Letter from the President
Dear Member of the Class of 2011 and Parents of Graduates,
Commencement Weekend at Westmont College is an exciting event for the entire campus community. We celebrate our graduates who have achieved their goal of completing an undergraduate degree at Westmont. At the same time, we join with them in celebrating the meaningful relationships they’ve made with fellow students and the faculty who have come alongside them in this journey. We know that their time at Westmont has been more than just an academic education, but a journey of their life with God.
Baccalaureate will be held Friday, May 6 at 6 p.m. on Westmont’s Russell Carr Field. When picking up a cap and gown, each graduating senior will receive six general admission Baccalaureate tickets to give to family members and friends (graduates do not need a ticket). Since parking on campus is limited and shuttling our guests to campus on Friday is difficult, we ask you to carpool to Baccalaureate.
Commencement will be held Saturday, May 7 at 10 a.m., also on Russell Carr Field. This year’s Commencement address will be given by Professor Dallas Willard. He is a Professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He has taught at USC since 1965, where he was Director of the School of Philosophy from 1982-1985. He has also taught at the University of Wisconsin (Madison, 1960-1965), and has held visiting appointments at UCLA (1969) and the University of Colorado (1984).
Following a long-standing Westmont tradition, graduates will be led by bagpipers from Kerrwood Hall through the formal gardens to Russell Carr Field. Ample seating will be available for all guests; no tickets are required. The field opens at 8 a.m. A first-aid station is available during Commencement in case of medical emergencies. Please note that due to limited parking on campus, each graduating senior will receive a parking permit that allows only one car to park on-campus. Additional guests should park at Santa Barbara City College and ride the free shuttles to and from Westmont’s campus. The shuttles begin at 7 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m.
Following the Commencement ceremony, my wife Pam and I look forward to greeting the graduates and their guests at a reception that will be held on the lawns and patio areas surrounding Winter Hall for Science and Mathematics.
Parents, thank you for entrusting your students to us. We have been blessed to have them as part of the Westmont community, and we embrace them as life-long members of our alumni. We have confidence that God has great plans for each one of them and look forward to all that He will accomplish through their lives.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Gayle D. Beebe, Ph.D.
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