Stories of Sagehen Impact

As Niketa Kou ’25 brainstormed possible neuroscience theses, she drew inspiration from her time as a tutor. A firm believer in the power of movement as medicine, she decided to explain the science behind her conviction.

Pomona College celebrates unprecedented philanthropy that fueled academic innovation and expanded access. Landmark gifts from faculty, alumni and friends reaffirmed the power of a liberal arts education and invested in the future of Pomona students.

Pomona students are helping advance seabird conservation through research with the Audubon Seabird Institute. Last summer, Mark Price ’28 and Max Distaso ’28 were the latest Sagehens to gather data on seabird colonies off the coast of Maine.

Ralph Bolton ’61, professor emeritus of anthropology and a leading researcher in HIV transmission, died December 3. The Society for Applied Anthropology gave Bolton the prestigious Bronislaw Malinowski Award in March 2025.

They were made in Carnegie, Estella and Seaver, on Marston Quad, in Frary and Frank—moments the Pomona College community shared in 2025 that will stand the test of time.

Tina Blair ’70 embraced her global identity at Pomona College through language study, cultural connections and Oldenborg’s international community — experiences that shaped her career in theology and inspired her ongoing support to Pomona College.

Pomona College’s cookbook project invites recipes tied to campus memories. From Beach Fire S’mores to Grandma Joan’s Pasta Sauce, alumni and students share dishes that evoke community, nostalgia and adventure — celebrating food as a Pomona tradition.

An internship after her second year at Pomona College led Elena Shih ’04 to a career research focus on human trafficking. This fall, she shared insights from her research for Pomona’s Asian Studies Distinguished Alumni Lectureship. 

James Solomon ’06 will be the next mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey, after receiving 68% of the vote in Tuesday’s runoff election against the state’s former governor. The Pomona alumnus will lead New Jersey’s second-largest city.

Kristine Cho ’21 is interested in judgment and decision making, and her research at Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley focuses on questions such as when and why people infer more than the literal meaning of a statement.