August 24-25, 2023 Warrior Welcome: Parent Orientation Schedule

Thursday, August 24

8:00 am - 11:00 am: Dorm Move-In
*See more information at the link above
First Year Students:
8:00am - 8:30am  A - Da
8:30am - 9:00am De - I
9:00am - 9:30am J - M
9:30am - 10:00am N - R
10:00am - 10:30am S - V
10:30am - 11:00am W - Z

Transfer Students:
8:00am - 9:00am A - M
9:00am - 10:00am N - Z

8:30 am - 2:00 pm: Parent Welcome Tent
Check in and get your name tag. If you have not yet registered, please stop by the tent for on-site registration.

8:30 am - 1:00 pm: Parent Council Hospitality Tent
Meet fellow parents and Parents Council members, get answers to your questions and enjoy light refreshments and conversation. You’ll also find Parents Council members at Page, Emerson and Clark who can answer your questions. 

11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Campus Walking Tour (Option 1)
An informative and enjoyable walk around the campus will combine knowledge of our historic campus with personal student experience. Location: Front of Kerrwood Hall.

11:00 am - 1:30 pm: Lunch
Your lunch time is determined by your student’s move-in time. Please follow the schedule below to alleviate congestion.
Move-in from 8-9 a.m. 11-11:45
Move-in from 9-10 a.m. 11:45-12:30
Move-in from 10-11 a.m. 12:30-1:30*
All Transfer Students 12:30-1:30*
Those attending the Legacy Reception or First-Generation Session with a move-in time from 10-11 may eat lunch starting at 12 noon. Meal tickets to enter the DC are provided at check in based on registration. Otherwise, you can pay at the door: Lunch: $9.00, Children: 2-10 $5.00 Westmont students on a meal plan: no charge. Location: Dining Commons.

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Campus Walking Tour (Option 2)
An informative and enjoyable walk around the campus will combine knowledge of our historic campus with personal student experience. Location: Front of Kerrwood Hall.

1:00 pm - 1:45 pm: Alumni Parent and Student Reception
Celebrating multiple generations of Westmonters. Parents (and other family) who are Westmont alumni and their students are invited to a dessert reception with President Gayle D. Beebe. A group photograph of alumni with your incoming student will be taken on Magnolia Lawn at 1:35 p.m. Location: Upper Magnolia Lawn (in front of the library).

2:15 pm - 3:15 pm: Worship & Prayer
Stop by the Murchison Gym anytime between 2:15-3:15pm to pause in the midst of a full day for an optional time of prayer and worship. Our God is good. Prayer teams will be available on the periphery of the tent to pray with and for you. Musical worship will be led by members of the chapel band.

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm: Welcome Session
Join us for this celebratory opening event of Orientation 2023 in the Murchison Gym. President Gayle D. Beebe will extend an official Westmont welcome, followed by an introduction to this year's Orientation Team and a message from our Campus Pastor.

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Overview of Student Life
At Westmont, life outside the classroom offers a rich combination of activities, residential living and developmental experiences. In this session, Edee Schulze, vice president for student life, will provide an overview of all the opportunities available to students. Location: Murchison Gym.

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm: Welcome BBQ Picnic
Relax on Kerrwood Lawn and enjoy a great meal. Meet other parents as well as faculty and staff. Please note that students will eat dinner with their Orientation small groups. Location: Kerrwood Lawn.

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Out-of-Area Parent Reception
Whether you live outside of California or far enough from Santa Barbara to require a lengthy drive, come connect with fellow parents and gain valuable perspective from parents who know the ropes. Colorado Parents Council members Rich and Torrie Oswald will lead the session and provide a time for questions and answers. The Oswalds share: "We’ve attended this session every year since 2018, and we've navigated travel logistics from kids missing flights, to cancelled flights, to having no car, to moving out, to finding storage units, etc. Through it all, we've secured many parent friendships and have been reminded, Westmont is never too far from ‘home’." All parents are welcome.

Friday, August 25

8:00 am - 5:00 pm: Prayer Chapel Open Hours
Stop in the prayer chapel to lift up prayers for your student and the college as classes get ready to begin.

8:45 am - 9:15 am: Continental Breakfast
Join us in Page Hall for continental breakfast!

9:15 am - 10:00 am: President Beebe Welcomes Parents & Families
President Gayle D. Beebe welcomes you to the Westmont community, examines the value of a Westmont education in today’s world and highlights the college’s priorities. He will answer questions, and members of his executive team will add insights and suggest ways to support your student. Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

10:00 am - 10:45 am: Core of the Classroom
Our provost will share the unique qualities of a Westmont education. Professors and students will highlight the special nature of faculty-student relationships at Westmont. Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

10:45 am - 11:30 am: Parents Council Perspectives
Meet our Westmont Parents Council members and learn how they’ve navigated their student’s college life, gain practical parental insights about the Westmont experience and get answers to your questions. Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

11:30 am - 1:00 pm: Lunch
Join us in the Dining Commons for lunch! Lunch tickets are provided at check-in based on registration. Or pay at the door.

Select from one of the following sessions:

*1:30 pm - 2:30 pm: COVE Career Center Session
COVE Career Center: Discover how you can work with us as we prepare your student for a major, a mission, and meaningful internships and careers. Presenters: TBD Location: Kerr Student Center, Founders.

*1:30 pm - 2:30 pm: Students' Care Session
Students’ Care: College comes with unique challenges for students, particularly in this post-pandemic season. Learn about college emotional health, how to support your student, and ways to cultivate healthy communication patterns from the start. Presenters: Stu Cleek, Dean of Students; Rob Hughes '04, Director of Health Services; and Eric Nelson, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Location: Winter 210L.

*1:30 pm - 2:30 pm: Chapel, Worship, & Spiritual Development Session
Hear Scott Lisea ’88, our campus pastor and assistant to the president for church and community relations, present his vision of chapel, our community life and the spiritual development of your students. Location: Porter Theatre.

*1:30 pm - 2:30 pm: Student Success Session
The Center for Student Success is a very important resource for all incoming students. Each new Warrior is assigned a Student Success Coach and is strongly encouraged to take advantage of the support and services offered by the center to help each student thrive at Westmont. Presenters include: Eileen McQuade, Associate Dean of Faculty; additional presenters to be announced. Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Service of Commitment
Join faculty robed in traditional academic regalia for this formal ceremony of welcome into the Westmont community. Students will sit separately from parents and take their First Walk at the end of the service, which anticipates their Last Walk at Commencement. Location: Murchison Gym. Student attendance expected.

5:00 pm - 5:30 pm: Families Say Goodbye
Students and families say goodbye before students head off to dinner with their section and families leave campus.