Colleagues,
It is my pleasure and honor to announce that Prof. Tomás Summers Sandoval will begin a three-year term as Director of the Humanities Studio on July 1, 2026. He succeeds Director Kevin Dettmar, who steps down in June after having founded and led the Studio since 2018.
Prof. Summers Sandoval has for many years been involved with and engaged in the Humanities Studio, having served not only as a Faculty Fellow, but also on the Studio’s Advisory Board. Building his vision for the future of the Studio on the significant accomplishments and strong programming led by Prof. Dettmar and Associate Director Gretchen Rognlien, he sees opportunities for growth related to, as he puts it, “engaged humanities, works illuminating our understanding of the human experience while addressing the pressing issues of power, (in)humanity, and freedom.” Crediting the Studio for its established position as a nexus of intellectual activity and community engagement through the humanities, Prof. Summers Sandoval is excited to apply his own commitments to Studio programming. As a public-facing humanist, he sees transformative capacities that can derive from “blurring the distinctions between the academy and wider public.”
As I congratulate Prof. Summers Sandoval on his appointment, I also express great appreciation to Prof. Dettmar for his years of stewarding the Humanities Studio. The future is bright for Pomona's Humanities Studio, this owing in no small measure to the creative and thoughtful leadership exhibited by outgoing and incoming Studio leaders.
Sincerely,
Brent Carbajal
Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College