Warrior Welcome Schedule

Wednesday, August 21

8:00 am - 11:00 am: Residence Hall Move-In
*See more information at the link above
First Year Students:
8:00am - 8:30am  A - Da
8:30am - 9:00am De - I
9:00am - 9:30am J - M
9:30am - 10:00am N - R
10:00am - 10:30am S - V
10:30am - 11:00am W - Z

Transfer Students:
8:00am - 9:00am A - M
9:00am - 10:00am N - Z

9:00 am - 3:00 pm: Parent Welcome Tent
Check in and get your name tag. If you have not yet registered, please stop by the tent for on-site registration.

9:00 am - 2:30 pm: Parent Council Hospitality Tent
Meet fellow parents and Parents Council members, get answers to your questions and enjoy light refreshments and conversation. You’ll also find Parents Council members at Page, Emerson and Clark who can answer your questions. 

11:00 am - 12:00 pm: Campus Walking Tour (Option 1)
An informative and enjoyable walk around the campus will combine knowledge of our historic campus with personal student experience. Location: Front of Kerrwood Hall.

11:00 am - 1:30 pm: Lunch
Your lunch time is determined by your student’s move-in time. Please follow the schedule below to alleviate congestion.
Move-in from 8-9 a.m. 11-11:45
Move-in from 9-10 a.m. 11:45-12:30
Move-in from 10-11 a.m. 12:30-1:30*
All Transfer Students 12:30-1:30*
Those attending the Legacy Reception or First-Generation Session with a move-in time from 10-11 may eat lunch starting at 12 noon. Meal tickets to enter the DC are provided at check in based on registration. Otherwise, you can pay at the door: Lunch: $9.00, Children: 2-10 $5.00 Westmont students on a meal plan: no charge. Location: Dining Commons.

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Campus Walking Tour (Option 2)
An informative and enjoyable walk around the campus will combine knowledge of our historic campus with personal student experience. Location: Front of Kerrwood Hall.\

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: What to Expect as a Westmont Student Athlete **Required for new varsity athletes 
New athletes and their parents are invited to connect with other incoming athletes and hear from athletic administration, coaches and current athletes about what to expect as a student athlete at Westmont. This event is for varsity sport athletes only. Location: Page MPR.

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm: Legacy Reception
Parents who are Westmont alumni and their students are invited to a dessert reception with President Gayle D. Beebe. A group photograph of alumni parents and your incoming student will be taken on Magnolia Lawn at 1:35 p.m. Location: Upper Magnolia Lawn (in front of the library).

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm: Welcome Session
Join us for this celebratory opening event of Orientation 2024 in the Murchison Gym. President Gayle D. Beebe will extend an official Westmont welcome, followed by an introduction to this year's Orientation Team and a message from our Campus Pastor.

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Overview of Student Life
At Westmont, life outside the classroom offers a rich combination of activities, residential living and developmental experiences. In this session we will provide an overview of the opportunities available to students. Location: Murchison Gym.

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm: Welcome BBQ Picnic
Relax on Kerrwood Lawn and enjoy a great meal. Meet other parents as well as faculty and staff. Please note that students will eat dinner with their Orientation small groups. Location: Kerrwood Lawn.

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Out-of-Area Parent Reception
Whether you live outside of California or far enough from Santa Barbara to require a lengthy drive, come connect with fellow parents and gain valuable perspective from parents who know the ropes. Colorado Parents Council members Rich and Torrie Oswald will lead the session and provide a time for questions and answers. The Oswalds share: "We’ve attended this session every year since 2018, and we've navigated travel logistics from kids missing flights, to cancelled flights, to having no car, to moving out, to finding storage units, etc. Through it all, we've secured many parent friendships and have been reminded, Westmont is never too far from ‘home’." All parents are welcome.

Thursday, August 22

8:00 am - 5:00 pm: Prayer Chapel Open Hours
Stop in the prayer chapel to lift up prayers for your student and the college as classes get ready to begin.

8:45 am - 9:15 am: Continental Breakfast
Join us in Page Hall for continental breakfast!

9:15 am - 10:00 am: President Beebe Welcomes Parents & Families (Spanish translation available)
President Gayle D. Beebe welcomes you to the Westmont community, examines the value of a Westmont education in today’s world and highlights the college’s priorities. He will answer questions, and members of his executive team will add insights and suggest ways to support your student.

Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

10:00 am - 10:45 am: Core of the Classroom 
Our provost will share the unique qualities of a Westmont education. Professors and students will highlight the special nature of faculty-student relationships at Westmont.

Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

10:45 am - 11:30 am: Parents Council Perspectives 
Meet our Westmont Parents Council members and learn how they’ve navigated their student’s college life, gain practical parental insights about the Westmont experience and get answers to your questions.

Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

12 -1:30 pm  Intercultural Programs Lunch 
Location: Kerrwood Lawn
Students of color, international, missionary and third-culture students, and Cultural Diversity Awardees and their families are invited hear about the programs and opportunities associated with Westmont's commitment to diversity. Grab your meal from the DC and bring your food over to Kerrwood Lawn. Drinks and desserts will be provided.

OR 

11:30 am - 1:30 pm: Lunch
Have lunch off campus or on campus in the Dining Commons. Meal ticket provided at check-in based on your registration, or simply pay at the door. 

Parents & Guardians select from one of the following sessions:

2 - 3 pm: COVE Career Center Session
COVE Career Center: Discover how you can work with us as we prepare your student for a major, a mission, and meaningful internships and careers. 
Location: Winter 210

2 - 3 pm: Students' Care Session
Student Care: College comes with unique challenges for students. Learn about college emotional health, how to support your student, and ways to cultivate healthy communication patterns from the start. Further, hear about our on campus support services including our physician directed Health Center and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Presenters: Rob Hughes '04, Director of Health Services and Eric Nelson, Associate Dean of Student Wellbeing / Director of CAPS.
Location: Global Leadership Center's Simmons Center

2 - 3 pm: Chapel, Worship, & Spiritual Development Session
Hear Scott Lisea ’88, our campus pastor and assistant to the president for church and community relations, present his vision of chapel, our community life and the spiritual development of your students.
Location: Porter Theatre.

2 - 2:30 pm: Student Success Session
The Center for Student Success is a very important resource for all incoming students. Each new Warrior is assigned a Student Success Coach and is strongly encouraged to take advantage of the support and services offered by the center to help each student thrive at Westmont.
Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

2:30-3:15 pm: Supporting your Student Athlete 
Collegiate athletics presents new challenges and opportunities for the student athlete. Parents of varsity athletes are invited to hear from athletic administrators and coaches about how you can best support your student and help them thrive in their first year as a college athlete. 
Location: Page Hall Multipurpose Room.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Service of Commitment 
Join faculty robed in traditional academic regalia for this formal ceremony of welcome into the Westmont community. Students will sit separately from parents and take their First Walk at the end of the service, which anticipates their Last Walk at Commencement. Student attendance expected.
Location: Murchison Gym.

5:00 pm - 5:30 pm: Families Say Goodbye
Students and families say goodbye before students head off to dinner with their section and families leave campus.