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As the fall semester comes to an end, we talked to six first-year students about their experience at Pomona so far: their classes, the organizations they’re involved with and the support they have found on campus.

Matt Diekmann ’28 hails from Danville, California, and was keen on staying in state for college. He considered Pomona the strongest option for pursuing academics and playing collegiate .

Diekmann took Macroeconomics and Calculus III this semester, and he is thinking about majoring in economics or mathematics.

While Calculus was his hardest class, he says the most eye-opening was his Critical Inquiry seminar—a required course for all first-year students. Diekmann’s section was titled Modern Jewish Literature. He says the class exposed him to many readings he might not have otherwise come across, and class discussions broadened his perspectives.

Diekmann has enjoyed meeting people in his classes and residence hall, but the bulk of his time is spent with his basketball teammates. “Everyone’s super great,” he says. “The older students help us out with classes, what professors are good, the best spots to eat.”

The start of the basketball season has been fun, Diekmann says, and he looks forward to the rest of the season.

Betsy Erivez Robles ’28 arrived at Pomona from Colorado Springs, Colorado, via the QuestBridge Scholarship.

“I’m grateful these pipeline programs exist because I come from a low-income, first-generation household,” says Erivez Robles. “Coming to this school might not have been possible without programs like this.”

On campus, Erivez Robles says she has been able to “find a community of people who understand me, my culture, my background.” Support through affinity programs such as �鶹Ӱ�� Latinx Alliance (LXA) and (CLSA) have helped her get through her first semester.

Academically, she especially enjoyed Introduction to Sociology with Pamela Prickett, associate professor of sociology, and her Critical Inquiry seminar—Chicana/o Latinx/e Los Angeles—with Gilda Ochoa, professor of Chicana/o Latina/o studies.

Erivez Robles is considering majoring in public policy analysis. “I like policy and understanding how everything works,” she says, adding, “There needs to be more voices and representation of minorities and Latinos.”

Tendo Lumala ’28 thought he could be challenged at Pomona, and he also liked the idea of venturing farther from his hometown of Seattle.

He says his classes this semester have been rewarding, especially his Classical Political Theory class with Professor of Politics Susan McWilliams Barndt and his Critical Inquiry Seminar titled Language on the Fence. “I’ve been astounded by the wealth of knowledge that I’ve gleaned,” he says.

In addition to his professors, Lumala has appreciated relating to his RA. “I talked to her before course registration,” he says, “and she helped me find a lot of classes and figure out what my plan will be.”

Lumala is considering majoring in public policy analysis, politics, economics, philosophy or anthropology, with an eye toward working in the education sector in the future.

Outside of classes, Lumala has enjoyed being on the Model UN team and serving on two student government committees. “I really value not just subsisting within my environment,” he says, “but trying to positively contribute in some way.”

Livia Mayfield ’28 comes from Louisville, Kentucky, but was born in Claremont. After returning to Southern California for a tour of campus before her senior year of high school, “Pomona quickly became my dream school,” she says.

The liberal arts curriculum, relationships with professors and small class sizes all appealed to her. Also, “The campus was beautiful,” she says, “And California—who doesn’t want to live here?”

She says her group of friends—consisting of other first-year students at Pomona—has gotten her through the semester. “We do everything together—dining halls, studying—and it’s been so fun.”

Mayfield has also met people through her involvement in the Claremont League of Women Voters. “I found the club at Club Fair and jumped right in,” she says. As part of the organization, she helped students register to vote and obtain absentee ballots, as well as put on events.

She is considering majoring in religious studies and/or gender and women’s studies. “Definitely humanities,” she says.

Lee Mugweru ’28 hails from Nairobi, Kenya, and heard about Pomona through EducationUSA, a U.S. Department of State network of student advising centers. Pomona’s tight-knit community appealed to him and led him to apply Early Decision.

Not having visited Pomona before starting here, Mugweru says he was stunned by the beauty of the campus when he arrived and his expectations for the school have been surpassed.

Mugweru plans on majoring in economics and possibly pursuing consulting or investment banking in the future.

The highlights of his week are practices and games. “I’ve met so many people and traveled through California because of it,” says Mugweru. “I’m in love with the sport. It gives me a breather in the middle of the week.”

Reflecting on his transition to Pomona, Mugweru says, “It’s been too easy. Coming to a whole new country, I don’t feel like I had a big transition. I’d attribute that to all the support systems, the many organizations you can join, mentorship programs and people looking out for you.”

Joshua Oyadomari-Chun ’28 came to Pomona from Honolulu for the opportunity to explore a variety of fields since he was unsure of what he wanted to focus on. “Pomona’s pretty good at everything,” he says.

He is thinking of majoring in cognitive science or computer science but is open to other options. His classes this semester, including Introduction to Cognitive Science and Calculus IIA, have been hard and a lot of work, but he says they have been enjoyable.

Outside of academics, Oyadomari-Chun has enjoyed meeting people from various backgrounds and places. “I was surprised by the diversity of the school,” he says. “I didn’t think that would be important when I was applying, but now that I’ve been able to experience it, it’s been one of my favorite things about college. Everybody’s really interesting.”

He has enjoyed participating in the Claremont Colleges Hawaiian Club, Pomona Robotics club, video production through the Studio 47 club, and .

Looking back, Oyadomari-Chun says, “This semester was a good introduction. The school did a good job of getting us to know what’s available to us. I feel ready for the next semester.”