College Insights: Pitzer

This article is part of the series, College Insights, in which Springs alumni discuss Colleges that they’ve chosen to attend, and why. If you have further questions or would like to suggest different colleges, feel free to email me at clara.rominger@indiansprings.org or Carina at carina.lim@indiansprings.org

This issue will focus on Pitzer College through an interview with Ada Cohen ‘18

1) What kind of person were you at Springs? What extracurriculars did you participate in and what were your favorite classes? 

Oh my, this is a loaded question. I’d like to think I was a fairly outgoing person, but I think I may be more of an introvert than I initially thought. I ran cross-country, played soccer, participated in the choir for my first three years, and worked on The Woodward Post! I also loved working with YouthServe for all five years I was at Springs! My favorite classes were AP English Composition & Language with Mr. Woodruff, Poetry with Mr. Allen, and Contemporary Music ensemble. Despite my insistence that I hate math, I also loved Algebra 2 with Mr. Lantrip! 

2) What do you participate in now? 

I sing/play guitar with some friends, and we perform on occasion! I am pursuing politics and film, so a lot of my time is filled helping professors and community partners with their documentary projects. I am an advocate for Pitzer Advocates for Survivors of Sexual Assault. We provide free, confidential support for survivors and their allies on campus. I’ve recently gotten into rock climbing, so I will join the rock climbing team for their practices, but definitely do not compete. I also love joining 

Prison Abolition Club with their events and movements when I can. 

3) What’s your overall impression of your school? 

Pitzer is a school of driven, motivated young people who are all dedicated to leaving a mark on the world but are not too concerned with their name being attached to their achievements. Might I add, we’re not afraid to reward ourselves after a long week of work. 

4) What kind of student is a good fit for your school?

Anyone who is dedicated to using their skills for social change and justice! Most people I know are so passionate about whatever it is they do, and this is an incredibly inspiring presence to be in. 

5) What’s something you’d change about your school?

I do feel as if there is a bit of a contest at times on who is the most radical, leftist, woke, etc. And while it is wonderful that students are constantly pushing each other to learn more and be more aware of themselves and their surroundings, I find that we can become a little too introspective and lose sight of what it is we are actually aiming to achieve. 

6) What kind of people are there on campus? 

Whacky people. Well, whacky by Alabama standards at least. Whacky cool people. Whacky, cool, nerdy people. Everyone is so true to themselves and therefore it’s nearly impossible for you to not have to do a little soul searching yourself and figure out where you fit into the mix. 

7) What do you enjoy most about your school?

Ok, I can’t decide so I am going to choose two. 

The people!! I honestly learn just as much from my friends as I do from my professors. We exchange what we’ve discussed in classes, but I’m also constantly learning non-academic things such as how to bake bread, garden, and just how to be a better friend/person in general. 

Pitzer focuses on teaching their students not only theory but also practise. In other words, we learn all these highfalutin academic concepts, but what we discuss in the classroom doesn’t help anyone unless we apply them to the world around us. I am so grateful that so much of my class time has involved going into Los Angeles/surrounding communities and establishing reciprocal relationships with community partners. Opportunities such as these are limitless at Pitzer. 

8) How does the location affect your overall experience and social life? 

Pitzer is located about a ten-minute drive from the base of the Angeles National Forest. We frequently scurry on up there for hikes and sunset views. We are 30 minutes outside of LA and a little under an hour to the beach. I’ll drive into LA for concerts (pre-covid) and will bop on over the beach about once every two weeks or so. With this said, Claremont is a small town so when not on an outing, the campus culture is very prevalent. The consortium is incredibly nice at these times because when, for example, you’re on Pomona’s campus, you feel like you are in a different world than when on Pitzer’s. The consortium, I’ve found, is a wonderful component of social life. I feel as if I know almost everybody in my year at Pitzer, but then when you open it up to the 4 other colleges, it feels as if I know nobody! With that said, some of my closest friends go to Pomona and Scripps! As I mentioned above, because the Claremont Colleges are nestled in between so many metropolitan areas, our academics really aim to utilize this by extending the classroom outside of the colleges.