The Pomona College community came together to celebrate Founders Day this week, reflecting on the College’s past and looking ahead to its future.
This year’s celebration focused on the $530 million Originals campaign, which launched four days earlier.
Inside Bridges Hall of Music, President G. Gabrielle Starr spoke about the origins of the College, which was founded in 1887, saying, “We here benefit every day from decisions that were made by people who could not possibly have imagined us or the world we find ourselves in. … What our founders believed, I think, is that not knowing the names or the stories of any of the students whose lives are going to be changed now and in the future … they simply believed that they mattered.”
“That responsibility is one that we all have to carry on—not just have to but actually get to carry on—and that brings me back to this campaign of Originals. At its core, it’s about the members of this community and all of the impactful and creative things that we get to do in this world. It’s about every one of the original stories that goes through our gates.”
After President Starr’s remarks, faculty, staff and students gathered on Marston Quad for a festive celebration. They enjoyed a barbecue lunch, rounded out by ice cream, matcha lattes and milk tea, while enjoying a performance by the student a cappella group The After School Specials.
A caricature artist, a photo booth and Cecil Sagehen were all on hand to add to the festivities.
Camila Amaya Navarrete ’27 and a friend stopped by between classes and enjoyed lunch at a table with staff members.
“It was great to see students, staff and faculty sharing a meal and stories with each other,” says Amaya Navarrete, “and to experience how close knit the community is across different roles.”
Steven Hurtado ’08, manager of digital user experience, joined the celebration as a representative of Information Technology Services to promote the new Technology Access Program.
“It was refreshing to come together as a community,” he says, “and enjoy some food and fun as we celebrate Pomona’s history and the opportunity we have to build on that foundation for future Sagehens.”