| | |
Dear CLASS Community,
What a year it has been for the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences!
As we reflect the 2025–2026 academic year, I am filled with pride, gratitude, and excitement for what lies ahead. This newsletter is longer than most — and it should be. When you read through these pages, you will understand why: our students, faculty, and staff have accomplished extraordinary things, have done work that matters, and every single achievement deserves to be celebrated.
| | | |
To the CLASS graduating Class of 2026 — congratulations! Watching you cross the stage during two beautiful commencement ceremonies was a vivid reminder of why this work matters. You came to Cal Poly Pomona and CLASS with curiosity, and you leave having grown in ways that will shape not only your own futures, but the communities and fields you enter. We can’t wait to see what you will accomplish, and we have no doubt it will be remarkable. Come back often. Your college will always be cheering you on.
Looking ahead, I am energized by what is on the horizon for CLASS. New leadership brings new possibilities, and I am confident that the momentum this college has built — in research, creative work, student success, and community engagement — will carry us forward to new heights. The foundations are strong because the people within this college are exceptional.
I’m certain you will find inspiration and pride in these stories of students conducting archaeological fieldwork and earning international honors, faculty whose research is shaping national conversations, staff whose dedication makes everything possible, and a community that shows up — for each other, and for the broader world. From Florence to New York City, from the Salton Sea to the stages of Broadway, CLASS is making its mark everywhere.
This is who we are. This is what we do. And the best is still ahead.
| | |
Camille Johnson, PhD
Dean, College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
| | CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2026 | | |
Across two beautiful commencement ceremonies, we were reminded why our work matters. We are incredibly proud of every graduate whose dedication, curiosity, and resilience brought them to this milestone. We also celebrate our CLASS colleagues who graduated this year: Annette Mastin, Maria Anzaldo, and Lianna Ip, whose achievements inspire our community in powerful ways. As you take your next steps, know that CLASS will always be cheering you on.
Graduation is just the beginning of your Bronco journey. Come back as alums for Professor for a Day and join us for other alumni opportunities to share what’s next in your journey. Learn more about these opportunties and resources further down this newsletter!
| | Julian A. McPhee Honor Award Recipient | | | | Congratulations to Seth Ko on this remarkable achievement! A criminology major, Seth has distinguished himself through academic excellence, leadership and a commitment to service throughout his time at Cal Poly Pomona. From faculty-mentored research to hands-on legal experiences, he has embraced every opportunity to grow and make an impact. The McPhee Scholar (college valedictorian) is recognized at commencement as the highest-achieving graduating student. | | Honoring Excellence
in Advising, Service, and Leadership | | CLASS proudly celebrates faculty and staff whose dedication strengthens our academic community and advances student success. | | | |  | This year’s Faculty Advisor of the Year, Dr. Alejandro Morales, is recognized for exceptional service and mentorship. As Director of Cal Poly Pomona’s McNair Scholars Program, Dr. Morales has shown unwavering commitment to supporting first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students preparing for doctoral study. Widely respected for thoughtful guidance, tireless advocacy, and a collaborative spirit, Dr. Morales consistently connects students with opportunities aligned to their goals while fostering a culture of belonging and achievement. | | | | | | We are proud to celebrate Dr. Alex Madva (Philosophy), as a recipient of the 2025–26 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Activities. Recognized for his field-shaping scholarship, Dr. Madva has published extensively in leading journals and authored a recent book with MIT Press. His interdisciplinary research spans philosophy, cognitive science and social justice, earning recognition from peers and broad public engagement. Through his leadership and student-focused initiatives, he continues to advance interdisciplinary collaboration and elevate Cal Poly Pomona’s scholarly reputation. | | | We also congratulate the recipients of the José A. Gómez College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards, which honor outstanding contributions to teaching, research, creative work, service, and collaboration. This year’s faculty awardees—Dr. Anjana Narayan (Sociology), Dr. Kristi Prins (English and Modern Languages), and Dr. Olga Griswold (English and Modern Languages)—exemplify excellence in scholarship and student engagement. Staff awardee Victoria Mendoza (Communication) is recognized for her meaningful contributions that enhance learning and community within her department. Together, these honorees reflect the values, leadership, and impact at the heart of CLASS. | | | EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR | | Faculty unpacked Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance at the Studio Theatre on February 24 during U-Hour, exploring language, culture, and theater. Students gained new perspectives on popular culture—stream the event at https://streaming.cpp.edu/media/1_g9cjns0y | | Environmental Humanities Symposium | | The inaugural Environmental Humanities Symposium held on March 13, 2026 featured faculty and student presentations from CLASS, CEIS, and ENV Design, plus a keynote from UCSB. The event celebrated collaboration and community across colleges. | | History Day at the Lyle Center | | History Day at the Lyle Center on April 24 featured research panels, digital humanities exhibitions, and alumni networking. The day fostered community and showcased scholarly work across the department. | | The annual Lowell Overton Research Symposium brought Psychology and Sociology majors together to showcase student research and celebrate their academic achievement. | | Communication Alumni Night: Become by Blooming | Communication Department’s Alumni Night brought together alumni, graduating seniors, faculty, and staff for community building and networking. The event also included a tribute to Dr. Jane Ballinger, Professor Emerita, and mentor to many alumni. | | Spring 2026 brought a vibrant lineup of CLASSwork events, including the Political Science Capstone Conferences, Communication Capstone Presentations, Theatre and New Dance production of Paper Dreams of Harry Chin, Mariachi Recital, Songwriter Showcase, and the Spring Dance Concert. As the schedule highlights, this was a week of interdisciplinary collaboration and creative achievement across CLASS on display! | | 4Fridays Continue to Bring CLASS Together | Throughout the Fall and Spring semesters, 4Fridays brought CLASS faculty and staff together to connect, learn, and celebrate our shared work. Highlights included media training with Strategic Communications,grant writing, Staff Art Show, scenariobased workshops, and conversations on teaching and curriculum. Together, these gatherings reinforced the value of collaboration and community across CLASS. We’re excited to continue the momentum at our next 4Fridays this August at our fall conference! | | CELEBRATING FACULTY
EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION | | |
Through groundbreaking research, exceptional teaching and innovative use of emerging technologies, CLASS faculty continue to make a meaningful impact in our college. Congratulations to the following faculty members on receiving grant funding for their work:
Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Grant (SIRG)
-
Alyssa Kernard (English and Modern Languages) — Assessing Language Proficiency Using Webcam-Based Eye Tracking and Machine Learning for Online Language Testing
RSCA Award
-
Andrea Smith (Communication)
-
Aurora Matzke (English and Modern Languages)
-
Travis Miller (Psychology)
-
Jonathan Redman (Sociology)
Special Projects For Improving The Classroom Experience (SPICE) Grant
-
Marta Albala Pelegrin’s bilingual musical audio play Reclaiming Authority
-
Faye Wachs’s work developing best practices for generative AI in survey research
Generative AI Course Integration Grant
-
Neil Chaturvedi (Political Science)
-
Hyungjin Gill (Communication)
-
Amalia Llambart (English and Modern Languages)
-
Kelly Huh (Geography and Anthropology
-
Peter Hanink (Sociology)
-
Faye Wachs (Sociology)
| | CLASS BRONCOS STUDENT EXCELLENCE | | The Poly Post and Poly Pulse takes 13 Awards | The California College Media Association honored our student journalists with thirteen awards, recognizing their exceptional talent and dedication. The Poly Post and The Poly Pulse magazine were celebrated for excellence in news, feature, and multimedia storytelling, as well as social media coverage, Spanish language reporting, magazine design, photo illustration, and headline writing. Their commitment to social justice, special issues, and creative photography also earned top honors, including second place for Best Overall Newspaper. | | Model UN Team Earns Top Honors | Cal Poly Pomona’s Model UN Team earned the Outstanding Delegation award at the world’s largest Model UN conference in New York City—for the fourth consecutive year! Students also received multiple committee awards, continuing a decades-long legacy of excellence for this half-century-old program. | | CPP Athletics Earns Major Postseason Recognition | |
Cal Poly Pomona baseball dominated CSU San Bernardino with a four-game sweep, highlighted by standout performances from Bryan Richman (`27, Political Science).
| | 14th Annual RSCA Conference | The 14th Annual RSCA Conference showcased student research and creative work across disciplines. Ashley Orellana (English and Modern Languages) and Mareen Riad (Psychology) were recognized for standout presentations in behavioral, social sciences, and creative arts, reflecting strong faculty mentorship and academic excellence in CLASS. | |
This Winter, students explored creativity on a global scale through a Study Abroad experience in Florence, Italy, led by Dr. Jill Nemiro. Fifteen CLASS students from Psychology and Criminology studied The Psychology of Creativity and experienced site visits, day trips, and class sessions to explore the cultural heritage of Italy in the Arts, Architecture, Performing Arts, and Handicrafts and Cooking. Recruitment is now open for Winter 2027. For more information, please contact Dr. Jill Nemiro at jenemiro@cpp.edu. | | STUDENT JOURNEYS AND ACHIEVEMENTS | | Become by Leading: Journey of an ASI President and VP | |
This feature highlights the leadership journeys of Cal Poly Pomona’s ASI President and Vice President, showcasing how campus involvement and service shape student success and community impact.
Read more about their journey at CPP News.
| | Become by Doing: Amelia Bellah Preserves Local History | |
Anthropology major Amelia Bellah is gaining hands-on experience through archaeological fieldwork at Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery. As crew chief, Bellah leads excavations and uses Ground Penetrating Radar to identify unmarked graves.
Learn more about her work at CPP News.
| | Become by Connecting: A Transfer Student's Road to Commencement | |
Transfer student Sofia Perez found her place at Cal Poly Pomona through campus involvement and strong departmental support. Now graduating with honors, Perez’s journey reflects the power of connection and engagement in achieving academic success.
Read more about her story at CPP News.
| | Become by Inspiring: Stephanie Paredes' Journey | |
Political Science senior Stephanie Paredes was featured in the Poly Post for her commitment to public service and law. As a first-generation college student, she credits her growth to mentorship and the supportive Cal Poly Pomona community.
Read more about her inspiring story in the Poly Post.
| | Faculty, staff, and student ambassadors welcomed admitted students at BroncoBound 2026. The event brought together the campus community to help future Broncos feel informed, supported, and excited as they explored academic programs, connected with current students, and envisioned their place at Cal Poly Pomona. Thank you to everyone who helped make the day a success. We look forward to welcoming many of these future Broncos to campus this fall. | | On February 7-8, the Music Department hosted the inaugural Festival of Winds, bringing together talented student musicians for a day filled with workshops, rehearsals, and performances. This first edition celebrated musical excellence and collaboration, offering students the opportunity to learn from guest conductors and showcase their artistry on campus. | | The Communication Department hosted the Journalism Education Association’s regional Write Off competition in February, welcoming nearly 100 high school students from across Southern California to campus. Participants competed in journalism, photography, and student media categories, tackling timed assignments judged by educators and professional journalists. | | John A. Lesser Invitational
High School Shakespeare Festival | English and Modern Languages Department welcomed students, educators and families from five local high schools to Cal Poly Pomona on April 11 for the annual John A. Lesser Invitational High School Shakespeare Festival. The event featured student competitions in Shakespearean monologues and ensemble performances, bringing classic texts to life through voice, movement and stagecraft. | | ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS AND RESOURCES | | Our college had the highest representation in the Professor for A Day (PFAD) program this year! CLASS facilitated over 40 alumni participants, creating valuable connections between classroom learning and industry practice. Thank you for all our alumni who participated this year. We look forward to welcoming more of our alumni back at next year’s PFAD! | | Alumni Resources: Stay Connected, Keep Growing | |
As an alum, you have access to a variety of free resources designed to support your career growth and professional development. Take advantage of career coaching appointments, resume reviews, interview preparation, AI-powered career support through VMock, and thousands of job and internship opportunities on Handshake.
Stay connected through the Career Center, upcoming alumni events, the Bronco Mentoring Network, and other opportunities to engage with fellow Broncos. Your connection to Cal Poly Pomona and CLASS doesn’t end at graduation—wherever your path leads, we are here to support your next steps and future success through these valuable alumni resources.
| | |
CSU’s “Making History One Glass Ceiling at a Time” features Violet Palmer (`88) and Hilda Solis (`79), highlighting Cal Poly Pomona’s WiSE program and its role in empowering future women leaders in STEM.
Vanessa Perez was featured in the Los Angeles Times for her advocacy promoting accountability and justice after police violence against her son.
Salvador Mendez (`14, MPA) was named Palmdale’s city manager after serving in an interim role and was honored as 2024 Top Leader of the Year.
Ruki Kennedy (’22, History), announced in the Crescenta Valley Weekly as assistant varsity volleyball coach at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, bringing collegiate championship experience.
| | |
Professor Andrea Smith (Communication) was featured in The New York Times for research on how dating apps shape perceptions of “sexual market value” and commodify users.
Professor Carsten Lange (Economics) spoke with NBC Los Angeles about rising gas prices and on inflation hitting 3.8%.
Professor Annie Danis (Geography and Anthropology) is featured in “Connecting the Pieces,” an archaeology exhibit on WWII Amache incarceration camp artifacts, on the library’s fourth floor through next spring.
Professor Gabriel Granco (Geography and Anthropology) published Empowering Students to Engage with Climate Change Action: A Project-Based Module for Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Sustainability Thinking in The Professional Geographer.
Professor James J.A. Blair (Geography and Anthropology) was quoted in The New York Times on Salton Sea lithium development and appears in USC’s Electric Futures podcast discussing energy transitions.
Professor Dewey W. Hall (English) published “The Political Ecology of Matter: Marbles, Volcanoes, and Humans” in Nineteenth-Century Literature in Transition: The 1810s.
Professor Álvaro Huerta (Ethnic & Women’s Studies) was featured across multiple outlets: CALÓ News on the legacy of Rodolfo F. “Rudy” Acuña and equity in higher education; NBC Los Angeles on allegations involving César Chávez and public memorials; UCLA for returning to higher education after activism and on Telemundo commenting on newly released U.S. Census data.
Professor Claudia Salazar Jiménez (Ethnic & Women’s Studies) published Migrating and Other Arts: Writings Out of Place, exploring identity, migration, and creativity across cultures.
Professor Emerita Amanda Podany (History) commented in a Hutchings Museum Institute article on the evolution and legacy of cuneiform writing.
Professor Aishwary Kumar (History) appeared on the Democracy in Question podcast discussing “neo-democracy,” inequality, neoliberalism, and harm to vulnerable groups.
Interim President Iris Levine surprised choir students as guest conductor, highlighting music’s collaborative power ahead of the Carmina Burana performance.
Professor Evan Ware (Music) premiered his Concerto for Trumpet and Strings on May 31 in Calgary, Alberta, with the Kensington Sinfonia as part of the “Strange New Worlds” concert series; the composition was supported by a $63,700 Canada Council for the Arts grant and will be recorded for commercial release later this year.
Professor Ernest Harrison (Music) led the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles in a free Pasadena concert, emphasizing music’s life-affirming impact.
Professor Nike St. Clair (Music) conducts the La Verne Church of the Brethren choir in Sopela, Spain, as part of an international concert series hosted by the Basque choral organization Sopelako Lagun Artea Abesbatza, according to Deia. She will also be touring Great Britain with the L.A. Philharmonic.
Professor Alex Madva (Philosophy) was featured in multiple outlets. In Slate, Madva coauthored an essay arguing that personal actions matter most through their social influence. He also appeared in The Irish Times and on the Bridging the Gaps podcast, urging “happy warriors” to drive systemic change.
Professor Gwendolyn Dolske (Philosophy) was recognized by EdUp Experience as a HigherEd PodCon Awards finalist, with Dolske’s podcast Good Is in the Details named a finalist for Episode of the Year for a Sept. 16, 2025 episode featuring Professor Alex Madva discussing social psychology, systems, and collective action.
Professor Jarred Cuellar (Political Science) was featured in multiple outlets: commenting to NBC News on the impact of stricter immigration enforcement on Latino evangelical communities, and quoted by the New York Post critiquing racism claims tied to a canceled USC gubernatorial debate.
Professor Neil Chaturvedi (Political Science) was appointed editor-in-chief of Political Research Quarterly, the official journal of the Western Political Science Association.
Professor Seoun Park (Psychology) published an article in The Counseling Psychologist on how immigrant young adults of color navigate race-related conversations with older family members.
Professor Sayda Trujillo (Theatre and New Dance) was featured in Broadway World as a performer in “The Art of Dreaming: A Landscape of L.A. Voices.”
| | 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. | | 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! | | | | |
