Pitzer College

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Tours

1. Admission Tour

   Welcome! This tour will help you get acquainted with Pitzer College and show you some of the things that make Pitzer unique.

   Stops

   1. Office of Admission

      Welcome! This tour will help you get acquainted with Pitzer College and show you some of the things that make Pitzer unique. You are starting by Pitzer Hall, right outside of the Admission Office.

      
      Pitzer College, founded in 1963, was named for orange grower and philanthropist Russell K. Pitzer (1878-1978). The College emphasizes environmental and interdisciplinary studies, the arts, humanities and social, behavioral and natural sciences. With approximately 1,000 students, Pitzer College is part of The Claremont Colleges, a unique consortium of five undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions. The contiguous campuses share numerous programs and facilities. At Pitzer, students have access to all the resources of a major university while enjoying all the benefits of a liberal arts college experience and its personalized approach to education.

   2. Gold Student Health & Wellness Center

      The Gold Student Health and Wellness Center has a fully-equipped gym, a yoga studio and a Pilates studio. It is also home of the Shakedown Cafe, a student-run eatery and the Dolores Huerta room, a space for our Latinx Student Union. Outside, you’ll find our beautiful terrace and pool, open year-round so you can enjoy the California sun at any time.

   3. Pitzer-Atherton-Sanborn Halls

      Pitzer, Atherton and Sanborn Halls, known as PAS to its residents, are where all first-year students reside. The Dean of Students, two faculty-in-residence, and the Residence Director, a full-time professional staff member, all support students living in PAS. There are also a limited number of single rooms in PAS for upper-level students. 

      
      Pitzer’s sustainable mission extends to our residence halls: PAS is Gold LEED-certified and features a grey water system, smart air conditioning and a rooftop garden. . By swinging open the top half of their Dutch doors, students can not only let in the breeze  (and thereby reduce energy consumption!) but also encourages classmates to strike up a conversation as they pass by. Most PAS rooms are doubles; two doubles (a suite) share a bathroom that has two sinks, a toilet room and a shower.

      
      These mixed-use buildings also house the Office of Admission, the mailroom, the Lenzner Family Art Gallery, art studios and a seminar room.

      
      The landscaping here and throughout the grounds is part of the John Rodman Arboretum, an integral part of campus. Climate-appropriate and drought-tolerant native plants and succulents dominate the landscaping, and native field stone is used here and throughout campus. It’s an environmentally responsible setting for a college located in the San Gabriel alluvial scrub country of Southern California. If you get a chance to visit, keep an eye out for the lizard-shaped succulent beds around campus.

   4. West, East & Skandera Halls (WES)

      These four mixed-use buildings house approximately 300 sophomores, juniors and seniors. West, East and Skandera Halls have 67 suites with two double-occupancy rooms that share a bathroom. There are also ten suites with four single rooms, a shared bathroom and a common room. Juniors and seniors are eligible to apply to live in single rooms. Dutch doors and niches with benches are some of the features shared with Pitzer-Atherton-Sanborn Halls.

      
      Opened in August 2012, WES was awarded LEED Platinum certification by the US Green Building Council, its highest rating. The sustainable features in these buildings include solar panels, a green roof and living wall. A greywater system, drought-tolerant landscaping and water-efficient fixtures all help conserve water on campus. There are also detention basins, granite paths and permeable pavers similar to PAS. A green belt that is equal in size to the footprint area of the buildings is maintained around the buildings.

      
      

      Skandera Hall also features a demonstration kitchen which is open to students 24/7 and is used for cooking demonstrations as well as classes throughout the year.

       

   5. Laura E. Skandera Hall

      Skandera Hall has several seminar-style classrooms. Classes at Pitzer are mostly discussion-based with an emphasis on involvement and student-faculty interaction. Courses are taught by full-time tenured faculty. Pitzer's student/faculty ratio is 10:1, one of the lowest in the country.
      
      Fourteen study rooms and three study nooks throughout West, Skandera and East Halls provide quiet, private study spaces where individuals or groups can work on classwork.
      The Pitzer Conference Room is in Skandera Hall. The lobby has a mosaic of the Pitzer seal with the motto “Provida Futuri,” Mindful of the Future, by the same artist who created the mosaic in the Admission lobby.
      
      West Hall is also home to the Office of Study Abroad and International Programs, the Kallick Family Art Gallery, the Mosbacher/Gartrell Center for Media Experimentation and Activism and Intercollegiate Media Studies. There are computer and digital photography labs and ten media studies editing suites.

   6. Front of Skandera Hall

      Looking north, you can see the San Gabriel Mountains and Mt. San Antonio, affectionately known as Mt. Baldy, the highest mountain in the San Gabriel range at 10,068 feet. It is capped with snow much of the winter providing a juxtaposition of snow, palm trees and students enjoying the sun on the Mounds. The Outback Preserve is at the top of the curved service road and is home to several endangered species of plants. Each semester there are courses that use the Outback Preserve as a living-learning laboratory. If you look just to the north (towards the mountains), you’ll see Harvey Mudd College.

      
      Founded by Pitzer students in 2001, the Green Bike Program (GBP) provides the community with free loaner bikes, encouraging eco-friendly transportation around The Claremont Colleges. This student-run organization promotes cycling, bike safety and sustainability. The GBP reuses and recycles old bikes and repairs are free – students only pay for the cost of parts! The GBP also organizes cycling events.

   7. Organic Garden & Chicken Coop

      We are now by the organic gardens and chicken coop. Our gardening club tends to the gardens every week. We also have a small flock of chickens that are very popular among the community. Some lucky students can even  become their caretakers!

      
      Just north of this walk is Pitzer's outdoor classroom, another great way to enjoy the sunny Southern California weather while diving into your studies.

   8. Grove House

      Built in 1902, the Grove House, an arts and crafts bungalow, arrived on campus in 1977 after students and their professor purchased it for $1. Funds were raised to move it from its original location in Claremont, and then to renovate it. When it opened in early 1980, it became a campus social center and symbol of the College.
      
      Today, the student-staffed Grove House kitchen makes sandwiches, salads, pressed juices and it’s famous cookies, all from scratch. Several clubs also use the Grove House as their meeting space including Groove at the Grove, a dance club, and Pitzer Outdoor Activities which sponsors trips to local destinations like Malibu and Joshua Tree National Park. A student caretaker, a member of the senior class, lives in the Grove House.

      
      A small grove just north of the Grove House is planted with a variety of citrus trees. Between this grove and other trees planted in the gardens around the Grove House, there are about 50 citrus trees on campus Community members are welcome to pick fruit for their own enjoyment!

      
      Built and dedicated in 1970, the Brant Clock Tower is a campus landmark. Many community events such as the One Night Only music festival take place near the tower and on the clock tower lawn.

   9. Nichols Art Gallery

      The Nichols Gallery, located in Broad Center, is committed to solo and group exhibitions by emerging and established national and international artists. The Lenzner Family Art Gallery, located across campus in Atherton Hall, is a space for risk and experimentation dedicated to emerging artists working in all media.
      
      
      The Pitzer College Art Galleries’ mandate is Education and Advocacy through the Pitzer College core values—social responsibility, intercultural understanding, interdisciplinary learning, student engagement, and environmental sustainability. By following these precepts, Pitzer College Art Galleries engage and interrogate contemporary and historical issues of importance to expand our audiences’ understanding and contributions to our artistic, intellectual, and social culture. Through curatorial creativity and innovative programming, the Galleries seek to provide context, support, and a critical framework for artists and curators working today and, by doing so, inspire meaningful dialogue that fascinates, excites, and invigorates.

   10. The Mounds

       The Mounds, officially named Pellissier Mall, is the grassy area that runs from the Brant Clock Tower Lawn on the north edge of campus to McConnell Center on the south end. On nice days the Mounds is a hub of activity with students studying, listening to music, slack-lining and relaxing. When the weather is nice, professors often hold classes on the Mounds. 

       
       Three major student-run festivals are held every spring at Pitzer: the Latinx Student Union-sponsored Rockabilly Festival, the Black Student Union-sponsored One Night Only (ONO) R&B and Hip Hop Festival, and Kohoutek, a music and arts festival (named for the less-than-spectacular comet that appeared in 1973). The first annual Kohoutek Festival was held in early 1974 on a stage set up in front of McConnell Center which we will be seeing later on the tour.

       
       Benson Auditorium, the largest event space on campus, faces the Mounds and hosts distinguished speakers and academics such as the yearly Distinguished Scientist Lecture, Redford Conservancy lectures with environmental experts, the Glass Humanities Lecture and the series held each year by the Munroe Center for Social Inquiry, centered around a theme that continues the pursuit of interdisciplinary learning and public inquiry.

       
       

        

   11. Scott Courtyard (Academic Quad)

       Scott Courtyard is Pitzer’s main academic quad. Classrooms, administrative offices and faculty offices are located in the buildings that surround the courtyard. Something unique to Pitzer is the way faculty are organized into field groups rather than departments. Field groups determine major requirements and courses and feature professors from different academic backgrounds exploring topics from a variety of disciplines. That means that a professor of sociology might have an office right next to a professor of environmental analysis or media studies, a setup that encourages collaboration and interdisciplinary learning across fields of study. 

       
       All first-year students are assigned an adviser based on their academic interests. Faculty advisers assist students in selecting classes and help them meet their academic and major requirements. Professors also regularly hold office hours and are always on hand to provide additional assistance. Without graduate students, our undergrads have access to research opportunities beginning in their first year.

       
       The Pit-Stop Café in the Scott Courtyard is a cozy place to grab a cup of coffee or a quick snack. The Pit-Stop offers sandwiches, salads, snacks and more prepared by kitchen staff. On any given day, you’ll find students relaxing between classes or meeting with staff and faculty.

   12. Scott Hall

       Scott Hall is the oldest building on campus. It is one of two buildings that was here when the College opened its doors in September 1964. It is home to the Office of Student Affairs, Career Services, the Office of the Dean of Faculty and the Community Engagement Center. The Community Engagement Center partners with local community-based organizations like Jumpstart which supports local underserved elementary schools, Camp Afflerbaugh-Paige where students engage in creative expression exercises with incarcerated youth, and the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, a place where day laborers can learn about and advocate for their rights.

       
       

       The gardens in front of Scott Hall and Broad Center, to the north, was designed by students in a class called Eco-logical Landscaping, allowing the community to have a direct impact on the creation and maintenance of the gardens. Six different ecosystems are melded into unique areas: riparian, desert, chaparral, grasslands, oak woodlands and coastal sage scrub.

   13. The Nucleus

       The Nucleus houses the Department of Natural Sciences, a joint science program by Pitzer and Scripps Colleges. Study areas, classrooms, laboratories and faculty offices are intermingled, and professors and students interact regularly. Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Neuroscience, Environmental Science and Management Engineering are all housed within The Nucleus.

       
       When you walk across the street to The Nucleus, you can appreciate how close the five Claremont Colleges are: Harvey Mudd is to the north, Scripps is to the west, Claremont McKenna is to the south, and Pomona is one block southwest. Pitzer students are encouraged to take advantage of the combined resources and often take up to a third of their courses at another Claremont through cross-registration.

       
       The Colleges also share the library, bookstore, student health and counseling services, Campus Safety and programs and offices such as Chicanx-Latinx Student Affairs, the Office of Black Student Affairs and the Queer Resource Center. Honnold-Mudd Library has approximately 2 million volumes, 6,000 periodicals and online journals, making it the fifth largest private library in California.

   14. Sanborn Lot

       Juniors and seniors are allowed to bring cars to campus. Our campus is extremely walkable and many students ride bikes, skateboards and scooters. Other options include ZipCars which can be rented by the hour and the Metrolink rail system that connects Claremont to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. Pitzer vans are also available to check out for student activities. Downtown Claremont, known as the Village, is within walking distance of campus. 

       
       A trivia note: this parking lot is still called Sanborn parking lot because one of Pitzer’s original residence halls, Sanborn Hall, used to stand in the space the volleyball court and Commencement Plaza now occupy.

   15. Bridges of Change Mural

       “Bridges of Change” was painted in 2013 by muralist Paul Santoleri and a group of students. There are over 100 student-created murals in art spaces and on buildings throughout campus. These are approved by the Aesthetics Committee which is made up of students, faculty and staff members or by the hall council.
       
       Pitzer students often turn to art as a form of expression: the “free wall” on Mead Hall is a space where all students are invited to start conversations about local and global issues through art. 

   16. Sports Courts

       Students and the community use these basketball and sand volleyball courts to play pick-up games, and you’ll often find furry friends running around the fields as their owners participate in roller derby or beach volleyball. There are no team sports facilities on Pitzer’s campus, but our Pomona-Pitzer facilities can be found on the north side of Pomona’s campus. Pitzer joins with Pomona College in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) as the Sagehens. There are twenty-one Division III intercollegiate teams including soccer, basketball, football, baseball, track & field, golf, tennis, water polo and swimming & diving. Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps also share a team, known as CMS, and are our fiercest rivals! Pitzer students also participate in The Claremont Colleges club sports programs that compete nationally, and these club teams include everything from rugby to badminton. A wide variety of intramural sports are also available to all students. 

       
       The Stephen L. Glass Commencement Plaza is just to the north of the courts. It is named for Professor of Classics Stephen Glass, a founding faculty member who taught at Pitzer from 1964 until his retirement in 2011, a run of 47 years! Every May, Pitzer's graduation ceremony takes place on the Commencement Plaza lawn followed by a reception on the Mounds.

   17. McConnell Center & Dining Hall

       Our dining hall is located in McConnell Center. There are seven dining halls located throughout the five Claremont Colleges and Pitzer students have access to all of them. Daily menus are published online and can be accessed through a Claremont Colleges app for meal planning on-the-go. The dining hall sponsors theme nights like Taco Tuesdays, steak night and sushi night. Our farm-to-fork model means there are always a wide variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. The dining hall is trayless (a student-led initiative), which cuts down on food and water waste. It also features green, reusable take-out boxes for food.

       
       Students can select a meal plan with either 12 or 16 meals per week. Each plan comes with flex dollars that can be used in the dining halls, on-campus eateries, Huntley Bookstore, laundry facilities and even at some businesses in Claremont.  

       
       McConnell Center also houses the Office of Financial Aid, Human Resources and a ceramics art studio and kilns.

        

   18. Mead Hall and Holden Gardens

       Mead Hall, the oldest residence hall on campus, is an upper-level residence hall with suites that feature a shared common room, four single rooms and two double rooms. Mead Hall is also home to the Writing Center, the Office of Communications and the Center for Asian Pacific American Students (CAPAS).
       
       The Holden Garden is to the south of Mead Hall.

       
       

        

   19. Return to Admission

       We hope you have enjoyed your virtual visit to our campus. Please contact the Admission Office with any additional questions, sign up for our mailing list or reach out to your regional representative if you want to connect about your college search process. Any additional information you need can be found at www.pitzer.edu.  

       
       

       www.pitzer.edu/admission