The Student Life

Chau Vu poses and smiles for a portrait photo near computer.

Chau Vu ’26 becomes Pomona’s first CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher

February 20, 2026 1:53 am Bianca Mirica 0

Chau Vu PO ’26 was selected for the 2026 Computing Research Association Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award last month for her research in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Vu is the first Pomona College student to receive the distinction and the only awardee from a liberal arts college this year.
For Vu, the CRA award demonstrated that meaningful research can happen in a liberal arts setting. She attributed her national recognition to both her technical skills and her breadth of education.

Pomona College Main Quad during the sunset.

Council on American-Islamic Relations designates Pomona ‘hostile campus’

February 20, 2026 1:39 am Macy Puckett 0

Main sign displaying Laemmle Theatre during the day time.

Claremont Laemmle 5 closes after 18 years, set to reopen under Regency ownership

February 20, 2026 1:23 am Quinn Bolster 0

Diego Rios’ death ruled homicide by LA County Medical Examiner’s Office

February 13, 2026 2:29 am Macy Puckett 0

EcoReps bring conscious composting to Collins Dining Hall

February 20, 2026 2:22 am Reanna Mohler 0

One ton of food — equivalent to 2,000 full plates — was dumped by diners at Claremont McKenna College’s Collins Dining Hall last month, according to the college. The statistic comes as Collins enters its second semester of front-of-house composting, an effort spearheaded by the dining hall and student sustainability groups like the EcoReps.
Alongside the plate waste, Collins saw nearly 750 pounds of compost through kitchen scraps, leading to a total of nearly two tons that were ultimately composted, according to the Roberts Environmental Center.

CGU announces “AI for Humanity” partnership with tech company, Macnica

February 13, 2026 2:44 am Carys Hardy 0

On Feb. 3, Claremont Graduate University signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to formalize a partnership with Japanese artificial intelligence company Macnica, aiming to expand research about human-centered, ethical approaches to AI while increasing professional opportunities for students.

They aim to develop an AI tool that would use data from class assignments to generate digital badges for students to show to potential employers.

Sanctuary Coffee faces potential closure; owner amplifies mission

February 13, 2026 2:29 am Ava Fleisher 0

Sanctuary Coffee will close its locations in Honnold Mudd Library and on Foothill Boulevard at the end of the semester if they do not raise enough money by April, according to owner and Executive Director Dr. Steve Gerali. Gerali, a clinical counselor, youth minister and former university professor and dean,

Pomona ASPC and CSWA continue efforts to reinstate dining hall worker Rolando Araiza

February 13, 2026 2:16 am Charlotte Hahm 0

ASPC unanimously voted to pass a CSWA-backed resolution that demands the rehiring of Frary dining hall cook and union leader Rolando Araiza on Thursday. The decision solidifies ASPC’s support in presenting the resolution to the Pomona College administration.
Since Araiza’s termination Jan. 29, CSWA has collaborated with students and dining hall staff to collect over 900 signatures from the 5C community in support of Araiza’s reinstatement.
“The support from the students was really powerful and heartwarming and meant a lot to the workers,” CSWA member and author of the resolution Elias Pleucker PO ’28 said.

Moving forward, ASPC President Grace Zheng PO ’26 said it will be up to the two sponsors, Murphy-Pearson and Vice President of Student Affairs Ireland Griffin PO ’26, to spearhead the next steps in fulfilling the resolution’s demands.

KSPC celebrates 70th anniversary of FM radio and 25th anniversary of online broadcasting

February 20, 2026 2:54 am Corina Yi 0

On Thursday, Feb. 12, KSPC — the 5Cs radio station— celebrated 70 years of FM broadcasting with an open house at their studio. KSPC was founded in 1956 with an important mission in mind — to provide a platform for new, local and underrepresented voices. Amid an era of rapid digitization, KSPC is a space of creative expression and diverges from the popular music played on repeat on larger streaming platforms.

Reading My Surroundings: Lessons from Mount Baldy

February 20, 2026 2:52 am Jessy Wallach 0

Jessy Wallach PO ‘29, writes about Leonard Cohen’s “Leaving Mt. Baldy” and her experience at the Claremont colleges. She draws striking comparisons between Cohen’s stay at the Mount Baldy Zen Center and the promised utopia of college.

Haitian cooking is a labor of love

February 20, 2026 2:48 am Irikaa Mehrotra 0

On Feb. 11, members of the Black Latin American and Caribbean Club gathered in Walker Hall’s kitchen for a night of cooking and conversation. Over shared recipes and friendly competition, students were reminded of family. Even in a cramped and busied kitchen, attendees managed to create a masterpiece — a labor of love and shared identity.

The poem of ecstasy: desire and its ulterior revelation in “Futon”

February 20, 2026 2:47 am Qinyi Tong 0

How should we think about love that is both genuine and impure? Leslie Tong PO ’29 explores this question in her discussion of “Futon” by Katai Tayama and the Japanese I-novel.

OPINION: When you travel, don’t start with English

February 20, 2026 2:33 am Catarina Shi 0

The modern expectation of everyone to speak English quietly places the burden of communication on local people in linguistically diverse areas, treating them as the ones who must adapt.

OPINION: Maybe we should do our readings

February 20, 2026 2:26 am Nicholas Steinman 0

“The Claremont Consortium’s unique take on the small liberal arts college model allows students to explore many interests and gives rise to constructive discussions. But we seem scared to honestly discuss how this impacts the rigor of many of its core academic programs,” Nicholas Steinman ’28 writes.

OPINION: We don’t need to go to Bentham’s Prison, we have panopticons at home

February 20, 2026 2:10 am Alex Benach 0

College campuses have long existed as hubs of student expression and activism and Pomona’s attempt to diminish that through increased surveillance disguised as security is reprehensible.

OPINION: Claremont can’t preserve its way out of a housing crisis

February 13, 2026 2:52 am Zara Seldon 0

“A neighborhood’s true ‘character’ is not defined by manicured lawns and single-family houses, but by how its people work together to create an inclusive and livable place for everyone,” writes Zara Seldon PO ‘29. “Expanding housing supply in Claremont is a project that extends beyond the unhoused—setting a city-wide precedent by bolstering projects that provide space for residents from all walks of life could transform Claremont from a high-class community into a place we can all afford.”

Eileen Gu and the double standard toward China

February 20, 2026 12:28 am Jun Kwon 0

Chinese-American Olympic skier Eileen Gu speaks fluent Mandarin. She was raised in a single-mother household by her Chinese mother, and she visited Beijing every summer as a child. Should she be criticized for choosing to represent the People’s Republic of China, the homeland of her mother, over the United States, the country of her birth? Jun Kwon PO ’28 argues that the conservative backlash against Gu is a symptom of a broader misunderstanding of citizenship in America and defends Gu’s decision to represent her motherland.

Stags basketball shoots their shot, wins Valentine’s Day Sixth Street showdown

February 20, 2026 12:00 am Anne Reardon 0

Valentine’s Day is for lovers, but in Claremont, the CMS Stags defeated the P-P Sagehens in a heated rivalry, topping them 76-62. Despite a strong grasp in the first half, the Sagehens were ultimately unable to deny the Stags a Sixth Street title and a seat at the top of SCIAC. Guard Brady Karich CM ’28 attributed the win to the team’s ability to keep its focus on the game at hand.

Gibson Hall’s fantasy football league is no punishment, all prize

February 19, 2026 9:51 pm Audrey Green 0

Resident Assistant Josh Marx PO ’28 leaned on a fantasy football league to bring his hall together.
Longtime fantasy football participants and new members alike spoke to its allure as a social ritual. Fantasy football is both meticulous and meaningless, yet it remains an enduring way to sustain friendships.

Reloaded, the Claremont Cougars are ready to compete

February 19, 2026 9:18 pm Jake Creelan 0

A group of cougars is called a range. The Claremont Cougars, the 5C men’s club lacrosse team, embodies that word. From seasoned veterans who turned down collegiate offers to novices who picked up a lacrosse stick for the first time, the team offers a diversity of skill levels, united by a desire to win.

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