Dear Pomona College Community,
In a matter of months our graduating seniors will set off into the world as Sagehens, and I’m writing today to share news about Commencement, set for May 12, 2024.
We will have four honorary degree recipients speaking at the ceremony, and it’s an impressive group comprised of:
- Former Chief Justice of California Tani Cantil-Sakauye, president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California. Previously, she served 12 years as chief justice of the California Supreme Court, supporting civic education and equal access to justice.
- Economist Cecilia Conrad, CEO and founder of philanthropic organization Lever for Change, an affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation. Previously, she was a professor and vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college at Pomona.
- Occidental College President Harry Elam, who has served in the role since 2020, leading the institution through a global pandemic, and previously was vice provost for undergraduate education at Stanford University.
- Medical geneticist Emil Kakkis ’82, an innovator in finding treatments for rare diseases. He is CEO and president of Ultragenyx, and founder of the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases, which seeks to speed up the availability of treatments.
Additional information on the full range of Commencement Weekend activities can be found on our web.
Now let me shift gears a bit to recognize a group of Sagehens who graduated just a few years back and now are attending Harvard Medical School. Aseal Birir ’18, Sal Daddario ’18, Julia Foote ’18, Samantha Little ’20, Michael Poeschla ’18, Grant Steele ’18 and Maryann Zhao ’18 are just part of the ever-growing Pomona presence in the medical world, and I’m certain they and other Sagehens in the field will make positive contributions in the years ahead.
I’m also proud to report that mathematics major Zoë Batterman ’24 is our latest recipient of the Churchill Scholarship, providing a year of study at University of Cambridge’s Churchill College.
I’ll close out on a musical note, reminding everyone within range of campus that the Music Department’s lineup of spring concerts is underway. And I have no doubt you will enjoy learning more about the whimsical mission of Hudson Colletti ’27 to place artfully decorated pianos within public reach for practice and impromptu performances.
With best wishes,
Gabi