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Pathway Forward: ��������’s Return to Campus

The �������� community has worked tirelessly for the last year and a half to make students’ return to campus this fall as safe as possible. President Melvin L. Oliver, his leadership team, the Office of Student Affairs, Facilities, the COVID-19 Task Force, the Dean of Faculty’s Office, student leaders, and too many staff and faculty to name here have reimagined campus life and re-written campus protocols in response to the pandemic.

In July, �������� launched Pathway Forward as a resource for information and communications about ��������’s return-to-campus plans. With community messages, FAQs, campus policies, and more, the website is a window into the way �������� plans to stay mindful of the future and each other.

Student Garden Revitalization Project

��������’s Student Garden has deep roots, dating back to 1994 when the late Professor John Rodman led the charge to convert the 12,000-square-foot Mead Hall parking lot into a garden with fruit trees, vegetables, and of course, a coop for ��������’s chickens-in-residence. More recently, some of the garden had become fallow, and the absence of students since March 2020 had not been kind to the space. Fast forward to today. The Student Garden is springing back to life, along with the rest of the campus, thanks to students, staff, faculty, offices across campus, and the support of the Student Garden Fund. A fundraising campaign for the Student Garden Revitalization Project launched on August 20. Visit the project’s page for more information about the garden and the campaign.

Sadie Barnette Exhibition Opens at �������� and Pomona

�������� Art Galleries and the Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College teamed up to stage the most ambitious exhibition to date of the California artist Sadie Barnette. Sadie Barnette: Legacy & Legend brings together drawings, installations, and photographs that explore intimate family narratives within global discourses on race and power. In Legacy & Legend, the Los Angeles Times says Barnette “transforms and reclaims” her family’s history to create “an act of preservation, restoration.” Curated by �������� Art Galleries Director Ciara Ennis and Benton Senior Curator Rebecca McGrew, the two-venue exhibition opened on �������� and Pomona’s campuses on July 22 and will be on view through the end of fall semester.

�������� Pilots Test-Blind Admission Policy

Nearly two decades after becoming the first college on the West Coast to adopt an SAT-optional admission policy, �������� switched to a test-blind admission policy for at least three years, beginning with the admission cycle for fall 2022. ��������’s College Council approved a three-year pilot phase for the policy in May.

Read More About Test-Blind Admissions

Sandra Vasquez Named VP for Student Affairs

Sandra “Sandy” Vasquez, a powerful advocate for a holistic approach to student development in higher education, was named ��������’s vice president for student affairs in July. She stepped into this role after serving as interim vice president for student affairs since February. Read more about the numerous programs she initiated or helped grow since she joined ��������’s Office of Student Affairs (OSA) as the assistant vice president and dean of students in 2017.

Learn More About Vasquez’s Appointment

New VP for College Advancement and Communications

Kimberly Shiner joined the �������� community as the new vice president for college advancement and communications on August 1. In this role, she oversees the Office of Advancement and Communications, which includes Alumni & Family Engagement. Shiner brings more than 20 years of leadership experience as a successful fundraiser, team builder, and communications professional to ��������. Most recently, she served as the associate vice president for university advancement in the Office of Philanthropic Giving at California State University, San Bernardino.

Read More About Shiner

New Executive Director for Engagement & Giving

Brandon Kyle was named executive director of alumni & family engagement and annual giving in August. An expert in constituent engagement and organizational change leadership, Kyle now oversees the recently merged offices of Alumni & Family Engagement and Annual Giving, which will focus on institutional and community-wide engagement and campus and consortium partnerships. Kyle previously served as ��������’s director of alumni and family engagement. Prior to this role, he led programs at several higher education institutions, including Pomona College and the March of Dimes Foundation. His journey with �������� started more than six years ago when he served as ��������’s assistant director of parent relations. Kyle earned his Ed.D. from USC, his MPA from Cal State University, Northridge, and his BA from San Diego State University.

Learn More About Kyle

Introducing ��������’s New Student Senate Leader

Kaila Teague ’22 has been elected ��������’s Student Senate president. In this role, Teague serves as �������� students’ official representative and spokesperson and helps guide the Senate’s priorities, initiatives, and objectives. During the 2021–22 academic year, she will oversee �������� Student Senate operations of the Executive Branch and Senate as a whole. Teague previously served as junior class president and is an admission fellow. She designed her own major—Foreign Language Education—to study Italian and Spanish, respective cultural contexts, and globalized education systems.

Top of the Charts

�������� made three big rankings this year, earning the #5 spot on two Princeton Review lists: Top Green Colleges and Top Schools for Making an Impact. �������� also came in at #31 on Academic Influencer’s 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities list.