Meet Bobby Walston

Whitworth Cadre One
'07 Graduate (B.A. Political Science)
Lincoln High School '00

Meeting Seattle's "little ugly sister"

New to the city of Tacoma, by way of Seattle, Bobby Walston, then a ninth grader, was unsure of his place and God's plan was for him. He arrived in the city dubbed, "the little ugly sister" of his hometown, as the eldest son of pioneering pastors. The first few Sundays in Tacoma were characterized by church services held in his living room, where he and his siblings, all dressed up in their Sunday best, accompanied his fervently praying mother in hearing the Word preached through his stepfather, Pastor Isaiah. As the church grew, so did Bobby and his desire to align God's vision for him and the city he lived in. "I wanted for me what God wanted me to do," Bobby reflects.

His place in the world

Graduating from Lincoln High School in 2000, Bobby was interested in heavy world problems, but was not quite sure if his interests aligned with the plan that God had for him. Through leadership in his family's growing ministry and as a Research Coordinator for Vision Youth at the Northwest Leadership Foundation, Bobby's work in the city influenced him to change his vision of Tacoma as "the place where his family moved;" it became home. Seeing both the good and the bad in the city, Bobby found ways that he could make his city better; as a result his passion for bringing change to city government was birthed. At this point Bobby became convinced that his interests and God's plan would come together

A transcending perspective

Through his experience as an Act Six scholar and Whitworth student, Bobby's confidence in God's plan only grew stronger. Arriving on the Whitworth campus, Bobby's spiritual perspective allowed him to seek the peace of his new community once again. As an Act Six student, Small Group Coordinator, and member of the Associated Students of Whitworth College Bobby has proven himself in the face of questions such as, "Why do you go here, do you play basketball? Football?" Bobby educated his colleagues by remaining true to himself and his vision. As he uplifted his community, through strong leadership, he also, was uplifted.

Returning to the one he loves

Through Act Six, Bobby has gained a desire to bring about social and spiritual change to his city. "I found that the vision of Act Six coincided with my own vision to make an impact in the world, I can impact the world by impacting my city," he says. His experiences away from Tacoma have given Bobby a sense of pride in his second hometown, which is now his first love. Bobby is eager to return home with a B.A. in Political Science, which he believes will enable him to find even more ways to improve his city and himself.

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