved hymn. I love Pentatonix.

Amazing Grace … what an incredible gift that God cares so much for me that he saved me, relieves my fears, protects, and is forever there for me.

—Dorita Tessier, director for gift planning

“Multiplied” by Needtobreathe

This song is important to me because it reminds me of the intentionality with which God pursues a relationship with us.

I love the sense of thanksgiving and unbridled joy that this song communicates.

What a beautiful testament to the delight and hope that a new life in Christ Jesus brings to our lives!

—Kiersten Ekkens, student staff writer

—Kelsi Nash, University Relations supervisor

PHOTO: CHLOE CONGLETON

—Jennifer Buyco, creative manager

“It Is Well with My Soul” by Horatio Spafford

both home to the traveler yet all he longs to see.

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ALUMNUS OF NOTE

Nordman saw years of his work launch into space in the summer of 2020.

p. 28

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From the President

THE JOURNAL OF WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY // SUMMER 2022

College Avenue News from across campus

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Church people

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Homeward bound

Innovative worship finds its place among many services

Alumni and friends celebrated being together again for Homecoming Weekend 2022!

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Alumni Currents

PHOTO: COURTESY NASA/JPL-CALTECH

26 AlumNotes, 27 In Memory 28 Alumnus of Note: Austin Nordman ’17 30 Back to You: Abbie (Lam Yuen) Watt ’69

About the cover Praising the Lord takes many forms at Walla Walla University, and students gather to sing, pray, study scripture, and fellowship.

PHOTO-ILLUSTRATION BY SELMAN HOŞGÖR

Westwind Summer 2022, Volume 41, Number 2 // Westwind is published three times a year by Walla Walla University, a Seventh-day Adventist institution, and is produced by the WWU Marketing and University Relations office.

This issue was printed June 2022. © 2022 by Walla Walla University. Mail Westwind, 204 S. College Ave., College Place, WA 99324 E-mail westwind@wallawalla.edu Telephone (800) 541-8900 Online wallawalla.edu/westwind Editor Kelsi Nash Staff writers Summer Boulais, Ashley Herber, Lauren Vizcarra Design L/Bailey Design

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Everyday magic

As the crowd assembled, there was a lot of jostling and laughter. One of the resident assistants did an incredible job of engaging the men with a series of announcements, each accompanied by a well-prepared slide. Then another resident assistant administered the trivia contest, with some pretty detailed and difficult questions (e.g. the colors in the Belgian flag). The reward for a correct answer? A packet of chocolate cookies, delivered with an underhand toss. The reward for an incorrect answer? A packet of chocolate cookies, delivered with an overhand throw.

What would you share at OPS worship? I reached for Paul’s high-testosterone image at the end of Ephesians, “Put on the whole armor of God,” and especially the phrase “Take the helmet of salvation,” which I translated as “the helmet of victory.” As a Christian community, we enter the fray of

the battle against evil wearing our parade helmet, a signal that we are trusting in our Commander in Chief. The men of Sittner proved a gracious audience, and I left blessed by their fun, energy, and discipleship. I found myself thinking, “If I had a college-age son, this is exactly where I would want him to be.”

For all of the destructiveness of the pandemic, it has given us a fresh sense of the value of “everyday” occurrences.

Like a worship in Sittner’s Den. Or a shared trip to Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory for a spiritual retreat (which some of our students enjoyed recently). Or listening to students from Asia and the islands of the Pacific share their life experiences at this week’s CommUnity service.

The everyday is pretty special at WWU. In this summer issue of Westwind, you’ll read about a new master’s program in engineering, faculty and student scholarship on display at our annual Awards CommUnity, a mission trip to Alaska, the history and impact of student led worship services, and the story of one of the first Samoan students at WWU, Abbie (Lam Yuen) Watt.

You’ll also learn of alumnus Austin Nordman and his work on the Perseverance Rover, which landed on Mars last year. Imagine this—the everyday community of Walla Walla University, which includes faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends, stretches all the way to Mars!

The everyday is mighty special at WWU. It’s the place to be.

John McVay, president

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS: WALLAWALLA.EDU/WESTWIND

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PHOTO: CHRIS DRAKE

Last week I had the privilege of giving OPS worship in Sittner Hall (OPS, you will recall, stands for the Greek letters Omicron Pi Sigma, which designates the club for residents of the men’s dorms as a band of “loyal, fellow workmen”). As I entered the dorm, there was a fascinating version of jousting occurring, employing very small bicycles and heavily-padded broomsticks.

A graphic on a white board tracked the progress of the meet as though it were the pathway to the Super Bowl. The tournament completed, we moved down a floor to the Den, the site of the OPS worship, which has been nicely renovated as a comfortable study, meeting, and TV-viewing area.

College Avenue The latest from across campus

Engineering masters

PHOTO: CHRIS DRAKE

WWU to offer graduate program in engineering

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MASTER’S OF engineering degree (M.Eng.) will be offered by the Walla Walla University School of Engineering as early as September 2022.

The one-year program will provide a focus on expanding technical knowledge and preparation for business and project management in the engineering profession. The program will allow current undergraduates the opportunity to obtain a master’s and extend their expertise into another discipline with little disruption. The program is also

designed to be accessible to working professionals, with courses taught via occasional in-person instruction or one-week immersive experiences.

The mission of the M.Eng. program is to develop competent and compassionate engineering professionals who lead with integrity at the forefront of their fields.

Students will complete coursework in three core areas: engineering specialty, research and design theory, and project management and decisionmaking. With over 32 elective courses, students will be able to customize

The WWU School of Engineering offers a faith-based education backed by 75 years of excellence in engineering instruction.

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College Avenue The latest from across campus

Annual Awards CommUnity highlights diversity of academic pursuits

Celebrating scholarship

Chan Shun Pavilion Continued from page 5

their coursework and projects to align with their professional goals.

Students with mathematics or sciences backgrounds will also be well-positioned to join the program.

Students in the M.Eng. program will benefit from the

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75-year history of excellence in engineering instruction in the WWU School of Engineering. The master’s program will build upon the WWU bachelor’s of engineering program, which has been continually accredited by the Accreditation Board

for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for 49 years.

“As the flagship engineering program in Seventh-day Adventist higher education, offering a graduate program is the next innovative step in preparing professional engineers for leadership in this growing field,” said Pam Cress, associate vice president for graduate studies.

For more information and to be notified when applications are open, email

engineering@ wallawalla.edu.

ABOVE: While surveying Lake Ozette for invasive bivalves and plants, undergraduate students snorkeled for a total of 21 miles, a distance greater than the English Channel crossing.

RIGHT: Yena Cho placed first in the Grande Ronde Symphony Association’s Concerto + Aria Competition.

Student receives WA governor’s service award In recognition of his commitment to service, Darius Felder, senior electrical engineering major, was awarded the Governor’s Student Civic Leadership Award through Campus Compact. Forty-three colleges and universities across Washington state nominated students who exemplified excellence in civic leadership, and Felder was one of three to receive the governor’s award and the accompanying $1,000 award. He and another

WWU student, Mitchell Powers, were also chosen by John McVay to receive the President’s Service Award.

This is the first year that Walla Walla University participated in Campus Compact to honor students’ dedication to generosity in service.

FIND MORE NEWS AT WALLAWALLA.EDU/NEWS.

PHOTOS: CHRIS DRAKE, JENNY SPURGIN, COURTESY OF DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

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WU HELD ITS annual Awards CommUnity in April to celebrate the achievements of students, staff, and faculty. The program was attended by alumni, friends, and many from the campus community. During the ceremony, McVay interviewed students and faculty about projects conducted during the previous year on topics such as brain organoid scaffolds, the Sabbath in the Pentateuch, fusion reactor shields, frescoes inspired by humanism, and ocean acidification.

Thanks to the generous contributions of WWU alumni and friends, $637,563.15 in scholarships for the upcoming academic year were awarded to 510 Attend Homecoming students through 219 scholarship funds. Twelve Weekend 2023 to awards were also presented to staff and faculty for experience next year’s their commitment to excellence and faith.

Awards Community.

BY THE NUMBERS

Biology

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Bachelor’s degrees offered by the Department of Biological Sciences (biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, biophysics).

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Spiritual support ASWWU coordinates opening of library with spiritual resources

PHOTOS: CHRIS DRAKE, SAMUEL PINER

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HIS WINTER, a library of resources was created to help students invest in their spiritual journeys. The project was a collaboration between Campus Ministries, ASWWU Spiritual, and Student Health and Wellness, and is open to all students. Based in the Atlas, the library works on the honor system: you may take a book at any time and return it when you are finished.

The library consists of more than 150 books, not all of which are strictly devotional. The shelves hold books on philosophy, religion, psychology, and physical and mental health. Mitchell Powers, junior theology major and ASWWU Spiritual vice president, explained, “I know some people are going to say, ‘Well, if you have a book and it’s not about the Bible, is it really spiritual?’

But we cannot separate the body and the spirit, and if we do it’s not a Christian idea. We have to talk about the body, the mind. We have to recognize philosophy. We have to know all these different things because they do play a factor towards spirituality.”

ASWWU Spiritual wants to help students in their personal spiritual Learn more journey by not only providing ways about spiritual for students to connect with God, but life on campus at ways for students to better connect wallawalla.edu/ with themselves and with others. worship.

WWU is ranked third in Washington for percent of graduates with bachelor’s degrees who continued their education with a doctorate in science or engineering.

80%

Percent of all WWU students who applied and were accepted into medical school over the last 10 years.

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WWU is one of three universities in the U.S. with fewer than 2,000 students who are members of the National Association of Marine Labs.

Hartman to speak for Distinguished Faculty Lecture Jerry Hartman, professor of communication, will speak for the 2022 WWU Distinguished Faculty Lecture on Nov. 9.

This annual lecture is presented by a faculty member who is recognized for excellence in leadership, teaching, and scholarship, as well as service in the community.

W atch the DFL live on Nov. 9 at

wallawalla.edu/DFL.

Mack Brock visits WWU

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N APRIL 15, Walla Walla University hosted a vespers program presented by Mack Brock, previous singer with Elevation Worship. The Associated Students of Walla Walla University coordinated the program, and student musicians joined in songs such as “Way Maker” and “Do It Again.” Brock also hosted a Q&A session where he discussed the complexities of making a career of praising God. He answered student questions about being genuine, maintaining balance between personal and work worship, and the importance of prayer.

ASWWU organized a worship concert with Mack Brock.

Learn more about the Department of Biological Sciences at

wallawalla.edu/ biologicalsciences.

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College Avenue The latest from across campus

books + sites

Reading and browsing recommendations from our experts

Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA

by Brenda Maddox (Harper Perennial, 2002)

InTents 30-year anniversary

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VERY SPRING since 1992, Walla Walla University students have gathered in a large, colorful tent on campus to attend an evangelistic series called InTents. This series of seven meetings is conducted by students of the Public Evangelism class taught by Pedrito MaynardReid, professor of biblical studies and missiology.

While the location of the tent has

changed from year to year, students remain eager to fill the seats. InTents has even lived in the digital space, sharing student testimonies in podcast form during the spring of 2020.

In planning and organizing the meetings, students through the decades have developed valuable skills for evangelism and learned how to make ministry a central part of their lives.

WWU announces new academic and financial vice presidents WWU has selected two new vice presidents who will serve as the institution’s senior officers. Dr. Pamela Keele Cress will serve as vice president for academic administration, and Dr. Prakash Ramoutar will serve as vice president for financial administration. Their terms began on July 1.

Cress began her work at WWU in 1990 teaching in the School of Social Work and Sociology before being named dean of the school in 2006. She has served as associate

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vice president for academics and graduate studies since 2015.

Ramoutar joined WWU in 2021 after serving at the University of the Southern Caribbean in various finance roles, including as vice president for financial administration for six years. Prior to his higher education work, he provided accounting management services at private companies.

Learn more at wallawalla.edu/ new-vps.

Because I teach both a literature class titled “Women and Science” here at WWU and several science writing workshops at Loma Linda University in the summer, I started reading all kinds of material on the impact women have had on STEM. This biography of Rosalind Franklin, who should have been credited along with Watson and Crick for discovering DNA, is gripping, detailed, and informative about the life of a woman scientist who helped change the course of science research.

—Susan Gardner ’70, professor of English

Torn

by Justin Lee (Jericho Books, 2012)

As Christians continue to learn about and discuss LGBTQ+ issues, I have found few resources as stirring and worthwhile as Torn.

Justin Lee, a gay Christian, offers a relevant and restorative perspective with his use of intriguing anecdotes, practical guidance, and personal memoir. I highly recommend this book to individuals who struggle to reconcile their faith and sexuality and to committed Christians wondering how to relate to LGBTQ+ family members and friends.

—Carlyle Tagalog, academic advisor and curriculum coordinator

Whereabouts

by Jhumpa Lahiri (Knopf, 2018)

This novella is a series of short chapters, flashes, and events that are thought-provoking and at times both satisfying and unnerving in their brevity. It’s the sort of book I recommend sticking by your bedside, picking up to read three pages every night, and allow yourself to contemplate the emotion of the ordinary, and also extraordinary, events in our lives.

—Christy Scott, associate librarian

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF WWU ARCHIVES, CHRIS DRAKE, MICAH NAUKKARINEN

Theology students plan and preach for an annual evangelistic series.

From the Archives If memory serves

’90s

Sun, sand, and science At the Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory, learning has always looked a little different! The campus includes over 40 acres of timberland, hills, wetlands, and beachfront to explore and study the wonders of God’s creation. Supported by innovations from WWU’s robust engineering department, biology research at Rosario has opened the doors to discovery for students since 1953.

DID YOU KNOW?

For several years prior to the establishment of Rosario, summer biology classes were held at a nearby fish cannery, whose limited facilities were rented for only $1 per summer.

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Becoming church people Exceptional education at WWU begins with the integration of faith and learning—and learning how faith can be one’s own.

Written by EMILY (HUSO) LOGAN ’17

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EAVING THE WWU cafeteria with friends in early 2002, Troy Ahrens ’03 listened as fellow theology major Jonny Hayasaka ’02 described a powerful church service he had attended recently in Portland. With chest-thudding music and electric energy, the standing-room-only service redefined for him what church and worship could be. Impressed by their friend’s enthusiasm, Ahrens and the rest of the group agreed that they wanted to create a similar worship experience on campus. Stirred to action by the Holy Spirit, the group launched a student-led church that would focus on full-sounding music, informal but Scripture-centered sermons, and earnest prayer in the presence of God. They would call their church the Awakening.

“From the very beginning, there was a certain kind of feeling going on there—like, something is different,” says Ahrens. As the Awakening began to meet on Thursday evenings in Heubach Chapel, the unique contemporary music drew people to attend while the sense of belonging and opportunities for participation kept them coming back. Run by full-time students like Ahrens, who would volunteer countless hours each week to rehearsals or sermon writing, the Awakening quickly became a campus community endeavor, with more and more students stepping up to get involved.

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Praise and worship take many forms at WWU. Students find spiritual communities that support them and discover ownership of their faith.

Illustrations by SELMAN HOŞGÖR

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E HAD SO much freedom to create because it was our own,” Ahrens says. “Because it was student-led, [it was] our thing.” As the church expanded to include a weekly Sabbath service, he and the rest of the core team kept finding new ways to innovate. They experimented with new music, tried out different sermon styles, and developed special programs centered on different themes. One particularly moving segment that the Awakening regularly included was called “Where’s the Stage?” During this time, the lights were dimmed, and the performers quietly walked off stage, leaving the audience to reflect in silence. This moment of reflection was designed to bring the focus away from the stage and back to an awareness of God’s presence working in each person in the room.

In its third year, the Awakening exploded in attendance, attracting crowds of over 500 people. With as many as four bands in rotation and 40–60 regular volunteers

assisting each weekend, the church service was a significant conversion experience sustained by the Holy Spirit.

“For some people who had grown up around the message of Jesus their whole lives, this was the first time that it was really coming to life for them,” Ahrens shares. “I think that the Holy Spirit does powerful things when people are seen, and they’re gathering together in prayer, and they’re known by others and can feel a sense of safety and trust.”

In 2012, after a decade-long run, the Awakening held its final service. Although the church had continued successfully for years after the original leaders graduated, the current leaders were struggling to fulfill their vision and wanted to make space for new campus ministries. Ahrens, whose passion for church planting had taken him to Seattle after graduation, returned to preach one last sermon.

Although the details of that final sermon may be hazy for Ahrens, at least one church member recalls them vividly.

Listening in the audience, mass communications major

“I think that the Holy Spirit does powerful things when people are seen and they’re gathering together in prayer.”

—TROY AHRENS ’03 Anthony Lyder ’15 felt like Ahrens’ sermon was directed specifically to him. “Essentially, the main idea was that you are the church,” Lyder recalls.

“The church isn’t a building; the church isn’t an organization. It’s people.… It’s so easy for us to look around at others and say, like, ‘Why won’t you fix this?’ when sometimes it’s God calling us to be the change we want to see.”

Lyder, a self-described “stereotypical pastor’s kid,” had been running away from being a pastor his whole life.

Although he had recently experienced the transforming power of the Gospel in his life and had even helped to start a music and prayer service called Afterglow that met after vespers in the Black Box, he still felt resistant to the idea of becoming a pastor. Yet Lyder couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being called to do something, even if he did not yet know what that thing was.

Exchanging glances with his best friends Josh Jamieson, Jesse Churchill, and Sean Lehnhoff, Lyder saw that their expressions of recognition mirrored his own. Recently, they had discussed their shared sense that God was calling them to start some form of ministry on campus.

In that moment, the sermon’s

message seemed like a clear confirmation of that calling.

With Afterglow already meeting regularly, Lyder and his friends, heeding the calling they had felt so strongly, decided to transition the Friday evening service into its own Sabbath church group, which they called Circle Church.

Founded on the Awakening’s legacy, WWU’s history of student empowerment, and a passion for sharing the Gospel, Circle Church aimed to set itself apart from other campus ministries with its emphasis on relational, Gospel-centered, authentic community and intentional avoidance of hierarchy. Eliminating stages and platforms, Circle Church envisioned itself as a community of equals, with no one elevated above anyone else and with Jesus at the center.

The night before Circle Church’s first service, the group met with friends in the Black Box to fast and pray.

After weeks of planning and preparation, would anyone even come?

God answered the group’s prayers. “People did come, which was cool,” Lyder says, laughing. Over time and with feedback and dedication, the Circle Church community grew to become a welcoming and authentic place where

“The church isn’t a building; the church isn’t an organization. It’s people...”

—ANTHONY LYDER ’15

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COME, CHRISTIANS, JOIN TO SING At the core of the WWU experience is the opportunity to discover and nurture a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Here are a few songs that have united students in the beautiful expression of worship through the decades. What songs were meaningful in your spiritual life at WWU?

1980s “Side by Side We Stand” by Heritage Singers “Rise Again” by Dallas Holm & Praise

1990s people felt they could share, be honest, and get involved.

Volunteers poured more than 20 hours a week into making the church service happen. Without any official Campus Ministries funding, the students spent their personal money on food and audio/ visual equipment. They put in their own time, energy, and resources into making church happen. This, Lyder asserts, is the fruit of student-led worship: that it puts agency and ownership in the hands of the student. “Once you’ve felt true ownership of your church, it’s like an addiction,” Lyder says.

“You yearn for that and seek for that in whatever church you’re a part of; you want so desperately to be involved.”

Ten years later, Circle Church is still a thriving community that meets on Sabbath every week. In addition to Circle Church, current WWU students have the option of attending an array of other student-led worship options that have sprung up on campus in recent years, including Berean Fellowship, the Revival Project, Spanglish Church, and ReNew Sabbath School. With their diverse cultures and worship styles, these student-led ministries offer not only

different worship styles, but also smaller, more personable communities where there are more opportunities to become involved and take ownership, to be seen and known. As Ahrens puts it, “What’s necessary is that people have a feeling of belonging where they go to worship God.” Today, the Holy Spirit is still leading Ahrens and Lyder to foster authentic worship with everyone around them. Now in his ninth year at Puget Sound Adventist Academy, Ahrens puts his creativity and passion for worship to use every day as a chaplain and Bible teacher.

After pastoring in Washington and the Southeastern California Conference for the past few years, Lyder is currently completing seminary studies at Andrews University. “I don’t think I would be a pastor or even an Adventist if not for Circle Church,” Lyder confides.

“It made me a church person.”

To current WWU students who may be considering getting involved in campus ministries, he offers this advice: “Remember what the Awakening passed on to us: You are the church. You have the ability to take up the cause and be the change you want to see in the world.”

“Sing to the Lord” by Sandi Patty “Our God is an Awesome God” by Rich Mullins

2000s “Heart of Worship” by Matt Redman “Everyday” by Hillsong

2010s “How He Loves” by John Mark McMillan “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong

2020s “Great Are You Lord” by All Sons and Daughters “Rest on Us” by Maverick City Music and Upperroom

Discover current students’ favorite hymns played on the piano at

wallawalla.edu/ piano-hymns.

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Homecoming 2022

BY KELSI NASH

Photos by CHRIS DRAKE, KEVIN HERNANDEZ-NINO, and MICAH NAUKKARINEN

Homeward bound, together again Homecoming weekend was filled with new opportunities as well as timehonored events, such as the Sunday-morning car show.

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It was especially sweet this year to celebrate alumni homecoming weekend surrounded once again by those who share meaningful connections to this campus and community.

More than 750 alumni returned to the shady lawns and busy halls of Walla Walla University to share memories, reflect on the ways God has led in their lives, and celebrate the joy of being homeward bound and together again.

Alumni celebrated several important milestones including 125 years of care in the School of Nursing, 100 years of math education at WWU, and 75 years of excellence in the Edward F. Cross School of Engineering. Current and future alumni alike enjoyed the annual Awards CommUnity program, seminars on Friday afternoon, music concerts, and worship services throughout the weekend.

Much to celebrate WWU’s climbing wall, completed in 2020, made its first appearance at homecoming weekend.

Current and future alumni alike explored the new space. At the weekend opening banquet, Doug Thomsen ’93 and Jodi Wagner ’92 introduced the milestones celebrated throughout the weekend.

CLASS PHOTOS

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Members of the 2022 honor classes reconnected with classmates during homecoming weekend

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David Jeffery Lorissa (Shelman) Cawood Mellissa (Leaf) Sydney Kevin Ford Cheree (Hill) Dennison Joseph Cawood Jonathan Nickell

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HOMECOMING 2022

ALUMNI OF THE YEAR

Back to campus Alumni also enjoyed the sun on a campus history tour led on Friday afternoon by Terrie Aamodt. The School of Nursing celebrated its 125th year with a seminar on resilience Friday afternoon and Sabbath lunch.

Meet four Walla Walla University alumni who were honored during homecoming weekend 2022 for service and achievement that embody the spirit of their alma mater.

BY LAUREL ROGERS ’95 Photos by COLBY D. KUSCHATKA

Class of

2002 1. Celena (Eckley) Veverka 2. Ryan White 3. Greg Brooks 4. Hilary (Elmendorf) Dickerson 5. Khalid Sorensen 6. Joel Dickerson 7. Andrew Edwards 8. Richard Gilliland 9. Sara (Grable) Kakazu 10. David Royer 11. Huien (Pham) Gilpin 12. Arlys Lee 13. John Heyden 14. Heidee (Leno) Hanson

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MELLISSA “FRANCES” (LEAF) SYDNEY THE DREAM OF an orphan girl in Bolivia was realized in her granddaughter, Mellissa (Leaf ) Sydney, when Mellissa enrolled at Walla Walla University. “Being the first person in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree came with its own unique challenges,” Mellissa explains. “At times, it felt like I had to make big decisions and face challenges alone, without a family member who knew how it all worked to give advice.”

Mellissa, who went by Frances during her college years, dove into those challenges and made the most of her time at WWU. “WWU was a place that allowed for the open expression of differing viewpoints, which in turn led to well-rounded discussions and learning from each other’s life experiences,” she says.

That climate, combined with opportunities to volunteer and serve others, prepared Mellissa for her career in medicine.

After graduating from WWU and earning her master’s degree at Heritage University,

CLASS OF

2012

Mellissa headed to medical school at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences and then became chief resident in her residency program in Detroit, Michigan.

With her residency recently complete, Mellissa and her husband, Ron, are returning the Northwest, where Mellissa will be serving as an emergency room doctor.

Her goals include making deeper connections and showing God’s love to those around her while continuing to work with underserved communities and mentoring underrepresented minority students.

Mellissa’s goal is as clear today as when she came to WWU. “For me, success is a mindset of continually persevering through failure after failure while having the wisdom to evolve, be present, and find joy throughout the journey toward your most deeply valued goals,” she says.

Class of

1997

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Joseph Foote Mike Stafford Jimmy Johnson Don Veverka Jerry Woods Glyn Marsh Jeff Vankirk Greg Dodds Monte Puymon Jeff Colburn Marcia (Boyl) Evans 12. Dwayne Evans

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Alumni of the Year

AMAN J. GRANT ACADEMICS DIDN’T come easily to Aman J. Grant when he arrived at Walla Walla University to pursue a major in theology. “The classroom was a painful place since I struggled to retain information from the lectures.

I was slow to learn compared to my peers,” he remembers. “I fought the call to be a preacher because I didn’t know how I was going to get through school.”

Aman applied the tenacity he had learned in athletics to his studies, and soon the writing lab was a second home. He recalls the support of deans, professors, and spiritual leaders on campus.

In particular, he remembers the hours Wendy Hernandez spent counseling him.

“The story of a dreamer named Joseph motivated me to prioritize my mental [and] emotional health,” Aman

CLASS OF

1997

Class of

1.

2.

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4.

5.

1992

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Melanie Olsen-Lawson Gina (Jervey) Mohr Brian Schaffner David Bennett Scott Jones

11.

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15.

Chris (Powell) Forsyth David Forsyth Stacy Peterson Louie Yaw Vaughn MacKenzie 8

says. “I am living my dreams because I chased them as they developed here at Walla Walla University.”

Those dreams ultimately led Aman to complete his master of divinity degree and join the U.S. Navy, where he serves as the command naval chaplain in San Diego and consultant for spiritual resiliency for the commanding officer of Navy Region Southwest.

Aman continues to use the lessons of healing, tenacity, and leadership that began at WWU in his work helping the Navy face challenges among its members. He is also committed to raising his young son, Jo Jo, in a spiritually and emotionally healthy home.

To today’s students, Aman’s guidance is clear: “Start understanding and submitting to the person and power of the Holy Spirit now. Once you have that piece in place, then you can start chasing God’s dream for your life early.”

16. Lori (Hanson) Kissinger 17. Janette (Hensel) Sheperd 18. Paul Dybdahl 19. Kristyn (Jones) Dybdahl 20. Susan Bebee 21. Jodi (Larson) Wagner

Mindi (Vories) Irvine Greg Davis Richard Kimitsuka Albert Newball Jim Pope 18

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Westwind Summer 2022

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HOMECOMING 2022

Fun Run Alumni broke out their running shoes for the Richard J. Kegley Memorial Fun Run/Walk on Sunday morning.

Proceeds went to support the worthy student fund.

Class of

1.

2.

3.

4.

1987

Jerry Clifton Ron Clendenon Alwin Vyhmeister Lisa (Ladd) Comeau

5 7

5.

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8

Lisa (Knight) Davis Timo Wilson Elias Lozano Rhett Unger Heidi Anliker-Brenes 11

9

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11.

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Mark Carr Charles Burkeen Shellie (Stiltz) Hansen Rick Jordan

12 13

1

14. Loren Krause 15. Dawna (Larsen) Krause 16. Anita Strawn de Ojeda 17. Karen Lamberton

3

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4 6

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Westwind Summer 2022

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HOMECOMING 2022

Seminars and banquets Alumni kicked off the weekend with a banquet on Thursday evening filled with food and great music performed by a double men’s quartet composed of alumni. The fun continued Friday afternoon with seminars on the metaverse, resilience, aerospace, and the Sabbath.

Class of

1. Richard Sloop 2. Ed Meelhuysen 3. Delbe (Thomas) Meelhuysen 4. Jerry (Place) Irvine 5. Richard Wysong

1982

6. David Peckham 7. Tricia (McDow) Wysong 8. Darlene (Meelhuysen) Gaskill 9. Dale Lampson

6

9

5

10.

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Jeff Schroeder Shawney Brandt-Dobbin Robert Van Dorn Nancy (Surdal) Kooy Randy Sloop

12

8

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15. Ben Whittaker 16. Brenda (Whatley) Clifton 17. Paul Novak 18. Terri (Dickinson) Neil 19. Ruth (Arjona) Lemus

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Alumni of the Year

WENDY HERNANDEZ

WHILE THE PATH to her current career as an immi+ gration attorney has taken many twists, Wendy Hernandez says each step proved a necessary part of her journey.

“In hindsight, I now can see that those were not times of detour but times of direction,” she explains.

Among those experiences were 16 years working for WWU, during which she completed her bachelor of social work while she and her husband, Sergio, added two children to their family. While working part-time as a nurse in the Student Health Center, Wendy partnered with residential deans and student administration to create the Student Assistance Center to help rather than discipline students with substance abuse issues. “The work was deeply rewarding,” she says.

After completing her master of social work degree at WWU in 1993, Wendy served as director of the university’s

CLASS OF

1987 1993

Class of

1.

2.

3.

4.

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1977

Counseling Center. Then, in 2000, she went to law school at Gonzaga University.

These experiences, plus her childhood on an island reservation in Alaska, have shaped Wendy’s desire to practice immigration law. “My approach to my work is guided by a core belief that God wants all people to be treated equally,” she says. “Every day I draw upon the wisdom of those wise religion, English, sociology, social work, and psychology professors who prepared me to work with people from around the world.”

Meanwhile, Wendy’s children have grown up, attended WWU, married, and had children of their own. Now she and Sergio are anticipating new experiences with their WWU legacy.

“Walla Walla University was the center of our lives for so many years,” Wendy says. “We’re looking forward to being a part of our grandchildren’s experience at WWU.”

7.

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Marie (Harrison) Oglevie Lester Atkins Karen (Lake) Vixie Virginia (Zaugg) Mitchell Kim Boyd Laura (Ek) Boyd

Jan (Zaugg) White David Vixie Dan Webster Betsy (Saunders) Claridge 11. Stephen Lacey

12.

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17.

18. Pat Francisco 19. Patricia (Opp) Marsh 20. Sherol (Smith) Mershon 21. Clair Meske 22. Linda (Bakke) Joice 23. Ralph Perrin

Fred Lenz Paul Christensen Colleen (Walde) Tillay Ed Schlittenhart Darlene Armstrong Ed Yanke 18

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Alumni of the Year

DAVID VIXIE WALLA WALLA ROOTS run deep for David. The child of two WWU alumni, he knew by seventh grade his future was in teaching. “I was an official 13-year-old idealist, and I wondered how this would be different if I were the teacher,” he remembers. “I imagined not a classroom as was common then but learning environments as they could be, and I stepped into my career believing it was possible to make them real.”

That belief led David to WWU for a degree in elementary education with minors in religion, physical education, and biology, which he believed would be valuable when he moved into his own classroom. “It was here that I first had an instructor deliberately ask me to think and value those thoughts,” he says.

From WWU, David and his wife, Karen, moved to the Adventist school in Roseburg,

CLASS OF

1977+ 1983

Class of

1. Steve Morris 2. Trudy (Carpenter) Klein 3. Neil Biloff

1972

4. Connie (Anderson) Burke 5. Jacquie (Jenkens) Biloff 6. Richard Kruger 12

3

6

Oregon. Together they created a classroom community, dubbed “Vixie Village,” the first of many creative learning environments David brought to students across the West Coast.

David expanded those skills by returning to WWU for a master’s in curriculum development.

Today, you’ll likely find David and his students outside, where they might be learning history while traveling in a covered wagon or putting to sea on the deck of a 19th-century sailing ship.

Designing and constructing a fence makes trigonometry tangible, and history comes alive while standing in an immigration line.

Though David has received countless awards during his career, his focus remains on what he can do to serve students and help them flourish.

“My strength comes from God,” he says, “and strength is for service, not for status.”

7. Yvonne Stratton 8. Kurt Johnson 9. James Eklund

10. Dan Meidinger 11. Jeanie Hixson 12. Ron Claridge 21

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HOMECOMING 2022

Car Show The 22nd Annual Alumni Car Show drew a large crowd on Sunday morning to see more than 100 cars on display.

13. Fred Biesenthal 14. Wendell Downs 15. Randy Hesgard

16. George Carpenter 17. Bob Davidson 18. Gene Schober 30

19. Verna (Roberts) Canaday 20. Charlotte (Kenny) Schober 21. Gary Thietten

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22. Loren Clausen 23. Dale Messenger 24. Keith Rodman

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25. Carolyn (Woolbert) Clausen 26. Alan Abbott 27. Butch Van Dyk 28. Patti Revolinski 29. Mel Farnsworth 30. Dick Fleming 31. June (Dasher) Waggoner 32. Duane Gilliland 33. David Noel 34. Terry Bock 35. Bob Stuart 36. Dave Gordon 37. Marianne (Johnson) Walter 38. David Robinson 39. Carol (Tetz) Rick 40. Verlene (Fischer) Meyer 41. Glen Rick

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HOMECOMING 2022

VANGUARDS

Graduates from 1957 and prior

Awards Celebration The yearly campus Awards Celebration took place Friday morning and provided an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of faculty, staff, and students.

Class of

1967

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Loren Fenton Esther (Tataryn) Stout Marilyn (Stream) Golusha Connie Smith Ed MacKenzie Virginia (Robinson) Oliver Roger Kruger

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1. Jackie (Esteb) Ladd 2. Patricia (Pearson) Johnston 3. Joy (Uehlin) Palmer 4. Floyd Lewis 5. Joe Humble 6. Donna (Bingman) Lewis 7. Roger Baltrusch 8. Joan (Vestner) Hilde 9. Ila (Burlingame) Baltrusch 10. Betty (Rickard) Goobic 11. Tom Matthews 12. Jake Hilde 13. Verona (Montanye) Schnibbe 14. Donald Weaver 15. Beverly (Bretsch) Klein 16. Mace Gay

8.

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Betty Coleman Cox Judy Scott Thomsen Larry Rudy Espie (Tapias) Wasmer Steven Cromwell Dianne (Swetmam) Gibbons

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14. Richard Worley 15. Bruce Barnett 16. Carol (Stafford) Maher 17. Luwayne Stout 18. Jim Forsyth 19. Judy Ziegele 20. Bill McVay 20

15

17. Victor Fitch 18. Bill Oakes 19. Art Ward 20. Gloria (Cox) Oakes 21. Dick Machlan 22. Cliff Sorensen 23. Ralph Roberts 24. Ken Carr 25. Ramona (Brown) Sturgill 26. Dan Matthews 27. Ellamae (Kurtz) Carr 28. Taffy (Fjarli) Johnson 29. Betty (McGinnis) Wood 30. Bob Wood 31. Howard Gimbel 32. Glenda (Gimbel) Schafer

21. Ruth (Chapel) Squier 22. Virginia (Kerth) Bryson 23. Marilyn (Wehtje) Deininger 24. Carol (Rasmussen) Smith 25. Victoria (Carlson) Iizuka 26. Annita (Fitzgerald) Davison 27. Pat (Tonole) Harri

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Class of

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Scott Thygeson Gloria (Myers) Nelson Eva Lou (Carlson) Diebel Fran (Williams) Kilmer

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Vivian (MacPhee) Dobbin Keith Zaugg Robert Cunningham Ethel Stringer Wilson

1

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4 5

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9. Wendell White 10. Lillian (Konzelman) Machlan 11. Walt Meske 12. Jerry Dietrich

7

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Donna (McDow) Carr Harvey Harden Deanna (Bish) Ellison Jim Grindley Charles Dick

15 17

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Westwind Summer 2022

25

Alumni Currents

Staying in touch with our family of graduates

AlumNotes

Get up to date with fellow WWU alumni. Submit your information for AlumNotes at wallawalla.edu/alumnotes.

1960s Ruth (Chen) Davis ’61 lives in Northport, Wash., with her husband and has six children and 12 grandchildren. She received her master of music in organ performance from Boston University and often plays the organ for local churches.

Her favorite memories from WWU include worships in the dormitory and conversations with caring teachers. She specifically remembers that Rae Constantine used to tell her to smile during her voice lessons, and she remembers that lesson to this day.

Edwin “Ed” Eigenberg ’62 is married to Doris (Deming) att. and has five children: Daniel ’79, Elizabeth (Eigenberg) Hendrick ’78, Karen (Eigenberg) Cress ’79, Judy (Eigenberg) Burleson ’84, and Stephen. He pastored in Oregon, Washington, and Michigan and is now retired. He enjoys woodworking and gardening.

Edward “Ed” MacKenzie ’67 lives in Yakima, Wash., and is married to Ruth (Gilliland) MacKenzie ’71 and has four children: Vaughn ’92, Lawana (MacKenzie) Ballance att., Jonathan ’01, and Richard ’01.

He also has four grandchildren: Joshua Ballance att., Seth Ballance ’20, and current WWU students Jared Ballance and Gabbi Ballance. He is a retired accountant and has traveled to 42 countries—31 for pleasure and 11 for evangelism. He now oversees the accounting at La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital in Belize, and he and his wife have been presidents of Mission Projects Inc. since 2005. His favorite memory from WWU was meeting his now wife while working at the college laundry.

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Westwind Summer 2022

Terrence Jenkins att. is married to Debbie, is retired, and lives in Keene, Texas. His favorite memories from WWU include staying with a senior his first year in Sittner Hall and taking classes from Professor Winter.

Bill Skidmore ’68 has worked as a manager for Adventist Book Center, Pacific Press, Review and Herald Publishing, and a pastor and human resources director of Upper Columbia Conference. He has two children, Melissa (Skidmore) Townsend att. and Jana ’94, and one grandchild, Joelle Townsend curr. att. He enjoys cycling and reading in his spare time. Before going to WWU he had never opened a Bible before.

Of his time at WWU, he says, “Indeed, the trajectory of my entire life was changed.”

1970s Randy Hesgard ’72 was a pastor for several churches before he received a call to serve in the United States Air Force as a chaplain, which he did for 28 years. He now lives in Battle Ground, Wash., and is married to Donetta (Brass) Hesgard ’73 and has two children, Tim ’98 and Joel ’01. He now spends his time with his grandchildren, preaching in local churches, and enjoying woodworking and stained-glass hobbies. His favorite memories from WWU include meeting students from varied backgrounds and participating in the numerous spiritual, physical, and social activities.

Douglas Jones ’72 lives in Berrien Springs, Mich., is married to Janell (Larson) ’73, and has two sons, Ethan and Nicholas. He is a retired dean and professor emeritus at Andrews University, and before that he taught English at the secondary and university level, and served as academic vice president at Columbia Union College. His favorite memories from WWU include communication department stage productions, English department parties, and the 1971 history and English study tour in England.

Marilyn (Dinwiddie) May ’76 is married to Timothy ’80 and has two children: Andre att. and Carrie (May) Gordon att. She has worked at several day care facilities, substitute taught for public and private schools, and is currently an intervention specialist who works with kids with disabilities.

Her favorite memory from WWU is meeting her now husband and getting married in the Montavilla SDA Church in Portland, Ore. Clair Meske ’77 is married to Heidi and lives in Tucson, Ariz. His favorite memory from WWU is his involvement with photography.

Stephen Morris ’72 is married to Sharon and has two children, Jeff and Jennifer. He lives in Apison, Tenn., and in 2021 he retired after 47 years of giving anesthesia: “It was a gas!” His favorite memories from WWU include making close friends in his nursing classes and listening to Melvin West on the organ. He is very grateful to the older nurses at St. Mary’s Hospital, where he worked the night shift, because they taught him so much before he even learned it in class.

Mike Schwartz ’73 lives in Hayden, Idaho, and is married to Carole ’73 and has two children, Becky (Schwartz) Kettner ’97 and Mike ’01. He is a retired principal and teacher, and enjoys going on mission trips, woodworking, and snow skiing. His favorite memories from WWU include working in the cafeteria, spending a year as a student missionary, his first date with his now wife at a Sound of Music performance, and proposing to her by the pond at the women’s dorm.

1980s Russ Hansen ’88 lives in Walla Walla and is married to Shellie (Stiltz) Hansen ’87 and has two children, Heather and Tyler. He worked for 10 years with Review and Herald Publishing as a pressman, and his favorite memories from WWU include attending school events, eating at the cafeteria and the SAC, and getting a Christian education.

Colleen (Nelson) Gonzalez att. works as the scheduling coordinator for SunRidge Oral Surgery in Yakima, Wash. She is married to Edauro and has two children, Kenton ’16 and Andre ’20. She fondly remembers going pinging and enjoying Friday night vespers.

1990s Linda (Loiseau) Foxworth ’92 is married to Derrick and lives in Happy Valley, Ore., where she works as a precision oncology regional manager at Exact Sciences Lab. She fondly remembers connecting with friends on Sabbath afternoons and evenings.

Juan Rebollo ’98 lives in Waynetown, Ind., and works as a custom design engineer for Wabash. His hobbies include python programming and taking a nano degree to be a flying car/UAV engineer. His fondly remembers time spent with friends at WWU.

READ WESTWIND ONLINE: WALLAWALLA.EDU/WESTWIND

2000s Caren Hall ’07 lives in Burleson, Texas, and works as a teacher for the Texas SDA Conference. Her favorite memories from WWU are visiting Rosario beach and playing softball.

Camille Hearne ’06 runs her own counseling practice focused on helping children cope with trauma. She and her husband and their seven children all work in the family business of buying, renovating, and flipping houses. Her favorite memory from WWU is taking a self-care for social workers class.

2010s Janelle (Pierson) Heisler ’15 lives in Rancho Cordova, Calif., and is married to Stefan. She works at Adventist Health Lodi as an emergency department clinical nurse lead. In her free

time she enjoys traveling and spending time with her two children. Her favorite memories from WWU include being a resident assistant, worship services, and making lifelong friends.

Sierra Phillips ’11 lives in Sparta, Wis., and works as a local recovery coordinator at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her favorite memories from WWU include vespers, community, and having challenging discussions and spiritual growth.

KEY: att. = attended

curr. att. = currently attending

In memory

Family members may submit obituary information for their loved ones at wallawalla.edu/obituary.

Robert Bolton ’36 was born in 1914 in McGee, Saskatchewan, Canada, and died Jan. 13, 2022, in Vancouver, Wash., at age 107. Surviving: daughters Ruth “Erlene” (Bolton) Lau ’67 of Redlands, Calif., and Alice (Bolton) Brown ’74 of Banning, Calif.; and son Robert att. of Vancouver.

Brian Bull ’57 was born in 1937 in Watford, United Kingdom, and died Feb. 22, 2022, in Loma Linda, Calif., at age 84. Surviving: wife Maureen of Loma Linda; daughters Beverly (Bull) Rigsby att. of Loma Linda, and Beryl (Bull) Harrison ’90 of Loma Linda; and sisters Berryl Longway of Seattle, Wash., and Nancie Parmenter of Vancouver, Wash.

Carolyn (Spring) Dickinson att. was born in 1935 in Hot Springs, Ark., and died Feb. 15, 2022, in Walla Walla, at age 87.

Surviving: husband Loren of College Place; daughter Terri (Dickinson) Neil ’82 of Farmington, Maine; son Gregory ’87 of Fort Collins, Colo.; and brothers Glenn att. of Switzerland, and Harry of Fort Worth, Texas. Carolyn worked at Walla Walla University as a payroll clerk and then human resources director from 1981 until her retirement in 1999.

James Fell ’62 was born in 1938 in Ferndale, Wash., and died Feb. 14, 2022, in Eastvale, Calif., at age 83. Surviving: wife Gayle (Lockwood) att. of Columbia, Md.; and son James of Eastvale, Calif.

Joyce Griffith ’63 was born in 1941 in Wallace, Wash., and died Sept. 14, 2021, in Nampa, Idaho, at age 80. Surviving: brothers David att. of Caldwell, Idaho, and Ben Thatcher of Blue Ridge, Ga. Georgia (Reimann) Herbel att. was born in 1947 in Sidney, Mont., and died Feb. 8, 2022, in Hardin, Mont., at age 74.

Surviving: husband Marvin of Hardin; daughters Shauna of Huntley, Mont., and Julie of Bozeman, Mont.; and son Jeren of Fort Myers, Fla. Bradley Jackson ’77 was born in 1951 in Portland, Ore., and died Jan. 6, 2022, in Canby, Ore., at age 70. Surviving: wife Patricia (Schuler) att. of Canby; daughter Kimberly of Canby; son Joshua of Falls City, Ore.; and sisters Miline (Jackson) Linder att. of DeForest, Wis., and Penny Kitsemble of Winchester, Tenn.

Jerald “Jerry” Jones ’68 was born in 1945 in Nampa, Idaho, and died Sept. 27, 2021, in Poulsbo, Wash., at age 76. Surviving: wife Sharon (Laughlin) ’72 of Poulsbo; daughter Cheris (Jones) Curry ’97 of Poulsbo; son Christon “Chris” ’95 of Vancouver, Wash.; and sister Marjorie (Jones) Brown ’67 of Canby, Ore. Clayton Konzack ’43 was born in 1920 in Alta Loma, Texas, and died May 22, 2021, in Roseburg, Ore., at age 100.

Surviving: wife Ruth “Peggy” (Fuehr) att. of Roseburg; and daughters Carol Wyat of Waitsburg, Wash., and Sharon Stidham of Roseburg.

Richard W. Mitzelfelt att. was born in 1939 in Berrien Springs, Mich., and died Aug. 26, 2021, in Albuquerque, N.M., at age 82.

Surviving: wife Donna (Whitten King) att. of Edgewood, N.M.; daughters Darla Smith of Farmington, N.M., and Lynn Autoun of Albuquerque; and sisters Patricia Mitzelfelt-Silver, and Sylvia Cerrato of Memphis, Tenn.

Maye E. (Aerni) North ’48 was born in 1921 in Trout Lake, Wash., and died July 9, 2021, in Franklin, Ind., at age 100. Surviving: daughter Bracita (North) Magee ’80 of Franklin, Ind.

Mark Peach ’80 was born in 1957 in Walla Walla and died Feb. 14, 2022, in Chattanooga, Tenn., at age 64. Surviving: son Conner of Rising Fawn, Ga.; and brothers Karl att. of Riceville, Tenn., Kent att. of Medical Lake, Wash., and Joel att. of Spokane, Wash.

Dorothy E. Pulley ’74 was born in 1929 in Santa Cruz, Calif., and died Jan. 4, 2022, in Kirkland, Wash., at age 92. Surviving: daughters Carolanne (Pulley) Miller ’80 of Bothell, Wash., and Ashee Waryam of Redlands, Calif.; sons Dennis of Battle Ground, Wash., Preetham “Sam” Thomas ’79 of Lodi, Calif., Negussie Sado of Happy Valley, Ore., and Gabre Hinaka of La Canada, Calif.; sister Marlene Thelander; and brother Gleason Appling.

Lester Rouse att. was born in 1934 in Bozeman, Mont., and died Feb. 2, 2022, in Walla Walla at age 87. Surviving: daughters Toni Thorne of Walla Walla, Pearl Corn of Millcreek, Wash., and Claudette Vogelsang of Sand Pedro, Calif.; and brothers Charles of College Place, and David of Calif.

Anita (Pearson) Schultz att. was born in 1942 in Portland, Ore., and died Nov. 26, 2021, in Vancouver, Wash., at age 79.

Surviving: husband John of Highland, Calif.; and son John ’96 of Highland.

Barbara (Stotts) Stratton ’49 was born in 1927 in Minot, N.D., and died Jan. 29, 2022, in Carmichael, Calif., at age 95. Surviving: daughters Yvonne ’72 of College Place, and Aletha Ensminger of Carmichael; and son Marc of Redondo Beach, Calif.

Westwind Summer 2022

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Alumni Currents

Staying in touch with our family of graduates

ALUMNUS OF NOTE

Austin Nordman ’17

​WWU alumni helped create instrument currently on Mars

By Summer Boulais

A

ustin Nordman saw years of his work launch into space in the summer of 2020. Nordman helped create an instrument designed for the arm of the Perseverance rover. The instrument’s name is the acronym of “Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals,” which conveniently spells out SHERLOC, a reference to the well-known fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The instrument, however, uses its powers of observation and data collection to seek signs of life on Mars.

Since Perseverance landed on Crater Jezero in February of 2021, SHERLOC has been hard at work. The broad objective, according to Nordman, is to “explore a geologically diverse landing site.” SHERLOC specifically uses Raman and luminescence spectroscopy to look for chemicals in order to better understand Mars’ environment and how its geological layers are made up spatially.

SHERLOC is now the first ultraviolet Raman spectrometer to reach Mars’ surface. The Raman effect is a change of wavelength by scattered radiation in a medium. This is displayed by the spectrometer showing the intensity over those different wavelengths. For SHERLOC to achieve these tasks, a great amount of group effort was put in by employees applying their individual skills to make each component work.

Nordman works for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL), a research center managed by the California Institute of Technology for NASA. What began as an internship turned into a fulltime job in January of 2018 as Nordman dove into work on SHERLOC. Nordman played several roles in creating and testing SHERLOC, but one of the most rewarding parts was fine tuning optic alignments and getting deep into the programming. He would work overtime every day debugging software. When he wasn’t behind a computer screen, he spent hours in the lab, wearing layers of protective clothing, and working with a thermal vacuum chamber that simulates the pressure and temperature of Mars.

All of this hard work by Nordman helped ensure SHERLOC would survive any situation or environment it could face on the journey to Mars.

“Generally, we knew a road map to get certified to be on Rover, but there is so much uncertainty, and SHERLOC didn’t pass every single thing. We had to retest and fix it, which was certainly stressful, but worked out in the end,” Nordman described.

Not only did the team have to test that SHERLOC would survive various

situations, but they also had to ensure any interference it created would not affect the rest of the rover. This was a critical part of the project due to the high cost of both the instrument and the rover. “I got to work with a whole lot of different people in different professions—scientists, programmers, various types of engineers, and managers. Learning how to work as a team on something this complicated was really valuable,” Nordman explained.

Overall, the mission was successful and SHERLOC is currently on Mars functioning as it was intended. Moving toward bringing rock and soil samples from Mars to Earth is a big step toward scientific discovery of the planet itself.

“I’ve gotten chills thinking about what we are actually accomplishing,” Nordman said. Looking back, Nordman feels proud of his team’s dedication to SHERLOC that worked so smoothly in the end.

While Nordman’s mission with SHERLOC is complete, he doesn’t plan to leave behind the pursuit of space discovery.

He is continuing to use his skills at JPL, in both an engineering and interpersonal context, to expand the boundaries of space exploration. He is currently working on the Roman Space Telescope to help solve the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter.

I’ve gotten chills thinking about what we are actually accomplishing.”

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Westwind Summer 2022

The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and does not constitute or imply its endorsement by the United States Government or the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.

This work was done as a private venture and not in the author’s capacity as an employee of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.

Nordman stands next to SHERLOC, a device that rides on the Mars Perseverance rover.

PHOTO: COURTESY NASA/JPL-CALTECH

Westwind Summer 2022

29

Alumni Currents

Staying in touch with our family of graduates

BACK TO YOU // ABBIE (LAM YUEN) WATT ’69, NURSING

An unexpected trip

I

grew up in America Samoa, and my parents were pioneers in starting the church in American Samoa.

My nine siblings and I grew up going to Catholic schools because they were the best schools on the island. For college, most students would go to Australia or New Zealand.

But I had an American scholarship, and I ended up coming to the States and studying biology at Union College.

After I graduated, I was planning to and she sat down and helped me look at go to graduate school at the University the curriculum and see what program of Idaho. Within the first week of classes would fit me best. They all really took there, I was kind of anxious and stressed time for me. It made me feel very combecause I was not used to schools that fortable. I felt more at home. size. It wasn’t a great fit.

So, I registered for classes. My scholarThat weekend, I attended church in ship and transcripts transferred, and all Moscow, Idaho, and it was there I met of my things arrived by the end of the Gary Patterson. He was the pastor of week. I hadn’t even had time to unpack the College Place Church and he asked at the University of Idaho, so it was if I had heard of Walla Walla University. easier to move.

I had heard the name but didn’t know I made so many friends there. And anything about it. teachers and other families, like the He asked, “Would you agree if I took Claridges, always took us in on weekends you to Walla Walla so you can tour the or vacations when other students went campus and see if you like it?” home. Coming from a small island, I was I told him about my scholarships and grateful to have found a small community transcripts, and my worry that they where I felt comfortable. wouldn’t transfer. It was also already My husband and I have returned to registration week for the university. But Walla Walla University almost every year he was enthusiastic that it could for homecoming. All my younger be a good fit for me. So I agreed, siblings eventually came to and, since I didn’t have any study here too. In total, at least money to get there, he offered 29 members of my family have to drive me to WWU the very now attended Walla Walla next day.

University. I felt very blessed One of the first things I to have met Elder Patterson on noticed was the friendliness that day in 1967.

Read more of the campus. As I passed by, personal stories people said, “Hi.” Even the from alumni in Watt is a retired nurse who our Back to You upperclassmen would direct you currently volunteers with an section online at where to go. I remember talking organization to translate study to Wilma Leazer, who was the guides on Ellen G. White’s wallawalla.edu/ writings into Samoan. westwind. chair of the nursing department,

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Westwind Summer 2022

ABOVE: Except for Watt’s two older sisters, all of her siblings attended Walla Walla University. Shown here with her siblings and parents, Watt is dressed in blue in the upper right.

PHOTOS: MICHELLE WATT

“Coming from a small island, I was grateful to have found a small community where I felt comfortable.”

ABOVE: Watt graduated in 1969 with a nursing degree. Her father and sister, Alvina (Lam Yuen) Lutu ’72, helped her celebrate.

LEFT: Watt lives in Vancouver, Wash., with her husband, Jonathan ’69.

Westwind Summer 2022

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Alumni Currents

Staying in touch with our family of graduates

The results are in!

Alumni elect new officers to serve on the Alumni Association Board of Trustees

PRESIDENT-ELECT

SECRETARY

LISA JERVEY LENNOX

Class of 1997

In her position as presidentelect, Lisa Jervey Lennox will serve one year as president-elect, one year as president, and one year as board chair of the Alumni Association. Lennox has a bachelor’s degree in English from WWU and a master’s from Western Washington University. She now works at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, for alumni affairs. She and her husband, David, have two daughters who are in their 20s. In her free time, Lisa enjoys reading, gardening, and traveling.

Jimmy Johnson will serve a second two-year term as Alumni Association treasurer.

Johnson has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting. He has been the assistant treasurer and corporation treasurer for the Upper Columbia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for the past 22 years.

He and his wife, Debbie, have three children: Chloe, a senior at WWU; Tori, a junior at Upper Columbia Academy; and Jack, an eighth grader. Johnson enjoys vocal performance, waterskiing, camping, and reading.

Class of 1988

JIMMY JOHNSON

Registration is now open!

Join guest speaker Ralph Perrin ’77 for a relaxing weekend with fellow friends and alumni. Activities will include a worship service, Sabbath lunch, nature walk, hot dog roast, sundown worship on the beach, a bonfire with s’mores, and lots of great music and fellowship.

wallawalla.edu/rosario-sabbath (800) 377-2586 30

Westwind Summer/Fall 2021

BOARD MEMBER

VERLIE WARD

Faculty alumna 1983–2002 Verlie Ward will serve a three-year term as a board member for the Alumni Association. Davis has a doctoral degree from Washington State University and has elementary, undergraduate, and graduate teaching experience. She began teaching at the WWU School of Education and Psychology in 1983 and invested in the elementary education program for 19 years. She remains passionate about learning and delights in keeping in contact with students past and present.

BOARD MEMBER

DANIELLE CRAIGG

Class of 2011

Danielle Craigg will serve a three-year term as a board member for the Alumni Association. She is a proud graduate of the Honors General Studies Program at WWU. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biology, she earned a doctorate in medicine from Loma Linda University.

Currently she is pursuing a specialization in preventive medicine at Stony Brook University and obtaining a master’s degree in public health simultaneously.

She is passionate about lifestyle education, cancer research, and disaster preparation.

Alumni Sabbath at

Rosario August 26–28, 2022

Your legacy...

changes our future.

A legacy gift is a gift that impacts generations to come. Make Walla Walla University part of your heritage by including WWU in your estate plan. Remembering WWU in your will builds financial strength, bolsters academic and co-curricular programs, and helps students and faculty. Here are the benefits to you:

It’s simple.

It’s flexible.

You can set up your gift with a single paragraph in your will or a simple one-page amendment.

You can leave us a specific asset or a share in your estate’s net remainder. Your bequest can support a specific program or whatever needs are most relevant when your gift is received.

It’s revocable.

If your plans or circumstances change, you can easily revise the bequest.

What will your legacy be?

Learn more about legacy giving by visiting legacy.wallawalla.edu or by contacting Dorita Tessier ’80, director of gift planning, at (509) 527-2646 or dorita.tessier@wallawalla.edu.

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

Walla Walla University 204 S. College Ave. College Place, WA 99324

Paid WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY

See you there!

Upcoming events to note on your calendar

ALUMNI EVENTS This year features a full schedule of

alumni activities

SEPTEMBER 18

OCTOBER 6–8

OCTOBER 21–22

NOVEMBER 9

NOVEMBER 10, 12

Freshmen arrive on campus for orientation at JumpStart. New students and their parents are invited to join WWU president John McVay for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Classes start for all students on Monday, Sept. 26.

Cheer on your favorite soccer and volleyball teams at the annual WWU Fall Classic Tournament. More than 20 teams from across the country will compete. Watch for the game schedule in September at wallawalla.edu/fallclassic.

Book lodging now for

Jerry Hartman, professor of communication, will speak for the annual Distinguished Faculty Lecture. You can join in-person or online for Hartman’s address to the university community at 7 p.m. Learn more at wallawalla.edu/DFL.

Join alumni and friends from Portland and Vancouver for a weekend of events. Catch up with friends, listen to a university update, and enjoy good food.

Discover more details and reserve your spot at wallawalla.edu/ alumni-events.

Family Weekend

2022! Visit classes, meet faculty, and enjoy special events such as the annual Apple Festival on Friday evening. Learn more at wallawalla.edu/ family-weekend.

For a full calendar of events, visit wallawalla.edu/calendar.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

PHOTO: EDEN KIM

from baseball games and Rosario retreats to local alumni gatherings in several states. Ensure you receive event invites by updating your contact information at wallawalla.edu/ contact-update.