Off-campus activities: Pomona is fortunate to be located in a region with such rich linguistic and cultural diversity. Each year, Oldenborg taps into cultural events and offerings in the surrounding area and coordinates off-campus activities for each of the languages taught at Pomona. These can range from attending a Russian ballet performance, to visiting the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Los Angeles and touring Little Tokyo, to attending a French play! Students in the language residence halls as well as those taking language classes participate in these events.
On campus language and culture activities and events: Language Residents organize study breaks and cultural events that provide students with opportunities outside the classroom to practice the language, build community, and connect to an aspect of the culture(s) associated with that language. Examples of recent study breaks include making Flammenkuchen in the German lounge and a celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival with a film screening and Chinese mooncakes.
Summer funded opportunities: via the Oldenborg grant, rising seniors can apply for funding to undertake international travel and research that will contribute toward their senior thesis or exercise. Examples of previous projects include ArgenChina: Perception of Chinese Presence in Argentine Society and Documenting Tiriki in Mahanga, Kenya. Additional funding would allow us to expand the number of students as well as the range of experiences we are able to support each summer.
Support less-commonly taught languages: many Pomona students have interest in learning and/or practicing additional languages beyond those that are taught at the Claremont Colleges. Funding could help support the development of co-curricular opportunities for students to engage with a wider range of languages during their time at Pomona.
International speaker series: Oldenborg collaborates with faculty to invite noted scholars, writers, activists, and professionals to speak on topics of cultural and international interest at the Oldenborg Luncheon Colloquium (OLC). Funding helps support honoraria and travel costs for guest speakers.
General support: Supporting Oldenborg helps ensure that we can continue to provide students with wide-ranging opportunities to engage with and learn about languages and cultures outside their own, and to expose them to perspectives and worldviews that help them make sense of the world. It also enables us to provide programming and support to the many international students that come to Pomona from all over the globe.