(Co-Authored by Josiah VanWingerden and Matthew Chesnutt)
Hey all you party people! We are students of Whitworth University and this week we thought we would take the time to honor Beck Taylor (President of Whitworth) and collaborate on a piece with ten reasons (there are probably more, but we'd be here all day) on why he is the MAN. Fasten your seat belts and hold on tight, because here we go!
1. He is the president of Whitworth University.
Since Taylor's arrival as president in 2010, he has only continued the university's longstanding traditions and commitment to academic excellence. For example, U.S. News & World's Report ranked Whitworth in the top ten of 118 private colleges and universities to attend in the West for the 16th consecutive year. That is quite the accolade, Mr. Taylor. Additionally, Whitworth was named the number three university regarding values, academic achievement and financial aid by U.S. News, according to Whitworth's website. In short, Beck is a true Pirate! ARRGGH! #HooksUp #GoBucs
2. Beck's Twitter game is strong.
His superiority on Twitter need only be observed through this actual tweet. I couldn't agree more.
3. His vision & mission for Whitworth and Spokane.
"Community." "Honor God, follow Christ, serve humanity." Sounds nice, right? Rather than treat these phrases as cheap buzzwords or cheesy slogans, Beck Taylor genuinely endeavors to enrich the community around him. Whitworth's annual "Community Building Day" is dedicated to aiding the larger Spokane community by cleaning, cooking, or helping to educate. Put Down Roots is a joint effort by Whitworth and First Presbyterian Church that aims to benefit the homeless population of Spokane. These are just a couple examples of Beck's commitment to serve the community.
4. He is simply around to offer an encouraging word to whoever needs it.
How many university presidents walk down the halls, check into dorms, and have students over to their house? Seriously, Beck Taylor is one of those people.
5. He is a great husband and father.
They say behind every man is an even greater woman. Julie Taylor fits that bill. His daughter, Lauren, has chosen to attend Whitworth in the fall. We hope his youngest, Chloe, will be a future Pirate as well. His son, Zach, is thriving making music. What a classy family! Speaking of making slow jams...
6. He can flex the pipes!
Beck was apart of the Whitworth Mens Chorus this year. Every concert, he has managed to swoon audiences with his TAYLOR (see what we did there?) Swift–like charm and his Michael Jackson–esque dance moves. Simply put, his voice is angelic. *Cue music* "The hills are alive, with the sound of music."
7. His imBECKable style.
"Gator boots with the pimped out Gucci suits.
Ain't got no job, but I stay sharp.
Can't pay my rent, 'cause all my money's spent.
But that's okay, 'cause I'm Still Fly." - Big Tymers, about Beck, probably.
8. He LOVES selfies.
Need we say more? Featuring our very own, Dill Reyes!
9. He sends every student a happy birthday email/card
"A cake with the candles all over the place. Yo-ho, so it’s your birthday. When you make a wish, they blow up in your face. Yo-ho, so it’s your birthday. Yo-ho, Yo-ho, Yo-ho, so it’s your birthday." A Pirate Birthday song. Because who else does that?
10. He exemplifies Christ in showing that he cares for each student.
Not only in the encouraging words of strength he shares with students, but also in the things that he does, like launching funding for a new music building for students' enjoyment. It took me a while to grasp the full magnitude of his care, but it became apparent when Josiah wrote an article for our school newspaper, the Whitworthian, about the lack of accessibility for wheelchairs around campus. Upon hearing about my concerns, he approached me to discuss potential solutions and has agreed to meet with me for further discussion. That is equally powerful as it is Christ-like, and his commitment to engage with every student is unparalleled.
So there you have it, folks! The 10 reasons why Whitworth's President, Beck Taylor is the very best at what he does. What a man. Jokes aside, however, thank you so much, Beck, for all that you are and all that you do for your students. I hope you enjoyed this article as just a small token of our appreciation.
- Josiah & Matt.
