Westmont Magazine Alumni College News

The second annual Westmont Alumni College convened in January, and 90 alums returned to the classroom for a day. While the “students” became reacquainted with their alma mater, the college had an opportunity to showcase three outstanding faculty.

Professors Shirley Mullen (history) and Robert Wennberg (philosophy) discussed “Cultivating Faith for a Lifetime: Strategies and Resources.” Drawing on their own experiences, Professors Mullen and Wennberg shared some of the books that have inspired them. Favorite works include St. Augustine’s The Confessions, Pensées by Blaise Pascal, Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton, and God’s Trombones, the poetry of James Weldon Johnson. For alums living with ambiguity, doubt, dryness of soul, or spiritual weariness, the professors recommended the letters of Flannery O’Connor, books by C. S. Lewis, the Oxford Book of Prayer, and the Book of Common Prayer.

Professor Ken Kihlstrom (physics) explored “Quarks, Black Holes, and the Big Bang,” delving into subjects like relativity, the Manhattan Project, and Einstein’s theories. He helped the “scientifically challenged” make sense of these important concepts and discussed how Christians can relate science to their faith.

During lunch, President David Winter spoke on “Westmont’s Future within American Higher Education.” He noted that few schools offer the comprehensive experience available at Westmont where students grow intellectually, spiritually, and personally. Such learning can’t occur in big classes or on-line.