Whitworth University

So proud of Zoe Montgomery '28, an elementary education major at Whitworth. What an amazing tribute! Congratulations, Zoe!

Even though most of our students are on summer break, our campus is extra busy hosting sports camps and annual summer events.

Whitworth’s Office of Church Engagement held its Ministry Summit themed “Repairers of the Breach.” The conference featured guest speakers Ines Velasquez-McBryde, Shane Claiborne, Reggie Williams and Taylor Leonhardt.

Over in Weyerhaeuser Hall, dozens participated in the Summer 2026 Teaching for Learning Institute. It was a three-day event with engaging and expert-led sessions on topics such as models and strategies to advance learning, critical thinking and reasoning and evaluating gifted programs.

Out in the Pine Bowl, close to 2,000 high school football players have been showcasing their talents at two separate camps for the past two weeks. High school coaches accompanied their players for some instruction led by Whitworth Athletics staff, scrimmages against each other and a taste of college life, staying overnight in the residence halls and eating in the HUB.

We want to share this message Coach Rod Sandberg received from one of the high school assistant coaches: “It’s one thing to run an organized camp. It’s another thing entirely to create an environment that is relentlessly competitive, deeply positive, and completely centered around serving the young men who are guests on your campus. Anybody can print schedules, blow whistles, and run drills. Very few programs create an environment where every interaction communicates, “You matter. We’re here to make you better.” Your staff did that from the minute we arrived until we checked out of our dorms.”

We love bringing people from all different walks of life together here on our campus. We hope each person who spent time here made wonderful memories, gained insightful knowledge, and left feeling welcomed, inspired and part of something bigger.

Today is Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Our community celebrated Juneteenth earlier this spring while students were still on campus. Hosted by the Black Student Union, the Associated Students of Whitworth University and campus ministry, our gathering included a cookout, music, and reflection on the meaning of Juneteenth by incoming ASWU President Vernon Glass ’28. Attendees also viewed the documentary “Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom,” co-produced by the Rev. Rasool Berry.

“I am very grateful that we could come together again to celebrate this important holiday at Whitworth,” says the Rev. Forrest Buckner, Storm Family Dean of Spiritual Life & campus pastor. “Since the God we serve is a God who hates evil and loves good, it seems very fitting for us to gather to rejoice over the end of the evil of slavery in our country and live into the goodness of community together."

May today be a day of continued celebration and reflection!

Learn more about Juneteenth by viewing the documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmjuDxKTzzg