Westmont College
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| Motto | Christus Primatum Tenens (Christ Preeminent in all Things) |
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| Established | October 29, 1937 |
| Type | Christian, Private |
| Endowment | $47.7 million (July 1, 2004) |
| President | David K. Winter |
| Faculty | 90 |
| Staff | 213 |
| Undergraduates | 1,328 |
| Location | Santa Barbara, CA, USA |
| Campus | Suburban (111 acres) |
| Colors | Maroon & White |
| Nickname | The Warriors |
| Affiliations | Western Association of Schools and Colleges; California State Board of Education; NAIA |
| Website | www.westmont.edu |
Westmont College is a Christian liberal arts college in the hills of Montecito, near Santa Barbara, California.
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[edit] History
The school's mission is to "provide a high quality undergraduate liberal arts program in a residential campus community that assists college men and women toward a balance of rigorous intellectual competence, healthy personal development, and strong Christian commitments." The school was established in 1937 in Los Angeles by Ruth Kerr, who owned the Kerr Mason Jar Company with the establishment of the Bible Missionary Institute (later renamed the Western Bible College). In 1940 Ruth Kerr and the other founders realized that a liberal arts curriculum was the best direction for the school. The college was renamed Westmont, and Dr. Wallace Emerson, the first president, began to envision a Christian liberal arts college that would take its place among the best colleges in the nation.
By 1944, Westmont had outgrown its facilities in Los Angeles. The search for a new campus led Mrs. Kerr and the trustees to the former Dwight Murphy estate in Montecito with its 125 acres. Westmont purchased this property and moved to the Santa Barbara area in 1945.
Set in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Westmont’s wooded and scenic acres provide an environment for a residential college. The campus includes buildings and land from two former estates and the historic Deane School for Boys. The grounds still feature the pathways, stone bridges, and garden atmosphere typical of Montecito, a suburb of Santa Barbara.
While Westmont has sought to preserve and use the original structures, it has also built new facilities, including the Roger John Voskuyl Library, the restored Westmont Art Center, the Whittier Science Building, the Murchison Gymnasium Complex, and the Ruth Kerr Memorial Student Center. They are currently anticipating the addition of the Winter Hall for Science and Mathematics, and the Adams Center for the Visual Arts.
In 1997, the college celebrated 60 years of growth in this distinctive and consistent heritage. As an institution, we have come of age. They offer a nationally recognized liberal arts education for a new generation of men and women who apply their competency and their personal Christian faith to the challenge and complexity of today’s world.
[edit] Academics
Westmont offers 26 majors. The student/faculty ratio is 13 to 1; percentage of faculty with doctorates is 77%[1]; average class size is 18.5[2]. The students come from 25 states, 11 countries, and 33 Christian denominations. Graduation rate in 6 years is 69%.
[edit] Athletics
Westmont is in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC), a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Westmont's women's soccer team has won the NAIA national championships in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Westmont also fields men's and women's basketball teams, men's soccer, women's volleyball, men's baseball, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's cross-country.
[edit] Campus
Westmont College is located a few miles off of U.S. 101 just to the east of Santa Barbara in the hills of Montecito. It is a 100 mile drive from Los Angeles on U.S. 101, a 250 mile drive from San Francisco on U.S. 101, and a 150 mile drive from Bakersfield on S.R. 99, I-5, S.R. 126, and U.S. 101.
[edit] Trivia
Westmont hosts a yearly evert called Spring Sing. This event is a talent show of sorts pitting the males and females from each dorm against each other in a contest to perform a short musical.
In October of 2006 Westmont received a donation of $75 million. This was the second largest donation gifted to a liberal arts college. [3]
[edit] External links
Official website: Westmont College
