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Alumni Association Board President Andrea Venezia ’91 is kicking off her first of two years as president this fall, after three years as a board member. As a student, Venezia was a member of the Presidential Search Committee that helped bring President Emeritus Peter Stanley to Pomona, an experience she says sparked a passion for higher education leadership that has lasted decades. Venezia’s involvement with the Alumni Board is highly motivated by Pomona community building and relationships. Read on to learn more about what drives her dedication to Pomona.

What led you to the Alumni Association Board?

After the first year of the pandemic, I felt pretty isolated and wanted to connect more with people. I was also concerned about how students were experiencing college during that time. So, I applied to be on the Alumni Board, wanting to find a way to help support Pomona communities. My career has focused on equitable access to, and success in, college—with a lens on structural inequities in public education. Becoming a member of the Alumni Board seemed like a cool opportunity to focus that lens on supporting Pomona in this unusual moment in time, given the toll the pandemic took on higher education.

What is your vision for your two-year term as president?

I’d like for the board to continue as a connecting force among the alumni community to strengthen and build relationships through opportunities like regional chapter events, career-focused programs, discussions with faculty and book club. And with the board on campus to help with Alumni Weekend each year, it’s a unique moment for members to meet and talk with hundreds of alumni face-to-face, and with students. Part of my vision is growing the board’s connection with the College from the perspective that students will be alumni longer than they will be students.

What is the Alumni Board focusing on this year?

We’ll focus on a few areas working through our three main committees: Engagement, Regional Chapters and Development. All three center on relationships first and foremost. The Engagement Committee focuses on events, such as career panels and Alumni Weekend planning and support. The Regional Chapters Committee will aid the fantastic work the regional chapters do nationally to bring Pomona people together. And the Development Committee will work on fundraising efforts, while also focusing on community connection—like inviting Pomona seniors to an Alumni Weekend event. As a board, we believe that giving back to the College financially is an indicator of how connected people feel to Pomona, so we pour our energies into building relationships first and foremost.

What is your approach to fostering a sense of community and strengthening alumni engagement within the board and the College?

It’s important for people to see themselves in the board and in our programming. I’ve done a fair amount of work around equity-driven leadership and facilitation and consider that when I think about leading a diverse, multi-generational board. I want to create space for everyone to be seen and heard. As an English major at Pomona, I learned a lot about subtext that I carry into work like this. I think so much of what’s needed now is to truly listen to people, reflect on what we learn from each other, find common ground when possible and take action to make something better.

As someone who has supported Pomona with your time, expertise and donations, why is it important for alumni to get involved and give back?

For me, getting involved is a wonderful way to get to know students, learn more about what Pomona is like now, and get to know different generations of alumni. It feels good to give back to an institution that gave so much to me, and to be with others who feel similarly. Mostly, though, I hope that new generations of alumni feel the same sense of connectedness and community that I experienced at Pomona—which brings me back to my vision of the board helping to support community building.

What effect did your Pomona experience have on your life and career?

I was incredibly lucky to have the late sociology professor Bob Herman ‘51 and his wife, Carol, take me under their wings. His mentorship heavily influenced me when I was a professor at California State University, Sacramento. I sought to build the same kind of culture of care in a large institution that I experienced at Pomona. Lee Harlan ‘55 and Nancy Treser-Osgood ‘80 in the alumni office at Seaver House also showed me what wonderful connections staff could forge with students—I’m still in touch with Nancy and Carol Herman.

Do you have a favorite Pomona memory?

I loved hanging out with friends at the Wash, getting late night fries and milkshakes at the Coop and playing soccer. Academically, taking Shakespeare from Martha Andresen and a Geology class that was co-taught by her and Donald McIntyre stand out as major highlights when I was a student.

Learn more about the Alumni Association Board and how to nominate yourself or a fellow Sagehen. Chirp!