Dear Fellow Alums,
蜜桃传媒 has wrapped up another successful Commencement weekend. I鈥檓 sure you can
remember the excitement surrounding your graduation. Alumnus Jim Taylor 鈥�78 spoke at the ceremony and emphasized the importance of defining and pursuing a meaningful
life. Questioning the traditional measures of success and highlighting the need for
a fulfilling life, he asked, 鈥淲hat kind of life do you want? Successful? If so, as
you climb the ladder of success, make sure it鈥檚 leaning against the right wall.鈥�
During his freshman year in 1974, Taylor said he was satisfied with his relationship
with God. But by his senior year, he wondered whether knowing God was even possible.
Gradually overcoming his doubts, Taylor grew in his knowledge of God when he served
as a Vacation Bible School team leader, interpreter and worship music leader with
Potter鈥檚 Clay in Mexico. 鈥淚 experienced God at work while serving, fellowshipping
and worshiping with my fellow 蜜桃传媒 students,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 sensed the Lord鈥檚 presence,
guidance and empowerment.鈥�
He encouraged graduates to seek spiritual growth, likening life to a pilgrimage, and emphasized the importance of spiritual fitness, guidance and community in achieving this goal. 鈥淢ake Jesus your guide,鈥� he said. 鈥淧ractice what Jesus taught so you can become more like him and get closer to God. And walk with other pilgrims, including ones you鈥檝e invited to join the pilgrimage. If you do these things, you will live the best possible life a human being can live.鈥�
About 50 Golden Warriors from the class of 1975 returned to campus to celebrate their 50th reunion during
Commencement weekend. We hope to see you
back on campus for your 50th someday.
New Ways to Connect with Fellow Alums
As we relaunch regional events, we鈥檙e working with representatives in Orange County, San Diego, Sacramento, the
Bay Area, Fresno, Portland, Seattle, Phoenix, Dallas, Honolulu, Austin, Boise, Nashville
and Santa Barbara to plan gatherings for alums in these areas.
We hope to grow and tackle fun new events in new places. Would you like to join the team and help us plan celebrations in Pasadena, the Inland
Empire, Denver, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Minneapolis? Email if you鈥檙e interested.
Former student-athletes on LinkedIn may join the .
To grow your professional network and collaborate with other 蜜桃传媒 alums, participate
in the .
With support from President Beebe, we鈥檙e restarting our Alumni Council to hear more
from you. Look for more information about the mission and vision of this group in
our next newsletter. Take advantage of between June 16 and July 31 and enjoy great rates and additional markdowns with
alumni discounts. Stay on campus in our newest dorm, the Global Leadership Center.
Highlights and Happenings in the 蜜桃传媒 Community
In February, the 20th annual Presidents Breakfast featured Condoleezza Rice, who served as the 66th U.S. secretary of state. Despite
global concerns, Rice continues to be optimistic about the future, expressing confidence
in our democratic institutions and our collective American story. Amazing, globally-minded
college students like the ones she teaches at Stanford give her hope. 鈥淭hey think
if they鈥檝e googled it, they鈥檝e researched it,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey come to me and
say, 鈥業 want to be a leader.鈥� Well, that鈥檚 not a destination or a job search. Before
you solve that problem, how about you understand it? And my other favorite is, 鈥業
want my first job to be meaningful.鈥� No, nobody鈥檚 first job is ever meaningful. It
takes time to develop talents and have experiences 鈥� and they鈥檙e going to be great.
And because of them we鈥檒l continue to be the most innovative and creative country
on the planet.鈥�
The 蜜桃传媒 Women鈥檚 Leadership Council hosted their eighth luncheon in January. Henrietta Holsman Fore, who served as executive
director of UNICEF and a USAID administrator, delivered a powerful message, encouraging
students in the room to overcome fear of failing or concern about how their parents,
friends or teachers see them if they fail. 鈥淓very one of them has failed at something
too, and you learn from failure,鈥� she said. The event raised more than $90,000 for
scholarships.
President Gayle D. Beebe went on a tour earlier this year, speaking about his latest book, 鈥淭he Crucibles
That Shape Us: Navigating the Defining Challenges of Leadership.鈥� He conducted interviews
with journalists and appeared on a variety of podcasts and radio shows. See all the place he shared his insights. The president also met with alums at events in Phoenix, San Diego, Portland and
Seattle to discuss the book and answer questions.
Alums in San Diego gathered to cheer for the Warrior basketball team in a match at Point Loma. Roughly
300 track and field alums and their families returned to campus to celebrate Coach Russell Smelley鈥檚 70th birthday March 8 with a lunch, fun races for alums and their kids and memorabilia. Bay Area alums gathered this spring to cheer on the Warriors, enjoy a barbecue and match wits at
a Trivia night. Political science professor Jesse Covington met with alums in Washington, D.C., to discuss his new book, 鈥淗opeful Realism: Evangelical
Natural Law and Democratic Politics.鈥� The work provides a Natural Law framework for
evangelicals today. Santa Barbara area alums returned to campus for our annual Movie on the Lawn night featuring the film 鈥淩io.鈥�
An impressive lineup of world-class keynote speakers shared insights on effective
and purposeful leadership at 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 11th annual LEAD Where You Stand Conference in June. David Brooks, New York Times columnist and bestselling author, headlined an exceptional group
of speakers that included: President Gayle D. Beebe; Dr. Charity Dean, CEO and co-founder of PHC Global; Charles Duhigg, author of 鈥淪upercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection鈥�;
Wendy Jackson, movie/TV producer and 蜜桃传媒 professor; and Jeff Schloss , 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 T.B. Walker professor of natural and behavioral sciences. Forbes recently
took note of the conference. Fill out a notification form to learn the June 2026 dates
for this leadership conference.
The Warriors have made a smooth transition to NCAA Division II. In case you missed it, our men鈥檚 soccer team clinched the 2024 NCAA Division II PacWest title. Watch their journey . The men鈥檚 baseball team won both the regular season 2025 PacWest title and the PacWest Tournament. This spring, athletics added a fun new tradition: the Inaugural WESPYs. Student-athletes voted on awards for their peers and dressed in formal attire for the ceremony celebrating the winners. Click to learn about the recipients.
Honoring Our Retiring Professors
Read about our retiring professors in the either in print or online.
Gregg Afman, Professor of Kinesiology (pg. 12)
John Blondell, Professor of Theatre Art (pg. 14)
Jim Taylor, Professor of Philosophy (pg. 16)
Steven Hodson, Professor of Music (pg. 15)
Jeff Schloss, Distinguished Professor of Biology and T.B. Walker Professor of Natural
andBehavioral Sciences (pg. 13)
All You Need to Know About Homecoming
Return of the Warriors: October 17-18 2025
Bring the whole family and plan a long weekend with friends, old and new! Contact
the alumni office for Homecoming assistance at (805) 565-6056.
returns to Glen Annie Golf Course on Friday, October 17, at 1 p.m. Create a foursome with your friends. Click if you鈥檙e interested in being a sponsor.
At the Homecoming Awards Brunch on Saturday, October 5, we鈥檒l recognize notable alums and celebrate the class with the highest percentage of participation and the class raising the most money. Submit a class gift ! Last year, the class of 1964 won the Class Giving Competition challenge, and their brick will read 鈥淒ay by day strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.鈥� The class of 1989 also won, and their brick will say, 鈥淚n memory of Lisa Bebout, Alan Voorman and Garth Weedman Potters Clay, March 27, 1989.鈥� We encourage all reunion classes to participate in this competition and hope alums will donate any amount to Westmont.
A new documentary short, 鈥�All Things Metal,鈥� premiered in the fall at the Tribeca Film Festival. It features Andy Patterson 鈥�05 and his brothers, Dan and Joel, who work together at Santa Barbara Forge and produce
heirloom
metalwork. Their father, Ben Patterson, served as campus pastor at 蜜桃传媒 for many
years. Watch this documentary short during Homecoming (October 17-19) and listen to
a panel discussion featuring the brothers.
The first 200 guests at the lunchtime tailgate in front of Murchison Gym on Saturday, October 18, will enjoy free burgers and ice cream. The event also features a carnival for kids, a climbing wall and an inflatable slide.
Bring the whole family!
Homecoming Class Reunions
2020: 5 years TBA.
Your class needs a reunion representative. Reach out to alumni@westmont.edu if you鈥檇 like to help plan your reunion.
2015: 10 years
Reunion reps: Abby Lombardo Birk and Bethany Day. Come back and take a peek at your
time capsule letters from 10 years ago. Friday from 3:00-5:00pm your class will gather
at the lower level of the 蜜桃传媒 Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The work of Briana Miyoko
Stanley 鈥�15 will be featured in the gallery. Saturday from 4:00-6:00pm your class
will gather at Shalhoob鈥檚 (220 Gray Ave. SB).
2010: 15 years
Reunion reps: Allyson Arendsee Darakjian, Korinne Kane Ward and Justin Davis. Meet
your classmates from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, at Third Window Brewing鈥檚 Barrel
Room. (406 E. Haley St. SB)
2005: 20 years
Reunion reps: Megan Gierhart Stichter and Ryan Wolfshorndl. Children are welcome.
Early bird ticket: $55, Regular price ticket (after 8/1) $65, Kids quesadilla and
drink $7, kids taco plate and drink $12, pay total amount due on Venmo to @mstichter
(last four digits: 6302). Megan Stitchter (Gierhart) and Ryan Wolfshorndl are your
Reunion Representatives. Find more info on your .
2000: 25 years
Reunion reps: Gillian Chavez Leslie, Katie Wolfe Paulsen, Sonja Mortenson Erikson,
and Kim Stime Crawford. Join your classmates and reconnect on campus Saturday, October
18, 6:00-9:00pm in the GLC. Dinner provided by the Alumni office. Please register
and let us know if you are coming and if you have any guests or dietary restrictions.
Email warriorsclassof2000reunion@
1995: 30 years
Reunion rep: Michelle Weeks Dokolas. You鈥檒l gather from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, October
18, at Shalhoob鈥檚 in the Funk Zone (220 Gray Ave. SB).
1990: 35 years
Reunion reps: Karen Yttrup Robilio, Kristin Donaldson Overton, Amy Jurries Kamm and
Kristy Anderson Gee. Details to come on a gathering on Friday or Saturday. Your class
will be gathering on Sunday, 10/19 from 10-12 for a time of worship in the Nancy Voskuyl
Chapel.
1985: 40 years TBA.
Your class needs a reunion representative. Reach out to alumni@westmont.edu if you鈥檇 like to help plan your reunion.
1980: 45 years TBA.
Your class needs a reunion representative. Reach out to alumni@westmont.edu if you鈥檇 like to help plan your reunion.
1975: 50 years
The Golden Warriors gathered and reconnected at Commencement in May. You鈥檙e welcome
to participate in all Homecoming events.
1970: 55 years
Reunion reps: Dan Donnelly, Charlie Grant, Vernanne (Nanne) Alvarez Powell, Karen
Reed Ray, Robin Odell Severson, Steve Ray and Charlie Maxson. Gather with your classmates
on Friday, 10/17 from 5:00-7:00pm in the Founders room connected to the Dining Commons
on campus. On Saturday, 10/18 Join your classmates at Oak Park (638 W. Junipero St.
Santa Barbara) for a Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch Dinner. Cost of dinner and payment
options are TBD.
1965: 60 years TBA.
Your class needs a reunion representative. Reach out to alumni@westmont.edu if you鈥檇 like to help plan your reunion.
1960: 65 years
The Alumni Office is working with Molly Tautfest to help plan a gathering from 2:00-4:00p.m.
on Saturday, October 18, in Hieronymus Lounge.
1955: 70 years
Reunion rep: Paul Hook. Eat lunch with your classmates from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on
Saturday, October 18 in the Dining Commons. The Alumni Office will cover the cost
of your lunch. Tell the attendant you鈥檙e a member of the class of 1955. Make a plate
and go to the Alumni Gallery room, near the entrance.
Alumni Updates
Explore updates by decade in the Alumni Updates section of our website. We鈥檙e proud of all the wonderful things
our alums do throughout the world. We also mourn with the families of alums whom we鈥檝e
lost.
1960s
We鈥檙e sad to hear about the death of Stan Anderson 鈥�62, Alumnus of the Year in 1999. A standout basketball player and No. 4 on the Warrior
list of career rebounds with 988, he generously donated funds to create the Stan Anderson
Golf Complex.
We mourn the loss of Pat Clemens 鈥�66, a longtime Santa Barbara jeweler. The Santa Barbara Independent recognized him as
a Local Hero.
Steven Elson 鈥�67 received Casa Pacifica鈥檚 most prestigious honor: the Guardian Angel award. For 25
years, he served as the first CEO for this Santa Barbara and Ventura non-profit that
treats children and young adults struggling with complex mental health challenges,
expanding services to 14 campus and community programs.
1970s
Congratulations to Kevin Vanhoozer 鈥�78, who won a 2024 Book Award in the category of Theology (Academic) for 鈥淢ere Christian Hermeneutics:
Transfiguring What It Means to Read the Bible Theologically鈥� (Zondervan Academic).
Karen Wood Williams 鈥�79, a philanthropist and musician, has joined Board of Directors.
1980s
The 2024 One Legacy Rose Parade float, Woven Together: The Dance of Life, featured
a floral portrait of the late Paul Eskildsen 鈥�81, who saved four lives with the donation
of his heart, liver, kidney and lungs.
Dawn Carson O鈥橩eeffe 鈥�82 serves as vice president of finance for Breakwater Studios,
which won its second Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film with 鈥淭he Last Repair Shop.鈥�
鈥�86 starred in ChemiChemi鈥檚 production of 鈥淚n Other Words,鈥� which won Best Two-hander
Production at the fourth annual Kenya Theatre Awards.
Kevin Vogt 鈥�88 has become the chief financial officer of Pro Act USA, the leading
distributor of fresh produce to the foodservice industry.
John Peirano 鈥�88 serves as the new vice president of integrated marketing for , a health and wellness consumer packaged goods company.
1990s
Tyler Gibbs 鈥�91 has been promoted to president of Toyota Racing Development.
Gary Lundgren 鈥�93 directed and edited a film, 鈥淐ancer Culture,鈥� a poetic, life-affirming short documentary
that explores the fascinating intersection of cancer and ecology.
鈥�93 died on November 27, 2024, of colon cancer. She examined her faith and confronted
her own mortality in a book, 鈥淭he Brave In-Between: Notes from the Last Room.鈥�
Michael Warrington 鈥�93 now serves as president of , a premier national provider of rehabilitative healthcare services.
Congratulations to former trustee Allen Hopkins 鈥�95, who has joined the board of the English Premier League in West London.
Todd Thacker 鈥�94, a partner with in the firm鈥檚 products liability practice, works in the San Francisco office.
Steve Johnson 鈥�95 sold the Coronado Times after 21 years of publishing the paper. He continues to manage
Meet the Masters, a K-8 curriculum company providing art history and instruction for
schools and districts. 鈥淚鈥檓 fortunate to work with Carrie Hicks Steele 鈥�98, a partner
in the business,鈥� he says.
Congratulations to Jenifer Neptune 鈥�95, chief visionary officer and co-founder of , who appears in the 2025 Top 50 Women Leaders of Michigan.
Alison Noble 鈥�97 serves as provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Fresno Pacific
University.
Priya David Clemens 鈥�97 has become a trustee for the California Academy of Sciences Board, which seeks to
regenerate the natural world through science, learning and collaboration.
David Ahelm 鈥�97 now serves as the chief executive officer of Hilmar Cheese Company.
Sally Shipman Wentworth 鈥�97 is the new president and CEO of the Internet Society, a global charitable organization
dedicated to promoting an open, globally connected and secure internet.
Heather Havins Merrick 鈥�98, a physician assistant, has joined Cottage Gynecologic Oncology Clinic in Santa Barbara
to provide comprehensive services and personalized treatment for gynecologic and breast
cancers.
The Association of California School Administrators named Amy Bergenske Alzina 鈥�98 Superintendent/Principal of the Year. She leads Cold Spring School in Montecito.
Kevin Hess 鈥�98 has published his first book, 鈥淥n Love and Light in a World of Loss,鈥� which includes
81 poems he wrote in the last 25 years focusing on grief and loss.
2000s
Congratulations to Jennifer Powell McNutt 鈥�00 and her husband, David, whose book, 鈥淜now the Theologians鈥� (Zondervan Publishers)
was a 2024 Finalist in the category of Theology (Popular).
Don Sandridge 鈥�00 has become chief operating officer and executive vice president of Market Express
LLC, which provides integrated transportation management solutions throughout North
America.
Jason Friesen 鈥�02, Trek Medics International founder and CEO, appeared in a Columbia Daily Spectator
article about transforming emergency dispatch in the digital age.
Congratulations to Sarah Crass Cockrell 鈥�03, executive assistant in career, technical, adult and alternative education, who was
named 2025 Classified Employee of the Year.
, a corporate lawyer, has joined the Chicago office of global law firm Norton Rose
Fulbright as a partner in the business practice group and is a member of the firm鈥檚
transactional and regulatory insurance team. He appeared on the podcast 鈥淢overs, Shakers
& Rainmakers.鈥�
Andria Smith Rusk 鈥�03 is the executive director of public health for the College of Health Sciences at
. Previously, she worked at Florida International University and helped develop their
first Master of Public Health program in global health.
A story about scaly, sun-loving fence lizards mentioned reptilian research by Amanda Sparkman 鈥�03, professor of biology at 蜜桃传媒.
featured Leonard Unander Jr. 鈥�03, Clint Unander 鈥�06 and Brandon Friggione 鈥�09, who work for residential builders Leonard Unander Associates Inc.
鈥淟ive with Kelly and Mark鈥� featured Robin Long 鈥�06, founder of Lindywell Pilates, on a segment about partner pilates moves.
Avery Drost 鈥�07, a professional beach volleyball player on the Association of Volleyball Professionals
circuit, appeared in an AVP article, 鈥淩each the Beach.鈥�
Allison M. Burdett 鈥�07 serves as the inaugural chief program officer of the Braille Institute, which advances
services for blind and visually impaired communities.
鈥�07, CEO of Upcycled Food Association, speaks at an online conference Nov. 20 about achieving
sustainable development goals by cutting food waste in half by 2030.
Congratulations to Aubrey Bettencourt 鈥�08, the new chief of the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Previously, she served
as global director of government relations and external affairs for Netafim, as president
and CEO of the Almond Alliance, and as deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department
of the Interior.
Jay Diallo 鈥�08, the president of First Community Capital, was featured in Forbes for his bank鈥檚
transformative power and commitment to underserved communities.
Lisa Griego Goodin 鈥�08 won San Diego鈥檚 Rock 鈥榥鈥� Roll Half Marathon last year.
Holly Robertson Huffnagle 鈥�09 is the U.S. director for combating antisemitism at the American Jewish Committee
in Washington, D.C.
2010s
Congratulations to Charles Whitman 鈥�10, a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2023 and 2024, who has joined 鈥檚 San Diego office as a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group.
Chase Eckert 鈥�12 explores the highs and lows of extreme travel and the value of human connection in
鈥淓xploring the World on Two Wheels: Chase Eckert鈥檚 Journey鈥� as part of the 鈥淥verland
Journal Podcast鈥� on Expedition Portal.
Michael Easbey 鈥�12 has become the executive director of Wood Glen Senior Living retirement home in Santa
Barbara.
Shanan Lau 鈥�13 and Kaley Johannesson 鈥�14 appeared on 鈥淕ood Morning America鈥� for their mobile ice cream sandwich cart, honey
+ milk, in Minnesota, and their search for the perfect exterior for an ice cream sandwich.
鈥�16 is the head coach of 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 women鈥檚 soccer team.
Creative Artists Agency has promoted Andrew Devian 鈥�17 to agent in baseball.
Congratulations to Chol Hyun Park 鈥�18, who earned his doctorate and joined the faculty at .
鈥�18 has earned attention with the Toronto Blue Jays. His 3.7 percent swinging strike
rate since his first full season in 2019 is the seventh lowest among nearly 5,000
qualified minor leaguers.
A longtime, passionate rock climber, 鈥�18 pursues his sport in Guam. The co-founder and managing director of Guam Sports Climbing
Center (Climbing Guam) in Barrigada, he also coaches the Guam National Climbing Team.
We in the Alumni Office take great pride in you and all the things you鈥檝e done, all
you鈥檝e committed to, and all you鈥檒l do in the future. Thank you for being thoughtful
scholars, grateful servants, and faithful leaders in the world.
May the strength of God sustain you;
May the power of God preserve you;
May the hands of God protect you;
May the way of God direct you;
May the love of God go with you always
May the will of God give you a peace that transcends understanding as you trust in
His providence.
Warmly,
Janay Marshall 鈥�01, M.A.
Director of Alumni Relations