2008 Woodie Awards
From Whitworth to the world: Alum applies education to international career
Yong Kim, Assistant Scene EditorNOTE: This article contains corrections.
It’s been about 26 years since Weil Gotshal & Manges partner Doug Nave graduated from Whitworth in 1981. Besides the more notable changes to Whitworth like the latest buildings and the change of cafeteria food from Saga to Sodexho, Whitworth’s reputation for close-knit community and faith-based learning was still strong during Nave’s years.
Weil Gotshal & Manges is recognized as one of the the top 10 prestigious international law firms in the world according to well known publications like The Vault, The American Lawyers, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Weil Gotshal & Manges is based in New York City but has international offices in Asia and Europe. Nave currently works in London.
Nave recalls his first experience in choosing Whitworth for his education.
"Whitworth used to have a picture of a college student sitting inside a box in almost every Whitworth catalog with a caption reading, 'We don’t put people in a box,'" Nave said.
Nave said he appreciated the outside-the-box approach Whitworth took on educating students.
"Many colleges say, 'Here is what you have to believe,' but at Whitworth, it was 'Here's how to ask the right questions,'" Nave said. "The idea was to help equip students for a lifelong process of spiritual growth in a changing and complex world."
Nave was ASWC president during his years at Whitworth and recalled spending time with memorable professors, Dr. Fenton Duvall and Dr. Pat MacDonald. He also remembered attending the school-required “Forum” class, which brought speakers of various positions on an issue to the school and established a forum to discuss the issues.
Whitworth always had a sense of seriousness about faith and differences in worldviews. Nave said Whitworth reinforced his values of faith, academics and respectful dialogue.
“Whitworth was very good at bringing together, in genuine dialogue, students and faculty who had very different viewpoints on what Christianity meant,” Nave said.
After graduating from Whitworth, Nave went straight to graduate school at Colombia University in New York for three years and spent another year with a law firm in New York.
Nave said Whitworth provided a great foundation for his future education. Courses in psychology and political studies at Whitworth helped him develop critical and empirical thinking which is vital for anyone pursuing law, he said.
Nave, who specializes in anti-trust law, or the rules of competition between companies, has worked with big companies like Coca-Cola, Staples, GM, Kodak and Mitsubishi.*
Even though Nave has experienced abundant success with his career, he didn’t always have a clear sense of where his passion with law would lead him during his time at Whitworth but professors such as Gus Haas, who was in the political science department, were very encouraging in developing his aspirations.
“I think one of the most important keys to success is a constant pursuit of excellence, and a recognition that we never really achieve it -- [but] it's always possible to improve,” Nave said.
Nave said he loves his job because he gets to travel and work with so many different kinds of companies. He’s done everything from working with the Pentagon on missiles to spending a year learning about lingerie.
His career has allowed him to work with the various cultural differences and company interests his law firm represents. Besides working with and representing big companies, Nave is also heavily involved with the Presbyterian Church of America.
Nave serves as a Trustee of McCormick Theology Seminary in Chicago and a member of the board of directors of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians. He works with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)* and has represented New York City Presbytery as its overture advocate several times. In addition, he provides pro-bono legal advice and representation to various individuals, congregations and presbyteries around the country related to questions about gay and lesbian issues.
Nave, who identifies himself as homosexual said, “Being gay, Christian and a lawyer has played out well for me over time, though integrating those things posed some challenges when I was younger.”
Nave who was uncomfortable with the thought of being gay for the first 10 years since he graduated from Whitworth finally came to terms with his sexuality, he said. He and others should approach the idea of being a gay Christian with a grace-filled mentality, Nave said.
Nave said he may ultimately not be right on some issues concerning homosexuality and Christianity. Nonetheless, he also said verses like Romans 8:33-39 say nothing can separate us from the love of God.
“People need to approach the question with intellectual honesty, a measure of modesty – not trying to make certain what Scripture leaves in doubt – and respect for the conscience of fellow believers,” Nave said.
The world is getting smaller and smaller due to advancements in communication, networking, globalization and the Internet, Nave said. In the business world, people need to cultivate the attitude of open-mindedness and make genuine efforts to understand perspectives of people different from themselves to succeed. Those attitudes are similar to Whitworth’s pursuit in welcoming the continuation of different perspectives and ideas, Nave said.
Contact Yong Kim at yong.kim@whitworthian.com.
*In the original posting, Microsoft was inlcuded in this list. Nave never worked for Microsoft.
*In the original posting, the article incorrectly named the organization Nave works with. Nave works with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).
For this reason, The Whitworthian asks readers to be responsible and respectful in any comments posted. The responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not the whitworthian.com. Readers are also encouraged to report questionable comments by e-mailing editor@whitworthian.com.
Be the first to comment on this story