Westmont News

Following the breathtaking lunar eclipse earlier in the week, the Westmont observatory opens to the public for its monthly event with the powerful Keck Telescope on Friday, May 20, beginning at sunset and lasting a few hours. Face coverings will be required at the event, which is co-hosted by the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit

Westmont has named its new ABSN Nursing program the Westmont|Grotenhuis Nursing program in honor of Dave and Anna Grotenhuis, who, along with Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree, have given generously and played a leading role in partnering with Cottage Hospital to see this dream become a reality.

Commencement speaker Michael Shasberger, between stints of conducting the Westmont Orchestra, told the 2022 graduates they’d attain their greatest happiness when they discovered how to give away what they valued most. Coincidentally, President Gayle D. Beebe introduced Shasberger with news that the Michael Shasberger Student Scholarship Fund for Music.

This Mother’s Day, we celebrate Cynthia Toms, professor of global studies and kinesiology, whose personal experience helped solidify her deep desire to improve global development by keeping people healthy and giving them hope.

Each year, the Westmont community celebrates the many ways that God has gifted our students academically by announcing and honoring the Outstanding Graduate Awards in each department during the Academic Awards Convocation prior to Commencement. The following are the Outstanding Graduates of 2022.

The abundance of accomplished artists from the Tri-County area is on full display at the annual juried exhibition in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. Westmont alumnus and hyperrealist painter Robin Eley ’01 juried the show, “Uncanny,” which is available May 19-June 18. A free, public, opening reception for the exhibition is Thursday, May 19, from 4-6 p.m. at the museum. More information is available at westmont.edu/museum/juriedshow2022.