Westmont Magazine Writing Code for Life

Professional surfer Shaun Tomson met with students in February to help them develop tools to overcome challenges.

At a workshop, Write the Code for Your Life, he shared stories of life, loss, surfing and success. Shaun Tomson challenged the 80 participants to write 12 simple statements beginning with “I will” and followed by aspirations for their future. A well-known ambassador for surfing, Tomson presents this workshop to students and corporations around the world.

Paul Bradford, Westmont’s director of career development and calling, and Campus Pastor Scott Lisea—both surfers—asked Tomson to share his code with students. Alumnus Jacob Grant ’18 then inscribed them on an oversized chalkboard to display the students’ aspirations.

Previously, Bradford commissioned Grant to create an artistic piece honoring Ruth Kerr, Westmont’s principal founder, to demonstrate how one life can make an impact on thousands, even after death. Grant produced “Great Was Her Faithfulness,” a large mosaic that hangs in the lobby of Kerr Student Center. It uses numerous small photos of Westmont students to form an image of Kerr. “We wanted to display the many generations of students who have come, graduated and gone on to serve around the world because of her legacy,” Grant says.

Grant earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies while minoring in art, and he works as a photographer and freelance artist. “I’m a direct recipient of Ruth Kerr’s vision for an educational experience that transcends academics to encompass the whole individual,” he says. “I loved my time at Westmont and the way that I was trained to be more thoughtful, selfless, pioneering and global in my thinking and actions.”