Author spotlight: Scott Craig

Scott Craig is manager of media relations at Westmont College.

Oak Group Paintings Offer ‘Grace of the World’
By Scott Craig   |   November 19, 2024

More than 30 members of the Oak Group, a collection of landscape artists passionate about nature and committed to preserving local lands, will each exhibit a painting in “The Oak Group Presents the Grace of the World” from Nov. 21- Dec. 21 in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. Many of the artists will take […]

Stargazing Features Beaver Moon, Owl Cluster
By Scott Craig   |   November 19, 2024

The November public stargazing event will feature a Beaver Moon, Owl Cluster and two gas giants, Saturn and Jupiter, on Friday, Nov. 15 – beginning at 6 pm and lasting several hours at the Westmont Observatory. The college hosts a free public viewing on the third Friday of every month in conjunction with the Santa […]

Soccer Teams Playoff-Bound 
By Scott Craig   |   November 19, 2024

Both the Westmont men’s and women’s soccer teams finished off their regular seasons with victories heading into PacWest Conference Tournament on Nov. 14 at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. The women (9-7-2, 9-2 PacWest) have won four games in a row, defeating Dominican University of California 4-0 on Nov. 9 on Thorrington Field.  […]

Jensen Lands in New Science Chair
By Scott Craig   |   November 12, 2024

Daniel Jensen will be officially installed as the James R. and Eleanor S. Allder professor of science and technology in a formal, public ceremony Friday, Nov. 8th at 10:30 am in Murchison Gym. Jensen has directed Westmont’s burgeoning engineering program since it began in fall 2021. Jensen will speak at a panel discussion, “Considering Technology, […]

Final Days of ‘Night Visions’ 
By Scott Craig   |   November 12, 2024

There are only a few more days to see Night Visions: The Black Drawings of Duncan Simcoe, 2014-2024, which closes after Saturday, Nov. 9, in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. This expansive, mystical exhibition features the black drawings of Simcoe, a Southern California artist and former program chair of the College of Architecture, Visual […]

Riotous Laughter at ‘39 Steps’
By Scott Craig   |   November 12, 2024

The Westmont Theatre Arts Department staged a hilarious version of John Buchan’s The 39 Steps that brought plenty of laughs through an unrelenting barrage of creative set-design gags and physical comedy. Director Mitchell Thomas masterfully squeezes out every laugh while navigating a plot that doesn’t take itself seriously. This was good lighthearted fun at its […]

Hat Trick Earns Honors for Martin 
By Scott Craig   |   November 12, 2024

Westmont’s Sierra Martin is the PacWest Women’s Soccer Player of the Week after booting three goals in the Warriors’ 3-1 victory over Academy of Art on Nov. 2 in San Francisco. This was the first hat trick in conference this season.  Martin and the Warriors close out the regular season at home with games against […]

Christmas Festival Offers a ‘Dwelling Place’
By Scott Craig   |   November 5, 2024

Westmont celebrates the 20th anniversary of its Christmas Festival, a highlight for many in Santa Barbara during Advent, on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7 pm and Sunday, Dec. 15, at 3 pm, both at the Santa Barbara Granada Theatre. Tickets go on sale Monday, Nov. 4, at 10 am at westmont.edu/christmas-festival. For additional ticket information […]

Talk to Explore Maternity Care Deserts
By Scott Craig   |   November 5, 2024

Hospitals have increasingly been closing maternity departments around the country, including in California. Stephanie Curtis, a Certified Nurse-Midwife and Westmont instructor of nursing, examines the issue of maternity care deserts in a Westmont Downtown Lecture, “Delivering in the Desert: The Impact of Maternity Ward Closures,” on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 5:30 pm at the Community […]

Warriors Race to PacWest Honors
By Scott Craig   |   November 5, 2024

Westmont senior Zola Sokhela finished fifth at the PacWest Cross Country Championships in Irvine to claim First All-PacWest honors. The men’s team finished in fourth place out of 11 schools in the 8K race. Westmont’s men in the conference 8K – a pair of All-PacWest athletes – led the Warriors to a fourth place finish. […]

Volleyball Celebrates Seniors
By Scott Craig   |   November 5, 2024

The Westmont women’s volleyball team (10-9, 5-7 PacWest) will celebrate its seniors Kaili Hashimoto, Sara Krueger, and Taylor Distelberg on Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 pm prior to a match against Menlo College in Murchison Gym. Krueger leads the team with 179 kills. The Warriors have been stuck in the middle of the 14-team PacWest […]

Get Spaced Out at Monthly Star Party
By Scott Craig   |   October 22, 2024

Westmont’s powerful Keck Telescope takes aim at Saturn and a supermoon at this month’s free public stargazing event on Friday, Oct. 18, beginning about 7 pm and lasting several hours at the Westmont Observatory. The college hosts a monthly star party on the third Friday of each month in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Astronomical […]

Theater Performs ‘39 Steps’ at Speed of Fun
By Scott Craig   |   October 22, 2024

Westmont theatre offers The 39 Steps – a fast-paced murder mystery and international espionage plot, encompassing numerous characters played by just five actors – from October 25-26 at 7:30 pm and October 31 at 9 pm, November 1-2 at 7:30 pm and November 2 at 2 pm, all in Porter Theatre. Purchase tickets, which cost […]

Golf Teams Swing Early Wins
By Scott Craig   |   October 22, 2024

Westmont men’s and women’s golf received multiple honors from the PacWest Conference after outstanding performances at the Westmont Invitational earlier this month at Sandpiper Golf Club in Goleta.  The women’s team was named the PacWest Women’s Golf Team of the Week after capturing the tournament title with a four-stroke victory over both Point Loma and […]

Rocks of Remembrance
By Scott Craig   |   October 15, 2024

On the morning of March 27, 1989, Westmont students Lisa Bebout, Patty (Hallock) Crosby, Megan (Harter) Adams, Alan Voorman, and Garth Weedman drove in Voorman’s bright yellow Toyota Corolla from their camp in Ensenada, Mexico, to a nearby village. As members of the Potter’s Clay Construction Team, they were renovating a dilapidated house there. But […]

Former Provost Offers a Hopeful Middle
By Scott Craig   |   October 15, 2024

Polarization in our culture and politics has led to division, tension and hostility in our churches, workplaces and even our families. Shirley Mullen, former Westmont provost and history professor, encouraged the Westmont community to instead claim the powerful, redemptive potential of the courageous middle. “It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but it’s […]

Westmont Ranks Among Premier Colleges
By Scott Craig   |   October 8, 2024

For two decades, U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges list has ranked Westmont as the top Christian liberal arts college in California and the Western U.S. In the 2025 edition released today, Westmont appears at No. 108 (tied) among all national, not regional, liberal arts colleges. And, Westmont holds its rank as the top […]

Poli-Sci Prof. Explores ‘Hopeful Realism’
By Scott Craig   |   October 8, 2024

Jesse Covington, whose research explores the interrelation of religion and government, takes a step away from the current electoral matchup to look at enduring challenges Christians face in a context like the United States. He discusses “Hopeful Realism: Faith-Based Principles for Pluralist Democracy” at a Westmont Downtown Lecture on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 5:30 pm […]

Scheffler Putter Raffle
By Scott Craig   |   October 8, 2024

As part of the Westmont Classic Golf Tournament, the college will raffle off a TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter with the cover autographed by Scottie Scheffler. The golf tournament, which raises funds for student scholarships, will be held on Friday, Oct. 4, from noon to 6 pm at Glen Annie Golf Club. A barbecue dinner […]

Students to Celebrate Summer Research
By Scott Craig   |   October 8, 2024

Nearly 40 students will present their summer research findings at the annual Celebration of Summer Research on Friday, Oct. 4, from 3:30-5 pm in the Winter Hall Atrium. The Celebration of Summer Research, sponsored by the Office of the Provost, is free and open to the public. Students will present 19 posters representing the natural […]

Homecoming Honors Alumni
By Scott Craig   |   October 1, 2024

Westmont’s alums return to campus for Homecoming 2024 with an abundance of family-friendly events from October 4-6. Please visit westmont.edu/homecoming for the full schedule, prices and ticket information. The college will honor stellar individuals at the annual Alumni Awards Celebration Brunch on Saturday, October 5, from 9:45-11:30 am at the Global Leadership Center. Dr. Lauren […]

How Faith-Based Colleges Shape Students
By Scott Craig   |   October 1, 2024

Guests from the Lilly Network of more than 100 faith-based colleges and universities will examine the initial findings of a study about the intellectual-religious experience of undergraduates at the network’s national conference hosted by Westmont’s Gaede Institute for the Liberal Arts on September 27-29. The Springtide Institute study, commissioned by the Lilly Network of Church-Related […]

Beebe To Join Global Church in Korea
By Scott Craig   |   October 1, 2024

Westmont President Gayle D. Beebe has been serving as a delegate at the Fourth Lausanne Congress for World Evangelization on Sept. 22-28 in Incheon, South Korea. He has served as a college president for more than 25 years (18 at Westmont) and received his invitation through the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities. Beebe joins […]

New Faculty Bring Innovation, Expertise
By Scott Craig   |   September 24, 2024

Six new professors on tenure track or with multiyear contracts joined the Westmont faculty this fall. Jonathan Diaz (English), Kevin McGuire (economics and business), Sara Morrisset (history) and Jada Willis (kinesiology) step into tenure-track positions. Stephanie Cowell ‘04 (chemistry), Laura Drake Schultheis ‘06 (biology) and Mike Ryu (computer science) all previously taught at Westmont and […]

Put a Ring on It
By Scott Craig   |   September 24, 2024

The planet Saturn will be the star of the show on Friday, Sept. 20, from 7:30-10 pm at the Westmont Observatory. “If you haven’t seen this unique planet and its rings through a telescope before, I highly encourage you to come out and join us,” says Jen Ito, assistant professor of physics and director of […]

Stargazers to Be Moonstruck Saturday
By Scott Craig   |   September 17, 2024

The public is invited to join Westmont’s astrophysics students to learn more about the moon on NASA’s International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 7:30-9:30 pm at the Westmont Observatory.  “The moon is something we’re so used to seeing, and it’s an important part of our life here on Earth,” says Jen […]

Guerrero Scores Weekly Honors 
By Scott Craig   |   September 17, 2024

Westmont junior Erik Guerrero has been named the PacWest Men’s Soccer Player of the Week in the first such award of the year. Guerrero scored goals in both of the Warriors’ games last week. In the season opener against Simon Fraser (B.C.) on Sept. 5, Guerrero’s penalty kick in the 67th minute drew the Warriors […]

Study Finds Immediate Benefit to Churchgoers
By Scott Craig   |   September 17, 2024

The research of a Westmont sociologist who examined the effects of church attendance has garnered national attention. According to the study of U.S. adults, regular weekend attendance of a religious service creates an immediate increase in positive emotions as well as a decrease in negative ones. Researchers found there was no change in the emotional […]

Alum Shares Wildlife Art in ‘Fins, Feathers’
By Scott Craig   |   September 10, 2024

Alumnus Casey Underwood ’14 has returned to his alma mater to exhibit his diverse talents as an outdoor wildlife artist in “Fins and Feathers: The Art of Casey Underwood” from Aug. 29-Dec. 21 in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art’s downstairs gallery. Underwood, an illustrator and outdoorsman living in southern Montana, has become one of […]

Warm Reception for Refreshed DC
By Scott Craig   |   September 10, 2024

Returning students created a buzz of excitement when they ventured into the newly renovated Westmont Dining Commons (DC). They were most excited about the adjoining outdoor patio, where workers installed an automatic sliding door from the dining room. “We have also added two fire pits, multiple heaters, a shade structure and all-new furniture to make […]

Honoring Willard Book Awardees
By Scott Craig   |   September 10, 2024

Michael Stewart Robb, who won the Martin Institute and Dallas Willard Research Center’s Book Award in 2023, will receive the honor and speak in the chapel at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, in Murchison Gym. He will discuss key themes from his award-winning book in a Provost’s Lecture, “Dallas Willard and Rational Spirituality: Claiming the […]

400 Warriors Arrive at Westmont
By Scott Craig   |   August 27, 2024

About 400 new incoming students, including the Grotenhuis Nursing cohort of ‘24, arrived at Westmont to begin their first week of Orientation, Aug. 21-25, and the start of the fall semester, Aug. 26.  Nineteen percent (70) of new students are first-generation and joined their parents beginning Aug. 20 for a First Connections Pre-Orientation program, which […]

Beebe to Sign New ‘Crucibles’ Book 
By Scott Craig   |   August 27, 2024

Gayle D. Beebe, entering his 18th year as president of Westmont College, will sell and sign copies of his new book, The Crucibles That Shape Us: Navigating the Defining Challenges of Leadership, on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 4-6 pm in front of the turtle fountain at La Arcada Plaza, 1114 State Street in downtown Santa […]

Exhibition Offers Glowing ‘Night Visions’
By Scott Craig   |   August 27, 2024

Duncan Simcoe, a Southern California artist and former chair of the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design at California Baptist University in Riverside, offers his signature limited-palette paintings on dark construction-grade tar paper in Night Visions: The Black Drawings of Duncan Simcoe, 2014-2024 from Aug. 29 to Nov. 9 in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum […]

Stargazers to Enjoy Summer Viewing
By Scott Craig   |   August 20, 2024

Westmont’s monthly stargazing event features a triangle asterism, a globular cluster and a waxing moon on Friday, August 16, beginning about 8 pm and lasting several hours at the Westmont Observatory. Along with the college’s powerful Keck Telescope, members of the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit bring their telescopes to share with the public. The 12-day […]

Jarrett to Lead ICP
By Scott Craig   |   August 20, 2024

Iyree Jarrett (‘22) is the only student to have appeared on the cover of the Westmont magazine twice. She was featured as a student-athlete who best exemplified leadership, and as the star guard for the National Championship winning women’s basketball team.  The lifelong Southern California resident has accepted a new leadership position at Westmont, this […]

New Golf Coach Joins Warriors
By Scott Craig   |   August 20, 2024

Leo Maes, former head golf coach at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona, will serve as the next head coach for Westmont’s men’s and women’s golf teams. Maes previously was the head coach for four years at Glendale Community College and three years as an assistant at Mesa Community College.  “He brings a well-rounded track record […]

Local Company Stops Hacking, Tracking
By Scott Craig   |   July 30, 2024

The growing concern about personal information and privacy in the digital age has led a company based in Santa Barbara to develop products protecting consumers. MOS Equipment, founded by Westmont alumnus Ryan Judy (’08), manufactures Mission Darkness™ faraday bags, tents, and lockers that block radio waves, including cell phone signals.  “A lot of people don’t […]

Swing for a Cause
By Scott Craig   |   July 30, 2024

The Westmont Golf Classic, a charity golf tournament started in 2008 to raise funds for student scholarships, returns Friday, Oct. 4, at the Glen Annie Golf Club, 405 Glen Annie Road in Goleta. Registration is $200 per golfer and includes: 18 holes of golf with cart; tri-tip BBQ dinner, on-course games, raffles and awards. Additional […]

Summer Exhibit Unveils New Acquisitions
By Scott Craig   |   July 23, 2024

Experience 45 of the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art’s recent acquisitions at a stunning summer show. The exhibition features works by three dozen artists, including Americans Richard Artschwager, Laddie John Dill, and Louisiana Bendolph of the Gee’s Bend quilters, contemporary Chinese artist Yue Minjun, and numerous local artists.  New Acquisitions: Selections from the Modern and […]