Starting July 1, Robi Ganguly ’00 steps into his role as Alumni Association Board president, sharing the lessons he carries forward and why staying connected to the Sagehen community matters more than ever.
Apptentive co-founders and fellow Sagehens (left to right) Andrew Wooster ’02, Mike Saffitz ’02 and Robi Ganguly ’00 at Alumni Weekend 2022.
Robi Ganguly ’00 officially began his two years as Pomona College’s Alumni Association Board president on July 1. A philosophy, politics and economics major at Pomona, Ganguly co-founded the software company Apptentive with two Sagehens, Mike Saffitz ’02 and Andrew Wooster ’02, in 2011, which they sold in 2022. He has volunteered with Pomona Admissions and has served on the Alumni Association Board since 2022. Ganguly lives with his wife, Samantha Gold, in Seattle, where he likes to run, bike, cook and snowboard.
“In this role, I hope to be of service to the broader alumni community and to use my voice to nudge our alma mater in ways that help us be more connected, while helping our students graduate into an alumni community that can be of service to them,” Ganguly says.
Read more about Ganguly’s vision for strengthening Pomona’s alumni community.
What motivates you to give back to Pomona College?
It’s where I learned how to use my voice, to lead and to pursue what I cared about. I made friends for life at Pomona. I met my company’s cofounders through Pomona. My education was top notch, for sure, but the environment it created for me to truly start on the path to becoming who I want to be was unparalleled. I hope to support that for as many other students as possible.
How would you describe the role of the Alumni Board within the broader Pomona community?
At our best, we help the College keep alumni more closely connected with the school through events, activities, mentoring and communications. We help the College communicate and engage more effectively with the Sagehen community and help students as they become graduates. While the College is staffed by hardworking and passionate people most of them are here for a limited period of time — alums are alums for life and we can speak and act like it.
Are there specific ways you hope to strengthen alumni connection or engagement?
I think that working with the College on fostering more alumni mentorship opportunities with the Career Development Office and strengthening the regional chapters are really important pieces of connection that we should support. Pomona students don’t actively tap into this tight knit community as often as they could and I routinely hear from alumni that they’re eager to help out current students so I think we can do a lot to foster this connection.
Are there new or evolving opportunities for alumni engagement that you’re especially excited about?
In recent years, the Alumni Board has worked with the senior class to match and support the Senior Impact Project. I think this is an example of a place where alumni can connect with students in an authentic and unique way to help support what the current student body cares about. It’s one thing for the College to ask students to give back and another for alumni who benefited from financial aid (like me) to amplify their efforts and support what is most relevant.
When you think about Pomona today, what feels most enduring or distinctive about the College?
Pomona continues to be a small college with a lot of personal connections. At my 25th reunion, I was repeatedly struck by how deeply I still know people that I don’t get to see on a regular basis. Pomona allows people with different backgrounds and ideas to connect, debate and find common ground as they discover more of their true beliefs and how they want to show up in the world.
What would you say to fellow alumni who are considering how — or whether — to support the College through philanthropy?
What I know from having been directly involved is that the endowment’s size appears large but its ability to truly sustain the College for decades, not years, requires that we replenish it every year. The cost to support a student on campus for a year is higher than the price of tuition and that gap continues to widen. While we, as alumni, might not agree with everything that happens on campus, our alma mater requires our support to ensure that in 2076, there is still a thriving Sagehen community and a nest for future members of our flock. At a time when educational institutions are increasingly under attack I believe that ensuring the College has significant financial flexibility to support students from every walk of life is paramount to fulfilling our mission.
When you think about your relationship with the College, what are you most grateful for?
Truly it’s been the people I’ve met through Pomona, whether it’s my extremely close group of friends who I’ve known for almost 30 years or it’s people like former dean Ann Quinley — who left a meaningful impression on me and shaped how I approach leadership.
Are there skills or perspectives you gained at Pomona that you still rely on today?
I’m an optimist, and I believe that most people want to do their best and to be good people. My four years at Pomona helped reinforce that optimism. Being surrounded by so many brilliant peers and professors taught me how to be patient enough to learn about why others might approach the same situation with completely different viewpoints.
Visit our website to learn more about the Alumni Association Board and how to nominate yourself or a fellow Sagehen to become a board member.