Pitzer College
Encyclopedia
Pitzer College is a private residential
liberal arts college
located in Claremont, California
, a college town
approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) east of downtown
Los Angeles
. Pitzer College is one of the Claremont Colleges
.
Pitzer College has a curricular emphasis on the social sciences
, behavioral sciences
, international programs
, and media studies
. As one of the Claremont Colleges, consortium resources (libraries, dining halls, etc.) are shared and students from the school are encouraged to take classes at the other four undergraduate Claremont Colleges as well as at Pitzer. Likewise, students from the other Claremont Colleges are permitted to take classes at Pitzer.
by Russell K. Pitzer
(1878–1978), a California citrus magnate, philanthropist, and Pomona College
alumnus. In April 1963, poet and visionary John W. Atherton was hired as Pitzer's first president, and over the next seventeen months he recruited students, faculty, and trustees and constructed Scott and Sanborn Halls just in time for the fall 1964 semester. During the College's first year, students and faculty created the curriculum and the school's system of governance. The College graduated its first class of students in 1964 and became co-educational in the fall of 1970. That first academic term began with ten professors and 153 students from sixteen states and five countries.
Pitzer College Presidents
, with the station
located approximately eight blocks southwest of campus. Access to campus is also provided via Interstate 10 and Interstate 210
. The campus includes 16 buildings, including 5 residence halls. Three of the residence halls (Pitzer, Atherton and Sanborn) were built in 2007 and are Gold LEED-Certified. They received two design awards. In December 2010, the College broke ground on four new LEED-Certified residence halls on the northeast side of its campus, scheduled to be completed by fall 2012.
The Pitzer College campus occupies the northeast corner of the Claremont Colleges
property, which contains seven institutions of higher education coordinated through the Claremont University Consortium
. The Claremont Colleges include Pomona College
(founded in 1887), Claremont Graduate University
(1925), Scripps College
(1926), Claremont McKenna College
(1946), Harvey Mudd College
(1955), Pitzer College (1963), and Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences
(1997).
Currently, Foothill Boulevard
/Historic Route 66 and Harvey Mudd College border the campus to the north, Claremont Boulevard to the east, Ninth Street to the south, and North Mills Avenue to the west. Possible future campus expansion into the Claremont University Consortium East Campus Property would extend the eastern boundary of campus towards Monte Vista Boulevard. At present, the campus is split approximately in half by Pitzer Road. Harvey Mudd College is adjacent to Pitzer’s north, Scripps to the west, and Claremont McKenna to the south.
Contemporary architecture
characterizes the majority of Pitzer's buildings, several of which were designed by Gwathmey-Siegel
following major donations from Eli Broad
, a board member emeritus and former chair
of the Pitzer College Board of Trustee
s.
A notable exception is the Grove House, a California Bungalow
built in 1902 for a local citrus grower during the height of the Arts and Crafts movement
. The building, a popular campus hangout, was purchased for $1.00 and moved to Pitzer in 1977 under the direction of Professor emeritus
Barry Sanders
. The Grove House is home to a cafe, the Women's Center, the Hinshaw Gallery, the EcoCenter and a guest room. The John R. Rodman Arboretum
is part of the campus, and most landscaping
follows principles of xeriscaping
. Several varieties of citrus
and other fruit are grown throughout campus and an organic community garden, dedicated grove
and chicken coop are located north of Mead Hall.
The George C.S. Benson Auditorium opened in March 2009 and is designed to accommodate classes, panel discussions, film screenings, dance and musical performances, full theatrical productions, etc.
The Commencement Plaza and Recreation Fields are located on the southwest edge of campus. The beach volleyball and basketball courts opened in April 2010 and the first commencement was held on the new Commencement Plaza in May 2010. The plaza and fields are ringed by art benches, on which students can paint murals.
Joint Science Modular Units were installed along the southwest corner of the campus, formerly the Sanborn Parking Lot. These will open in fall 2011 and house science labs, classrooms and offices. In the future, a second Joint Science building will occupy this space.
A greenhouse, which houses the work of the Marquet/Ferre Vaccine Research Center at Pitzer College, is located northwest of the Grove House. It was completed in summer 2010 and work began there in fall 2010.
The main dining hall is in McConnell Center, and features an award-winning executive chef, organic and local ingredients and vegan and vegetarian options. The Pit-Stop Cafe, opened in fall 2009, serves organic, fair-trade coffee and espresso drinks, plus sandwiches, salads and pastries. The Shakedown Cafe, located in the Gold Student Center, is student-run and features organic world cuisine.
Located directly northwest of the main campus, the Robert J. Bernard Field Station is an 86 acres (34.8 ha) nature preserve consisting of coastal sage scrub
.
The Outback is an undeveloped area of campus, a former garbage dump, bordered by Foothill Boulevard to the north, Claremont Boulevard to the east, Atherton and Sanborn Halls to the south, and Harvey Mudd College to the west. The area is characterized by plant communities that once covered most of the surrounding region, coastal sage scrub and chaparral
. There are many different areas situated throughout the Outback including: a small gully
in the northeast corner, a stone bench/rock couch situated near the southern edge, as well as a small stone seat further north, there is an unfinished stone pyramid
, and a large tree near the center.
The campus lies less than five miles (8 km) south of the San Gabriel Mountains
, on top of the alluvial fans that come from nearby San Antonio Canyon. The campus is relatively flat, with a 4% uphill grade from southwest to northeast. Mount Baldy
is 15 miles (24.1 km) north of the College and is visible from the campus. The Mount Baldy Ski Lifts is a popular spot for students to ski in the winter. On clear days, the Chino Hills are visible to the south and San Bernardino Mountains
to the east.
Finca La Isla del Cielo
Pitzer owns and operates a 145 acres (58.7 ha) field station on secondary growth rainforest
, the Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology
. The facility is located approximately two kilometers east of Playa Dominical
, Costa Rica
. The property borders the Hacienda Barú nature reserve. The Center is home to programs in Pitzer's science, language and international studies curricula.
Pitzer Study Abroad Programs
Pitzer College operates its own study abroad programs in Botswana, China, Costa Rica, Japan, Nepal and South Korea and runs exchanges with dozens of universities worldwide.
Pitzer was listed among Unigo.com's Top 10 Schools Where Students Follow the Beltway as Closely as Their Studies, and on Parade magazine's "College A-List."
In fall 2010, Newsweek named Pitzer a Most Service Minded School, and Pitzer was in the top ten in the service category in Washington Monthly's 2010 College Guide. Pitzer was among Kiplinger's 2010 Best Values in Private Colleges. Additionally, the 2011 Princeton Review named Pitzer a Best Western College.
Newsweek ranked Pitzer College #11 nationally in "Most Service-Oriented Schools" in its College Rankings 2011. In addition, Pitzer ranked #2 in "Best Food," #5 in "Top Schools for Activists," #6 in "Happiest Students" and #7 in "Free-Spirited Students."
In the most recent data reported by the National Science Foundation
, Pitzer College ranked 8th in the number of alumni who pursued a Ph.D. in psychology, 29th in the number of alumni who pursued a Ph.D. in anthropology, and 38th in the number of alumni who pursued a Ph.D. in sociology, compared with 153 other private colleges and universities.
The Princeton Review named Pitzer College as one of 81 schools to be included in its publication, Colleges with a Conscience: 81 Schools with Great Community Involvement and Pitzer College was selected by The Carnegie Foundation
for their new elective Community Engagement Classification in 2007.
In October 2010, The Chronicle of Higher Education listed Pitzer first in Fulbright Fellowships among all undergraduate institutions nationwide. In 2008 and 2009, Pitzer received more Fulbright Fellowships per capita, than any other college or university nationwide.
In 2010, Pitzer students and alums were awarded a record 23 Fulbrights. In its history, Pitzer students and alums have been awarded 110 Fulbright Fellowships, in addition to dozens of other national awards, including Rotary Scholarships, Watson Fellowships, Teach for America placements, Coro Fellowships, Neuroscience Fellowships, among others.
Pitzer offers over 40 majors, many of them cross-disciplinary, and each student is assigned a faculty advisor upon his/her arrival on campus. The College expects students to take an active part in planning that course of study, and has few distribution requirements.
The student/faculty ratio is 11:1, and 100% of Pitzer's tenure-track faculty hold a PhD or the terminal degree in their field.
Pitzer owns and operates the 145 acres (58.7 ha) Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology, a Costa Rican biological reserve that serves as a logistical base for undergraduate research and education. The facility is located approximately two kilometers east of Playa Dominical
, Costa Rica
. The property borders the Hacienda Barú nature reserve.
Over 70% of Pitzer students study abroad, compared to under 2% nationwide.
In contrast with religious studies
major at some universities, Pitzer offers a Secularism major.
In 2004 Pitzer became the first college on the West Coast to join the SAT-Optional Movement
by making the SAT optional for all applicants.
and Pomona
have larger student bodies, while Harvey Mudd
and Scripps
are smaller). Pitzer College ranks 25th nationwide among all Baccalaureate Colleges
for percentage of its students who study abroad
, and Pitzer has the highest rate of study abroad among the Claremont Colleges. Students of color constitute over 30% of the total student body and Pitzer enrolls the largest number of international students of any school within the Claremont Consortium.
Much of Pitzer's community engagement occurs under the auspices of the Community Engagement Center (CEC) (formerly Center for California Cultural and Social Issues), which strives to root community-based pedagogy more deeply into the College's curricular and research agendas. By providing financial, technical and logistical support to develop innovative community-based projects as well as an institutional infrastructure to sustain and evaluate them, the Center engages international, national and local resources in a cooperative network aimed at defining and realizing the goals of various community partners.
The CEC runs the Pitzer in Ontario Program, a comprehensive semester-long service learning and cultural immersion program with a strong theoretical foundation in the human sciences informed by the best practices in the field of experiential education. The program integrates extensive internship experiences in city, private or non-profit organizations with interdisciplinary coursework that provides the theoretical framework from which social and urban issues can be effectively evaluated. Through living in Ontario, students have the opportunity to engage firsthand the diversity of voices, perspectives, and agendas that are driving those demands, and to come to a better understanding of the many layers of engaged citizenship.
At the Campus Compact
20/20 Visioning Summit on October 17, 2006, the Corporation for National and Community Service
recognized Pitzer as one of 28 California campuses distinguished for community service and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Pitzer College received Mother Jones
Magazine 2006 Campus Activism for Thinking Outside of the Box.
Pitzer College students including former Speaker of the California State Assembly
Fabian Nunez
‘97 were instrumental in founding the Pomona Day Labor Center. Through the Community Engagement Center dozens of Pitzer students volunteer each semester with programs at Camp Afflerbaugh
and California Youth Authority Chino
.
Cecil the Sagehen is the school mascot, who often leads the crowd in the fight song, “When Cecil the Sagehen Chirps,” which includes the lyric “Our foes are filled with dread/Whenever Cecil the Sagehen flies overhead!” He also travels the world in support of Pitzer.
Some recent Sagehen accomplishments include:
, discovered by Czech astronomer Lubos Kohoutek. Past groups that have headlined Kohoutek include: O.A.R
, Blackalicious
, The Roots
, Tea Leaf Green
, Breakestra
, Zolar X
, Lyrics Born
, Akron/Family
, Zion I
and Toubab Krewe
. Last year's headliners were Matt & Kim, Blu
and Mr. Lif
and featured a performance by special guests Mandrill
. The festival generally includes a number of non-music components including off-campus and student vendors, fire performances, a farmers market
, and other activities.
Dining with Democracy: is a student-run speaker series that brings politicians and community activists to campus. All speeches are open to the Claremont College community. Following the speech a private dinner is held with the speaker and randomly selected students, faculty, and staff. Participants have included: Alfre Woodard
, Christopher Hitchens
, Chalmers Johnson
, the Honorable Kimba Wood
, John Hueston, Mike Bonanno of The Yes Men
, Ralph Nader
, Don Beck, Brian Swimme
, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
.
Groove at The Grove: generally refers to those concerts or other performances held on Thursday nights at the Grove House, but the term may be used at other times as well. The event represents Pitzer's most consistent contribution to the weeknight arts and music scene at the Claremont Colleges. Acts set-up on the front steps of the Grove House with the audience standing immediately in front of the structure. Numerous student and professional groups have performed at the event, including We Are Scientists
.
Hammocks on The Mounds: refers to the hanging of hammocks on the Pitzer Mounds, the uneven grassy area located directly north of McConnell Center. The hammocks are generally donated by students and/or alumni, or purchased by the student government. The College declared November 2 to 9, 1998 Pitzer College Hammock Week, stating that community members are encouraged to "bring a hammock to the mounds, string it up and just hang around." It has since become an annual tradition at the College.
Halloween in the Halls is an annual community outreach program held inside select College residence halls. Occurring during a single evening/night on or near Halloween
, the event draw hundreds of local elementary school students to trick-or-treat
between students' rooms. in the Pitzer College dorms. There is often a decoration competition between participating hallways, and prizes are awarded to those halls that receive top placement.
Orientation Adventure: or OA is the College's pre-Welcome Week program for incoming First-Year, Transfer, and New Resource students. The newly mandatory student-led program offers multi-day thematic trips throughout California. Over the program's history themes have included, among others, backpacking
, sustainability
, coastal biking
, grassroots movements
, surfing
, and Los Angeles arts & music
. Trips generally vary in length from three to six days and destinations of past trips have included: Sequoia National Park
, Kings Canyon National Park
, Chávez National Center
, San Gabriel River Trail
, Newport Beach
, Los Angeles
, San Onofre, community gardens
, and San Diego.
Murals provide unique visual atmosphere to Pitzer college. Murals are painted by students, staff, and guests artists on the interiors and exteriors of campus buildings and along the pillars that line the Mounds. Diverse themes include portraits, politics, literature, and purely whimsical imagery.
Snackie Snack occurs weekly, and is a free late-night snack featuring food from local businesses served by the Pitzer Activities Programming Board. During exam periods, Snackie Snack is served by the president and members of the cabinet.
"BobFest": or "The Bob Marley Festival", or "One Good Thing Festival" began in 2003 as a fall concert event. "BobFest" occurs during the first weekend in November and features Reggae
, Dancehall
, Afrobeat
, and World music
. The festival runs over the course of a single day and features 5-9 live, professional bands, free food and beverages. The event has been hosted by California reggae personality Junor Francis each year since its inception.
Through the Faculty in Residence Program, each year two members of the Pitzer faculty live in one of the two faculty apartments in the residence halls on campus, and design and run events for students. The dean of students and the assistant dean of students also live on campus.
First- and second-year students are not permitted to bring cars to campus, although exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis.
Atherton Hall
is a four story building adjacent to the Gold Student Center. Atherton accommodates 62 students. Rooms are double occupancy with two rooms sharing an adjoining vanity, bathroom and shower. Common areas include a living room, six study rooms, and laundry facilities. The basement level of Atherton Hall is home to the mailroom, a music practice room, the Lenzner Family Gallery, art studio with classroom, and the Writing Center.
Pitzer Hall
is a four story building southeast of the Gold Student Center that houses 78 students. Rooms are double occupancy, with two rooms sharing an adjoining vanity, bathroom and shower. Common areas include a living room, eight study rooms, and laundry facilities. The first floor houses the Office of Admission. One of the two Faculty in Residence apartments is also in Pitzer Hall.
Sanborn Hall
is a two-part three story building east of the Gold Student Center. Sanborn houses 178 students. Rooms are double occupancy with two rooms sharing an adjoining vanity, bathroom and shower. Common areas include a living room, nine study rooms, laundry facilities and a kitchen. One of the two Faculty in Residence apartments is also in Sanborn.
Holden Hall
is a two story building housing 180 students in four wings. Rooms are double occupancy, with two rooms sharing an adjoining bathroom and shower. Common areas include a living room, television lounge, two study rooms, a kitchen and laundry facilities.
Mead Hall
is a three story, six-tower complex which houses 225 students. Each suite shares a common living room with four or eight residents in each unit. Common areas include a community kitchen, laundry facilities and a television lounge. Mead is home to Career Services, Center for Asian Pacific American Students, The Rabbit Hole (substance abuse education and outreach program), the Marquis Library, and the Writing Center. This hall offers a Substance Free Tower and a Community Involvement Tower that exemplifies one of the College’s educational objectives: awareness of the social and ethical implications of action. Residence life in the Involvement Tower is generally self-governed within the parameters of Pitzer’s residential life policies, subject to amendment by Pitzer College Student Senate. Students are required to attend Tower meetings and participate in Pitzer’s community or the community at large.
The Residential Life Project is expected to be completed in three phases over the next 10 to 15 years. Phase One, which included Sanborn, Pitzer, and Atherton Halls, was completed and inaugurated in September 2007. The College broke ground on Phase II, which incorporates four new residence halls, a demonstration kitchen, an archive, a board room and program/faculty offices, in December 2010. It is scheduled to be completed by August 2012.
Robert Redford
and Ed Begley, Jr.
were the keynote speakers at the dedication ceremony of the Residential Life Project. The residence halls opened in 2007 received LEED Gold recognition
from the United States Green Building Council
in 2008. The College expects Phase II to receive Platinum certification. (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the national standard for sustainable buildings created by the U.S. Green Building Council.
When Pitzer's Residential Life Project is complete, the College expects to become the first college in the nation to have all Gold or Platinum LEED certified residence halls.
Notable amongst these is the Green Bike Program (GBP), a student run bicycle collective
that maintains a full service shop, as well as fleet of 100+ recovered and reused bicycles that are raffled off free of charge each semester for student use. The GBP works to provide an alternative mode of transportation to combat the predominate and destructive car culture in Southern California, as well as to reduce consumption and consumerism
while increasing the practical use of recycled and reused materials. The GBP maintains a strong DIY ethic, and has become a social hub for both student and community activism.
to determine financial need, and Pitzer has stated a commitment to meeting 100% of every student's demonstrated financial need. The average financial aid package at Pitzer is $36,500, and over the past five years, Pitzer has lowered the average cumulative debt of its students by 24%--from $22,000 to $16,000. Pitzer's Office of Admission states a commitment to building a student body that "reflects a wide range of economic, ethnic, racial and geographic representation."
Arts, media and entertainment
Other
2010: Cory Booker
2009: David Feldman (comedian)
2008: Samantha Power
2007: Eric Schlosser
2006: Fabian Nunez
2005: Sarah Weddington
2004: Bernadine Dohrn
2003: Naomi Wolf
Residential college
A residential college is an organisational pattern for a division of a university that places academic activity in a community setting of students and faculty, usually at a residence and with shared meals, the college having a degree of autonomy and a federated relationship with the overall...
liberal arts college
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
located in Claremont, California
Claremont, California
Claremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its...
, a college town
College town
A college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) east of downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Pitzer College is one of the Claremont Colleges
Claremont Colleges
The Claremont Colleges are a prestigious American consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
.
Pitzer College has a curricular emphasis on the social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
, behavioral sciences
Behavioural sciences
The term behavioural sciences encompasses all the disciplines that explore the activities of and interactions among organisms in the natural world. It involves the systematic analysis and investigation of human and animal behaviour through controlled and naturalistic observation, and disciplined...
, international programs
Study abroad
Studying abroad is the act of a student pursuing educational opportunities in a country other than one's own. This can include primary, secondary and post-secondary students...
, and media studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
. As one of the Claremont Colleges, consortium resources (libraries, dining halls, etc.) are shared and students from the school are encouraged to take classes at the other four undergraduate Claremont Colleges as well as at Pitzer. Likewise, students from the other Claremont Colleges are permitted to take classes at Pitzer.
History
Pitzer was founded in 1963 as a women's collegeWomen's colleges in the United States
Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges...
by Russell K. Pitzer
Russell K. Pitzer
Russell K. Pitzer , an American orange grower, was the founder of Pitzer College in Claremont, California, an early benefactor of the Pomona Valley Community Hospital in Pomona, and a noted philanthropist of other local causes in the Pomona Valley.Russell Kelly Pitzer was born in Mills County,...
(1878–1978), a California citrus magnate, philanthropist, and Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
alumnus. In April 1963, poet and visionary John W. Atherton was hired as Pitzer's first president, and over the next seventeen months he recruited students, faculty, and trustees and constructed Scott and Sanborn Halls just in time for the fall 1964 semester. During the College's first year, students and faculty created the curriculum and the school's system of governance. The College graduated its first class of students in 1964 and became co-educational in the fall of 1970. That first academic term began with ten professors and 153 students from sixteen states and five countries.
Pitzer College Presidents
- John W. Atherton, founding president (1963–1970)
- Robert H. Atwell, second president (1970–1978)
- Frank L. Ellsworth, third president (1979–1991)
- Marilyn C. Massey, fourth president (1992–2002)
- Laura Skandera TrombleyLaura Skandera Trombley-Biography:Laura Skandera Trombley was born Laura Skandera and raised in Southern California. At the age of 16, she began attending Pepperdine University, where she earned a BA, summa cum laude , and MA . She then earned a PhD in English literature from the University of Southern California...
, current President (2002-current)
Campus
Pitzer’s campus is located in Claremont, California, covering an area of approximately 35 acres (14.2 ha). The campus is located approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) west of LA/Ontario International Airport and Los Angeles can be accessed via MetrolinkMetrolink (Southern California)
Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
, with the station
Claremont (Metrolink station)
Claremont Metrolink Station is a passenger rail station in Claremont, California. It is served by Metrolink's San Bernardino Line which runs from Los Angeles Union Station to San Bernardino, with some trains continuing to Riverside on weekends. The Mission Revival-Spanish Colonial Revival style...
located approximately eight blocks southwest of campus. Access to campus is also provided via Interstate 10 and Interstate 210
Interstate 210 (California)
Interstate 210 and State Route 210 together form a contiguous highway, called the Foothill Freeway, in the Greater Los Angeles area of the U.S. state of California. The western portion of the route is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, while the eastern portion is a state highway...
. The campus includes 16 buildings, including 5 residence halls. Three of the residence halls (Pitzer, Atherton and Sanborn) were built in 2007 and are Gold LEED-Certified. They received two design awards. In December 2010, the College broke ground on four new LEED-Certified residence halls on the northeast side of its campus, scheduled to be completed by fall 2012.
The Pitzer College campus occupies the northeast corner of the Claremont Colleges
Claremont Colleges
The Claremont Colleges are a prestigious American consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
property, which contains seven institutions of higher education coordinated through the Claremont University Consortium
Claremont University Consortium
The Claremont University Consortium is an organization located in Claremont, California that supports Claremont Colleges, a group of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education. It provides centralized services, such as a library system, student health, campus mail, and other...
. The Claremont Colleges include Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
(founded in 1887), Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University is a private, all-graduate research university located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
(1925), Scripps College
Scripps College
Scripps College is a progressive liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California, United States. It is a member of the Claremont Colleges. Scripps ranks 3rd for the nation's best women's college, ahead of Barnard College, Mount Holyoke College, and Bryn Mawr College at 23rd on the list for...
(1926), Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college and a member of the Claremont Colleges located in Claremont, California. The campus is located east of Downtown Los Angeles...
(1946), Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College is a private residential liberal arts college of science, engineering, and mathematics, located in Claremont, California. It is one of the institutions of the contiguous Claremont Colleges, which share adjoining campus grounds....
(1955), Pitzer College (1963), and Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences
Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences
Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences is a specialized graduate school in Claremont, California. It was founded in 1997 through a startup grant of $50 million from the W. M. Keck Foundation...
(1997).
Currently, Foothill Boulevard
Foothill Boulevard (Southern California)
Foothill Boulevard is a major road in the city and county of Los Angeles, as well as an arterial road in the city and county of San Bernardino, stretching well over 60 miles in length, with some notable breaks along the route...
/Historic Route 66 and Harvey Mudd College border the campus to the north, Claremont Boulevard to the east, Ninth Street to the south, and North Mills Avenue to the west. Possible future campus expansion into the Claremont University Consortium East Campus Property would extend the eastern boundary of campus towards Monte Vista Boulevard. At present, the campus is split approximately in half by Pitzer Road. Harvey Mudd College is adjacent to Pitzer’s north, Scripps to the west, and Claremont McKenna to the south.
Contemporary architecture
Contemporary architecture
Contemporary architecture is generally speaking the architecture of the present time.The term contemporary architecture is also applied to a range of styles of recently built structures and space which are optimized for current use....
characterizes the majority of Pitzer's buildings, several of which were designed by Gwathmey-Siegel
Charles Gwathmey
Charles Gwathmey was an American architect. He was a principal at Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, as well as one of the five architects identified as The New York Five in 1969...
following major donations from Eli Broad
Eli Broad
Eli Broad is an American businessman from Detroit, Michigan who resides in Los Angeles, California.-Life and career:An only child, Broad was born in the Bronx to Lithuanian Jewish immigrant parents. His father was a housepainter, his mother was a dressmaker. His family moved to Detroit when he...
, a board member emeritus and former chair
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the Pitzer College Board of Trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s.
A notable exception is the Grove House, a California Bungalow
California Bungalow
California bungalows, known as Californian bungalows in Australia and are commonly called simply bungalows in America, are a form of residential structure that were widely popular across America and, to some extent, the world around the years 1910 to 1939.-Exterior features:Bungalows are 1 or 1½...
built in 1902 for a local citrus grower during the height of the Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
. The building, a popular campus hangout, was purchased for $1.00 and moved to Pitzer in 1977 under the direction of Professor emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders (professor)
Barry Sanders was professor of History of Ideas and English at Pitzer College in Claremont, California and a prolific author. Sanders retired from Pitzer College in 2005 but remains active as an author....
. The Grove House is home to a cafe, the Women's Center, the Hinshaw Gallery, the EcoCenter and a guest room. The John R. Rodman Arboretum
John R. Rodman Arboretum
The John R. Rodman Arboretum 10 acres is located on the campus of Pitzer College, 1050 North Mills Avenue, Claremont, California, USA. The Arboretum began in 1984 when Dr. John R. Rodman, Professor of Environmental Studies, and Dr. Sheryl F...
is part of the campus, and most landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
follows principles of xeriscaping
Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping and xerogardening refers to landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation...
. Several varieties of citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
and other fruit are grown throughout campus and an organic community garden, dedicated grove
Grove (nature)
A grove is a small group of trees with minimal or no undergrowth, such as a sequoia grove, or a small orchard planted for the cultivation of fruits or nuts...
and chicken coop are located north of Mead Hall.
The George C.S. Benson Auditorium opened in March 2009 and is designed to accommodate classes, panel discussions, film screenings, dance and musical performances, full theatrical productions, etc.
The Commencement Plaza and Recreation Fields are located on the southwest edge of campus. The beach volleyball and basketball courts opened in April 2010 and the first commencement was held on the new Commencement Plaza in May 2010. The plaza and fields are ringed by art benches, on which students can paint murals.
Joint Science Modular Units were installed along the southwest corner of the campus, formerly the Sanborn Parking Lot. These will open in fall 2011 and house science labs, classrooms and offices. In the future, a second Joint Science building will occupy this space.
A greenhouse, which houses the work of the Marquet/Ferre Vaccine Research Center at Pitzer College, is located northwest of the Grove House. It was completed in summer 2010 and work began there in fall 2010.
The main dining hall is in McConnell Center, and features an award-winning executive chef, organic and local ingredients and vegan and vegetarian options. The Pit-Stop Cafe, opened in fall 2009, serves organic, fair-trade coffee and espresso drinks, plus sandwiches, salads and pastries. The Shakedown Cafe, located in the Gold Student Center, is student-run and features organic world cuisine.
Located directly northwest of the main campus, the Robert J. Bernard Field Station is an 86 acres (34.8 ha) nature preserve consisting of coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of coastal California and northern Baja California. It is characterized by low-growing aromatic, and drought-deciduous shrubs adapted to the semi-arid Mediterranean climate of the...
.
The Outback is an undeveloped area of campus, a former garbage dump, bordered by Foothill Boulevard to the north, Claremont Boulevard to the east, Atherton and Sanborn Halls to the south, and Harvey Mudd College to the west. The area is characterized by plant communities that once covered most of the surrounding region, coastal sage scrub and chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
. There are many different areas situated throughout the Outback including: a small gully
Gully
A gully is a landform created by running water, eroding sharply into soil, typically on a hillside. Gullies resemble large ditches or small valleys, but are metres to tens of metres in depth and width...
in the northeast corner, a stone bench/rock couch situated near the southern edge, as well as a small stone seat further north, there is an unfinished stone pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
, and a large tree near the center.
The campus lies less than five miles (8 km) south of the San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
, on top of the alluvial fans that come from nearby San Antonio Canyon. The campus is relatively flat, with a 4% uphill grade from southwest to northeast. Mount Baldy
Mount San Antonio
Mount San Antonio, commonly known as Old Baldy or Mt Baldy, at , is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the highest point in Los Angeles County...
is 15 miles (24.1 km) north of the College and is visible from the campus. The Mount Baldy Ski Lifts is a popular spot for students to ski in the winter. On clear days, the Chino Hills are visible to the south and San Bernardino Mountains
San Bernardino Mountains
The San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
to the east.
Finca La Isla del Cielo
Pitzer owns and operates a 145 acres (58.7 ha) field station on secondary growth rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
, the Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology
Firestone Reserve
The Firestone Reserve is a private, biological and ethnographic protected area in southwestern Costa Rica. The Firestone Reserve is home to the Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology, an undergraduate educational program of Pitzer College in California, USA. The Reserve consists of 60 hectares of...
. The facility is located approximately two kilometers east of Playa Dominical
Dominical
Dominical is a beach-front town in the province of Puntarenas in Costa Rica approximately 45 km south of Quepos. It is famous for large, year-round waves and is well-known by most surfers in Costa Rica...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. The property borders the Hacienda Barú nature reserve. The Center is home to programs in Pitzer's science, language and international studies curricula.
Pitzer Study Abroad Programs
Pitzer College operates its own study abroad programs in Botswana, China, Costa Rica, Japan, Nepal and South Korea and runs exchanges with dozens of universities worldwide.
Rankings
The U.S.News and World Report College and University rankings 2012 edition ranks Pitzer College as the 42nd best national liberal arts college overall, 13th nationwide for Most Students Studying Abroad and 14th in High School Counselors' Picks. Pitzer College is the youngest school represented in the top 50.Pitzer was listed among Unigo.com's Top 10 Schools Where Students Follow the Beltway as Closely as Their Studies, and on Parade magazine's "College A-List."
In fall 2010, Newsweek named Pitzer a Most Service Minded School, and Pitzer was in the top ten in the service category in Washington Monthly's 2010 College Guide. Pitzer was among Kiplinger's 2010 Best Values in Private Colleges. Additionally, the 2011 Princeton Review named Pitzer a Best Western College.
Newsweek ranked Pitzer College #11 nationally in "Most Service-Oriented Schools" in its College Rankings 2011. In addition, Pitzer ranked #2 in "Best Food," #5 in "Top Schools for Activists," #6 in "Happiest Students" and #7 in "Free-Spirited Students."
In the most recent data reported by the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, Pitzer College ranked 8th in the number of alumni who pursued a Ph.D. in psychology, 29th in the number of alumni who pursued a Ph.D. in anthropology, and 38th in the number of alumni who pursued a Ph.D. in sociology, compared with 153 other private colleges and universities.
The Princeton Review named Pitzer College as one of 81 schools to be included in its publication, Colleges with a Conscience: 81 Schools with Great Community Involvement and Pitzer College was selected by The Carnegie Foundation
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center, whose primary activities of research and writing have resulted in published reports on every level...
for their new elective Community Engagement Classification in 2007.
Academics
As a member of The Claremont College Consortium, Pitzer students have access to nearly all facilities available to students enrolled at the other colleges, in addition to all facilities administered by the Claremont College Consortium. Any student attending Pitzer can enroll in classes at the other four colleges, and can complete an off-campus major if the major is not offered by Pitzer.In October 2010, The Chronicle of Higher Education listed Pitzer first in Fulbright Fellowships among all undergraduate institutions nationwide. In 2008 and 2009, Pitzer received more Fulbright Fellowships per capita, than any other college or university nationwide.
In 2010, Pitzer students and alums were awarded a record 23 Fulbrights. In its history, Pitzer students and alums have been awarded 110 Fulbright Fellowships, in addition to dozens of other national awards, including Rotary Scholarships, Watson Fellowships, Teach for America placements, Coro Fellowships, Neuroscience Fellowships, among others.
Pitzer offers over 40 majors, many of them cross-disciplinary, and each student is assigned a faculty advisor upon his/her arrival on campus. The College expects students to take an active part in planning that course of study, and has few distribution requirements.
The student/faculty ratio is 11:1, and 100% of Pitzer's tenure-track faculty hold a PhD or the terminal degree in their field.
Dominical
Dominical is a beach-front town in the province of Puntarenas in Costa Rica approximately 45 km south of Quepos. It is famous for large, year-round waves and is well-known by most surfers in Costa Rica...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. The property borders the Hacienda Barú nature reserve.
Over 70% of Pitzer students study abroad, compared to under 2% nationwide.
In contrast with religious studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
major at some universities, Pitzer offers a Secularism major.
Admission
During the last five years the number of applications has grown by 65%. Pitzer received roughly 4,000 applications for the class entering in August 2010. For fall 2010 entry, Pitzer offered admission to 25% of the applicant pool. Thirty-four percent of the 2010 entering class had a GPA of 4.0 or higher. Sixty-one percent of the class entering in 2010 came from outside California, from 220 different high schools. The major geographic areas outside California represented, in order, are New York, Illinois, Washington, Massachusetts and Oregon.In 2004 Pitzer became the first college on the West Coast to join the SAT-Optional Movement
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
by making the SAT optional for all applicants.
Overview
Pitzer College enrolls approximately 950 students, making it the third largest of the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges (Claremont McKennaClaremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college and a member of the Claremont Colleges located in Claremont, California. The campus is located east of Downtown Los Angeles...
and Pomona
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
have larger student bodies, while Harvey Mudd
Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College is a private residential liberal arts college of science, engineering, and mathematics, located in Claremont, California. It is one of the institutions of the contiguous Claremont Colleges, which share adjoining campus grounds....
and Scripps
Scripps College
Scripps College is a progressive liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California, United States. It is a member of the Claremont Colleges. Scripps ranks 3rd for the nation's best women's college, ahead of Barnard College, Mount Holyoke College, and Bryn Mawr College at 23rd on the list for...
are smaller). Pitzer College ranks 25th nationwide among all Baccalaureate Colleges
Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a framework for classifying, or grouping, colleges and universities in the United States. The primary purpose of the framework is for educational research and analysis, where it is often important to identify groups of roughly...
for percentage of its students who study abroad
Study abroad
Studying abroad is the act of a student pursuing educational opportunities in a country other than one's own. This can include primary, secondary and post-secondary students...
, and Pitzer has the highest rate of study abroad among the Claremont Colleges. Students of color constitute over 30% of the total student body and Pitzer enrolls the largest number of international students of any school within the Claremont Consortium.
Community involvement
The Pitzer College community is especially known for its involvement outside of the classroom. Its students donate over 100,000 hours to community service annually. In 2008 and 2009, the College was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This distinction recognizes students, faculty, and staff for helping to build a culture of service and civic engagement.Much of Pitzer's community engagement occurs under the auspices of the Community Engagement Center (CEC) (formerly Center for California Cultural and Social Issues), which strives to root community-based pedagogy more deeply into the College's curricular and research agendas. By providing financial, technical and logistical support to develop innovative community-based projects as well as an institutional infrastructure to sustain and evaluate them, the Center engages international, national and local resources in a cooperative network aimed at defining and realizing the goals of various community partners.
The CEC runs the Pitzer in Ontario Program, a comprehensive semester-long service learning and cultural immersion program with a strong theoretical foundation in the human sciences informed by the best practices in the field of experiential education. The program integrates extensive internship experiences in city, private or non-profit organizations with interdisciplinary coursework that provides the theoretical framework from which social and urban issues can be effectively evaluated. Through living in Ontario, students have the opportunity to engage firsthand the diversity of voices, perspectives, and agendas that are driving those demands, and to come to a better understanding of the many layers of engaged citizenship.
At the Campus Compact
Campus Compact
Campus Compact is a coalition of college and university presidents, committed to fulfilling the public purposes of higher education. Over 1,100 educational institutions, more than a third of all higher education providers in the United States, are members....
20/20 Visioning Summit on October 17, 2006, the Corporation for National and Community Service
Corporation For National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America, and other national service initiatives...
recognized Pitzer as one of 28 California campuses distinguished for community service and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Pitzer College received Mother Jones
Mother Jones (magazine)
Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...
Magazine 2006 Campus Activism for Thinking Outside of the Box.
Pitzer College students including former Speaker of the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
Fabian Nunez
Fabian Núñez
Fabian Núñez has been a labor union adviser and a Democratic politician. He served three two year terms as a member of the State Assembly, leaving office late in 2008...
‘97 were instrumental in founding the Pomona Day Labor Center. Through the Community Engagement Center dozens of Pitzer students volunteer each semester with programs at Camp Afflerbaugh
Los Angeles County Probation Department
The Los Angeles County Probation Department provides services for those placed on probation within Los Angeles County, California, USA. Donald H. Blevins is the current Chief Probation Officer...
and California Youth Authority Chino
California Division of Juvenile Justice
The California Division of Juvenile Justice , formerly known as the California Youth Authority , is a division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that provides education, training, and treatment services for California's most serious youth offenders...
.
Athletics
Pitzer College joins with Pomona College to field the Sagehen sports teams in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Sagehen teams include soccer, basketball, football, baseball, track & field, golf, tennis, water polo, swimming and diving. Pitzer students also participate in the Claremont Colleges club sports programs that compete nationally. There is a cross-town rivalry between the Sagehens and the Stags, fielded by Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps Colleges.Cecil the Sagehen is the school mascot, who often leads the crowd in the fight song, “When Cecil the Sagehen Chirps,” which includes the lyric “Our foes are filled with dread/Whenever Cecil the Sagehen flies overhead!” He also travels the world in support of Pitzer.
Some recent Sagehen accomplishments include:
- Wynton Marsalis '10 was the 2010 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 800 meter champion.
- The women's tennis team advanced to the 2010 NCAA Elite Eight.
- James Kang ’10 was named the 2010 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
- The Sagehen football team was named to the 2010 National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society and to the division All-American Team.
- In 2010, the women's waterpolo team won their third consecutive division championship.
- The Claremont Rugby team captured the 2010 Division II National Championships.
- The men's and women's track and field teams were nationally ranked by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
- The Sagehen men's soccer team captured the 2009 SCIAC Conference Championship title.
- The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named the Sagehen women's softball team a Top Ten All-Academic Team.
Events and traditions
Kohoutek Music and Arts Festival: or Kohoutek, began in 1974 and is a student-run multi-day outdoor music and arts festival held each spring on the Pitzer campus. The event, which is free and open to all Claremont Colleges community members, is named after Comet KohoutekComet Kohoutek
Comet Kohoutek, formally designated C/1973 E1, 1973 XII, and 1973f, was first sighted on 7 March 1973 by Czech astronomer Luboš Kohoutek. It attained perihelion on 28 December that same year....
, discovered by Czech astronomer Lubos Kohoutek. Past groups that have headlined Kohoutek include: O.A.R
Of a Revolution
O.A.R. is an American rock band composed of Marc Roberge , Chris Culos , Richard On , Benj Gershman , and Jerry DePizzo...
, Blackalicious
Blackalicious
Blackalicious is an American hip hop duo from Sacramento, California made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel . They are noted for Gift of Gab's often "tongue-twisting", multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's "classic" beats...
, The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, Tea Leaf Green
Tea Leaf Green
Tea Leaf Green is a five-piece jam band from San Francisco Bay Area, comprising Josh Clark , Trevor Garrod , Reed Mathis , Scott Rager , and Cochrane McMillan .-History:Tea Leaf Green began in the fall of 1996, when Scott Rager met Ben Chambers on the...
, Breakestra
Breakestra
Breakestra is a funk music project of Miles "music man" Tackett's based in Los Angeles, California.Breakestra was first formed in 1997 as a strictly live ensemble playing "covers" of funk & soul-jazz music that had been sampled in late 80s & early 90s hip-hop seamlessly blended into each other...
, Zolar X
Zolar X
Zolar X is a proto-punk glam rock band, established in 1973, recently staging a comeback.From 1973 to 1981 Zolar X became legendary on the west coast USA for dressing and acting like space-aliens 24 hours a day. They spoke ceaselessly in an "alien language" of their own invention, which would...
, Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born , is a Japanese American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and voice over announcer. He is also one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.-History:...
, Akron/Family
Akron/Family
Akron/Family is a folk-influenced experimental rock band that formed in 2002, and its members currently live in Portland, Oregon , Tucson, Arizona and New York City, New York.-Music and history:...
, Zion I
Zion I
Zion I are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I...
and Toubab Krewe
Toubab Krewe
Toubab Krewe is an American instrumental band which fuses the music of Mali with American musical styles . The group's instrumentation includes kora , kamelengoni , soku , two electric guitars, electric bass guitar, drum set, and African percussion...
. Last year's headliners were Matt & Kim, Blu
Blu (rapper)
Johnson Barnes , better known by the stage name Blu, is an American rapper and producer from Los Angeles, California. He is best known for his debut album, Below the Heavens, which was produced entirely by Exile of Emanon....
and Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif is an American hip hop artist from Boston, Massachusetts. Often noted for his political lyrics, he has released two studio albums on El-P's Definitive Jux label and one on Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises. Mr...
and featured a performance by special guests Mandrill
Mandrill
The mandrill is a primate of the Old World monkey family, closely related to the baboons and even more closely to the drill. Both the mandrill and the drill were once classified as baboons in genus Papio, but recent research has determined they should be separated into their own genus, Mandrillus...
. The festival generally includes a number of non-music components including off-campus and student vendors, fire performances, a farmers market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
, and other activities.
Dining with Democracy: is a student-run speaker series that brings politicians and community activists to campus. All speeches are open to the Claremont College community. Following the speech a private dinner is held with the speaker and randomly selected students, faculty, and staff. Participants have included: Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
, Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens is an Anglo-American author and journalist whose books, essays, and journalistic career span more than four decades. He has been a columnist and literary critic at The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Slate, World Affairs, The Nation, Free Inquiry, and became a media fellow at the...
, Chalmers Johnson
Chalmers Johnson
Chalmers Ashby Johnson was an American author and professor emeritus of the University of California, San Diego. He served in the Korean War, was a consultant for the CIA from 1967–1973, and chaired the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley from 1967 to 1972...
, the Honorable Kimba Wood
Kimba Wood
Kimba Maureen Wood is a United States federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.-Early life and education:...
, John Hueston, Mike Bonanno of The Yes Men
The Yes Men
The Yes Men are a culture jamming activist duo and network of supporters created by Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos. Through actions of tactical media, The Yes Men primarily aim to raise awareness about what they consider problematic social issues. To date, the duo has produced two films: The Yes Men...
, Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
, Don Beck, Brian Swimme
Brian Swimme
Brian Thomas Swimme is on the faculty of the California Institute of Integral Studies, in San Francisco, where he teaches evolutionary cosmology to graduate students in the humanities. He received his Ph.D. from the department of mathematics at the University of Oregon for work in singularity...
, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a Hungarian psychology professor, who emigrated to the United States at the age of 22. Now at Claremont Graduate University, he is the former head of the department of psychology at the University of Chicago and of the department of sociology and anthropology at Lake...
.
Groove at The Grove: generally refers to those concerts or other performances held on Thursday nights at the Grove House, but the term may be used at other times as well. The event represents Pitzer's most consistent contribution to the weeknight arts and music scene at the Claremont Colleges. Acts set-up on the front steps of the Grove House with the audience standing immediately in front of the structure. Numerous student and professional groups have performed at the event, including We Are Scientists
We Are Scientists
We Are Scientists is a New York-based indie rock band that formed in Berkeley, California in 2000. Originally formed of Keith Murray on drums, Chris Cain playing bass guitar and Scott Lamb providing vocals and guitar, before Michael Tapper became drummer and Keith became vocalist and guitarist...
.
Hammocks on The Mounds: refers to the hanging of hammocks on the Pitzer Mounds, the uneven grassy area located directly north of McConnell Center. The hammocks are generally donated by students and/or alumni, or purchased by the student government. The College declared November 2 to 9, 1998 Pitzer College Hammock Week, stating that community members are encouraged to "bring a hammock to the mounds, string it up and just hang around." It has since become an annual tradition at the College.
Halloween in the Halls is an annual community outreach program held inside select College residence halls. Occurring during a single evening/night on or near Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
, the event draw hundreds of local elementary school students to trick-or-treat
Trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating or "Guising", is a customary practice for children on Halloween in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house to house in order to ask for treats such as candy with the question "Trick or treat?"...
between students' rooms. in the Pitzer College dorms. There is often a decoration competition between participating hallways, and prizes are awarded to those halls that receive top placement.
Orientation Adventure: or OA is the College's pre-Welcome Week program for incoming First-Year, Transfer, and New Resource students. The newly mandatory student-led program offers multi-day thematic trips throughout California. Over the program's history themes have included, among others, backpacking
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
, sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
, coastal biking
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, grassroots movements
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, and Los Angeles arts & music
Arts and culture of Los Angeles
-Motion pictures:The greater Los Angeles area is the most important site in the United States for movie and television production. This has drawn not only actors, but also writers, composers, artists, and other creative individuals to the area....
. Trips generally vary in length from three to six days and destinations of past trips have included: Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans . Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly , the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the...
, Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
, Chávez National Center
César Chávez
César Estrada Chávez was an American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers ....
, San Gabriel River Trail
San Gabriel River bicycle path
The San Gabriel River Trail is a bike path in Los Angeles County, California, USA.The South end of the SGRT is Seal Beach...
, Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, San Onofre, community gardens
South Central Farm
The South Central Farm, also known as the South Central Community Garden, was an urban farm and community garden located at East 41st and South Alameda Streets. in an industrial area of South Los Angeles, California which was in operation between 1994 and 2006...
, and San Diego.
Murals provide unique visual atmosphere to Pitzer college. Murals are painted by students, staff, and guests artists on the interiors and exteriors of campus buildings and along the pillars that line the Mounds. Diverse themes include portraits, politics, literature, and purely whimsical imagery.
Snackie Snack occurs weekly, and is a free late-night snack featuring food from local businesses served by the Pitzer Activities Programming Board. During exam periods, Snackie Snack is served by the president and members of the cabinet.
"BobFest": or "The Bob Marley Festival", or "One Good Thing Festival" began in 2003 as a fall concert event. "BobFest" occurs during the first weekend in November and features Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, Dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
, Afrobeat
Afrobeat
Afrobeat is a combination of traditional Yoruba music, jazz, highlife, funk and chanted vocals, fused with percussion and vocal styles, popularised in Africa in the 1970s. Its main creator was the Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who gave it its name, who used it to...
, and World music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
. The festival runs over the course of a single day and features 5-9 live, professional bands, free food and beverages. The event has been hosted by California reggae personality Junor Francis each year since its inception.
Residence halls
The majority of Pitzer students live on campus in one of five residence halls: Atherton Hall, Holden Hall, Mead Hall, Pitzer Hall and Sanborn Hall. Each hall is equipped with laundry rooms, common rooms for meetings or social gatherings, study rooms, full kitchens and has a full time in-residence hall director. All Pitzer residence halls, balconies included, are non-smoking.Through the Faculty in Residence Program, each year two members of the Pitzer faculty live in one of the two faculty apartments in the residence halls on campus, and design and run events for students. The dean of students and the assistant dean of students also live on campus.
First- and second-year students are not permitted to bring cars to campus, although exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis.
Atherton Hall
is a four story building adjacent to the Gold Student Center. Atherton accommodates 62 students. Rooms are double occupancy with two rooms sharing an adjoining vanity, bathroom and shower. Common areas include a living room, six study rooms, and laundry facilities. The basement level of Atherton Hall is home to the mailroom, a music practice room, the Lenzner Family Gallery, art studio with classroom, and the Writing Center.
Pitzer Hall
is a four story building southeast of the Gold Student Center that houses 78 students. Rooms are double occupancy, with two rooms sharing an adjoining vanity, bathroom and shower. Common areas include a living room, eight study rooms, and laundry facilities. The first floor houses the Office of Admission. One of the two Faculty in Residence apartments is also in Pitzer Hall.
Sanborn Hall
is a two-part three story building east of the Gold Student Center. Sanborn houses 178 students. Rooms are double occupancy with two rooms sharing an adjoining vanity, bathroom and shower. Common areas include a living room, nine study rooms, laundry facilities and a kitchen. One of the two Faculty in Residence apartments is also in Sanborn.
Holden Hall
is a two story building housing 180 students in four wings. Rooms are double occupancy, with two rooms sharing an adjoining bathroom and shower. Common areas include a living room, television lounge, two study rooms, a kitchen and laundry facilities.
Mead Hall
is a three story, six-tower complex which houses 225 students. Each suite shares a common living room with four or eight residents in each unit. Common areas include a community kitchen, laundry facilities and a television lounge. Mead is home to Career Services, Center for Asian Pacific American Students, The Rabbit Hole (substance abuse education and outreach program), the Marquis Library, and the Writing Center. This hall offers a Substance Free Tower and a Community Involvement Tower that exemplifies one of the College’s educational objectives: awareness of the social and ethical implications of action. Residence life in the Involvement Tower is generally self-governed within the parameters of Pitzer’s residential life policies, subject to amendment by Pitzer College Student Senate. Students are required to attend Tower meetings and participate in Pitzer’s community or the community at large.
Residential Life Project
Pitzer is currently engaged in a multi-year, multi-million dollar Residential Life Project to significantly expand the facilities of the College.The Residential Life Project is expected to be completed in three phases over the next 10 to 15 years. Phase One, which included Sanborn, Pitzer, and Atherton Halls, was completed and inaugurated in September 2007. The College broke ground on Phase II, which incorporates four new residence halls, a demonstration kitchen, an archive, a board room and program/faculty offices, in December 2010. It is scheduled to be completed by August 2012.
Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
and Ed Begley, Jr.
Ed Begley, Jr.
Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...
were the keynote speakers at the dedication ceremony of the Residential Life Project. The residence halls opened in 2007 received LEED Gold recognition
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
from the United States Green Building Council
United States Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council , co-founded by Mike Italiano, David Gottfried and Rick Fedrizzi in 1993, is a non-profit trade organization that promotes sustainability in how buildings are designed, built, and operated...
in 2008. The College expects Phase II to receive Platinum certification. (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the national standard for sustainable buildings created by the U.S. Green Building Council.
When Pitzer's Residential Life Project is complete, the College expects to become the first college in the nation to have all Gold or Platinum LEED certified residence halls.
Student clubs and organizations
There are more than 150 student clubs and organizations available to join within the Claremont College consortium.Notable amongst these is the Green Bike Program (GBP), a student run bicycle collective
Collective
A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project to achieve a common objective...
that maintains a full service shop, as well as fleet of 100+ recovered and reused bicycles that are raffled off free of charge each semester for student use. The GBP works to provide an alternative mode of transportation to combat the predominate and destructive car culture in Southern California, as well as to reduce consumption and consumerism
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
while increasing the practical use of recycled and reused materials. The GBP maintains a strong DIY ethic, and has become a social hub for both student and community activism.
Cost and financial aid
For the 2010-2011 academic year, tuition is $37,512, a double room is $7,540, the meal plan is $4,410, and other fees are $3,610. Over fifty percent of Pitzer students receive financial assistance in loans, work study, scholarships, and/or institutional grants. Pitzer utilizes the Federal FAFSA and the CSS ProfileCSS Profile
The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE , short for the College Scholarship Service Profile, is an application distributed by the College Board in the United States allowing college students to apply for financial aid. It is primarily designed to give private member institutions of the College Board a closer...
to determine financial need, and Pitzer has stated a commitment to meeting 100% of every student's demonstrated financial need. The average financial aid package at Pitzer is $36,500, and over the past five years, Pitzer has lowered the average cumulative debt of its students by 24%--from $22,000 to $16,000. Pitzer's Office of Admission states a commitment to building a student body that "reflects a wide range of economic, ethnic, racial and geographic representation."
Notable alumni
Government and politics- Todd Eachus '85, former majority leader, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- Mablean EphriamMablean EphriamMablean Deloris Ephriam, Esq. served as the judge on the courtroom series, Divorce Court from 1999 to 2006. She was replaced by Judge Lynn Toler....
'71, former Los Angeles Superior Court JudgeSuperior courtIn common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
and host of television's Divorce CourtDivorce CourtDivorce Court is a judge show about cases which only involve divorcing couples. Out of the shows currently airing in the court-themed genre, Divorce Court is the oldest... - Kevin de LeónKevin de LeónKevin de León is a Democratic member of the California State Senate, elected to serve Los Angeles County's 22nd Senatorial district in November 2010. The district includes Downtown Los Angeles, East Hollywood, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Mt...
'03, member of the California State SenateCalifornia State SenateThe California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
, 22nd District - Fabian NunezFabian NúñezFabian Núñez has been a labor union adviser and a Democratic politician. He served three two year terms as a member of the State Assembly, leaving office late in 2008...
'97, former Speaker of the California State AssemblyCalifornia State AssemblyThe California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000... - Debra Wong YangDebra Wong YangDebra Wong Yang was the United States Attorney for the Central District of California. She was appointed in May 2002 by President George W. Bush, who made her the first Asian American woman to serve as a United States Attorney...
'81, former United States AttorneyUnited States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for Central District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Central District of CaliforniaThe United States District Court for the Central District of California serves over 18 million people in southern and central California, making it the largest federal judicial district by population...
; first Asian-American woman US attorney
Arts, media and entertainment
- Anne ArcherAnne ArcherAnne Archer is an American actress who has performed in feature films, television, and stage and was named Miss Golden Globe in 1971. Among her best known roles is that of Beth Gallagher in the 1987 movie Fatal Attraction, for which she received a nomination for an Academy Award.-Career:Archer's...
'68, actress - David BloomDavid BloomDavid Bloom was an NBC journalist until his sudden death in 2003 at the age of 39 from deep vein thrombosis...
'85, anchor, NBC NewsNBC NewsNBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is... - Max BrooksMax BrooksMaximillian Michael "Max" Brooks is an American author and screenwriter, with a particular interest in zombies. Brooks is also a television and voice-over actor.- Early life and education :...
'94, Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
winning writer for Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
; New York Times best-selling author - Matthew CookeMatthew Cooke (filmmaker)Matthew Cooke was the producer and editor of the Oscar–nominated documentary Deliver Us from Evil and writer, director, editor and actor on Fuel TV's Stupidface. He produced Adrian Grenier's 2010 HBO documentary Teenage Paparazzo which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival...
'96, filmmaker - John DarnielleJohn DarnielleJohn Darnielle is an American musician, best known as the primary member of the American band The Mountain Goats, for which he is the writer, composer, guitarist, and vocalist.-Places Darnielle has lived:...
'95, musician and member of The Mountain GoatsThe Mountain GoatsThe Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker.... - Danny ElfmanDanny ElfmanDaniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
, musician/composer, singer for Oingo Boingo - Susan FenigerSusan FenigerSusan Feniger is an award-winning American chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and radio and TV personality considered to be a leading authority on Latin cuisine in the United States.-Restaurants:...
'76, chef, star of Too Hot Tamales on the Food Network; owner, Street Restaurant; co-owner, The Border Grill and Ciudad - Tom FreundTom FreundTom Freund is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the U.S.A.. Freund met Ben Harper when he was attending Pitzer College in Claremont, California. In 1992 the duo released an album, Pleasure and Pain. Not long after, he joined the alternative country group The Silos as their bassist,...
, singer/songwriter - Amy GerstlerAmy GerstlerAmy Gerstler is an American poet. Her books of poetry include Ghost Girl ; Medicine - finalist for the Phi Beta Kappa Poetry Award; Crown of Weeds ; Nerve Storm ; Bitter Angel - winner of the 1991 National Book Critics Circle Award - The True Bride and Dearest Creature, .Described by the Los...
'78, poet and essayist, winner of the National Book Critics CircleNational Book Critics CircleThe National Book Critics Circle is an American tax-exempt organization for active book reviewers. Its flagship is the National Book Critics Circle Award....
award for poetry - Jenniphr GoodmanJenniphr GoodmanJenniphr Goodman is a film director best known for directing and co-writing the 2000 film The Tao of Steve. She received her B.A. in creative writing and film making in 1984 through Pitzer College. She is also a graduate of New York University's film school at the Tisch School of the Arts.-External...
'84, independent filmmaker, co-writer and producer of The Tao of SteveThe Tao of SteveThe Tao of Steve is a 2000 romantic comedy film written by Duncan North, Greer Goodman, and Jenniphr Goodman. It is directed by Jenniphr Goodman and stars Donal Logue and Greer Goodman.... - John LandgrafJohn LandgrafJohn Landgraf is the FX Network president and executive producer of the show 30 Days.-Producing credits:*30 Days*Reno 911!*Reno 911!: Miami *Karen Sisco*Other People's Business*UC: Undercover*The American Embassy...
'84, president and general manager, FX NetworksFX NetworksFX is the name of a number of related pay television channels owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group... - Jonah MatrangaJonah MatrangaJonah Rzadzinski Matranga is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has released a variety of solo material under his own name and onelinedrawing, and has previously been part of the bands Far and New End Original and Gratitude...
'91 singer/songwriter and ex-frontman of FarFar (band)Far is a band from Sacramento, USA.-Releases :After a number of local releases including their first demo tape Sweat A River, Live No Lies and two independent albums Listening Game and Quick they signed to Epic/Immortal Records and released their first major record, Tin Cans With Strings To You...
, New End Original and GratitudeGratitude (band)Gratitude was formed in 2000 by Mark Weinberg and Thomas Becker . Initially called the Collision, the band was joined by Bob Lindsey on bass and Robby Cronholm on vocals... - Matt NathansonMatt NathansonMatt Nathanson is an American singer-songwriter whose work is a blend of folk and rock music. In addition to singing, he plays acoustic and electric guitar, and has played both solo and with a full band. His work includes the platinum-selling song "Come On Get Higher".-Early life and college...
'95, Billboard Hot 100 singer/songwriter - Susan PatronSusan PatronSusan Patron is an author of children's books. In 2007, she won the Newbery Award for The Higher Power of Lucky. Patron's first children's book, Burgoo Stew, was published in 1990...
'69, winner, John Newbury Medal - Alex GreenwaldAlex GreenwaldAlexander Greenwald is an American musician, actor, and more recently a record producer. He is best known as the lead singer of the Californian rock band, Phantom Planet, which is on indefinite hiatus according to a blog posting on the band's official website.-Life and career:Greenwald was born in...
'01, lead singer of Phantom PlanetPhantom PlanetPhantom Planet are an American alternative rock band from Southern California. Formed in 1994 in Los Angeles, the band consists of Alex Greenwald , Darren Robinson , Sam Farrar and Jeff Conrad . The band is best known for its track "California", which became the theme song for the Fox TV series,...
, producer of albums by The LikeThe LikeThe Like is an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California. The current members are Elizabeth "Z" Berg , Tennessee Thomas , Laena Geronimo , and Annie Monroe...
and The Young VeinsThe Young VeinsThe Young Veins is a rock band from Echo Park, California. The band is composed of Ryan Ross and Jon Walker, two former members of the Las Vegas band Panic! at the Disco, along with bassist Andy Soukal, drummer Nick Murray and keyboardist Nick White.-History:... - Michael SimpsonMichael Simpson (producer)Michael Simpson, also known as "E.Z. Mike", is one-half of the Los Angeles-based producing duo the Dust Brothers, who co-wrote and produced many critically acclaimed records including the Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique" and Beck's "Odelay". He won a Grammy Award for his songwriting & production on...
'86, Grammy-Award winning producer/composer; one half of the Dust BrothersDust BrothersThe Dust Brothers are the Los Angeles, California based, Grammy Award winning producers, E.Z. Mike and King Gizmo , famous for their sample-based music in the 1980s and 1990s, and specifically for their work on the albums Paul's Boutique by the Beastie Boys, Odelay by Beck, and the soundtrack to...
Other
- Hunter LovinsHunter LovinsL. Hunter Lovins is an author and a promoter of sustainable development for over 30 years, is president of Natural Capitalism Solutions, a 5013 non-profit in Longmont, Colorado and the Chief Insurgent of the Madrone Project...
'72, president and founder of Natural Capitalism, Inc.Natural capitalismNatural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution is a 1999 book co-authored by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins. It has been translated into a dozen languages and was the subject of a Harvard Business Review summary....
and named “Hero of the Planet” by Time Magazine
Commencement speakers
2011: Max BrooksMax Brooks
Maximillian Michael "Max" Brooks is an American author and screenwriter, with a particular interest in zombies. Brooks is also a television and voice-over actor.- Early life and education :...
2010: Cory Booker
Cory Booker
Cory Anthony Booker is the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Booker is a former Newark City Councilman...
2009: David Feldman (comedian)
2008: Samantha Power
Samantha Power
Samantha Power is an Irish American academic, governmental official and writer. She is currently a Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and runs the Office of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights as Senior Director of Multilateral Affairs on the Staff of the National Security Council...
2007: Eric Schlosser
Eric Schlosser
Eric Schlosser is an American journalist and author known for investigative journalism, such as in his books Fast Food Nation, Reefer Madness and Chew On This.- Personal History :...
2006: Fabian Nunez
Fabian Núñez
Fabian Núñez has been a labor union adviser and a Democratic politician. He served three two year terms as a member of the State Assembly, leaving office late in 2008...
2005: Sarah Weddington
Sarah Weddington
Sarah Ragle Weddington is an American attorney and lecturer from Texas who gained worldwide fame when she and Linda Coffee represented "Jane Roe" in the landmark Roe v. Wade case in the United States Supreme Court.-Family and education:She is the daughter of Lena Catherine and Rev...
2004: Bernadine Dohrn
2003: Naomi Wolf
Naomi Wolf
Naomi Wolf is an American author and political consultant. With the publication of The Beauty Myth, she became a leading spokesperson of what was later described as the third wave of the feminist movement.-Biography:...
Notable professors
- Alfred BloomAlfred BloomAlfred H. Bloom is an American psychologist and linguist and vice chancellor of New York University Abu Dhabi. It is the stated goal of NYU Abu Dhabi to become one of the world’s great universities—a multi-layered, globally networked, educational institution of extraordinary quality and impact,...
, Psychology - Former president of Swarthmore College (1991–2009); Vice Chancellor NYU Abu Dhabi - Judith GrabinerJudith GrabinerJudith Victor Grabiner is an American mathematician who is among the best-known historians of mathematics. She earned her B.S. in mathematics at the University of Chicago in 1960 and her M.A. and Ph.D. in the history of science at Harvard University, and is currently Flora Sanborn Pitzer...
, Mathematics - Mathematical Association of America's Debora and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching. - Tom HaydenTom HaydenThomas Emmet "Tom" Hayden is an American social and political activist and politician, known for his involvement in the animal rights, and the anti-war and civil rights movements of the 1960s. He is the former husband of actress Jane Fonda and the father of actor Troy Garity.-Life and...
, visiting professor of Sociology - Served in the California State Assembly (1982–1992) and the State Senate (1992–2000); Founder of Students for a Democratic SocietyStudents for a Democratic Society (1960 organization)Students for a Democratic Society was a student activist movement in the United States that was one of the main iconic representations of the country's New Left. The organization developed and expanded rapidly in the mid-1960s before dissolving at its last convention in 1969...
(1962) - Dana WardDana WardDana Ward is a professor of Political Studies at Pitzer College, where he founded and maintains the Anarchy Archives and has taught since 1982. He was the Executive Director of The International Society of Political Psychology from July 1998 to the Fall of 2004...
, Political Studies - Founder of the Anarchy ArchivesAnarchy ArchivesThe Anarchy Archives project is a self-described online research center on the history and theory of anarchism. It was created in September 1995 by Dana Ward, a Professor of Political Studies at Pitzer College...
, Executive Director of the International Society of Political Psychology (1998–2004)