Ten Things Titan

TEN THINGS TITAN 10 things making us pretty Titan proud right now

TITAN WARRIOR 1.After losing military friends to suicide, Michael Caimona ’95, a former Navy intelligence officer, created Warrior Music—a non-profit organization that provides free music therapy and lessons to veterans. Caimona and Warrior Music also planned a 2020 Veterans Day 5K for mental health awareness. Yeah. We’re pretty proud of this guy.

Team Alumni 2.People doubted it could be done—planning Homecoming during a pandemic. But one thing our Westminster community has learned: leave it to the Office of Alumni Engagement to make the impossible happen. Converting the traditional three-day in-person annual event to a week-long virtual experience was no easy feat, but somehow the alumni team pulled it off. The result was six days of interactive fun that brought together people from all corners of the world. Getting them to the finish line 3.While most colleges and universities across the country canceled their 2020 spring commencements, Westminster remained committed to providing a day of celebration for the Class of 2020 when it was finally safe to do so. That day—Saturday, Aug. 1—may have been a rainy one, but it was also a day filled with joy. Four separate, socially-distant ceremonies were held throughout the day, giving graduates a sense of closure and a proper send-off to new beginnings.

Legally Legendary

4.Deborah Platt Majoras ’85, former chair of the Westminster College Board of Trustees, was recently named one of the 2020 Legends in Law by the Burton Awards. The Legends in Law Awards recognize outstanding reputation in the legal profession and a demonstrated track record of addressing complex matters of national or global significance in a specialist area. The honorees also evidenced leadership, creativity, and uniqueness in approach to resolving challenges confronting their corporate clients.

‘Frontline’ workers 5. We would be remiss if we didn’t give a shout-out to some very important people on our campus this fall: our pandemic “frontline” workers, so to speak. From our Physical Plant employees keeping our campus sanitized to our Wellness Center staff working with possible COVID cases, these members of our campus community exemplify what it means to be Titan Strong. We appreciate you!

No audience? No problem.

Titan proud for $1,000

6.Making it to the “Jeopardy!” stage and meeting Alex Trebek had been an ambition for Kelly Lake ’11 for many years—and this year she finally got her shot at the buzzer. Kelly made Mother Fair proud with her turn competing on the quiz show, which aired in June. We won’t spoil the outcome, but Kelly represented Westminster well!

Rescue Squad

7.When COVID fatigue got the best of our students, the College Programming Council (CPC) came to the rescue with an abundance of outdoor events where students could spread out and forget about the pandemic for a bit. Whether it was yoga by the lake, movies on the quad or the surprisingly popular bingo night at the amphitheater (Yes! Bingo!), CPC went the extra mile during the fall semester to keep our Titans entertained, happy and connected. 8.Pandemic restrictions didn’t stop the music at Westminster College. From marching band virtual performances to livestreamed fall concerts from our ensembles and choirs, our student musicians continued making music this fall while practicing safe distancing habits. Visit the Westminster College School of Music YouTube page to view some of the performances and senior recitals.

Sharing the knowledge 9.As part of this fall’s BIO 467 course, Epidemiology, three lectures from epidemiology and public health professionals on “Disparities (Inequities) in Epidemiology” were opened to the campus community, thanks to Dr. Diana Ortiz. These lectures—billed the Public Health Seminar Series—brought to the forefront important and current issues in public health, especially health inequities. As the current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted healthcare inequities throughout the country and around the world, we are grateful to Dr. Ortiz for keeping us informed and encouraging campus conversations on issues of diversity, equity and inclusiveness in healthcare.

Student Strength

10.This fall has been a test of our students’ strength and perseverance. Masks. Physical distancing. Limited groups. It hasn’t been an easy semester, but our students have risen to the challenges that come with oncampus living and learning during a pandemic. Instead of chaos, they created opportunities. Instead of feeling defeated, they looked for solutions. In a time of uncertainty and disruption, our students have adapted. They’ve shown us their toughness and ingenuity. In short, they’ve shown us what it really means to be a Titan.