HUNTINGDON COLLEGE
News Release
November 14, 2023
For more information, contact:
Dr. Anthony Leigh, aleigh@hawks.huntingdon.edu
West Study Room Dedicated in Houghton Memorial Library
Montgomery, Ala. –Another name of a devoted Huntingdon family has been added to a prominent space on campus with the dedication of the Elizabeth and Cam West Study Room on the second floor of the Houghton Memorial Library. The study space was established in recognition of a gift to the Heart of Huntingdon campaign by Cam West’s sister, Sarah West, and her husband, Tom Dominick, celebrating the first twenty years of Cam and Elizabeth West’s service as President and First Lady of the College. The dedication ceremony took place on Saturday, November 11.
In remarks at the dedication event, Sarah West noted, “Tom and I could not think of a better way to recognize Cam and Elizabeth’s shared dedication to the students of Huntingdon and their shared love of reading than the creation of a such a lovely and welcoming space in which students can come together for scholarship, community and teamwork.
Our parents Grace and Cameron West inspired in their three children a passion for public service and devotion to the mission of higher education. That calling to serve the mission of higher education is one that Cam and Elizabeth feel deeply. It has been our privilege to share some part of their journey and to witness Huntingdon’s remarkable transformation under Cam’s leadership.
What has been most inspiring to me, within the context of my own 40-year career in higher education, is that Huntingdon is thriving today because of its recommitment to its fundamental identity and the ways in which it can and should contribute to the world. And, in keeping faith with its core values, Huntingdon is building an environment in which students are empowered to find their own true calling in an evolving and challenging external environment.”
Cam West and Elizabeth West both made remarks at the celebratory occasion. Cam West stated, “Elizabeth and I are so very grateful to my sister, Sarah West, and her husband, Tom Dominick, for this generous gift to the Heart of Huntingdon Campaign. Their philanthropic generosity, and their constant support and encouragement over the years, are an affirmation of Huntingdon’s mission.
I have always believed that the library at a College of the Church is a ‘school for the soul.’ Learning does not exist for learning’s sake; learning exists in service to formation of the soul. Knowledge of the head and knowledge of the heart are two sides of one coin. With the creation of this study room in Houghton Memorial Library, Sarah and Tom have advanced the College’s motto — “Enter to Grow in Wisdom; Go Forth to Apply Wisdom in Service” — and provided our students one more place to live into the rare and unique educational experience that is Huntingdon’s.”
Elizabeth West recognized and thanked several members of the Readettes who attended the dedication. She is a charter member of the Readettes, a book club of Montgomery friends who gather monthly to discuss a book. Through the discussions, which are primarily about social and cultural issues, Elizabeth has expanded her knowledge and deepened friendships.
Throughout their lives, Elizabeth and Cam West have never stopped growing in wisdom. They are lifelong learners, avid readers, and book collectors. During their Huntingdon tenure, the Wests have welcomed many writers to campus. They have a shared heart for student learning, and they believe that reading is essential to enriching the mind and the spirit.
Over his career, Cam West has built a substantial and eclectic personal library. He especially enjoys reading literary novels and short stories, poetry, biographies, American political and cultural history, theology, and higher education policy analysis. Cam has gifted hundreds of books from his collection to the Houghton Memorial Library and to Huntingdon students, faculty, and staff.
The Wests enjoy spending time in independent bookstores when they travel. They celebrate that their children, Grace West and William West, are book enthusiasts. Many family conversations revolve around the authors and themes of books.
As a memento for attending the celebration, guests were invited to take a book from the West family collection. Attendees also received a special bookmark created for the occasion which contains a quote from Atticus to Scout in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird that reads “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
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Huntingdon College, in accordance with Title IX and Section 106.8 of the 2020 Final Rule under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, other applicable federal and state law, and stated College policy, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. Similarly, it prohibits discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age and/or national origin in its education program
