Westmont Magazine Roman Holiday

Two Westmont Professors Share Their Love of Italy During an Alumni Tour

They represented every decade of Westmont alumni since 1950. One hasn’t finished college yet; a number are grandparents. The 35 alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends who visited Italy in May included a surprising variety of ages, backgrounds and interests.

But the group agreed on one thing: the value of traveling with Provost Shirley Mullen and Professor Bob Wennberg. The duo has led 10 tours, mostly with students. This, their tenth, was also their last together due to Bob’s retirement. In addition to providing historical background, they raised provocative issues for discussion and contemplation.

“One of our lasting memories will be the wonderful sense of camaraderie and fellowship.”

Landing in Rome, the travelers explored the ancient city and moved on to Tuscany and San Gimignano, Pisa and Florence. Then came Venice and a hotel on the Grand Canal. The tour ended on Lake Como in the lovely towns of Varenna and Bellagio.

“One of our lasting memories of our Italian adventure will be the wonderful sense of camaraderie and fellowship we experienced with our fellow travelers,” Nancy Hewitt says. She and her husband, Carey, live in Fort Collins, Colo., and are the parents of two Westmont graduates. “I loved the diversity of age, interests, backgrounds and education — and the bond we found in our Christian faith,” she adds. “We got a glimpse of the Body of Christ, celebrating our commonality and wonderful differences and truly enjoying them. The discussions each day were deep and meaningful — we’re still wondering whether all the money used in building St. Peter’s should have been given to the poor! Shirley and Bob brought so much to our group through sharing their knowledge and passions.”