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Congratulations to everyone! I have good news to share regarding Pitzer's Phonathon. As of Nov. 14, dollars pledged were up 45%, and the average alumni gift increased by $25. Pitzer is building toward a 40% participation rate, which remains our goal for this year.
There is also exciting news of recent funding. These awards are a tremendous boost to Pitzer and its mission to offer an innovative liberal arts education. These awards will also help the College to strengthen its focus on social responsibility, especially concerning local communities such as Ontario, Calif.
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Pitzer, in conjunction with Claremont Graduate University, received a $350,000 grant from Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grant is part of HUD's Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) initiative, and will support capacity building in housing, health and education in the Sultana Corridor of Ontario. The Pitzer in Ontario program will provide a base for COPC research and outreach activities. The program will bring consumer credit counseling services to residents who wish to become first-time homeowners. The grant will also support the new International Trade Academy at Chaffey High School, which will help students work toward future careers in Ontario's strong international transportation and trade sector.
The Karsten Family Foundation also gave Pitzer a generous $100,000 gift for a project to study and develop models of shared leadership. Pitzer will bring together researchers, business interests and nonprofit leaders to develop "best practice" models of shared leadership, and then apply these models to the networks of community-based organizations with which Pitzer currently partners. Psychology and organizational studies Professor Jeffrey Lewis will coordinate the project.
As the fall semester winds down, I have been busy meeting on and off campus with many of you. I would especially like to applaud Pitzer's student leadership for organizing a Town Hall Meeting on Nov. 13. I also would like to thank the staff, administrators and faculty who participated in the meeting. I look forward to continuing the conversation during my walks around campus and at meals in the Dining Hall.
From Oct. 18-23, I was greeted by about 60 alumni and parents in New York City. This event was graciously hosted by John and Barbara Lehman, parents of Grace Lehman '06, in their lovely apartment overlooking Central Park. Two days before the New York event, I attended a reception in Washington, D.C., hosted by Trustee Jon Graham '82 and his wife, Elizabeth Ulmer. About 25 parents and alumni attended the program.
On Nov. 24, I attended a Bay Area Alumni Chapter event and was welcomed by more than 50 alumni, parents and friends. The event was hosted by Patricia Baldwin and Dr. Davis Baldwin, parents of Blythe Baldwin '06 and Bridget O'Malley-Baldwin '94.
On Nov. 7, I was welcomed by close to 70 alumni from the Los Angeles Chapter at the Angles Gallery in Santa Monica. The reception was hosted by gallery administrator Tim Christian '91. President Emeritus Frank Ellsworth was also in attendance.
I look forward to meeting with more of our wonderful alumni, parents and friends in January, when I will be heading to Arizona and Chicago.
-Laura Skandera Trombley
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