May 2021 May 2021
Dear Alums,
Thank you for praying and supporting Westmont students during this challenging year. They’ve just completed the spring semester, and we give fervent thanks they lived and learned on campus together for the entire year.
You can hear for yourself what Westmont students experienced in a video, “Pockets of Hope in the Pandemic.” Originally filmed to give their parents a glimpse of campus life, the video highlights the joys and challenges students faced. Throughout this newsletter, you’ll find other videos that offer you a taste of Westmont.
I pray that God’s work in your life this year has strengthened and comforted you. Surely our brokenness points us to the hope of his complete healing and intensifies the urgency of living redemptively as the body of Christ. May God be with you as you embody his kingdom in all your spheres of life.
Sarah Camp
Interim Senior Director of Alumni and Parent Relations
Class of 2021 Commencement
Westmont’s class of 2021 endured the massive December 2017 Thomas Fire, the effects of the deadly Montecito flash flooding and debris flows of January 9, 2018, and the COVID-19 pandemic—all as undergraduates. On Saturday, bagpipers led the masked graduates to Thorrington Field, where they were honored for their accomplishments through challenging years.
Watch Commencement video Read Local Coverage of Commencement
National Champions
Women’s Basketball The Westmont Warriors won the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship, defeating top-seated Thomas More of Kentucky (29-2) by a score of 72-61 to earn their second national championship in program history. “I’m so overwhelmed and filled with so much joy," said junior guard Stefanie Berberabe who was named the Tournament MVP.
Coaches Who Care for the Whole Person
Watch a video of Coach Kirsten Moore and Coach Russell Smelley as they discuss "Leading Fruitfully While Playing to Win."
Spring Sing 2021
Beloved physics professor Ken Kilstrom, who is retiring this year, served as emcee for Spring Sing on Instagram. Enjoy the show!
Join Us for Homecoming October 15-16 and Help Plan Your Reunion!
We hope to see you on campus October 15-16, 2021, for Homecoming! Alums who graduated in years ending in 0, 5, 1 and 6 will celebrate reunions. Alums from all class years may attend and enjoy a double-the-fun Homecoming. Want to volunteer with your reunion class and help plan your activities? Contact us at alumni@westmont.edu.
Lead Where You Stand Conference Available Online June 18
How do you build an organization that succeeds and makes an enduring impact on society? At Westmont’s Lead Where You Stand, world-class speakers will inspire you to lead well and pursue the greater good. Whether you lead in the context of the business world, a non-profit organization or the government, you’ll gain valuable new insights and skills.
Share Your News with Class Notes
Read class notes online! Please share your updates and milestones. Find all the news on the alumni pages of Westmont’s website. We’re adding new notes all the time, so check back often.
Westmont Connect Under Construction
Westmont Connect goes offline and under construction for several months. We’re excited to work toward a new alumni portal offering new features. Watch for more details about the new alumni portal.
Potter's Clay, Remembering and Connecting
On March 27, we marked the 32nd anniversary of the tragic deaths of three Westmont students participating in Potter’s Clay. The somber reminder of loss in the midst of service continues to reverberate through Westmont students’ ongoing commitment to serve and grow locally and abroad. Potter’s Clay has been pivotal in growing the hearts of many alums. Would you be willing to indicate your experiences working with or leading a team? Your response will help students better connect with the history of this outreach.
Read Along with the Alumni Book Club
The alumni book club is reading “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” which explores the German occupation of Guernsey. The discussions go beyond the book, with resources that add to the online conversation. For example, participants can watch a video series with interviews of a Guernsey islander who lived through the German occupation. Intrigued?
Current members have chosen “Rich, Thirsty, Hungry: And the Freedom That Finds Us There” by our own alumna Jamie (McEwen) Lisea ’88 as the next book we will start reading together on May 20. Please join us!
Alumni B&B Deals
Take advantage of these alumni B&B deals for 2021 summer stays in Westmont’s Global Leadership Center.
Queen hotel-like room (sleeps 1 or 2) for $180 per night June 1-25 and July 19-August 14.
Regular room with XL twin beds (sleeps 2-4 in a single family) for $155 per night July 19-August 14.
All rooms feature private bathrooms and air-conditioning. The rate includes linens, bath amenities, daily breakfast in the D.C., free parking, and no additional fees or taxes.
Single family visits only. All family members 16 and older must be fully vaccinated due to the short-term nature of the visit. Stays of five nights or more can substitute proof of vaccination with proof of a negative COVID-19 test if preferred. We’ll open back up for alumni reunion groups in 2022. Make reservations at conf@westmont.edu or 805-565-7254.
Trailhead Equips High School Youth for the Journey Ahead
High school youth face imposing questions as they start to imagine the road ahead. Many young people—maybe especially in this difficult year—come up against things that challenge their sense of who they are, what the world is, and where they’ll find a place in it. This season of life can be pretty destabilizing. But if navigated well, it can also be profoundly formational, a time to catch a vision for God’s work and how they’re called to join it. Trailhead consists of a one-week residency at Westmont and a yearlong mentorship experience. Attendees can register for one of three residency weeks in 2021: June 13-19, June 20-26, and June 27-July 3. We’re hosting smaller cohorts in order to promote safety this year, and they’ve already begun to fill.
High school youth face imposing questions as they start to imagine the road ahead. Many young people—maybe especially in this difficult year—come up against things that challenge their sense of who they are, what the world is, and where they’ll find a place in it. This season of life can be pretty destabilizing. But if navigated well, it can also be profoundly formational, a time to catch a vision for God’s work and how they’re called to join it. Trailhead consists of a one-week residency at Westmont and a yearlong mentorship experience. Attendees can register for one of three residency weeks in 2021: June 13-19, June 20-26, and June 27-July 3. We’re hosting smaller cohorts in order to promote safety this year, and they’ve already begun to fill.
Art Graduates Offer Exhibit
Thirteen graduating art majors offer their capstone art projects at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. See the exhibit onlineat the museum’s website.
Explore wonderful art project ideas for children 9-12 years old.
Make an appointment to visit the museum by emailingmuseum@westmont.edu
Westmont Wednesday Succeeds!
On March 27, we marked the 32nd anniversary of the tragic deaths of three Westmont students participating in Potter’s Clay. The somber reminder of loss in the midst of service continues to reverberate through Westmont students’ ongoing commitment to serve and grow locally and abroad. Potter’s Clay has been pivotal in growing the hearts of many alums. Would you be willing to indicate your experiences working with or leading a team? Your response will help students better connect with the history of this outreach.
Your Gift to Westmont Cares Scholarship Will Be Matched 2:1
Due to the pandemic, some families face increased financial hardship. The Westmont Cares Scholarship helps students with financial need due to recent and unexpected family setbacks that jeopardize their ability to pay tuition, room and board fees and could result in them leaving Westmont. A donor to this scholarship matches gifts 2:1 up to a total of $30,000. Eighty percent of every gift goes to the scholarship’s endowment to provide for the future. To make a gift online , select “Other” as the designation and enter “Cares Scholarship Match.”