Claremont Graduate University

Poetry has long served as a mirror to society, offering both reflection and revelation. This year’s Kingsley & Kate Tufts Poetry Award winners, Jaswinder Bolina (English as a Second Language) and Ariana Benson (Black Pastoral), explore themes of language, identity, and history in ways that challenge and inspire.

Bolina, winner of the $100,000 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, describes the experience of winning as “like a kick in the chest without any of the hurt, or like the ceiling was falling on my head but in a good way.” His collection examines the fluidity of language and the complexities of cultural belonging. “You don’t write a poem with the idea that you’ll win this kind of prize,” he reflects. “You’re so fixated on the writing that anything like this feels like an absolute thunderclap.”

Benson, whose debut collection earned her the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, explores Black Americans’ historical and contemporary relationship with nature. Inspired by her return to her Southern Virginia roots during the pandemic, Black Pastoral reflects on the way history continues to shape the present. “Today especially, there is a push to put these events behind us,” she says. “But those who are descendants of these events, these peoples, know nothing could be further from the truth.”

“Poetry gives language to the otherwise inexpressible,” says Lori Anne Ferrell, Director of the Tufts Poetry Awards. “We desperately need the singular vocabulary—the exacting consolation—offered to us by this year’s winning poets.”
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Read more about Bolina and Benson’s journeys, creative processes, and the impact of their work in our latest blog: https://www.cgu.edu/news/2025/02/tufts-poetry-award-winners-reflect-on-poetry-identity-and-the-american-landscape/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=tufts

to 1952! 📖

Honnold Library has always served the entire Claremont Colleges community, providing access to invaluable resources. Then and now, our commitment to knowledge remains strong.

🗞️As part of that mission, Claremont Colleges students, faculty, and staff have complimentary full online access to The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. In addition to these three publications, the majority of our newspaper access is through databases, meaning that articles are available as PDFs or HTML. 📰

Explore our newspaper access guide at: https://libguides.libraries.claremont.edu/newspapers 🔗

“The rigorous curriculum and the emphasis on leadership and management in public health equipped me with the essential skills needed to address complex health challenges.”

As a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) graduate, Dr. Douglas Adu-Fokuo applies his CGU education to create lasting impact—leading Prevention and Remediation of ACEs and Toxic Stress (PRATS) initiatives at Heluna Health, serving as a Behavioral Health Consultant, and managing community outreach projects across 354+ communities in Ghana.

“I am proud to apply the knowledge and skills I gained at CGU to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and communities locally, nationally, and globally.” 🌍

Be part of a program that prepares you to lead in public health. Register for our upcoming info session on DrPH at https://www.cgu.edu/events/ 🔗

It’s Not Too Late to Start Your MBA This Spring!
 
Looking for a flexible MBA designed for working professionals? There’s still time to apply for Spring Mod 2 at the Drucker School of Management! Classes start March 24—don’t miss your chance to take the next step in your career.
 
📍 Here’s how you can get started:
✅ Apply now for Spring Mod 2
✅ Visit campus and experience the Drucker School firsthand
✅ Connect with our admissions team to learn more
 
Make this spring the season you invest in your future. Don’t wait—Spring classes start soon!
 
🔗 Link in bio to apply or schedule a visit.
 

🌟 Notice anything different? Our campus is getting a fresh look with new banners celebrating ! And there’s more to come! 🎉

Join us on March 1 for our Spring Centennial Celebration and experience the excitement in person. Register now to be part of the celebration! 🎓✨ https://admissions.cgu.edu/register/springcentennial

For Bob and Ethel Rogers, CGU was more than just a place of learning—it was where their academic journeys flourished, their careers took shape, and where they found each other ❤️

“I was at CGU from 1970 for 32 years. It was known as Claremont Graduate School then!” – Ethel Rogers, Alumna and Staff

She began her career transcribing interviews for the oral history department before moving into the School of Education. At the same time, she pursued her own education—earning her associate degree at Mt. SAC, then her bachelor’s at Pitzer College, and finally, a master’s in education at CGU. “Five years after I started my AA, I got my master’s in education, working with Daryl Smith in CGU’s School of Education.”

Ethel built a career rooted in learning and leadership, eventually becoming Associate Director for the Community College Leadership Development Institute. In this role, she helped shape the future of education before retiring.

Bob’s path to CGU was one of discovery. A self-proclaimed “difficult student,” he had searched for an institution that truly valued knowledge, collaboration, and personal growth. “I had lunch with some professors and administrators, and what I found was a place that I had been searching for my entire college career.” – Bob Rogers, Alumnus

At CGU, Bob found a unique learning environment—one that focused on the individual rather than a rigid institutional mold. With the support of dedicated mentors, he experienced an academic culture that was personal and adaptive. “There wasn’t just one person. It was everyone. And they didn’t have a script. They keyed into what you needed and what you wanted to do and helped you do just that.”

And in the midst of it all, Bob and Ethel met at CGU. Thirty years of marriage later, their story remains a testament to the lifelong connections built within this community.

As we celebrate 100 years of CGU, we honor the alumni, faculty, and staff who have shaped our institution—and each other ✨

We want to hear from you! Share your CGU memories by submitting a story or booking a time to record with us: https://100.cgu.edu/community-memories 🔗

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The CGU Dean of Students Office invites you to our February Disability Services Drop-in Hours. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, explore resources, and receive support.

We are proud to announce that Lijie Niu, a PhD student in our School of Community and Global Health, has been awarded the prestigious American Heart Association(AHA) Pre-doctoral Fellowship. This honor recognizes her innovative research on how psychosocial stressors across the life course influence long-term health outcomes, particularly metabolism and cardiovascular health.

Q💬: What does this fellowship mean to you?
A: “This is an incredible honor that reaffirms the significance of my research," says Niu. "With this support, I can fully commit to advancing my work and applying rigorous statistical models to untangle these complex relationships and generate insights that drive future interventions and public health strategies.”

Q💬: How will it support your research?
A: “This award allows me to apply advanced statistical models to uncover patterns in BMI changes over time and better understand how life-course stressors shape long-term health," she explains. "Additionally, this fellowship supports academic growth and collaboration, enabling me to present my findings at conferences, engage with leading experts, and contribute to ongoing discussions in public health and epidemiology.”

Q💬: What impact will this have on your future?
A: “This fellowship brings me one step closer to becoming an independent researcher. It strengthens the foundation for my future work in public health and supports my goal of contributing meaningful insights that shape future interventions and policies."

Niu adds that she is deeply grateful to the AHA for supporting her research and believing in her potential. “I also appreciate my mentor’s invaluable guidance, my colleagues’ collaboration and feedback, and my family’s unwavering encouragement—all of which have been instrumental in my growth as a researcher."

Congratulations, Lijie, on this well-deserved recognition!

🕒 3 minutes
📊 1 slide
🎯 Your pitch for any research, project, or art.

This year, The Big Pitch is online on Feb 28 and open to all CGU students at any stage of their academic journey. Through this unique event, attendees learn about exciting research from across the university, and competitors develop their communication skills and compete for a $1000 grand prize!

💡 Need some guidance? Join us for The Big Pitch Strategy Session on Wednesday, Feb 5 at 12 PM to learn how to craft a winning pitch. Can't make it live? Register anyway and get access to the recording!

🔗 Register to compete by February 10, 2025! Don’t miss this opportunity to engage, inspire, and make your research matter.

Visit:
https://my.cgu.edu/writing-rhetoric/the-big-pitch/

Teacher. Abolitionist. Businesswoman. Suffragist. Reformer. Feminist.
 
Ellen Browning Scripps was a trailblazer who transcended the norms of her time, achieving what few women of her era could: independence, wealth, and a lasting legacy. A college graduate in 1859—a rarity for women then—she deeply valued the transformative power of education. This belief would lead her to a pivotal role in shaping the Claremont we know today.
 
In 1914, James Blaisdell, founder of the Claremont Colleges, reached out to Miss Scripps with a vision—a letter that would spark a collaboration destined to change generations of students’ lives:
 
“Although I have not had the privilege of meeting you... I am venturing to write to you regarding this matter... In the midst of the many beautiful and helpful things which you are doing, I know that your hands are more than full. But I think you will feel that the matter is important.”
 
Scripps listened, recognizing Blaisdell’s dream of a consortium of colleges as a cause worthy of her passion for education. Together, their partnership laid the foundation for what would become the Claremont Colleges, creating opportunities for learning and growth that endure to this day.

🌙✨ Happy Lunar New Year from CGU! As we welcome the Year of the Snake, we celebrate new beginnings, prosperity, and the strength of community 🐍
 

🏮 Tag someone to send them good fortune and well wishes for the year ahead.

Congratulations to Professor Linda M. Perkins, Director of Applied Gender Studies, whose book, “To Advance the Race: Black Women’s Higher Education from the Antebellum Era to the 1960s,” has been named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2024!

This prestigious award is based on:
✨Excellence in presentation and scholarship
✨Significance of the contribution to the field
✨Originality as an essential treatment of the subject
✨Value in building undergraduate library collections

Professor Perkins’ research provides a vital contribution to understanding the transformative role of Black women in higher education. This award underscores the impact and importance of her scholarship.

Join the School of Educational Studies (SES) at Claremont Graduate University (CGU) as we celebrate 100 years of leadership in education with an exclusive conversation featuring three extraordinary superintendents reshaping the educational landscape. In this engaging session, Transformational Superintendents: Real Talk from Alum Leading School Communities, hear directly from distinguished doctoral alumni Gudiel Crosthwaite, Darneika Watson, and Christi Barrett. These inspiring leaders are driving meaningful change and transforming their districts into thriving environments for students and educators alike.

This isn’t just a presentation, this in-person event is a rare opportunity to connect with leaders driving innovation and equity in education. Whether you’re an aspiring school leader, educator, or advocate for education, you’ll leave inspired and equipped to make a difference.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with transformational leaders who are igniting change in Southern California and beyond.

Register now to secure your spot! https://admissions.cgu.edu/register/ses-250203

Mark your calendars for our Spring 2025 Visiting Artist Lectures! 🗓️ Times TBA
-February 19th Umar Rashid
- March 5th Tiffany Chow
-April 9th Roksana Pirouzmand
-April 30th Gisela Colón

“The Claremont Graduate University's Kingsley & Kate Tufts Poetry Awards reflect the power of poetry to illuminate and deepen our understanding of the world,” said Lori Anne Ferrell, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, and Director of the Kingsley and Kate Tufts Poetry Awards. “We honor these poets for their artistry and their ability to distill the complexities of human experience into resonant and enduring works.”

With $100,000 for the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award—the largest monetary prize in the world for a single poetry collection—and $10,000 for the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, these prizes provide poets with the freedom to focus fully on their craft.

The two winners will be personally contacted on February 1, 2025, by CGU Interim President Tim Kirley, a tradition underscoring the university’s commitment to celebrating the artists who give voice to human experience through poetry.

📖 Learn more about the finalists and their extraordinary contributions to poetry on our blog: https://arts.cgu.edu/tufts-poetry-awards/winners-finalists/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=tufts