Why leave Hawaii?

Kepa Barrett – Mililani, Oahu, Hawaii

As a senior in high school, I was very indecisive about my college options. I applied to nine different schools, and the process was very long and complex. I had to narrow down my choices by thinking about what I really wanted out of my college experience. I know I wanted to go to a small college where I could get to know my professors on a personal basis, but I also wanted the resources that larger universities possess. I also had a wide-variety of interests ranging from environmental issues to social responsibilities.

Pitzer seemed to be a perfect fit. It’s a small, liberal arts college with a low faculty to student ratio, and it is one of six other colleges that share abundant academic/social resources within the Claremont Consortium. Last year I participated in the Pitzer Fall Diversity program, a program provided by the Pitzer office of Admission for high school students of underrepresented populations. I had the opportunity to meet so many people from across the country and I fell in love with Pitzer. This invaluable experience played a huge factor in my final decision to attend this school.

The biggest fear I had before starting my first year in college was whether or not I could function properly without my family here to support me. They are my foundation, and I had never gone two weeks without seeing them, let alone four months. Although it’s been difficult not having them here, I’ve grown stronger as an individual and more independent than I ever was. The transition was challenging, but I feel a lot better now that I’m involved with extracurricular activities on campus. Among these activities are my accapella group The Ninth Street Hooligans, the Eco Center Club, Hui Laule’a Hawai’i Club, and the 5C Surf Club. Getting involved on campus and just being open with every person I met helped me make friends at Pitzer.

In terms of academics, I’ve always had a keen interest in the environment. We only have one Earth. We need to take better care of her. I decided to be a science major because I participated in the Keck Science Summer Immersion program. It’s an awesome program that started this past summer, and it gave me the confidence to challenge myself academically at Pitzer. The curriculum is definitely not a walk-in-the-park, but I thoroughly enjoy the work I’m doing. It’s also possible to have a social life while being a good student. A balanced academic/social life is totally feasible here at Pitzer.

Why leave San Diego

Gabe Villareal – San Diego, CA

I’m from San Diego. Why did I leave?

                 

The short answer is that Pitzer is awesome and I love it here. I am currently a senior majoring in Political Studies and minoring in Sociology. I studied abroad in Nepal, living an a small rural farming village in the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley. I am working in the Admissions office as a Senior Fellow and am considering Admissions work as a career. The short answer, amazing people, awesome weather, proximity to Disneyland, the usual reasons for living in Southern California, but the actual reason that I came to Pitzer College is a bit complicated.

                  

I first visited Pitzer College on the PZ Diversity Program. I identify as mixed-race Mexipino. I am Mexican, Argentinian, and Indigenous (Native American, Hopi we think) on my Dad’s side and Filipino (Ilocano and Pangasinan) on my Mother’s side. My ethnic/racial background describes my hometown community of the South Bay San Diego very accurately, predominantly Filipino and Latino. I had never really heard of liberal arts schools, my parents were the first in their families to go to college, and they both attended UC- San Diego for their undergrad. So, this small school thing was brand new to my family. I got a card on the mail that said “Hey! Come Check out Pitzer!” and I thought sure why not. So I came to Pitzer and fell in love with it. The people, the culture, the classes, and the mission; I had never felt so at home in an academic space before. I came to Pitzer and it just felt right.

                  

After applying, getting accepted, and actually coming to the college, that ideal image has been challenged, but those challenges have been part of what has made my Pitzer experience so amazing. Through Pitzer I came to know Diversity in a different way than I did back home, geographic, religious, racially/ethnically, culturally, ideologically. As a political studies major with a focus on sociology I came to recognize my positionality within this institution and within our society and the factors that drive discrimination, create power, and maintain privilege for a minority of people within our country. Learning about these things and seeing them played out in the world around me was difficult. It still is difficult, and that is why things need to change. Pitzer gives you the tools to see the world around you, the connections between your academics and your social reality and then you learn how to change it. There are no solid answers to the questions of social inequality, racism, and power, but in this place I’ve been able to start formulating an answer. Pitzer College is my home and my community, but it is also my challenge, my obstacle, and my teacher.

Why I chose Pitzer

Enrique Romero – Richmond, CA

Being the first in my family to go to college, I wanted to pick a school where I knew that I would be welcomed to the community while simultaneously providing me with the necessary resources to excel academically and socially. I distinctly remember moving in to Pitzer and seeing a crowd of current students creating a cheering tunnel that first year students had to pass through. Through the “Welcome to Pitzer” chants and high fives that the students gave to my family and me, I knew I had picked the right place!

The first time I visited Pitzer was through the Pitzer Diversity Program in the fall. This all-expense paid trip flew me down from the Bay Area to Claremont, where I was able to get a first-hand look at what I initially thought was the school with the funny name. Through staying with a current student, attending information sessions, getting a chance to explore the Claremont area, and meeting other prospective students, I was able to understand the type of environment that exists at Pitzer. After completing the program, I left knowing that Pitzer was one of few schools that would allow me to truly be myself.

                  

To me, college isn’t just about leaving home for the first time to know the meaning of freedom and “living life.” To me, college is also the opportunity to advance in my education and become a role model for my younger family members, specifically my little sister. I needed a place that would provide me with the necessary independence from my family, while also allowing me to discover my passions to bring a positive change to my life and the life of my family. Being a first-generation college student, I realize that Pitzer is definitely the place where I can nurture myself into the person I want to be while simultaneously making my family proud. There’s no other college I’d rather be at than at Pitzer, which I now consider my second home!