Westmont Magazine The Art of Volunteering

For the past 10 years, Judy Van Horn Neunuebel ’69 has been a fixture at the Westmont Art Center. A longtime member of the Art Center Council executive committee, she served as co-president for four years and has also been secretary and treasurer.

In recognition of her commitment to the Westmont art program and her involvement as an alumna, Judy will receive the Volunteer of the Year award at Homecoming in September.

After graduating with a degree in English, Judy has worked in the graphic production and design field. Beginning as a typesetter, she started her own company, Neunuebel Graphics, a dozen or so years ago and works out of her home. Her husband, David, is a financial adviser at Prudential Securities.

The Neunuebels are active members at El Montecito Presbyterian Church, where Judy serves on the worship committee and the associate pastor nominating committee. They couple is also very involved with Americans for a Just Peace in the Middle East.

“Art is important,” Judy says. “Art saves lives by providing alternative and creative avenues for dealing with life.

“I think it is really important for a Christian college to have a strong art program as the church generally overlooks the arts,” she adds. “I want to change that and see art become as important as it once was. The church has a great history of encouraging the arts, and I want to move back in that direction.”

Judy is delighted with the growth of the art major at Westmont. “I’m amazed how far the program has come,” she notes. “I can’t say enough about Tony Askew and the wonderful faculty. Through the gallery, they have pulled in so many people from Santa Barbara who would never have had any other contact with the college.

“The students are fabulous — I’m so impressed with them. It’s great to see Westmont attracting truly outstanding art students.”