Johny Ek Aban '19 serves on the Pomona College Board of Trustees, ensuring that future students receive the same support he did.
“What does freedom mean to you?”
That’s the essay prompt Johny Ek Aban ’19 had to answer on his Pomona College application in 2015.
Growing up in Marin County, Calif., Ek Aban had his sights set on a bright future. His counselor encouraged him to apply to Pomona, knowing that it was one of the few schools that would provide the support and resources that he needed to thrive academically.
What did freedom mean to Ek Aban? His answer was clear.
“In that moment, I knew that regardless of any obstacles, I would be seen as someone with limitless possibilities,” he says. “My greatest act of freedom was applying to Pomona College.”
Today, Ek Aban works as an investment associate at Architect Capital in San Francisco, where he partners with start-ups around the world to provide critical debt funding. He also serves on the Pomona College Board of Trustees as the Young Alumni Trustee, a role that he says reflects his deep commitment to the College as he works to ensure that future generations of Pomona students receive the same support he did.
“I came to Pomona on a scholarship, like many of my classmates,” he says. “The Annual Fund made that possible and it is critical to the mission of the College. It ensures Pomona can remain committed to need-blind admissions and recruit students who don’t have to worry about how they will be able to afford a Pomona education.”
While Ek Aban studied economics through historical and sociological lenses — exploring how political and societal structures shape financial realities in the U.S., a true liberal arts approach — his experiences at Pomona extended far beyond the classroom.
He immersed himself in Pomona’s campus life as a member of the President’s Advisory Committee on Diversity (PAC-D), which ignited his passion for ensuring that once students arrive on campus, they knew how to access the support, resources and community they needed to succeed. As a leader of the First Generation Low-Income (FLI) Scholars program, Ek Aban worked with Pomona’s administrators to improve the campus experience of first-generation and low-income students. He says the FLI program provided spaces for him to make connections with other students and mentors who shaped his college experience.
“For us FLI students, community was crucial,” Ek Aban recalls. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t always turn to our parents for guidance, so we needed to help each other. Pomona gave me the freedom to dream beyond what I’d ever known.”
For Ek Aban, giving back to Pomona is more than gratitude — it’s a promise to future students. “When we invest in the future of Pomona students,” he says, “we’re investing in a future full of possibility and one that is brighter for us all.”
Gifts to the Annual Fund support exceptional students who become valuable members of our alumni community, like Johny Ek Aban ’19. Visit our website or call 909-607-6096 to make a gift today.