Academic Resources

The Claremont Colleges: The Unrivaled Consortium

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Linda Phan

By Linda Phan ‘24 College consortiums—a cluster of academic institutions that share resources amongst their students, such as classes—are notable opportunities that attract students. Why not? Consortiums promote expanded educational specialization and exploration. Five Colleges (Amherst College, Smith College, U Mass Amherst, Hampshire College, and Mt. Holyoke College) and t...

Looking Back: Academic Advice from a Transfer Student

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Isabel Callahan

By Isabel Callahan (Dec. ’21) “Let me know if anyone needs help with their schedule!” As I peered up at our sponsor from my spot on the hallway floor of Harwood’s basement, I had no idea just how generous his offer was. “How complicated could a schedule be?” I wondered. As my sponsor and I soon realized: for a transfer student, sometimes more complicated than expected! ...

Reconnecting With My Mother Tongue

Posted on September 21, 2021October 27, 2021 by Sonam Rikha

By Sonam Rikha’24 “You’re not Tibetan, you’re American.” If I could get a dollar for every time I’ve heard that phrase uttered to my face, I’d be a millionaire. It’s wild how it's often the people closest to you–relatives, community members, family–who constantly remind you that you don’t belong. I never felt as uncomfortable with my Tibetan-American identity as I did whe...

Q&A with a Geology Major

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Siena Swift

Dede in puffer jacket, kissing a stuffed bison, with snowy mountains in background

By Siena Swift ’23 This week I interviewed Bert & Rocky’s-loving Dede Chapline ‘23, who is one half of the iconic snake mom, OKC superstars duo with last week’s interviewee Lilly Haave (see “Q&A with a Transfer Student” for further explanation). This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. Q: Can you please introduce yourself? A: My name i...

What Time Is It? DECISION TIME

Posted on April 15, 2021April 15, 2021 by Sonam Rikha

By Sonam Rikha ‘24 “AHHHHH I GOT IN!” We’ve all heard the screams, we’ve all watched the reaction videos, and some of us have even screamed those same words ourselves. The college application process is tough: which schools should I apply to? Who should I ask to write my letter of recommendation? Can I even afford to go to this school? Though for some, the decision proces...

Mentorship at Pomona

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Nelia Perry

By Nelia Perry '24 Transitioning to college, navigating college, and transitioning out of college can be stressful, overwhelming, and confusing to manage. But you do not have to face these stages alone at Pomona! Whenever people talk about layers, they use an onion as a metaphor, so I guess I will do the same here: Pomona mentorship is like an onion; it has many layers. Thes...

A Disney Encounter

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Sonam Rikha

By Sonam Rikha ‘24 “Hi, my name is Sonam, and you're watching Disney Channel!” I stared in the mirror, reciting the introduction again, but this time drawing out the Disney logo with my hair brush. Who knew that much of 8-year-old Sonam’s childhood would be in the hands of Pomona alum Jennilee Cummings ‘98. When I first saw the email that Pomona’s Career Development O...

From Study at Home to Study Abroad

Posted on March 11, 2021March 9, 2021 by Chris Meng

By Chris Meng ’23 When I returned home from campus in March 2020, little did I know that I would spend nearly every single hour of every day in my house for the next year. Having grown up in a small town, I had always valued experiencing different environments. So much for that. It’s no wonder I became interested in participating in Pomona’s domestic exchange program with Sw...

Braving Office Hours

Posted on March 8, 2021 by Nelia Perry

small white dog in costume with sign encouraging voting

By Nelia Perry ‘24 So, you’ve decided to attend a small college––meaning you must be interested in close student-to-faculty relationships. But, if you’re anything like me, you’re wondering how to actually create a close relationship with a professor. First of all, let me say not all of the work is on your part. AND, the work that is on you, isn’t actually all that muc...

Memories of Mentorship

Posted on February 19, 2021February 15, 2021 by Oluyemisi Bolonduro

By Oluyemisi Bolonduro ‘23 People are oftentimes surprised when I say I don’t like working in teams, it’s strange coming from someone who frequently does group activities. This is because I grew up in competitive environments. My high school ranked the students with the top 25 GPAs, and many students in my class invested time into tracking who applied and got accepted into w...