Westmont Magazine Shirley Scholars
The Perry and Margaret Shirley Endowed Scholarship Fund helps sophomores, juniors, and seniors who couldn’t afford to stay at Westmont without financial assistance.
Two sophomores, Sarah Larson and Paul Morris, have returned for a second year, thanks to the Shirleys.
“I feel so honored to come back,” Sarah exclaims. “My parents and I take it year by year. I have grown so much each semester and feel like Westmont is such a good fit for me. I really want to be here.” A social science major from Placerville, Calif., Sarah will serve as a resident assistant next year and looks forward to getting involved in student life activities. “I have learned so much, especially about leadership, and I look forward to applying it.” This summer she will work as an intern for a social service agency that places people in care homes.
With a sister also at Westmont, Paul needs financial assistance to afford the Christ-centered education he so desires. He plans to major in biology or neuroscience and pursue work in the medical field, possibly as a doctor. “I like the openness of the professors and their availability to meet with me,” he says. “The opportunities I have to do research as an undergraduate just don’t exist at a lot of universities.” A computer pro since junior high school, Paul works in the campus computer lab and hopes to get a summer job as youth group leader at his home church in Oxnard, Calif.