Stories of Sagehen Impact

Pomona College’s commencement ceremony, taking place May 12, 2024, will feature four distinguished speakers: Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Cecilia Conrad, Harry Elam and Emil Kakkis ’82. 

A group of Sagehens are continuing their shared journey in Boston as Harvard Medical School students. Another has already graduated and is doing a residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard teaching hospital.

Hear from the Associate Dean of the College, Professor of History and Coordinator of Latin American Studies April J. Mayes ’94 P’26 as she shares her story and involvement in the Draper Center for Community Partnerships at Pomona College. 

When Ruben Murray ’19, wrote his senior thesis on the small East African country of Djibouti, the international relations major didn’t expect to end up there two years later as a foreign service officer for the U.S. State Department.

Two months after receiving her diploma, Julia Frankel ’23 started reporting on issues in the Middle East from Jerusalem for the Associated Press. Now covering the Israel-Hamas war, her stories shed light on the trauma felt throughout the region.

Hear from MIT Ph.D. candidate David Berkinsky about the way in which Pomona impacted his approach to science, working under his 2023 Nobel Prize winning advisor and his desire "to contribute positively to society" through science.

Pomona College graduates Jálynn Castleman-Smith ’13, Julius Torres Kellinghusen ’16 and Harry Leshner ’08 credit their time on campus for propelling them into novel and meaningful careers. 

This past spring, Kirsten Housen ’23 earned a bachelor of science from Washington University along with a bachelor of arts from Pomona as part of Pomona’s 3-2 combined plan in engineering.

Katrina Dank '20 spent the summer in Uganda learning how prevalent cancer is among the population. Before returning home, she wrote and illustrated a children's book to help the country's youth understand the disease.

Masago Armstrong helped thousands of students stay on track during her 30 years as registrar of Pomona College. Now, leaving a $1 million gift for scholarships at her passing, Armstrong will continue to shape students’ lives for years to come.