Whitworth Digital Commons Whitworth University Whitworth Alumni Magazine University Archives 1997 Alumni Magazine Spring-Summer 1997 Whitworth University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.whitworth.edu/alumnimagazine Recommended Citation Whitworth University , "Alumni Magazine Spring-Summer 1997" Whitworth University (1997). Whitworth Alumni Magazine. Paper 416. https://digitalcommons.whitworth.edu/alumnimagazine/416 This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the University Archives at Whitworth University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Whitworth Alumni Magazine by an authorized administrator of Whitworth University. w H I T w o R NHISBASEBALL-PLAYINGDAYS, IPaul Merkel, '44, started as an out- fielder, moved to first base, and finally settled down at his favorite position, catcher. If} liked catching," he says. "I liked seeing the whole field in front of me." 0 Paul Merkel mastered the catcher's skills - learning to "call" a game, cueing the pitcher, moving the players around, trying to anticipate the opponent's next offensive move - and applied them during his career as Whitworth's baseball coach. In the years between 1957 and 1978, he led his Bucs to many winning seasons and to 1960'sNAIAnational championship. o If Paul's baseball honors were laid end to end, they'd stretch from here to Cooperstown. A member of four halls of fame, he is also a recipient of the prestigious NAIA Award of Merit for Baseball; and earlier this year he was honored with the NAIA's inaugural Robert C. Smith Achievement Award. o At 74, Paul Merkel has been at Whitworth for most of the past 57 years. And during that time as student- athlete, coach, faculty member and athletics director, he has helped make Whitworth Athletics the thriving en- terprise it is today. He "retired" in 1990, but he's still an integral part of the col- lege community. Wander out to the baseball field - Merkel Field, of course - on a wann spring afternoon, and you'll find him there, intent on the game, marking stats, seeing the whole field in front of him. W H T W o R T H COVER STORY 14 SOUTH AFRICA'S SEASONS - A Whitworth College professor leads a group of students back to his homeland to take stock of the promise and problems of apartheid's aftermath. FEATURES 20 A REVISED SCRIPT - After a freak accident and spinal cord injury four years ago, doctors gave Tim Hornor a one-in-1 0,000 chance of ever moving a muscle again. This month he'll walk across the Spokane Opera House stage to receive his diploma. 22 MORE THAN A PROFESSION - Filling an educational niche all its own, Whitworth's Certification for Ministry program combines theory and practice to prepare students to "honor God, follow Christ, and serve humanity." DEPARTMENTS 2 EDITOR'S NOTE AND CALENDAR 3 WHITWORTH NEWS 10 SPORTS 12 IN THE WORLD 13 PRESIDENTS REPORT 24 BOOKSHELF 25 ALUMNI BULLETIN BOARD 27 CLASS NOTES Cover photo by Stephen Brashear, '97 WHITWORTH TODAY SPRING/SUMMER 1997 EDITORS 'NOTE WH TWORTH In about two weeks we're going to ask We will ask you what you like, and don't many of you who receive Whitworth To- like, about Whitworth Today. We'll ask day to do us a favor. About 1,000 read- you what you would like to see more of, TODAY ers will receive a survey ask- as well as what puts you to ing what you think about the sleep. magazine. As I mentioned before, this Editor Tim Wolf For those of us who put 1DDAY survey will reach the homes together this magazine each and businesses of about 1,000 Associate Editor semester, this survey repre- Whitworth Today readers. That Sports Editor sents a very important step in , amounts to a little more than Terry Rayburn Mitchell, '93 a process. This summer, we 5 percent of the magazine's will redesign the look of circulation. Given a decent Graphic Designers Whitworth Today, and your • response rate, that quantity Su Chism opinions about what kinds of news and will be enough to give us some statisti- Arvitn Mott Anna Beard, '98 information you would like to see in the cally valid insights into what readers magazine will help us do a better job of want from Whitworth Today. But even if Student Photographers that. Our goal is quite simple: to give you're not included in our survey Christopher Woods, '97 you the best alumni magazine around. sample, I would like to extend to you a Carrie Wasser, '98 As with the staff of any other news- warm invitation to send me your com- paper, magazine or other periodical, we ments about Whitworth Today. Please Editorial Intern are always asking ourselves two primary send comments to Tim Wolf, editor, Liana Tanncsen, '98 questions: What do our readers want to Whitworth Today, Whitworth College, know about Whitworth College, and 300 W. Hawthorne Road, Spokane, WA, Contributors Gordon Jackson what do OUf readers need to know about 99251-3102, or send them via e-mail to Laura Bloxham, '69 Whitworth? Too often our answers to [email protected]. those questions are based on little more I hope you enjoy this issue of Editorial Board than our own editorial hunches and Whitworth Today, and I hope you'll let Elsa Disrelhorsr notions of what a good alumni maga- us know how we can make this a better Linda Hunt zine should offer its readers. This survey magazine. Dolly Jackson, '92 will provide important information so Gordon Jackson that we can send you a better magazine. Fred Pfursich Tammy Reid, '60 The survey will cover a wide variety Tad Wisenor, '89 of information, but it is designed so that Florence Young it will take only a few minutes to fill out. Administration President William P. Robinson CALENDAR Director of Publications and News Services Tim Wolf May 18: Commencement at the Spo- July 20: Retirement Celebration for kane Opera House. Dale Bruner. Call (509) 466-3799 or 1- 800-532-4668 for information. June 8-14: Elderhostel I. Call (509) Spring/Summer 1997, Vol. 66, No.2 466-3291 for information. July 21-26: Whitworth Institute of Min- istry. Call (509) 466-3291 for informa- Whitworth Today magazine is published twice June 13-15: Early '50s Alumni Reunion annually by Whitworth College, tion. for classes of 1950, '51, '52, '53, '54. Spokane. Washington. Call (509) 466-3799 or 1-800-532- August 22: Whitworth Alumni Night Send address changes to 4668 for information. with the Mariners in Seattle. Call (509) Whitworth College, 466-3799 or 1-800-532-4668 for infor- 300 West Hawthorne Road, June27-29: Alumni 25-YearReunionfor Spokane, WA 99251-3102. ciasses of 1971, '72, and '73. Call mation. (509) 466-3799 or 1-800-532-4668 for September 3: Fall classes begin. information. October 11-12: Homecoming Week- July 6-12: Eiderhosteili. Call(509) 466- end. For more information, call the 3291 for information. Alumni Office at (509) 466-3799 or 1- 800-532-4668. WHITWORTH TODAY SPRING/SUMMER 1997 2 WHITWORTH NEWS ~ Whitworth to begin construction of Phase II Campus Center addition where Whitworth has been nourishing be added just east of the Campus Cen- students since 1944. The college is look- ter facility. will be completed in 1998 ing at several options for what to do Whitworth has also received confir- When they arrive on campus in the with Leavitt, Johnson said. mation from the National Science Foun- fall of 1998, Whitworth students will Construction of Phase II will com- dation that the college will receive a dine in a new establishment. This sum- plete Whitworth's Campus Center $660,000 grant to help fund the reno- mer, the college will break ground on project. Begun in the winter of 1994, vation of the Erlc lohnston Science Cen- the $5.1 million second phase of the the $4.2 million first phase provided a ter. Over the coming year-and-a-half, Campus Center project, which will fea- new gathering place for Whitworth stu- the college will undertake a campaign ture a new 4S0-seat dining hall. dents and the campus community. The to complete fund-raising for the pro- Phase II of the Campus Center will first phase includes large commons ar- posed $2.1 million renovation project, add to the two-year-old building a full- eas, a snack bar and cafe, a bookstore, said Stacey Kanun Smith. associate vice service dining hall facility for students) conference space, a post office and of- president for institutional advancement. as well as office space for the college's fice space for student organizations. The Johnston Science Center reno- Student Life division, said Tom Completion of the second phase will vation will provide a variety of improve- Johnson, vice president for business af- double the space in Whitworth's Cam- ments to the 40-year-old building, in- fairs at Whitworth. Construction will pus Center to approximately 51,000 cluding improved laboratory facilities begin in July. square feet. and teaching stations. The college is in The project received final approval In addition to completing the Phase the process of finalizing the scope and from the Whitworth College Board of ]] structure, the college will move the timeline, as well as fund-raising plans, Trustees at its April meeting, and is main campus road further to the east for the]ohnston Science Center project, scheduled to be completed by the start to accommodate the new building. And Smith said. But it's likely that those of the 1998 school year. Completion of in what will complete a major shift in plans will come together, and fund-rais- the new dining facility will sound the student traffic toward the east end of ing for the remaining cost of the project final dinner bell for Leavitt Dining Hall, campus, significant parking space will will begin this summer, she said.