Westmont College and Young Life Southwestern Division have awarded full scholarships to Arath Gomez of Santa Barbara, Destiny Mitchell of Victorville, and Serena Nohmeh of Reseda. Young Life Urban Leadership Scholarships provide funding for each student to attend Westmont for four years. This joint effort encourages students who have benefited from Young Life to remain […]
In a new book of poetry, Paul J. Willis takes his readers on a path through California’s coastal redwoods and giant sequoias in the Sierra, weaving in adolescent practical jokes and sharing unexpected epiphanies. Slant Books published the latest book by the Westmont professor of English and former Santa Barbara poet laureate. Willis’ seventh volume […]
The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art invites visitors to explore the diverse expressions and meanings of abstract art through the exhibition, “Towards a 21st Century Abstraction,” on display through August 14. Artists and visitors are welcome Monday through Friday between 10 am to 4 pm. Before coming to campus, guests must fill out a health […]
Long before Westmont founder Ruth Kerr decided to move the burgeoning college to the former Dwight Murphy Estate in Montecito, the grounds featured a wide array of mature trees. Today, many overarching trees still provide shade for walkways serenely wending their way through campus. One soaring redwood tree on Kerrwood Lawn was well-known for its […]
The Lilly Graduate Fellows Program has selected Westmont alumna Olivia Stowell (2019) as one of 10 Lilly Graduate Fellows nationwide. The prestigious fellowship supports outstanding students who want to explore the connections within Christianity, higher education, and the vocation of the teacher-scholar as they pursue graduate degrees in humanities and the arts. Stowell, who earned […]
The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing has given full accreditation to the Westmont College Department of Education. The site visit team report says through interviews with stakeholders and school partners, it is clear that the local school community benefits from graduates of Westmont’s education department. “Employers consistently spoke of their desire to hire Westmont program […]
Westmont’s Senzo Zola Sokhela, a 19-year-old freshman from South Africa, has hit the ground running despite his short time on campus. After Sokhela won two individual national championships at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships on May 28, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named him the 2021 NAIA Men’s Outdoor Track […]
The creative works of 31 local artists are front and center in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art’s new show, At the Edges: Tri-County Juried Exhibition, on display through June 19. Visitors are welcome Monday through Friday between 10 am – 4 pm, while the exhibition is open. Before coming to campus, guests will be […]
Amid a global pandemic and dire nursing shortage, Westmont’s proposed Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) arrives just in time to meet a great need not only in the Santa Barbara community, but also in California. The program, run in partnership with Cottage Health, received unanimous approval for its feasibility study from the California […]
During a year in which the world’s art galleries and museums have been closed, 13 graduating art majors overcame innumerable obstacles to offer their capstone art projects on April 8. The exhibit, which includes oil paintings, drawings, collages, digital illustrations, sculptural installations, prints, photographs, videos, and stop-motion animation will be on display through May 8 […]
Westmont’s determined and resilient class of 2021 will walk across the stage and celebrate Commencement in person on May 8, at 9:30 am on Thorrington Field in a special, socially distanced layout. Sandra Richter, Westmont’s Robert H. Gundry professor of biblical studies, delivers the address, while President Gayle D. Beebe will present the Westmont Medal […]
During a year in which the world’s art galleries and museums have been closed, 13 graduating art majors overcame innumerable obstacles to offer their capstone art projects on April 8. The exhibit, which includes oil paintings, drawings, collages, digital illustrations, sculptural installations, prints, photographs, videos, and stop-motion animation will be on display through May 8 […]
It will be a weekend of stellar athletic competition this weekend in Montecito as Westmont hosts the Golden State Athletic Conference Track and Field Championship and the opening round of the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championships. No. 15 Westmont men’s soccer, fresh off a GSAC Tournament Championship in Arizona, will play No. 18 Corban (Ore.) […]
Watch an engaging video of The Elixir of Love, a two-act opera by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti, on Friday, February 19, at 7 pm at westmont.edu/music. After months of socially distant rehearsals and three days of challenging but safe videotaping, the Westmont Music Department presents its latest opera. Alumna Christina (Farris) Jensen ’09 returned to […]
Climate change and the threat it poses to humans has been well publicized. But we hear less about its effects on the multitude of other species on the planet. Amanda Sparkman, chair of the Westmont Biology Department, explores “A Snake in the Spring Rain: How Biodiversity is Responding to a Changing Climate” on Thursday, February […]
A celebrated Harvard historian and bestselling author, Nancy Koehn will discuss courageous and principled leadership at the 16th annual Westmont President’s Breakfast on Friday, March 5, at 8 am. Tickets to the virtual event, which cost $35, go on sale February 12 at westmont.edu/breakfast. Koehn, the James E. Robison professor of business administration at the Harvard […]
The Westmont community is learning together and going deeper in discussing several aspects of race, justice, and equality in our society, including the college culture at Westmont. In commemoration of Black History Month, the college will hear exclusively from Black preachers and educators during virtual chapel this February. “This is an important time in the […]
A warm, inviting atmosphere greets clients who step into the financial planning office of Hannah Buschbom ’10 in downtown Santa Barbara. This welcoming space has witnessed many empowering conversations, especially with women. As a wealth adviser with multiple certifications, Hannah assists those navigating significant transitions in life. As co-founder of the W Source, an organization […]
Westmont’s fall and winter athletic seasons have seen limited action, but several sports have offered inspirational moments. Prioritizing the health and safety of its student-athletes, Westmont decided to play contact sports only against opponents who test for COVID-19 before all athletic contests. Men’s and women’s cross country were the only fall teams to compete, as […]
Ninety-two percent of Westmont graduates from the class of 2020 have found a job or are attending graduate school (or planning to attend) despite a national economy sickened by the coronavirus. “What an encouraging achievement for recent graduates in the midst of a pandemic,” says Paul Bradford, director of Westmont’s Career Opportunities and Vocational Exploration […]
Growing up, Mark Szekrenyi ’23 fell in love with Hawaiian sea turtles while snorkeling during family vacations. “Their peaceful majesty created a lasting bond with me,” he says. On his last visit to Hawaii several years ago, he learned just how endangered the creatures were. In the last two decades, the population of green sea […]
The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art celebrates its 10th anniversary with a fundraising exhibition, “5×5: Celebrating Ten Years,” which features about 450, five-inch-square works of art from December 3-18. The art will be available for purchase through an online auction at westmont.edu/museum/5×5 that ends Friday, December 18, at 5 pm. The exhibition, which benefits the […]
The 16th annual Westmont Christmas Festival, “Ris’n with Healing in His Wings,” presents a special online event this year due to the pandemic. The Westmont Music Department, led by Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and worship, has creatively recorded the 100 members of the Westmont Orchestra and College Choir, Chamber Singers, and Choral Union […]
Enrico Manlapig, associate professor of economics and business, explores “Decision Analysis and the Common Good” in a live webinar on Thursday, November 19, at 5:30 pm at vimeo.com/474003951. The Westmont Downtown Lecture is sponsored by the Westmont Foundation, which helps build connections between Westmont and the greater Santa Barbara community. The webinar features special guest […]
The Forest Foundation, which has supported the arts and education in California and Illinois since 1963, is donating several sculptures and more than three dozen pedestals and sculptural stands to the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. Museum officials are working with Brander Vineyard to create a long-term sculpture exhibition at the Santa Ynez winery. “Navigating […]
The Westmont men’s basketball team tips off its 2020-21 season against the University of Saint Katherine from San Marcos, on Saturday, November 14, at 7:30 pm in Murchison Gym. Though fans will not be allowed in the gym due to the pandemic, the game will be live-streamed at portal.stretchinternet.com/Westmont and available on Roku, Apple TV, […]
Westmont College has received a grant of $1 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the Westmont Center for Thriving Communities. Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative funds the program. This national initiative seeks to strengthen Christian congregations to help people deepen their faith in God, build strong relationships with each other and contribute to […]
Westmont cross-country first-year students Caleb Mettler and Anneline Breytenbach, Golden State Athletic Conference Athletes of the Month for October, lead their teams into the GSAC Championship on Saturday, November 7, at William Jessup University in Rocklin. Mettler, a San Clemente High School graduate, claimed second place in race two of The Master’s Invitational on September […]
Members of the Westmont College Choir and Choral Union, wearing masks and singing outside, offer a Fall Choral Celebration on Friday, October 30, at 7 pm at westmont.edu/virtual-concert-series. The choir, directed by Daniel Gee, will perform “This is my Father’s World” by Elaine Hagenberg, “My Soul There is a Country” by Hubert Parry, “Love Bade […]
Acclaimed author Jon Meacham addresses “The Architecture of Endurance: Building a Republic that Stands the Test of Time” on Friday, November 6, from 12 pm to 1:30 pm in a special virtual event from Westmont. The live broadcast opens with remarks by Westmont President Gayle D. Beebe and includes a question-and-answer session with Meacham, presidential […]
Sandra Richter, Westmont’s Robert H. Gundry professor of biblical studies, examines the intersection between the Bible and archaeology in a lecture, “Digging Up the Bible: What Archaeology Can Tell Us About the Bible,” for the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library at youtu.be/4LpNinvUQc8. Richter says documentaries at Christmas, Passover, and Easter every year claim to […]
The Westmont College website, which has undergone a five-year overhaul, won the Web Marketing Association’s 2020 WebAward for Outstanding Achievement in Best Faith-Based Website. A select group of independent judges from around the world selected Westmont’s website for setting the standard of excellence in website development. In 2015, Westmont began crafting new brand guidelines, messaging, […]
In a time of challenge, conflict, and difficulty, the Westmont Theater Arts Department stages Small Enchantments, a fairy tale-inspired play of change and wonder on Tuesday, October 27, at 7 pm at westmont.edu/2020-2021-theatre-art-events and Friday, October 30, at 7 pm on Facebook Live (facebook.com/westmonttheatre). “I wanted to work on something with our students that enacted […]
The Westmont Orchestra, masked up, socially distant, and with bell covers over their instruments, will perform “An Orchestral Sampler” on Friday, October 23, at 7 pm. The event, which is being recorded live outdoors, will be available for free viewing at vimeo.com/showcase/westmontmusic. Michael Shasberger, Westmont Adam’s professor of music and worship, will conduct the orchestra […]
Very few Westmont students have tested positive for the coronavirus since returning to campus in mid-September, and faculty and staff are finding innovative ways for students to thrive while staying safe. More than 90 percent of students chose to return to campus rather than learning remotely in their homes. All students were tested for the […]
Soprano Megan (Silberstein) Billings will perform as part of the music department’s Alumni Spotlight on Friday, October 9 at 7 pm. Listen to the free concert at vimeo.com/showcase/westmontmusic. Billings, a 2014 Westmont graduate, will sing recognizable tunes from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals as well as productions of Bridges of Madison County and Frozen. She earned […]
Four stellar new professors join the Westmont faculty this fall: Katherine Bryant (political science), alumnus Daniel Gee (music), Robert Haring-Kaye (physics), and Blake Victor Kent (sociology). Bryant, a visiting assistant professor for three years at Westmont, launched a study of the effectiveness of Christian aid organizations. Her research focuses on the efficacy of foreign aid […]
Westmont student-athletes flexed their academic strength as well as their athletic prowess with 52 Warriors earning NAIA Scholar Athlete status and a dozen athletic programs being named NAIA Scholar Teams. NAIA Scholar Athlete status is given to juniors and seniors who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5. Team recognition is given to programs with at […]
Twenty-seven Westmont students adhered to strict safety protocols to work with their professors on research projects during the summer. Due to the pandemic, Westmont will skip the annual in-person October symposium, where students present their summer research findings. The work spanned a wide range of topics, including factors that affect the presence of western fence […]
The Westmont Music Department continues its popular Friday Concert Series with its first Alumni Spotlight recital, featuring alumna Sarah Shasberger Pfister ’12 and the Carnevale String Quartet from Bulgaria on Friday, September 25, at 7 pm. Listen to the free recital at vimeo.com/showcase/westmontmusic. The performance will include pieces by Bulgarian composer Marin Goleminov, Ennio Morricone, […]