Santa Barbara News Press

Coach Kristi Kiely felt comforted by all the familiar faces when women’s soccer workouts resumed at Westmont College last month. But it was that newest, cutest face that got her wondering. “I was really nervous,” conceded Kiely, whose Warriors had advanced to last year’s NAIA national final before losing to Concordia, Ore. “I felt like I’d worked really hard to create a professional environment here and had been successful at it.” more

In his more than two decades as founding artistic director of Lit Moon Theatre Company, John Blondell has made good use of his passport. The award-winning director and chair of Westmont College’s Theatre Arts Department has built Lit Moon into a respected and well-traveled troupe, bringing Shakespeare and other works — 60 in total — to 13 different countries. But even with such an impressive itinerary now in the rear window, Mr. Blondell admits that his next endeavor is more special still, as Lit Moon will take its singular rendition of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” to Beijing in October for the National Theatre of China’s International Festival. more

Jane Hideko Higa, former vice president for student life and dean of students at Westmont College, died September 5 of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. She was 63. Jane retired a year ago after 24 years at Westmont, the longest serving vice president in college history. A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 13, at 10:30 a.m. at Santa Barbara Community Church, 1002 Cieneguitas Road, Santa Barbara. In lieu of flowers, Jane asked that donations be made to Homeboy Industries or Westmont College. more

UCSB ranked No. 10 out of the top 30 public national universities in the 2015 U.S. News & World Report on best colleges released Tuesday. … U.S. News & World Report ranked Westmont College in the top 100 best liberal arts colleges for the sixth year in a row. Westmont placed No. 96. more

With the return of the Fall 2014 athletic season comes the return of the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheons at Harry’s Plaza Café. Monday’s kickoff luncheon began by honoring all of the area athletic directors who help make the SBART and local athletics what they are. … Similarly, the Westmont women’s soccer team has a big test on Friday. After the undefeated No. 2 Warriors defeated the 13th- and 3rd-ranked teams in the NAIAA last week, they will face last year’s national champion, Concordia. more

Another day, another win for the Westmont women’s soccer team. The Warriors — ranked No. 2 in the lastest NAIA poll — picked up a 2-0 victory over third-ranked Lindsey Wilson at the Wilson Stanno Classic on Friday afternoon, improving to 5-0 on the season. Westmont scored both of its goals in the first 20 minutes, the first coming in the seventh minute on a Christine Adams goal on a rebound off a Brooke Lillywhite shot. more

Carrying pillows and clothes baskets, coffee makers and computers, 379 first-year students arrived at Westmont College for orientation Thursday, in advance of the start of classes on Monday. The class of 2018 includes students from 29 states and eight foreign countries: Argentina, Germany, Jordan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden and the U.K. more

Franklin Elementary School bustled with excited returning and new students and teachers Wednesday. … Ricardo Alcaraz and Marlen Lim-n, who moved on from Franklin in 1995 and 2001, respectively, are first year, fourth grade teachers. Both went on to Santa Barbara Junior High and Santa Barbara High School. Mr. Alcaraz received his bachelors degree is education from Westmont College, while Ms. Lim-n received her bachelors in sociology and education from UCSB. Both received their teaching credentials from Antioch University. more

Maria Long wants to take health care to new heights. Just look up. She’s arranged for a dozen or so hot air balloons to glow and rise at night above Elings Park, 1298 Las Positas Road, to raise $75,000 for Doctors Without Walls: Santa Barbara Street Medicine. The nonprofit provides care for the homeless. … Doctors Without Walls relies on nearly 200 volunteers, most of them pre-med students at UCSB, Santa Barbara City College and Westmont College, as well as approximately 20 doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. more

A good story is one that can stand the test of time. It is an adage that Santa Barbara author Jamie Lisea not only subscribes to but puts into practice. Mrs. Lisea has recently released “Rich Thirsty Hungry: And the Freedom That Finds Us There,” a book that contains three contemporary tales inspired by stories originally inscribed into Scripture at the beginning of the first century. … Raised in the Mojave Desert enclave of Lancaster, Mrs. Lisea, 48, first came to Santa Barbara to attend Westmont College. It was there that she met her husband, Scott, 48, a business and economic major who minored in religious studies. more