Students Earn Leadership Awards

The Westmont Student Life Office awarded 10 outstanding students for their leadership during the past year. The 13th annual David K. Winter Servant Leadership Awards are given each spring to students who show exemplary leadership through service at Westmont and in the community. Each recipient receives $1,000 toward next year’s school expenses.

This year the awards went to incoming seniors Mikey Espegren of Spring, Texas; Annie Kyle of San Diego; Myvy Ngo of San Jose, Calif.; Gabriella Pinheiro-Chavez of La Mirada, Calif.; Bri Popineau of Greeley, Colo.; Laura Stiles of Matthews, N.C.; and Chloe Yoder of Palm Desert, Calif. Incoming junior winners are Jake Allbaugh of Folsom, Calif., Rachel Harril of Lomita, Calif.; and Ben West of Boise, Idaho.

Winners were chosen for demonstrating integrity, collaboration skills, a passion for service and empathy. They revealed a servant’s heart in their roles on or off campus, made a significant impact on an organization, group or activity, and earned the respect and trust of their peers.

The student life office invites all faculty, staff and students to nominate deserving candidates, who are then vetted by a selection committee, which included Steve Contakes, assistant professor of chemistry; Angela D’Amour, director of campus life Rebecca Gist, student life assistant, Robyn Bickerton, student life intern and former recipient Anne Funk ’13. The committee received more than 50 nominations this year.

David K. Winter, Westmont president emeritus, attended the April 26 awards ceremony.