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T H E WOM EN ’ S COLLEG E · CL A R E MON T
Honor your reunion with a gift to The Scripps Fund Reunion giving brings Scripps classes together in a powerful tradition of generosity and community. Your gift today, no matter the amount, demonstrates how collective participation can transform the College and ensures that future students benefit from the same extraordinary education that shaped your life. Past reunion classes have set inspiring examples, including creating new scholarships and funding academic programs. Your class can continue that tradition and make its own mark. Join your classmates in celebrating your reunion with a gift that honors the past, strengthens the present, and builds the future. Make an impact by scanning the QR code or donating online at scrippscollege.edu/fall25.
First-year incoming Scripps students in 1950
First-year incoming Scripps students in 2025
PRESIDENT’S VISION As the fall semester of my third full year as president of Scripps College concludes, I’m reflecting on the enormous honor of serving in this role. I have had the privilege to lead Scripps through transformative successes, including the Scripps Access Initiative, which now stands at $9.7 million in new scholarships; the opening of The Nucleus science center, culminating a yearslong collaboration between Scripps and Pitzer Colleges; and starting construction on the Centennial Plaza Project, which will define Scripps’ arts district and connect it to the historic center of campus. None of these triumphs would have materialized without you, our tightknit network of alums, families, and friends! Last year, I was delighted to communicate the news of the $5.2 million gift from Carolyn Lake ’54 to support the Centennial Plaza Project. I am thrilled to announce that the Carolyn Lake Claremont Foundation has generously pledged an additional $10 million toward the project! This benevolent gift will support the adaptive reuse of the East 10th Street building and Scripps’ highly anticipated, state-of-the-art Carolyn Lake Dance Center, named in her honor. I look forward to providing details about the plaza’s celebratory groundbreaking ceremony in early 2026. We are also months away from officially launching Scripps’ Centennial Celebration! The first 100 years represent a milestone in the life of the College, and many members of the Scripps community have been diligently preparing events, exhibitions, performances, and presentations to celebrate our enduring impact. Be sure to join us on campus for our first Centennial Celebration event, held during Reunion Weekend 2026, to help us honor the world's most decorated gymnast in history Simone Biles as our fourth recipient of the Ellen Browning Scripps Medal! For more details, visit scrippscollege.edu/centennial. The College’s mission to educate women to lead lives of leadership, service, integrity, and creativity remains intact and strong. I find daily inspiration in our shared fortitude and commitment to preserve all that Scripps has accomplished over the last century, and I’m excited about what the future holds.
With deep gratitude for your ongoing support, For more details, visit scrippscollege.edu/centennial Amy Marcus-Newhall President of Scripps College
PRESIDENT’S VISION
Contents FALL 2025
04
BRAGGING RIGHTS
06
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Director and Sally Preston Swan Librarian for the Ella Strong Denison Library Jennifer Martinez Wormser ’95 spotlights how Denison is embracing emerging technology.
07
SCRIPPS MAGAZINE Scripps is published twice a year by the Scripps College Office of Marketing and Communications. STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS
Scripps welcomes Valerie
Binti Harvey Vice President for External Relations and Institutional Advancement
Newcomb as the College’s Title IX and civil rights coordinator. Read
Carolyn Robles Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications Maureen Panos Director for Creative and Editorial Strategy Emily Peters Senior Communications Manager Caitlin Antonios Writer/Editor Christina Kelly Senior Graphic Designer Kendra Pintor Advancement Writer David Torralva and Elisa Ferrari Photography
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: TITLE IX COORDINATOR VALERIE NEWCOMB
about her journey to Scripps and her goals for this critical role.
10
SEEN & HEARD
Highlights from this season of Scripps Presents.
Rymie Feature and cover illustration Tara Attanasio ’26 Contributing Student Writer Lauren Mar ’25 Contributing Alum Writer DISTINC_ Design and Art Direction Precision Services Group Printing Scripps College 1030 Columbia Avenue, P.O. Box 2004 (USPS #486-940) Claremont, CA 91711 © 2025 Scripps College
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PLANNED POWER
Discover how music, dance, art, and access are thriving thanks to two alums, Elizabeth “Betsy” Reinhold ’57 and Elizabeth Rosemary Plane Sage ’44.
14
PINTOR DE POEMAS: UNSEEN WORKS BY ALFREDO RAMOS MARTÍNEZ
Scripps’ Flower Vendors was his last mural, but not his last word. In this landmark exhibition, rare works demand a new look at the artistic legacy of Alfredo Ramos Martínez.
16
STAINED GLASS AT SCRIPPS
28
SCRIPPS WELCOMES ITS NEWEST CLASS
ALUM AND FAMILY NEWS
Dive into the stained-glass tradition at Scripps, where each window holds a history centered in community, the pursuit of knowledge, and a love of public art.
20
FEATURE
NAVIGATING THE AI ERA
30
MANUSCRIPPS
31
ANNUAL REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
32
CLASS NOTES
34
REMEMBRANCES
35
ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT LETTER
36
ALUMNAE & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR
38
PARENT LEADERSHIP CIRCLE CO-CHAIRS
40
THE STUDENT LENS
From holding dinosaur bones to delicate prints, art history major Tara
AI is one of the most pressing challenges we face today.
Attanasio ’26 shares highlights from
Read how students, faculty, and alums are adapting to a new
interning with the Ruth Chandler
landscape while remaining close to Scripps’ liberal arts roots.
Williamson Gallery.
Bragging Rights
Scripps College Academy cohort
SCRIPPS COLLEGE ACADEMY
SCRIPPS RECOGNIZED
Scripps College Academy (SCA),
AS TOP COLLEGE
beautiful campus, quality of life for
a program designed to help first-
Scripps College has once again
students, and overall value, and
generation students with limited
emerged as a top institution on
claimed the number one spot for
resources enroll in college,
multiple rankings lists for 2025–
student experience in The Wall
continues strong with its new
26! US News & World Report
Street Journal’s rankings—for the
cohort of 46 juniors and seniors
ranked Scripps #37 among
second year running!
from 21 high schools. Scholars
national liberal arts colleges and
spent two weeks immersed in
named the College best for
Scripps life, attending faculty
undergraduate teaching and first-
ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
lectures and participating in five
year student experience. The
The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
research projects in STEM, the
College is also one of Forbes’ 2026
Athletics Ted Ducey Hall of Fame
arts, and poetry. To support
top colleges offering the “best
has inducted Elena Goss ’96 for her
SCA, scan the QR code here and
educational, financial, and career
accomplishments in diving. Goss’s
select “Scripps College Academy”
outcomes for all students, from all
efforts helped the Athenas clinch
as the designation or visit
backgrounds” and made the 2025
Southern California Intercollegiate
scrippscollege.edu/fall25.
Top Small Colleges list of just 50
Athletic Conference titles in 1995
institutions nationwide. Scripps
and 1996, and she was named the
continues to be named as one of
Scripps Athlete of the Year as a
The Princeton Review’s “Best of
senior. Congratulations to Elena
the West” colleges in categories
and our mighty Athenas!
encompassing classroom
4
experience, college dorms, most
FALL 2025
CLAREMONT-MUDD-SCRIPPS
FACULTY GRANTS
grants to participate in research
milestone 107 awardees received
AND RESEARCH
projects or teach English across
grants totaling $341,750 to
Five Scripps faculty members
six countries. Students have also
complete internships with the
from the Department of Natural
received recent awards from the
Asian Pacific American Labor
Sciences have received an
Barry Goldwater Scholarship, the
Alliance, the Peggy Guggenheim
incredible combined $1.65 million
Thomas J. Watson Fellowship,
Collection, Rady Children’s
in research funding! Assistant
the Napier Initiative, the Mellon-
Hospital San Diego, the Chicago
Professor of Chemistry Sierra
Mays Undergraduate Fellowship,
Sky (WNBA), Haghighi Lab at
Williams received a $457,000
Projects for Peace, the Critical
the Buck Institute for Research
National Institutes of Health
Language Scholarship Program,
on Aging, the HDFC Bank Limited
(NIH) grant; Professor of
and the Gilman Scholarship
in India, and others. To support
Chemistry Anna Wenzel received
Program. Additionally, nine
students’ professional
a $250,000 National Science
students received summer
development, scan the QR code
Foundation (NSF) grant;
awards for independent research
or visit scrippscollege.edu/fall25
Associate Professor of Biology
on a wide range of subjects,
and select “Internships” as
Pete Chandrangsu and Professor
including optimizing food
the designation.
of Chemistry and Environmental
security for US immigrants,
Science Katie Purvis-Roberts
exploring queer female agency
received a $445,636 NSF grant;
in speculative fiction, and the
and Professor of Chemistry
molecular mechanisms behind
Aaron Leconte received a
Parkinson’s disease.
$503,000 NIH grant. Cheers to our incredible faculty!
WELCOME NEW FACULTY Scripps is delighted to welcome
SUMMER INTERNSHIPS
four new tenure-track faculty
Scripps’ Office of Career Planning
members: Assistant Professor of
STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
& Resources (CP&R) continues to
Art History Patricia Yu, Assistant
Scripps College remains a top
expand summer internship grants
Professor of Media Studies
Fulbright producer! Seven Scripps
to create equitable, real-world
Vincent Roca, Assistant Professor
students and recent alums
career opportunities for our
of Physics Trung (Average) Van
received prestigious Fulbright
students. This summer, a
Phan, and Assistant Professor of Biology Mihoko Kato. We’re also delighted to have Consortium for Diversity Fellow Amy Lee, Visiting Professor of Politics Julia (Djoolia) Morris, and Visiting Professor in American Studies Julio Orellana join Scripps’ esteemed faculty. WANT TO KNOW MORE? Scripps’ 2024–25 Annual Report is available online! Discover highlights of student research, awards, faculty grants, graduate outcomes, and more. Visit annualreport.scrippscollege.edu or scan the QR code.
CMS Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Elena Goss ’96 and her family
BRAGGING RIGHTS
5
From the Archives FROM TYPEWRITERS TO AI: DENISON LIBRARY
By Jennifer Martinez Wormser ’95,
Director and Sally Preston Swan Librarian for the Ella Strong Denison Library
Fast forward to today, and
We streamline access to learning
transformational technology has
by organizing, synthesizing, and
continued to shift Denison from a
sharing large amounts of textual
locally accessed resource to a
and visual information. AI
ibraries are no strangers to
global one. Reference
tools have even helped us
technological innovation—and
correspondence can be
transcribe some of Ellen
Denison Library, now 94 years
accomplished by email, although
Browning Scripps’ handwritten
old, is no exception.
many campus community
speeches and transfer audio
members still prefer to walk
from oral history interviews
Adapting to change has always
inside with their inquiries.
into a readable narrative.
been the linchpin to improving
Students can download images
patron access to Denison’s
from the library’s Women’s
Yet human expertise and review
collection. Manual typewriters
Suffrage and Equal Rights
remain critical. With each new
went through multiple changes
Collection or the Scripps College
iteration of AI and other tech, we
since their debut, but the arrival
Archives from the ease of their
strive to ensure transparency and
of the IBM Selectric in the early
residence halls—but so can
fairness while being mindful of
1960s accelerated the efficiency
researchers in Bangladesh,
the ethical implications that may
of library staff in producing
Cameroon, or Denmark.
arise. As we continue to integrate
CONTINUES TO ADAPT
L
catalog cards, collection indexes, reports, and reference correspondence. Since then, online catalogs have replaced the physical card-based catalogs, and digitized content from our collection attracts a
emerging technologies, Denison ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Library remains grounded in its
(AI), MACHINE LEARNING,
enduring mission: to connect
PROCESSING MAY BE NEW
the tools or distance involved.
AND NATURAL LANGUAGE
people with knowledge, no matter
TO OTHERS, BUT NOT TO THE LIBRARY MINDSET.
worldwide audience.
Denison staff members, including Emerita Librarian Dorothy Drake (front left)
6
FALL 2025
Denison student workers Frances Currie ’26, Tamar Ladd ’27, and Louisa Chiriboga ’29 archiving a digital copy of The Scripps Voice
Staff Spotlight Meet Title IX and Civil Rights Coordinator Valerie Newcomb By Caitlin Antonios
“ I want to stand for something greater than myself.”
W
hen Valerie Newcomb agreed to take
environment is the space to address
on the role of Title IX and civil
and intervene to stop harmful behaviors
rights coordinator at Scripps
before they get worse.”
College, she knew the work would
be daunting. Newcomb arrived on
Her goal is clear: Ensure that everyone—
campus in April 2024, near the end of
including employees who are also covered
the academic year, taking advantage of
under Title IX protections—feels seen,
the quiet hallways and calm campus.
heard, and that their concerns are
She soon acclimated to Scripps’ culture
addressed through a fair, transparent,
and the needs of its students as a
and neutral process.
women’s college, all while navigating recent federal changes to Title IX. “I want to stand for something greater than myself,” she says. “A college
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
7
“ We have to constantly ask how we’re listening and gaining trust to continue to be inclusive as every new person joins the community.”
Expanding the Title IX Role
education landscape, track record of collaboration, and commitment to
Former President Richard Nixon signed
students, staff, and faculty.”
Title IX into the Civil Rights Act in 1972, applying the 14th Amendment which
Since her arrival, Newcomb has been
outlines that no state can “deny to any
working closely with Scripps Advocates, a
person within its jurisdiction the equal
confidential 7C resource for survivors of
protection of the laws” based on sex. As
sexual assault, intimate partner violence,
cultural and social understanding of sex
and stalking. She’s also connected with
and gender have expanded over the years,
student groups to understand how her
so has the Title IX umbrella.
office can best serve them.
In January 2025, the US Department of
“Inclusion is a journey; it’s dynamic and
Education announced it would roll back
changing,” Newcomb says. “We have to
Title IX protections to the traditional
constantly ask how we’re listening and
definition of sex assigned at birth,
gaining trust to continue to be inclusive
leaving some students marginalized.
as every new person joins the community.”
To protect students and employees, the College expanded the Title IX
Born in Upland, California, Newcomb
coordinator’s responsibilities to include
attended the University of San Diego for
both Title IX and civil rights issues.
her undergraduate degree, then received her JD from Case Western Reserve
Sha Bradley, vice president for student
University School of Law and began
affairs and dean of students, notes that
working for the US Air Force. In 2020,
the Title IX coordinator search committee
Newcomb began working with higher
and interview process included input from
education institutions in Colorado focused
Scripps students and staff.
on civil rights resolutions. Prior to coming to Scripps, she worked at Caltech in
8
“We conducted an incredibly thorough and
Pasadena as a Title IX coordinator.
thoughtful search to find the right person
Her methodical approach is rooted in
for this role—someone who not only
years of experience as a litigator and
brings deep expertise, but also a genuine
mediator, and a commitment to standing
connection to our community’s values,”
against civil rights infringements—
Bradley says. “Valerie stood out because
sometimes even at the risk of losing
of her expertise, experience in the higher
her job.
FALL 2025
In 2010, while the “Don’t Ask, Don’t
“The law governing Title IX is nuanced,”
Tell” policy was in effect, Newcomb
she says. “But people can feel a certain
refused to approve discharges of service
way in response to behavior. They don’t
members based on their sexual
have to justify those feelings.”
orientation. That same year, she was deployed to Afghanistan where she
As she settles into her role, Newcomb is
experienced a traumatic brain injury
eager to partner with students to stay on
that affected her ability to quickly
top of the emerging issues they face—
connect words to thoughts. It was an
especially ones that could be
eye-opening experience that led to a
uncomfortable to share. She sees herself
focus on mediation.
as a liaison between what students, staff, and faculty need and the resources the
“It’s easy to just fill the void by talking—
College can provide to address them. For
but in mediation, I learned to listen,”
her, that starts with treating all who enter
Newcomb says. “My job is to amplify; to
the safe space of her office with dignity—
truly listen and hear people’s experiences.”
and growing her team in the future.
Looking Ahead
“Scripps is bringing in people from different backgrounds to implement best
Newcomb underscores that, in addition to
practices,” Newcomb said. “I’m excited
legal obligations to guard against and
to collaborate!”
respond to discrimination on campus, success in her role demands respect for a person’s experience and feelings, regardless of intention.
FOCUSSTAFF ON THE SPOTLIGHT FACULTY
9
SEEN& HEARD This season of Scripps Presents, the College’s signature public events series, started with a sold-out crowd for social activist Monica Lewinsky. Lewinsky engaged with the Scripps community throughout the day, including chatting with Core students and attending an intimate lunch with students hosted by the Laspa Center for Leadership. In the evening, she returned for a larger, public conversation with Professor of Psychology Jennifer Groscup in Garrison Theater. Lewinsky spoke candidly of the dark periods in her life following the scandal in 1998, sharing the ways she maintained resilience throughout the media onslaught and how finding meaning in the experience drives her to make the world a kinder and safer place. Lewinsky also discussed her current work as host of the podcast Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky and as executive producer of Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, a story she felt drawn to because of the similarities between Knox’s story and her own. Knox will be speaking at Scripps in March.
10
FALL 2025
All Scripps Presents programming is free and open to the public! Don’t miss these upcoming events:
FEBRUARY 12 Actor, comedian, and bestselling author Jenny Slate in conversation
MARCH 24 Author, journalist, and public speaker Amanda Knox in conversation
APRIL 2 Political strategist and author Donna Brazile in conversation
To see the full line-up, scan the QR code or visit scrippscollege.edu/events.
SEEN & HEARD
11
Planned Power
How Two Alums’ Acts of Generosity are Transforming Scripps By Emily Glory Peters and Kendra Pintor
Art students at Scripps
If Scripps alums are known for anything, it’s
grand piano which has quickly become a favorite among
dreaming big. Sometimes, it’s in service of their
students living in Toll Hall.
personal or professional ambitions—but often, it’s for others.
“Planned gifts are vital to Scripps College’s ability to evolve and thrive for future generations,” says Director of Gift
Selflessness was the chosen path for Elm Tree Society
Planning Casey Crosbie. “Betsy Reinhold exemplifies how
members Elizabeth “Betsy” Gordon Reinhold ’57 and
thoughtful estate planning can create lasting impact well
Elizabeth Rosemary Plane Sage ’44. Founded in honor of
into the future.”
Ellen Browning Scripps, the Elm Tree Society’s members are committed to sustaining a stable future for Scripps.
A remarkable $4 million of Reinhold’s gift will help
From Access to Arts: Supporting Future Generations
College’s Office of Admission to offer acceptance to
remove barriers to student enrollment, allowing the top applicants with the highest need. The remaining A dedicated classical pianist, Reinhold’s passion for
12
$2.3 million will support the Centennial Plaza Project,
the liberal arts was a guiding force throughout her life.
a revitalization of Scripps’ western entrance. Once
Following her passing in January 2024, she left a bequest
completed, the plaza will feature a buzzing arts district
of $6.3 million directed to three areas: Scripps Access
with much-needed teaching and gathering spaces—
Initiative scholarships, community projects, and a Kawai
including Scripps’ eagerly awaited dance facility.
FALL 2025
“Many art majors don’t meet each other until their penultimate senior seminar,” says Kovitz, expressing excitement for upcoming lectures, film screenings, and projects made possible by the Sage fund. “It’s incredibly important that young artists foster connection around their shared interests.” The impact of Sage’s gift is already evident. Critical renovations to Scripps’ senior art studio are underway, with more enhancements slated as the College continues
Elizabeth “Betsy” Gordon Reinhold ‘57
to attract cohorts of emerging creatives. With the art Elizabeth Rosemary Plane Sage ‘44
department serving nearly 500 students across The Claremont Colleges, these benefits will ripple far
The new dance building would likely have been a
beyond Scripps.
treasured campus space for Rosemary Sage, a gifted artist who, like Reinhold, found purpose as both a dancer
Planned Giving Will Shape Scripps’ Next Century
and painter. Her time at Scripps left a deep imprint, inspiring her to make a meaningful gift to the College.
While Crosbie notes that philanthropy can feel like
Upon her passing at the remarkable age of 100, Sage’s
something reserved only for extremely wealthy people,
estate established the Elizabeth Rosemary Plane Sage
planned gifts are flexible, empowering donors to help
Trust Art Fund with a bequest of $1.1 million, ensuring
others without disrupting their present finances.
enduring support for Scripps’ Department of Art.
They can range from physical items—like Reinhold’s piano—to gifts of property or even a donation
Kasper Kovitz, associate professor of art and Chair of
made to The Scripps Fund in honor of a loved one.
the Department of Art, knew where Sage’s gift would
Bequests also offer something unique: long-term
do the most good. Her generosity will now fuel skill-
stability for Scripps.
based workshops, student-curated exhibitions, stateof-the-art equipment and supplies, paid professional
“Elm Tree Society members like Betsy and Rosemary help
opportunities for students and faculty, facility upgrades,
us plan far ahead and weather economic changes,” he
and community events.
says. “And—in classic Scripps style—dream much bigger.”
Make Scripps Part of Your Legacy Join the proud tradition of Elm Tree Society by making Scripps part of your legacy. Elm Tree Society recognizes individuals and couples who have made provisions for Scripps College in their estate plans. When you include Scripps in your estate plans, you ensure that future generations of students continue to benefit from internships, scholarships, faculty research, and the transformative education envisioned by our founder, Ellen Browning Scripps. Every legacy gift—no matter its amount or form—makes a lasting difference. To explore how you can create an impact in the areas that matter most to you, contact the Office of Gift Planning at giftplanning@scrippscollege.edu or scan the QR code to visit the website.
PLANNED POWER
13
Unseen Works by Alfredo Ramos Martínez
Pintor de Poemas: 14
FALL 2025
I
f you know Scripps, then you know Alfredo Ramos Martínez—at least in part. Born in Mexico in 1871, the celebrated artist survived
periods of political, economic, and racial turmoil during his years in Mexico, Paris, and Los Angeles. Yet unlike his contemporary
muralists Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, Ramos Martínez
was chiefly known for his “decorative” style. In 1945, the College commissioned him to paint the visual centerpiece of Margaret Fowler Garden: Las Vendedoras de Flores (The Flower Vendors). Tragically, he died of a sudden heart attack before its completion, consecrating Scripps as the site of his final mural. Today, the mural’s depiction of Indigenous women selling bouquets has become archetypal of Ramos Martínez’s aesthetic. But could a deeper meaning lie behind the ornamental? The new exhibition at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery answers with a resounding yes. Pintor de Poemas: Unseen Works by Alfredo Ramos Martínez showcases more than 25 rare paintings, drawings, and mural studies that defy mere decoration. Unveiling themes of Indigenous identity, labor, and violent conflict, these works demand a total reconsideration of Ramos Martínez’s legacy. The tour-de-force show is an endeavor shared by Director of the Williamson Gallery Erin M. Curtis and guest curator, alum, and Director of the Louis Stern Fine Arts Gallery Robin Dubin ’12. With the 80th anniversary of Ramos Martínez’s last mural approaching, the pair felt the time was right to expose audiences to the radical perspectives buried in the artist’s oeuvre. “In conversation with less familiar and frequently confounding bodies of the artist’s work, they offer significant contextual insight into Ramos Martínez’s artistic production in the United States,” says Dubin. “This remarkable collection of artworks suggests an artistic practice far more engaged with politics and current events than previously understood.”
Pintor de Poemas: Unseen Works by Alfredo Ramos Martínez is on display at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery until December 14, 2025. To learn more, visit rcwg.scrippscollege.edu or scan the QR code.
PINTOR DE POEMAS: ALFREDO RAMOS MARTÍNEZ
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S TA I N E D GL A S S Windows into Scripps’ Past and Present By Lauren Mar ‘25
S
cripps College is a marvel of architectural detail,
Beyond the Gutenberg window, the library’s rare book
but one of its features is sometimes overlooked:
room is studded with several small stained-glass windows
the stained-glass windows. Scattered across
which Denison also donated. Featuring individual printers’
buildings and tucked in corners around campus,
marks, each peeks into publishing history—a time when
each window holds a history rooted in community, the
early printers integrated a design into every manuscript
pursuit of knowledge, and a love of public art.
they printed.
One of the most striking is the large stained-glass window
The Dorothy Drake Wing of Denison Library hosts another
occupying the west wall of Denison Library. Known as the
large stained-glass window. Christened the Alphabet
Gutenberg window, the work is not just for show—it is also
window, the special commission came about through a gift
deeply connected to Scripps’ roots.
from the graduating Classes of 1965 and 1966.
Storytelling in Color and Light
According to an archival brochure by Douglas McClellan, artist and former chair of the Department of Art, the window’s design is based on “the interchange of form and
Ella Strong Denison, for whom Denison Library is named,
thought that led to the present forms of alphabet.” This
donated the Gutenberg window before funding the creation
window carries on the legacy which Ella Strong Denison
of the library. It wasn’t her first foray into the medium—
left behind: the dedication of the Scripps community to
when living in Denver, Colorado, she had gifted a stained-
advance knowledge through art and the written word.
glass window to a local library. Denison commissioned the Gutenberg window from Nicola D’Ascenzo, a nationally
“Even when alums come back to campus, they still talk
renowned interior decorator in Philadelphia who had been
about how it inspired them,” reflects Martinez Wormser.
designing stained-glass works since 1898. Prior to the
“The library’s architecture and art have influenced their
library’s completion, Denison and Ellen Browning Scripps
senses of place, aesthetics, and what indoor and outdoor
corresponded through letters, devising its construction and
spaces can be.”
discussing how stunning it was going to be. “The beauty of campus says something about the value our
The Gutenberg window
founder and early supporters placed on this space,” says Jennifer Martinez Wormser ’95, director of Denison Library. “They wanted it to be a place that wasn’t just pretty, but one that also got our students to think and reflect.” Designed specifically for Scripps, the Gutenberg window depicts a spectrum of historic figures and images. Notable inclusions are Johannes Gutenberg, credited with inventing movable type in Europe around 1450; Homer reciting The Iliad; Phoenician traders; medieval monks; and Egyptian hieroglyphs. At the apex of the window is a purple owl— Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and the arts. At its bottom, a line reads, “dedicated to the greater wisdom of women,” which has become Denison’s motto. In lavish detail, the window’s imagery explores how information has been conveyed through oral storytelling, symbols, and the written word. A curious addition of Benjamin Franklin—a fellow transplant to Philadelphia— may have been an attempt by Nicola D’Ascenzo to bridge a transnational divide between his native Italy and his adopted US hometown.
STAINED GLASS: WINDOWS INTO SCRIPPS’ PAST AND PRESENT
17
Stained-glass window in Denison Library’s rare book room
Hidden Gems: Contributions from Scripps Alums and Staff Denison Library is not the only campus spot with stained-
Kirk Delman—a gifted artist who recently retired as the
glass windows—nor the only one raveled with Scripps’
Williamson Gallery’s collections manager and registrar—
community. In the hidden oratory room of Margaret Fowler
has also left his mark. In 1999, he used hand-blown glass
Garden, one can find a leaded glass window of the Virgin
from Germany and France for a new installation in what is
and Child. The luminous work was donated in 1947 as
known as the “Bikini Room” in Malott Commons. Designed
a gift from Cornelia Dexter Featherstone ’41, with the
by notable Claremont artist Jane Slater Marquis and built
Wallis-Wiley Studio of Pasadena, California overseeing its
by Delman, the panels of the northeast dining room window
gorgeous concept and manufacture.
and north entrance doors glint like mounds of jewels, their petal-like composition inspired by Persian motifs.
More than 70 years later, the window was overdue for repair. Echoing the generosity of the Classes of 1965 and
“Students named the Bikini Room when Malott Commons
1966 in their support of the Alphabet window, the Class of
was created in the early 2000s,” recalls Judy Harvey Sahak
1954 donated funds to restore the Virgin and Child window
’64, alumna and former director of Denison Library. “When
in loving gratitude for the friendship of Scripps Professor of
viewed from certain angles, they thought the window
German Franciszka Merlan. Ariana Makau ’93, founder of
seemed to show off torsos in bikinis!”
Nzilani Glass Conservation in Oakland, California, handled the restoration in 2019.
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FALL 2025
Preserving an Artistic Tradition Ellen Browning Scripps once famously wrote of her
friends. Our community’s contributions to them—be they a
eponymous institution: “I am thinking of a college campus,
donation, design, or an affectionate nickname—showcase
whose simplicity and beauty will unobtrusively seep into a
the profound ties between Scripps’ artistic campus and
student’s consciousness and quietly develop a standard of
those who traverse it.
taste and judgment.” As Martinez Wormser states, “These stained-glass Scripps’ stained-glass works achieve this with subtle
windows are part of Ellen Browning Scripps’ broader
glamour and deep meaning, each piece intertwining the
intention of creating a place so beautiful that our students
College’s donors, alums, students, staff, faculty, and
can go out and make beautiful things in the world, too.”
The Bikini Room windows
The Virgin and Child window in the Margaret Fowler Garden oratory room
The Alphabet window
STAINED GLASS: WINDOWS INTO SCRIPPS’ PAST AND PRESENT
19
To create this feature’s illustrations, visual artist and illustrator Rymie used AI assistant Claude by Anthropic to write prompts for AI image generation tools Midjourney and Adobe Firefly. Those programs created reference images that Rymie used to draw the illustrations. Upon review of the feature, ChatGPT produced the site words "Glitch," "Forever Beta," "Echo," and “Future.”
From Tenochtitlan to ChatGPT: How Scripps College Is Navigating the AI Era By Caitlin Antonios • Illustrations by Rymie Before the arrival of modern technology, students
and mathematicians from Dartmouth, Harvard, IBM
studied ancient civilizations by reading books or
Corporation, and Bell Telephone Laboratories. In
viewing artifacts in a museum. Today, you can watch
the early ’70s, Nobel Prize winner and “father of AI”
a 30-second video of 15th-century life in Tenochtitlan,
Geoffrey Hinton completed a doctorate in artificial
capital of the Aztec Empire, observing people shop in a
intelligence. Later, he co-invented the Boltzmann
market, voyage the city’s canals, and pray in temples. What
Machine—a mathematical model that could recognize
would have taken hours to explain in a lecture comes alive
patterns in raw data, which became the building block
in seconds—all created entirely by artificial intelligence (AI).
for modern AI.
This fascinating change is just one example of how AI
Powered by OpenAI, ChatGPT launched in 2022—and
is shaping higher education. Observing technology’s
has quickly become the most dominant generative AI
role in how we convey knowledge and engage with the
tool. From finding the right words to text an ex-partner to
past, Associate Professor of Spanish, Latin American,
analyzing spreadsheets, ChatGPT and critiques of its use
Caribbean Literatures and Cultures Martín Vega created
now seems ubiquitous.
his fall 2025 course, The Aztecs in the Digital Age. Its syllabus looks at how digital media is used to share
Some institutions, like the California State University
information about the Aztecs—and the drawbacks of
system and Columbia University, now freely offer
representing Indigenous cultures this way.
ChatGPT Education, an advanced chatbot tool that delivers “human-like” responses and tasks. While they
“What do we gain and lose—as creators, artists, and
argue that the AI tool levels the playing field for students
humans—when we use AI and new digital platforms?”
who can’t afford to pay for full access, other institutions,
Vega asks. “In class, we consider technological justice and
including Scripps College, have not yet created a formal
linguistic justice as interlinked concepts—how Indigenous
policy governing its use. But that doesn’t mean the
people, specifically in Mexico, use both new and old
College isn’t thinking deeply about how AI influences
technologies to promote their languages and cultures and to
learning, the job market, and conversations about ethics,
create community among Indigenous language speakers.”
copyright, and environmental impact.
Just a few years ago, this class couldn’t have been taught.
At Scripps, each professor has formulated their own
The rapid advancement of generative AI and its wide
approach. In Vega’s course, in addition to studying AI and
embrace by individuals and globally influential companies
other digital platforms, students could choose to create
like Google have transformed everyday life.
an image using AI or another medium.
In higher education, faculty and students are navigating
“We compared AI images to organic, human-made images,”
this new territory, while alums must exhibit agility in a
Vega says. “This helped us reflect on the values of organic
professional world that is increasingly outsourcing skilled
human work, especially artwork, and appreciate it—even
labor to AI. Articles appearing in The Atlantic, The New
more than anything AI could create.”
Yorker, and others posit that AI has destroyed writing and changed college forever. But perhaps anxiety about the
Some professors have taken a similar approach,
future can be lessened with a candid look at where we
asking students to use AI to build prompts that are
are now and where we’re going.
then critiqued in class. For others, it has no place in their classroom.
The Current Landscape: AI at Scripps “There are instances when AI can be a useful tool to It may seem like AI emerged out of nowhere, but
get started on a project, but I believe firmly that
the term “artificial intelligence” was first coined in a
students must first learn how to do the task without AI,”
1956 summer research proposal involving scientists
says YouYoung Kang, associate professor of
FROM TENOCHTITLAN TO CHATGPT: HOW SCRIPPS COLLEGE IS NAVIGATING THE AI ERA
21
music and director of the Core Program in Interdisciplinary Humanities. Kang says she currently doesn’t allow the use of AI in her classes. For faculty, spotting non-assigned AI in student work is a combination of knowing a student’s proficiency level—a byproduct of Scripps’ intimate class sizes—and understanding what AI cannot do. “AI has a particular style,” Assistant Professor in French and Francophone Studies Chloé Vettier says. “There is still something not human about it, and we can feel that in the submissions.” Both Kang and Vettier note that it has not been a widespread issue among Scripps students. “Scripps students are very conscientious about AI’s ethical and environmental concerns,” Vettier continues. Some professors have returned to collecting assignments in Blue Books, those thin powder-blue essay pamphlets with lined paper inside. While students may grumble at the archaic method of handwriting an exam in class, Vettier feels such analog assessment can help ensure students achieve learning goals without AI interference. “As AI evolves, we need to evolve and build those human skills as a measure to protect what we can do with our brains,” she says—adding that Blue Books are “objects students can keep and show to their grandkids.” Carolina Keith ’26, a French and science, technology, and society double major, is finalizing her senior thesis on copyright practices within generative art. She has used ChatGPT to create ideas for activities at her summer job at a children’s camp and as an aid with school assignments, but ultimately found it unhelpful. “When studying abroad, I found a lot of people were using [ChatGPT]. There’s social pressure to use it,” Keith says. “People associate it with being an easier, faster way of doing something, but being a student is enjoyable when you get to research and learn. It takes that experience from you.” Three years into ChatGPT’s debut, students and faculty are still deeply engaged in leveraging the benefits of AI while maintaining rigorous academic standards. Last year, Scripps faculty formed a committee, chaired by Vettier, to explore AI-related issues. They’ve hosted guest speakers and workshops on a broad range of topics, including AI’s
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FALL 2025
impact on teaching, sustainability, energy, ethics, and data governance and privacy. “Most faculty agree on both the value and problems of this emerging technology,” says Kang. “We’re having productive conversations about what is possible with AI, how to mitigate the problems with its use, and how to teach students to use AI in scholarship.”
Uncharted Waters: Scripps Alums in the AI field AI isn’t just affecting students. Employers making space for AI in their operations have left some job seekers scrambling. But Scripps alums working in AI didn’t necessarily start there—whether utilizing College connections or building upon internships, many have found traction in a field that was only just emerging when they were newly minted graduates. Sneha Deo ’17 graduated from Scripps with a computer science degree and began working as a software engineer at a company she interned with during her time at Scripps. She soon realized it wasn’t her passion. “I was much more interested in algorithm design, and through the advice of many around me, moved to Microsoft to become a product manager,” Deo says. “I spent a few years there doing algorithm development on the Windows updates team.” On the heels of the AI explosion, she shifted into her current role as senior product manager for Microsoft’s Generative AI applications. Her job is two-fold: Research where the company can improve responsibility, fairness, and eliminate bias in products, and use that research alongside developing public policy to implement change. “When I joined four years ago, it was prior to the advent of large language models and generative AI,” Deo continues. “Halfway through my time there, that’s been the main focus from a product standpoint.” For Deo, Scripps emboldened her to be an active architect of the world she wanted to live in. Leaning on her community of alums and mentors at each hinge of transition, she continues to apply skills from classes and extracurriculars to navigate post-Scripps life in AI.
HOW SCRIPPS COLLEGE IS NAVIGATING THE AI ERA
23
“We are in a time where it’s very uncertain who gets to
A dual major in public policy analysis and French,
decide who has the power to determine what the world is
Molezion studied abroad at a French law firm specializing
going to look like,” Deo says. “With technology, the
in international law and arbitration while at Scripps. She
right outcome can only occur when many people feel
wrote her senior thesis on France’s social cohesion
empowered to participate. Resilience to work towards
policies and immigrant access to education and, after
that vision is the most powerful tool you can have,
graduating, returned to France to teach. Today, she’s a
especially in wild times like these.”
senior technical program manager advancing safe AI policy and governance.
Drawing Power from the Scripps Experience “I got my first job at Google because I spoke French,” Deo is not alone in her journey. Cherish Molezion ’17 and Rui-Jie Yew ’21 both credit exposure to broad
senior strategist in AI ethics, responsible AI, and
interdisciplinary study at Scripps for their finesse
innovation. “I was a legal specialist for trademark
maneuvering the AI ecosystem. “Core was really helpful
operations with a focus on Francophone markets and
in getting to explore, think outside the box, and lean into
did a lot of analysis and risk management related to
ideas that aren’t necessarily a part of my day-to-day,”
trademark infringements.”
Molezion says.
24
says Molezion, who ultimately became the company’s
FALL 2025
Her next career pivot coincided with gaining a master’s
because of its AI policy research and opportunities to
degree in public policy and administration from
dive deeper into its technical and social implications.
Northwestern University. She left Google but stayed within big tech, now overseeing the translation of
“I’m really interested in game theoretic adversarial
impending regulations into product requirements. Here,
approaches to regulation,” Yew says. “Some of the
the holistic perspectives fostered at Scripps come
courses and research experiences that I had at Scripps
through, informing how Molezion develops robust AI
are where that interest blossomed.”
policies that account for safe use, security, fairness, assessment, and effect other ethical risks.
Yew didn’t always know she would pursue a doctorate. Her conversations with David Roselli, professor
“We have biases as humans that are reinforced within
of ancient studies and classics, pushed her to
our technology. I make sure we’re combating that,” says
consider entering a world that combined her love of
Molezion. “AI is a result of training and algorithms; it’s
computer science with the humanities.
not necessarily going to replace humans, but it can really help with productivity.”
“Every time I went to do course registration, we would get
Rui-Jie Yew ’21 is currently a PhD candidate at Brown
really encouraged me to think deeply about what it meant
University, where her interdisciplinary research touches
to work in technology.”
into long conversations about society,” Yew says. “He
computer science, law, and policy. She chose Brown
FROM TENOCHTITLAN TO CHATGPT: HOW SCRIPPS COLLEGE IS NAVIGATING THE AI ERA
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FALL 2025
While at Scripps, Yew completed a technology and policy
The very reliance of a tool like ChatGPT’s on language
internship at Google that bridged her interests. She
exposes the balanced utility of AI and human-led
interned in AI ethics at Sony and earned a master’s
learning. As language professors, both Roselli and Vettier
degree in technology and policy at MIT before going to
acknowledge that an AI translator may help you order
Brown. Like Molezion, Yew echoes how Core planted new
coffee in a foreign country, but it’s not going to replicate
seeds of thought that continue to pay dividends.
the experience of mastering a new tongue.
“One of my first course readings [in Core] was closely
“The language requirement at Scripps is so valuable
related to the field I’m in today,” she says. Regarding
because it expands the mind,” Vettier says. “There’s a
AI research, Yew feels “there’s this sense that if there
reason in diplomacy that human translators, not AI,
isn’t math or code, it’s not a ‘scholarly contribution.’ But
are still being used.”
being exposed to this kind of research so early on in my career really helped me to see value in using a social
“I find that there are parts of me that exist more
lens with technology.”
prominently in languages other than English,” Roselli adds. “This is one of the preeminent values of learning
A Liberal Arts Education is Still Relevant
foreign languages, dead or living—beyond the ability to read literature or the news, engage with people, or just
AI moving at lightning speed invokes a critical pause at
live in a place where a ‘foreign’ language is used.”
Scripps. Engaging in interdisciplinary study, vast areas of research, Core, and general education requirements help
For Yew, Scripps made her comfortable with the
students stay relevant in a world changing faster than
uncomfortable, which has proven vital in her doctorate
typical professional education can track.
work in AI. “In research, you reach a point where no one has done what you’re doing,” she says. “Being exposed
Scripps’ culture—shaped by students, staff, faculty,
to so many disciplines and being surrounded by people I
alums, and families—is also crucial in fostering a desire
admire made me a lot more tolerant of ambiguity.”
to understand and improve the world. This is done, Vettier reminds, through prizing community, humanity,
Looking Ahead
communication, truth, and innovation—values AI imitates but cannot embody.
From the invention of the calculator to the first computer, AI has affected daily life for decades. Some refuse to
“At Scripps, we slow things down,” she says, noting how
engage with it, others unduly rely on it—and somewhere
students’ confidence in tackling challenges produces
in the middle, Scripps is determining how it will inform the
professionals who thrive in completely new fields. “We
College’s next 100 years.
fight for values we share. Students ask big questions and understand the ‘why.’”
As AI reshapes the world, Scripps College—like its
With such a foundation, the rise of AI can be reframed not
prepare future generations for lives of purpose, influence,
as a bad omen, but an opportunity. Roselli, Yew’s advisor
and prosperity. Who better to envision that future than
who encouraged her to explore tech careers, does not
a community rooted in missional values of leadership,
students, faculty, and alums—must remain agile to
intend to ban AI from his classroom because he does not
service, integrity, and creativity—principles that predate,
yet see it as a threat.
and will long outlast, every technological wave.
“This is a new tool. We don’t know what will become of
“The jury is still out on the helpfulness of AI in studying
it,” Roselli says. “If students can get answers to basic
ancient civilizations, or anything for that matter,” Vega
questions while working on a paper or a research
says. “What may ultimately be most helpful about it is to
project, we should not fret yet—as more complex
remind us that deep understanding and beautiful art
undertakings remain at the heart of what a liberal arts
take time to create—and, for the sake of our humanity, it
education provides.”
is worth it to take that time.”
FROM TENOCHTITLAN TO CHATGPT: HOW SCRIPPS COLLEGE IS NAVIGATING THE AI ERA
27
SCRIPPS WELCOMES
ITS NEWEST CLASS! 28
FALL 2025
This fall, Scripps welcomed 301 new students to campus, representing 33 US states and eight countries. New Student Programs and Orientation (NSPO)—a six-day experience—introduced the newest community members and their families to all Scripps has to offer. Programming included a welcome from President Amy Marcus-Newhall and senior leadership, a resource fair, a dinner reception, the timehonored Matriculation Ceremony in Denison Library followed by a fun night of dancing, and much more. “Learn new skills and use your voice to be powerful. Engage in tough conversations. Challenge yourself with new classes and friendships. These next four years are yours to lead…and remember incipit vita nova: Here begins new life.” –NSPO remarks from Simran Sethi ’26, president of Scripps Associated Students
Simran Sethi ’26, president of Scripps Associated Students
SCRIPPS WELCOMES ITS NEWEST CLASS!
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ManuScripps
Margaret Pumpelly Finnegan ’87
Spelling It Out Ben Bellini didn’t mean to become a champion
victory. But Ben starts having odd interactions
speller—after all, he’s not a nerd—but he sure
with his nan that leave him feeling like he’s
does like spelling bee glory now that it’s found
missing something. Where is her forgetfulness
him. He might even be good enough for the
coming from? And will anyone even believe
Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington,
him if he tries to get help?
DC! And what better way to prepare than to train with a professional spelling coach in
Between showing up for his loved ones and
San Francisco, where his “nan” lives?
pursuing his own dreams, Ben will need to spend this summer figuring out what he
Through his adventures, Ben gets to know the
owes others and what he owes himself.
city—and competitor Asha Krishnakumar, who’s equally determined to spell her way to
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FALL 2025
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025
Scripps Continues to Shine Highlights From 2024–25 Annual Report
7 16 $2M 1 Fulbright Awards
National fellowships, scholarships, and awards for students
awarded to faculty research
CLASS OF 2024 Top fields: HEALTHCARE, NONPROFITS, EDUCATION 91% EMPLOYED, in GRADUATE SCHOOL, or completing FELLOWSHIPS
2024 ALL IN No. MOST ENGAGED CAMPUS FOR STUDENT VOTING
$23.6 MILLION
given by Scripps’ generous community
for student experience by The Wall Street Journal
See the full impact of Scripps excellence at annualreport.scrippscollege.edu. SCRIPPS CONTINUES TO SHINE
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CLASS NoTES FALL 2025
1960
1971
Rebecca Harlow Potter (Pasadena, California) I enjoyed the 65th reunion of my class, but wish I hadn’t been the only member there. I retired from educational fundraising in 2019 after 40 years. I loved the work and now have meaningful volunteer involvements using that skillset. My husband, Fred, died in 2011. We were married for 62 years, for which I am very grateful. I continue to enjoy the Rose Parade from my living room windows on New Year’s Day. My daughter, Elizabeth, lives in Denver, where she is a business consultant. My son, Alan, is a chaplain at Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto. My five grandchildren are aged 25 to 31 and are smart, kind, and achieving young people.
Martha Hatch Reich (Santa Barbara, California) Reunion 2025 was a wonderful weekend at Scripps and Harvey Mudd. In the group photo, are (left to right) Eric Adams HMC ’70, Cary Reich HMC ’70, Martha Hatch Reich ’71, Pat Nelson Adams ’72, and Steve Powers HMC ’70. Eric, Pat, and Steve all flew in from Boston. We have been friends since the ’70s and get together often. The second photo is Suzanne Ely Muchnic ’62, Judy Harvey Sahak ’64, and Martha Hatch Reich ’71 getting together after Suzanne’s wonderful presentation about the book she is writing on the history of Scripps College.
1964 Julia Collins (Santa Barbara, California) Love being at Casa Dorinda in Santa Barbara with three classmates from 1964 and my sister-in-law, Teta Collins, too!
SIGN UP FOR OLIVE GROVE! Want to connect with other alums and submit a Class Note? Scan here to sign up for Olive Grove.
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FALL 2025
Joan Isaacs (Beverly Hills, California) I’m proud to say that I helped organize a No Kings protest in my hometown of Beverly Hills. We had approximately 2,500 to 3,000 people attend, and the event was very peaceful and respectful. Our rally even made The New York Times.
1978
1990
2021
Julie Lydon Cornell (United Kingdom) Greetings to the Class of ’78 from “Blighty”! My youngest daughter was married at our home in August and was kind enough to invite my dearest fellow ’78 Scrippsies! It was enormous fun, and best of all, it didn’t rain! What a treat to have them travel from the West Coast to the UK for us.
Jennifer Orff (Pasadena, California) My house survived the Eaton fire. I am going back to school this fall to get a master’s degree in philosophy at Cal State Los Angeles.
Olivia Truesdale (Washington, DC) I graduated with a master’s degree in Asian studies from George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. I brought some of Scripps with me to my graduation, wearing a La Semeuse necklace from the 2025 Scripps Associated Students (SAS) fundraiser.
Reception in the river garden. Left to right: Kristi Nilson ’78, Cindy Wilkinson Kirven ’78, Julie Lydon Cornell ’78, my eldest daughter, Keara, and Wendy Gauntlett Shaw ’90. In back: Cathy Lydon ’76.
1985 Anna Treviño Irby (Dandridge, Tennessee) I have returned from my two-year missionary journey to Cameroon. I brought back a rescue pup! Meet Paris, a toy poodle born in Belgium and taken to Cameroon where she was put up for adoption. I noticed signs of previous trauma and abuse, but she is now with me in America, enjoying new adventures with my lab, Abby. I continue to partner with Christian missions doing remote, part-time work for Third Culture Kids and education in Eurasia. If any classmates venture to East Tennessee, I would love to connect!
Paris and I at the Rain Forest International School in Cameroon, 2024.
1996 Lisa Ramirez (Santa Ana, California) I am thrilled to announce that I have launched my campaign to run for Congress in CA-40. For me, this race is about protecting our Constitution, our democracy, and our community. We need courageous leaders in Congress who bring accountability, serve as the true balance of power, and represent the interests of the American people. I would welcome all the support I can get from our Scripps community.
2019 Valerie Daifotis Keneally (Chicago, Illinois) I wanted to share some cute photos I snapped while visiting campus in June. I was Class of 2019, my husband was CMC Class of 2019, and our daughter, Caroline, could possibly be Class of 2046! She is wearing a vintage Scripps shirt handed down from my mom, who was Scripps Class of 1981.
2023 Isabella Melsheimer Mierzejewski (Santa Maria, California) I recently completed my master’s degree in dance education in the Teaching Dance in the Professions: Dances of the African Diaspora program from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at NYU! I am grateful to all the amazing Scripps dance and anthropology faculty who supported my interest in the interdisciplinary work that I now create as a dance educator, and the 5C Dance Company for being my steadfast dance family throughout my time at Scripps.
Isabella Melsheimer at their NYU commencement.
CLASS NOTES
33
REMEMBRANCES FALL 2025 Scripps College is honored to recognize the lives of departed alums.
1949
1959
1971
Helen Mortensen Marshall of Novato, California, in May 2025.
Carol Jean Lee Clark of Pacific Palisades, California, on March 3, 2025.
Pamela McCarroll Thies of Portland, Oregon, on December 19, 2024.
1951
1960
1973
Helen Stockwell Vatcher of McKinleyville, California, on February 28, 2025.
Judith Kasher Morris of Ontario, California, on December 31, 2024.
Brenda Garb of Los Angeles, California, in 2025.
1961
1991
Nancy Poore of South Elgin, Illinois, on July 27, 2025.
Stacey Meryl Willis of Huntington Beach, California, on March 23, 2025.
Abby Weiser of San Juan Capistrano, California, in August 2025.*
1952 Helen McNamara Green of Big Sandy, Montana, on June 25, 2025.
1954 Carolyn Lake of San Diego, California, on July 10, 2025.
1958 Whitney Brooks Hansen of Santa Barbara, California, on May 1, 2025.
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FALL 2025
1965 Nina Rosoff of Dallas, Texas, on June 8, 2025.
1966 Jane Lawrence MacKenzie of Sedona, Arizona, on June 20, 2025.
1968 Karen Pedersen Conroy of Wimbledon, England, on April 6, 2025.
Carolyn Davis of Seattle, Washington, on June 25, 2025.
2016 Lorraine Wang of Irvine, California, on April 29, 2023. *Names with an asterisk indicate Elm Tree Society members. The names listed here reflect those we have recently learned about but may not represent a complete record. To share news of an alum’s passing, please email us at alumnae@scrippscollege.edu.
Alumnae Association News “ Scripps has always held a special place in my heart.”
It is with immense joy that I begin my tenure as your Alumnae Association president! My goal is to help bring visibility to our amazing alum community, create positive momentum as the College prepares to celebrate its centennial, and inspire you to get involved with Scripps.
1.
Increase Scripps’ visibility! The talents and accomplishments of our faculty, students, staff, and alums abound. Share ideas to showcase our strengths at alumnae@scrippscollege.edu.
2.
Join Olive Grove. This online community is designed to build lifelong, purposeful connections through shared resources for personal and professional growth. Olive Grove is open to students, alums, and parents at olivegrove.scrippscollege.edu. Scan the QR code to sign up.
3.
Share an idea for a pop-up event in your area! Alums are helping plan informal gatherings in their region. Scan the QR code and complete the short form to get started.
Since graduating in 2002, I am grateful to have been able to support Scripps by volunteering with the Alumnae/Student Diversity Committee as chair and Café con Leche liaison, interviewing prospective students, writing letters to incoming students and graduating seniors, working with Scripps Communities of Resources and Empowerment clubs and organizations, and attending events. Today, I am an adjunct faculty at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where I’ve taught for the past 22 years. I also am an active volunteer in my children’s parent–teacher associations, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, and other activities. I strive to instill in my children a never-ending desire to learn, explore, and give back to their community. Scripps has always held a special place in my heart. Our community may be small, but we must never doubt the change that thoughtful, committed individuals can make together— especially as we celebrate the College’s centennial next year. I invite you to visit scrippscollege.edu/centennial and join me in getting engaged in the following ways:
Together, we can continue to enrich our connections to Scripps through volunteering, engagement, and support. Incipit Vita Nova, Fabiola Ceballos-Durham ’02
ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT LETTER
35
Scripps in Bloom You don’t have to live in Claremont to connect with Scripps. President Amy Marcus-Newhall continues her Scripps in Bloom regional events series this spring with gatherings nationwide. Don’t miss this chance to hear exciting College updates, bond with your Scripps community, and enjoy a special evening in a beautiful location near you. All events are free! Visit scrippscollege.edu/ events/presidential-regional-tour or scan the QR code to register.
Spring 2026 In Bloom Regional Events: Los Angeles, California January 15 Washington, DC; Boston, Massachusetts; Seattle, Washington March Portland, Oregon April
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FALL 2025
Save the Date Family Weekend Family Weekend is February 14–15, 2026! Join us for one of our most popular on-campus events designed to build your Scripps community, enjoy quality time with your student, and experience the diverse academic and co-curricular programs the College offers. Registration opens December 2025. Visit scrippscollege.edu/26familyweekend or scan the QR code for information.
Reunion Weekend Hey, alums! Don't miss the world's most decorated gymnast in history Simone Biles being awarded the Ellen Browning Scripps Medal on May 1 which will kick off the College's yearlong centennial celebration during Reunion Weekend: May 1-3, 2026. Special early arrival for the 50th reunion Class of 1976 is April 30. Programming includes dinners, tours, class gatherings, live entertainment, speakers, and more. We’ll be celebrating the classes ending in 1s and 6s and can’t wait to see you back on campus! Registration opens February 4, 2026. Visit scrippscollege.edu/reunionweekend26 or scan the QR code for information.
SAVE THE DATE
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FALL 2025
Families at the Heart of Scripps Meet Parent Leadership Circle Co-Chairs Renee Tanaka and Kevin Yasumura P’29
Kevin Yasumura and Renee Tanaka, both Northern
Families are indispensable to Scripps’ intimate culture,
California natives, are embracing their new roles as
often serving as informal mentors and connecting students
co-chairs of Scripps College’s Parent Leadership
and alums with career opportunities. PLC members like
Circle (PLC). Now empty nesters in the Bay Area, the
Tanaka and Yasumura also support the College’s mission
couple is finding new ways to stay connected to their
by giving to and helping grow resources like scholarships
children’s journeys, with daughter Kaitlyn joining Scripps’
and internship grants. Last year, family gifts were essential,
Class of 2029 and their son Keith is finishing his first
enabling Scripps to award more than 100 internship
semester at UC Berkeley.
grants—its highest total since the pandemic.
Tanaka, a retired assistant controller, volunteers locally and
As the new PLC co-chairs, Tanaka and Yasumura are eager
serves as board treasurer for her son’s former scouting
to build strong ties with current and incoming families.
troop; Yasumura, an engineering director at Google,
Attending an event—no matter which one—is their tip for
recently joined the Scripps College Board of Trustees. Both
parents and family members who want to gain the full
graduates of large public universities, the couple was
benefit of belonging to the Scripps community.
quickly impressed by Scripps’ close-knit community. “We encourage families to attend the Scripps 101 events, “Four years of our daughter being in college and part of this
which include information on study abroad programs,
community is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” they say.
wellness, and the Office of Career Planning & Resources,”
“After learning about the PLC at Family Weekend, we seized
they say. “If you can, go to care packages parties to meet
the opportunity to get involved when Scripps asked for
other parents and support our students—and come to
parent volunteers.”
Family Weekend in February!”
FAMILIES AT THE HEART OF SCRIPPS
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The Student Lens By Tara Attanasio ’26
Tara Attanasio ’26 is a senior majoring in art history with a minor in economics. She was the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery’s Getty Marrow Curatorial Intern and is currently the gallery’s 2025–26 Wilson Arts Administration Intern.
I
n every art history course I’ve taken at Scripps,
internship orientation. By summer’s end, I had not
from European Modernism to History of
only learned how much hard work is involved in an
Photography to Japanese Prints, the Ruth Chandler
exhibition and catalog preparation, but I also got to
Williamson Gallery has been present in the
know Reniel better as an artist and a person.
classroom. Staff encourage students to study and interact with objects in the collections—an
As a Getty-funded and sponsored program, my
experience that inspired me to apply for an
internship came with a plethora of opportunities to
internship to learn about arts operations and
network with arts professionals affiliated with the
potential careers.
Getty, the Broad Museum, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and other LA-area
For 10 weeks this summer, I worked at the gallery as
institutions. My favorite memory was going to the
the Getty Marrow Curatorial Intern, assisting on
Natural History Museum for a private tour of their
curatorial projects with artists and industry
gem collections and hold dinosaur bones that were
professionals throughout Los Angeles. I had so much
millions of years old! Today, I regularly keep in
fun gaining hands-on experience in curation,
contact with all my fellow interns from the 5Cs and
collections management, and conservation, and
the Williamson Gallery’s collections management
making lasting friendships and connections.
and conservation team.
One of my main projects was curating a show for
Now in my final year at Scripps, I’m working with
Mount San Antonio Gardens, a local retirement
the gallery as the Wilson Arts Administration
community in Pomona, California. The exhibition
Intern. Funded by the generous support of Jane
features 12 prints from the gallery’s collection,
Hurley Wilson ’64 and Michael G. Wilson, I’m
focusing on the representation of children in 17th to
continuing independent research from my Mount
20th-century woodblock prints. My idea behind this
San Antonio Gardens show alongside new
show stemmed from an assignment in my Japanese
curatorial, collections, and education-centered
Prints course. Developing that paper into a larger
projects. I am especially excited to be involved with
exhibition with descriptive wall labels and
events slated for Scripps’ centennial in 2026.
educational guides, plus just handling the delicate prints, has truly been invaluable and rewarding.
When I meet prospective and current art history majors from Scripps, my advice is the same:
For Scripps College’s 81st Ceramic Annual, A Means
Commit to your studies, show enthusiasm, and be
to an End, I partnered with interdisciplinary artist
open to applying for any opportunity, including
and show curator, Reniel Del Rosario, to learn about
those at the Williamson Gallery. As I engage in
his vision for the show and its 14 featured artists. I
meaningful work every day to prepare for a future
had been aware of his work since taking a ceramics
career in the arts, the gallery remains a place where
course at Scripps my sophomore year, and I was
I feel truly cared for.
starstruck when I first met him during the
40
FALL 2025
A Trip Down Memory Lane 1 2 3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
Across
tan or picnic
Across
Down
Down
1. Oldest residential building
3 A spot to tan or picnic 1 Oldest residential building 2. Founder of Scripps College 5 A place to sweat or swim 2 Founder of Scripps College 4. Leave your mark 7 Serene study spot with 4 Leave your mark un, on-campus coffeehouse 6. Central gathering spot on campus where tea is served stained glass 6 Central gathering spot on garden on campus, perfect for reflection 8. Blooms in spring 9 Student-run, on-campus campus where tea is served coffeehouse 8 Blooms in spring 10 Historic garden on campus, perfect for reflection sweat or swim
udy spot with stained glass
Down 1. Oldest residential building – Toll Hall / 2. Founder of Scripps College – Ellen / 4. Leave your mark – Graffiti Wall / 6. Central gathering spot on campus where tea is served – Seal Court / 8. Blooms in spring – Rose Garden Across 3. A spot to tan or picnic – Bowling Green / 5. A place to sweat or swim – Tiernan Field House / 7. Serene study spot with stained glass – Denison Library / 9. Student-run, on-campus coffeehouse – Motley / 10. Historic garden on campus, perfect for reflection – Margaret Fowler
Scripps College 1030 Columbia Ave #2004 Claremont, CA 91711
Celebrate 100 Years of Scripps College! 2026–27 Centennial Celebrations
Join us for a yearlong exploration into Scripps’ past, present, and future through thoughtprovoking and inspiring programming and events! Visit scrippscollege.edu/centennial to learn more.