August 26-27, 2021 Parent Orientation Schedule

Class Verse for Class of 2025: 

“With God are wisdom and strength; he has counsel and understanding.” Job 12:13

Put the schedule on your phone by downloading the Guidebook app, Westmont Community Guide, available in iOS, Android and web platforms. Use the app as your primary guide to Parent Orientation and beyond. Review the parent schedule and click the + sign to add events and sessions that interest you to “My Schedule.” Explore the link to frequently asked questions and your student’s orientation schedule. All parent sessions and events are included in your registration fee.

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Student Move-in: 8-12 a.m.

Your student’s assigned move-in time is based on his/her residence hall. A team of helpful students will unload everything from your vehicle and deliver it to your student’s room. The Orientation site will be updated shortly. Plan to arrive on campus at your move-in time and not before. For easier parking and a smooth traffic flow, please follow the move-in schedule. Watch for more information in subsequent emails about Orientation. Location: Page, Clark, Armington, Emerson, Van Kampen and Ocean View Halls

Parent Welcome Center: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.    

Come to the Welcome Center on the lawn in front of Kerrwood Hall to check in for Orientation at the Parent Tent and pick up nametags, schedules and handouts from Parent Relations staff and Parents Council members. Westmont departments host tables under the tent to provide information and answer questions. Location: Lawn in front of Kerrwood Hall

Parent Council Tent: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

At the Welcome Center, 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. Location: Lawn in front of Kerrwood Hall adjacent to large Welcome Center tent

Voskuyl Prayer Chapel: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Stop in the prayer chapel to lift up prayers for your student and the college as classes get ready to begin.

Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Westmont Faculty Exhibition 

Campus Walking Tour: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 

An informative and enjoyable walk around the campus will combine knowledge of our historic campus with personal student experience. Location: Front of Kerrwood Hall

Lunch

Your lunch time is determined by your student’s move-in time.

Lunch is included in the cost of Parent Orientation registration. Otherwise, you can pay at the door: Adults: $11.50, Children 2-10: $7.50; Westmont students on a meal plan: no charge. Location: Dining Commons

Campus Walking Tour: 1-2 p.m. 

An informative and enjoyable walk around the campus will combine knowledge of our historic campus with personal student experience. Location: Front of Kerrwood Hall

Legacy Reception: 1-1:45 p.m.

Parents and grandparents who are Westmont alumni and their students are invited to a dessert reception with President Gayle D. Beebe. A group photograph of children and grandchildren of Westmont alumni will be taken on Magnolia Lawn. Location: Upper Magnolia Lawn (in front of the library)

Worship and Prayer Time: 2:30 p.m.-3:15 p.m. 

New students and their families are invited to participate in this brief time of worship and prayer to mark the official start of Orientation programming. There will be current students, staff, and Parent Council members available to pray with and for you as you transition into this new season at Westmont. Location: Carr Field

Welcome Session: 3:30 p.m. 

The entire Westmont community and guests are invited to this celebratory opening event of Orientation 2021. President Gayle D. Beebe will extend an official Westmont welcome followed by an introduction to this year’s Orientation Team. Location: Carr Field

Overview of Student Life: 4:30 -5:30 p.m.

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. Locations: Page Hall  Multipurpose Room

Welcome BBQ Picnic for Parents and Families: 5:30-7 p.m.

Relax on Kerrwood Lawn and enjoy a great meal. Hear a brief welcome message from a professor. Meet other parents as well as faculty and staff. Please note that students will eat dinner with their Orientation small groups. Location: Kerrwood Lawn

Out-of-Area* Parent Gathering: 7:00-8:00 p.m.

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. Washington Parents Council members Megan and Michael White will lead the session and provide a time for questions and answers.  *All parents are welcome. Location: Porter Theatre Patio 

Friday, August 27, 2021

Voskuyl Prayer Chapel: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The prayer chapel is open to you all day. Stop in the prayer chapel to lift up prayers for your student and the college as classes get ready to begin.

Continental Breakfast for Parents and Families: 8:45-9:15 a.m.

Location: Page Hall Patio

President Beebe Welcomes Parents and Families: 9:15-10 a.m.

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

The Core of the Classroom: 10:00-10:45 a.m.

Westmont’s Interim Provost Rick Ifland 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

Parents Council Perspectives: 10:45-11:30 a.m.

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 

Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Westmont Faculty Exhibition  Location: Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art 

Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Lunch is included in the cost of registration for Parent Orientation. Otherwise, you may pay at the door: Adults: $11.50, Children 2-10: $7.50; Westmont students on a meal plan: no charge. Location: Dining Commons

Intercultural Programs Picnic: 12:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m. 

Students of color, international, missionary and third-culture students, and Cultural Diversity awardees and their families are invited to hear about the programs and opportunities associated with Westmont’s commitment to diversity. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., and the program begins at noon. Location: Magnolia Lawn

Prayer Available: 12-1 p.m.

Parents Council members will be available to pray with you in this time of transition.

Aspects of Student Life: 1:30 -2:30 p.m.

Westmont offers a holistic education, and many student experiences fit under the umbrella of Student Life. Select one of the following sessions to see the big picture of Student Life while learning about one aspect of the student experience. 

• 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: Paul Bradford and Cassie Wicoff-Wiltsey. Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room

• 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 the Counseling Center  Location: Winter 210L

• Chapel, Worship and Spiritual Development: 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

Service of Commitment: 3 p.m.

Join professors 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. This is the last scheduled event for parents. Location: Carr Field

Families Say Goodbye: 4:30-5 p.m.

Students and families say goodbye before students head off to dinner with their section, and families leave campus. Location: Kerrwood Lawn

Bookstore Hours: 

Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 

*The above schedule is subject to change. Please check back for updates. Also check the Orientation website to see your student’s schedule and other information they need to know before coming to campus in August.