Welcome to the first digital-exclusive edition, which is a fancy way of saying it’s only online.
There’s no print copy on its way to your mailbox—because it costs money to turn trees into magazines, and the dollars we save by not printing the winter edition goes back to our students, who will always be our top priority. At the same time, this presented us with an exciting opportunity: packaging stories in a way that’s only possible on the web. True to the College’s vision, we’re innovating.
Through the lens of their own smartphones, several students gave us insights into their Whittier experiences. Free from the confines of a magazine page, the students’ authentic, photographic windows into their college lives have room to breathe in the infinite space of the internet.
A digital platform also invites interactivity, so we’ve given you an opportunity to test your knowledge with a quiz. How much do you know about socializing children to race? Leaning on the expertise of child development professor Kay Sanders, we have eight questions about the realities of raising children in a racialized society.
And speaking of society, we’re proud to showcase the projects from the Breaking the Silence class, where students spent the fall semester exploring their own voices and identities while reflecting on the experiences of others. Some of the students recently finished packaging these stories digitally—perfect timing for a re-envisioned Rock.
There are more examples of our digitally minded approach to this edition, but don’t let us hold you up any longer. Go, explore, and don’t hesitate to let us know what you think.
- Ana Lilia Barraza and Michael McFall