Off-Campus Adventures

So far this semester I have been spending almost every weekend off campus. I am definitely the anomaly when it comes to leaving Pitzer so much, but it is also so fun to take advantage of the surrounding area. Getting to Los Angeles is really quite easy with the metro link leaving from the Claremont Village almost every hour. It takes around an hour to get to Union Station in downtown LA, and from there it is pretty easy to get around. I sometimes will take the subway all the way to USC to visit friends or just explore the downtown area. I love eating at the Grand Central Market and exploring the Last Book Store just a few blocks away. If I have someone picking me from the train there are tons of great museums to explore, like UCLA’s art museum The Hammer, which is totally free! Or the Museum of Jurassic Technology, that is totally bizarre.

I also love making it down to San Diego and Mexico. It’s fun to spend a weekend down there exploring, or driving down for longer stretches of time, like spring break. I also make it up to Santa Cruz and San Francisco every once in a while, which is a bit farther but worth the trip. Of course there are countless other weekend and day trips to take within a reasonable distance of campus. One of the great ways to take advantage of it all is through Pitzer Outdoor Adventure Club. The club provides funding for gas expenses and the school has tons of gear like tents and sleeping bags that we can check out. All in all there are many ways to explore the area!

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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