[6] Founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four-year degree-granting institution in 1882 and abandoned its religious affiliation in 1907.

[6] Alumni have received 1 Nobel Prize in physics, 1 Presidential Medal of Freedom, 5 Rhodes Scholarships,[8] and 93 Fulbright Fellowships.

While at the site, Eells became determined to establish a "monument" to his former missionary colleagues in the form of a school for pioneer boys and girls.

In 1883, the school received a collegiate charter and began expanding with aid from the Congregational American College and Education Society.

After losing favor with some of the school's supporters, Anderson left Whitman in 1891 to be replaced by Reverend James Francis Eaton.

[11] Reverend Stephen Penrose, an area Congregational minister and former trustee, became president of the college and brought the school back to solvency by establishing Whitman's endowment with the aid of D. K. Pearsons, a Chicago philanthropist.

By popularizing Marcus Whitman's life and accomplishments (including the false claim that the missionary had been pivotal in the annexation by the United States of Oregon Territory), Penrose was able to gain support and resources for the college.

[11] In 1907, Penrose began a plan called "Greater Whitman" which sought to transform the college into an advanced technical and science center.

Ultimately, this program was unable to raise enough capital; in 1912, the plan was abandoned and Whitman College returned to being a small liberal arts institution, albeit with increased focus on co-curricular activities.

[11] Penrose iterated the school's purpose "to be a small college, with a limited number of students to whom it will give the finest quality of education".

[12] In 1920 Phi Beta Kappa installed a chapter,[11] the first for a Northwest college,[13] and Whitman had its first alum Rhodes Scholar.

In addition to the nine residence halls, many students choose to live in one of eleven "Interest Houses," run for sophomore, juniors, and seniors committed to specific focuses such as community service, fine arts, environmental studies, multicultural awareness, or the French, Spanish, or German languages.

The program is based in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, and exposes students to a wide range of competing perspectives on the politics of immigration, border enforcement, and globalization.

At the same time, Whitman alumni give Chinese university students the rare chance to study with an English native speaker.

Students and alumni can get assistance with resumes, cover letters, networking, internships, interviews, grad school applications, and civic engagement in the SEC.

[33] In May 2022, Whitman College announced a $10 million donation made in memory of long-time professor of 35 years J.Walter Weingart.

[34] Whitman holds membership in the NCAA's Northwest Conference (Division III) and fields nine varsity teams each for men and women.

These sports include rugby union, water polo, lacrosse, dodgeball, and nationally renowned cycling and ultimate teams.