Whitman College

Whitman College is a private liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Established in the mid-19th century, it offers undergraduate programs across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The college maintains a residential campus and emphasizes close interaction between students and faculty through small classes and a low student-to-faculty ratio. Whitman College awards Bachelor of Arts degrees and supports study abroad, undergraduate research, and interdisciplinary study. Its setting in southeastern Washington attracts students interested in a close-knit academic community and a campus environment integrated with the cultural and agricultural landscape of the Walla Walla Valley.

Whitman College was founded in 1859 in Walla Walla, Washington, originally chartered as Whitman Seminary by the territorial legislature. The institution was named in honor of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, missionaries who established a mission in the region in the 1830s. In 1882, Whitman Seminary became Whitman College and began granting four-year degrees. Alexander Jay Anderson served as the first president and helped guide its early development. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Whitman College expanded its curriculum and campus facilities, and in 1907 it formally ended its religious affiliation. In 1913, the college became the first in the nation to require comprehensive examinations in major fields. Over the decades, Whitman College grew into a fully residential liberal arts institution, maintaining its undergraduate focus while adapting its academic programs to contemporary fields of study.