For generations of Sagehens, Oldenborg was where the world came closer. Now that legacy will carry forward through the Center for Global Engagement.
A new video takes a look back at the Oldenborg Center for Modern Languages and International Relations and the people whose lives were forever changed by the experiences and connections they found there.
In 1966, Pomona College launched what Chief Global Officer Kara Godwin calls “a great experiment in cultural and global learning.” Oldenborg brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends around a simple but ambitious idea: that living, learning and sharing across languages and cultures could transform the educational experience.
Over the decades, generations of residents, sometimes affectionately known as “Borgies,” made Oldenborg a place defined not just by language immersion, but by friendship, community and countless stories. Those connections extended well beyond campus, shaping how students understood the world and their place within it.
Now, that legacy is entering a new chapter through the Center for Global Engagement (CGE). Building on Oldenborg’s 60-year legacy, the CGE expands Pomona’s commitment to global learning for a new generation. More than a building, it represents a vision for deeper connection across cultures, disciplines and experiences.