Blog Posts by Westmont

Kerrwood Lawn in the late 1960s

A Stately Sight to Generations of Warriors

Amid a global pandemic and dire nursing shortage, Westmont’s proposed Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) arrives just in time to meet a great need not only in the Santa Barbara community but in California. The program, run in partnership with Cottage Health, received unanimous approval for its feasibility study from the California Board of Registered Nursing’s (BRN) Education Licensing Committee (ELC) in April and awaits further approvals.

Westmont’s Senzo Zola Sokhela, a 19-year-old freshman from South Africa, has made a name for himself despite his short time on campus. After Sokhela won two individual national championships at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships May 28, the U.S.

Westmont College and Young Life Southwestern Division have awarded full scholarships to Arath Gomez of Santa Barbara, Destiny Mitchell of Victorville and Serena Nohmeh of Reseda. Young Life Urban Leadership Scholarships cover the cost of tuition, room and board for each student to attend Westmont for four years.

“No class in the history of Westmont College has endured so much to make it to this day,” said President Gayle D. Beebe as he welcomed the 306 members of the class of 2021 and their families on May 8 to a special, socially distanced Commencement service on Thorrington Field. “Four years ago, you arrived on a beautiful August afternoon, ready to move in, anticipating all that lay ahead, not thinking of the long and arduous journey that would bring you to this moment.

Each year, the Westmont community celebrates the many ways that God has gifted our students academically by announcing and honoring the Outstanding Graduate Awards in each department during the Academic Awards Convocation prior to Commencement. This year, the ceremony was pre-recorded and is available for viewing here: https://youtu.be/Rb-kaApMhec.

The following are the Outstanding Graduates of 2021