Steve Kagan '89

For Steve Kagan ’89 of Brookline, Massachusetts, who works in hospitality professionally, putting together events for the Pomona alumni of New England is a natural activity. He became involved with the Boston Regional Community five years ago and has served as chair since 1999.

“Getting involved with the community seemed like the right thing to do at the right time, and now it’s just an extension of myself,” he says.

Kagan makes volunteering for his alma mater a shared project with his wife, a graduate of UC Berkeley, who also volunteers for her own alumni association. While Boston events are designed to get Pomona alumni together to have fun, Kagan also sees them as an opportunity to introduce others to Pomona College in a geographical region already saturated with colleges and universities. He describes himself as a “goodwill ambassador,” and hopes that Pomona has become a more recognizable name in Boston over the years.

Kagan stresses that volunteers need a genuine interest in what they are doing. “You need to honestly be willing to commit some time and follow through on your commitment. If you’re really not interested, it’s the wrong thing to be doing.”

While volunteering may not be for everyone, he notes, there are many opportunities available for those with an interest. Kagan enjoys helping out wherever he can—from organizing a day of alumni volunteering to chatting about Pomona with high school students at pre-Pomona parties hosted by the Admissions Office. By remaining involved, Kagan has made sure Pomona is not just an important part of his past, but a part of his present and future as well.

—Jessica Drenk '02, assistant director of Alumni Relations