°µĶų±¬ĮĻapp Magazine It's My °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp Now

Three Generations Find Their Way To °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp
First Generation
AL ā54 AND MARLISS LOCKWOOD ā54 WITT
Al Witt ā54 planned to study medicine at Stanford and be a physician. Then he became a Christian and enrolled at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp instead, intending to enter the ministry. He found a home there and a spot in the acclaimed °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp Quartet, which traveled and performed extensively to recruit students and represent the college.
Al appreciated his classes and experience, but he kept thinking about medicine. When Charles Ryrie, dean of men, heard about Alās quandary, Ryrie encouraged him to go to medical school. āYou can be both a doctor and a Christian,ā he said. °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp had not yet been accredited, and Al transferred to Reed College as a junior so he could gain admission to Oregon Health and Science University. After earning his medical degree, he practiced with his father-in-law in Portland, Oregon, and then served most of his career in the emergency room. He died in 1998.
The two years at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp profoundly shaped Al. Most importantly, he met his wife, Marliss Lockwood Witt ā54, there. She lived in the original Emerson Hall on Ashley Road, riding the bus back and forth or walking with friends. āI was so impressed with the faculty,ā she says. āWe had great teachers.ā Marliss majored in literature and recalls Al saying, āIāll study to make a living, and youāll study to know how to live.ā ā°µĶų±¬ĮĻapp was a wonderful choice for us,ā she says.
āWhen we left home to go to college, we were gone. Our parents maybe called us on our birthdays, and we wrote letters. There was no such thing as helicopter parents. You saw them at Christmas. Today, everyone is in constant contact all the time.ā
In May, she returned to campus when her granddaughter and namesake, Marliss Neal ā22, graduated. āItās so easy for a college to become successful and yet lose their foundation in Christ,ā the elder Marliss says. āI was so impressed with the graduation ceremony, which still mentioned Christ preeminent. The college has grown but hasnāt changed its commitment to Christ.ā
Al and Marliss raised six children in Portland and shared countless stories about their time at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp. Marlissās three brothers, Larry Lockwood ā61, Darrell Lockwood ā64 and Dan Lockwood ā70, also attended the college (a story for another issue), as did many of the coupleās close friends. These connections led four Witts from the second generation to °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp.
Second Generation
MELISSA WITT PHILLIPS ā80 AND STEVE PHILLIPS ā80
āWhen we thought of college, we thought of °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp,ā Melissa says. āOur parentsā memories and stories communicated so much joy and love for their college experience. °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp was engrained in us.ā
When Melissa arrived on campus with her twin brother, Michael, she expected to meet lifelong friends the first week. But that turned out to be harder than envisioned; °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp had grown beyond the small community her parents knew. She adapted as best she could and got connected to a church. Through Trinity Baptist, she and Michael met a group of °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp students who became their closest friends. āWe made incredible, deep connections that endure, and we grew spiritually,ā Melissa says.
A religious studies major with an emphasis in Christian education, Melissa learned her first semester how little she knew. āOur professors did an incredible job,ā she says. āThey pushed us and helped us develop a different perspective centered in a biblical worldview. I had never experienced deep learning and critical thinking, and I appreciated it.
I met Steve my senior year. Between his pre-med studies and working, he played intramural sports, interned at a local church and did research at Cottage Hospital.
Steve and Melissa, the principal of Central Christian School in Redmond, Oregon, live in Bend, Oregon. She taught at Christian schools and reluctantly left the classroom to serve as a principal in 2005. āItās been incredible,ā she says. āIāve worked with an amazing team for 18 years, and weāve learned and grown together. Weāve built a great partnership with parents as we develop virtue, values and strong moral character.ā
Steve earned his medical degree at Loma Linda Medical School and serves as a pediatric neurologist at Mary Bridge Hospital in Tacoma, Washington, commuting from their home in Bend. Two of their children, Alaina Phillips Vidmar ā08 and Aaron Phillips, became doctors with pediatric specialties. Alyssa Phillips, a lawyer, works for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, helping undocumented students get into a school. Melissa and Steve were thankful Alaina went to °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp. āThe minute she stepped foot on campus, she looked at me and said, āThis is my school,āā Melissa says. āShe worked hard, developed grit and learned how to do difficult things. °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp felt like an extension of what we had given her. God orchestrated that.ā
Third Generation
ALAINA PHILLIPS VIDMAR ā08
A pediatric endocrinologist, Alaina works at Childrenās Hospital in Los Angeles, where she directs the healthy weight program for children. A clinical scientist and faculty member, she sees patients from 6 months to 21 years. She also studies time-based intermittent fasting in children living with obesity. Her research suggests that limiting eating to an eighthour window can improve both metabolic health and overall health unconnected to weight loss.
"We do whatever we can do to help kids living in larger bodies stay healthy and live longer,ā she says.
The fourth generation in her family to practice medicine, Alaina was exposed to the field at a young age. āSince I was 5, Iāve loved the idea of using science to help people live longer,ā she says. āI saw that as my calling and purpose. I was also exposed to °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp and became intrigued by the way a liberal arts education prepares people for professional careers. The collegeās mission aligned with my own, and I saw that modeled in my family.ā
Alaina majored in neuroscience at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp and graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin, completing her pediatric residency there and her pediatric endocrinology fellowship at Childrenās Hospital in Los Angeles.
āMy grandparents talked about a purpose-filled education, lifelong friendships and Christian fellowship, and those themes persist at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp,ā she says. āCompared to my grandparentsā generation, women today have greater opportunities in medicine, which start in college. I met one of my dear friends, Iris Adipue Radler ā08, our first day at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp, and we used to sit in the Montecito Starbucks and dream about being physicians. She now practices obstetrics and gynecology in Sacramento. Creating lifelong friendships and journeying together has been such a gift in my life.ā
Will there be a fourth generation of °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp alums? Alaina has two children, Riley, 3, and Mia, 8, and Mia wants to go to °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp and be a doctor. Alainaās husband, Ryan, works in finance and stays home with the kids. ā°µĶų±¬ĮĻapp leaves such an imprint on people,ā Alaina says. āIt combines your God-given purpose with your profession and has played a huge role in my life and trajectory.ā
Second Generation
MICHAEL WITT ā80
āThe only college I knew about was °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp,ā Michael says. āMy parents talked about it so much. I wanted a Christian college, and °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp had a good pre-med program with a history of getting people into medical school. My twin sister, Melissa, and I went there together.
āI really benefited from the liberal arts. Studying psychology, taking a Shakespeare class with Paul Delaney, and learning to appreciate music all had a bigger impact on me than my science classes and biology major. The liberal arts helped me develop character, appreciate beauty and build interpersonal skills.
āWhen I was a junior at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp, my dad took me to Oregon Health and Science University to talk with the registrar about applying. The first question he asked was about the last book Iād read, and I had a whole list Iād read at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp. I got in and graduated from the same medical school my father, grandfather and uncle attended.ā
Michael did his surgical residency at Boston University in urology and completed a fellowship at Baylor University in infertility. In 1995, he accepted a clinical faculty appointment at Emory. Today he serves as director of male infertility at Reproductive Biology Associates in Atlanta.
āThe college was much smaller when my parents went there, and I never knew as many people on campus as they did. But °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp was not much different at its core than it had been for my parents.ā
Michael and his wife, Kirsten, have four children: Josh works for a grocery store, Rachel is a counselor and Hannah is a program manager for 7-11. Their youngest, Emma, a junior in high school, is looking at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp. āWhen we visited, we were so pleased to see that a focus on Jesus is still a core value,ā Michael says. āChapel was powerful and inspiring.ā
Second Generation
MICHELLE WITT NEAL ā82
ā°µĶų±¬ĮĻapp is where we went to college,ā Michelle says. āI didnāt apply anywhere else.ā An economics and business major, Michelle participated in Potterās Clay and enjoyed classes such as philosophy with Robert Wennberg and literature with Paul Delaney. She explored France one summer with French professor John Jantzen and 10 other students. Through the International Business Institute, she visited European capitals with economics and business professor Robert Bartels. After graduating, she earned a law degree from American University Washington College of Law, and she practices labor and employment law in Sacramento.
āIām still in touch with people from °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp,ā Michelle says. āA group of us who rarely dated formed FOMA: Future Old Maids of America. Now weāre all married, so weāre the Found Our Man Associates.ā
Michelle and her husband, Walter Neal, a software project manager, have three sons ā the oldest works for a retirement benefits company, the second is studying for the Catholic priesthood, and the youngest is a senior in high school ā and two daughters, Marliss Neal ā22 and Clare Neal ā23.
āItās really different being the parent of °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp students,ā Michelle says. āIām forever indebted to the college after watching them grow and branch out. I value my own °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp experience even more. It says a lot about the college to get three generations.
Third Generation
MARLISS NEAL ā22
āI applied to °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp solely for the grandma points,ā Marliss says. āI filled out the forms online and immediately told grandma, and then I forgot about it. I had my sights set on the STEM program at the University of Michigan ā I wanted to go to a football school in a cold climate.ā
When she didnāt get accepted at Michigan, she remembered °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp, which offered her significant financial aid. āI decided to go there without visiting or doing any research,ā she says. āNow I wouldnāt have it any other way.ā
A chemistry major who loves organic chemistry, Marliss conducted research with her professor Amanda Silberstein each year, working on the same project but with different student teams. āI enjoyed the interaction with people more than the project,ā she says.
She remembers studying at all hours in the library and engaging in long, quasi-philosophical talks in the Dining Commons about theology, religion and life. āThen COVID happened and took all that away,ā she says. āI couldnāt study abroad. At least research continued.ā
For her last spring break, she joined an Urban Initiative team in Chicago and helped paint First Presbyterian Church in Woodlawn through BridgeBuilders.
Marliss finds similarities between her experience and her motherās: for example, both took classes from mathematics professor Russ Howell. But the college was much smaller in her grandmotherās time, and all the traditions she talked about had passed away. āThe dating culture was kind of the same for all three of us, but only grandma married someone from °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp,ā she says. āThe college is the same in lots of ways ā the culture has been consistent. Iāve talked to my mom and my grandma, and students were less involved in political issues than they are today. Iām thankful the college gave me space to experience God on my terms and not my parentsā.ā
After three years of research in organic chemistry, Marliss works as a nanny, taking a break before deciding her next step. But she has ruled out one family staple: medicine.
Third Generation
CLARE NEAL ā23
ā°µĶų±¬ĮĻapp was always in the back of my mind,ā Clare says. āBut it was never pushed on me. Initially, I wanted to be a nurse and looked at colleges with nursing programs. Then I shadowed a physician at Kaiser and decided to be a doctor. I knew °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp had a great pre-med program, and I found two answers: be a doctor and go to °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp. Iād seen my family do that.ā
After she graduates in May with a degree in biochemistry, Clare will work before starting medical school. Sheāll take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) next fall and apply to schools the following year. āIām interested in pediatrics, but Iām also thinking about primary care, where the work-life balance seems more manageable,ā she says.
āI like the smaller classes at °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp and learning about my faith even in science courses. The community is amazing. When I visited my sister, her friends helped me visualize what I wanted. °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp turned out even better than Iād hoped. Iāve learned so much from my friends ā theyāve shaped and formed me.ā
Clare marvels at the ways her experience resembles her motherās and grandmotherās. āThe rhythm is the same, with regular chapel and classes,ā she says. āI walk the same route they walked. My mom lived in Ocean View, and now I do. Professor Delaney taught my mom, and heās teaching me. Itās weird to imagine her at this age. Itās fun to go to a school so many family members have attended.ā
She surprised herself by getting involved in Emmaus Road and traveling to Montenegro one summer to engage in relational ministry with college students. Clare also served as an intern at Sansum Diabetes Research Clinic. āThe community here encouraged me to participate in things,ā she says. ā°µĶų±¬ĮĻapp makes it easier to say yes to new and growing experiences.ā
Second Generation
MORGAN WITT ā86
āWe were steeped in °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp,ā Morgan says. āEven my parentsā friends ā we grew up calling them aunts and uncles ā were °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp graduates. I went to campus all the time with my older brother and sisters there. The professors were incredible. I learned so much and grew emotionally and spiritually. I got a well-rounded education.ā
Morgan decided against medicine and majored in both history and economics and business with a minor in political science. He served as student body president his senior year. āOutside of the academic rigor, I remember my freshman year in Page Hall and forming relationships that continue today,ā he says.
After graduating from Willamette University College of Law, Morgan opened a private practice in Mount Vernon, Washington. As an attorney in a small town, he advises clients on a variety of legal issues. Morgan and his ex-wife, Kay Quall Witt ā86, have three children. Miriam is a nurse, Mary teaches high school chemistry and physics, and their youngest, Miles ā20, graduated from °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp with a degree in kinesiology. Heās taking some time off and plans to become an RN.
āMiles went to °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp for his own reasons and made the college experience uniquely his own,ā Morgan says. āOf course, he had heard all my motherās stories about °µĶų±¬ĮĻapp.ā