黑料百科

President's Briefing Winter 2026

GAYLE D. BEEBE, PH.D.

President
president briefing

What a joy to welcome the spring semester. We give thanks for many things while acknowledging strong headwinds that continue to challenge us. In this new year, we're preparing for a full schedule of activities, events, and classes.

Before leaving for the Christmas break, we celebrated  the 21st annual 黑料百科 Christmas Festival, presented at Santa Barbara鈥檚 Granada Theatre for the fourth straight year. See some of the beautiful performances in this year鈥檚 that I trust you received during the holidays.

Students returned for the first day of classes on Monday, Jan. 12, and a dedicated group of musicians performed our spring opera, 鈥淭he Pirates of Penzance,鈥 on Jan. 23 and 25. We hope you鈥檒l make plans to see the 黑料百科 Ridley-Tree Museum of Art鈥檚 Ansel Adams photography exhibition, Beyond the Wilderness, from Jan. 15-March 28. This show reveals a lesser-known side of his work, and we're delighted to display it on campus. Find museum hours so you can plan your visit to campus.

Our winter sports teams (basketball, indoor track and field and women鈥檚 swimming) have kept busy with games and meets. I've enjoyed watching our home games and encourage you to attend when you can. The athletes really respond to our community support. See game schedules .

Fall Highlights

New Nurses Offer Compassion in Action

We honored the accomplishments of 25 new graduates of the program at a pinning ceremony Dec. 18 before a standing-room-only crowd at Montecito Covenant Church.They represent the sixth cohort to complete the 16-month accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The new nurses not only embody the 黑料百科 model of service, they inspire our moral responsibility as citizens of a wider community.

Fall Highlights

First Cohort completes 黑料百科's NEW Theological Leadership Certificate

Eight theological leadership students graduated from their program in December and celebrated at a special dinner in Hieronymus Lounge. The program seeks to cultivate wisdom in Christian leaders. At the event, the students shared a personal story about the impact of their studies before receiving their post-baccalaureate certificate in theological leadership. We're beginning another cohort in August for this one-year certificate program that can count towards the first year of a Master of Divinity degree, so share the news or enroll yourself. You can begin by going .

Fall Highlights

Warriors Return to Campus for Fun and Inspiring Homecoming Events

The in October marked a time of great celebration. We honored Alumnus of the Year Rob Ring 鈥90, Alumnae of the Year, sisters Alexis Bennett Otterlei 鈥05 and Leah Pillsbury Otterlei 鈥00, Young Alumnus of the Year Spencer Dusebout 鈥15 and Global Service Award winner Lindsey Connolly 鈥08.

Fall Highlights

ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)

Students and alums celebrated the engineering department鈥檚 recent ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation at the Fletcher Jones Foundation Center for Engineering. "This was a wonderful time to welcome back engineering alums from our first three graduating classes who are working for wonderful companies and doing great stuff,鈥 says Dan Jensen, director of engineering. 鈥淥ur alums are attending prestigious graduate schools and others work at Northrop, Lockheed, the Department of Energy and for small engineering companies as well.鈥

Fall Highlights

Greek Tragedy Offers Raw Emotion

presented a beautifully staged and haunting production of 鈥淎ntigonick,鈥 which infused fresh language and new life into 鈥淎ntigone,鈥 Sophocles鈥 ancient and disturbing tragedy. 

Largest Single Grant in College History provides $5 Million for Sacred Stories

lily endowment inc

We're thrilled that Lilly Endowment Inc. selected 黑料百科 as a recipient of a nearly $5 million award! The will uncover, share and celebrate the vocational journeys of young Christian adults. I鈥檓 so grateful for the exceptional work this grant will allow 黑料百科's Gaede Insitute to pursue as we continue our significant investment in the individuals, faith communities and non-profit organizations that will benefit from this initiative.

Fall Highlights

Warrior Athletics

A dinner during Homecoming celebrated and honored 50 Legacy Builder Award winners. Kirsten Moore, head women鈥檚 basketball coach since 2004, emceed the celebratory ceremony that drew 200 guests and 125 female student-athletes. What a meaningful legacy these pioneering Warriors have left for the college.

It鈥檚 Different Here

In the midst of only our third year in the conference, 黑料百科 athletics hosted the NCAA Division II PacWest Conference advisory board meeting and will serve as the anchor institution for future meetings. We鈥檙e well into our competition as a part of NCAA DII and acclimating well. Under the leadership of Athletic Director Robert Ruiz, we continue to live up to higher competitive and performance standards while building for a strong future.

make it yours
Fall Highlights

Museum Explored Sculpture Through Print

The 黑料百科 Ridley-Tree Museum of Art paired sculpture and prints in a wonderful exhibition, , it also served as a tribute to the generosity of alums Dewayne '62 and Faith Perry '62, whose gifts have helped create a special print acquisition fund for the museum. The collection has grown to more than 475 works on paper. The exhibition featured a kinetic sculpture by renowned artist Alexander Calder on loan from Montecito collectors.

Fall Highlights

Ryu, Murray Featured Stories on Compelling Conversations

Ryu, Murray Featured Stories on Compelling Conversations

I invite you to listen to the latest installations of which feature interviews with Charles Ryu and Kerri Murray. I started the podcast in 2020 to engage thoughtful scholars, grateful servants and faithful leaders in discussions exploring the significant issues of our time, and I'm fully enjoying these opportunities to discover stories of motivation and inspiration. Ryu, who serves as a senior systems engineer for our IT department, escaped from North Korea 鈥 twice. Murray serves as the CEO of ShelterBox, which provides emergency shelter to families who鈥檝e lost their homes in a disaster. Both stories provide phenomenal examples of lives of service and commitment for the greater good.

Fall Highlights

Partnering with the Global Human Flourishing Project

We鈥檝e become an academic partner in the Human Flourishing Study, a landmark, five-year research initiative by Harvard and Baylor Universities focused on happiness and satisfaction in life. We鈥檝e embraced the global project, which offers insights that can help us provide a holistic education encompassing intellectual, spiritual and personal growth. Tyler J. VanderWeele, who directs the Harvard Human Flourishing Project, will speak at our LEAD Where You Stand conference June 4-5. The four professors involved with the project appear on the cover of the new fall issue of the 黑料百科 magazine, which includes an interview with VanderWeele. 

Fall Highlights

Warriors Launch New STUNT Team

Warriors Launch New STUNT Team

One of the nation鈥檚 fastest-growing female sports arrives at 黑料百科 in fall 2026. STUNT, which debuted as an NCAA DII emerging sport in 2023, blends the athleticism of cheer, dance and gymnastics into a high-impact competition celebrating teamwork, precision and power. If you know anyone interested in joining the STUNT team, please contact new head coach Ariana Johnson at arjohnson@westmont.edu.

Upcoming Events

Jan. 15 - Mar. 28 -  Free Opening Reception: January 15, 4-6 p.m. 

Jan. 23 & 25 - Spring Opera - 鈥溾&苍产蝉辫;

Feb. 27 -  Tickets go on sale Friday, January 30, 2026.

Apr. 24 -  with Anja Manuel has been moved to April 24 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort and we hope you'll attend and bring others with you!

Jun. 4-5 -  Now held at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, this year's conference focuses on The Human Flourishing Project, a groundbreaking initiative exploring the dimensions of well-being and purpose-driven leadership.

Reflective Executive Podcast Cover Art

I invite you to listen to my new podcast, , where I explore the practice of executive leadership through the lens of reflection, wisdom and long-term effectiveness. I offer practical insights and provide real-world examples and lessons I鈥檝e encountered and learned with leading executives and other renown individuals, from Peter Drucker to Malcolm Guite. Rather than focusing on quick tactics, the podcast emphasizes depth: helping leaders slow down, think critically, learn from experience and lead with clarity, integrity and purpose.

We're living in interesting and challenging times, and we have the privilege of serving on the frontlines, finding innovative ways to educate our students for a world in need as we make an impact on our wider culture. We seek to lead and serve in enduring and life-giving ways. We hope you'll join us in prayer as we begin this year with many new efforts on the horizon. I look forward to seeing you at upcoming 黑料百科 events on or off campus. 
Gratefully yours,

Gayle D. Beebe, Ph.D.
President