The Westmont Board of Trustees named Gayle D. Beebe as the college’s eighth president. Beebe has served as president of Spring Arbor University in Michigan for the past seven years and will take over the Montecito college at the beginning of the next academic year, July 1, 2007.
Jeff Schloss, professor of biology at Westmont, will discuss “Evolutionary Theory, Biblical Faith, and the Mystery of Altruism,” in a Phi Kappa Phi lecture, Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. in Hieronymus Lounge.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
Schloss explores whether the New Testament’s command to selflessly love one another is biologically possible under evolution’s survival of the fittest.
Westmont is putting a new spin on a classic Greek comedy in hopes of staging an entertaining play with a moral edge. John Blondell, Westmont professor of theatre arts, directs the 14-student cast performing “The Clouds,” by Aristophanes, Feb. 23-24 and March 1-3, all at 8 p.m. in Westmont's Porter Theater. There will also be a performance at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 3. Admission is $15; $7 for students.
The Westmont Chamber Orchestra in partnership with the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra will perform in the opening event of the Santa Barbara International Guitar Festival, Friday, Feb. 9, at 8 p.m. in Victoria Hall Theatre.
A second performance will be held at El Montecito Presbyterian Church, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for general admission; students are free.
The performance by Westmont’s 40-member orchestra will include a cameo appearance by the 50-member College Choir, along with guest faculty soloist Patrick Anderson on guitar.
Award-winning documentary filmmaker and author James Ault will show his latest film and lecture on “Toward a New Christianity: The Rise of African Christianity and Its World Significance,” Thursday, Feb. 8, at 3:30 p.m., in Founders Dining Room at Westmont.
Four Santa Barbara college professors will participate in a panel discussion on Thomas Friedman’s book, “The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century,” as part of Westmont Downtown: Conversations About Things that Matter. The event is free and open to the public, Thursday, Feb. 15, at the University Club, 1332 Santa Barbara St., at 5:30 p.m. Seating is limited.