Scholarship to Honor Life of Kenon Neal

Numerous friends, an anonymous donor and widower Matt Neal have established the Kenon Neal Endowed Scholarship at Westmont. Kenon (Ramsey) Neal ’88 died July 16, 2014, after experiencing a number of health challenges in her life, including five bouts of cancer that she battled for 27 years. The scholarship will assist students who have overcome challenges such as cancer, receive an academic merit scholarship and have a financial need.

“Kenon was known as a committed disciple of Jesus Christ,” Matt says. “She believed God gave her an extraordinary opportunity to minister to countless patients and hospital and medical staff through her own disease. Her unwavering faithfulness and confidence in God’s goodness and grace was a wonderful light and example to so many individuals. Our hope is that this scholarship will help students earn a Westmont education and experience the joy that Kenon and I shared here.”

Kenon graduated from Westmont in 1988 with a degree in English and returned to campus in the 1990s when Matt worked as a resident director in Armington Hall. A few years later, she served as the resident director in Page Hall. In 2009, she joined the staff in the alumni office before becoming director of foundation and corporate relations in 2010.

“She had a warm and gracious spirit and lived her life to the fullest,” says President Gayle D. Beebe. “It’s wonderful to see the generosity of so many people whose lives were touched by Kenon. This scholarship honors her legacy and assists students in need at the college she loved.”

For questions about contributing to the scholarship fund, please contact Steve Baker, associate vice president for advancement, at (805) 565-7156.