By Gayle D. Beebe, Ph.D. President Ruth Kerr, a woman of remarkable energy, character and intellect, established a school in 1937 that combined rigorous academics with a deep love of God. Our first president, Wallace Emerson, shared her commitment to this vibrant, faith-based education. Together they built a strong foundation for our mission, which remains deeply meaningful to us and … [more]
by Gayle D. Beebe, Ph. D. President For me, the Gospel of Matthew opens up some of the great questions of life. In the middle of the book comes an incredible query. Jesus turns to Peter and asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter makes a response that echoes throughout the chapters: “You are the Christ, the son … [more]
by Gayle D. Beebe, Ph.D. President I love this time of the year when we gather for a special time to relax and reflect with family and friends. When I was growing up, my father would ask each one of us of during the Thanksgiving meal to share three things from the previous year we were thankful for: something that … [more]
by Gayle D. Beebe, PH.D. President All of us have a longing to make our life count. There’s wonderful merriment involved in the college experience — as we witness in our students — but it’s also about finding our purpose in life and discovering what God wants to do through each one of us. In fact, we see our students … [more]
by Gayle D. Beebe, Ph.D., president Santa Barbara is a joyous place to live and work. The world comes to our doorstep as we offer the varied and rich traditions of our wonderful city amidst one of the most attractive climates in the entire world. Yet despite its beauty, Santa Barbara has a beastly side. Our spring semester ended with … [more]
by gayle d. beebe, ph.d. president Spring is in the air. Despite the damage caused by the fire, the raw beauty of the campus is springing back to life. The buds on the trees and flowers, the birds chirping by day and the frogs croaking at night are reassuring signs that life is returning to normal. We continue to make … [more]
Suffering is an incredibly challenging but necessary part of our journey of faith. One of the great hurdles to my own belief in Christ involved coming to terms with the problem of evil and suffering. For five years I spent time within my spirit thinking and reflecting on why God, a perfectly loving God, would allow so much evil and … [more]
A few years ago I had the wonderful privilege of visiting the Czech Republic in Eastern Europe. It was a glorious time, and I enjoyed the trip immensely. Traveling to Prague, Karlovy- Vary and other smaller cities gave me the opportunity to see the Czech culture in all its variety and complexity. It also allowed me to travel to the … [more]
Excerpts from President Gayle D. Beebe’s inaugural address delivered April 11 In 1937 Ruth Kerr had a burning desire to start a school that combined a deep love for God with rigorous academics. Being a woman of remarkable tenacity, intellect and character, she set about hiring our first president, Dr. Wallace Emerson, who came from Wheaton College in Illinois. Virtually … [more]
As my first year unfolds, I continue to enjoy the opportunity to meet so many of our alumni at various gatherings and official events around the country. Thank you for the warmth and kindness you have shown to Pam and me. I have enjoyed interacting with you and sensing the joy and enthusiasm you feel for Westmont. As we continue … [more]