There is a quote on our College Gates that we don’t take lightly:
“They only are loyal to this college who, departing, bear their added riches in trust for mankind.”
This maxim from Pomona’s fourth president James Blaisdell is a guiding force at Pomona College.
You can turn those words into action while at Pomona through community engagement and outreach opportunities.
The Draper Center for Community Partnerships develops many opportunities for students to engage. Through these programs, you can participate in hands-on learning, have meaningful and lasting experiences with people outside of the College, and contribute to our surrounding communities.
Opportunities include:
- Tutoring local students
- “Rescuing” leftover dining hall food
- Devoting your Spring Break to volunteering
- Mentoring local middle school and high school students
- ESL tutoring
- Working with our PAYS college-prep program for local, underrepresented high school students
Many of these programs were started by Pomona students. Students built the Hunger and Homelessness Initiative, which takes leftover dining hall food to local shelters. Recently, Sophie Roe '19 was awarded a Napier Award to continue expanding Pomona Employment Partners (PEP) to serve homeless individuals in the city of Pomona.
We also offer classes with a community focus. In Theatre for Young Audiences, you can work with middle school groups to develop a script and create a theater production based on the young students’ experiences. In Politics of Environmental Justice, you’ll analyze political action and work on projects with L.A.-based movements.