| | |
As we close another remarkable academic year, I am filled with immense pride reflecting on how we have come together as a community during both challenging and triumphant times. This past year has proven our resilience in many ways—from navigating budget constraints to supporting those impacted by devastating fires. I'm proud that we have remained steadfast in our commitment to our first strategic goal: being a community that welcomes, includes, and inspires trust.
Our achievements this year span all areas of our strategic plan. On May 18, 2025, we welcomed over 1200 graduates into our CLASS Bronco alumni family. Our students continue to excel academically and professionally. Faculty have advanced our mission through impressive publications, performances, and innovative teaching.
| | | |
Our alumni and supporter network has engaged with students in the classroom and out. And, I want to particularly recognize our dedicated staff, whose contributions are the backbone of our success.
Together, we've made significant progress toward our strategic goals: building community, enhancing learning experiences, elevating CLASS's profile at Cal Poly Pomona, supporting faculty and staff excellence, and optimizing our resources.
As I often say, "We'll get there, together." This year has proven the truth of these words. Regardless of the challenges that may arise, I am confident that our college community will continue to support one another with the same care and dedication that defines us. I invite you to explore this newsletter and discover the many ways our CLASS community is making a difference. Thank you for your continued commitment to our collective success.
Camille Johnson, PhD
Dean, College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
| | Former CLASS Dean Returns as Cal Poly Pomona's Interim President | | We are thrilled to hear the appointment of Dr. Iris S. Levine, who served as CLASS Dean from 2018 to 2021, as Cal Poly Pomona's interim president effective July 28, 2025. Dr. Levine's 32-year legacy at our university includes roles as Music Department chair, interim provost, and special assistant to the president, bringing a wealth of institutional knowledge and leadership experience to this important transition. The entire CLASS community looks forward to her leadership and the continued excellence she will bring to our campus in the months ahead. | | Congratulation, Class of 2025! | Congratulations to the CLASS of 2025! As you transition from students to alumni, we celebrate not just what you've accomplished, but who you've become. Your perseverance, creativity, and critical thinking will continue to make a positive impact on our world. We are immensely proud of your achievements and are excited to see where your Cal Poly Pomona education takes you next! | Honorary Doctorate Ceremony | | | | Join us in celebrating Veteran Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, who received an honorary doctorate during commencement festivities. Throughout her career, Napolitano was a fierce advocate for her constituents and communities, with strong support for education and Cal Poly Pomona, including helping secure $55 million over five years to advance the university's educational partnership with the Air Force Research Lab. As the first Latina councilwoman in Norwalk who later rose to Congress, her journey from Ford Motor Co. secretary to influential lawmaker exemplifies her guiding philosophy: "Keep your priorities straight. Stick to your values and don't waver." | | | Julian A. McPhee Honor Award Recipients | | Congratulations to Psychology majors Natalie Khoury and Aubrey Schuster for their outstanding academic achievements! Natalie, a first-generation student, is dedicated to making mental health services more accessible, while Aubrey brings her passion for education to supporting students academically and emotionally. The Julian A. McPhee Outstanding Student Scholar Award is given annually to the college valedictorian(s), who is/are also recognized at commencement. | | | | Meet Brianna Shirley Angulo — a driven sophomore majoring in political science. Her dedication to equity and community has earned her the Social Justice Scholarship from the Latino and Latina Roundtable of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valley at the 21st Annual Cesar Chavez Breakfast. | | | |
Eighteen students from The Poly Post, our independent student-run news media, won 11 awards at the California College Media Association (CCMA) annual awards banquet on March 8, including first place for best news photo (Darren Loo), first place for best photo series (Darren Loo and Christian Magdaleno), first place for best podcast (Katie Priest), and first place for best overall newspaper design (editorial team).
In addition to the CCMA awards, The Poly Post won 27 California Journalism Awards from the California News Publishers Association and three Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Mark of Excellence Awards for Region 11, which includes California, Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii. Two students won first place and will compete at the national SPJ competition this coming fall.
Stay up-to-date on the latest CPP student news and subscribe to The Poly Post!
| | Professor for A Day Success! | | | | Our college had the highest representation in the Professor for A Day (PFAD) program this year! CLASS facilitated 53 matches between 25 participating faculty and 49 participating alumni. Alumni shared their experiences related to their career paths and professional lives, creating valuable connections between classroom learning and industry practice. We hope to see continued engagement at next year’s PFAD! | | | |
Congratulations to our four faculty members who have been awarded the Generative AI Course Integration Grant to develop new courses or update existing courses!
-
Dr. Shih-Tang Hwu: EC 4445 Economic Forecasting
-
Dr. Carsten Lange: EC 4447 AI, Machine Learning, and Generative AI for Economists
-
Dr. Kristin Prins: ENG 2105 Written Reasoning
-
Dr. Kang Hoon Sung: COM 4150S Public Relations Campaigns
| | We are also excited to share that Dr. Gabriele Plickert (Sociology) and Ericsson Santana Marin (Computer Science) have received the 2025-2026 Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Grant (SIRG) for their project titled:“AI Crime: Leveraging Drug-Threat Intelligence for Crime Analysis and Prevention.” The SIRG Program is designed to promote interdisciplinary initiatives involving at least two departments, often across colleges, with 2 to 3 cross-disciplinary collaborators. This project will involve Criminology students in crime data coding and the analysis of dark web data to help predict violent crimes in real time. Special shout-out to Criminology students UyenNghi, Michael Tanagho, Camiille Tojin, and Ashantai Sanders for their work preparing the data analysis for the proposal. This award also opens doors for future collaborations between the Sociology Department and others across campus. | | | | The 2024-2025 CLASS Four Fridays series have invigorated our college community through four events that exemplify our strategic goals. From September's networking and AI discussions, October's interdisciplinary roundtables, February's Digital Humanities workshops, to March's professional development focus, each gathering created space for meaningful connection across departments. | | During these events, we bridged humanities, performing arts, and social sciences through diverse knowledge-sharing opportunities. What began as an obligatory attendance for many transformed into genuine enthusiasm, as one faculty member shared: "I didn't want to come, I had to, but I'm glad I did." | | By bringing together our diverse disciplines intentionally, we've created a stronger foundation for innovation and mutual support. The collaborative spirit fostered through Four Fridays demonstrates that when we connect across traditional boundaries, we not only strengthen our individual work but build a more resilient academic community prepared to face tomorrow's challenges together. | | | Outstanding Faculty Advisor | | | | We are proud to recognize Dr. Ivana Cvetkovic, Assistant Professor of Communication, as the CLASS Outstanding Faculty Advisor for 2024-2025! She excels beyond traditional advising by proactively ensuring students meet deadlines while securing scholarships and internships, and mentoring student journalists at The Poly Post. Taking a holistic approach, Dr. Cvetkovic creates personalized success plans, hosts workshops, guides undergraduate researchers, and expands departmental opportunities to help students reach their full potential. | | | Explore Books by CLASS Faculty | | Explore the diverse intellectual contributions of our CLASS faculty through their recently published works, ranging from historical analyses to creative performances that showcase our community's scholarly impact. | | | |  | |
Dr. Aishwary Kumar
History
"Mutant: Dialogues at the End of Democracy" podcast
(Available on Spotify and Apple)
| | | |
Dr. Yalil Guerra’s European premiere of Symphony No. 1, "La Palma Real," with the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra can be enjoyed here.
Professor Sarah Wallin Huff’s original work "Of Roses and Lilies" received second place for the national American Prize Charles Ives Award in Vocal Chamber Music.
Dr. Nadia Shpachenko-Gottesman conducted the CPP Piano Ensemble performance at Palomar College on April 24.
| | Outstanding Advisor Award | | |
Congratulations to Annette Mastin and Jessica Rojas-Avellaneda on their well-deserved recognition as outstanding advisors!
Annette creates a supportive environment where students feel empowered, approaching advising with a practical mindset that helps keep students grounded during stressful times, shining a light that guides students at Cal Poly Pomona through their educational journey.
Jessica exemplifies excellence as an advisor through her extraordinary dedication to student success, skillfully guiding students through complex academic requirements while providing reassurance that helps them regain confidence in their educational journey.
| | Staff Professional Development Highlights | | |
Also, a big congratulations to Ocena Corbin, Department Coordinator in the Psychology Department, and Dalia Puentes, Concert Specialist and Publicist in the Music Department, for completing Cal Poly Pomona’s Advancing Racial Justice and Cultural Humility Learning Series!
Through powerful cultural exposure and relationship-building activities, Dalia and Ocena embraced transformative self-awareness, deepened their understanding and appreciation of others, and connected their learning to meaningful actions that support CPP’s equity, diversity, and inclusion goals.
They were honored with a university-recognized badge, a certificate of completion, and recognition at an awards ceremony in May.
| | Las Monarcas Documentary Screening | | "Las Monarcas: Building and Changing Pomona for a Better Future" - This special screening event was supported by the Bronco Launchpad this past fall. The short docu-film features the lives of immigrant and first-generation Latina activists in Pomona, California. | | Job Shadowing Program with Southern California News Group | |
This partnership between the Communication Department and SCNG is tailored for students interested in news, design, and social media. The program matches students with professional reporters, editors, graphic designers, and social media managers across SCNG's various publications. Students begin by participating in a department-led workshop, followed by meeting their mentors on assignment or one of the newsrooms for a half-day job shadowing experience. The program provides students with industry knowledge on how reporters cover various events and issues and the opportunity to learn about other design and production aspects of print and digital news.
| | Mentoring Program with Telemundo52/NBC4 | The Communication Department launched a new partnership with Telemundo52/NBC4 by organizing an in-studio group mentoring experience. The program involves a half-day commitment, with travel to Telemundo52/NBC4's Universal City-based studio. The visit includes a guided tour of the news company's studios and cutting-edge digital production spaces, followed by small group mentoring sessions where students can learn about various careers in media and seek advice from industry professionals. | | Pomona-Unified School District Partnership | | | | The PUSD-CPP partnership, housed in the Psychology Department, enables CPP students to provide mental health services to K-12 students at Pomona Unified School District under Dr. Tatiana Pumacachua's guidance and alongside PUSD professionals. | | | Psychology undergraduate and first-year MS students design wellness workshops, facilitate psychoeducational groups, and mentor K-12 students on socioemotional and academic goals, with PUSD students occasionally vising CPP for campus-based workshops, particularly for newcomers adjusting to life in the U.S. Now in its fifth year, this community-based initiative continues to grow through shared learning, stronger community ties, and collaborative efforts to expand school-based mental health support. | | High School Scene Festival | | This year the Theatre and New Dance Department's High School Scene Festival hosted 16 local high schools on the CPP campus to compete with scenes ranging from soul-searching two-handers to wild and crazy musicals, including two high school student-directed pieces. The high school students received feedback from faculty in the department and participated in workshops including Stage Combat and Auditions 101. They were also treated to a matinee performance of the Department’s resident student club production of Jonathan Larsen’s Tick, Tick… Boom! | |
Student Pathways to Practice | | Discover the full range of internship partnerships that provide learning and service opportunities available to CLASS students across all departments on the CLASS Internship page. | | The New Bronco Guide is Out! | | |
The Bronco Guide magazine is your ultimate resource for life at Cal Poly Pomona. Created by CLASS students, for students, and produced by The Poly Post, the magazine is designed to help you navigate campus and the surrounding community.
This 2025-2026 issue features a variety of stories to enhance your college experiences, from choosing the right major and academic success strategies to campus traditions, hidden gems, and local adventures that make the CPP experience unique.
| | | | |
Brad Peltomaa ('17, History) received teacher of the year award at Damien High School in La Verne, California.
Bill Essayli ('07, Political Science) appointed as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California by President Trump.
Sara Carter (Communication) appointed as Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
April Mitts ('92, Political Science) appointed as Assistant City Manager for the City of Healdsburg.
Salvador Mendez ('14, MPA) named 2024 Top Leader of the Year in the Public Sector by the Southern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association.
| | CLASS raised $23,910 from 112 donors. Thank you to all who contributed to this year's campaign! A special shout out to our Dean’s Circle member, Shaina Ostroff (Communication, ‘03) for her matching gift to support the CLASS internship program! | Learn. Do. Become. Give Back.
| Your experience in the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences prepared you to engage the world with curiosity, creativity, and courage. Consider supporting the next generation of CLASS students through your time, expertise, or financial contribution. | Join the CLASS Dean's Circle | |
At Cal Poly Pomona, we believe in more than just gaining knowledge—we believe in putting it to work. Now, as alumni, you can become by doing once more—by joining the CLASS Dean's Circle.
The Dean's Circle is a collective of alumni and friends who support CLASS by shaping strategic initiatives and fostering connections between CLASS and the community. Together, we represent every program in CLASS, and we are committed to fostering the next generation to thrive.
If you're passionate about giving back and ready to reconnect with the college that shaped your journey, we'd love to welcome you. Whether you're early in your career or well established, your insight and presence matter.
To learn more, contact class@cpp.edu.
Ricardo E. Ortega, PhD (GEMS Class of 2006) Chair, CLASS Dean's Circle Committee
| | CLASS Kudos & Newsletters | We want to celebrate your achievements and highlight your incredible work! Fill out a short form to share your recent accomplishments, and you could be featured in our next newsletter! You can also check out our past kudos and newsletters on our CLASS news page. | | Connect with CLASS on social media! | | | | |
