Spring 2012 Archive:
How Faith and Prayer Benefit the Brain
by Gayle D. Beebe, Ph.D., President Evagrius, a great saint of the fourth century, aspired to honor God and give his life to great purposes. In the last issue, I talked about the eight deadly thoughts he identified that... Read More
Westmont’s 75th Class Graduates
The last class of students who experienced the 2008 Tea Fire celebrate their graduation and the college’s 75th anniversary. Under blue, sunny skies, about 4,000 guests cheered 314 graduates at Commencement May 5. A grove of still-charred eucalyptus trees... Read More
A Return on Investment in Westmont
A payscale survey of Westmont graduates puts the college among the top 20 percent in ROI rankings. How do you measure the return on investment (ROI) of a Westmont education? A survey by PayScale focused on financial information only... Read More
A Year of Westmont Pictures on the iPad
Enjoy splendid photography and get a sense of life at Westmont through a new iPad app. In “2011: A Year in Pictures” the college highlights key events with a series of stunning images by Westmont photographer M. Bradley Elliott.... Read More
A Winning Season for Women’s Basketball
The lady Warriors compile their best record ever and reach the final four of the national tournament. The women’s basketball team set new athletic records this year, but the players say they most cherish their relationships with teammates. The... Read More
A Musical Journey to China
The 63 student musicians in the Westmont College Orchestra packed their instruments and traveled to China May 9-18, performing in Beijing, Suzhou and Shanghai. Conductor Michael Shasberger directed concerts at Beijing University of Technology, Sun Village, Suzhou Art and... Read More
How Does Westmont’s Garden Grow?
Westmont alumnus grows produce for the Dining Commons and educates students about environmental sustainability. Anthony Waldrop ’11 cultivated his love for environmental sustainability as a Westmont student. He now spearheads an effort to provide campus-grown produce for the college’s... Read More
Exploring Great Cities of the Ancient—and Modern World
Three great ancient cities, Athens, Istanbul and Rome, have figured prominently in the history of Christianity. The Office of Alumni and Parent Relations is planning a trip to these historical sites June 16-29, 2013. President Gayle D. Beebe and... Read More
Remembering Alex Moore
The Westmont community mourns the death of a young professor committed to doing research and mentoring students. Alex Moore, who joined the Westmont faculty in 2011 as assistant professor of kinesiology, died May 9 from complications following surgery for... Read More
Pioneering Professors Retire
Four longtime faculty members retire after shaping their departments in significant ways as both scholars and teachers. JOHN CARLANDER arrived at Westmont in 1980 before the college had developed an art department. Creating one appealed to him, and he... Read More
Faculty Footnotes
KATHRYN STELMACH ARTUSO (English) wrote an article for the Eudora Welty Review, “Transatlantic Rites of Passage in the Friendship and Fiction of Eudora Welty and Elizabeth Bowen,” which received the Ruth Vande Kieft award for the best annual essay... Read More
Reflections of a Cult Watcher
By Ronald M. Enroth, Professor of Sociology, Westmont College Theologian Ronald Sider published an article in the Christian Scholar’s Review in 2007, “Needed: A Few More Scholars/ Popularizers/Activists: Personal Reflections on my Journey,” that described the various roles he’s... Read More
Bringing Children to Jesus
Ruben and Holly Seguine ’93 Gil live on the east side of Santa Barbara and open their home to at-risk children. This ministry of love stems from their own pain and difficult childhoods. They strive to provide a safe, loving refuge... Read More
It’s Time to Celebrate
75th Anniversary Homecoming October 26–28, 2012 When was the last time you reunited with your Westmont classmates? How long has it been since you stepped foot on campus? Have you talked to your favorite professor recently? Isn’t it time... Read More
Restoring Cars, Lives and Hope
By day, Glenn Vaughn ’70 restores cars. By night, he restores lives. On weekends, he restores hope for the homeless and hungry. For 17 years, Glenn has volunteered two nights a week as a counselor at Dirne Community Health... Read More
Promoting Peacemaking and Evangelicalism
The Jesus Movement changed Rick Love ’75 profoundly. The former football player felt a call to ministry and transferred to Westmont because it was close to his Ojai, Calif., home. “I met my wife, Fran, there,” he says. “She... Read More
Finding Fertile Common Ground
Christie Vander Neut Oostema ’96 remembers dramatic billboards inviting Salt Lake City residents to engage in a conversation about the future. Fifteen years later she works as deputy planning director for Envision Utah, the organization that created those signs.... Read More
A Grandson Unlocks Captive Memories
Growing up, Jesse Cozean ’07 never heard his grandfather talk about being a prisoner during World War II. But at the end of his life, when Jesse cared for him for six months, the veteran started telling his story.... Read More
The Westmont Fund Is All About Students
Felisha Vasquez ’12, who has performed in seven major productions and three Fringe Festivals, graduated in May as the outstanding senior in theater arts. She hopes to earn a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Missouri-Kansas City... Read More
A Poet Well Versed in Service
For a poet, Kristin George Bagdanov ’09 took a prosaic approach to graduate school. She considered the merits of Master of Fine Arts programs, read the work of faculty and asked about financial aid. Her careful search yielded a... Read More
Four Seniors Set Off Into the World
The Westmont class of 2012 includes many accomplished graduates like Melissa, Coby, Kimberly and Elijah. MELISSA CHRISTENSEN ’12 co-directed Emmaus Road this year, encouraging a record 71 students to participate on summer service trips to Bolivia, China, Guatemala, Nepal, Uganda,... Read More
Knowledge, Doubt and Belief in God
A postscript by Jerry Gill ’56 to an article by James Taylor ’78 in the winter 2012 magazine and a dialog between two philosophers. As a fellow philosophy professor, the issues you wrestle with have lodged at the forefront of... Read More
An Enduring Christian Commitment
It’s impossible to talk about Westmont without mentioning its commitment to Christianity. The founders established the college as a Christian institution, and succeeding generations of trustees, administrators and faculty have faithfully maintained this essential character. Rather than being an... Read More
Advancing the Visual Arts and Middle East Studies
After a career as a graphic designer and owner of Neunuebel Graphics, Judy Van Horn Neunuebel ’69 now focuses on fine art. In her studios in Santa Barbara and Santa Fe, N.M., she creates mixed-media assemblages and will contribute... Read More