Westmont in San Francisco Testimonials
Alumni Testimonials
“1973, Urban Internship Program gave me a unique perspective on living in a multicultural, diverse, urban environment. It taught me leadership, confidence, tolerance, and team building skills that I still use today.”
– Suzanne Rogers Karger, 1973
“It was the Urban Program that taught me how to take the critical thinking skills that I was learning in the campus curriculum and actually apply them, to both the church and the world, to both faith and society.”
– Dr. Chis Boesel, 1982
“Although it was only one semester, I count the Urban Program in the Fall of 1987 during my senior year as the most influential from my time at Westmont. The integrated and multi-faceted model of learning was so rich and comprehensive that I have found myself time and time again reflecting on those experiences and still gaining from them.”
– Jamie Lisea, 1987
“The Urban Program gave me the space to discover my professional calling, but more importantly, it was one of the first places in my life up to that point where I felt safe to explore questions of faith that I’d been afraid to even ask.”
– Rev. Brooke Pickrell, 1998
“The Urban Program helped me pause, think and reflect, allowing me to actually experience the many things I had opinions and judgments about. The Urban Program helped me put faces to ideas and thoughts; it helped me become more compassionate and it fostered my desire to understand the Gospel in an urban context. The Urban Program, by far, was the most influential part of my college experience.”
– Emily Katz, 2005
“I loved getting a taste of post-grad independence while maintaining a network of fellow students and faculty to process and live with. The program opened my eyes to what work energizes me and what work drains me, to urban issues I've become passionate about, to the joys and difficulties of living with a house full of students, and to a wealth of vibrant experiences that will remain a bright spot in my college years.”
– Madison Frambes, 2015
“Brad, as well as the program, deeply engages issues that are extremely relevant to the world we live in, while remaining deeply committed to Christ and scripture. I have never experienced such depth in both of those things and seen them married together so naturally and beautifully.”
– Kaylie Jerdal, 2021
“My semester in San Francisco entirely revitalized my faith, personal, and professional life; the time I spent in the city and within the wonderful community at the Clunie House gave me a profound sense of community and understanding of the diversity of God's creation.”
– Ella Jennings, 2021
Program Partner Testimonials
“I watched this program change students' lives through their internships, alongside the extraordinary guidance of the staff. What an experience it was for them.”
– Janet Minson Visick, Friend of the Program
“Rusty Springer (former Program Director), a constant mentor, supporter, friend, and most importantly, a person that reaches out with the words that I don’t even know I needed until she shares them.”
– Wendy Brown, Friend of the Program
“Westmont's vital presence in San Francisco, thanks to the dedication of Rusty Springer (former Program Director), Brad Berky (current Program Director), and so many others, is not just a service to the students who participate or the organizations that gain extra hands for a few months. It's also a witness and an inspiration.”
– Rev. Will Scott, Program Partner
Faculty
“Westmont in San Francisco has been one of our "go-to" programs for students who want to get into the excitement and diversity of city life. They gain valuable workplace skills as part of their internships and learn to faithfully navigate the variety of opinions encountered as part of the WSF experience. Most importantly, students have shared that WSF has helped focus their faith in and on Jesus.”
– Lesa Stern, Communication Studies
“I encourage Westmont students to participate in WSF because of the consistently impressive outcomes. Students return to our main campus with both a breadth and depth of experiences -- academic, social, theological, practical -- that have shaped and continue to shape them as good citizens and followers of Jesus.”
– Holly Beers, Religious Studies
“WSF allows space for students to grapple with the difficult questions facing our world today, all while immersed in a supportive community of believers. I have witnessed first-hand the impact of WSF on my students: they return with greater curiosity about both local and global issues, they ask better questions, and they feel more confident and empowered regarding their place in the world.”
– Mary Docter, Spanish
