From the Editor
Meet Our President
by Rosa Jimenez
Have you met our new president? If you attended Walla Walla College between 1976 to 1989, you may have sat in one of Jon Dybdahl’s religion classes. Unfortunately, I never had the privilege of having him as a teacher. Friends who took his classes tell me that he was a compelling lecturer, knowledgeable, deeply spiritual, and the embodiment of kindness and fairness.
I find all these qualities to be true of President Dybdahl today. Through this issue of Westwind, I hope you get to know him both as a person and as a leader who has a compelling vision for wwc. You will find excerpts of his remarks at the inauguration ceremony officially installing him as the 22nd president of wwc. The theme of the November ceremony was “Celebrate the Mission.” It was President Dybdahl’s wish that the event focus on wwc’s legacy of mission rather than on himself.
In his remarks, he challenged us to keep rooted in this mission, as we all shape the future of the institution.
Part of that future includes the continuing campus revitalization. Although the map on page 16 does not reflect most of the planned changes, it is a snapshot of what we look like today. Through this summer, the last of the departments still housed in the Administration Building will be relocated, as preparations are made for a new building. Watch for more about these exciting developments in upcoming issues of Westwind.
