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Press Releases | Spotlights
After Two NSF Fellowships, Teo Cooper ’24 Seeks to Balance People and Nature
Pitzer senior Teo Cooper ’24 has completed not just one but two fellowships funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). In summer 2022, they worked in a UC Berkeley biogeochemical lab and studied soil carbon sequestration. This summer, they joined The Leadership Alliance and Harvard University’s Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. In this spotlight, Cooper also recalls the racial justice series that brought them to Pitzer and looks ahead to studying abroad in Southern Africa.
Crystal Rodriguez ’23: Artist, Community Advocate, and New Resources Student
Claremont, Calif. (July 28, 2023)—Meet Crystal Rodriguez ’23, a New Resources student who graduated as a studio art major and is the new Hecker Community Fellow at Pitzer’s Community Engagement Center (CEC). The CEC utilizes institutional power, partner collaboration, faculty expertise, and student action to advance social justice on campus and in the surrounding community.
Cornella Ver Halen ’83: Teaching ESL With a Novella and a Rolling Chair
Claremont, Calif. (April 26, 2023)—As a teacher, Pitzer alumna Cornella Ver Halen ’83 did not stand by a whiteboard and lecture to students snoozing at their desks. Instead, she rolled. Her chair's little wheels squeaked as she maneuvered to sit beside each student and guide them through whatever they were working on in their workbooks. This was Ver Halen’s teaching style for over 50 years. Until her retirement in December 2022, she was an English as a Second Language (ESL) and sewing teacher at Tri-Community Adult Education/Pioneer Center in Covina. “By working one on one, I let them progress at their own speed,” said Ver Halen. “I said if I couldn’t make grammar interesting, I would quit. I think I succeeded.”
Susan Warren ’78 Inspires Children’s Love for Learning on Pitzer’s Campus
Claremont, Calif. (April 24, 2023)—As Pitzer alumna Susan Warren ’78 stands on the campus she knew as a first-generation college student, she laughs joyfully at the sea of red T-shirts and children squealing and romping around the grassy mounds. Such a scene has played out many times since Warren founded Project Think 40 years ago. From the STEAM academic enrichment nonprofit Project Think to Pitzer’s Community Engagement Center, Warren has helped found local, innovative education programming.
Diego Borgsdorf Fuenzalida ’24 and Jaspa Ureña ’24 Awarded Curatorial Apprenticeships for First-Generation and Students of Color
Claremont, Calif. (April 18, 2023)—Pitzer College students Diego Borgsdorf Fuenzalida ’24 and Jaspa Ureña ’23 have received an award from the Pitzer College Art Galleries to complete in-depth curatorial apprenticeships. Available to first-generation and students of color, the Benjamin Godsill ’00 and Anna Burns Student Apprenticeship Award provides the chance to work with two of Los Angeles’ most dynamic non-profit arts organizations: Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) in Hollywood and Fulcrum Arts in Pasadena.
Sumesh Shiwakoty ’18 Partners With Clinton Global Initiative for Women’s Empowerment App
Claremont, Calif. (April 6, 2023)—The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) welcomed Pitzer alumnus Sumesh Shiwakoty ’18 into the CGI University program and at its annual meeting from March 3 to 5. During the meeting Shiwakoty presented the mobile app that he developed with his colleagues to address gender-based violence in Nepal.
17 Gaypril Events at the Claremont Colleges
Claremont, Calif. (April 6, 2023)—Every year, the Queer Resource Center (QRC) and Claremont Colleges celebrate a month of LGBTQQIAA Pride in April, often celebrated in June around the world. Pride Month is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ individuals to enjoy visibility and support while celebrating their identities and promoting awareness about issues surrounding the diverse intersections of queer identity. From movie nights to writing workshops to queer prom, you can find a variety of celebrations and activities for Gaypril 2023.
Grace Greene ’20 Blends Brain Science, Social Impact, and Tech
Claremont, Calif. (March 21, 2023)—Is social media our society’s downfall—or a tool for change? Pitzer College alumna Grace Greene ’20 believes in the latter. As a research associate at the social innovation lab and impact investor Hopelab, Greene combines behavioral science and technology powered by and for youth. Discover how Greene wields her cognitive science major, study abroad experience in four countries, and commitment to social justice to make the digital narrative more inclusive.
Human Rights Activist and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Nadia Murad to Speak at Pitzer College’s 2023 Commencement Ceremony
Nadia Murad, an internationally acclaimed human rights activist and co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, will deliver the commencement address to Pitzer College’s Class of 2023 at this spring’s Commencement ceremony on May 13, 2023. “We are deeply honored to have Nadia Murad joining us for this exciting high point of Pitzer’s academic year,” said Jill Klein, interim president of Pitzer College. “She is an inspiring and critically important global advocate against war and violence, and we are thrilled to have her participate in our celebration and share her powerful story with our graduates as they prepare to leave college and enter the world.”
Kai Bidell ’20: Saving the Planet Through Impact Investing
Money makes the world go green—or does it? Pitzer College alumnus Kai Bidell ’20 has a longstanding passion for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investment in companies engaging in socially responsible behavior and climate change solutions. As an environmental analysis major, Bidell also learned about the dishonest practice of greenwashing, which promises consumers and investors that companies are doing more to protect the environment than they are. “A lot of industries, not just finance, are grappling with what this climate disaster means to them. As an environmental analysis major, you have an in-demand skillset."
