Westmont News

The memorial service for Westmont President Emeritus David K. Winter, who died Aug. 15, 2015, at the age of 84, will occur Saturday, Aug. 29, at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church on the corner of State and Constance Streets in Santa Barbara.

Click here to view David Winter's memorial service.

David K. Winter, Westmont’s longest-serving president to date, died Saturday, August 15, at the age of 84. He was born Sept. 15, 1930.

Westmont ranks as No. 10 on Forbes’ 2015 list of the 50 most entrepreneurial colleges in the nation. The magazine evaluated the country’s most entrepreneurial schools based on entrepreneurial ratios: the total number of alumni and students who have identified themselves as founders and business owners on LinkedIn divided by the school’s student body (undergraduate and graduate combined). This year they separated research universities and smaller colleges.

One hundred Special Olympics athletes arrive July 21 for a four-day visit to Santa Barbara, one of 100 Host Towns in California, before competing in the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles July 25–August 2. The largest sporting event in Southern California since the 1984 Olympics, the 25-sport competition includes 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches from 177 countries.

Jupiter, Venus and a small crescent moon come into alignment this month, but it may be views of Saturn that steal the show at a free public viewing of the stars Friday, June 19, beginning at 8 p.m. and lasting several hours at the Westmont Observatory. Jupiter and Venus and the moon form a skewed triangle that will be easily visible after sunset in the western sky.

Westmont hosts a 5K run/walk to benefit Save the Mothers, an organization working to improve the lives of women in Uganda, on Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m. Registration, which costs $15 for students; $25 for adults (free kids fun run), begins at the Westmont track at 8:30 a.m.

Commencement speaker David Brooks demonstrated his talent as a humorist while offering the class of 2015 advice about commitment, love and taking chances in their careers May 9 at Westmont. Brooks’ opening, witty monologue shone a ray of sunshine on an otherwise overcast day.

Bethany Hamilton, whose autobiography, “Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board,” inspired the 2011 film “Soul Surfer,” spoke to more than 1,200 people in a special chapel service April 10 in Westmont’s Murchison Gym.

Abraham Lincoln. Peter Drucker. Bill Gates. These iconic leaders continue to make a profound and pivotal impact on American thought and culture.

Thirteen graduating art majors will display their capstone art projects April 9-May 9 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. A free, public reception opens “Maker’s Dozen: Westmont Senior Art Exhibition 2015” on Thursday, April 9, from 4-6 p.m.

​Renowned Russian pianist Vassily Primakov, who recently released a new, two-CD album, “Chopin: 51 Mazurkas,” performs Saturday, April 25, at 3 p.m. in First United Methodist Church, 305 E. Anapamu St. Tickets cost $25 for general admission; $20 seniors; $10 student and group (eight or more); and may be purchased at the door or by calling (805) 565-6040.

The concert, which is co-sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Robert Logan and the Westmont College Music Department, is a fundraiser for Westmont’s piano program.

The Westmont College Choir tours Central California April 10-12 with performances in San Luis Obispo, Chowchilla, Visalia and Santa Barbara. The choir of 60 student singers will perform a selected repertoire from their entire concert season, especially works by emerging American composers.

Bethany Hamilton, whose autobiography, “Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board,” inspired the 2011 film “Soul Surfer,” speaks Friday,