Winter 2010 Archive:
How Do We Respond to Jesus?
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... Read More
Out of the Ashes, Faculty Homes Go Solar
All 41 Faculty Homes in Las Barrancas Are Equipped with Solar Panels for Efficient and Inexpensive Power Workers have installed photovoltaic panels on the roofs of 41 Westmont faculty homes in the Las Barrancas neighborhood, the first fully solar... Read More
iPhone Puts Westmont on the App
iPhone Users Can Download a Westmont Application with Campus News, a Map and the Location of the College’s Shuttles Westmont has released a free application for the iPhone and iPod Touch that provides easily accessible information about the college... Read More
Reed Sheard Adds Fundraising to His Responsibilities
Reed Sheard has become vice president for college advancement and chief information officer at Westmont, assuming the management of the college’s fundraising, communication and external relations programs in addition to overseeing Information Technology. “Reed brings an extensive background in... Read More
Center to Study Faith, Ethics and Life Sciences
Westmont Announces the Founding of a New Center to Bring Thoughtful Discussion to Divisive Issues in the Bio-sciences Some of today’s most fascinating but contentious issues arise from the life sciences, such as stem cells, global warming and human... Read More
The Focus of Construction Moves Indoors
While Workers Continue to Finish the Exteriors of Adams Center and Winter Hall, Most Work Now Takes Place Inside Classrooms, faculty offices, and student lounges and learning areas are emerging from the shells of Adams Center for the Visual... Read More
Faculty Footnotes
Kathryn Stelmach Artuso (English) presented a paper, “Subalternatives to Paternalism in Margaret Mitchell’s ‘Gone with the Wind,’” at the Western Regional Conference on Christianity and Literature in March. Grey Brothers (music) led the Westmont Chamber Singers in a performance... Read More
Professor is Local Hero
In November, The Santa Barbara Independent named John Blondell, professor of theater arts and artistic director of Lit Moon Theatre Company, a 2009 Local Hero. The publication described Blondell as a theatrical visionary. “In addition to producing innovative shows... Read More
Fullbright Grant to Support Penksa's Research
The U.S. Department of State has awarded Susan Penksa, professor of political science, a follow-on Fulbright grant, allowing her to return to Bosnia and Herzegovina to build on the work of her 2007 fellowship and further the Fulbright mission... Read More
Following a Career in Art by Design
Westmont Professor Scott Anderson Does More Than Teach Art – He Applies It As a Professional Illustrator and Graphic Designer Scott Anderson grew up drawing, and he has never stopped. His sixth-grade teacher let him sketch if he finished... Read More
Mathematician Divides Teaching Duties
A Westmont Professor Shares a Full-Time Job at Work – and at Home – With Her Husband Patti Wilger Hunter ’88 and her husband, Dave, are partners in every sense of the word. They work together to care for... Read More
A Man in a Hurry to Serve Others
Professor Mary Docter Introduces Vicente Fox, President of Mexico 2000-2006 and the President’s Breakfast Speaker, Feb. 19 in Convocation Buenos días y bienvenidos a todos. Good morning and welcome to all. It is truly an honor to introduce you... Read More
Do Christians Need John Muir?
by Paul Willis, Professor of English Last fall my wife and I lost our home in a California wildfire. Then, in the spring, we got the call in the middle of the night that all parents dread; minutes later... Read More
Why a Week with Mother Teresa Might Be Better for the Doubter than a Week with C.S. Lewis
An Excerpt from “Faith at the Edge: A Book for Doubters” by Robert Wennberg Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy Often the best response to doubt and a sense of God’s absence is Christian service, reaching out to others in... Read More
Focusing on Face-to-Face Assistance
by Lesley Miller ’04 Justin Zoradi ’04 is a guy who’s actually doing what we all said we’d set out to do after graduation: change the world, one person at a time — or in Justin’s case, one face... Read More
Holistic Help for Humanitarian Workers
For years, Lois Santere Dodds ’80 has helped people who experience traumatic events, personal tragedies or difficulty adapting to different cultures. A professional counselor and a person familiar with cross-cultural challenges and hardships herself, she believes those in crisis... Read More
A Prescription for Good Medical Care
Rachel Wilson Trautwein ’96 came to Westmont knowing she wanted to be a doctor, majored in biology, and went to Loma Linda Medical School after graduating. Her husband, Eric Trautwein ’94, took a less direct route. A philosophy major... Read More
The Power of Praying Together
Why do fewer churches hold weekly prayer meetings these days? James Banks ’84 thinks Christians find praying aloud awkward and tedious because they’re out of practice. He hopes his book, “The Lost Art of Praying Together” (Discovery House, 2009),... Read More
Finding Homes for Orphans of AIDS
In South Africa, a young girl is more likely to be raped than to learn to read. Sexual assault and promiscuity feed the AIDS epidemic there, which robs 500 children of their parents each week. Beth Gillig ’03 knew... Read More
Principal Practices Educational Entrepreneurship
An NAIA All-American marathoner, Amy Bergenske Alzina ’98 knows what it takes to finish the punishing race: training, determination and hard work. Just three months after the birth of her first child she qualified for the 2008 Boston Marathon.... Read More
Start-up Helps Musicians Skip the Middleman
As members of the Nashville-based band Someday Company, Brian Peterson ’00 (seated) and Mike Taylor ’00 found selling music through iTunes frustrating. Not only did they earn only 50 cents of the 99-cent fee, but they had to wait... Read More
Student Seeks Sustainable Stewardship
Outreach on Campus, Connections to Environmental Groups and a Semester Abroad Help a Westmont Student Learn Sustainability Anthony Waldrop ’11 reflects his love for God through his stewardship of the environment, and he is passionate about caring for creation.... Read More
Taking a Break to Help the Less Fortunate
Westmont students traveled across borders and state lines during spring break, and about 340 of them served the less fortunate in various places. A CNN story about tourism in Mexico featured senior Hanna Walker building one of the six... Read More
A West Side Story for Westmont Students
Three Seniors Spent a Semester Living in a Low-Income Housing Complex in Santa Barbara to Reach Out to the Residents Most students go off campus for internships and return home to their residence hall rooms. But three young women... Read More
From Africa with Love
Byron and Lisa Borden, Westmont Parents and Alumni, Confidently Sent Their Sons Thousands of Miles Away to College Byron ’82 and Lisa Repko ’84 Borden and their four children have lived together in four countries on three continents. Tradition... Read More
Telescopes Put a Focus on the Sciences
For more than 50 years, Westmont has provided a window into the heavens through its exceptional telescopes and astronomy program. The powerful Keck Telescope has replaced older instruments, and the campus boasts a beautiful new observatory. Today, Westmont is... Read More
A Family Connection to Westmont
Jean Bergman grew up on a farm near Tulare, Calif., in a Christian home. Her parents and four brothers raised alfalfa and grains before becoming dairy farmers and delivering milk. Jean still remembers their slogan: “The quality goes in... Read More