Honoring Oldenborg in the New Center for Global Engagement

Celebrating Oldenborg — and Shaping Pomona’s Next Chapter

For so many of us, the Oldenborg Center for Modern Languages and International Relations was more than a place — it was an experience. It was where conversations stretched late into the night, where language opened doors to new cultures and friendships and where the world felt both bigger and more intimately connected. Those moments didn’t end when we left Oldenborg. They shaped how we saw ourselves — and our place in the world.

As Pomona College looks ahead, that spirit lives on in the Center for Global Engagement. Led by longtime Oldenborg champion and Trustee Emeritus Bernie Chan '88, this effort invites our community to honor what the center made possible by investing in what comes next: a bold, inclusive future for global engagement at Pomona.

Why This Moment Matters

The Center for Global Engagement (CGE) represents Pomona’s next chapter — one grounded in the same values Oldenborg embodied: curiosity, connection and learning through shared experience. Naming a language table in the new center will help carry Oldenborg’s legacy forward in a lasting, visible way — ensuring its spirit continues to shape students’ lives for generations to come.

A Personal Invitation from Bernie Chan '88

Bernie has seen firsthand how Oldenborg changes lives — how a conversation in another language with people around a table, can become a turning point in someone’s life. This effort reflects his belief that global learning is a defining part of a Pomona education.

Through this collective effort, we have the opportunity to name a space that stands for everything Oldenborg gave us: openness, belonging and the courage to engage the world with empathy.

Be Part of the Legacy

Gifts of all sizes matter. Whether you make a one‑time contribution or a multi‑year pledge, your support helps ensure that the values Oldenborg instilled continue to thrive — this time, through the CGE.

Together, we can ensure that a program — rooted in a room of lunch tables stitched together by colors of flags from around the world — continues to inspire generations to come.

Make your gift today — and help write Pomona’s next chapter.