Dare to be Cute: Lucy Conover ’23 Crochets Cecil the Sagehen

Meet Pitzer College senior Lucy Conover ’23, a jill-of-all-trades who is majoring in science, technology, and society (STS) and shows her Pitzer spirit by crocheting stuffed animals of Cecil the Sagehen! 

How did you start making your Cecils? 

I started crocheting in summer 2021. I was designing my own patterns and experimenting with different animal designs, and I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be cute if I made a Cecil?” I was recently hired as a tour guide at the Office of Admission, which has a positive atmosphere, and I wanted to make something cute to represent my appreciation.  

I use the polyester filling from old decorative pillows for the inside because it’s expensive to buy new and it’s better for the environment. Now I’m making Cecils for the Office of Advancement & Communications. I like how Pitzer has embraced this niche hobby of mine and taken an interest in my creative side. 

How are you involved at Pitzer? 

I’m the liaison for my STS major. I arrange events to share what classes are available for people who may not have heard about the major. I’m an admission fellow and love getting to share what I love about the school. I’m also involved with the Claremont Colleges Ballet Company and the Claremont Colleges Shōgo Taiko drum club. I sell my crocheted art in the student art fairs, too. 

Tell us more about your studies! 

I’ve always believed technology doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Every single invention we create has an infinite number of societal effects we may not see at first. As an STS major, we look at these effects to better understand the responsibilities we have as scientists. I like that this major is interdisciplinary as it incorporates both STEM and humanities. My concentration is in math and history. I’m doing my senior research on the ethics and social implications of robotics and artificial intelligence. I’m also pursuing a minor in math because seeing the world through a quantitative lens can help us change our perspective or see ideas through a new lens. 

What is your favorite part about Pitzer? 

So many things! One of my favorite parts is that interdisciplinary learning is a core value because when I was in high school I had so many interests. Pitzer lets me embrace them and have a multifaceted academic experience. It’s in the ethos of the classroom. I can’t think of a Pitzer class that only dove into one discipline or a single perspective. There is so much academic variety, especially as part of the consortium. I feel very thankful to study here. 

One of my favorite classes was Philosophy of Technology, co-taught by Pitzer Professor Brian Keeley and Pomona College Professor Laura Perini. We examined the effects of technology we don’t always think about. It opened my mind to what the STS major is all about.