Building Westmont's
Future Together
Our Gift Planning team has experience across a range of giving opportunities, and we are always available for phone calls and personal visits to discuss your particular areas of interest, from designating Westmont in your wills or trusts to exploring life income gifts with generous tax benefits.
We offer supplemental estate planning and tax guidance information on these web pages through our planned giving partner, Crescendo Interactive, Inc. Based in Camarillo, CA, Crescendo has been a preferred service provider for over 30 years among colleges, universities, faith organizations, professional advisors and other nonprofit organizations.
Steven Jay Davis
Senior Director of Gift Planning
A Gift for Building and Grounds Benefits All Students
Ken and Melissa Smith '78 Strongman have dedicated their lives to education. To help a wide range of students at Westmont, they've established the Ken and Melissa Strongman Buildings and Grounds Endowment. "Improving the grounds and facilities on campus benefits all students," Ken says.
Melissa majored in religious studies at Westmont and earned a Master of Arts in leadership at St. Mary's College of California. After directing education for a Covenant church, she spent 27 years teaching fifth grade and serving as a principal of a large, Title 1 elementary school. She established breakfast and an outdoor program while raising money for a summer school for gifted and talented students. Before retiring fully, she directed education at Lindsey Wildlife Experience in Walnut Creek, a museum and rescue hospital.
"I was a Christian coming into Westmont, but college is when I started making my faith my own," Melissa says. "Dr. Gundry made you think through things."
Ken studied environmental planning at UC Davis and graduated from law school. He works in his own practice as an attorney and mediator, serves as a mediation and negotiation coach at Hastings College of Law, and teaches as an adjunct professor at John F. Kennedy University School of Law. Early in his career, he represented clients in mediation and realized he preferred to solve problems right away rather than put them off for a future court date.
All three of the Strongmans' sons were Eagle Scouts, and Ken trained scouts to lead themselves through the Boy Scouts National Youth Leadership program. He also serves as a planning commissioner in Walnut Creek, California, where they've lived for more than 40 years.
Michael Strongman '06, earned a degree in physics at Westmont and worked closely with his professors. After four summers of research at Michigan State, he continued his experiments there and earned a master's degree in nuclear physics. He works for the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) conducting nuclear treaty verification.
The Strongmans also have twins, Kevin and Kyle. Sadly, Kyle died of cancer in 2020. Kevin served in the Air Force in special ops, majored in hydrology at the University of Arizona, and works for the National Weather Service in Tucson, Arizona.
"The kind of education Westmont provides is true to its mission, connecting with students and helping them know what they believe and why they believe it," Melissa says. "The beautiful campus preserves the historic gardens and pathways while featuring wonderful new facilities like the art center, which has classrooms with windows that open up like garage doors. Preserving Westmont's campus, buildings and grounds is so important."
A Gift for Building and Grounds Benefits All Students
Ken and Melissa Smith '78 Strongman have dedicated their lives to education. To help a wide range of students at Westmont, they've established the Ken and Melissa Strongman Buildings and Grounds Endowment. "Improving the grounds and facilities on campus benefits all students," Ken says.
Melissa majored in religious studies at Westmont and earned a Master of Arts in leadership at St. Mary's College of California. After directing education for a Covenant church, she spent 27 years teaching fifth grade and serving as a principal of a large, Title 1 elementary school. She established breakfast and an outdoor program while raising money for a summer school for gifted and talented students. Before retiring fully, she directed education at Lindsey Wildlife Experience in Walnut Creek, a museum and rescue hospital.
"I was a Christian coming into Westmont, but college is when I started making my faith my own," Melissa says. "Dr. Gundry made you think through things."
Ken studied environmental planning at UC Davis and graduated from law school. He works in his own practice as an attorney and mediator, serves as a mediation and negotiation coach at Hastings College of Law, and teaches as an adjunct professor at John F. Kennedy University School of Law. Early in his career, he represented clients in mediation and realized he preferred to solve problems right away rather than put them off for a future court date.
All three of the Strongmans' sons were Eagle Scouts, and Ken trained scouts to lead themselves through the Boy Scouts National Youth Leadership program. He also serves as a planning commissioner in Walnut Creek, California, where they've lived for more than 40 years.
Michael Strongman '06, earned a degree in physics at Westmont and worked closely with his professors. After four summers of research at Michigan State, he continued his experiments there and earned a master's degree in nuclear physics. He works for the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) conducting nuclear treaty verification.
The Strongmans also have twins, Kevin and Kyle. Sadly, Kyle died of cancer in 2020. Kevin served in the Air Force in special ops, majored in hydrology at the University of Arizona, and works for the National Weather Service in Tucson, Arizona.
"The kind of education Westmont provides is true to its mission, connecting with students and helping them know what they believe and why they believe it," Melissa says. "The beautiful campus preserves the historic gardens and pathways while featuring wonderful new facilities like the art center, which has classrooms with windows that open up like garage doors. Preserving Westmont's campus, buildings and grounds is so important."
Donor Stories
Learn how our supporters have made an impact through their acts of giving to Westmont. Be inspired by the various ways of giving used by our alumni, parents and friends.