David K. Winter Servant Leadership Award Recipients
This award is rightly named after Dr. David K. Winter. He served as president of Westmont College for 25 years (1976-2001), continued serving as the college's first Chancellor, and then returned for the 2006-2007 academic year and guided the college as interim president.
While at Westmont, David Winter's faithful leadership was critical in achieving our long awaited approval of the master plan to complete the building of this scenic campus. In addition, he brought national recognition to the college for its rigorous liberal arts program and commitment to the historic Christian faith. Articulating a clear, consistent and compelling vision, David worked to strengthen the college’s quality in every area. Throughout his time at Westmont, he consistently championed enhancements to programs and facilities to positively impact the experience of all students. Maintaining an open-door policy for students, faculty, and staff, along with giving his home phone number to parents, are two examples of the servant leadership style that he modeled during his time at Westmont. He was known for his quiet wisdom, his ready wit, his winsome humility, and his deeply held faith in Christ.
Although his achievements at Westmont are impressive, they tell only part of his story. David was named one of the 100 most effective college presidents in the country. He provided significant leadership to higher education through his involvement in national and regional organizations and commissions. After leaving Westmont, David served as Headmaster (2008-2011) to help launch a Providence Hall, an innovative Christian high school in Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara community benefited from David's involvement on numerous boards of local agencies. The United Way, the Santa Barbara News Press, and the Santa Barbara Anti-Defamation League all honored David for his extensive community service. Most importantly, David’s actions and reputation provided evidence that his faith in Christ was at the core of all his commitments. David went home to the Lord in August, 2015, at the age of 84.
2024 Recipients are Rachael Todd and Levi Wicks!
Nominate a Student
David K. Winter Servant Leadership Awards honor two of our grateful servants and faithful leaders. Students nominated evidence integrity, collaboration skills, a passion for service, and empathy. Nominees are trusted and respected by their peers, reveal a servant’s heart in their roles on and off campus, and make a significant impact on the organization/group/activity.