Westmont Magazine Summer Scholars

Shady Hakim ’98 and Kirsten Cruzen ’99 completed seminars last summer at Notre Dame University in the Pew Younger Scholars Program, a highly competitive scholarship based on academic excellence.

Established through the Pew Charitable Trust, the program funds research fellowships and seminars for graduate and undergraduate programs every summer, accepting only 42 undergraduates from more than 150 Christian colleges and universities nationwide.

Hakim, who was an international studies major, won admission to two seminars: theology and philosophy. He chose the philosophy seminar, “Hermeneutics and Deconstructionism,” taught by Merold Westphal of Fordham University.

Cruzen, an English and history double major, was admitted to the history seminar, “The Protestant Crisis of Faith in Modern America,” taught by George Marsden of Notre Dame.

In addition, two Westmont alumni have received prestigious, $39,000 Pew Fellowships for graduate study. Chris Noble ’94 is studying 19th century British literature at UC Irvine, and Aaron James ’94 is pursuing a degree in philosophy at Harvard.