Westmont Magazine The President Blogs

Inspired by the Westmont alumni and parent trip to Athens, Istanbul and Rome last summer, President Gayle D. Beebe created a blog. He chronicled his daily experiences and travels with about 40 alumni and parents and his family as the group learned about the history, culture and biblical significance of three great cities in civilization. President Beebe continues to blog about his activities on campus, reflecting on the college’s challenges and the people he meets, including faculty, students and alumni.

For example, he discussed the global economy on Aug. 23. “I feel the persistent tug to consider every area of human learning and determine what role Westmont can play in the global community. I’ve just finished reading ‘The Next Convergence’ (c. 2011) by Nobel Prize-winningeconomist Michael Spence. I had the privilege of meeting him in 2009 when he spoke at a conference during the most severe contractions of the global economy. I find his work compelling because Dr. Spence grapples with the reality of these contractions and seeks to understand and articulate where the global economy is going and what its ultimate impact will be.”

He also shares the experience of meeting sections of first-year students from the residence halls. “I love being with our students because they remind me of the importance of our work. They also help me think about what we need to do to further their education. We’re working on an initiative, the LAUNCH program, which will focus on the way we structure students’ experiences and learning opportunities to best prepare them for life.” To follow his blog and sign up for email alerts when he posts new entries, see: blogs.westmont.edu/president/.