Kat Burgett
Name: Kat Burgett
Hometown: La Verne, CA
Year at Westmont: Freshman
Major: undeclared
Email: admsstu@westmont.edu
Hobbies/Interests: singing, playing the flute, going on random adventures around Santa Barbara with friends, reading, exploring other cultures
About Westmont: I knew in high school that I wanted to attend a small, Christian, academically strong, liberal arts school in Southern California, and Westmont fit that description perfectly! So far my expectations of what life would be like at Westmont have definitely been exceeded. My classes are challenging and interesting, and their small sizes create great opportunities for conversation and friendship. I also love the way professors integrate Christianity into their classes. Westmont is a truly Christian school; everything revolves around Christ and learning to serve Him. I also love living in such a supportive community. The people here are amazing! My friends encourage me and keep my life interesting, and living with them has let us grow very close in a short amount of time.
Bio: I grew up in La Verne, California (kind of near L.A.) in a family of six (my parents, me, and my two little brothers and little sister). When I was in seventh grade my family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa for a year and a half (my dad works for World Vision, an international relief and development organization). While I was there I was exposed to the world outside the U.S, and that’s one of the reasons why I’m fascinated by cross-cultural studies now. I’m thinking about majoring in sociology/anthropology, but my friends will tell you that I’ve considered probably ten different majors! I’m still waiting to see what God has in store for my life after college. Right now, though, I’m having a great time at Westmont. I’m singing in the Women’s Chorale, playing my flute in Wind Ensemble, and looking to get involved with a campus ministry. And, of course, I’m balancing studying with hanging out with friends, going to the beach, and generally enjoying living in such an incredible place.
Random Fact: I can’t stand cheese, and I’ll only eat it on pizza!
Blogs
Kat's Fifth Blog
April 9, 2008
At my elementary school, fourth grade marked the beginning of our school district's music program. My parents had told me that I had to be involved in either band or choir, and even though I enjoyed singing and had been in my church's musicals all through elementary school, something in me rebelled at the thought of participating in the choir program. My friends, who had had older siblings sing in our school's choir, had been talking about how great choir was all the past year, and I was sick of hearing about it! Just to be different, I decided to play the flute in the band, and I stuck with that all through my senior year of high school.
Even though I loved my band experience, though, I really do like to sing. In late high school I tried to get involved in our school's choir, but at my high school it was hard for someone who had no choral experience to get into the program that late (and, admittedly, my audition wasn't very good since I was so nervous!). After that ordeal, I resigned myself to a vocal career of just singing harmonies during church worship services, but I really regretted not joining choir earlier.
I arrived at Westmont last August with a flute scholarship, excited to be able to play in a collegiate setting. Still, though, I had that nagging wish to be able to sing in a choir! During freshman Orientation someone mentioned something to me about Westmont's Women's Chorale when I said that I enjoyed singing, and invited me to come to one of the earlier rehearsals of the semester to check it out. I gave a vague, non-committal response, not expecting to actually attend (I've always been a little shy about singing in front of other people!). On the day of the rehearsal, though, one of my suitemates who was already signed up for the class convinced me to come with her. To make a long story short, I fell in love with the choir and decided to take a chance and join it!
Women's Chorale has since been one of the highlights of my first year at Westmont. I've gained a lot more confidence in my voice as I've learned more about vocal technique and practiced singing in front of others. Our professor is very enthusiastic and encouraging, and my classmates and I truly enjoy making music together. Westmont attracts very talented singers and we've received many compliments about our overall sound! (As a side note: for anyone interested in Westmont choirs, Women's or Men's Chorale is where all freshmen begin their choral careers. Anyone can join these choirs; obviously, from my experience, no choral experience is needed! At the end of freshman year, there are auditions for College Choir, New Sounds, and Chamber Singers. I just auditioned last week!) We've had three major concerts so far this year, and we're looking forward to our last one coming up in about two weeks.
This semester, I've also really enjoyed singing in the Women's Chamber Ensemble, a group selected from the main Women's Chorale that meets after class to work on additional, mostly a cappella pieces of music. This last weekend, the chamber group travelled up to Morro Bay to sing at a small church, and we sang in the Vocal Chamber Concert last night. Last year, I could have never imagined myself singing in any choir, much less one for which I had to audition! I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to get involved in vocal music at Westmont, especially since I've dreamed about singing in a choir for a good part of my life. Choir is now one of my passions.
Kat’s Fourth Blog
March 17th, 2008
Just five more hours and I’m done with class…then on to spring break! This past week has been kind of stressful for a lot of people; there have been several exams and papers to prepare for before heading off campus. Now everything is winding down, though, and we’re pretty excited for a break!
The past few weeks have been pretty fantastic here at Westmont. Two weeks ago we had “80’s Sadies” at the Santa Barbara Zoo, which was really fun. Two of my suitemates (Beth and Hannah) and I planned a picnic dinner for our dates at the beach, and we had a good time shopping at Vons and trying to keep our plans a surprise. And speaking of surprises, I had asked Beth to set me up on a blind date (since I didn’t really have one guy in mind for the dance). I was pretty nervous during the days leading up to it, since I was afraid the evening might be a little awkward. My worries were misplaced, however, because Beth had arranged for one of my good friends from home to come visit me and be my date! After our beach picnic, we walked to the zoo in our eighties attire and had a good time both on the dance floor and looking for any animals who would be out at night!
For the rest of the weekend, we gave my friend from home a taste of what life is like for us here at Westmont. We went to downtown Santa Barbara to eat lunch at Chipotle (my favorite restaurant!) and then walk on the pier. And, of course, back on campus we played our requisite board games and just had a great time overall. I’m looking forward to going home for spring break, but it’ll be strange to go a week and a half without seeing most of my Westmont friends!
Westmont has some great programs offered over spring break. The most popular is called Potter’s Clay—over 200 students go to Mexico to serve the city of Ensenada by doing construction, leading VBS programs, etc. For those interested in serving in San Francisco, Spring Break in the City offers an opportunity to minister to the poor and homeless in the city every year. Also, our Racial Equality and Justice group is traveling to Mississippi and Alabama to foster dialogue about racial and social issues. This year, I’m not participating in any of these programs, but I’m hoping to go on Potter’s Clay next year! I’m going home to La Verne tomorrow to spend a relaxing week with family and friends before the busy month of April begins! I’m also planning on going to Disneyland with two of my friends from Westmont, and I’m really looking forward to that.
After spring break, my life will be a lot busier. At the beginning of April is Spring Sing, a campus-wide event in which each dorm competes against the others in a musical extravaganza. I might be singing on the side microphones for Clark Hall (my dorm), and I’m anticipating lots of time spent in rehearsals. I’m also in four concerts (yikes!) during the month of April, performing with Women’s Chorale, Women’s Chamber Choir, and Wind Ensemble. I’ll be auditioning for College Choir soon after spring break too, and I’m kind of nervous about that since this is the first year I’ve been in any choir. I love to sing, though, so I hope I make it in! Women’s Chorale has been a great experience for me, and I’m so thankful I’ve had the opportunity to finally try something I’ve wanted to do since middle school (but never had the time). College is a great time to expand your interests and try new things!
Kat’s Third Blog
February 28th, 2008
It's midterms season here at Westmont, and even though I (fortunately!) don't have any tests this week, most people have been studying a lot lately. Instead of telling you about what's been going on around here recently (studying... although we are looking forward to our Sadie Hawkins dance on Friday!), I thought I'd give you a tour of some of my favorite spots on campus. Westmont is an incredibly beautiful school, and there are several particularly amazing places you should know about!
Deane Chapel:
Not to be confused with the Prayer Chapel (which you should definitely also explore), Deane is where most musical ensembles meet. I come here for choir, wind ensemble, and colloquium (student recitals) each week, so I feel like I know it well! Deane Chapel is a beautiful building, cool on warmer days and filled with an air of peace. I love the smell of the wooden floor when I walk in the door, and it's easy to sing or play my flute when I'm in a place with such good acoustics! Outside the chapel is another grassy field, with artistic sculptures scattered around it (the Art Center shares this field with Deane).
This is a great spot to lie in the sun before choir (which my friends and I often do), or do homework before colloquium. Deane's a relaxing place for anyone to enjoy, but if you're looking at doing music at Westmont, you will definitely spend a lot of time around here!
The Study:
After the DC closes, the best place to get food on campus is The Study. All students receive $22 each semester to spend at this cafe-style restaurant, so it's good to take advantage of that opportunity for free food! My friends and I like to go to The Study on weeknights after we're done with homework to eat, talk, and play board games (especially "Settlers of Catan" -- great game).
Clark 'Burbs:
Every dorm has its places where it's convenient for people from different sections to get together, and Clark (where I live) is no exception. I live in the part of Clark known as "The 'Burbs" (as opposed to "Downtown Clark"), which is made up of three sections: two women's and one men's. In the middle of our dorms are two small fields and a small courtyard, as well as two lounges, which makes it easy for our area to get to know each other. Every time I walk out of my suite I see people I know studying or talking on the grass, hanging out in the lounges, playing Bocce Ball in the small ravine that separates us from Downtown, or playing guitar in the courtyard. We even have swing and salsa dancing in the courtyard some nights! The 'Burbs are a great place to live, which I'm sure is representative of the other dorms on campus too.
The Rock:
The rock by the library is the perfect place to hang out, study, sunbathe, or watch the stars. It's a huge rock, but since it's adjacent to a higher field it's easy to climb in any outfit, carrying just about anything. On days like today when the Santa Barbara weather is at its best (clear, sunny, lightly breezy, and around 70 degrees), the rock is pleasantly warm and inviting. I prefer to visit the rock at night, though. It has become a kind of sanctuary for me; lying on the rock late at night is a great time to talk to God. The stars are amazing (much brighter and clearer than where I'm from in LA!), and I've seen several shooting stars. I would definitely have to say that the rock is my favorite spot on campus.
Kat’s Second Blog
February 22nd, 2008
One of the great things about going to a small school like Westmont is the opportunity to be in small classes. Last semester, I had an amazing classroom experience in my honors seminar in literature. With a class of only fourteen, each of us was able to express our opinions on the books we read and really get to know each other. The fifteen of us (including our professor) would sit informally around a table in the English building every Monday and Wednesday and talk about literature. Our professor didn't just lecture each class period. She would introduce a topic, but let the rest of us discuss it while guiding our conversation and providing helpful insights. At the beginning of the semester, our discussions were kind of awkward. After all, we had only just met each other and we were hesitant to speak up in front of the class. By December, though, our conversations were energetic and fun, and English was always something I could look forward to!
I signed up to take this class not because I was interested in the subject, but because I knew it would be small and I wanted that kind of experience. The course definitely sparked my interest in literature, though! At first I grumbled about doing literary analysis; after all, I just spent my junior and senior years of high school in AP English classes and I was sick of endlessly writing about "how various forms of diction and syntax accomplish things." This English class, however, made me really appreciate how authors craft their stories. My professor and the other students in the class had some really good insights into the books we read, and I found myself eagerly looking for symbolism in the language of our texts by the end of the semester. Our professor was always making sure we applied what we read in our books to issues of faith, morality, and the nature of reality. The book Jane Eyre really resonated with me; even though I had read it before in high school I found myself strongly identifying with Jane, and a few pages of my journal are even taken up by my reflections on her story.
Even though I definitely enjoyed the more serious aspects of this course, we also had a lot of fun! Our class experience was not limited to Reynolds Hall. We traveled to Topanga Canyon to see a production of "The Tempest," saw two plays on campus, held class outside on sunny days, participated in a marathon reading of Jane Eyre, and went to our professor's house one evening to watch a movie (and eat LOTS of cookies!). We would sometimes spend the first part of class just catching up with each other, and by the end of the semester we had many inside jokes. The four guys in the class formed what they called the "Man Club" and definitely appreciated the fact that we had to read poetry by Gerard Manley Hopkins. We genuinely enjoyed each others' company, and most days after class we would eat dinner together in the DC (Dining Commons). We were all sad to see the end of the semester come, but just yesterday we had a reunion over dinner and we still see each other around campus. That English class was one of the best experiences I've had throughout my school career, and I'm so glad I was in it!
Kat’s First Blog
January 25th, 2008
Perhaps you would like to know how I chose Westmont. After I took the PSAT my junior year, I found myself flooded with college mail-- I was getting up to ten letters a day! I saved all of the letters, postcards, viewbooks, and other assorted school paraphernalia (one school sent me a periodic table of the elements...), but even though I carefully considered all the college information at first, eventually all the material ended up tossed in the corner of my room. Early on in my search, I thought I wanted to attend a Christian school, but I struggled with the idea that I could become too comfortable in a Christian environment and not be able to reach out to non-Christians. After a lot of prayer and talking to my youth pastor, though, I realized that my college years would shape me, and that I wanted these four years to be a time of spiritual growth where my academics, faith, and social life would all center around Christ.
By the time college application time rolled around, I had narrowed my choices down to four colleges. I applied to Westmont and another Christian school near my hometown. Westmont was my top choice then, but it was also the most expensive school on my list and I wasn't sure how much financial aid I would get, so I also applied to two public schools. I was accepted into all the colleges I applied to, and held my breath waiting for financial aid offers to come in!
In February of my senior year, I was invited to Westmont to compete for a Monroe full-tuition scholarship in a competition called Scholar’s Day. Even though I didn't end up winning the scholarship, the experience of that weekend convinced me that Westmont was the right school for me! The people I met there were fantastic, and I could definitely see myself becoming friends with and learning from them (in fact, I met some ofthe close friends I have now that weekend and we're looking forward to celebrating our one-year "anniversary" in a few weeks!). I sat in on two class sessions and I was convinced that Westmont's strong academic reputation is well-founded. It also didn't hurt that the campus is gorgeous! Most of all, I loved the way Christianity is weaved into every part of the college, and I felt a definite peace about choosing Westmont. On the way home from that weekend, my mom told me, "Kat, you need attend this college!" and I couldn't have agreed more.
My financial prayers were answered when all of my potential schools sent me their aid offers and Westmont hadoffered me the most money! That sealed the decision, and I looked forward to starting school in August. So far, Westmont has exceeded my expectations, and I feel so blessed to be able to live and go to school here. I can't wait to see what the rest of my four years will bring!