For more than 60 years, global engagement has been an intentional, programmatic focus of Pomona’s mission to educate students of exceptional promise in a residential. Since the founding of the Oldenborg Center for Modern Languages and International Relations in the early 1960s, the College has remained committed to the study of languages and global affairs, with frequent innovation and reimagination of these commitments over time.
We are at such a moment of reimagination now. With the adoption of Pomona’s Strategic Vision in 2020 and the launch of the 2023 Global Pomona Strategic Plan, we are reorganizing structures and services to support global and interdisciplinary initiatives with intentional, community-based design. Plans are underway for a modern global learning hub at the Oldenborg site.
Global Pomona Project: 2021-2023 Strategic Planning
In September 2021, Pomona College joined the American Council on Education as a member of the ACE Internationalization Laboratory, a program that provided tailored guidance to institutions serious about the comprehensive internationalization of their campuses and advancing institutional goals through global engagement. The Global Pomona Project (GPP) was convened by President Starr to coordinate this two-year planning and external review process, with a charge to develop a strategy for a stronger, more cohesive and intentional framework for global and interdisciplinary engagement. The resulting 2023 Global Pomona Strategic Plan was conceived and is summarized here.
To be clear, Global Pomona does not represent a fundamentally new direction. Rather, it builds on the College’s signature strengths in the study of languages, study abroad, global affairs, community-based learning, and cross-disciplinary curiosity and research. It is built on the sustained efforts of many devoted faculty, staff and students over many years to bring the world to Pomona, and Pomona to the world. The 2021-2023 college-wide Global Pomona strategic planning process was the next step in translating these long-standing and ever-evolving aspirations into a framework that ensures continued vitality for generations to come.
Benefitting tremendously from the dedication and insights of faculty, staff, and students across campus, the Global Pomona Project was organized into four main areas, each co-chaired by a faculty and staff member:
- Leadership, Strategy and Structure (operational and strategic leadership challenges and structure; development of more cohesive, intentional opportunities)
- Curriculum and Co-Curriculum (core curriculum and experiential learning; student and faculty research)
- Programs and Partnerships (student and faculty engagement, community partnerships and offices across campus)
- Mobility and Global Engagement (student and faculty inbound, outbound, and domestic mobility; faculty and staff professional development; and technology)
Across these areas, numerous stakeholders were consulted, and multiple viewpoints were considered. Analysis included historical reports, institutional data, campus focus groups and conversations, interviews, survey data, and participation in national and international discussions on global learning. In February 2023, an interim report was prepared to synthesize GPP’s findings and solicit further guidance. A robust on-campus peer review conducted in March 2023 resulted in recommendations and finally, the Global Pomona Strategic Plan issued in 2023 with priorities and a map for moving forward.