Westmont College My Golden Reunion
By Sharon Savely Odegaard ’72
DRIVING ONTO CAMPUS FOR my Golden Warriors reunion, I felt slightly anxious but full of anticipation. I joined classmates on Magnolia Lawn as we mingled in the balmy sunshine. In this idyllic setting, we mentally waded through memories to find points of connection. We smiled and chatted against the backdrop of the Voskuyl Library, opened during our student days, a scene of diligent study — and shenanigans. I relaxed and immediately felt right at home.
Later we lined up for photos in front of stately Kerrwood Hall. We wandered through the courtyard where the iconic fountain still splashes. Some made their way to the peaceful prayer chapel and gardens. The setting, as ever, was picture-perfect. But this weekend proved memorable for far more than the scenery. The people coming back to campus from all points of the country gave deep meaning to our time together.
How do you sum up 50 years of your life when you reconnect? We mostly started with an easy, “Where do you live now?” But so many times we moved past the mundane, from two heads bent together in earnest sharing to groups of animated give-andtake. Friendships dormant for half a century, which we forged during meals in the Dining Commons and mornings in chapel, sprang back to life.
AT THE CLASS DINNER, we sat around tables on the red-brick patio of Montecito Covenant Church, which many of us attended as students. As the sun set and the twinkly lights sparkled, people shared their memories. In that magical setting we laughed, we teared up. We talked about those who couldn’t be there. We fondly recalled the tough professors who made us work so hard. (Looking at you, Dr. Obitts.) We reverently remembered the dulcet piano music of a classmate now suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Someone who has dedicated decades of ministry to underserved youth updated us on his work.
A retired teacher summed up what we learned as first year students. We came to school at 18 from different backgrounds, denominations and economic levels with all types of personalities. Some arrived with a confident faith in God, while others were questioning, searching or learning the basics. Leaving the bubble of hometown, home church and family, we encountered people who disconcerted us with their differences. But we came to realize that God loved us all and made us in his image, worthy of friendship and acceptance. That early, jarring lesson launched us into life-changing experiences.
We talked about how we’ve spent the past five decades. A retired pastor with a dry sense of humor asked me, “So, what have you done with your life?” After laughing, we discussed my current job and theology and culture. He encouraged me in an area where I struggle, and I was touched when he said, “You’re doing fine.”
We lifted each other up. We met in hallways or on winding paths out under the trees or at the lunch table to talk one-on-one about the hard things of life: grieving for a lost spouse, trying to reach an addicted child, living with a health issue. The interactions ranged from lighthearted to rich and deep.
Many Golden Warriors pursued lives of service worldwide. Pastors, teachers, missionaries and health care workers surrounded me. Stories rang out of a clear call to work with the poor in rough neighborhoods, or to teach middle school, or to venture far to countries such as Malaysia to translate the Bible into a new language. One friend helps seniors navigate Medicare (bless her). Another worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and used his knowledge for good during the pandemic. As one preacher said, experiences at Westmont informed future service to a truly remarkable extent.
Our college years broke open our smaller worlds and replaced them with an expanded biblical belief that we can each work for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Westmont instilled this vision during our formative years.
AT THE WORSHIP SERVICE Sunday morning, we ended with the Lord’s Prayer. Then Pastor Doug Moore recited it in Spanish. And those fluent in other languages prayed it in French, German, Swahili, Malay and Korean, an offering to the God who so loves the world.
The sweet pleasure of revitalized friendships still fills our hearts. Texts, phone calls, emails and dinners brighten my days. One mutual friend gave me contact information for my college roommate, and we connected at our own mini-reunion. Our class signed and sent a framed photo of the stone gate to a classmate too ill to join us.
Each of us received the priceless gift of an education infused with joy and vision, which inspired us to live well, pursuing our part in the kingdom. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.