Members of the Pomona community shared personal stories, memories and reflections during Dear Oldenborg, a live storytelling event celebrating the building’s 60-year legacy at Pomona College.
For 60 years, the Oldenborg Center for Modern Languages and International Relations was a gateway to global engagement at Pomona College. This spring, the Pomona community said goodbye to the well-loved building with a series of celebrations, including a live storytelling event now available to watch online.
Dear Oldenborg, held May 1 in Rose Hills Theatre, invited speakers to revisit their favorite Oldenborg moments onstage. Modeled after The Moth Radio Hour — a storytelling radio program — the event captured the building’s spirit and heart with every story.
“During my Pomona days, I called Oldenborg Center my home five times — a place that sparked my love of cultures, ideas, and community,” says Trustee Emeritus Bernie Chan ’88, who shared personal letters and photos of fellow Oldenborg residents during his time at Pomona.
Jacqueline Cordes ’25, who lived in the Japanese hall for three years, took to the stage to tell a funny story about her first time tasting mala oil, a popular Chinese condiment that creates a unique tingly and mouth-numbing sensation.
“I haven’t yet been to China or Japan — they’re both on my bucket list — but when I do go, I feel like my experiences at Oldenborg have made me more open-minded and more willing to try new things,” Cordes says.
Other storytellers included Adan Amaya of Mail Services at Pomona; Liam Bayer ’27; Anne Dwyer, chair of German and Russian and a former director of the Oldenborg Center; Terril Jones ’80; Spanish language resident Blanca Lopez Sagarra; Nimal Perera, a community friend; and Karin Zaugg Black ’93.