Most of you know that Westminster

is the only private, liberal arts college

or university in Utah. While there are

many schools of our type in other

regions of the country, there are only

a few like Westminster across the

entire Intermountain West. Schools

like ours build their reputations

on the power of their educational

environments—the power to create

informed, responsible, lifelong

learners. I believe, and I think the

evidence indicates, that Westminster

is enormously effective in carrying

out this mission.

An important key to our success

is that we support only those edu-

cational practices that are empiri-

cally linked to high levels of student

learning and development. Among

the most important of these are

maintaining high expectations for

President’s Message

student performance; promoting

student-faculty interaction; fostering

active, experiential, collaborative, and

cross-disciplinary learning; and pro-

viding an enriching and supportive

environment beyond the classroom.

Together, they constitute what many

have described as a unique approach

to learning. These practices are illus-

trated in many of the stories that you

will read in the pages that follow.

We go so far as to monitor

our adherence to these practices

each year, not only through data we

collect and analyze, but also through

a nationally administered survey,

the National Survey of Student

Engagement. The survey allows us to

benchmark our performance relative

to that of other schools across the

country. I trust you are not surprised

to hear that we perform exceedingly

President's Message �

well against these benchmarks.

Our unique approach to learning

is not inexpensive. But we are com-

mitted to keeping Westminster afford-

able by maintaining our tuition below

the national average and by offering

generous merit and need-based

scholarships and other forms of

financial aid. This report documents

that we are having great success

raising funds for more scholarships

and new buildings and that we

continue to be responsible stewards

of our financial resources. Indeed, we

are committed to making sure we

retain the title that U.S.News & World

Report has awarded us—“one of the

best educational values in the West.”

Working together over the last

four years to craft and implement

a new strategic plan has energized

the entire Westminster community.

Left: Michael S. Bassis

Developing a plan that builds on our

strengths and encourages bold initia-

tive has generated a new sense of

institutional pride. That, in turn, has

led us to adopt a new attitude. We are

no longer willing to be known as a

“hidden gem” or a “best-kept secret.”

As the college continues to increase

the quality of the educational experi-

ence it provides, the time has come

to gain a measure of national visibility.

Thus, a central thrust of the college's

long-range vision, articulated in our

strategic plan, is to become widely

recognized as a distinctive and dis-

tinguished institution—one of the

premier institutions of its kind in

the country. I came to Westminster

because I am personally and profes-

sionally committed to helping this

school become recognized within

and beyond the state of Utah as

a college of distinction and as a

model of educational excellence. I

believe we are well on our way

to doing just that.

I hope you'll want to find out

more about what we are doing. I

invite you to come to campus and

look around. Talk to the faculty

and the staff. Get a sense of the

place. And by all means, talk to our

students—they are not only our most

important product; they are our only

product, and one in which we have

enormous pride.

�

Contents

Board of Trustees 2005–2006

Jeanne AmbrusterGretchen Anderson Jesselie B. AndersonMartha Felt Barton (’80)Jack BehnkenJudith BillingsMichael Bills (’03)Curt P. CrowtherE.R. “Zeke” Dumke, IIIThomas H. EastwoodThomas A. Ellison, Esq.Bing L. Fang (’88)Thomas FeyRobert J. Frankenberg, ChairRobert A. GardaSusan Glasmann, Vice ChairAlan E. GuskinGeorge M. HaleyW. Eugene (Gene) Hansen, Esq.Colleen Kearns McCann (’90)Peter D. MeldrumWilliam (Bill) NelsonThomas G. NycumWilliam OrchowBecky B. PottsJoe ReynaNoreen RouillardAndrew J. SchillyDavid E. SimmonsCarter Stinton (’80)R. Anthony SweetVerl R. Topham, Esq.

The President’s Annual Report 2006 is published by the Office of Communications, Westminster College. Copyright ©2006, Westminster College. The Office of Communications is located in Bamberger Hall, 1840 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City, Utah. Telephone 801.832.2680, fax 801.801.832.3108, email: comm@westminstercollege.edu, Web: www.westminstercollege.edu/communication_office.

Writing Center Hones Skills

Learning Communities: A “Fresh” Look

Four New Centers Ignite Learning13 CenterforCivicEngagement15 DiversityCenter16 EnvironmentalCenter18 CenterforChina-AmericaBusinessStudies

Master Track—Tailored Mentoring for Graduate Students

Annual Report27 MonitoringOurProgress33 ABannerYearforFundraising39 2005–2006FinancialReport

Senior Team PresidentDr. Michael S. Bassis

Executive Vice PresidentStephen R. Morgan

Provost and Vice President for Academic AffairsDr. Cid Seidelman

Associate Provost for Student DevelopmentDr. Susan Heath

Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations Nancy Michalko

Vice President for Enrollment ServicesJoel Bauman

Executive Director of CommunicationsLaura Murphy

Special Assistant to the PresidentDr. Bob Seltzer

Special Assistant to the PresidentAnnalisa Steggell

Editors Robin BoonLinda BultCraig GreenHelen HodgsonLaura Murphy

WritersMichael BassisNancy MichalkoSteve MorganVirginia Rainey

DesignRoger Jones, Poolhouse Design

PhotographyJeff AllredJohn McCarthyMichael Schoenfeld

45

27

21

13

9

5

2006 Honor Roll

The floor-to-ceiling windows

of Westminster College’s Writing

Center speak volumes about the

open attitude students find when

they walk through the center’s door.

Here, in the Information Commons

at the Giovale Library, writing

becomes a non-intimidating, col-

laborative process. Students and

writing consultants (who are also

peers) sit at tables, conversing about

such topics as economic theories

and philosophy, fleshing out ideas

and fine-tuning writing projects

that range from academic papers

to personal statements for graduate

school. The Writing Center’s mission

is to help students become better

writers while they maintain ultimate

responsibility for their writing. In

addition to working with students,

the center offers practical and theo-

Writing Center Hones Skills

retical, discipline-specific support to

faculty who teach writing or writing-

intensive courses.

“We take a holistic, non-evalua-

tive approach to writing,” says center

director Chris LeCluyse. “Rather than

function as editors or grammar

teachers, we talk about ideas and

organization. We help students take

a ‘big picture’ look at their writing.

That way, they learn to find their

own ‘aha!’ moments—to identify the

problems in their writing and learn

how to solve them.”

It wasn’t always so in the

writing centers of academia, accord-

ing to LeCluyse. “The concept has

been around for a long time,”

he says. “But for decades, writing

centers, also called labs, became

known as fix-it shops. Then, in the

1970s and 1980s, the pedagogy

changed. Writing center directors

began to realize that the concept

of a ‘fix-it’ didn’t really do anything

to help students internalize—that,

in fact, it was actually damaging.

Instead of treating writing as some-

thing that we all need to care about,

they treated it as a skill that you

either have or you don’t—like car

repair. Since that time, many (but

not all) writing centers really started

to fuse composition theory, rhetoric,

and thoughts about the choice of

language for your audience. They

began to acknowledge the idea that

we don’t learn in a vacuum—that

we learn through conversation, that

it’s unrealistic to think that you can

lock yourself in a cell and the muse

will descend upon you and wisdom

will burst forth. Writing is active, not

passive. So in the center, we think of

Writing Center Hones Skills �

Left: (From left to right) Sumiko MacDonald (’06), Dr. Christopher LeCluyse, and Mandy Webb (’07) take a break at the Writing Center.

ourselves as coaches—much as you

would work with a coach to hone

your skiing or golf skills. The coach

doesn’t do the work for you, but

certainly can help you improve and

finesse your skills.”

LeCluyse, who joined

Westminster in August 2006,

attended Oberlin College and

earned a PhD in English from the

University of Texas at Austin, with

a concentration in English language

and linguistics. He became involved

with the university’s writing center

and eventually took on the role of

administrator. After graduate school,

LeCluyse combined administra-

tion and teaching at the University

of Texas and at Southwestern

University. “When I decided to

make a professional move, half

my applications were to medieval

studies programs—one of my great

interests—and half to writing centers,”

he says. “I don’t think it’s surprising

that my best responses were from

writing centers. I’m happy to be here

at Westminster, where we have the

combination of a small, comprehensive

liberal arts college environment and

a writing center that is fully sup-

ported by the institution.”

LeCluyse adds, “Westminster

is also part of a bigger picture. A

lot of people don’t know this, but

Utah is very much on the map

when it comes to writing centers.

The Community Writing Center

in downtown Salt Lake is abso-

lutely outstanding; it’s considered a

national model. The Writing Center

at Utah State University is a leading

publisher of books on the subject,

and Clint Gardner at Salt Lake

Community College is president of

the International Writing Centers

Association.”

Students who work as peer

consultants in the Writing Center

under the direction of LeCluyse

represent almost all disciplines,

though the group is admittedly

heavy on English majors. Mandy

Webb, an English major with a

focus on secondary education, was

one of the center’s first employ-

ees. “I love working here because

of the learning aspect,” she says.

Ashley Babbitt, Freshman

“The Writing Center has exceeded my

expectations. The students working there

were helpful and knowledgeable. I was so

comfortable with the atmosphere that I

have returned several times. In fact, they

know me by first name. It has made every

difference in my writing. I have been to the

center for everything from writer's block to

a final proofread. Sometimes, it helps to talk

a paper over with someone, and the staff

at the Writing Center has been more than

willing to listen. It is the best resource on

campus, and it has helped me through my

first semester of college.”

The Writing Center Mission

Westminster College is a community of

learners with a long and honored tradition

of caring deeply about students and their

education.

At the Westminster College Writing

Center, we are committed to continuing

that tradition by challenging students to

engage complex ideas, investigate rhetorical

choices, critically examine issues of literacy,

and make informed decisions about their

own writing. Writing Center instruction

conforms to the Westminster College

Policy on Academic Honesty, insisting that

all academic work is the honest product of

each student’s own endeavors.

“Everything we do pertains to what

I want to do with my life, and it’s so

satisfying to see someone figure out

what their writing needs are. I think

peer interaction is just as impor-

tant as teacher feedback. I hope

someday to start a high school

writing center.”

Miles Fuller, an English major

with a minor in economics, is

a former student “client” who

became a consultant. “I want to go

to graduate school, and eventually

teach at a university, and part of that

desire comes from my experience

working here,” he says. “Our work is

not about digging someone out of

a hole. It’s more like helping them

figure out how to interpret what

they’re learning and how to express it.”

Currently, students who work

in the Writing Center must have

completed English 110 or an equiva-

lent course. They work between 5

and 15 hours per week and earn a

competitive salary. A portion of their

on-site hours is devoted to regular

training sessions so that they are

able to work with students across

�Writing Center Hones Skills

all disciplines—on issues from

organization to citing and quoting

sources responsibly.

In spring 2007, LeCluyse is

teaching English 300K, an introduc-

tion to composition theory and

writing pedagogy. Students who

take that course are also being

trained as Writing Center consul-

tants. In the future, the class will

be considered a prerequisite for

working in the center. “Teaching

this class will give me a chance to

steep students in the history and

philosophy of writing centers,”

says LeCluyse. “The students who

work in the center share a love

of writing and communicating

that love to others. This course

will add even more depth to their

understanding of the importance

of the work.” •

“Big Foot Ate My Baby” may

sound more like a tabloid headline

than a scholarly course, but once

you discover the thinking behind

Westminster’s rich new cur-

riculum for the college’s freshman

learning communities, it makes

perfect sense. In fact, that particu-

lar course combines Introduction

to Psychology and Elementary

Statistics in a fresh and compel-

ling way. Professors Paul Presson

and Bill Bynum created the course

with the goal of helping students

hone their critical thinking skills as

they explore the cross-disciplinary

connections between statistics and

psychology. And they help students

do just that by employing statistics

to weigh the evidence for or against

provocative ideas, claims, and beliefs

regarding paranormal phenomena,

Left: Joshua Wilson (’10) and Dr. Barbara Smith

Learning Communities: A “Fresh” Look

including the elusive “Big Foot.” And

that’s just 1 of 23 interdisciplin-

ary learning community courses

introduced during the 2006–2007

academic year, the first year in

which all freshmen were required

to join a learning community. All of

the Learning Community courses

consist of two courses in different

disciplines linked by a common

theme.

At Westminster, learning com-

munities—small, highly interactive

and experiential classes that take an

interdisciplinary approach to a wide

variety of topics—were created to

further three goals for freshmen:

(1) help them adjust to college; (2)

help them develop critical, analyti-

cal writing and presentation skills;

and (3) help them establish strong

relationships with other students

and faculty. Professors design

classes to stimulate lively discus-

sion rather than passive learning.

Writing assignments take the place

of tests, and some courses inte-

grate a service-learning experience.

Students and faculty typically meet

four times a week, so they have the

chance to form lasting bonds.

“With great support from

Associate Provost Susan Heath and

Dean of the School of Arts and

Sciences, Mary Jane Chase, Bridget

Newell, associate professor of phi-

losophy, and I had the opportunity

to introduce the learning commu-

nity concept to Westminster in fall

2003,” says Barbara Schulz Smith,

associate professor of psychology

and coordinator of the learning

communities program. “Based

on models employed at various

�Learning Communities: A “Fresh” Look

colleges around the country, these

types of courses bring us back to

our liberal education roots. And I

think they are especially important

for emerging adults. This is a time

for them to explore. By learning to

make connections between disci-

plines, students really do learn new

ways of looking at things,” she notes.

From a half-dozen courses

introduced in the first year, the

number of learning community

classes has now increased to

accommodate all freshmen. “Mary

Jane, Susan, Bridget, and I traveled

to Evergreen College in Olympia,

Washington (known for its inter-

disciplinary, collaborative academic

programs) in 2004,” says Smith.

“We took students from our very

first learning community with us

so that we could collaborate on

a long-term plan for the college.

Since then we’ve made significant

steps, and the faculty have really

embraced the concept. In fact, I

think that developing interdisciplin-

ary courses renews us. It makes

us think of things differently. We

think so much in our own discipline

that sometimes we really have to get

outside of that to know how everyone

is really thinking. It is more work, but

the payoff is learning something more

as a teacher—and you really see the

rewards when you see connections

going off in the students’ heads. Plus,

when professors are really passion-

ate about their topics, which they all

are, and then they approach them

from two directions, the students just

naturally carry more away from the

classes. Reframing the way we think

of things, comparing and contrasting

approaches—it really keeps us on

our toes.”

For nursing students, who natu-

rally form their own learning com-

munities by virtue of taking most of

the same courses, learning communi-

ties offer students the opportunity

to connect beyond their own groups

while fulfilling lower division require-

ments. Take “Public Interactions and

Chemical Reactions,” for example. It’s

particularly suited for pre-nursing

majors; it combines chemistry with

the art of public speaking as students

Josh Wilson Freshman Member of “In Our Own Words—Landscapes

of the Self” Learning Community

“I really like the atmosphere of my learning commu-

nity—a combination of Psychology 105 and English

110, Composition and Research. Our professors

usually have to cut our discussions off because

they could go on for hours. It has opened my mind

to lots of new ideas. Many people in our group are

from other cities and states; we even have a guy

from Bulgaria. Each person contributes a lot to

the atmosphere of the class, and you start seeing

things from new perspectives while you are par-

ticipating in class discussions, editing each other’s

essays or papers, and just seeing each other on

campus. On the social side, it’s been a great way to

make new friends through group projects.”

Below: Noemi Sohn, guest speaker at the “Speaking of Philosophy” learning com-munity, evokes smiles from Bryan Hale (front) and Parker Howell (back).

��Learning Communities: A “Fresh” Look

The following learning community descrip-tions, based on actual class descriptions, provide a glimpse of what Westminster students experience in these unique settings.

“ In Our Own Words—Landscapes of the Self ”: English Composition, Introduction to Psychology, and College Success

How do you define your self and voice, both verbally and through

writing, in the college community? What traits define personality,

and where do they come from?

Our act of self-discovery threads psychology, writing, and daily

college life together. The writing process helps us establish an

authentic voice while we explore the tools of psychology and our

daily actions to investigate why we behave as we do. So much of

contemporary theory teaches us about the establishment of identity

and the process of achieving a strong sense of self. In this class,

we attempt to discover landscapes of identity through writing and

through conversation about diversity, social and personal patterns,

movement, and behavior. Other components include service-

learning, writing workshops, library-research instruction, campus

exploration, and community-building activities.

“ Wilderness, Suburbs, and Action”: Composition and Research and Environmental Biology

These two classes combine the skills of college writing and research

along with the exciting exploration of the natural environment.

Students experience the outdoors of Utah and delve into the impor-

tance of giving attention to environmental issues. They journal their

views and reflect upon what they have learned. The class teaches

students how to incorporate college classes by bringing the skills

of each into the others. It’s an effective and interactive way to get

a start on the writing and research skills students are required to

develop at Westminster.

write and deliver speeches about

science and health-care-related issues.

“The purpose of learning com-

munities is to integrate knowledge,”

emphasizes Smith. “So I’m very

excited that Westminster is 1 of

20 colleges in the country recently

invited to join the National Project

on Assessing Learning in Learning

Communities, which is coordinated

and funded by the Washington

Center for Improving the Quality of

Undergraduate Education. We are

going to really look at what students

are learning and to find out if they

are indeed making cross-disciplinary

relationships—to ask whether we

are writing assignments so they can

do that. We need to assess whether

the quality of learning is truly

impacted by learning communi-

ties. ”Whatever the outcome,” Smith

says, “Now that learning communi-

ties are required, I like to call them

a ‘required opportunity’ because

really—they do give students a great

opportunity to interact, to learn to

integrate knowledge, and to grow.” •

Westminster College continues to

innovate, transforming initiatives into reali-

ties as we implement our 10-year strategic

plan. Each season we progress, and what

once existed as an ambitious, exciting idea

in the minds of many becomes a tangible,

exciting entity, full of potential. With the

leadership of Provost Cid Seidelman, one

area in which we made significant progress

during the past year was the creation of

four centers, each designed to organize

resources for the entire campus to stimulate

and support interest in a particular topic. The

four centers we recently established include the

Center for Civic Engagement, the Diversity

Center, the Environmental Center, and the

Center for China-America Business Studies.

A large part of our success—overall,

and in the development of these centers in

particular— involves making connections

with people whose visions match ours:

leaders willing to step up and put their

Left: (Left to right) Chris Tong, Director of the Center for China-America Business Studies; Aretha Minor, Diversity Center Outreach Coordinator; Kerry Case, Environmental Center Coordinator; and Gary Daynes, Director of the Center for Civic Engagement

Four New Centers Ignite Learning

sion forums on topics related to

responsible citizenship; and (3) to

encourage civic engagement as a

lifelong commitment.

Gary Daynes, director of the

center, has a long-time personal and

professional commitment to serving

his community and to helping other

citizens get involved and make a

difference. “My grandmother was a

social worker during the Depression

here in Utah,” he says. “It was an

unusual thing for a married woman

to do at that time. I always thought

that was cool. As a kid, I loved

hearing her stories about driving

her beat-up truck around rural Utah

and doing social work for the state.

She really was an influence in my

life.” Daynes, who served a Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

(LDS) mission in Central America,

experience, knowledge, and passions to work

for the greater good. We have been extremely

fortunate to connect with just such outstand-

ing leaders for our new centers. See what each

of these centers is designed to accomplish,

and meet the people who are helping lead

their evolution:

Center for Civic EngagementGary Daynes, DirectorThe Center for Civic Engagement

is designed to help our students

understand and practice respon-

sible citizenship. Initially, the

center has three primary goals:

(1) to encourage active citizenship

and service across the college by

promoting and facilitating com-

munity volunteerism and service

learning; (2) to organize, for both

the campus and the community,

lectures, workshops, and discus-

��Four New Centers Ignite Learning

says his eyes were really opened

when he lived and worked with

people who faced poverty every day,

especially during the Contra war. “I

could see up close the way global

politics played out in the lives of

everyday people,” he remembers.

A history major in college,

Daynes briefly considered a career

in politics. Instead, he decided

to further his studies, earning

a master’s degree and a PhD in

history from the University of

Delaware. He later joined BYU as a

faculty member where he quickly

and instinctively was drawn to

service-learning. “I experienced the

importance and impact of getting

students—and myself—out of the

classroom and involved with the

community one-on-one,” he says.

By then, his path was set. Daynes

served as coordinator of the Faculty

Service-Learning Community of

Practice and Associate Director of the

Freshman Academy, as Director of

Service-Learning for the Washington

Campus Compact, and as Executive

Director of the Utah Campus

Compact before finally landing at

Westminster. “I have long admired

Westminster,” he says. “It’s a small

and agile learning community, deeply

committed to the kind of education

I believe is most necessary in society

today—with active, hands-on learning

and students who graduate knowing

how to collaborate and to create

change for the good.”

In addition to focusing on

service-learning, Daynes says

he hopes “the Center for Civic

Engagement can encourage

students, faculty, and staff to pay

attention to the political system;

to advocate for bills or policies;

and to take a stand. I think all

well-educated humans should

have experience tracking legisla-

tion, corresponding with repre-

sentatives, writing letters to the

editor—engaging in society with

a real set of civic skills. Since the

center has just been recently estab-

lished, we’re still in the process

of creating forums for important

‘community conversations’ and

assessing exactly how and where

“Civic engagement is a continuum from

service and service-learning courses all the

way to advocacy and activism. They are all

appropriate and in line with Westminster’s

mission and the mission of the Center for

Civic Engagement.”

Gary Daynes

Director, Center for Civic Engagement

we are going to develop long-term

relationships with local nonprofits.

I see us having deep partnerships

with some, but also working with

a wide variety of groups on every-

thing from environmental to diver-

sity and social-services issues. It’s

all very exciting to me. Westminster

occupies a unique position. As the

only private, liberal arts college in

Utah, we are well-situated to be an

honest broker of conversations and

to work in ways other universities

cannot.” In the long run, Daynes

says his goal is to help educate

graduates who are still engaged with

their communities five years after

they leave college. “That,” he says, “is

the gold standard.”

Diversity CenterAretha MinorOutreach CoordinatorRecognizing that learning is

enhanced when students are

exposed to a wide variety of ideas,

perspectives, cultures, and people,

Westminster has identified increas-

ing diversity of all types on its

campus as a key strategic goal. The

creation of the Diversity Center

represents a major step toward

that goal. The goals of the Diversity

Center are to stimulate and facili-

tate learning about diversity, and to

advocate and support the diverse

populations on our campus with

a focus on ethnicity, gender, sexual

orientation, class, race, national

origin, and ability.

Aretha Minor, Outreach

Coordinator for the Diversity

Center, says that after working as

an administrator and an instruc-

tor in California and Utah, as well

as spending time in a high-profile

position at a San Francisco adver-

tising agency, she’s learned that

she likes to be a “background

player.” Gracious and quietly

powerful, Minor states that, “As

long as good things are happening,

and we are making an impact on

the lives of Westminster students

through the Diversity Center, I’m

happy. The rewards for helping

students understand and accept

diversity come from knowing

��Four New Centers Ignite Learning

that for each student we reach,

that student will go on to touch

someone else’s life.”

Minor, who works closely with

a Diversity Council composed of

students, faculty, and staff members

from several departments includ-

ing Student Life, Campus Ministry,

and Institutional Advancement, as

well as the provost and vice presi-

dent of enrollment, believes that

when it comes to issues of diver-

sity, “dialogue is the most essential

element we have in promoting

understanding. As Dr. Martin Luther

King, Jr., said, ‘Different is not defi-

cient, it’s just different.’ It’s the fear

of the unknown that keeps us apart.

That can change when you make

an effort to get to know someone

who’s different—to explore

someone or something other than

what you are accustomed to. So

until we can come to a place where

we can share some of our deep,

maybe even dark feelings, we can’t

move forward. To address this

reality, the center provides a forum:

a place where students can share

their feelings and ask their ques-

tions about diversity without fear.

We want to provide a comfortable

space for students to meet and talk.

Right now, professor of psychology

Cathleen Power and I are working

with a group of students who want

to come together—not during class

time and not for academic credit—

they simply want to discuss issues

of diversity. Since the media drive

so much of what and how we think

about our world, we’re going to use

film and TV clips as starting points

for discussion.”

The Diversity Center helps to

develop strategies to recruit and

retain more diverse students, faculty,

and staff. It maintains a diversity

website and produces a monthly

newsletter. In addition, one of the

Diversity Center’s most visible con-

tributions to community dialogue

is its ongoing KeyBank Cultural

Diversity Lecture Series—discus-

sions followed by spirited question-

and-answer sessions. On March 30,

2007, the series will host an (In)Visible

(Dis)Ability Panel. “It’s our attempt to

‘show and tell’ what it means to have a

disability—to encourage people to think

about how important it is to integrate

people with disabilities into our com-

munities,” says Minor.

“I am really proud to be at

Westminster at this time when all this

is happening,” she says. “If students

can learn that their perspective is

not universal, if they pay attention to

other voices and fight for equality in

their day-to-day lives, we will have

done our job.”

Environmental CenterKerry Case, CoordinatorKerry Case saw the rural Colorado

community of her childhood

morph from mountain town to

wealthy suburb. The botched

transformation didn’t sit well with

her. “Our town underwent major

changes with very little planning

or structure, so we ended up with

things like huge housing develop-

ments in elk migratory paths—

paths the elk had been using for

millennia,” she remembers. “Of

course, that didn’t work. From the

Wind Power

On the basis of a student proposal developed in an economics class, Westminster

College recently made the decision to purchase 11 percent of the campus energy

needs from Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky renewable energy program. Students

worked with Utah Clean Energy, a local non-profit, to create a cost-benefit analysis

of Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky program. The result of Westminster’s Blue Sky

purchase amounts to the same environmental benefit as planting 176,775 trees or not driving

1,927,500 miles.

On the heels of this announcement, the college launched a challenge to the faculty,

staff, and students at Westminster, asking them to do the same in their homes. The

hope is that over the next six months, 11 percent of the faculty, staff, and students

at Westminster will sign up for Blue Sky. If 11 percent of the Westminster commu-

nity—307 participants—enroll in the Blue Sky program at home for one year, the envi-

ronmental benefit will amount to an additional reduction of 736,800 tons of carbon

dioxide emissions—the same as planting 72,360 trees or not driving 789,297 miles.

��Four New Centers Ignite Learning

time I was a very young person, I

have been aware of that interface—

of what happens between the natural

world and the way we humans want

to live in it.”

Case, who went on to earn a

master’s degree in environmental

studies and non-profit management

from the University of Oregon in

Eugene, says “I had an undergradu-

ate experience that I hope many

Westminster students will have.

A professor who taught a nature

writing course helped me synthesize

what I grew up with—a deep love of

nature, literature, and language. That

course really helped set the path for

where I am today.”

The former director of Utah

State University’s Utah House (a

green-living showcase), Case joined

Westminster in fall 2006 to oversee

the college’s new Environmental

Center and numerous “green

campus” initiatives. Designed to tap

into the environmental interests and

expertise that cross the spectrum

of the campus community, the

Environmental Center will serve as

a focal point for promoting environ-

mental awareness and responsibility,

enriching many curricular and co-

curricular efforts already underway

at the college. The center’s purpose

is education, not advocacy. The

goals of the center are to sponsor

lectures, discussion forums, and

problem-solving gatherings; to

serve as the Utah home for Roots

& Shoots; and to help the college

model environmental awareness in

its own operations.

To Case, that means “really

integrating the center into the

Westminster community and the

community at large. I’d like to see

us become a hub—a beacon if you

will—for environmental thought and

hands-on resources.”

Specifically, the center will

provide a variety of experiential,

co-curricular learning opportunities

for students, giving them hands-on

experience with local community

partners. It also aims to expand the

campus’s role as an environmen-

tal learning tool. “There are already

some great things going on,” Case

Above: The Pleasant Valley Wind Energy facility near Evanston, Wyoming, helps supply power for the Blue Sky program. Photo courtesy of Vestas Wind Systems.

Living Green

Even the act of watching water boil is fascinating when you’re standing in Nina and Michael

Vought’s new “green” home on Salt Lake’s east side. As Nina demonstrates the efficiency of

the Vought’s sleek induction stove, the water bubbles up in seconds in a steel saucepan, but

the stove and the pan’s handle stay relatively cool. That’s because the induction stove works

on a magnetic field, in which energy is created with a minimum amount of power, and the

only heat is in the pan, not all around it. Cool.

When the Voughts, faculty in Westminster’s theatre program, talk about the green home

they built from the ground up—complete with recycled oak, bricks, and a gorgeous beveled-

glass front door from the home that once stood in its place—a lot of the excitement centers

on natural heating and cooling systems. “We started out with the goal of living in an energy-

efficient house since our previous home required three furnaces to keep it warm,” Michael

explains. “After all, ancient cultures knew how to keep things cool in the summer and warm

in winter without air conditioners and furnaces. It wasn’t that difficult, but you might be sur-

prised at how new the concept seems to the building industry.” In the end, the Voughts did

the bulk of research and planning on their own. Today, their snug, yet high-ceilinged home

with its 12-inch-thick walls is a model of what an energy-efficient, green future can look like—

and the picture is gorgeous. Stylish and airy with a south-facing view over Red Butte Creek,

the home takes advantage of passive and direct solar heat and a superb air-flow system that

keeps it cool in the summer, all the while circulating clean, fresh air.

As faculty and active members of Westminster’s community, the Voughts often share their

home, hosting vegetarian dinner parties for students and showing them firsthand what it

means to “live green.”

says. “Westminster participates in the

Blue Sky program to purchase wind

power (see sidebar); EnergySolutions

has provided a grant for a dem-

onstration garden on campus—a

‘bee, bird, and butterfly’ garden

where educators will learn to teach

children about basic ecology and

interactions between living and

non-living things. They can see

what a healthy ecosystem looks like

and what our role is in maintain-

ing it. We’re involved in creating

water-wise and native plantings,

all in line with Westminster’s land-

scape master plan. As an institu-

tion of higher learning, we can set

an example by becoming ‘early

adopters’ of things like solar heat.

Westminster is home to a group of

very bright, strong students who

are interested in these issues, and

they are creating their own propos-

als about what they want to see on

campus. That should shape a lot

of what will happen through the

Environmental Center,” she notes.

“We want to link students with the

community in meaningful ways:

getting them involved in restora-

tion projects—maybe some really

intense internship opportunities. We

will explore ways for students to get

involved at local and state govern-

ment levels, too.”

“Everyone is really interested

in seeing the center bring in stake-

holders from all sides and giving

students a chance to ask their ques-

tions, to engage with people who

are a little polarized around some

of the issues around transportation,

energy, water—just choose from the

laundry list of issues here in Utah.

To me, that’s key.”

Center for China-America Business StudiesChris Tong, DirectorGore School of Business Professor

Chris Tong admits that since the

Center for China-America Business

Studies (CCABS) was formally funded

in June 2006, “Things are moving fast.”

That’s not surprising, coming from

the Hong Kong native who is incred-

ibly focused and passionate about the

fact that “the action in the business

Michael and Nina Vought enjoy their

remarkably energy-efficient home.

��Four New Centers Ignite Learning

world is in China.” Tong attended

Westminster as an undergraduate and

earned his PhD at the University of

Utah. He went on to teach economics

at the Hong Kong Baptist University

for 10 years and is fluent in both

Mandarin and Cantonese.

“We are in the position to

educate American students, our local

community, and businesses about

the Chinese culture and economic

needs,” states Tong. Additionally, with

its membership in the World Trade

Organization and projected economic

growth of almost 10 percent annually,

“China is going to require a lot more

expertise and resources to help their

economy grow over the next 15 to

20 years. “I believe that we, as well

as many other universities, have the

technology and resources to provide

that training. That’s what the CCABS is

all about, about teaching and learning—

on both sides of the globe.”

The CCABS has three key goals.

One is to establish student and

faculty exchange programs with top-

tier Chinese universities. Along with

Associate Professor of Economics

Aric Krause and Interim Dean of

the Gore School of Business, Jim

Clark, Tong has already been instru-

mental in creating a web of recipro-

cal relationships between Chinese

institutions and universities and

Westminster College. “We’re in the

process of negotiating these agree-

ments,” explain Tong and Krause,

both of whom have made several

trips to China. “By spring or summer

of 2007, we should have three to five

exchange contracts in place, and we

can start the exchanges by fall 2007.”

Another objective is to serve

as a resource for information on

China-America business opportuni-

ties, practices, and investments for

Westminster MBA students and the

regional business community. “We

plan to bring Chinese experts and

dignitaries to Westminster to speak to

students as well as the local business

community,” says Tong. “We also want

to be a resource on Chinese culture.

You cannot profit from doing business

in China if you look only at making

dollars. You have to understand the

people and the culture. We will teach

that here as well as taking delegations

to China to learn firsthand.”

Westminster will also provide

summer leadership and manage-

ment training for Chinese mid-

level executives. “Chinese business

people have excellent engineering,

mechanics, and mathematics skills,

but they need to learn more about

teamwork and negotiation and lead-

ership in a market economy. Those

are things Westminster’s faculty can

provide in short-term, intensive

training sessions on our campus or

in China,” says Tong.

The CCABS has also established

strong ties with Governor Jon

Huntsman’s Office for Economic

Development and the Utah World

Trade Center. It is also working

with Salt Lake County Mayor Peter

Corroon to find a “sister city” in China.

And that’s just the beginning.•

World ViewAs part of their Westminster MBA program, students join faculty on a 10-day international trip. Here’s what one recent graduate had to say about his journey.

“Our MBA trip to Prague, Vienna, and

Budapest included scheduled tours of some

really fascinating places—from embassies to

factories. But we were also purposely given

time on our own to explore, to take the cities

in on our own terms. At first, I wasn’t so sure

about that, but once I got over there, it turned

out to be one of the most valuable elements

of the trip. For me, it was all about talking to

people—on the streets, in the ‘mom and pop’

stores, and, of course, in the various compa-

nies we visited. I also remember just sitting and

watching the huge barges on the Danube, realizing

that their ‘freeways’ are rivers—and, of course, that

changes the way a country does business. But

you really have to see things like that for yourself

to understand the context…you have to immerse

yourself in these places, see and feel them, look

around with your eyes wide open. I came back

more convinced than ever that it’s an exciting world

out there—full of opportunities.”

Dean Offert, Zero Halliburton marketing manager,

Westminster MBA, June, 2006

Right: Dean Offert (MBA ’06), flanked by Zero Halliburton cases, recalls his international MBA trip.

One participant likens

Westminster’s MBA Master Track

program to “having your own board

of directors to help guide your pro-

fessional life.” Another says, “It’s a

journey of self-discovery through

the eyes of those around me.” Long-

time Master Track mentor Janet

Haskell, former president of Myriad

Genetics and current executive con-

sultant, describes the program as “a

guided tour through the young pro-

fessional’s phase of ‘who am I, and

what do I want to do with my life?’”

With mentors such as Haskell

on board, it’s no wonder partici-

pants, including Jessica Payne, look

back on the program as a transfor-

mational experience. “It changed the

way I operate in my day-to-day life,”

she says. In Jessica’s case, that may

be an understatement. In addition

Left: Lee (MBA ’05) and Jessica (MBA ’05) Payne met in Master Track and later married.

Master Track—Tailored Mentoring for Graduate Students

to discovering her professional

passions, she met her husband, Lee,

in Master Track. “My professional

situation today has been directly

influenced by my experiences in

Master Track—I have been fortu-

nate enough to find a position that

fulfills all aspects of what is impor-

tant to me,” says Payne, who now

guides and mentors MBA students

in Western Governor University’s

online program.

Lee Payne was attracted to

the entrepreneurial component of

Master Track when he was finish-

ing his first year of the MBA in

Technology Management program

at Westminster. “I had long consid-

ered starting my own company, but

had a lot of questions about that

process and opportunity and the

risks involved. I was hoping the

Master Track program would help

me along that path and provide me

relationships with seasoned, suc-

cessful entrepreneurs,” he notes.

“And of course, it certainly did that.”

“The program was incredibly

transformational, but perhaps not

in the way people who haven't

been a part of it would think. It

has had far greater impact on who

I am as a person and how I view

life in general than it has regarding

career decisions, though of course

it impacts both. For example, I’m

far more thoughtful and conscious

about making both personal and

professional decisions. Having said

that, as a result of Master Track, I

knew I wanted to be a part of a very

small, high-tech company, and I am.

The relationships I established with

mentors and peers have been abso-

2�Master Track—Tailored Mentoring for Graduate Students

lutely instrumental in my career to

date (post Westminster) and my life in

general. My mentor, Bob Frankenberg,

shared more than 30 years of deep

experience with me, and he shared

invaluable industry contacts. To this

day, I am amazed when I look at his

contact list—to think he would have

that kind of trust and faith in me.”

Payne is currently Director

of Business Development for

Mindquest, a 10-person software

development company. “Once you

have the experience of being a

mentee, then you truly appreci-

ate being a mentor—you come

full circle,” he says. Since graduat-

ing, Payne has become involved

with Westminster’s new Alumni

Mentoring Program (see sidebar),

has become a Big Brother, and is

involved as a professional mentor at

Weber State College.

As the program’s co-founder

David Spann puts it, “Much of our

program’s success derives from its

uniqueness: Master Track focuses on

personal and career-development

issues. The key is for the group to

help find and unlock each indi-

vidual’s opportunities and poten-

tial and see where they take that.

Unlike most mentoring programs,

ours is a nine-month experience

that includes both group meetings

and individual corporate mentor-

ing sessions once or twice a month.

And we operate with strict group

confidentiality. As a result, people

in the group have gone on to start

up new companies, publish books,

make decisions about changing

careers—even marriage and having

kids. In short, they’ve found their

intention and fulfilled it.”

Along with Harvard MBA and

business consultant Dick Fontaine,

Spann, a senior management

consultant and now president

of Agile Adaptive Management,

Inc., launched Master Track in

October 2001. “Our original model

came from a blend of Pepperdine

University’s program, called ‘The

Executive Committee,’ and my

intent as [then] MBA director to

create a mentorship program, for

Westminster’s MBA students,” says

“Only 12 current MBA students or

alumni are accepted into the Master Track

program each year. This select group makes

a total commitment to participate in the nine-

month, non-credit program. Due to this total

commitment, extraordinary trust is developed

amongst the group, and this trust allows for

each individual to mature on both a profes-

sional and personal level. All conversations

are confidential, and no judgment is passed.

Master Trackers are mentored by Utah's top

business leaders and entrepreneurs who offer

a great networking opportunity. These relation-

ships also give mentees an opportunity to learn

and listen to the personal and professional life

struggles that have accompanied their mentors’

great successes.

When you ask Master Trackers about the

program, they say words like, ‘family,’ ‘magic,’

and ‘it changed my life.’ ”

Ann Mackin, Director

MBA Program Gore School of Business

Spann. Fontaine, whose passions

have included mentoring CEOs

to be effective leaders during the

rapid-growth phases of their com-

pany’s life cycle, has since moved

out of state and is no longer directly

involved in the program. Dr. Kirk

Wessel, a full-time Westminster

faculty member, has stepped up to

join Spann in the role of professional

coach and facilitator. “Kirk absolutely

shares David’s dedication and enthu-

siasm for Master Track,” says MBA

Program Director, Ann Mackin.

Master Track Alumni Post-graduation, many mentees

want to continue to nurture the

close ties they developed in the

MBA Master Track program. Recent

graduate Vaughn Marie Gouff says,

“The completion of Master Track

was bittersweet for me. I felt the

accomplishment of many lessons

learned and the satisfaction of

reaching the end of the journey.

But then there is the feeling of

loss to think that you no longer

have this time with the people you

2�Master Track—Tailored Mentoring for Graduate Students

have come to love, trust, and share

support with. So why should it

end?” That’s why Gouff, along with

Ann Mackin and Jim Clark, of the

Gore School of Business, is cur-

rently in the process of developing

a Master Track Alumni program.

“Alumni see many opportunities to

not only continue building our own

experiences, but to become mentors

ourselves, supporting the future

success of upcoming Westminster

students,” she says.

Gouff, who worked at NPS

Pharmaceuticals during her Master

Track tenure, was paired with

mentor Ned M. Weinshenker,

then-director of the Life Sciences

Cluster in the Utah Governor’s

Office of Economic Development.

This win-win match is typical of

Master Track. “With his background

in science, finances, business, and

management, Ned has a wealth

of experience and know-how,

which he shared willingly with me,”

notes Gouff. “He helped me to see

various perspectives in a corporate

setting, as well as the relationships

Above: Ned Weinshenker, mentor, and Vaughn Marie Gouff (MBA ’06) continue the lifelong mentoring process over coffee.

with the different roles within a

company. He also provided me with

insights in negotiating, leading, and

driving results for the company.

His coaching and my involvement

in Master Track gave me so many

lifelong gifts.

An example of how Master

Track came into play for me was

when I found myself in an intense

and challenging professional discus-

sion. Rather than feel intimidated, as

I would have before I participated in

Master Track, I found myself calmly

assessing the situation and focused

on the issues at hand. With clarity, I

confidently made a stand to defend

my position and my actions. The

discussion ended without question.

If I had not had that focus and

confidence, it would have been

an emotional and uncomfortable

experience. But rather, I was able to

demonstrate professional leadership

and apply the skills I’ve developed

to identify my intent, to take the

appropriate actions to bring success

to my intent, and to defend my

actions. It is a satisfying realization

Alumni Mentoring

While graduates are enjoying the benefits of

Master Track programs, Westminster alumni

are also “giving back” to current undergradu-

ates through the college’s Alumni Mentoring

Program. Launched in 2005, the program

focuses on academic counseling, career explo-

ration, and networking. To learn more about

the program or to becoming a mentor, visit

www.westminstercollege.edu/alumni_friends

and click on “Getting Involved,” or contact

alumni board member and committee chair of

the mentoring program, Annalisa Steggell, at

801.832.2551.

2�Master Track—Tailored Mentoring for Graduate Students

of what I can do. I feel that, as a

person, I have emerged from the

shadows into the light. I am not an

observer, but have become a maker

and a doer.”

Master Track forMaster of Professional Communication (MPC)Professionals Martha Felt Barton, founder of the

Martha Felt Group and member of

Westminster’s Board of Trustees,

was one of the first mentors in the

MBA Master Track program. A well-

connected professional who made

her name in high-tech marketing

communications and then sold her

company to a national buyer, Barton

has gone on to establish the college’s

second Master Track program. Tailored

to MPC students and graduates, the

new program was launched in 2005.

Although based on the MBA

model, the MPC program draws

from a broader array of mentors. “I

was happy to partner with Senator

Karen Hale as facilitator,” says

Barton. “She comes at communica-

tions from a different angle than I

do, as she ran a newspaper before

going into politics. So between us,

we have matched participants—

some less experienced students

and some in mid-career—with PR

professionals, broadcast journal-

ists, novelists, magazine writers,

ad agency executives and creative

directors, grant writers, technical

writers, and corporate and political

communications professionals. As

facilitators, our role is to question

participants’ assumptions, to

provide a format for give and take,

and to help them look at different

approaches to their lives and work.

Lisa von AppWestminster MPC candidate

“Where else can a graduate student receive

mentoring from Salt Lake City’s most success-

ful, well-respected communications leaders? In

my opinion, the most meaningful aspect of the

MPC Master Track program lies in the realiza-

tion that these busy individuals—including the

leaders—volunteer their time and knowledge

to help students excel in their professional

endeavors and achieve their goals.

Initially, I had reservations about the program

for me individually. I do not work in a traditional

corporate setting and have no desire to do so,

nor do I view myself as a future communica-

tions leader. Freelance writing and editing are

my passion, and my primary focus at this time

is completing my MPC field project: research-

ing, writing, and editing a true-crime story.

My preliminary doubts evaporated, however,

when Martha and Karen paired me with the

most amazing and suitable mentor: Carolyn

Campbell. Carolyn is an award-winning writer

with three books and more than 600 magazine

articles published. She has offered invaluable

guidance and expertise, which will perpetuate

my successful completion of this book.”

Master Track offers them a time to

think hard and explore, to learn

from people who are much further

down the career path—all in a sup-

portive, confidential environment.

There are not that many safe places

to do that in your career. Here, you

have career professionals who have

been highly successful, all rooting

for you and making you think

about your next steps.” •

As a not-for-profit educational

institution, we don’t measure our

success by the rise and fall of our

stock price. Rather, we measure

our success by the quality of the

learning that occurs on campus (in

and out of the classroom), the satis-

faction of our students and alumni,

the value of their Westminster

degrees, and their ability to get into

top graduate schools and to have

meaningful careers. As we approach

the start of the third year since the

campus-wide approval of our 10-

year strategic plan, we also measure

our success by the progress we’ve

made in the implementation of this

plan. By all of these measures, we

believe the 2005–2006 academic

year was an exceptional one for

Westminster.

Left: A diminutive violinist at the entrance to the Jewett Center for the Performing Arts

Monitoring Our Progress

tical business skills. With Salt Lake’s

vibrant cultural arts community,

demand for this interdisciplinary

major is great.

At the graduate level, we added

a Master of Science in Nursing

Education (MSNED). This program

helps respond to the ongoing

shortage of nurses by training

nurse educators for roles in either

academia or health-care settings. In

2007, we plan to introduce a Master

of Science in Counseling Psychology

and a Master of Arts in Teaching.

In addition to our new

academic programs, we revamped

the liberal education program

for all undergraduate students.

Changes to the freshman program

require students to participate in a

learning community (see page 9),

complete a basic writing course, and

Distinctive Educational ProgramsThe pages of this annual report

detail the success of our writing

center and the new freshman

learning communities. Additionally,

several new academic programs,

Environmental Studies and Arts

Administration, were added as

undergraduate majors in the last

academic year. The Environmental

Studies program epitomizes

Westminster’s hands-on approach

to learning. It combines “bookwork”

with fieldwork by taking advantage

of our unique ecology to create

learning opportunities in the moun-

tains, in the desert, and at Great

Salt Lake. The Arts Administration

major—the only one of its kind in

the Intermountain West—allows

students to pursue their passions

for the arts while also gaining prac-

2�Monitoring our Progress

complete an information literacy

workshop during the freshman

year—all designed to promote

student success and engagement.

Other changes to the liberal educa-

tion curriculum add requirements

in the areas of cultural diversity and

living arts. These modifications are

notable because they support

our college-wide learning goals,

core values, and commitment to

educate the whole person.

Student Engagement As we add or modify our academic

programs, our focus is on learning

designs that are active, collaborative,

experiential, and cross-disciplinary.

According to independent sources,

we continue to improve student

engagement through this emphasis.

The National Survey of Student

Engagement (NSSE) is an annual

survey of more than 500 colleges

and universities that measures

student engagement to assess

how well students are learning. It

assesses educational performance

by measuring the following: level of

academic challenge, active and col-

laborative learning, student-faculty

interaction, enriching educational

experiences, and supportive campus

environment. Westminster exceeded

the scores of other colleges in

all of the areas critical to student

learning. Perhaps most important, in

every dimension, in every category,

our students’ perception of the

degree to which Westminster both

challenged and supported them

increased from the freshman to the

senior year.

Another testament to our

unique approach to learning is the

recent accreditation of our School of

Education by the Teacher Education

Accreditation Council (TEAC). TEAC

accredits teacher education programs

through the audit of evidence of

student achievement. TEAC’s goal is to

support the preparation of competent,

caring, qualified professional educa-

tors. Its evidenced-based review is well

aligned with our own perspective on

assessment and achievement

of learning goals.

Recognition and Visibility Increasingly, Westminster’s unique

approach to learning and our new

initiatives are gaining notice. We

were included for the first time in

the 2007 issue of the Princeton Review’s

361 Best Colleges. Inclusion in this

well-respected college guidebook

puts us among the top 15 percent

of all four-year colleges in America.

Earlier in the year, we were also

included in the Princeton Review’s

America’s Best Value Colleges. Other

accolades include being ranked a

top-tier college for the 12th year

in a row by U.S.News & World Report

and being ranked 14th in their

category of “Great Schools, Great

Prices.” Newsweek/Kaplan included

us as one of their “369 America’s

Hottest Colleges,” saying we were

one of the “most interesting

schools” in America.

Westminster was also singled

out in several major media outlets

in the past year, including the Wall

Street Journal, USA Today, and even

Family Circle and Powder magazines.

More important than these

ratings and media coverage is

what they say about the kind of

students we attract and the value

of a Westminster education. For

the incoming 2006–2007 class, we

had a record number of inquiries

and applications. The freshmen who

entered the college this past fall—the

second largest class in our history—is

second to none in terms of quality.

It includes 5 National Merit final-

ists and semi-finalists, as well as 14

National Hispanic Scholars, 3 National

Achievement finalists and semi-final-

ists, 7 Sterling Regional winners and

runners-up, and 9 class valedictorians.

We are also proud of the increased

geographic and ethnic diversity of

the incoming class. One-third of the

incoming students are from outside

of Utah, representing a total of 9

countries and 30 states. And more

than 20 percent of the entering class

is from traditionally under-repre-

sented groups. We believe that this

kind of diversity lends a richness

and depth that are essential for our

students’ educational experience.

2�Monitoring our Progress

Our graduates realize the value

of a Westminster degree as they

enter the workforce and graduate

schools each fall. Research by the

Utah Foundation showed that

Westminster graduates have among

the highest starting salaries of all

college graduates in the state. These

high salaries were credited, in part,

to the large number of students

who complete internships as part

of their undergraduate education.

Additionally, students who choose

to continue their education have

been accepted into top graduate

programs at schools such as

Georgetown University, University

of California–Berkley, University of

Chicago, New York University, and

the University of London.

2006–2007 Outlook Proud though we are of our accom-

plishments to date, we continue to

be mindful that we have a lot to do

to fully realize the vision of our stra-

tegic plan. We are fortunate to have

many champions for our initiatives

among both the faculty and the

staff. We are optimistic that we will

continue to make great strides while

maintaining the elements that char-

acterize a Westminster education:

a unique approach to learning, a

positive track record of success, and

a welcoming campus community. •

A Snapshot

of Institutional Progress

2 new undergraduate majors: Environmental Studies and Arts Administration

1 new graduate program: MSNED

30percent of incoming students from out-of-state

22percent incoming students from under-represented groups

4 new centers: Diversity, Environmental, Civic Engagement, and China-America Business Studies

22new learning communities

2 new athletic teams: men’s lacrosse and women’s soccer

699 students graduating in the 05–06 academic year

Unique Approach to Learning

��

Institutions like Westminster are

highly dependent upon the generos-

ity of donors to fund new initiatives,

new programs, and, most importantly,

scholarships that make our unique

approach to learning accessible to

more students. As we enter the third

year of implementation of our strategic

plan, philanthropic gifts are even more

important for their ability to transform

the college, its students, and the world.

This year’s report highlights just some

of the gifts that are helping us realize

our vision. A complete list of donors is

included in the Honor Roll section of

this Annual Report.

The 2005–2006 fiscal year was

a very strong fundraising year for

Westminster College. The Office of

Advancement and Alumni Relations

raised $16,087,545 in new gifts and

pledges—the second-highest level of

A Banner Year for Fundraising

donations and pledges received by

the college in a single year.

The Science CenterThe college received its largest gift

ever: $10 million for the sciences

from John and Ginger Giovale, Class

of 1965. The $10-million donation

kick-starts a fundraising process for

a 60,000-square-foot science center

with a $25 million price tag ($20

million for construction, $5 million

for endowment). This gift is a long-

term investment in a program with

a wonderful track record of prepar-

ing the next generation of scientists.

In Ginger’s words, “I have always

believed that a good education can

not only have a positive influence in

transforming an individual’s life,

but also the country and, indeed,

the world.”

The new science building that

the Giovales’ gift will fund will be a

hands-on, interdisciplinary, lab-rich

learning environment and a dazzling

architectural and educational cen-

terpiece of the campus. The building

will support Westminster’s goals to

provide scientific literacy for all of our

students, as well as to prepare our

science majors to pursue successful

careers in science or science-related

fields, such as medicine and nursing.

The vision for the new science

center attracted the attention and

support of several other significant

donors.

The Peter and Cathy Meldrum

Foundation has considerable interest in

seeing our new science center con-

structed. Peter, President and CEO of

Myriad Genetics, chairs Westminster’s

Science Advisory Task Force and is a

��A Banner Year for Fundraising

Left: Nancy Michalko, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations

ScholarshipsStudent scholarships provide access

to a Westminster College educa-

tion for many deserving students

who would not be able to afford

their education without financial

assistance. Over 90 percent of

Westminster students rely on schol-

arships or financial aid to help pay

for their educations; the average

scholarship awarded is $7,380.

One example of the many

scholarships created by our donors

is the Founders Scholarship funded

by Zions Bank, which annually

provides four full-tuition scholar-

ships. The students who receive

these scholarships are selected for

both their academic excellence as

well as their outstanding service

to the community. The Zions Bank

Founders Scholarship is integral

to our academic mission and our

goal to ensure that students of all

economic backgrounds are able to

attend Westminster.

member of the college’s board of

trustees. As a distinguished scien-

tist and entrepreneur, Mr. Meldrum

knows that as Utah companies

tackle some of our greatest chal-

lenges, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s

disease, and osteoporosis, more

young scientists will be required

to continue these efforts. Since the

majority of Westminster gradu-

ates stay in Utah, Meldrum realizes

that an investment in the science

center is not only an investment in

Utah’s economic strength, but it also

provides a pipeline for tomorrow’s

scientific leaders.

The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles

Foundation challenged the college

with a $1 million pledge toward the

last dollar of the building. For more

than two decades, the George S. and

Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation has

made gifts throughout the state of

Utah to improve the lives of all its

citizens. When we near completion

of our fundraising on this important

building, this contribution will be a

fitting capstone.

The current scholarships available to

Westminster students from all sources—corpo-

rations, foundations, and individuals—number

215 and include institutional, endowed, and

restricted scholarships. Several examples

of our generous scholarship donors are

listed below:

• George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles

Foundation

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints Foundation

• Marriner S. Eccles Foundation

• Marilyn Peak Pannier and Clyde Pannier

• The Woman’s Board of Westminster College

Center for the EnvironmentThe EnergySolutions Foundation con-

tributed $200,000 to Westminster

College for students to work on

environmental improvements

on campus. The EnergySolutions

Foundation was established to fund

projects dedicated to cleaning up

and enhancing Utah's environ-

ment for the benefit of current and

future generations. The foundation's

donation to Westminster will fund

several important environmental ini-

tiatives on campus. The picturesque

Emigration Creek that runs through

the south end of the campus will be

enhanced with interpretive gardens.

Additionally, our environmental

biology students will study the fea-

sibility of reintroducing Bonneville

cutthroat trout to the creek. This

native species was driven away by

damage from storm runoff that

severely compromised its habitat.

Work has already begun to remove

invasive plants and replant with

native trees and shrubs. The gift also

funds a bridge over the Emigration

Creek to the new site of the college’s

Environmental Center.

NursingThe Bamberger Foundation generously

donated $400,000 for the School

of Nursing and Health Sciences

to enhance the advanced practice

nursing education programs and

to help expand enrollment at the

master’s level at Westminster College.

Westminster’s Master of Science in

Nursing Education (MSNED) prepares

nursing professionals to become

nurse educators in staff develop-

ment roles or in higher education.

Our Master of Science in Nursing

Anesthesia (MSNA) program will

prepare advanced practice nurses

to administer anesthetics, which

is a critical nursing role, particu-

larly in rural hospital settings. And

Westminster’s Master of Science in

Nursing (MSN) trains working pro-

fessionals to become Family Nurse

Practitioners with a holistic approach

to primary patient assessment, diag-

nosis, and care. Advanced practice

nurse practitioners play a crucial role

in our changing health care system

by providing professional primary

patient care in Utah’s urban and rural

��A Banner Year for Fundraising

clinical settings in collaboration with

other medical professionals.

The Bamberger Foundation

has been a long-time partner to

Westminster, supporting many of our

programs since 1977.

Health, Wellness, and AthleticsThe Behnken Field House in the

Dolores Doré Eccles Health, Wellness,

and Athletic Center was a gift to the

college from Jack and Nancy Behnken.

A longtime friend of the college and

parent of a Westminster graduate,

Jack has served on the Board of

Trustees since 1987. The field house

is home to the Westminster Griffins’

winning men’s and women’s basket-

ball teams and women’s volleyball

team, and it provides an important

recreation space for all students. The

field house is also used for campus

gatherings such as the career fair,

freshman orientation, and the col-

lege’s summer event.

Sorenson Legacy Foundation funded

a dance and exercise studio in the

new Eccles Center. The Beverly

Sorenson Studio is the home to

Other examples of donors who gener-

ously support the School of Nursing and Health

Sciences are listed below:

• Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis

Dumke Foundation

• Intermountain Health Care

• Wells Fargo Bank

dance, yoga, total body condition-

ing, and a variety of other exercise

programs. It is also used for special

programs and training. The room

features a mounted bar for stretch-

ing and dance purposes that runs the

length of the north wall and a state-

of-the-art sound system that includes

wireless microphones. The studio

serves students, faculty, staff, and

alumni and is a location for outside

community groups such as Art Works

for Kids. The goal of the studio is to

create a supportive space for experi-

ential learning, dance, movement, and

wellness programs for the community.

President’s Innovation NetworkThe President’s Innovation Network

(PIN) is a venture fund to support

the continuing renaissance of

Westminster College, its innovative

initiatives, and its quest to become

a community of learners worthy of

national recognition. During the fiscal

year, 24 members joined—each com-

mitting to an annual gift of $10,000.

In 2006, biology major, Rick

Campbell (‘76), DVM, joined the

President’s Innovation Network. In

1983, Campbell established Willow

Creek Pet Center in Sandy, Utah. The

center is known for its leadership

in veterinary medicine and offers

state-of-the-art medical and surgical

procedures. When asked about his

PIN donation, Dr. Campbell had

this to say: “I believe in Westminster,

the faculty, and the leadership of

President Bassis so, for me, there

is no better investment than in

Westminster College. And when I

consider the impact that Westminster

has had on my life and my career, it’s

the least I can do.”

Once PIN funding was available,

selecting proposals to be funded

was no easy task. On an academic

level, the selected proposals had

to have the potential to be a new

and powerful way to learn, both in

and out of the classroom. They also

had to capture enough interest on

campus to be viable and have the

champions among faculty and staff to

build and sustain them. Finally, they

had to support and strengthen estab-

lished programs so that they would

Additional donor funding for the Dolores Doré Eccles Health, Wellness, and Athletic Center includes the following:

• The R. Harold Burton Foundation

• Henry W. and Leslie M. Eskuche

Charitable Foundation

• WTF Foundation

��A Banner Year for Fundraising

have the political and intellectual

support necessary to survive in their

initial stages and, ultimately, flourish.

President Bassis selected three

such projects for PIN funding in

2006: the Center for China-America

Business Studies, the Environmental

Center, and the Center for Civic

Engagement. The PIN funding has

already fueled the start-up costs and

brought the centers to life. For more

detailed information on the new

centers, turn to page 13.

The Annual FundAlumni, parents, corporations,

foundations, and other friends of

the college generously donated

$2,576,768 in annual operating

dollars to the college. The funds are

expended within the year of the gift

and generally support scholarships

and academic programs. The annual

fund is critical to the ongoing success

of the college.

The college is still challenged to

increase the rate at which its alumni

give to the annual fund. Alumni gifts

demonstrate appreciation for a strong

education and can help attract funds

for Westminster from foundations

and corporations. They are also a

measure that influences our ratings

in college guidebooks, like U.S.News

& World Report. While the college has

had a 131-year history, the majority

of alumni have graduated from

1990 through 2006. These younger

alumni can stimulate enormous

progress for Westminster by increas-

ing their participation in the annual

fund. All donors who contributed to

the annual fund are included in the

Honor Roll.

Planned GiftsAlumni and friends demonstrated

their loyalty to Westminster by

including the college in their estates

in record numbers. The Converse

Society, Westminster’s legacy society,

added 17 new members in 2005–06,

a 15 percent increase. These chari-

table bequests will one day provide

support for a variety of programs

on campus including scholar-

ships, undergraduate research, and

support of the college endowment. In

addition, Lottie and Bill Felkner and Burton

Wheatlake created charitable gift annui-

ties that will provide income for the

rest of their lives. All Converse Society

members are gratefully acknowl-

edged in the Honor Roll.

We are very grateful to the many

individuals, foundations, and corpora-

tions that helped make 2005–2006

a successful fundraising year. As an

independent college, Westminster

relies on gifts from its alumni,

parents, and friends to create new

programs and to provide the finan-

cial support that sustain our level of

excellence. Though the college can

boast of 23 years in the black, private

gifts and grants continue to provide

essential funding to many of the

programs described in this report. •

Westminster College enjoyed

another successful year in fiscal 2006.

The college realized its 23rd consecu-

tive year of operating surplus, which

demonstrates a strong and steady

record of fiscal discipline in managing

the resources of the institution.

Stable enrollment, strong fund-

raising, the addition of several new

buildings, and positive endowment

returns added considerably to the net

assets of the college, growing the total

net assets to almost $114 million.

Total assets increased to almost $160

million while total liabilities decreased

to $45 million.

Total revenues from all sources

increased by 23 percent—from $44.4

million to $54.5 million—primar-

ily due to an increase in net tuition

revenues and contributions. Total

expenses for all funds increased by

2005–2006 Financial Report

7.5 percent—from $39.7 million to

42.7 million.

Net tuition revenues increased

by 3.4 percent—from $29.3 million

to $30.3 million—and accounted

for 56 percent of total revenues.

Overall enrollment for the fiscal

year declined slightly, from 2,482

to 2,447; however, the tuition-rate

increase for the year, offset by

slightly higher tuition discount-

ing, helped realize the 3.4 percent

increase in net tuition revenues.

The college’s undergraduate

tuition rate is still very competitive

at 95 percent of the national average,

earning the college a “Best Value”

ranking in fiscal 2006 from U.S.News &

World Report. The college’s institutional

discount rate was 29.9 percent for

fiscal 2006, which is slightly above

that of peer institutions.

The college had the second-

best year in its history in terms of

fundraising. The largest single gift in

the college’s history, $10 million, was

pledged last year for the new science

center. Funds have also been raised

for the endowment fund, which

reached a record high of $56.3 million

at the end of June 2006.

The investment performance

of the endowment fund realized

a net return of 8.6 percent for the

fiscal year and an average of 11.2%

over three years, which compares

favorably to other endow-

ments comparable in size in the

National Association of College

and University Business Officers

(NACUBO) Endowment Survey. The

positive investment results added

$4.3 million in income and appre-

ciation for the fiscal year.

��2005–2006 Financial Report

Left: Steve Morgan, Executive Vice President

Total expenses were up 7.5

percent from the prior year, which is

slightly above the Higher Education

Price Index of 5.0 percent for the

same period. Several significant cost-

saving initiatives implemented during

the year allowed funds to be shifted

from general administrative support

to the instructional and academic areas

that sustain student learning. One of

the goals in the strategic plan is to

spend more for student learning and

less on administrative costs, and these

reallocations help realize that goal.

Progress on the campus master

plan continued in 2006 with the

opening of the new 80,000-square-

foot Dolores Doré Eccles Health,

Wellness, and Athletic Center and

the Dumke Athletic Field. The new

facilities provide a home for the

growing School of Nursing and

Health Sciences and add enhanced

recreational and athletic facilities to

the campus. The new center includes

a swimming pool, three full-size

gymnasiums, racquetball courts, a

weight room, fitness equipment,

and a three-story climbing wall. The

new athletic field is state-of-the-art

and accommodates a wide range of

athletic activities year round—from

soccer to lacrosse. Underneath the

field are 380 parking stalls that have

added much-needed parking for

students and guests.

Another notable accomplishment

in 2006 was the college’s early repay-

ment of $5.8 million in short-term

taxable notes issued to help fund the

construction of some of the new facili-

ties until multi-year pledges were paid.

As the only independent private

college in Utah and one of the few in

the Intermountain West, Westminster

will face a series of significant chal-

lenges in the future. National trends

suggest declines in the potential

student population and increased

competition for the shrinking pool

of students from private, for-profit

institutions as well as from state-

supported colleges and universities.

Federal funding for student aid is

not expected to increase, and an

increasing proportion of federal

spending will be diverted to com-

munity colleges. At the same time,

4�2005–2006 Financial Report

there will be pressure to restrain

tuition increases. Therefore, over

the next few years, we expect some

peaks and valleys in enrollment

and revenues. We are confident

that as our visibility and reputa-

tion continue to grow, we will be

even more successful in attract-

ing students from other states.

Fundamentally, we have faith in the

mission of the college, confidence in

our ability to manage its resources,

and a firm belief that Westminster

will continue to be an exemplary

community of learners for many

years to come. •

4�2005–2006 Financial Report

Our VisionWe will be nationally recognized as an exemplary community oflearners, distinguished by our

distinctive educational programs,our record of preparing graduatesfor success in a rapidly changingworld, and our commitment to

continuous improvement,effectiveness, and value.

1840 South 1300 EastSalt Lake City, UT 84105

801.484.7651Toll Free 800.748.4753

www.westminstercollege.edu