<p>Hi Bo - My gut feel is Whitman pretty darn nice, yet I am entertaining all manner of the downside early on, so as to avoid disillusionment. </p>
<p>For example, Whitman’s mascot is (are?)</p>
<p>h. The Fighting Missionaries; evokes an image of belligerent religious zealots prone to fisticuffs.</p>
<p>They could consider a change to something like “The Whitman Bobcats” <a href=“http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/bobcat.pdf”>http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/bobcat.pdf</a> | <a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost. Because there is nothing more awesome than a stealthy predator paw print on a college insignia sweatshirt.</p>
<p>There is some concern over</p>
<p>i. Questionable traditions:</p>
<p>“An unusual tradition that Whitman has is Beer Mile. During the Spring semester students run a mile around Ankeny Field naked. There is also a fish statue that if you stand two feet away and speak you can hear yourself!”</p>
<p>The</p>
<ol>
<li>Hipster scene so-intense-it-involves-self-reflection-over-degree-of-hipsterness; <a href=“The Fake Hipster | Film & Media Studies Theory”>http://fmstheory.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/09/25/the-fake-hipster/</a></li>
</ol>
<p>may be attractive to certain kinds of progressive counter-culture minded students.</p>
<p>Whitman has</p>
<p>j. No Zipcars. <a href=“http://whitmanpioneer.com/feature/2013/04/04/zipcars-considered-for-campus-use/”>http://whitmanpioneer.com/feature/2013/04/04/zipcars-considered-for-campus-use/</a></p>
<p>with which students could use to explore the beautiful surrounding countryside and vineyards; and when tired of studying, spend some time</p>
<ol>
<li>Fishing for trout in Bennington Lake. <a href=“Walla Walla District > Missions > Recreation > Mill Creek Dam and Bennington Lake”>Walla Walla District Recreation; | <a href=“http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=G455120”>http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=G455120</a> | <a href=“http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/album/images/G455120-3_jpg.jpg”>http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/album/images/G455120-3_jpg.jpg</a> | <a href=“http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/album/images/G455120-4_jpg.jpg”>http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/album/images/G455120-4_jpg.jpg</a></li>
</ol>
<p>Though, I suppose, you could bike there.</p>
<p>Whitman would be only a half hour by Zipcar to reach</p>
<ol>
<li>Skiing at Bluewood. <a href=“http://www.bluewood.com/maps-and-mileages”>http://www.bluewood.com/maps-and-mileages</a></li>
</ol>
<p>and about 45 minutes or so to</p>
<ol>
<li>The Blue Mountains, <a href=“http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/WindTurbinesBlueMountains.JPG”>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/WindTurbinesBlueMountains.JPG</a></li>
</ol>
<p>and varied drive times to 186 State Parks, <a href=“List of parks in Washington”>http://www.stateparks.com/washington_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html</a>, – and – various hiking, <a href=“Environmental Studies”>Environmental Studies, – and –</p>
<ol>
<li>Unique sightseeing for bored parents. <a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60992-Activities-Walla_Walla_Washington.html”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60992-Activities-Walla_Walla_Washington.html</a> | <a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g60992-i1498-Walla_Walla_Washington.html”>Walla Walla Forum, Travel Discussion for Walla Walla, Washington - Tripadvisor;
</ol>
<p>Finally, it is</p>
<ol>
<li>Sufficiently upstream and (80 miles) remote from Hanford Nuclear Reservation</li>
</ol>
<p>and the legendary “Reactor B”. <a href=“http://www5.hanford.gov/c.cfm/publicTours/?tour=tourInformation”>http://www5.hanford.gov/c.cfm/publicTours/?tour=tourInformation</a>.</p>