The Whitman Wire Podcast

In this episode of the Whitman Wire Podcast, Editor Kasey Moulton covers the current state of campus security post-release of the 2021 Annual Security Report. She discusses the forum held on September 30 and some of the differences between this report and others. In the second half of the episode, reporter Audrey Marthin speaks to staff at the Career and Community Engagement Center about a Whittie...

For a couple of weeks in early September, the Walla Walla Valley was full of wildfire smoke, which moved activities indoors, canceled events, and sparked conversation on how bad the air can be before it’s too bad to breathe. On this week’s episode of the Whitman Wire Podcast, Carsten Wallace-Bailey discusses the nuances of forest fires, climate change, and air quality.

The first few weeks at college are a transition period for most students -- new routines, new spaces, new people -- but for some Whitman students, that adjustment also includes a new country. This week, podcast reporter Audrey Marthin speaks to international students from all class years about adaptation, cultural differences, and finding food that tastes like home.

Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, state-level bans on abortion in several states were triggered, eliminating safe access to abortion. On this week’s episode of the Whitman Wire podcast, reporter Melody Li explores student reactions the Supreme Court's decision. She speaks to international and domestic students to both gauge immediate responses and discuss the future.

After four unpredictable years, the question remains: what comes next? That's what podcast reporter Shara Carranza-Ornelas works to find out in this special edition of the Whitman Wire Podcast, releasing alongside The Circuit.  Through conversations with three soon-to-be grads, Shara finds that although what comes next might be up in the air, lessons learned and memories made at Whitman won't...

Since the start of the 2021-2022 school year, Whitman’s COVID-19 protocols have made it clear that “on-campus housing is available to students regardless of whether their regular residence is on-campus or off-campus.” During mid-April, more isolation spaces were occupied than at any other point in the school year.  In this week's episode of the Whitman Wire Podcast, editor Kasey Moulton inter...

On this week’s episode of the Whitman Wire Podcast, reporter Apichaya Jiracharoenying reflects on the Long Tent events held between April 12-24. She speaks with Lonnie and Stella Sammaripa and IPECC President Cheysen Cabuyadao-Sipe to understand how the week’s events fit into actions taken by the College in the past and describe what the campus can do moving forward.

On this week's episode of the Whitman Wire Podcast, editor Kasey Moulton learns more about the senior art majors' thesis projects. Through conversations with Professor Amanda Evans and graduating senior art major Fi Black, Kasey's assumptions about what goes into an installation are challenged -- art is a little broader than she initially gave it credit for.   The Senior Thesis Art Exhibition...

In episode three of the Whitties in the Workforce series, podcast reporter Apichaya Jiracharoenying interviews Kaitie Dong ‘18 about her work with OneAmerica, an immigrant and refugee advocacy organization. They discuss advocacy, legislation, and the importance of grassroots organizing.

This week, the Whitman Wire Podcast takes a look into the Associated Students of Whitman College’s budgeting process. Reporter Shara Carranza-Ornelas shares emails from ASWC President Salma Anguiano and finance committee member Buddy Moench. In addition, podcast editor Kasey Moulton speaks with several ASWC senators about their thoughts on the preliminary budget shared at a town hall held on April...

In episode two of the Whitties in the Workforce series, podcast reporter Apichaya Jiracharoenying interviews Ellie Klein ‘10, interim officer of Strategy, Planning, and Management at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They discuss the role of a Whitman education and the sometimes uncertain trajectories that can come after graduation.

What exactly do Whitman students do after graduation?  That’s the question that podcast reporter Apichaya Jiracharoenying works to answer in the first part of a three part series focused on life after Whitman.  In this first episode, Apichaya is joined by Noah Leavitt and Kim Rolfe from the Career and Community Engagement Center to walk through some of the career resources available to c...

Resident Directors were at one point residents themselves, and this week podcast reporter Shara Carranza-Ornelas catches up with Ananda Gupta, an RD supervising students in Stanton where he once lived. Shara also dives into the future of residence life as a whole with a statement from Peter Harvey, Whitman’s Chief Financial Officer.

This week, podcast editor Kasey Moulton sits down with Wire opinion writer Hailey Livingston to discuss her opinion piece titled "Let's Talk About Sex".  Kasey and Hailey break down the argument, get to the importance of communication, and talk about some of the basics of writing for opinion.  

The first floor of Penrose Library holds the Northwest Archives, a collection of materials documenting both the history of the College and the broader Walla Walla Valley.  This week, podcast reporter Apichaya Jiracharoenying speaks with Ben Murphy, archivist, and Dana Bronson, associate archivist, to learn more about a space that seems a little mysterious from the outside.  Student archi...

Whitman’s women’s basketball team is in the middle of an excellent season with a shot at the NCAA playoffs, an event that coaches and players are looking forward to after two years of COVID-19 related cancellations. This week, podcast reporter Shara Carranza speaks to several members of the team to reflect on their time on the court. Head coach Michelle Ferenz also shares her thoughts on the seaso...

This week, podcast reporter Jack Dorsey investigates how off-campus studies have been impacted by COVID-19. Jack Interviews the Off-Campus Studies Director Susan Holme to get a sense of what it’s like to travel as a college student amidst a pandemic.

Climate change is something that will affect all of us, whether you want to talk about it or not. That’s what made it an applicable academic theme for the 2021-2022 school year. But how do you get to an academic theme in the first place? That’s the question that podcast reporter Coden Stark works to answer in an interview with Professor Kirsten Nicolaysen. The Career and Community Engagement Cente...

Whitman College ranked no. 9 on the Least Religious Students list in the 2019 Princeton Review publication. This week, podcast reporter John Dorsey sets out to investigate whether this ranking is representative of the Whitman student body. Interviews with Interfaith Chaplain Adam Kirtley, Religious Life Intern Merry Cockroft, and member of the Interfaith Council Myan Sudharsanan challenge the assu...

On November 5, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bill that allocates billions of dollars to infrastructure, a significant portion of which will be used to counter the impacts of climate change.  The other significant piece of this bill was how it was passed, and this week, podcast editor Kasey Moulton interviews Wire opinion editor Scout Hutchinson about her opinio...

For the first time in several years, North Hall is open again full-time.  Is it really a spooky place to live, or is the building just steeped in history?  This week, podcast editor Kasey Moulton and reporter Coden Stark attempt to answer that question.  Interviews with current residents and an RA reveal that the answer to that question isn’t as straightforward as it seems.

With spring 2022 registration right around the corner, questions about credits, particularly those that weren’t taken on campus, are once again at the forefront of many students’ minds. This week, podcast reporter Coden Stark attempts to answer some of those questions through a conversation with Pam Fowler, Whitman’s Transfer Credit Evaluator, correspondence with a department chair, and research i...

Our time on campus might be limited to just four years, but opportunities to engage with the campus community don’t end with a diploma.  This week, podcast editor Kasey Moulton investigates the many ways that alumni remain involved. Dennis McNair, PhD, current Alumni Association board president and Nancy Mitchell, director of alumni relations, share how each of their organizations work to kee...

Frat parties are back after a quiet semester in the spring, and with open doors come questions about COVID policies and procedures. This week, podcast reporter Coden Stark investigates how fraternities are handling the return to campus. Beta GAP representative Lucien Rochelois explains some of the safety procedures they put in place as they work to make their parties a safe place.

This fall, campus is crawling with freshmen and a half, juniors and a half, class of 23.5ers or students who have no clue when they will graduate. Reporter Ayla Hanafi and podcast editor Mia Graham interview students who took time off school to work, travel, or spend time with family. While the choice wasn't always an easy one, their breaks were full of personal growth and lear...