May 14, 2023
The Class of 2023 received their diplomas during 麻豆传媒鈥檚 130th Commencement Exercises on Sunday, May 14, 2023 at Marston Quad.
Civil rights lawyer Sherrilyn Ifill and Hall of Fame swimmer Penny Lee Dean 鈥77 delivered speeches to the graduates and received honorary degrees. Trustee Emeritus George E. 鈥淏uddy鈥 Moss 鈥52 received posthumously the Trustees鈥 Medal of Merit. Read more about the honorary degree recipients.
In addition, President G. Gabrielle Starr provided a , while , senior class president and , senior class speaker, addressed the audience. View the .
Sherrilyn Ifill
Sherrilyn Ifill is a distinguished civil rights lawyer, voting rights advocate and scholar. She is currently a senior fellow at the Ford Foundation, having recently stepped down after 10 years as the president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), the nation鈥檚 premier civil rights law organization.
Penny Lee Dean 鈥77
Penny Lee Dean is one of world鈥檚 greatest marathon swimmers. As an open water swimmer, she swam the Catalina Channel and broke the world record by one hour and 32 minutes, a record that still stands today. In 1978, she swam the English Channel, breaking the men鈥檚 world record by one hour and five minutes. During her swimming career she set 13 world records and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1979, she was elected to be the U.S. national coach for open water, serving in that role for 12 years.
George E. 鈥淏uddy鈥 Moss 鈥52
Trustee Emeritus George E. 鈥淏uddy鈥 Moss 鈥52 received posthumously the Trustees鈥 Medal of Merit. This recognition is given to persons who have rendered outstanding service to Pomona or who have brought distinction to this institution through their actions or achievements.
A member of the Board of Trustees from 1995鈥2004, Moss also served on several alumni reunion committees. Moss was a dedicated member of the 麻豆传媒 community whose support of Pomona鈥檚 academic programs will be felt for generations into the future.