Members of the Class of 2015 show support for a classmate who just received a diploma during Pomona’s 122nd Commencement in May. During the ceremony, Michael Dickerson ’01, Andrew Hoyem ’57, Judge Stephen Reinhardt ’51, and France Córdova spoke and received honorary degrees from the College. Videos of the speakers are available at www.pomona.edu/events/commencement/archive/2015.aspx.
Pomoniana
Celebrating the Class of 2015
Under Prometheus
President David Oxtoby welcomes the members of the Class of 2015 to a Senior Dinner on April 7 beneath José Clemente Orozco’s fresco of Prometheus in Frary Hall.
Have a Jolly Holi
Since 2000, Walker Beach has been the site of The Claremont Colleges’ increasingly popular celebration of Holi, the springtime festival of colors and love that originated in India. Organized by the Claremont Hindu Society, with the support of the Office of Chaplains, the festival is celebrated as a carnival of bright colors, with participants throwing dry colored powder or colored water at each other until both crowd and surroundings appear to have been tie-dyed. Last March, more than 400 students from across the campuses took part in the 2015 festivities.
Edible Elements
Each summer, the students working in Chemistry Professor Mal Johal’s research lab take a break from their work on ultra-thin assemblies to create a dessert version of the periodic table for one of their weekly barbecues. Past efforts have included cookies and cakes—this year, it was brownies, complete with rainbow sprinkles for the radioactive elements. Posing with their creation are: (from left, front row) Carlos Hernandez ’18, Devin Gladys ’17, Zi-Chen Liu ’18, Samuel To ’18, (back row) Kavoos Kolahdouzan ’18, Vanessa Machuca ’18, Conner Kummerlowe ’16 and Hannah Wayment-Steele ’15.
Eclectic Electives
Dance, Ethnicity and Nationalism looks at dance as a vehicle for achieving political goals and establishing ethnic identities. Students study such examples as Irish step dancing, Ukrainian and Russian folk dancing and the Hawaiian hula, all of which have served past regimes. Instructor: Anthony Shay
Disease, Destruction, & Disaster examines disaster as a social phenomenon and trends in managing and responding to threats and catastrophe. Students look at such case studies as Hurricane Katrina, Fuku-shima and the Ebola outbreaks. Instructor: Brady Potts
Drone Theory focuses on the drone as part of a network of ubiquitous, always-active sensors for automated data collection, processing and response. Looking at the drone through critical media theory, students think about asymmetrical power and remote control, and the historic relationship between military and media technology. Instructor: Mark Andrejevic
2019’s Got Class
Here are just a few of the many interesting and unique individual accomplishments reported by members of the admitted Class of 2019:
- One auditioned and was cast in a small role in the movie The Hunger Games (2012).
- One authored a neuroscience textbook in 11th grade: A Friendly Guide To The Adolescent Brain.
- One wrote five Apple Apps, which achieved 1,000,000 total downloads.
- One has written four full-length novels.
- One is a sous chef for a Michelin-starred restaurant.
- One is a master bee-keeper, the youngest in the state.
Founders Day and the New Millikan
Save the Date: October 3, 2015
The focus will be on the wonders of physics, astronomy and mathematics during Pomona’s 2015 Founders Day, which will feature the official opening of the beautiful new Millikan Laboratory and the renovated Andrew Science Hall. The dedication ceremony is set to begin at 1:30 p.m., and to be followed by a range of interactive science and math activities for all age groups throughout the afternoon, ending around 7 p.m. Food trucks will be available for dinner from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Mountainous Monument
THE MAJESTIC San Gabriel Mountains, Pomona College’s ever-present backdrop, are now a national monument encompassing 350,000 acres of scenic, rugged terrain. President Barack Obama visited nearby Bonelli Regional Park in October to sign the proclamation, saying, “We are blessed to have the most beautiful landscapes in the world.” For Pomona students, the nearby mountains have always been a favorite spot for recreation, but they also serve as a key site for field trips and student research in geology and other fields. The College’s shared one-meter telescope at Table Mountain Observatory is located high in the mountains near the resort town of Wrightwood.
Do You Speak Sagehen?
POMONA HAS ITS own ever-evolving set of unique words that only have meaning on the Pomona campus. Here are a few special words and phrases that are vital to understanding life at Pomona today.
Spo-gro — Short for “sponsor group,” this is a word students are likely to hear frequently during their first year at Pomona, and possibly for the rest of their lives. Designed to help students make a smooth transition to college, the Sponsor Program clusters first-year students into sponsor groups of about 15 students who live together in a residence hall, along with older students who help them settle into the Pomona community.
OA — OA stands for Orientation Adventure, the three-day trip that all first-years go on before they start class. There are various derivations of this word, such as “OA-by,” which is what you may be introduced as if you encounter your OA leader at a party.
Table Manners, Pub, Bloc, Tap — At Pomona, the term “Table Manners” doesn’t refer to a set of polite social behaviors every student should learn. For today’s Sagehens, it’s the name of a party thrown in Doms Lounge of the Smith Campus Center every Tuesday night. Other parties that take place on campus weekly have equally cryptic names, such as Pub, Bloc and Tap.
Sustainable Numbers
The number of gallons of water the College expects to save each year due to new pH controllers installed on its 10 water-cooling towers. Purchased last March, the new controllers reduce the number of water replacement cycles in building air conditioning systems.
The number of pounds of used appliances, furnishings, books and other items (including 100+ couches) saved from the landfill last May in the College’s Clean Sweep, which picks up items left behind in residence halls for resale the next fall. This year’s sale raised more than $9,500 for sustainability programs.
The number of new low-flow faucets and showerheads installed as part of the College’s Drought Action Plan. The College also reduced irrigation to landscaped areas by at least 20%, timed watering schedules for night-time and prohibited washing of outside walkways.
The number of bicycles available to students last year through the College’s Green Bikes program, in which students check out bikes for the entire semester and learn how to repair and maintain them.
The percentage of produce served in Pomona’s dining halls last year that came from local sources