Diversity at Westmont College
Westmont strives to be a community informed and enriched by thoughtful and intentional study of and interaction with multiple cultures. As a liberal arts college rooted in Christ, we celebrate diversity as an aspect of God’s creation; we strive to create community out of rich diversity as an aspect of building God’s Kingdom in the world; we value the range of perspectives on the world that stimulates intellectual and personal growth; and we seek for faculty and staff to apprentice students in the art of dealing with diversity in constructive ways. It is an aim of Westmont to prepare graduates who will function intelligently, effectively and for the good of our increasingly intercultural world.
Westmont College's Commitment to Diversity
Based on excerpts from the Long Range Plan
It's been ten years since Westmont's current Long Range Plan was presented to and adopted by the Board of Trustees. One of the eight priorities included in the plan is "that the Westmont community be creatively and energetically responding to the significant issues related to diversity--including both ethnic and gender diversity." But why? Here are relevant excerpts from the Long Range Plan. more
Across Cultures Spring 2008
International Advocate Calls Students to Pray for Papua
by Cassie Joiner '10 and Natalie Reppa '11
Students met with journalist and activist Octo Mote to discuss the injustices against West Papuans. Christians in America are less active when it comes to social problems, while the West Paupan church must rely on God for freedom against an oppressive government, said Octo Mote, an international journalist who spoke with students in the Monroe Dining Room on January 25. more
Ardón Lectures on Five Missions in Mexico
Visting scholar Araceli Ardón delivered a lecture on five missions in the majestic mountains of northern Querétaro April 8th in Westmont’s Founders Room. The lecture’s focus was “The Missions of Father Serra iin Querétaro, Mexico.” Father Junipero Serra and his fellow Franciscans set out to evangelize the semi-nomadic Indian tribes who lived in Querétaro in the 1750s as he did later in California. Within a few years, he established five missions in the area, now famous for their magnificently painted and sculpted facades. more
First-Year Diversity Summary as of April 17, 2008
Applications from students of color for fall 2008 admission reached an all-time high, increasing from 448 last year to 693 this year. A similar trend also occurred in the number of admitted applicants, from 295 in 2007 to 344 in 2008. more
A New Role Faces Whites in Diverse World
by Elena Yee, director of Westmont Intercultural Programs
Doug Schaupp, a writer and teacher of racial issues, says America is challenged with the prospect of true integration as diverse populations increase in an increasingly global society. Considering the current presidential election in the United States, this topic is even more apropos than ever. He currently serves as the associate regional director for the greater Los Angeles division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and has toured the country lecturing on topics including multiethnicity and justice. He co-authored “Being White: Finding Our Place in a Multiethnic World.”
more
Westmont and Biola SCORR Together
by Kaitlin McDonald, ‘11
Friday, February 8, Elena Yee, director of Westmont Intercultural Programs took students to Biola University’s twelfth annual Student Conference on Racial Reconciliation. Both the speakers and the students traveled from all over the country to participate in the SCORR conference. more
Taking Integration Beyond The Baseball Diamond
by Kaitlin McDonald, ‘11
Years before integration began taking place in the United States, the Negro Baseball League took the first steps toward equality, explained singer, actor and author Byron Motley on February 1.
Speaking to a few dozen students, half the baseball team and members of the community, Motley shared the story of his father’s experiences as an umpire for the NBL and recounted the biographies of several major African-American players in the history of baseball. Motley explained how the Negro Baseball League came into existence and the important contributions it has made not only to baseball, but also to the process of integration in America. The NBL was the first to institute night games, something modern-day Americans take for granted. The League was also the first to have female players, use batting helmets and shin guards, as well as the first to take the game to Japan. more
Westmont 2005-2006 Annual Report on Diversity
Intercultural Programs
Many different threads need to come together in order to form a beautiful tapestry of color and textures. Our goal at Westmont College is to create an environment in which Christ's kingdom is woven together and wonderfully displayed right on our campus.
Learn more about Intercultural Programs at Westmont
Brenda Navarrete '02
"I have come to understand that my ethnic background is a unique gift that I can offer others and that I can be richly blessed by the differences that others have to offer me."
Clark Morgan '04
"Being a minority on the Westmont campus has been, and continues to be, one of the most rewarding lessons of my life."
Sarah Akinwale '06
" God led me to a place where room is allowed for difference. Westmont fosters an appreciation for diversity in all aspects of life."
Ethnic/International Student Enrollment Report
Fall semester
| GROUP | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Native American/Alaskan | 21 | 16 | 24 | 20 | 33 | 30 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 78 | 77 | 85 | 98 | 91 | 122 |
| Black | 10 | 15 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 30 |
| Hispanic | 77 | 89 | 105 | 127 | 129 | 132 |
| Non-Resident Alien | 7 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| TOTAL | 193 | 208 | 250 | 282 | 291 | 323 |
| College enrollment | 1330 | 1347 | 1376 | 1379 | 1337 | 1340 |
| % of Total Enrollment | 14.8% | 15.9% | 18.2% | 20.4% | 21.8% | 24.1% |