8 things you will find Pitzer students doing outside of the classroom

In the classroom, Pitzer students are rocking their assignments and exams. Outside of class, they are rocking life! In between the countless hours of studying and doing homework, we are doing a variety of activities. Here is my list of the things you will find Pitzer students doing outside of the classroom!

1. Tend to the Garden

garden

Do you have a green thumb? I don’t, but many of my friends here do! For everyone with green thumbs at Pitzer, they love tending to Pitzer’s Organic Garden during their free time in-between classes and assignments! Pitzer’s Garden is completely student run, and some of our produce is even used over at the Shakedown Café!

2. Groove at the Grove

What do twinkling lights, student DJs and student bands all have in common? They can all be found at Groove at the Grove, one of the best events for students on weekends. During Groove at the Grove, our outdoor classroom becomes a musical bonanza filled with amazing live performances from Pitzer students!

3. Start a Protest

If you are ever looking for someone to help you start a protest, then you’re in the right place! Protests are our middle name, and we are definitely your “go to” when initiating social action. From campaigning for farm workers’ rights to petitioning for oil endowment divestment, many students at Pitzer fill their free time engaging in actions that positively impact the world.

4. Draw on the Free Wall

free-wall

Perhaps the most visible thing our students do outside of the classroom is paint and write on our free wall (You can paint murals on designated places throughout campus with approval of the Aesthetics Committee). If you ever want to know what’s on the mind of a Pitzer student, the free wall will tell you! You’ll find artistic representations of local and global issues that usually spark educational discussion across campus!

5. See or Join our A Cappella or Pangea Dance Groups

If you’re like me and you have vocal cords as heavenly as Frank Ocean’s and dance moves as electric as Justin Timberlake’s, then we have a club for you! Our student performers leave it all on the stage with our a cappella and dance groups; they are a sight and sound to behold (much like my dance and song renditions are in the shower).

6. Volunteer for Tutors for a Cause

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One of the best ways that our students start their Saturdays is by tutoring the lively bunch of young students that come to campus for Tutors for a Cause. You can find Pitzer students in the classroom helping with math homework or out on the clock tower lawn, playing an intense soccer match with all the youth. You never know what to expect with these fun kids, and they always keep us on our toes!

7. Do Some Yoga on the Mounds

After a long day of classes, you can find students rolling out their yoga mats and relaxing on the mounds. And the best part is that it’s a great way to recharge your battery after a day of hard work studying. Namaste anyone?

8. Play Beach Volleyball

beach-volleyball

There’s no better way that Pitzer students enjoy the Southern California weather than by playing some beach volleyball with friends! Should you join our campus and have a yearning for playing, you won’t even need a team! Just swing by the volleyball court and jump in the game! But be weary should you line up across the net from me; I have a tendency to not hold back when going up for a spike!

While these are my top eight things to do at Pitzer outside of the classroom, there are literally hundreds of ways that our students spend their time. To learn more about our awesome student life experience, please be sure to visit our campus on a tour, information session or overnight visit to experience Pitzer firsthand.

 


Posted by Alex Ruiz ’17, Biology

Ruiz, Alex

 

4 Ways Pitzer Students Got Active this Year

Let’s cut right to the chase:

  1. Nepal Earthquake Relief

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In the wake of the tragic 7.8 earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25, 2015 and the aftershock earthquakes that rippled the country, Pitzer students, faculty, staff and alumni rallied to get connected with non-profit organizations and raise funds for their families and communities overseas. The Pitzer Earthquake relief fund has had 405 donors and raised $83,871 as of May 29th. If you would like to get involved, check out one of the links below to see how!

https://mypz.pitzer.edu/NetCommunity/giving/giving-nepal

https://pitzernepalrelief.tumblr.com/post/117525252848/emergency-relief-fund-to-nepal#notes

https://www.tilt.com/campaigns/direct-relief-to-the-khatri-family-in-nepal/description

https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/help-the-thapa-magar-family-in-nepal

 

  1. Gold Student Center for Health and Wellness

Newly renovated, the Pitzer Gold Student Center for Health and Wellness boasts a Pilate’s studio, Yoga space, organic student run café (“The Shakedown”) and all new gym equipment. With spaces for student gatherings and planning, the Pitzer community got active on treadmills and social justice in the new GSC this year.

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  1. Bamboo Bikes

Student members of the Green Bike Program Sandy Glickman, Karl Kiser and Cade Maldonado built a small fleet of bamboo bikes available for checkout by the Pitzer community. Dedicated to sustainability, these bikes are emission free and fun to ride! They also made a guest appearance on the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family show – https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/home-and-family/videos/bamboo-plants-home-family

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Keynote speaker Janet Mock

  1. Janet Mock

The Pitzer Senior class selected and raised funds to have cultural commentator and Trans* women’s rights advocate, Janet Mock, as their commencement speaker. An incredible activist, writer and advocate, the graduating class was excited to hear her words of wisdom beckon them into post-graduate life.

Read her inspiring speech here, and check out more information about the 51st Commencement here.

Photo Credit: Pitzer College


Posted by Briana Stansbury ’15, Double Major in English and World Literature/Gender & Feminist Studies

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LA Local Travel: DONE!

What do food, Los Angeles, community engagement, and Pitzer have in common?

Keep reading and find out…

 

75849_611447627024_13309413_35342392_649201_n2So I have been on the road for the past two and a half months recruiting students from all parts of the Southeast, Northwest, and of course beautiful Southern California. This week I wrapped up my local Los Angeles high school visits. I enjoy having the opportunity to visit so many different high schools and meet so many interested and talented students from L.A. Aside from the recruiting, I always go out of my way to make a stop at Homegirl Café for breakfast or lunch while I am in the Los Angeles area.

76729_611445950384_13309413_35342357_3489385_n (1)At this point you may be asking, “So what does this Homegirl Café have to do with Pitzer?” Well, I am glad that you are so curious! Homegirl Café is a division of Homeboy Industries, which was established over two decades ago by Father Gregory Boyle in Los Angeles. It began as a jobs program in 1988, offering alternatives to gang violence in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the city, the program soon grew beyond the parish.

Mission Statement:

“Jobs not Jails: Homeboy Industries assists at-risk and formerly gang-involved youth to become positive and contributing members of society through job placement, training and education.”
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For more information about Homeboy Industries, please visit their website and learn more about some of the many opportunities in which you can help:
At Pitzer College, we have the Community Engagement Center (formerly the Center for California Cultural and Social Issues or CCCSI). Since its founding in 1963,Pitzer College has been committed to teaching students to be responsible citizens of communities both local and global by applying the study of liberal arts to concrete actions that benefit others. CEC works in the community creating partnerships, not to dispense “expert” solutions to pre-defined needs, but to identify and engage resources — both human and material — within the community. Under leadership and the guidance of the Steering Committee, the Center supports innovative community-based projects by offering research awards and fellowships. In turn, the Center’s community partners present faculty and students with extraordinary opportunities to engage in applied problem-solving activities.
Community Based Education connects students and faculty with local organizations to create community-based research, service learning and experiential education opportunities that enhance the social, environmental, cultural and economic health of our communities. CEC serves a liaison between the academic institution and community partners, provides internship opportunities, and assistance with funding and programming, as well as providing logistical support to students, faculty, staff, and community partners.
If you would like to learn more about CEC please visit the website:

Posted by Tim Campos, Admission Counselor

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