In the early months of the COVID pandemic, when isolation was beginning to take its toll, Frank LaHorgue ’58 came up with the idea of gathering the Pomona Class of 1958 together in a Zoom meeting. Enlisting the help of a few others, he invited everyone in our class to the first meeting in the spring of 2020. Six years later, we’re still meeting every month.
Our meetings, which are planned by a committee, consist of a presentation followed by lively discussions. Subject matter has been varied, ranging from slide shows of our reunions to reprises of significant events from our careers to presentations by classmates (“Starting a Coffee Plantation in Panama”) and professors from Pomona College and other institutions (“Artificial Intelligence in Today’s Classrooms”). We have learned about the complexities and uses of seaweed, about the psychological problems of military personnel conducting remote missile and drone attacks, about the cultural and political history that makes China what it is, and about the history of the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation in Trojoatngna (aka, Claremont).
To plan and organize our monthly gatherings, a committee of eight classmates—two of whom have Zoom Pro licenses—meet weekly on Zoom. At these meetings we generate ideas for presentations, which often include taking advantage of contacts from the “outside world.” We send out announcements a week before the presentation, and, a few minutes before the meeting, we send a link. We use the Zoom record function to distribute the meeting for classmates unable to attend.
Our meetings have not only enriched our lives intellectually but have proven to be a tremendous bonding experience for our class as we renew old friendships and create new ones. We’ve also found that our gatherings have amplified our ties to Pomona College and engendered feelings of gratitude for being among its graduates.
—Patrick Muffler ’58
Connie Leas ’58