Westmont News

Westmont’s Keck Telescope, one of the most powerful along the Central Coast, will offer glimpses of Jupiter and the Orion Nebula (Messier 42) at a free, public viewing Friday, Feb. 15, beginning about 7:30 p.m. at the Westmont Observatory.

John Blondell, Westmont professor of theatre arts, directs a world premiere, “Platinum Circle: A Play in Three One-Acts,” Feb. 22-23 and 28, and March 1-2, 8 p.m. in Westmont’s Porter Theatre. Tickets are $7 for students and seniors, $10 for adults, and can be purchased online at westmont.edu/tickets or by calling (805) 565-7140.

Wife and husband, Andrea (flute) and Neil Di Maggio (piano), perform some of their favorite pieces during “A Tour Through the World of Concert Flute Music: Folk Music in Classical Repertoire” on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 8 p.m. in Westmont’s Deane Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.

Mitch Vance, a founding partner of a private equity investment firm, and Dr. Richard Danson, a physician specializing in internal medicine, have joined the Westmont Board of Trustees, which oversees the operations of the college.

The 60-member Westmont College Orchestra travels from Southern California to the Sierras during its five-day road trip, Feb. 15-19. The spring tour begins in Santa Barbara and includes concert stops in Grass Valley, Calif., Yosemite, Mariposa, Calif., and Los Angeles. Admission is free to most performances, although a goodwill offering will be taken.

The Westmont Music and Theatre Arts Departments have collaborated to create a hilarious, student-produced show, “Musical of Musicals (the Musical!)” Jan, 24-26, 8 p.m. and Jan. 27, 2 p.m., in Porter Theatre.

American Double, a duo featuring violinist Philip Ficsor and pianist Constantine Finehouse, will perform Beethoven’s sonatas at a free, public concert Friday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. in Westmont’s Deane Chapel.

Explore and learn about the history, culture and biblical significance of Athens, Istanbul and Rome with Westmont alumni and parents June 16-29, 2013. The Alumni and Parent Relations Office has limited space available for this dynamic trip that will be joined by President Gayle D. Beebe and his family.

Hud Hudson, professor of philosophy at Western Washington University, gives a lecture, “The Father of Lies?” Thursday, Jan. 17, from 3:30-5 p.m. in Westmont’s Founders Room. The talk, funded by a grant from the Society of Christian Philosophers, is free and open to the public.

Weather permitting, Westmont’s powerful Keck Telescope hopes to zoom in on the craters of the Moon during a free, public viewing of the stars on Friday, Dec. 21, beginning at 7 p.m. The best viewing generally occurs later in the evening. In case of inclement or overcast weather, please call the Telescope Viewing Hotline at (805) 565-6272 and check the Westmont website to see if the viewing has been canceled.

Four final venture teams will face off at the 23rd annual Collegiate Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition on Thursday, Dec. 6, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in Westmont’s Founders Room. The competition is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served and networking will begin at 4:45 p.m.

The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, in conjunction with its current exhibition, “Dreamkeepers: Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art,” hosts an educational, family workshop, “Story Painting,” Saturday, Dec. 8, from noon to 3 p.m.

Weather permitting, Westmont’s powerful Keck Telescope hopes to show off the planet Jupiter during a free, public viewing of the stars on Friday, Nov. 16, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The best viewing generally occurs later in the evening. In case of inclement or overcast weather, please call the Telescope Viewing Hotline at (805) 565-6272 and check the Westmont website to see if the viewing has been canceled.

Visitors to the Holiday Ceramic Show and Sale, which opens Thursday, Nov. 15, in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, will be able to purchase and walk out the door with items from the exhibition. The show, which runs through Dec. 14, opens Nov. 15 at 10 a.m. with coffee and sweets.

Tickets to the eighth annual Westmont Christmas Festival went on sale Nov. 8 and quickly sold out. Westmont is allowing the public to attend a free dress rehearsal of the program on Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m. The doors will open for the dress rehearsal at 7:15 p.m., and no reservations are required. Please do not arrive before 7 p.m. if you wish to attend the dress rehearsal.

Westmont in San Francisco is throwing a party to celebrate its new garden, resting atop the roof of the Clunie house on Sunday, Nov. 18, from 4-6 p.m. at 301 Lyon Street in San Francisco. The dedication is free and open to the public.

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The fire department quickly suppressed the Cold Fire, which broke out northeast of campus about noon today. Fire officials described it as a two-acre, slow-growth vegetation fire at the top of Cold Spring Trail. Favorable weather conditions, including little wind, have helped firefighters.

The fire department has lifted all evacuation orders, and all roads are now open. Cold Spring Road was closed for several hours to keep people out of the mandatory evacuation zone, which was northeast of campus.

Westmont student composers, vocalists and instrumentalists showcase their talents in several concerts this November. All performances are free and open to the public.

Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider will answer questions from Westmont students in a chapel service discussion about poverty and homelessness on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 10:30 a.m. in Murchison Gym.

World-renown guitarist Mak Grgić returns to Westmont for the Rising Star Concert Series on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 8 p.m. in Deane Chapel. The suggested donation at the door is $10; Hotel Santa Barbara sponsors the performance.

Volunteers will be planting more than 40 fruit trees, providing a variety of campus-grown produce for Westmont’s dining services. Alumnus Anthony Waldrop ’11 will lead the planting on Friday, Oct. 26, from noon until 3 p.m.

Golfers and disc golfers will play together at the Montecito Country Club for the 5th annual William Wiersma Golf and Disc Tournament on Monday, Oct. 29, beginning at 1 p.m. The tournament benefits the William Wiersma Memorial Scholarship Endowment at Westmont.

Lauren Kahea Moriarty, a retired U.S. ambassador, explores the role of being an international diplomat at a free, public lecture, “Adventures in Diplomacy: Making a Difference,” Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 4 p.m. at Westmont’s Kerrwood Hall in Hieronymus Lounge.

As part of the college’s 75th anniversary celebration, Westmont Festival Theatre features the work of seven alumni in William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” Oct. 26 at 8:30 p.m., Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Nov. 1-3 at 8 p.m., all in Westmont's Porter Theatre.