Cabinet Conversations - President Philip Ryken and Dr. Vanessa Quainoo

December 2022 Update

Watch the entire video, or hover your cursor on the orange dot bookmarks and click to view a particular topic or question. Timestamps are also indicated below. 

  • 00:41: Please tell us the title of your role and what it means?
  • 1:03: What are some of the experiences that you've had that God has used to prepare you for the work that you're doing now at Wheaton?
  • 2:00: How do you think about terms like diversity and equity in the context of Wheaton College?
  • 3:23: Tell us a little bit about your husband, and how knowing him has prepared you for the work you do at Wheaton?
  • 4:30: What are some of your reflections about coming back to Wheaton's campus? What things were encouraging about your time at Wheaton that really mark you for the future, what things that were challenging, and how do you reflect on that time now in coming back to campus?
  • 6:01: What is it that a Chief Intercultural Engagement officer does?
  • 8:30: How do you think about identity in Christ in relation to other identities?
  • 10:37: When you think about the work of intercultural engagement on Wheaton's campus, what are your thoughts about your goals and how you'll know if you've achieved them?
  • 13:35: Comments on the upcoming Supreme Court decision on affirmative action and admissions.
  • 15:21: Questions about lack of racial diversity among athletics coaching staff.
  • 16:09: Is Wheaton College too focused on race to the exclusion of focusing on Christ and his kingdom?
  • 18:08: Do white faculty or minority faculty tend to be longer lasting in their roles at Wheaton College? How are we organized to support faculty from diverse backgrounds? 
  • 20:52: Is Wheaton more concerned about diversifying faculty or students?
  • 22:24: Do we have people of color in positions of authority who also have institutional memory? 
  • 23:29: How do study abroad numbers compare to pre-pandemic numbers?
  • 23:58: What is Wheaton's perspective on the term, "gay Christian"?
  • 24:54: Can you share more about Wheaton's Refuge ministry?
  • 25:17: Young people are not asking if Christianity is true, but if it is good. How is Wheaton preparing students to use the gospel in the full scope of Scripture to relate to political and social issues in that context? 
  • 26:52: Why do some believers raised in a Christian family and in the church leave that community in some cases deconstruct their faith?
  • 30:04: Are Wheaton College faculty still required to agree with and uphold the statement of faith and Wheaton Community Covenant?
  • 32:27: Can you give an update on enrollment?
  • 33:43: Can you give an update on academic changes recently announced?
  • 34:07: What are the predominant majors at Wheaton today?
  • 35:16: What aspirations do you have for our alumni and donor community, or what word of encouragement would you give to them, Dr. Quainoo?