Very few Westmont students have tested positive for the coronavirus since returning to campus in mid-September, and faculty and staff are finding innovative ways for students to thrive while staying safe.
The Westmont Orchestra, masked up, socially distant and with bell covers over their instruments, will perform “An Orchestral Sampler” on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. The event, which is being recorded live outdoors, will be available for free viewing at vimeo.com/showcase/westmontmusic.
In a time of challenge, conflict and difficulty, the Westmont Theater Arts Department stages “small enchantments,” a fairy tale-inspired play of change and wonder on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at westmont.edu/watchtheater.
“I wanted to work on something with our students that enacted and presented enchantment, hope and possibility for renewed life rather than an immersion in the desperation and uncertainty of the present moment,” says director John Blondell.
Dr. Eric Nelson, director of Counseling and Psychological Services, will share lessons from the pandemic’s unique impact on emotional health in a free, online lecture, “Stress, Loss and Uncertainty Amidst COVID-19: Cultivating a Mindset to Endure Prolonged Global Distress,” on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at vimeo.com/showcase/7555348.
An interdisciplinary panel of Westmont faculty, including Yi-Fan Lu (biology), Tom Knecht (political science), and Meredith Whitnah (sociology), with moderator Kya Mangrum (English) will explore “What Is Race and Racism?" on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. Off-campus attendees can register at https://bit.ly/33IGuQE to be sent the link to the Zoom event.
Four stellar new professors join the Westmont faculty this fall: Katherine Bryant (political science), alumnus Daniel Gee (music), Robert Haring-Kaye (physics) and Blake Victor Kent (soc