A Message from the Vice President for Student Affairs, Sandy Vasquez
On behalf of the Office of Student Affairs, we are so very excited to welcome you to campus! As our new and returning students, you have been through an unprecedented time, and we thank you for your ongoing commitment to being Mindful of Each Other on our pathway forward together.
Our staff has been hard at work preparing to welcome you to campus and into the Pitzer community. Each and every one of our students make up the fabric of our community and contribute to our unique community, breathing life into our Core Values in action. As you return to campus, we share in the joy of the meaningful and transformational experiences you will find along your journey through your scholarly and community engagement pursuits, exploration of personal values, memorable moments you create, joy found in friendships, and mentoring relationships with staff and faculty that will last a lifetime.
Our shared commitment for a safe welcome and return to campus continues to be made possible, through our united community efforts. Being Mindful of Each Other during these times and honoring our community agreement and COVID-19 symptoms protocol and support, will continue to be critical our shared value of social responsibility. Please note that as Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and/or CDC guidance evolves, our community agreement and student expectations may continue to also evolve as we prioritize student and community safety. Additional information regarding the re-opening of campus can be found in the Pitzer Pathway Forward webpage.
The Office of Student Affairs aims to connect you with opportunities for personal growth, development, leadership, academic support, and career exploration. Below are the many resources available to you not only at Pitzer College, but also The Claremont Colleges to support you during your time here at Pitzer. At any point, we welcome you to stop by our office in Scott 120 with any questions or direction you may need! You can also email us or ASK CECIL!
You truly are the heartbeat of Pitzer College and we cannot wait for your presence, voice, laughter, and community engagement impact to be the resounding echoes within our halls that continue to inspire us all.
Sincerely,
Sandra Vasquez
Vice President for Student Affairs
Pitzer Pathway Forward
Our Pitzer community is thrilled to return to our beloved campus, made possible by our strong commitment to being Mindful of Each Other. Thanks to united efforts by students, faculty, and staff, we are proud to share Pitzer’s Pathway Forward site, where you will find information and communications regarding our fall 2021 return-to-campus plans. We hope you will visit Pathway Forward regularly—we will update content as new information becomes available, plans evolve, and we continue to be mindful of the future together.
Inside this Special Edition of the Dean of Students Newsletter…
(Click to Navigate)
Student Resource Fair
Wednesday, September 1st
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Check out the many resources available to you at Pitzer and from the 7Cs! **Chance to win a $50 Huntley Bookstore gift card!** Keep an eye on your student email and on Instagram @PitzerOSA for more information – coming soon!
On-Campus Employment Student Job Fair
Thursday, September 2nd
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Representatives from Pitzer College and The Claremont Colleges Services are in attendance to speak with you about available on-campus job opportunities. All students who are looking for on campus employment should attend.
Office of Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) is comprised of the following areas, and is here to support you through your journey at Pitzer College. The OSA suite, located in Scott Hall 120 houses the Vice-President for Student Affairs [Sandy Vasquez], Executive Assistant to the Vice-President [Katie Tewell], Student Support Services & Special Projects Coordinator [Melissa Burrows], Student Services Operations Supervisor [Bryce Sternquist], the Assistant Vice-President & Dean of Students and Pitzer Academic Support Services (see below).
Our other areas are located throughout campus! This office is a great place to contact if you have questions about, well, pretty much anything! If we don’t know the answer, we can definitely steer you in the right direction. Visit us in Scott Hall 120 or email us, and we will be happy to help! Please see below for more information about the other areas of student affairs here to support you!
New Student Orientation (NSO) & Returning Student Orientation (RSO)
New Student Orientation (NSO) and Returning Student Orientation (RSO) are programs designed to introduce you to many aspects of life at Pitzer. You will meet with faculty, staff, and other students for discussions, advising, and social events. You will register for classes and settle into your new routine. Browse the New Student Orientation menu here to find out more information about aspects of your transition experience to Pitzer, as we move closer to the Fall, you can also find updates regarding NSO at this same page.
For Pitzer’s return to campus plans, visit Pathway Forward.
Center for Asian Pacific American Students (CAPAS)
CAPAS (Center for Asian Pacific American Students) seeks to enrich and develop social, intellectual and personal growth in our students by providing Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) resources as well as a welcoming, supportive environment. CAPAS aims to promote awareness about issues facing APIDA communities. The Center serves as an advocate for the APIDA community and promotes an educational dialogue that embraces the unique experiences of ethnic communities.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our programs/events, studying in the lounge, cooking in the kitchen, printing out your assignments, borrowing a book from the APIDA Resource Library or finding out ways to get involved in with the APIDA community on and off campus in Mead Hall 132.
Instagram: @pitzercapas
Facebook
Website
Career Services
The Career Services team welcomes you to the Pitzer Family!
Career exploration & planning at Pitzer College means taking action, reflecting often, and being open. Our team is here to help you through your career journey, not only as a student, but as a future graduate. Our office helps students and alumni to secure opportunities through resources such as on-campus recruiting, the Pitzer Internship Fund, networking events and more. You now have access to Handshake, our career management platform that connects you with employers and internships. It is also where you will be able to set-up virtual and in-person appointments with a career advisor and discover career events around the 7C’s. We already have some exciting events scheduled throughout the fall semester that will allow you to engage with our office.
Our team is so excited to meet you all and work with you during your time at Pitzer! Stay active and connected with us through our Instagram @pitzercareerservice or our Facebook page Pitzer College Career Services!
Upcoming Events:
Thursday, September 2
Pitzer College On-Campus Employment Student Job Fair
3:30 – 5:00 pm
Representatives from Pitzer College and The Claremont Colleges Services are in attendance to speak with you about available on-campus job opportunities. All students who are looking for on campus employment should attend.
Tuesday, September 7
Industry Dinner Series – First Session in this ongoing series!
5:30 – 6:30 pm
The first event of this series will be a Careers in Technology panel. Pitzer alumni will represent various areas in tech. As soon as the complete panel is confirmed, the list of participants will be posted.
This hybrid program is part of a series that provides us with a regular platform for Pitzer alumni and families as well as employers to discuss careers in a variety of fields. In typical Pitzer fashion, we have specifically designed these series events to be small, approximately 10-15 students, to allow for meaningful conversations.
Wednesday, September 8
Career Chats
Noon – 12:45 pm – First Session in this ongoing series!
Topic: Using Handshake the Ins and Outs
An informal “workshop” where we review career skills you will find important for finding and applying to internships as well as jobs. We begin the series on how to utilize the Handshake database your greatest source for opportunities, events, and resources
Class-Based Co-Curriculum
Our co-curriculum includes all the fun and Pitzer traditions of a typical semester at Pitzer, but it also emphasizes the important learning that happens outside of formal classroom settings. Our co-curricular experiences have been structured to support all students with specific offerings for our First-Year, Sophomore, Junior and Senior students. These “class-based” initiatives have been created in progressive and sequenced ways to ensure opportunities for a robust Pitzer experience. Visit the Co-Curriculum webpage.
Pitzer Academic Support Services (PASS)
The primary mission of Pitzer College’s Academic Support Services (PASS) is to assist students in achieving academic success. PASS is committed to collaborating with Pitzer’s diverse community to ensure that all aspects of campus life- learning, working, and living are accessible to all students. PASS provides resources, training, programming, collaboration, and direct services to facilitate academic success, create inclusive environments, and achieve access and equity.
Please check out our wellness Instagram (@pzstrive2thrive) as well as Pitzer’s online wellness magazine, CampusWell.
Gabriella Tempestoso
Associate Dean & Director
Email
Stephanie Hannant
Assistant Dean of Mental Health & Well-Being
Email
Connie Helland
Academic Coach
Email
Rudolph Ganaden III
Academic Support Coordinator
Email
Kristin Williams
Health and Wellness Outreach Facilitator
Email
Residence Life
Welcome to Pitzer Residence Life! We strive to “Create a Caring Living-Learning Community” for all of our students. We invite you to explore the resources below, engage with this summer, and please don’t be a stranger! We will literally be your neighbors while living on-campus and we are here to help get you started on your Pitzer journey.
We encourage all students to follow-us on Facebook and Instagram as we advertise engagement opportunities, run housing selection processes, and answer all your questions.
Be sure to review all our website information including the following important links:
And, as always, feel free to email us at [email protected], call us at 909-607-3900, schedule a Zoom conversation, or send us a DM on Instagram. We’re here to help!
7C Student Services
The Chaplains of the Claremont Colleges
Students can learn more about our services and events on our website. Stay connected on our Facebook.
There are four Chaplains on Campus available for confidential pastoral counseling and support. We are located at the McAlister Center for Religious Activities. We offer weekly services, host religious and spiritual student group meetings and events, and we host interfaith community service and gathering opportunities. Drop by The McAlister Center anytime to learn more about our fun upcoming events, meet the Chaplains, and explore our center! Feel free to email us with any questions! We look forward to meeting you!
CLSA is a 7C resource dedicated to providing programs and services that enhance the academic success and personal development of Chicano/Latino students at The Claremont Colleges. CLSA provides community building, leadership development, events surrounding cultural and community issues, and academic resources!
For more information about CLSA please visit their website.
EmPOWER Center
As the Violence Prevention and Advocacy Center of The Claremont Colleges, the Center works collaboratively to support 7C-wide educational programs and provide holistic, confidential support to all students impacted in any way by sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating/domestic violence, or stalking.
The EmPOWER Center welcomes all gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, ethnic and racial identities, religious affiliations, cultural identities, and immigration statuses. We are an open and affirming space for all. To learn more about our counseling services; weekly support groups; bi-weekly Restorative Yoga series; bi-weekly Healthy Relationships conversations; and our other 7C-wide events and educational workshops, follow us on Instagram @empowercenterclaremont or check out our website at www.7Csupportandprevention.com
Health Education Outreach (HEO)
Our mission is to provide educational programming, services, and resources that will enable students of the Claremont Colleges to play active roles in achieving, protecting, and sustaining health and wellness. HEO is dedicated to helping you find the most appropriate health and wellness information and support available. We provide educational workshops, services, and resources including: alcohol and tobacco education; recreational and prescription drug information; nutrition information; sexual health information and contraceptive counseling; free & confidential pregnancy testing and counseling; referrals to local and national information and help lines; free safer sex supplies, ear plugs and lubrications; and a library of health and wellness including books, periodicals, pamphlets, web resources, and videos. For more information on HEO, visit their website.
The Claremont Colleges Library welcomes you to Pitzer and the Claremont Colleges community! We want to let you know about a few things the library offers so you can be prepared when classes start:
The New to Using the Library page has the top 10 tips about using the library. You can always Ask Us any questions that you have about using the library. Your Claremont ID is also your library card, and you’ll need it to enter the building so be sure to bring it along.
The library is more than just books and articles! New students can get hooked up with ArcGIS accounts as soon as you have your Pitzer email set up. Check out our GIS Resources page for more info, or check out our Tech Lending program.
Interested in exploring research by Pitzer and other 5C students? Our institutional repository, Scholarship@Claremont, houses award-winning undergraduate research projects and Pitzer senior theses. You can also check out the Claremont Colleges Digital Library (CCDL). It provides open online access to digitized historical and visual collections from the library’s Special Collections and from across the seven Claremont Colleges. It is a unique and valuable digital scholarly resource for students to explore and use in their research.
Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services (MCAPS)
MCAPS is the mental health resource for all seven of The Claremont Colleges. Our professional staff serves all enrolled students. There are no fees for counseling services and all services are confidential. Brief counseling is offered for individuals, couples and groups to help address concerns many college students face, from depression to dating, procrastination to panic attacks. Workshops and presentations on a variety of topics are offered throughout the year. Visit the MCAPS website.
Office of Black Student Affairs (OBSA)
The Office of Black Student Affairs (OBSA) supports and enhances the entire wellbeing of undergraduate and graduate students of African descent earning degrees at The Claremont Colleges. The office collaborates with faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni to ensure a comprehensive consideration and creation of services that compliment students’ education with culturally significant scholarship, programming, and events. Since OBSA honors the communities’ collective and individual diversity, the office explores a breadth of black life and culture in a wide range of opportunities. In addition to providing academic services and career advising, OBSA offers individual and small group consulting and mentorship that advances the academic, professional, and personal excellence of each student. Visit the OBSA website.
Pomona-Pitzer Athletics & the Rains Center
The Department of Physical Education and Athletics at Pomona College subscribes to the belief that participation in physical education, intercollegiate athletics, and campus-sponsored recreational activities can provide some of the most challenging and meaningful educational experiences in a student’s life. The Rains Center gym can be used by Pitzer students, and provides many physical activities such as intramural sports and fitness classes. For more information, visit the Pomona-Pitzer Athletics website.
The Queer Resource Center (QRC) is a 7 College resource center serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, omnisexual, pansexual and allied community at The Claremont Colleges. The QRC is a safe space that provides a visible, comfortable, and accessible center for the LGBTQQIAA community to congregate, study, and explore issues of identity. By collaborating with all entities throughout The Claremont Colleges, the QRC consistently offers high-quality, educational, social, and social justice orientated programming which reflects the diversity within the LGBTQQIAA community, building and maintaining strong coalitions with on-campus student organizations, faculty, staff, and alumni at The Claremont Colleges. Visit the QRC Website.
Campus Safety
It is our pleasure to welcome you to The Claremont Colleges. Each member of this organization is dedicated to providing the highest level of safety, service, and protection for our students, administration, staff, faculty, and guests. As a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-per-week, and year-round provider of service, we remain committed to ensuring the safest environment where your educational goals, social engagements, and recreational activities can be experienced in the safest manner possible. The Campus Safety team is comprised of the Director, Captain/Assistant Director, Lieutenant, five sergeants, three corporals, and 20 patrol officers. Our outstanding staff includes our Administrative Assistant, Emergency Services Manager, Clery Coordinator, Dispatch Supervisor, and seven dispatchers, and Student Workers. Every one of these professionals is committed to your safety. For additional contact information and a list of services provided, please access our website at: https://services.claremont.edu/campus-safety/
Student Health Services
All registered students attending The Claremont Colleges are eligible to be seen at Student Health Services. Our staff of physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses makes every effort to provide high quality medical services in a caring and efficient manner.
All services are private and confidential. Any information regarding these services is not released to anyone without the student’s signed permission. In the interest of providing comprehensive wellness care, Student Health Services primary care providers and Monsour therapists may consult with one another when needed.
Visit the SHS website.

7C Health
7C Health is a convenient way for students at The Claremont Colleges to receive 24/7, no-cost Medical and TalkNow for common conditions that can be safely and accurately diagnosed and treated online. All you need is an internet connection.