51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú

Spotlight on Seniors: Rui-Jie Yew ’21 Explores the Human Side of Computer Science

Although Yew is majoring in computer science and mathematics through Harvey Mudd College, she credits her 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú courses, particularly the Core Curriculum in Interdisciplinary Humanities, with introducing her to the types of projects and questions that solidified her academic interests.

Senior Artists Explore Being Apart, Staying Together in Virtual Exhibition

The annual senior art exhibition is the capstone of 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’ studio art major. Seniors conceptualize an exhibition, install their pieces, draft artist statements and wall texts, and publicize the event as part of their senior theses. Usually on display at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, this tradition has necessarily been disrupted; but that’s not stopping these artists from showing their work.

Then and Now: Members of 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’ Class of 2020 Reflect on Their Four Years at 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú

In 2016, we interviewed some of 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’ incoming Class of 2020 about their aspirations as they embarked on their 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú journeys. Now, as these graduating seniors take their courageous next step in the midst of global uncertainty, they reflect on how they’ve grown and adapted since first arriving on campus.

The Laws of Motion: Senior Catherine Allen Combines Sports, Critical Race Studies, and the Law

This past January, Catherine Allen ’20 attended the 2020 NCAA Immersion Program, which brought 40 minority Division III (D-III) student athletes from across the country to the NCAA Conference. The program aimed to expose students to the business aspect of the organization, provide education on the process of working in athletic administration, and define and embrace the qualities of young future leaders.

Spotlight on Academics: Senior Art Exhibition: Rooms of Our Own

The Senior Art Exhibition is a cornerstone of the studio art major at 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú. Each year, the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery features artworks by graduating seniors that constitute their thesis projects. In addition to making the works on view, the seniors conceptualize the exhibition, install their pieces, draft artist statements and wall texts, and publicize the event.

Class of 2018: Graffiti Wall

Since 1931, 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’ graduating seniors have participated in what has become an essential rite of passage at the College: the signing of Graffiti Wall. Each year, seniors choose a mural design from student-submitted illustrations to paint on the wall, and then the entire graduating class adds its signatures. Graffiti Wall is a visual reminder of 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú’ history and reflects the changing tastes and attitudes of students over the decades.

Class of 2018: Carmen Abbe ’18: 5C Roller Derby Team Founder Is on a Track to Medical School

Carmen Abbe ’18, a human biology major from Seattle, has balanced her time at 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú between taking science and humanities courses and playing on the roller derby team she founded as a first-year student. After graduation, she hopes to continue incorporating her passions; Abbe has her sights set on attending medical school, expanding on her thesis research, and engaging with the derby community in Seattle.

The 5C Women’s Roller Derby team, which began as a casual club with a few intermittent members, has grown into an official intramural 5C sports team, now 25 members strong. It is one of only four collegiate teams in the U.S. and regularly participates in monthly Inland Empire scrimmages. In 2018, the team attracted enough members to be able to host about against another team from Arizona State University. The event was the first-ever interstate, intercollegiate roller derby match.

Class of 2018: Noor Hamdy ’18: Making a Difference in the Lives of Local Refugees

When Noor Hamdy ’18 left her home in San Diego to begin a new journey at 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú, she knew she wanted to take classes in the College’s interdisciplinary Middle East and North Africa studies and Arabic programs. While Hamdy has explored these fields and more in her time at 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú, she also discovered a passion for tackling problems closer to home and social work that shaped the course of her future plans.

Capstone Day: Mandeep Sandhu Brings a Religious Perspective to STEM

Growing up in Granada Hills, California, Mandeep Sandhu ’18 was “the kid digging in the garden identifying insects or creating mini science projects in the kitchen,” as she recalls. While her interest in science grew out of a desire to “better understand the physical world,” Sandhu was also drawn to learning about spiritual aspects of existence.

Awards and Honors: Erin Matheson ’18 Awarded Davis Projects for Peace Fellowship to Pursue Diabetes Prevention in Chile

Erin Matheson ’18, a biochemistry major from Golden, Colorado, has always had an inclination toward the sciences and public benefit. “All my life, I’ve been inspired by people who have used scientific applications to improve the everyday lives of others,” she says. This summer, funded by a $10,000 grant through Davis Projects for Peace, Matheson will travel to Chile to establish a preventative diabetes program there. Her project, “Community Health: Comprehensive Approaches to Diabetes Prevention in Valparaíso, Chile,” will take a holistic approach to prevention, focusing on nutrition and exercise as well as pre-screenings and medical care.