Seven Pomona faculty members received the 2026 Wig Distinguished Professor Award at Commencement on May 17 for their excellence in teaching, commitment to students, and service to the College and the community.
Presented annually since 1955, the Wig Award is the highest honor bestowed on Pomona faculty. Recipients are elected by juniors and seniors and confirmed by a committee of trustees, faculty and students.
Three professors received their first Wig Award this year.
All seven were publicly acknowledged during Commencement.
This year’s recipients are:
David Divita, professor of romance languages and literatures
Erica Dobbs, associate professor of politics
Michael Kuehlwein, George E. and Nancy O. Moss Professor of Economics
Alexandra Papoutsaki, associate professor of computer science
Sara Sadhwani, assistant professor of politics
Nicole Weekes, Harry S. and L. Madge Rice Thatcher Professor of Psychological Science and professor of neuroscience
Feng Xiao, associate professor of Asian languages and literatures
Below is a sampling of what students had to say about their nominees:
David Divita
Divita specializes in Spanish- and French-speaking people and places. His areas of expertise include Spanish and French linguistics, sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, and applied linguistics.
“He is incredibly genuine and seamlessly balances fun and learning in his courses. I always felt he was rooting for me.”
“Taking his History of the Spanish Language class renewed my interest in both studying and researching Spanish for an academic purpose as opposed to just language acquisition. His passion and knowledge for the subject have inspired me to actively seek ways to improve my Spanish and get involved.”
“A wonderful guy, a brilliant scholar and, most importantly, an amazing teacher.”
Erica Dobbs
A Wig Award winner in 2021, Dobbs’s teaching and research focus on two spheres: political representation and social protection. Her areas of expertise include migration and citizenship, Western Europe, political participation, organized labor, and comparative social policy.
“Professor Dobbs is the type of professor that anything she would teach I would really enjoy and learn a lot.”
“Professor Dobbs is an inspiration. She is so smart and leads classroom discussions with dexterity and attention to detail. She is not afraid to push her students to challenge their preconceived notions of the world around them, and as a result, has pushed me to really grapple with different areas and perspectives of political thought.”
“Professor Dobbs’s classes are intellectually rigorous. She is genuinely invested in her students, and fair and transparent in her assessments.”
Michael Kuehlwein
Kuehlwein, a Wig Award recipient in 2017, 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995 and 1990, researches the effects of transportation and communication technology on British India. Additionally, his research has focused on theories of consumer spending and saving and the effects of budget deficits on interest rates.
“Professor Kuehlwein explains economics and the material so well. He helped me overcome my imposter syndrome and made me more curious about economics and economic policies.”
“I cannot think of a single professor who cares more deeply about his students and loves his craft more than Professor Kuehlwein.”
“Caring and incredibly adept at making complex content understandable and interesting!”
Alexandra Papoutsaki
Papoutsaki, a 2020 Wig Award winner, studies human-computer interaction, focusing on webcam eye tracking and the effects of shared gaze on remote collaborations.
“Professor Papoutsaki is one of those professors who you know has every student’s best interest at heart. She leads her class, research and lectures with such care and a passion that is genuinely magnetic.”
“The classes I’ve taken with her have been so challenging, yet I have never found myself wanting to succeed and thrive as much as I have in these classes. They were the most rewarding academic experiences of my time in college.”
“An amazing professor in her field who is always friendly to all students who come her way.”
Sara Sadhwani
Sadhwani’s areas of expertise include voting and voting rights, elections, gerrymandering and California politics. She is regularly quoted in major publications on topics concerning state and local elections, and she served as a moderator during the recent gubernatorial debate at Pomona College’s Bridges Auditorium.
“Incredible educator and human being. Passionate about her work and her students. I would take all my classes at Pomona College with her if I could.”
“From the first class I took with her, it was clear she embodied the qualities students hope to find in an exceptional professor: enthusiasm, passion, deep expertise and a genuine commitment to both her students and the broader community.”
“She goes above and beyond to make her classes engaging and is a unique bridge to the real world of politics because she is so involved in California politics.”
Nicole Weekes
Weekes, a Wig Award recipient in 2016, 2011, 2006 and 2001, examines psychological and biological stress response with an eye toward learning how changes in stress levels affect both physical health (such as impairments to the immune system) and psychological health (cognitive deficits and psychopathologies).
“Weeks has been an amazing professor who has shaped me and supported me in ways no other professor has. She is extremely understanding and has reminded me that my presence alone is a gift.”
“Incredibly supportive professor, the exact kind of person you come to a school like Pomona College for. Professor Weekes cares in action.”
“The most engaged, enthusiastic professor I have had to date. She made traumatic brain injuries seem like the most exciting topic.”
Feng Xiao
Xiao conducts research on second language (L2) development across diverse contexts, including study abroad, with a focus on pragmatics—the nuanced use of language in context.
“He clearly cares deeply about the subject he teaches, and that passion is reflected in the way he approaches every lecture. What distinguishes Professor Xiao most is his dedication beyond the classroom. He is consistently approachable and makes himself available to answer questions and provide guidance.”
“Prof. Xiao supported me during one of the hardest semesters of my life as I was dealing with an increased course load and constant family emergencies. I had no background in the disciplines he works in but still felt well supported during class.”