Jennifer Bass
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
High School: BASIS Tucson North
What do you hope to study at Pitzer College?
I’m hoping to major in Molecular Biology and minor in Foreign Languages, specifically Spanish and Arabic.
When did you know Pitzer was on the top of your college list?
Last summer I took a road trip along the coast of California and visited various colleges. I arrived on campus with very little knowledge about Pitzer. From that one campus tour and information session, I knew Pitzer was where I wanted to be. I didn’t know it was possible to find a college that matched me so perfectly until I visited Pitzer. After that, I had the privilege of attending the Preview Pitzer program, which only confirmed by sentiment. I was in love! I am so happy to be going to my dream school.
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
One thing that really stands out about Pitzer is the general ambition to positively impact the world shared by every person on campus. Pitzer offers A LOT of volunteer opportunities, which is something that immediately stood out to me. The ability to make meaningful change in the surrounding community while in college is very special, and I am so excited to get started doing just that when I start at Pitzer! I am also just very excited to be a part of such a passionate, caring community of people from all over the world striving to do great things.
John Gittens
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
High School: The Webb School of California
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
I love pretty much anything music or art related. I’ve been the head manager at my school’s radio station for the last three years and I try to listen to about five new albums every day. I love making mix-cds for people as well as DJing any chance I can get. Whenever I go somewhere new I always bring my camera with me and take as many pictures as possible. I try to capture the subtleties of travelling and the beauty in the small things. When I day-dream all I do is come up with ideas for short movies I could be making and when I actually have enough time I make those ideas into actual films.
When did you know Pitzer was at the top of your college list?
As soon as I walked out of the admissions office and saw a group of students painting a mural on the side of their dorm.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
Environmental Sustainability because people seem to forget that we only have one Earth and if we ruin it then we ruin it for not only other species but also for ourselves. I’m excited to be coming to a community that values the conservation of our environment as much as I do.
Jonathan Azterbaum
Hometown: Glendale, California
High School: St. Francis High School
What do you hope to study at Pitzer College?
I hope to study both Media Studies and Spanish. I look forward to using Spanish to help in my efforts to become a better accomplice in justice to the undocumented community, especially in Los Angeles and in the Inland Empire, and I hope to use Media Studies to contribute to shifting the public to be more critical and aware of the world that surrounds them.
When did you know Pitzer was on the top of your college list?
After listening to the presentation from the Community Engagement Center at Pitzer Preview Day, I was extremely impressed by the amazing work that Pitzer students do and by the faculty’s understanding of the important differences between equality and equity. After the Community Engagement Center’s slide about Equality v. Equity, I was mesmerized. I turned to my dad, and I was just like, “Wow! These people get it!” That’s when I knew.
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
Coming from a very conservative and restrictive school, I am looking forward to being an environment of individuals who will accept, support, and embrace me for my authentic self. I am excited to see how I grow, and I am so privileged to be able to even have this opportunity.
Clara Fuget
Hometown: Managua, Nicaragua and Seattle, WA
High School: Garfield High School
What do you hope to study at Pitzer College?
I hope to study international/intercultural relations. Growing up in two different countries and cultures has given me two different angles on the world, and made me appreciate the unique, valuable, and beautiful features of each one. I think it’s incredibly important for people to learn about other cultures and traditions in order to understand where people come from and why they believe the things they do. I hope to change the way people see the world, whether by showing them some of the great things other cultures have to offer or the difficult, often horrifying things that people experience on a daily basis.
When did you know Pitzer was on the top of your college list?
I knew Pitzer was for me when I left campus after an overnight stay and realized how easily I could imagine myself there with all the other students eager to make a difference in the world. I was excited by the students’ passion for what they believe in and wanted to be a part of it. I felt both comfortable and excited at Pitzer and enjoyed talking with everyone I met.
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
I would probably say I’m most looking forward to the chocolate chip cookies in the dining hall. Getting to know such a diverse group of students from around the world is definitely up there as well.
Deve Mehta
Hometown: Dallas, TX
High School: School of Health Professions at Townview
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
One of my favorite extracurricular activities is doing henna. My exposure to henna dates back to a young age such as when brides had it done right before their wedding day. I have since taken up this traditional art form and do henna on various occasions such as at weddings, parties and even private appointments. In addition, I am an intern for Unravel Education which helps students gain valuable information to make the college journey a little easier with scholarship resources and other helpful articles. As President for my Health Occupations Students of America chapter at my school, I have grown as an individual who constantly makes an effort to give back to my community through various community service activities such as giving donations to the homeless shelters, organizing various fundraising activities, and getting speakers to talk about key issues going on in the healthcare field. All of which have helped me to become a caring, responsible, and motivated student.
When did you know that Pitzer was at the top of your college list?
What really made me choose Pitzer among the other colleges I considered was participating in the Preview Pitzer Program. The Preview Pitzer Program was a great way of learning more about the campus beyond the facts on a computer screen. The three-day stay helped me to network with current students as well as making friendships that, to this day, are still in close contact.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
Intercultural understanding would, by far, be the most meaningful core value. I find that understanding other cultures helps one to become more aware of themselves while engaging with various viewpoints. By taking part in study abroad programs at Pitzer, I would be able to not only learn, but embrace, various cultural influences. I would be exposed to students and professors coming from various different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds which would allow me to learn more about diversity that is on campus.
Lucy Hartman
Hometown: Chicago, IL
High School: Francis W. Parker High School
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
I am extremely passionate about telling stories using things like theater, improv, photography, film, writing, poetry, screenwriting, and every other possible method of self expression, (including eating really great food and drinking excellent coffee). I love talking to people, spreading smiles and sharing laughter, and challenging myself to try new things. I am super excited to continue doing these things, and also to add onto them as a Pitzer student!
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
I am just so excited to be in an environment with others who share the same passion for learning with kindness, compassion, and boundless curiosity, and challenging our viewpoints and perceptions of the world. I cannot wait to be on a campus full of other people who look forward to similar things, and share the same love for Pitzer that I do. (I also really want to learn how to skateboard / longboard without cracking my jaw and I have a feeling somebody might know!)
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
I really resonate with all 5 of Pitzer’s core values, though Interdisciplinary learning stands out as a value of particular importance to me. I believe that no area of human life is completely solitary; every single thing in existence has an effect on everything else, and everything exists on a spectrum. There is so much in our culture that preaches the idea that subjects in school, and many other areas of our lives are extremely separate from each other, though when I have looked closer, I always uncover new levels of how interconnected the systems within our world are. Therefore, I think it is extremely useful and wonderful that Pitzer provides an education that encourages students to seek out the connections between different disciplines, as opposed to cover them up.
May Ko
Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan
High School: Shanghai American School Puxi
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
At school, I enjoy participating in Roots and Shoots as well as the animal welfare club. I also like to go on service trips to different countries where I can interact with the locals and experience their cultures.
When did you know Pitzer was at the top of your college list?
I knew Pitzer was my first choice when I visited the campus during summer. I initially took a liking to Pitzer when I read about its core values, because they align with my own values. During the campus tour, however, I was able to see the desert plants around the campus and the eco-friendly dorms, which proved to me that Pitzer really is committed to its core values. I knew that I wanted I go to a school where people care about the environment and different social issues, so I chose Pitzer College.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
It’s hard to choose the core value that is most meaningful to me, but if I had to I would go with environmental sustainability. After years of living in Shanghai, a city known to have a severe air pollution problem, I have witnessed the devastation that pollution has on the environment and the people that inhabit it. My experiences in China have led me to cherish the environment more, and I believe that we all should commit to preserving the environment.
Jeremiah Quezada
Hometown: Corona, CA
High School: Colony High School
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
My favorite co-curricular activities are playing baseball, participating in rooter club, being a part of the robotics club, and tutoring students at our local junior high school.
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
I am most looking forward to receiving an excellent education at such a prestigious school, meeting new people, playing baseball, and continuing to learn more about the core values that set this school apart from other universities.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
The core value that is most meaningful to me is Social Responsibility. It allows me to make a difference in others people lives, as well as our community.
Maria Carla Condori Bazan
Hometown: Villa Mercedes, San Luis. Argentina
High School: United World College of South East Asia – Dover Campus in Singapore
What do you hope to study at Pitzer College?
I want to major in Political Studies and minor in History or Economics.
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
I am really excited to start the courses and to meet all my new classmates. I think I will find great teachers and friends who will teach me a lot from not only classes but also from life itself. I am looking forward to making strong connections with people and nature. Also I am looking forward to studying topics that are going to help me to do the things I want to do in the future.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
Social Responsibility is the most meaningful value to me because I think it leads to the other values. I think being a person that cares about other humans and nature is the person that starts to develop a different consciousness, with new ideas and objectives. I think empathy is one of the most important principles that any person in the world must have to understand, accept and help others.
Ethan Kohn
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
High School: Sidwell Friends School
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
I enjoy teaching underprivileged kids to play baseball in the DC area, being a counselor for kids that have muscular dystrophy at an overnight camp, playing baseball on my travel team, and singing in a chamber chorus.
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
Taking advantage of the service opportunities at Pitzer and hopefully being able to start my own service program.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
Social responsibility is the most important core value to me because it is vital not only to be aware of the people in one’s community but also to make a difference to improve their lives.
Kendal Carr
Hometown: Franklin, MI
High School: Detroit Country Day School
What do you hope to study at Pitzer College?
Political studies and gender and feminist studies.
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
Being a part of a community that focuses on inclusivity bringing change to the world. I am also really excited to discover things about myself because of the opportunities afforded to me that I wouldn’t be able to experience in high school.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
Social responsibility is the most meaningful to me because I have always believed in the importance of equality and equal opportunities for all people and the only way that can be achieved is with social responsibility and knowing that change will only come if you try.
Tejas Widjonarko
Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia
High School: Jakarta Intercultural School
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
As a student who relishes in service work, I have learned to enjoy and immerse myself in different clubs dedicated to giving back to the local and international community. I have co founded numerous organisations/programmes including KKI: a micro-finance club committed to helping Jakarta’s poorest, EIP: a english curriculum for Chinese-speakers in Malaysia, and CyclingforCharity: a 912km cycling trip around Taiwan to raise funds for the Middle-Eastern refugees in Indonesia.
What are you most looking forward to at Pitzer?
In addition to receiving an education required to obtain a major in Biology, I strongly look forward in participating and starting service organizations with a global outreach. I hope to find ingenious ways to incorporate biochemistry into aiding the lives of the disadvantaged, particularly those in Indonesia.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
Being a fervent student of biology, environmental systems, and geography, it is clear that environmental sustainability stands as the most crucial of Pitzer’s core value. Through experiencing first-hand the harsh penalties of unsustainable practices in my hometown of Jakarta, I have understood that for societies to relinquish present and future suffering, environmental sustainability must be achieved. Through enrolling in Pitzer, I desire to find methods to execute this goal.
Amber Burkhart
Hometown: Portland, OR
High School: Grant High School
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
I love writing pieces about whatever I find important. I often have a personal experience or personal reflections that I think are beneficial to others to write about. I like film making, and have made films with similar ideas in mind. I also love running and dancing, and the two often blur together when I go on runs while listening to music.
When did you know that Pitzer was at the top of your college list?
I knew that Pitzer was at the top of my college list after seeing two walls on campus. When I visited, there was a green wall adorned with sustainable native plants. I found the dusting of cacti to be indicative of a greater environmental focus that other schools didn´t seem to prioritize. The second wall was available for students to write what they wanted. Instead of a scribbled, “Chad waz here”, social justice messages and artwork decorated the surface. It was clear that Pitzer shared my priorities to a greater extent than any other schools.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
That´s like having to pick a favorite child. Although they are all linked, right now intercultural understanding is very relevant. I am spending time au pairing, traveling, and working on permaculture farms in Spain. A huge lesson I´ve learned is that although there are significant cultural differences that are to be respected, in the end we are more similar than expected. Popular politics show us cultural extremes, labeling races and cultures so that they are no longer humans but instead “terrorists” or “illegals”. I have chatted with a Columbian immigrant working to send his family to Europe and learned about meditation and spiritual discovery from a Pakistani traveler. These experiences are humanizing, make it much harder to label entire groups of people by race or custom; A thought that lends itself to a more peaceful world.
Imdad Haque
Hometown: San Diego, CA
High School: La Jolla Country Day School
What are some of your favorite co-curricular activities?
I enjoy volunteering around San Diego at local hospital and at local blood drives hosted by the Red Cross, singing in retirement homes and hospitals, and educating people on how to live more sustainable lives. I also enjoy competing in science competitions, and participating in Glee Club, Ultimate Frisbee, Fencing, and Track and Field.
When did you know that Pitzer was at the top of your college list?
Pitzer was my first choice school because of the student body’s intrinsic desire to change the world. When enough people who believe in the same cause come together in a single environment, amazing things can happen; CHANGE can happen. Pitzer also offers an incredible education in the liberal arts as well as intense education in the science fields through the Keck Science Center. The Claremont consortium also adds to the thrill which is Pitzer College.
Which core value is the most meaningful to you and why?
I honestly believe that all of the core values are equally important, and I believe that each one of them plays a role in my life in some way or another. I love the fact that Pitzer has such clear, strong values which students can look to, and model their thoughts off of. The values make each Pitzer student the amazing person that each of them is: passionate, politicized, supportive, creative, conscious and just awesome in general!
