Commencement Honors Student, Community Servants
About 4,000 people cheered on 314 graduates of the Class of 2012 under blue, sunny skies at Carr Field during Commencement May 5. A grove of still-charred eucalyptus trees behind the main stage served as a reminder that many of these graduating students evacuated to the gym during the devastating Tea Fire in November 2008 during their first year at Westmont.
At the ceremony, Westmont recognized several students for their achievement. Elijah Tylski earned the Faculty Scholarship Award for the highest cumulative GPA. Tylski graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and begins pilot training for the U.S. Air Force in February.
Kate Stewart, cross country and track and field, and Coby Cress, baseball, earned the Dean’s Award given to the outstanding male and female graduates who have demonstrated excellence in the classroom and as athletes and evidenced a deep faith. Coach Russell Smelley says Kate “may be the best female distance runner to ever compete for Westmont.” She graduated with a 3.86 GPA and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology.
Cress graduated with a 3.95 GPA in economics and business while demonstrating compassion and heart for service. “He is a transformative leader with an incredible level of commitment to the pursuit of excellence,” Coach Rob Ruiz says.
Kelsey Santoro received the Dave Dolan Award for her desire to help others grow in their faith while serving as co-director of Potter’s Clay and residence assistant in Armington Hall.
Melissa Christensen and TJ Breshears earned the Kenneth Monroe Award for demonstrating superior academic achievement, excelling as leaders and influencing other students’ lives through their integrity, character and faithfulness.
President Gayle D. Beebe presented Chad and Ginni Dreier with the Westmont Medal. The Dreiers have dedicated their lives to serving the less fortunate by giving generously to numerous organizations that support children, education, literacy and health-related causes.
“Chad and Ginni have made a lasting contribution to our community,” Beebe says. “They have been involved in virtually every major organization that works to improve the lives of our citizens. They are two of the most generous, kind and loving human beings I have ever met. They approach every situation with optimism and a forward-looking perspective that solves problems and improves the lives of all they touch.”
Chad, a Los Angeles native, is the former president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of the Ryland Group, the seventh largest developer and builder of homes in the United States. He served as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1969 to 1972. After 13 years as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Loyola Marymount University, he is now the chair emeritus.
A co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Council of Loyola Marymount University, Ginni also serves or has served on the board of directors for the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens, the Restless Leg Syndrome Foundation, and the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation. She is involved with the Santa Barbara Police Activities League, Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
This year’s Commencement included 53-year old Kimberly Schuck, who graduated summa cum laude as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Societies. While at Westmont, Schuck earned a David K. Winter Servant Leadership Award and competed with the cross-country and track and field teams. Schuck, who graduated from Dos Pueblos High School in 1977, returned to college after raising five children, the youngest of whom graduates this year from UC Santa Barbara.