Puh-SKY-ack?

Though it might not be a word most Sagehens are familiar with, young alumni in Southern California know it’s a code word for Pomona-inspired fun. Short for Pomona College Southern California Young Alumni Community, PCSCYAC (pronounced “puh-SKY-ack”) is made up of Southern California alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years.

Headed up by Jordan Snedcof ’99, PCSCYAC hosts four to six events each year for more than 2,000 “just out of the nest” Sagehens. Popular events have been Young Alumni Happy Hours, local museum visits with Pomona faculty and community service days.

The PCSCYAC committee works hard to create unique events that draw on what the region has to offer. Alumni in the L.A. area take advantage of access to Pomona faculty, staff and students more often than other alumni communities can. In fact, recent visits to the Getty Museum and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County have been hosted by Pomona faculty members.

PCSCYAC even offers current students a chance to get off campus and hobnob with young alumni. “We usually plan one event a year that focuses on the class that’s just graduated to try and get them involved,” says Snedcof. Last September they hosted a happy hour in Pasadena, complete with live music from Think of England, a rock band made up of Pomona graduates and Dean of Campus Life Matt Taylor.

Overall, says Snedcof, it’s difficult to bring Pomona back to those who have just left it behind. “Right after people graduate, they want to get away from college as much as possible,” he says. So PCSCYAC is always looking for ways to find the right tone and blend of events that allows graduates to feel they have moved on, but are still connected to Pomona.

—Jessica Drenk '02