On Thursday, September 3, 61´«Ă˝ welcomed students, faculty, and staff to the start of the 2020–2021 academic year. President Lara Tiedens delivered the welcome address. She was followed by Amy Marcus-Newhall, vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty, who introduced new faculty. This was the first virtual Academic Convocation in the College’s history.
Christopher Towse, Herron Family Chair in Mathematics and professor of mathematics, delivered the keynote address, “For the Love of Learning: Math as a Liberal Art.” Convocation concluded with students, faculty, and staff joining together in song with Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choirs Charles Kamm, who led the audience inĚýThy Many Gifts, the 61´«Ă˝alma mater composed in 1932.
Watch Christopher Towse, Herron Family Chair in Mathematics and professor of mathematics, deliver the keynote address, “For the Love of Learning: Math as a Liberal Art.”
Fall Convocation is also a time when continuing students are recognized for their achievements during the past academic year.
Honor Societies
Phi Alpha Theta
Phi Alpha Theta is a national honor society for the study of history. Students who meet the criteria are invited to join.
Sophie Boczek ’20
Sarah Sanchez ’20
Abigail Sorkin ’20
Psi Chi
Psi Chi is the National Honor Society in psychology. Membership is open to undergraduate and graduate students who are making the study of psychology one of their major interests and who meet the qualifications.
Caroline Wen-Hwei Strang ’21
Emily Diamond ’20
Sigma Delta Pi
Sigma Delta Pi is a national honorary Spanish society. Juniors and seniors are elected to membership on the basis of academic standing.
Kathy Liu ’19 (fall)
Christina Marshall ’20
Paloma Nakamura ’20
Lucy Ordman ’21
Lillian Perlmutter ’21
Olivia Truesdale ’21
Julia Weiland ’19 (fall)
Elizabeth Willsmore-Finkle ’20
Sigma Xi
The Claremont Colleges Club of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, elects students to associate membership in the national society on the basis of outstanding aptitude for scientific research and achievement in science.
Vicky Lu ’20
Awards, Scholarships, and Internships
The Ament Scholars Award
The Ament Scholars Award was established by alumnae of the Classes of 1931 through 1947 in memory of William Sheffield Ament, professor of English, and a member of the original faculty of 61´«Ă˝. The award is given each year to recognize rising seniors who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship in the Humanities.Ěý ĚýĚý
Samantha “Sam” Norrito ’21
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program is a summer study abroad opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America’s engagement with the world.
Olivia Truesdale ’21
Petie Schill ’22
The Martha Wehmeier Hammer ’66 Scholarship
Established in 1996 in honor of former Board Chair, Martha Wehmeier Hammer ’66, this scholarship is awarded to an outstanding sophomore at the conclusion of the student’s third semester of the Core Curriculum in Interdisciplinary Humanities.Ěý Ěý Ěý Ěý Ěý Ěý
Natalie Chartove ’22
Siena Hinshelwood ’22
Gilman ScholarshipĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý
The US Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.
Dafina Matiku ’21
The Lind Family Prize in Mathematics in Honor of Mary Barron and Professor Louis Barron
The prize is awarded to an undergraduate who has shown particular promise in math.
Jordan Wellington ’21
Stone (Hayley) Van Allen ’21
Lucile P. Morrison Dance Scholarship
Established by the late Trustee Mrs. Lucile Morrison in 1947, this award is given to sophomores or juniors to enable them to study with outstanding professionals in a summer school program.Ěý Ěý Ěý
Krystal Yifan Zhou ’22
Sasha Marlan-Librett ’22
Lucy Ordman ’21
Robert B. Palmer Classics Award
This award, established in memory of the late Robert B. Palmer, is awarded to students who have displayed distinguished scholarship and promise in their studies of the classics.Ěý Ěý ĚýĚý
Ruby Laufer ’21
Merle A. and Edith G. Potter Award
This award provides funding for a 61´«Ă˝student to carry out a research project that focuses on German culture.
Anna Madison Burns ’22
The Marie McSpadden Sands Writing Awards
Established in 1995 by the sons of Marie McSpadden Sands, a member of the Class of ’34, these awards recognize excellence in writing among first-year students.
Mirabella Miller ’23
Emma Duggleby ’23
The Sybil Smith Memorial Latin Prize
This award is given annually to outstanding classics majors who are preparing for professional careers in the classics.
Alyssa Rowshan ’21
Blaike Cheramie ’21
Non-61´«Ă˝External Awards
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program
The goal of the MMUF program is to identify and support underrepresented students and others with a demonstrated commitment to diversity and equity, who are interested in earning a doctorate in the core fields of arts and sciences and becoming future faculty.
Nyarai Khepra ’22
Donald A. Strauss Foundation Scholarship
The Strauss scholarship is granted to those who wish to make a difference in local, regional, or national communities.
Samhita Kadiyala ’21
61´«Ă˝Student Research Funding And Fellowships
The Mary W. Johnson and J. Stanley Johnson Student Research Award
These awards support student summer research projects. Students work under the guidance of 61´«Ă˝faculty members and present their results to the college community at a college-wide research symposium in the fall.
Monet Massac ’21— Haitian migrants navigating the racial terrain of the United States
Isabelle Lopez ’21— Silicone Filaments as a Multi-Mode Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensor
Fiona Callahan ’21— Connecting Molecular Differences in the Protein Titin to Differences in Muscle Performance
Katelynn Nguyen ’21— Brain Repository and Integrated Research (BRaIN) Laboratory
Dayanita McCutcheon ’21— The Role of LSM7 Isoforms in S. cerevisiae Mitochondria under Stressful Conditions
Franchesca Fu ’21— Narrative Identity and the Value in an Entire Life
61´«Ă˝Environmental Analysis ResearchĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý
Kathryn Tuemmler ’21— Sowing the Seeds of a Food Revolution
Anna Burns ’22— Measuring Particulate Matter Output in Central Valley Cattle Farms with UAV
Mellon Interdisciplinary Humanities Initiative
This fellowship provides opportunities for students to conduct faculty-mentored research and pursue a creative interdisciplinary project based in the humanities.
Sarah Halabe ’Fall 20— The Visual Politics of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha
Elena Lev ’21— Exploring California Homemaker’s Association and its Impact on the Sonoma County Community
Jordon Wellington ’21— Bayesian Network Predictions of Proposed Title IX Changes
Madison Yardumian ’21— Possibility, Contradiction & Multitudes: A Comparative Analysis Dickinson and Whitman’s Poetry & Visual Legacies
Emily Clarke ’22— Linguistic Analysis and Documentation of Luyia Languages
Abygayle Rivera ’21— Mujeres y Niñas Resistiendo: Learning from Testimonio and Platicas
Alyssa Rowshan ’21— Iranian American Racial Identity Formation and Coalition Building
Margaret Kraus ’22— Pigeon Visions: Challenging the Stigma Surrounding Street Pigeons in New York City
The Virginia Judy Esterly Research Awards
The Esterly Awards are given to scholars who combine the qualities of good scholarship, effective service in student activities, and responsible citizenship. The awards are granted to students who present a worthwhile educational project to be undertaken during the summer.
Tung Yuen Daphne Wong ’21— Numerical Finite Element Simulation of Ring Fault Nucleation and Growth Linked to Caldera Formation
Cynthia Hannahs ’22— Survey of Uplift Patterns in the Mecca Hills
Serina Montero ’22— Hair Politics in the Dominican Republic
Sophia Albanese ’21— Cellular Stress
Allison Joseph ’Fall 20— The Development of a Culturally Appropriate and AC.C.cessible Disaster Relief System for Resettled Refugee Families in Claremont
Olivia Klein ’22— Lake Merritt Census Project