Contents
A Transformative Tenure 1
AN OVERVIEW OF THE CAREER OF PAMELA
BROOKS GANN, FOURTH PRESIDENT OF
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE.
‘Exciting, Bold, and
Transformational’
10
A SELECTION OF TRIBUTES FROM MEMBERS OF
THE CMC COMMUNITY
Give & Take
40
THE FOURTH CMC PRESIDENCY, IN GANN’S WORDS
Brush With Destiny
50
A CONVERSATION WITH RONALD N.
SHERR, ARTIST COMMISSIONED TO PAINT A
PRESIDENTIAL PORTRAIT OF PAMELA GANN.
Lasting Image
REGALIA AT REST: THE DOORWAY OF THE
PRESIDENT’S HOUSE ON COLLEGE AVENUE.
52
CMC
CMC, Volume 35, Number 2, Spring 2013
Published by Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA 91711-6400.
INTERIM MAGAZINE EDITORS
Nicholas Owchar ’90 Alissa Stedman
EDITORIAL BOARD
Phyllis Colman P’03
Attorney at Law
Denise Trotter Eliot ’82
Independent Consultant
Eliot College Consulting
Kristin Fabbe
Assistant Professor of Government
Nancy Falk P’14
President
Claremont McKenna College
Parent Network
John Farrell
Professor of Literature
Carol (Oliver) Hartman ’86
President
Claremont McKenna College
Alumni Association
Lori Kozlowski ’00
Writer
Forbes
Beau Miller ’04
Information Officer
Embassy of the United States
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tauseef Rahman ’07
Communications Committee Chair,
Claremont McKenna College Alumni
Association
Darrell Smith ’74 P’00
Vice President of Marketing
The Africa Channel
Ryder Todd Smith ’96
Founder
Tripepi Smith & Associates
Sarah Tung ’09
Copywriter, LivingSocial
Editing and Publications Coordinator
World Perspectives
Jennifer Saltzman Uner ’86
Live Experience Producer,
Oblong Industries Inc.
ADVANCEMENT STAFF
VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT &
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Ernie Iseminger
VICE PRESIDENT FOR ALUMNI & PARENT
RELATIONS
John Faranda ’79
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Max Benavidez
DIRECTOR OF INTERACTIVE DESIGN &
NEW MEDIA PRODUCTION
Anthony Fisher
DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS
Alissa Stedman
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION
AND CONTENT PRODUCTION
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Rebekah Roose
PUBLIC AFFAIRS ASSISTANT
Eva Valenzuela
STUDENT ASSISTANTS
Jenna Hussein ’15
Rachelle Holmgren ’16
Bennett Jones ’14
Julia Bard ’13
Alexandra Bergonia ’13
Jordan Lieberman ’13
Megan Kelley ’14
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AND PARENT
RELATIONS
Susan Edwards
Nicholas Owchar ’90
DESIGN
PRINTING
Jay Toffoli Design Co.
Castle Press
To Write CMC: Address all correspondence to: CMC Magazine, 400 N. Claremont Blvd.,
Claremont, CA 91711-4015. Letters may also be faxed to 909-621-8100 or e-mailed
to magazine@claremontmckenna.edu.All letters should include the author’s name,
address, and daytime phone number, and may be edited for length, content, and style.
Claremont McKenna College, CMC, and Leaders in the Making are registered trademarks of
Claremont McKenna College, and all applicable rights to use of the trademarks are reserved.
Claremont McKenna College does not discriminate on any illegal basis in the administration of its admissions, educational, or
employment policies and practices.
Claremont McKenna College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.
To read online, go to
www.cmc.edu/news/cmcmagazine.
A TRAN SF ORMAT IV E T ENU RE
The Presidency of Pamela Brooks Gann, 1999-2013
SPR I NG 2 0 13
Numbers.
A college president’s days are filled with them.
For Pamela Brooks Gann, two in particular hold special significance.
140. 53.
What are these?
The ages of the two institutions central to her career—Duke University and Claremont
McKenna College—at the time that she assumed the CMC presidency in 1999.
Behind her: a famed university steeped in Southern tradition (1924 might be Duke’s official
birth year, but its heritage stretches back to 1859).
Before her: a young upstart college founded in the wake of World War II.
Such different worlds.
And yet, CMC’s fourth president found much in common between them, as she explained in
her 1999 opening convocation address.
“I have left one splendid state for another; and one splendid institution in higher education
for another. I’m certain that I am very adaptable to California’s geography, climate, and people,” she said, adding, wryly, “but do not expect me to lose my North Carolina accent.”
The years since have proved that statement true.
As Pamela Gann steps down in June after serving 14 years as CMC president—and prepares
for her next phase at the College, Professor of Legal Studies and Kravis Leadership Institute
Senior Fellow—she leaves a commanding, transformative record that demonstrates not only an
adaptability to California’s geography, climate, and people, but also to the strategic needs of the
ambitious liberal arts college in her care.
SPRING 2013
1
THE NATIVE HABITAT OF NORTH QUAD; AN EARLY
GROUP PLAN FOR THE CLAREMONT COLLEGES.
C MC ’S EARL Y YEARS
When she arrived at CMC, Gann encountered a college that had not only defied the
odds, it had grown beyond its founders’ expectations.
More than a century ago, Claremont had one school. Founded in 1887, Pomona College
moved to the Hotel Claremont in 1890—decades later, it was joined by Scripps College, which
opened its doors in 1927.
In the same period as Scripps’ founding, a vision of a group of Claremont Colleges took
shape, and a third college was in the works. This college would be an all-male institution—to
complement Scripps’ all-female student body—and would take a public affairs-oriented approach to the liberal arts.
Dreams, however, don’t always come to fruition quickly, and in the ensuing years, many
names nurtured and maintained the vision of what would eventually become CMC — among
them Blaisdell, Munro, Lyon, Ament, Bixby Smith, Story, Coons,Bernard, McKenna…and
George C.S. Benson.
As Kevin Starr tells us in Commerce and Civilization—Claremont McKenna College: The First
Fifty Years, 1946-1996, Benson and Donald McKenna turned the dream into a living reality,
and Jack Stark proved over 29 years that the dream could endure and grow.
In little more than a half-century’s time, CMC established an excellent reputation, expanded
its mission and turned coeducational, drawing students from around the globe (with a particular concentration from the Western U.S.). In those same years, other colleges and institutions
grew up around it, thriving like the citrus groves that once covered the region.
When she drove north on Claremont Boulevard and turned left onto Ninth Street, President-elect Gann didn’t just arrive at a college campus. She arrived at a dream fulfilled.
But that was hardly the end of it. She had her own dreams and plans for CMC, too.
2
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
N OR TH C AROL INA ROOT S
Pamela Brooks Gann grew up during the 1950s in Monroe, North Carolina—a
smaller, slower-paced community than nearby Charlotte, which is just 25 miles away.
Today, according to the town’s website, visitors find an idyllic blending of commerce and
historic architecture. The town is also a part of history. During the late 1950s and early 1960s,
several trials of the Civil Rights Movement took place there.
Gann is a proud product of Union County’s public schools and of a region known for its lush
nature and beautiful mountain ranges.
As an adult, she’s been a climber of mountains,
though the peaks that she’s scaled—Mt. Kilimanjaro,
for instance—are far more formidable than any in the
Smokies and Blue Ridge mountains of her home state.
As friends will tell you, she has never shied away from
adventures and challenges.
The same can be said of her academic career. A math
major at the University of North Carolina, Gann
graduated Phi Beta Kappa and earned a law degree at
the Duke University School of Law in 1973 as one of
11 female graduates in a graduating class of 179. She
was admitted to the Order of the Coif, an honor society
“When we talked to people at
recognizing law school graduates who finish in the top
Duke, they all thought highly of Pam.
10% of their class.
She had a very good reputation across
Though private practice beckoned, Gann soon rethe whole campus, not just in the law
turned to higher education, and to her beloved Duke,
school.”
as an assistant professor of law in 1975. In succeeding
WILLIAM F. PODLICH ’66
years, she steadily rose in the ranks—from assistant to
Member, CMC Board of Trustees,
associate to full professor of law—until her appointment Chair, CMC presidential search committee that hired President Gann
Retired CEO, Pacific Investment Management Co.
as the first female dean of Duke Law School in 1988.
Friends and former colleagues at Duke today praise her for introducing improvements on
campus—fundraising, new construction, new faculty, and bringing the school’s law library into
the digital age—and for increasing the school’s visibility abroad.
In light of CMC’s transformation during the past 14 years, much of this may sound very
familiar.
SPRING 2013
3
“The School owes her a great debt,” says Katharine Bartlett, Gann’s successor
as Duke Law School dean. “She’s left a legacy of excellence across the board on
which we have been building ever since.”
“She’s a dynamic and motivating boss,” adds Janse Haywood, who worked for
Gann while she was dean. “She loved Duke Law School, and by her own example encouraged her staff to do their best and be their best.”
CMC Trustee William F. Podlich ’66, who chaired the search committee
looking for Jack Stark’s successor, says the committee was encouraged by the
feedback from Duke about Dean Gann.
“When we talked to people at Duke, they all thought highly of Pam,” he
recalls. “She had a very good reputation across the whole campus, not just in
the law school.”
That good reputation extended to other countries as well. Gann’s Duke
COLLEGIAL GREETINGS:
years include numerous successful visiting professorships and program direcCONGRATULATIONS SENT
torships at universities in Austria, China, Denmark, and Vietnam.
TO GANN ON HER CMC
INAUGURATION.
Such travel abroad has had important implications for CMC.
How? Look no farther than CMC’s program in Yonsei, South Korea, or numerous faculty-led seminars around the world, or the establishment of the College’s Center for
Global Education.
The College’s expansion of international opportunities for students is rooted in Gann’s own
experiences abroad during her Duke years.
A N EW C MC PRES IDENC Y: 1 999
“I’m sitting there in the room and in walks Pamela,” recalls Board of Trustees
Chairman Harry McMahon ’75 P’08 P’09.
McMahon said he knew in that moment that Gann’s selection would be “exciting, bold and
transformational” for CMC, “and indeed she did not disappoint.”
“Bold and transformational”—but how? What do college presidents do? Gann noted that the
role of a college president is an unusual one—a mix of contrasting qualities—in the modern
world.
“ ‘Being a president of a university is no way for an adult to make a living….’ ” she humorously declared, quoting Yale president and baseball commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti in her
4
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
PRESIDENTS STARK AND GANN IN 1999;
AERIAL CAMPUS VIEW PRIOR TO GANN’S ARRIVAL.
inauguration remarks. “ ‘It is to hold a mid-19th“I want to thank Pamela for doing
century ecclesiastical position on top of a late-20than outstanding job as president of
century corporation.’ ”
my alma mater. I commend her on
A college presidency might have the air of an earall of her successes, and I wish her
lier century about it, but, as Gann took office, higher
well in all of her future endeavors.”
education in America was facing a set of decidedly
JACK STARK ’57 GP’11
21st-century changes.
President emeritus, Claremont McKenna College
Like her brethren, Gann faced challenges posed by
new technology, a rapidly-changing world economy, new learning paradigms and more competition in the university marketplace, and the growing necessity to equip students with skills to
answer the call of globalization.
“No college of our quality, ambition, and mission can ignore the impact of globalization,” she
declared in her 1999 inaugural address. “…. Will [our students] be prepared to assume global
leadership in private and public spheres?”
Soon into her presidency, Gann sought the answer by embarking on a College-wide effort to
prepare a strategic plan for CMC with Trustee Peter Barker ’70 P’01 leading the effort.
In the years since, Gann has accomplished much for CMC—ranging from physical construction to faculty hiring to fundraising—that stem from this plan.
SPRING 2013
5
T HE GANN L IST
Through times of international prosperity and international crisis—think, for example,
of the Y2K scare of late 1999, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Iraq War, or the global
financial meltdown in 2007-2008—the Gann presidency has been a testament to
momentum and success in a multitude of areas:
■■
The Campaign for Claremont McKenna
Not only has Gann led the College in the largest fundraising campaign ever
in U.S. liberal arts college history, CMC has surpassed its $600-million goal
(months ahead of schedule) and endowed several new scholarships in the
process, including The Seaver Scholars Program and the Interdisciplinary
Science Scholarship. Along with larger gifts, the Campaign has received a boost
from the Crown Challenge, a matching program created by Trustee Steve
Crown ’74 that multiplies the impact of alumni gifts. An ideal note of triumph
on which the Gann presidency ends.
■■
The Master Plan
Developed with the involvement of the entire College community, and
approved by the city of Claremont, the Master Plan guides future campus
construction and site improvement decisions. Already its effect can be seen
in several projects initiated by Gann: the overhaul of the North Mall, the
construction of Claremont Hall (renamed Crown Hall this year), the Biszantz
Family Tennis Center, the Kravis Center and the forthcoming fitness and
recreation center, the Roberts Pavilion. Extensive renovations also have been
made to North Quad residence halls, Auen and Fawcett towers, and the Marian
Miner Cook Athenaeum.
■■
GROUND-BREAKING: BISZANTZ FAMILY
TENNIS CENTER
Faculty
Recruiting outstanding teacher-scholars has been a priority of Gann’s presidency with 65% of the faculty now
teaching at CMC hired during her tenure. In fact, there isn’t a single department at the College, including Keck
Science and Athletics, that hasn’t been significantly shaped by Gann during her tenure. The number of faculty
(tenured and tenure-track) has grown considerably, from 102 in 2001 to 136 in 2011, and has been helped by several
initiatives, notably the Roberts Fellows Program and the Roberts Faculty Challenge (which generated $60 million
for the College’s endowment and endowed 26 out of 36 new faculty chairs) established by Trustee George R.
Roberts ’66 P’93. And don’t forget the adoption of the four-course teaching load: That means more time for writing
and research, and more time interacting with students outside of class.
6
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
■■
Students
Today, more students than ever are eager to have the CMC experience. Enrollment rates reflect that: The number
of students attending CMC has grown from 1,001 in the 1999-2000 academic year to 1,151 in the 2012-2013
academic year. This period also has been marked by growth in student selectivity and a robust increase in the
number of applicants. The current student body also represents 45 states and 32 foreign countries. Along with
a variety of scholarship and co-curricular opportunities, students today also enjoy more options with summer
internships, which have expanded to fund about 120 each summer with an associated leadership development
component for academic credit. That’s vital to their preparations for life after CMC.
■■
The Robert Day Scholars Program
How do you gain a competitive advantage in business and finance?
Gann and Trustee Robert Day ’65 P’12 together envisioned intensive,
specialized training for undergraduates and graduates alike. The
result: The Robert Day Scholars Program, established when Day
made a $200-million individual gift to CMC in 2007—the largest ever
made to a liberal arts college at the time—to support a new Master’s
in Finance degree and related undergraduate program.
■■
New research institutes and centers
Good things, the saying goes, come in threes. During Gann’s tenure,
the College has added three new research institutes and centers:
The Berger Institute for Work, Family, and Children; The Center
for Human Rights Leadership; and The Financial Economics Institute. Not only does the College’s network
of institutes and centers provide faculty with more platforms for research, they also give students even greater
opportunities to bolster their academic success before they graduate.
■■
The Center for Global Education
Gann planted the seed of the Center during her 1999 inaugural address, underlining the necessity for college
students to have a deeper, richer awareness of global issues. To do that, she established the Center, which has
centralized and gathered new and existing programs both domestic and international, including the Silicon
Valley Program, the Yonsei-CMC Summer Leadership Program, and the Washington Program. Study abroad
opportunities also have experienced a dramatic surge in the past decade as more students are spending at least one
semester of study in a diverse number of countries.
■■
The Center for Civic Engagement
While the Center for Global Education encourages better international awareness among students, the Center for
Civic Engagement reminds them not to overlook the issues and needs of people right in their own backyard. The
Center stages numerous programs to support and build student interest in public affairs and community service at
the local, state, national, and international levels, as well as campus sustainability efforts.
SPRING 2013
7
■■
The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The pursuit of innovative ideas sometimes requires traveling down unexpected paths. The experimental Center for
Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) is a student-led, grassroots effort committed to helping young innovators
from all of The Claremont Colleges as they explore their unique visions. The CIE was created as a joint venture
with the Dean of Faculty, Kravis Leadership Institute, and the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance.
■■
The Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership
CMC’s growing embrace of leadership and problem-solving in the non-profit sector
has been embodied by the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership, established by Trustee
Henry R. Kravis ’67 and Marie-Josée Kravis, who serves as chair of the Prize’s selection
committee. Among the recipients of the prize, which recognizes exceptional work done
in health, education and economic development, are Sakena Yacoobi (who’s educating
the women of Afghanistan) and mothers2mothers (which gives support to HIV-infected women around the world). This year’s recipient, Johann Olav Koss, is an Olympic
speed-skating gold medalist whose organization Right To Play reaches out to children
in war-torn, poverty-stricken corners of the world.
■■
The Kravis Center
WITH 2009 KRAVIS PRIZE RECIPIENT,
SAKENA YACOOBI
Every college needs distinctive, physical landmarks, and while CMC’s have been the rectangle of North Quad,
Bauer Center or the towers, the dedication of the Kravis Center in 2011 introduced a new, defining architectural
element to the campus. Named in honor of Henry Kravis ’67 and Marie-Josée Kravis, the Center is the flagship
for the College’s new Master Planning principles, guided by sustainability, LEED standards, and reflecting CMC’s
modernity and forward-thinking. Composed of intimate indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, flexible classrooms,
and academic research areas, the Center was designed by world-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly. Whether a visitor
is on campus or nearby, the Kravis Center creates what Gann considers an important gateway for the College. Its
message is immediate and clear: We are here.
■■
The Roberts Pavilion and athletics
Gann’s promotion of the scholar-athlete ideal and long-term goal for a fitness and recreation
center has become a reality now that plans are underway for the Roberts Pavilion. Named
in honor of Trustee George R. Roberts ’66 P’93, the Pavilion will be a place that not only
captures the spirit of the student-athlete ideal but also provides the entire college community
with a recreational center and a venue for visits from major speakers. Additionally, where
athletics are concerned, during the Gann years the number of CMS varsity teams has
expanded to include women’s golf and lacrosse, culminating in the College’s winning of the
all-SCIAC All-Sports Trophy 10 times during the last 13 years. Personally, for Gann, the
end of her presidency comes with another honor. The Southern California Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference named her as the recipient of the 2013 SCIAC Distinguished Service Award for contributions
to the conference and intercollegiate athletics.
■■
Nearly a million miles on behalf of CMC
The president has maintained a constant travel schedule through the years to raise the profile of the College on
the international scene. Her travels abroad also have had another intention: to reach out to communities of CMC
alumni and other friends and supporters in countries around the world, ranging from Kuwait, Jordan, and China to
Korea, England and India.
8
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
KRAVIS CENTER DEDICATION DAY: TRUSTEE HENRY R. KRAVIS ‘67 AND
MARIE-JOSÉE KRAVIS WITH PRESIDENT PAMELA GANN IN 2011.
—N i c k O w c h a r ’90
SPRING 2013
9
DUKE DAYS: THE RISING
LEGAL PROFESSOR AND LAW
SCHOOL DEAN.
10
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
‘Exciting, Bold,
Transformational’
IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES, members of the CMC community
celebrate Pamela Gann’s 14-year tenure by sharing moments and memories from
her presidency. This selection of voices is neither exhaustive nor comprehensive:
Space in print simply won’t allow for that. However, the internet offers ample
room: You’re invited to post your own appreciations of the Gann presidency at:
cmc.edu/news/tribute_to_pamela_gann/
SPRING 2013
11
“
I’m sitting there in the room and
in walks Pamela.... I thought, this
is going to be exciting, bold, and
transformational, and indeed she
did not disappoint.
”
HARRY MCMAHON ’75 P’08 P’09
CHAIRMAN, CMC BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN, BANK OF AMERICA/MERRILL LYNCH
12
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
PAMELA GANN WAS A SPECTACULAR
DEAN of Duke Law School. She left
her mark in every area—new faculty
members put Duke on the map especially
with respect to Intellectual Property
and International Law; a huge boost in
financial aid led to a marked increase
in the quality of our students; and our
international programs and partnerships
expanded, especially in Asia. Much of
this was possible because of a national
and international alumni network and
fundraising apparatus that she was able
to build, almost from scratch. She left a
legacy of excellence across the board on
which we have been building ever since.
The School owes her a great debt.
K A T H A R I N E T. B A R T L E T T
A. KENNETH PYE PROFESSOR OF LAW, DUKE LAW
SCHOOL DEAN (2000-2007)
CMC’S NEWLY-ARRIVED FOURTH
PRESIDENT IN THE CMC BOARDROOM.
SPRING 2013
13
High energy…and a
cup of Earl Grey tea
I HAVE TO BE HONEST. I was slightly terrified the first day I went to work with Pamela. It was probably the first time that I had
been scared in years, but I was new to the job. So was she—but from where I was standing, she appeared to have all the confidence
in the world. Looking back now, I can’t imagine what those first months must have been like for her. She took over from Jack Stark
’57 GP’11, an alumnus of the College and a well-regarded administrator and president. He had created a culture at CMC that had
developed over 29 years. She was the first female president of a former men’s college. It couldn’t have been easy, but she sailed along
with batteries fully charged. In fact, as time went by and I quickly regained my confidence, my name for her became the “Energizer
bunny!”
I probably saw another side of
Pamela that most people didn’t know
existed. Before coming to the office, she
usually spent an hour on the elliptical
every morning. When she wasn’t on the
elliptical, she was hiking or running. She
understood that in order to keep her
mind sharp, she had to keep her body fit.
I respected her for this. Sometimes, she
made me laugh…and I mean she made
me laugh out loud.
As most people know, she has a
competitive spirit, and sometimes that
came out after a meeting when we
would enter Bauer Center together and
approach the stairs. She would get that
glint in her eye, and we would race to
the top—in heels no less! Even though
I was on the inside, next to the banister,
and she had to cover more ground to
get to the top, she always beat me! I gave
her a run for her money, of course, but I
attributed her win to the number of Earl
Grey cups of tea that she drank every
day. There really was no way to slow her
14
down! I mean, one of her great physical
feats was climbing Kilimanjaro. How was
I ever really going to compete with that?!
When I was getting ready to retire
from CMC after working with Pamela
for 10 years (and after 29 years at The
Claremont Colleges), I reflected on the
many wonderful people I had worked
with and the many accomplishments that
I had been a part of over the years. One
thing that I really enjoyed and respected
about working with Pamela was that she
trusted me with great responsibility and
gave me autonomy. She would give me
projects and never interfered or asked
me about them again until they were
finished.
One of these projects, for example,
was finding a new location for
Commencement as the original venue
in Badgley Garden had been outgrown
and was to be used as a site for a new
dormitory, Claremont Hall (renamed
Crown Hall this year). Pritzlaff Field
was my choice along—along with a new,
fancy tent (or “Marquee,” as we Brits call
it), and I collaborated with the Dean of
the Faculty’s Office and Facilities to make
it work. Like Pamela and others at the
College, I understood that parents and
future alumni must leave CMC with a
certain branded image in their minds
that CMC produces successful, confident,
and academically well-equipped
students. In my mind, I believed that
Commencement should demonstrate this
in a visual and ceremonial way.
Suffice it to say, Pamela was really
proud of the new Commencement
location and program changes, and that
made me feel like a million dollars. In my
opinion, a great leader is one who trusts
in his or her staff and allows them to
do their job to the best of their abilities.
Pamela was this leader to me.
JUNE R. McCARTNEY
FORMER EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE
PRESIDENT AND ASSOCIATE SECRETARY
OF THE COLLEGE
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES in the early years
of Pam’s presidency, I found that she possessed a confident vision
of what the College needed as she was settling into her role. In the
first decade of the new millennium, CMC and the world of higher
education faced plenty of mountain-sized challenges; fortunately,
Pam is a climber of mountains. She has achieved several noteworthy
summits in her travels, including Mt. Kilimanjaro, and she helped
CMC reach new peaks. Thanks to her leadership, today the College
is in excellent shape and has a clear strategic view of the future. The
‘search committee” that selected Pam fourteen years ago asked that
she take CMC to the “next level”. This she has done in superb form.
PETER K. BARKER '70 P'01
CMC TRUSTEE,
RETIRED CHAIRMAN OF CALIFORNIA
JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
SPRING 2013
15
WHEN PRESIDENT GANN WAS INAUGURATED, she sponsored a 5K walk/run, something that became an annual
event. Many students, faculty, and staff wore T-shirts with the slogan, “I Rann with Gann,” to declare their
participation in one of these community treks. Everyone who has worked at this college during the past decade and a
half can, in a metaphorical sense, say the same, whether or not we laced up our running shoes. The journey has been
transformative for us all. As she leaves office and the marathon of being CMC’s first woman president, we wish her the
best on the road that lies ahead. Long may she runn!
AUDREY BILGER, PH.D.
FACULTY DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR WRITING & PUBLIC DISCOURSE
PROFESSOR OF LITERATURE
WHEN WE LEARNED THAT PRESIDENT GANN would become our next President, we tried to
find out as much as we could about her so that we could plan a series of events to welcome her.
Because she was from North Carolina, we planned an all-campus barbeque with the theme of
“Southern foods,” and to celebrate our first female President, we invited musician Lisa Loeb to
perform at Bridges Auditorium.
We also learned that President Gann enjoyed running, so we asked her to lead us in a 5-K
“fun run” around the perimeter of The Claremont Colleges. What would we call it? Someone
proposed, “I Ran with Pam,” but we thought that might be too informal. Then someone else
proposed, “I Ran with Gann.”
Most of us thought it was a great idea, but one person in the conversation wondered what the
country of Iran had to do with President Gann! So, just to be clear, we decided to change the
spelling a little so that there wouldn’t be any confusion. And that’s how the “I Rann with Gann”
5-K was born.
JEFFERSON HUANG
VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS, ADMISSION AND FINANCIAL AID
16
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
“
Even as the campus has changed, I can look around and see the CMC of old. We’re a
small College, and we’re proud of that, but you have to keep changing and accelerating
to meet the demands of what people want. That’s what you’ve seen during President
Gann’s time: She has worked for the betterment of the school. What I like is how she has
looked at the school’s future in the long term, beyond her own tenure.
It’s all been for the good, and when I’m on campus now, I still feel the same camaraderie
and atmosphere from the past. Times change, but those feelings remain. That’s what
CMC continues to be about.
”
SPRING 2013
ARDEN FLAMSON
(SCRIPPS ’52)
LIFE TRUSTEE, CMC
17
“
In my four years at CMC, I was lucky enough to have
traveled with Pam on four business trips, three of them
to Asia. She is not only a great fellow traveler, but also
an inspirational colleague. She has an incredible talent to
connect with people. I will miss her.
”
MINXIN PEI P’11
TOM AND MARGOT PRITZKER ‘72 PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT,
DIRECTOR OF THE KECK CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES,
& GEORGE R. ROBERTS FELLOW
18
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
THE FIRST TIME I MET PAM was after living in Singapore for a number of years.
I was so impressed by her vision to lead CMC in the direction of what I had
just experienced—becoming more integrated globally with communities we
hadn’t yet fully explored. Thanks to her willingness to go anywhere on behalf
of CMC to develop new opportunities for our existing students as well as find
prospective students to come to CMC and broaden our diverse culture, Pam
has given the College a fantastic international presence and a strong and rising
global reputation. She has the ability not just to dream of global ambitions but
to implement those dreams which has required amazing effort that those of us
involved in global businesses can really appreciate.
SHAW B. WAGENER ’81
CMC TRUSTEE,
CHAIRMAN
CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL
THE CENTER FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION SENDS CMCERS INTO THE
WORLD: KATHRYN LEONNIG ‘12 ACCUMULATES LUCK AT THE
DRAGON GATE; JULIA STARR ‘12 WITH CHILDREN IN INDIA; CHRISTINA
KHAVARIAN ‘12 WITH A VILLAGE BOY IN MOROCCO
SPRING 2013
19
PARTNERS IN PROGRESS: GANN
WITH ROBERT A. DAY ‘65 P’12
“
Pam has a knack for leveraging the resources of the
College’s community to benefit future generations
of students. I was so pleased by our discussions of an
exciting, new program that would bring finance training
to undergraduates and graduates. As I look at the
Day School today and its excellent faculty of scholars
and experts, I can say that it’s been a pleasure to build
something so important and special at CMC with Pam.
”
R O B E R T A . D AY ‘ 6 5 P ’ 1 2
CMC TRUSTEE,
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, TRUST COMPANY OF THE WEST
20
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
MY WIFE AND I USED TO TRAVEL WITH PAM to many places all over the world, and I’ll never forget an especially difficult trip
years ago to Northern Pakistan. Everything went wrong. For one thing, Pam’s hiking gear didn’t arrive, and she had to buy some
second-hand clothing at a camp where the porters sold old coats and gear. You had no choice: If you didn’t do that, you’d freeze to
death.
We were climbing in the Karakoram range, circling around K-2, and our party got snowed in at 19,000 feet. That wasn’t all. There
were revolutions taking place in the region, and we were held in quarantine and eventually evacuated from the area by Pakistani
troops.
Through it all, Pam was cool and calm. She was a real trooper. She never complained once even though we all had plenty of reasons
to complain!
I can still remember our party climbing a trail that had been carved out of the ice. I was so nervous about leaping across crevasses
that I asked the guides to help me. They held my hand so that I wouldn’t fall into one of them. Pam didn’t ask for any help. She just
leaped the crevasses and kept on going.
WILLIAM A. REPPY JR.
CHARLES L. B. LOWNDES EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF LAW,
DUKE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
FOLLOWING A COLLECTIVE TRIP by the Presidents Council to Asia five years ago, I had the pleasure of spending an extra day
in Beijing touring with Pam. Part of what makes Pam such a strong and successful leader of a college, particularly a liberal arts
college, came across strongly as I watched her broad curiosity for Chinese culture, her ease of personality enabling her to relate
well to people of every level of society, and her enthusiasm for the opportunity to see and learn something new. Pam is definitely an
intellectual adventurer.
R O B E R T A . W A LT O N
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,
CLAREMONT UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM
I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW PRESIDENT GANN in the
past few years, and I was most impressed with her grace
and depth of knowledge during an audience and a royal
dinner with HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
of Thailand at the Pathumwan Palace in late 2012.
President Gann possesses that quality of charm and
intelligence which has served CMC well in extending
its global network of enlightened personalities and
intellectual centers of excellence worldwide.
SURIN PITSUWAN ’72
FORMER SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
WITH SURIN PITSUWAN ‘72,
FORMER SECRETARY-GENERAL OF
THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST
ASIAN NATIONS, IN 2009
SPRING 2013
21
I ADMIRE PAMELA GANN and her presidency primarily because of her excellent leadership. The
highest test of a leader, in my opinion, is skillfully guiding an institution through rough times. Pamela
did that on several occasions. For example, the global economy took several hits during her tenure,
and I recall that she worked hard to instill confidence and calm in our community. Right away she
had meetings with faculty, students, and alumni to make her strategy clear, and it was the best kind of
reassurance for us in troubled financial times. I also very much admire: (1) her determined efforts at
producing excellence in all that CMC does, i.e., her unwillingness to settle for mediocrity; (2) her casting
a vision for the future of CMC that brought all constituents (students, faculty, staff, trustees, parents,
and donors) on board; and (3) her leaving CMC a better place than it was. CMC was already an excellent
college in 1999, and in my opinion presidents Benson and Stark are legends, but today we are financially
stronger with fantastic students and an exceptional faculty thanks to Pamela.
S T E P H E N T. D A V I S
RUSSELL K. PITZER PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY
22
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING with President Gann for more than 12 years, first on Development-related
projects and for the last three years, as the special assistant to the President. She has always impressed me with her
grace and stamina, and it has been an honor to work with her as she has led Claremont McKenna College into a new
chapter of national and global prominence.
CHERYL M. AGUILAR
SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
PAM SETS THE BAR HIGH REGARDING HER EXPECTATIONS for her staff and herself. I have been amazed at CMC’s
accomplishments, especially for its size and its resources, which is a direct reflection of Pam’s leadership and strategic
thinking. CMC is leaps and bounds ahead of its peers when it comes to analyzing and implementing new ideas. It has
been a tremendous opportunity to learn from the best, and to be a part of this era at CMC.
ROBIN ASPINALL
VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION & TREASURER
I’VE SUPPORTED PAM in achieving many of the tremendous accomplishments of her presidency and in navigating
the College through the various challenges through which all great institutions must endure. In both contexts, Pam’s
leadership has been the same – she has led with poise, strength, integrity, and a consistency of purpose to secure and
strengthen CMC in the accomplishment of its distinctive mission. Pam also provided me with the opportunity to
return to my alma mater, and it has been an honor to work with her during an exciting period of growth and change.
M AT T H E W G . B I B B E N S ’ 9 2
VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING, GENERAL COUNSEL, AND SECRETARY OF THE COLLEGE
“
Over the course of my career, I’ve worked for
many college presidents, and I’ve never had a
better partner than President Gann. It’s been a
pleasure, and an honor, to work with someone
who understands what we do as well as anyone
in the business. Pam has set a wonderful example
for my staff with her work ethic, her tenacity, her
inspiration. I arrived at CMC at a key moment in
the Campaign, and it has been a privilege to work
with her on reaching the Campaign’s goals. I will
truly miss her.
”
ERNIE ISEMINGER
VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS,
SPRING 2013
23
“
President Pamela Gann has continued the tradition
of both George Benson and Jack Stark of inspiring and
achieving academic excellence for Claremont McKenna
College. In addition, she has been able to bring to CMC
an international dimension which is extremely important
in the globalized world of today. One can also single out
her achievement in introducing an Arabic program at
CMC. This was a major challenge for a small liberal arts
college, but it has been a great success by all standards.
”
A B D L A T I F Y. A L - H A M A D ’ 6 0 P ’ 8 9
DIRECTOR GENERAL/CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
ARAB FUND FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
WITH KLI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SARAH SMITH ORR
AS A FOUNDING MEMBER of the Kravis Leadership
Institute’s Board of Advisors, I vividly recall our first meeting
with President Gann. Right away she saw that the KLI
would be a crucial element in developing a purposive, serious
program of undergraduate leadership studies at the College,
including curricular and co-curricular elements along with
research. Leadership is a capability that can be cultivated—
that’s a view of President Gann’s that Jay Conger, Institute
chair, and Ron Riggio (director through June 2010) have
greatly appreciated. It’s a capability that deserves special
attention at the undergraduate level before our students begin
their careers. She has been so supportive of our efforts to grow
our programs (along with a summer internship program) and,
when these efforts have grown beyond the KLI’s resources,
to put the College’s full support behind them. She has been
instrumental in helping us to develop our board, expand
the giving base, and serve as an advocate to KLI’s major
donors. I have appreciated her focus on developing critical
resources. She understands that leadership is about making a
commitment first and then leading the way. SARAH SMITH ORR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KRAVIS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
24
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
WITH DEAN GREGORY HESS (JAMES G.
BOSWELL PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS
AND GEORGE R. ROBERTS FELLOW) AND
TRUSTEE GEORGE R. ROBERTS ‘66 P’93
PAM HAS STRENGTHENED all aspects of the
PAM HAS BEEN A LEADER with a clear vision for
College. She’s been instrumental in expanding
student financial aid to recruit a talented student
body nationally and internationally, and she’s been
an architect—of our physical campus, our faculty
of teacher-scholars, and our plans for the College’s
future.
CMC. It has been very satisfying for me to work
with her on a variety of initiatives to better prepare
our students for the world that awaits them after
graduation. They need an increasingly broad palette
of skills to be successful, and she’s been resourceful,
energetic, and tireless in their development. Together
we have addressed the total CMC experience, from
the needs of faculty and athletes to the needs of
the campus and our entire community. She wants
everyone to share in this work. One of her lessons to
every alumnus is: When you graduate from CMC,
your relationship isn’t finished with the College—in
fact, it’s just beginning.
In the process she has generously spiced our mission
with a healthy dose of ambition. She has handled the
tough times in stride, and she has kept the College
focused on continuing to improve as an institution.
We all have her to thank for strengthening all aspects
of the College during her impressive tenure.
GREGORY D. HESS
VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS &
DEAN OF THE FACULTY,
JAMES G. BOSWELL PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS &
GEORGE R. ROBERTS FELLOW
SPRING 2013
GEORGE R. ROBERTS ‘66 P’93
CMC TRUSTEE,
CO-CHAIRMAN AND CO-CEO,
KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS
25
Gann has taken CMC to a new level during the last
“14President
years…from new programs and opportunities for our students
and faculty to a higher profile for our unique mission. For me
personally and for our community, President Gann has been a role
model of leadership and stewardship. Her legacy is very much an
inspiring belief that there is no limit to what we can achieve and
contribute as a premier educational institution.
”
JULIE SPELLMAN SWEET ’89
CMC TRUSTEE,
GENERAL COUNSEL, SECRETARY,
CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER
ACCENTURE
NEW ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: THE CLASSROOMS
AND OFFICES OF PITZER HALL (LEFT) BEFORE
THEIR REPLACEMENT BY THE KRAVIS CENTER AND
COURTYARD.
26
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE President Gann is that
she is a builder: building our physical plant, building
our faculty, building our national and international
reputation—she has been remarkable at those things.
What she has built here will be her enduring contribution
to our community.
I think it’s difficult for students to appreciate what
President Gann has accomplished because her projects
are long-term, and we’re here for a very short time. Her
impact on the student experience, however, has been
undeniable: students have more space, more resources,
and more opportunities to realize their potential here than
ever before.
A D I T YA PA I ’ 1 3
2012–13 PRESIDENT, ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF CMC
SPRING 2013
27
I CLEARLY REMEMBER THE DAY IN THE SPRING OF 1999 when I gave Pamela a tour of our
athletics facilities. I’ll never forget what she said to me. ‘Well, it looks like we have some work to do
around here, don’t we?’ she said, good-naturedly. That tour really began the conversation about how
to upgrade our athletic facilities that has resulted in the spectacular Roberts Pavilion.
It was clear to me that Pam understood, right away, that competition is central to the DNA of every
CMCer. That’s her makeup, too. She wanted to make sure that our athletics was integrated well into
the educational experience. She holds us to a high standard in that regard and has been incredibly
supportive from the start. Her attitude has always been, “If we’re going to do this, let’s invest in it and
do it right.”
MIKE SUTTON ’76
CMS DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
PAM IS AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN and peerless leader. She
understood how critical it was to evolve our leadership mission onto a
global platform, and then led that complicated transition long before our
college peers were even thinking about it. Thanks to Pam’s leadership,
we were able to strengthen our superb faculty, protect financial aid, and
re-envision our physical campus, thereby expanding CMC’s competitive
advantage. I am also grateful for her dedication to making social
entrepreneurship a valued and supported pathway for CMC students. Pam
is an inspiration and a role model for those of us who want to make a big
impact and leave the world a better place than we found it.
L A U R A ( M AY ) G R I S O L A N O , ‘ 8 6
FORMER ALUMNA TRUSTEE
2006–08 CMCAA PRESIDENT
28
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
DO YOU WANT TO BE A CMCER ONE
DAY? GANN VISITS WITH PETER
THURESSON ‘92 AND HIS CHILDREN.
I HAVE BEEN SO IMPRESSED with the staggering number of personal
relationships that Pamela Gann has built with alumni and parents
across the country and around the globe. She remembers their careers,
their children, and their ideas and engages them with an astounding
level of detail. She has continued to build the CMC family. And, as our
leader, she has been amazingly supportive—she has great ideas and high
standards, but backs those with the resources necessary to get the job
done. She has been very supportive of our amazing alumni and parent
volunteers, and of our hard-working staff. She has made her mark at
CMC, and we all are thankful for her fruitful leadership and offer her
best wishes as she joins the Claremont McKenna College faculty.
J O H N P. F A R A N D A ‘ 7 9
VICE PRESIDENT, ALUMNI & PARENT RELATIONS
SPRING 2013
29
“
As the parents of two CMCers,
my wife, Carol Chase, and I have
been just so profoundly pleased
with the remarkable experiences
that our children have had at CMC,
as well as with the meteoric growth
that they have undergone there. We
know that this wonderful launch of
our children has not been the product
of divine intervention (!), but rather in
very significant measure is the result
of the strongest of strong leadership
that President Gann has provided.
Students have always been at the
center of this labor of love, and
for that, CMC Parent Nation is
grateful.
”
J U D G E J O H N P. D O Y L E P ’ 1 1 P ’ 1 3
2009–11 PARENT NETWORK PRESIDENT
30
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
AT A 2012 RECEPTION FOR PRIZE-WINNING
PRESIDENTIAL BIOGRAPHER ROBERT A. CARO
WITH LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA,
2007 COMMENCEMENT KEYNOTE SPEAKER
SPRING 2013
31
the pleasure of working with Pamela from practically her first
“daysI haveon thehadCMC
campus. I have found her push to make CMC the best
college possible to be very focused and determined. She has been able to
accomplish most of what she set out to do, and I am particularly pleased
to have seen the growth of the Kravis Leadership Institute and the Kravis
Prize to recognize non-profit leadership. I’m also thrilled with the outcome
of the Kravis Center, which was an idea that Pamela championed. She is
passionate, she is innovative, and there is no goal too far for her. Without a
doubt, she has made CMC a much better place than when she arrived, for
the students, the faculty, the alumni and the community.
”
HENRY R. KRAVIS ’67
CMC TRUSTEE,
CO-CHAIRMAN AND CO-CEO
KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS
KRAVIS CENTER GROUNDBREAKING: BOARD CHAIRMAN HARRY T. MCMAHON ’75 P’08 P’09; ARCHITECT RAFAEL VIÑOLY; MARIE-JOSÉE KRAVIS;
HENRY KRAVIS ’67; GANN; AND DEAN GREGORY HESS
32
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
WHEN I WALKED INTO MY FIRST “President’s
Meeting” with President Gann, I’ll admit I felt
nervous.
Her accomplishments, both prior and during
her time as President, are known, and I wanted
our 30 minutes to be time that was well spent.
As I now reflect on our meetings, a more
appropriate feeling has been: excitement.
I remember feeling excited entering her office
to hear her accomplishments and share our
own; I was excited leaving her office, my
breadth as a campus leader expanded. It is hard
not to soak up lessons in high-impact leadership
in President Gann’s office. Her legacy for
the CMC student experience is visible and
profound.
I remain excited, though, both for incoming
President Chodosh, and for the coming to
fruition of President Gann’s accomplishments.
I AM REPEATEDLY STRUCK by how fortunate I am to be a part of the
country’s best liberal arts economics and government departments, to
participate in CMC’s unique Robert Day Scholars program, and to live
day-to-day amongst a diverse, worldly, and engaged body of students
and faculty. President Gann has been the driving force behind the
breadth and depth of opportunities that CMC has to offer.
Moreover, President Gann is a personal role model. Earlier this year
I was asked to speak in honor of Robert Day on the fifth anniversary
of his transformational gift to CMC. Though I was uneasy about
speaking in front of such an influential audience, President Gann’s
words of encouragement helped to assuage my nerves.
I was most excited, though, when I learned that
other CMC students will similarly enroll in
leadership practicum with President Gann, and
much more, when she returns to campus in fall
of 2014 as Professor Gann. Our extraordinary
luck to have this special person in our
community could not be clearer in her interest
in returning on campus as a professor.
MILES BIRD ’13
2012-13 VICE PRESIDENT,
ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF CMC
While much of what she does for CMC is beyond the scope of our
understanding as students, President Gann is also a thoughtful and
intelligent woman for whom each student’s interests are a central
priority. Her leadership has been a gift to the CMC community and a
powerful example to CMC’s women.
HANNAH NOONEY ’13
SPRING 2013
33
Pamela Gann’s leadership, vision, and partnership with the consortium catapulted CMC into
a transformative period in its history. Keeping faith with CMC’s mission, she has tirelessly led
the College in a number of directions simultaneously. She has balanced the physical growth
of the College with exponential growth in the number of endowed chairs. She has embraced,
managed and led change; and she’s further elevated CMC to the very forefront of academic
excellence and made it one of the most sought after small, private, liberal arts colleges in the
country. Quite simply, she has been a game changer.
BARBARA W BOSWELL, ED.D.
CMC TRUSTEE, 1992-2012
“
Fifteen years ago, the CMC Board faced the challenge to identify
a new President to follow in the footsteps of George Benson and
Jack Stark. The positive progress made by our College under Pam’s
leadership has validated the Board’s selection. CMC has a stronger
faculty, we are proud of our students and their accomplishments,
the College’s national reputation has grown, and we are completing
the most successful capital campaign in the history of liberal arts
colleges. Under Pam’s leadership, together we have accomplished
so much while maintaining the CMC tradition of preparing leaders
for business, the professions and public affairs.
”
ROBERT J. LOWE ’62
CMC TRUSTEE,
CHAIRMAN & CEO, LOWE ENTERPRISES, INC.
WITH FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE
CONDOLEEZZA RICE IN 2011
34
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
KICKING OFF THE CAMPAIGN IN 2008
“
President Gann has been a tireless leader on behalf of CMC. We all
have bigger ideas and better aspirations because she has pushed us—
and allowed us to pull her along sometimes, too.
”
CAROL (OLIVER) HARTMAN ’86
CMC TRUSTEE,
2011–13 CMCAA BOARD PRESIDENT
SPRING 2013
35
MANY OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY PRESIDENT GANN have focused on
enriching the experience of students and preparing them for future challenges.
Closest to home for me, as the College’s Chief Technology Officer, has been
her support for students meeting the challenges of an ever-changing technology
environment. In her inauguration speech, President Gann remarked, “Science,
mathematics, and engineering provide much of this country’s comparative
economic advantages; they lead to discoveries that improve our health and safety
and overall quality of life; and they produce the military goods and services
that provide for our national defense. Incontrovertibly, our graduates will lead
scientific and technology oriented businesses and will become state and national
legislators who must shape our public policy choices.” To help Claremont
McKenna College prepare our students to lead such businesses, President Gann
has championed the Information Technology Advisory Board, the annual Silicon
Valley Networking Trip, and the semester-long Silicon Valley Program. These are
major, forward-thinking achievements that will have long-lasting benefits for our
students.
CYNTHIA ANN HUMES
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER,
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
“
President Gann’s presidency has been marked
by constant growth and improvement, notably
in the quality and number of new faculty
appointments—remarkably many were made
during a major recession—and in the College’s
endowment and new buildings. Together these
and President Gann’s other fine accomplishments
comprise a sterling legacy, which is a pleasure to
acknowledge.
”
P. E D W A R D H A L E Y
W.M. KECK FOUNDATION PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC STUDIES,
AND DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS LEADERSHIP
36
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
PRESIDENT GANN WITH MARC
MASSOUD P’89, ROBERT A. DAY
DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF
ACCOUNTING
SPRING 2013
37
Many adjectives describe Pamela’s leadership style—tireless, thoughtful,
“respectful,
deliberate, affirmative. But what I admire most is her courage
to try new initiatives and explore ideas. In addition to her personal warmth
and good humor, it is this entrepreneurial side of her leadership style that
resonates with me and makes her such a pleasure to work with and to know.
We will miss her as CMC’s president but look forward to having her join us
as a member of the CMC faculty.
”
JANET KIHOLM SMITH
VON TOBEL PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS,
DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
DURING PAMELA GANN’S PRESIDENCY, Claremont McKenna College
has grown from strength to strength and now enjoys national and
international recognition exceeding the high expectations raised by her
arrival in Claremont in 1999. Two moments in her leadership are especially
meaningful to me personally, and both of them, I believe, have contributed
significantly to her legacy at CMC and to the College’s increasing stature.
PAMELA B. GANN (WITH BERNARDS
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGER
JOHN BRENNAN) PRESIDES OVER
TOPPING OUT CEREMONIES FOR
KRAVIS CENTER IN MARCH 2010.
One day in March 2003, Pam told me that the College had received the
founding gift for The Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and
Human Rights (now the Center for Human Rights Leadership). She not
only championed the Center’s founding, a long-time dream of mine, but
also has done a great deal to ensure its sustainability. By doing so, Pam has
guaranteed that the conscience of the College includes attention to human
rights around the world.
A CEREMONIAL FINAL BEAM WAS
SIGNED BY MEMBERS OF THE PROJECT
TEAM AND THE CMC COMMUNITY,
BEFORE BEING HOISTED INTO PLACE.
Four years later, at a Faculty-Trustee Retreat in March 2007, a few months
after I had taken emeritus status at the College, Pam announced that the
College would endow a chair in Holocaust Studies, another long-time
hope of mine. With that announcement and then with the 2012 arrival
of Professor Wendy Lower, Pam has ensured that the conscience of the
College also includes attention to one of history’s pivotal events. My
gratitude to President Pamela Gann for the commitment, tenacity, and
wisdom that led to these CMC achievements—and many, many more—is
deep and enduring.
JOHN K. ROTH
EDWARD J. SEXTON PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF PHILOSOPHY
38
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
I WOULD IDENTIFY JUST ONE AREA where a sea change has
taken place, the internationalization of the College, whether
one considers the curriculum, faculty expertise, and student
origins. When I arrived at the College in 1998, as a member
of the Government Department, I was the only faculty
member whose specialization was in comparative politics.
Throughout her presidency, our academic deans have hired
dozens of faculty in numerous departments, who offer courses
covering every region in the world. She encouraged a changing
institutional culture which now places a stronger emphasis
on understanding globalization culturally, economically, and
politically. The percentage of students who have studied
abroad increased dramatically. Believing that it is equally
important to encourage personal contact with students from
around the world, she proactively recruited and increased the
percentage of students from across the globe, thus allowing
American students to live with, and become, lifelong friends of
those students from other cultures.
I ARRIVED AT CMC with a bunch of proposals and
quickly figured out which people on campus were
receptive to new proposals (and which ones were not).
I realized Pamela Gann was on the top of the “we-cando-it!” list. She sees the positive sides in every proposal
and is willing to entertain them. She is also eminently
practical: She is willing to let go of a project when
she senses that its time has not come. But to say “yes”
and be willing to look further—that is a wonderful
characteristic that not every leader has.
N I TA K U M A R P ’ 1 0
BROWN FAMILY PROFESSOR OF SOUTH ASIAN HISTORY
RODERIC AI CAMP
PHILIP M. MCKENNA PROFESSOR OF THE PACIFIC RIM
PRESIDENT GANN WITH JACK PITNEY,
CROCKER PROFESSOR OF POLITICS, AND
LISA MINSHEW PITNEY ‘88.
SPRING 2013
39
“
How can college presidents
navigate during these difficult
economic times as we seek to hold
onto the core values of our institutions?
The initial reaction for many of us is to
cut programs and spending…. I believe,
however, that we also need to take
a longer, broader view of the
framework behind our budgets and
work from there…
”
— FROM “FACING THE CHALLENGES OF A TURBULENT
ECONOMY,” A 2009 ARTICLE BY PAMELA GANN IN
THE PRESIDENCY, THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON
EDUCATION’S MAGAZINE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
LEADERS
40
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
Give Take
AT THE TIME PAMELA GANN WAS HANDED THE REINS OF CMC more than a
decade ago, technology was changing the world. People were catching on to the endless depth
and breadth of virtual connectivity. The world was fast becoming flat, and even her beloved
German Shepherds had their own Internet domain-registered names: “Justin.com” and “Topaz.
com.” She envisioned senior thesis in the form of a multimedia work that would be “far more
effective than word-processed thoughts on a white piece of paper.” Cyberspace was a vast,
exciting unknown, to be sure, but her inaugural speech on that warm fall day in October 1999
was grounded by an audience of eager, young intellectuals, curious to know the course of their
beloved CMC under Pamela Gann’s cautious, attentive direction.
While the superhighway was being erected one website at a time, Claremont McKenna’s position
in the liberal arts sphere also was on an upward trajectory. Yes, it was a young institution by
comparison, but its mission and success were incredibly seductive. Gann was drawn, she says,
to its raw bones. Her inaugural address spanned the CMC history pages, and contemplated
its potential. She talked about the College’s founding presidents, its unique distinction among
other liberal arts colleges, its global possibilities, and the civic virtue and leadership habits to be
cultivated during the precious, intimate undergraduate years.
Such a dynamic college takes seriously its obligation to graduate alumni, liberally educated, prepared to
join the company of educated men and women throughout the world, who will address the great questions
and problems of their day, she told her listeners.
Pamela Gann’s presidency ends with an unquestionable richness of achievements. While she
calls Mick Jagger’s lyrics an easy refrain for a college president (I went down to the demonstration
to get my fair share of abuse), her course has been steadied, she says, by a faculty she holds in
“incredibly high regard,” extraordinary, engaged students, generous and deeply committed
Trustees, loyal and passionate alumni, and a village of dedicated staff members. In the following
interview, Gann talks about her years as the leader of CMC, the challenges, the things that make
her happy, and the way she hopes to be remembered…
SPRING 2013
41
important role within The Claremont Colleges. I
genuinely believe that CMC is a really special place,
and I can think of no other liberal arts college with
which I would rather be so strongly associated.
CMC: During your time at Claremont McKenna College,
CMC: You flew your former administrative assistant at
Duke University, Janse Haywood, to your inauguration
here at CMC. Janse has said you had a “terrific impact on
her life.” In your own experience, who believed in you as
a young, growing individual? And how did that support
affect you, or even play a role in your leadership today?
Pamela B. Gann: First and foremost, my father
believed in me, and both my parents always supported
my interests and pursuits through college and law
school. As a young law professor, I sought out
relationships with other faculty members at Duke
University and elsewhere. As dean of the Duke
Law School, several alumni with whom I worked
very closely were very instrumental to my success.
Mentors and champions can be critically important
all along the way, and not only when one is young. I
believe that our Kravis Leadership Institute here at
CMC, as well as our leadership studies curriculum
and co-curricular activities, provide our students
with exceptional opportunities to learn leadership
lessons very early. Of course, the College is full
of opportunities by which students can learn and
practice leadership. I wish that I had had this
opportunity when I was in College.
CMC: After George Benson and Jack Stark, you were
the first outsider—aside from Howard Neville’s brief
presidency—to lead the College. How long did it take you
to feel as if you really knew CMC?
Pamela B. Gann: It takes awhile to genuinely
understand the specialness of CMC––its features of
uniqueness among liberal arts colleges, and also its
42
you have led through local and world crises: Y2K, 9/11,
SARS, the War in Iraq, wildfires, swine flu, Hurricane
Katrina, the Wall Street financial crisis, power outages
across campus, two extreme hits to the CMC endowment, a
hoax hate incident, and an SAT scandal, among others…
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have
given yourself in 1999, at the beginning of your tenure
here, about weathering adversity, and piloting a college
through difficult and extremely challenging times?
Pamela B. Gann: I always say that truth is stranger
than fiction, and I would never have predicted in
1999 most of these events. Nevertheless, I can always
rely on my attention to facts, remaining calm and
rational, and working away at the problem as quickly
as possible, surrounded by a crisis management
group with exceptional expertise. And, my one rule
of thumb is never to underestimate the scale of the
problem. For example, in the financial crisis of 200809, I started addressing the relevant issues in September 2008, recognizing that this time, things really did
seem to be different. It was important to appreciate
the scale of the problem––it was very large––and start
taking action early and often to address it.
We froze all of the budgets; we started taking
defensive financial action very early. We were able
to communicate the challenges. We talked to the
faculty; we explained the scale of the problem and
what we were doing about it. And we froze all salaries
for the following year, and we made no exceptions.
Not one. We were in this together. It was sort of a
big reset button, the fact that we were going to have
to cut back not just for one year, but also moving
forward. The main objective always was to protect
the quality of our students’ education.
CMC: So many people across campus have commented on
your remarkable intellectual and physical stamina. Have
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
you always been that tireless? Where do you find your
energy?
Pamela B. Gann: My mother was very tireless, so
I probably inherited some of this from her. I have
always worked hard, and played hard too. I very much
enjoy staying physically fit and taking on challenging
adventures as far away as trekking in the Karakorum
Range and the Hispar Glacier in northern Pakistan,
climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, or scuba diving off of
Malaysian Borneo. I believe that staying physically fit
clearly supports a high energy level for being effective at work. It also helps to get plenty of sleep, too.
When you go on trips of this difficulty, you are always
taking a risk. You spend a lot of time with others who
are on the journey with you, and you become very
interdependent for mutual safety and success. And I
have found over the years that the more challenging
the trip, the more adaptable the group to the mutual
demands of the journey.
CMC: Speaking of energy…You’ve been known to send
e-mails in the wee hours of the morning. Leading a college
is not unlike owning a business. What kinds of things keep
you up at night? Do you think people are, in general, sensitive to the level of responsibility that comes with leading a
college?
ing together, and also knowing what should be left
behind for future leaders to build upon in their turn.
I often think about our students today. They will be
working in their professional lives from roughly 2013
to 2060. In addition to the long-lived objectives of
a great liberal arts education, what are likely to be
the special challenges of their times? For example, I
wanted to be sure that we house significant faculty
expertise at our college about areas of the world like
China, India, and the Middle East. These areas of the
world will occupy their generation.
Special words for special times
“
We instinctively knew that the best
way to navigate these times was to
hold tight to the familiar… to keep up
athletics practices and games … to finish
unpacking those dorm rooms … to get
back into the classroom and to do what
we at CMC and The Claremont Colleges
do best: To prepare our students for
thoughtful and productive lives.
”
— FROM “REFLECTIONS ON SEPTEMBER 11TH”
Pamela B. Gann: I agree that this level of responsi-
bility is really large and significant, and I also think
that it is difficult fully to understand the level of
commitment and judgment required if one has not
had the opportunity to lead a complex organization.
In managing this leadership challenge, I rarely permit
myself to feel stress, and I also rarely personalize anything. These are two good rules of thumb for a leader
to follow at any time. I also think that other keys to
success are leaving plenty of time for strategic thinking, integration, and communication. One has to listen to others, synthesize the voices, and then articulate the goals of moving forward. One must articulate
that “we are going this way.” One must respect and
build off of the past, while also appreciating what
is particular about the times in which we are workSPRING 2013
CMC: You have a richly analytical, strategic mind. But
those qualities aren’t the only things that ensure a president’s (or any great leader’s) success. What would you
define as the biggest contributor to your success at CMC?
Pamela B. Gann: CMC already was a very success-
ful College when I arrived. The key to success is to
embrace its focus on leadership and liberal arts, to
continue to build upon these features, and to convince alumni, parents, and friends of the College to
invest their time and resources in the College. CMC
is genuinely a liberal arts college with a difference,
including its intentional tension between purist liberal arts and some pre-professionalism, and similarly,
43
Special words for special times
“
As the days unfold, I hope we will
remember that events half a world
away reach very close to home for some
of our colleagues and friends here in
Claremont. Our thoughts are with those
members of our community whose
loved ones are in the armed forces, with
the excellent and dedicated cadets and
staff of our ROTC unit, and with our
international students and faculty.
”
— FROM A 2003 LETTER TO THE CMC COMMUNITY
CONCERNING THE IRAQ WAR
the tension created by presenting at the Athenaeum
a wide range of opinions across the political spectrum. We are literally educating our students for “the
arena.”
CMC: When you stop to think about all that has been
accomplished during your years at Claremont McKenna,
what makes you feel the most pride?
Pamela B. Gann: I have to say that it is difficult to
choose any one thing. But I believe that it has been
our ability to hire 65 percent of the faculty, and it
has been an incredible opportunity. A great faculty
is made one appointment at a time, and I have been
pleased to see the faculty’s taste for great quality in
those they want to see hired as our teacher-scholars. I
imagine that our students also appreciate the quality
of their professors, as well as their level of attentiveness, inside the classroom, but also in their personal
interactions. CMC has a tremendous academic reputation for the quality of its faculty and their attention
to the education and mentoring of our students.
CMC: Tell us more about the challenge of hiring faculty
members and how you built up the faculty and made the
College more international.
Pamela B. Gann: Because faculty have tenure, and
44
the majority of those whom we hire will spend most
of their professional lives with us, for these reasons,
the choosing of whom to hire is an extraordinary
responsibility of the faculty, the Dean of the Faculty, and the President. CMC is fortunate that its
faculty possess very high standards that must be met
in teaching and scholarship, and we have been fortunate to have the resources to support faculty hiring,
including 36 new chaired professorships. We have
been able to expand our faculty in areas that include
expertise in history and international and comparative politics, psychology and ethnicity and psychology
and conflict, foreign languages, and neurosciences,
as just a few examples. Also, many persons not born
in the United States come to this country to obtain
their graduate degrees, and they decide to stay here.
Consequently, it is not surprising that CMC has hired
many faculty who originate from outside the United
States.
CMC: Apart from obvious things that can be quantified
(buildings, faculty members), what is the biggest change to
take place at CMC during your time here?
Pamela B. Gann: I think that there are two changes.
One is the development of a “culture of philanthropy.” CMC has many more alumni and parents who
volunteer and give back their time, and we have more
and more alumni who are making gifts to CMC.
While I know that special attention is often paid to
the really exceptionally, generous gifts, in my mind
all gifts are significant if they are meaningful to the
donor in amount and purpose. Without this culture
of philanthropy, we would not have such a successful
Campaign for Claremont McKenna––the largest in
the history of any liberal arts college, keeping in mind
that we were only founded in 1946. Also, one simply
cannot make significant changes of anything without
philanthropy directed to CMC.
The second change is our attention to student internships as a way to enable students to apply their liberal
arts education directly to application in the world and
to begin to develop a personal, professional identity.
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
We sponsor at least 120 summer internships that enable students to work with the leadership of an organization around the world; we incorporate internships
in our summer international programs; and we utilize
internships in our off-campus programs in Washington, D.C., and Silicon Valley. I very much appreciate
the willingness of our faculty to recognize the educational outcomes of these splendid opportunities to
work, from the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C.
to Kravis Leadership Prize winner Pratham in India.
CMC: Has there been a “biggest” challenge in your tenure
at CMC?
Pamela B. Gann: Yes, the Great Recession, and the
2008-09 financial crisis on Wall Street posed great
challenges for our College. You could lose so much
so quickly in your endowment that it would wipe out
a whole campaign. We did our best to reduce our
budget by several millions of dollars without impacting the quality of a CMC education. I believe that we
succeeded in meeting our goal of resetting our operating budget to the new reality of a smaller endowment at the time, without changing the CMC education for students.
help them be successful, and we make adjustments as
necessary. Another important part of my job is to help
others achieve their successes–– whether it is someone in the administration, a member of the faculty, or
one of our students––and to nurture the qualitative
success we have here, in everything we do.
CMC: Colleagues have said that one of the things that
might not be as commonly known about you is your great
sense of humor. Would you agree?
Pamela B. Gann: Well, I do not try to use humor
in leading, because this is actually very tricky, but I
do enjoy humor one-on-one and in small groups. I
have a very positive outlook on life, and being goodhumored is certainly part of it.
CMC: Peter Drucker has said that checking the results of
a decision against its expectations shows executives what
their strengths are, and where they might need to improve.
What do you think of this assessment?
Pamela B. Gann: I believe that there are a couple of
things to keep in mind here. First, set your priorities
and stay focused on them. And second, never overpromise and under-deliver.
CMC: It takes a village, and a highly effective leader, to
run a College. How would you describe your leadership
style? And, how quickly did you become comfortable with
relying on the officers of CMC, as well as faculty and others, to help you in areas that were less familiar to you?
Pamela B. Gann: Having an outstanding senior team
is very important. We establish six-months and oneyear goals, and I delegate to them their responsibilities. We maintain good communications so that I can
SPRING 2013
CMC: What would you list as things––either here at
CMC, or in your life outside the College–– that bring you
true happiness?
Pamela B. Gann: My family and close friends are
very important to me, and I always create time to
be with them–– to travel with them, and to share
special occasions with them. I have two grandsons,
and both of them think that I am a fun and thoughtful person. We have done lots of physical, outdoor
activities together. I love to hike and trek journeys,
from a starting point to a destination. A recent example is the England “Coast to Coast Walk,” which is
45
CMC: This is the perfect time to mention that you have
traveled nearly a million miles on behalf of the College
and its mission. Which means you have not only fostered
invaluable relationships with alumni, parents, and other
stakeholders across the world, but have mastered the art
of packing a suitcase. What are your default, must-take
items?
Pamela B. Gann: I do not leave home without my
Special words for special times
“
We are so very pleased that you
originate from so many different places,
cultures, and backgrounds. We are happy
that you decided to make the journey to
study here with us. These are a precious
four years in which to garner as much
of human wisdom as you can from your
liberal arts education. Most assuredly this
education will benefit you every step in the
journey of your life, just as it has benefited
me so very, very much.
”
— FROM “A JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE WITH THE
LIBERAL ARTS,” DELIVERED TO THE STUDENT BODY AT
THE 2012 OPENING CONVOCATION
iPad and my Nook and my ATT world phone. I
stay connected, and I make it a point to never travel
without something to read. One of the joys of travel
is the opportunity to read lengthy books of nonfiction
on long flights.
CMC: So now we are reaching back into your inaugural
vaults, and the activities surrounding it in 1999––one of
which included performances at Bridges Auditorium by
musicians Lisa Loeb and Duncan Sheik. You must have a
favorite artist? Or a go-to song for the times you’re exercising?
Pamela B. Gann: Well, I was thrilled that we hosted
Bono a few years ago, not for hearing his music, but
hearing about his humanitarian efforts. I have always
particularly enjoyed Jerry Garcia: What a long strange
trip it’s been. Being President of CMC?! (Laughs.) I
also like Mick Jagger: I went down to the demonstration
to get my fair share of abuse. That could easily be a college president’s refrain!
CMC: Speaking of your inauguration, you did happen to
about 190 miles, starting in St. Bees, Cumbria, on the
Irish Sea, and ending up at the little fishing village,
Robin Hood’s Bay, on the North Sea. That was my
significant hike last summer. My next big hike is in
Ladakh, India, and that will be a high-altitude hike.
I also expect to hike in and around Mt. Everest next
fall. These kinds of outdoor activities with family and
friends truly make me happy. However, I am never
happier than presiding over a CMC graduation. I like
the pomp and circumstance, the wonderful sense of
accomplishment that is so palpable on that day, but
most of all the recognition of our graduates.
46
quote the Rolling Stones in your address. But you also said
that, “Conversation is at the heart of a fine liberal arts
college and education, and it is also at the heart of useful
collegiate self-examination.” In your own self-examination
as the leader of CMC for 14 years, what is the most important thing you have learned?
Pamela B. Gann: I have only become more and
more committed to the importance and elegance of
a superb liberal arts education. And, that there is no
better place to receive a fantastic and effective undergraduate education than in The Claremont Colleges.
We have the best of the small, residential college, and
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
the faculty and curriculum of a middle-sized research
university.
CMC: Back at Duke, as dean of the law school, you
certainly imagined what leading an elite liberal arts
college would be like, and you were more than ready for
the challenge. How has real life compared to the way you
imagined it?
Pamela B. Gann: I believe that a great legal educa-
tion among the top law schools is really an extension of an undergraduate education, combined with
important, interesting, and necessary professional
education. I recall my first case in Property class my
first year. It was two pages long, and set in England
400 years ago. It took me two hours to work through
it with Black’s Law Dictionary. The legal history of
England was totally critical to understanding my
first case in law school. The importance of history,
the founders, microeconomics, and political philosophy––just to take a few examples––arise every day in
an elegant law school education.
CMC: Your office in Bauer Center has been a home away
from home for so many years, and soon will be the office
of your successor, President-Elect Hiram Chodosh. As a
professor once again very soon, do you think, in some ways,
you will always feel like a leader of CMC?
Pamela B. Gann: I have had 14 years to lead at
CMC. I am certain to continue to pursue leadership
opportunities outside of Claremont McKenna, and I
hope to teach a course on leadership, but true leadership of CMC should be the opportunity and challenge of my successor. One of the important things
for all thoughtful leaders to recognize is that they
have been followers in the past, they have their time
as leaders, but they will inevitably return to the role
of followers. All leaders should be thoughtful and
humble about this inevitable outcome. One of the
critical features of successful leaders is self-awareness,
and this should be a genuine part of their self-awareness! So, the short answer is “No.” I will not be a future leader of CMC, although I will always care about
its inevitable success.
SPRING 2013
CMC: When students are talking about you in the near
and distant future, what do you hope they’ll remember
most about your time here?
Pamela B. Gann: I would hope that they will rec-
ognize the amazing faculty who teach them, as I am
extremely proud of our genuinely excellent faculty. I
never worry about the quality of what goes on in the
classroom. I would also hope that they would recognize the exceptional opportunities that they have
through co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities, particularly summer internships and special
travel and networking trips. Our students are extraordinary and thoughtful young people, and I know they
do appreciate the value of their life and education at
CMC.
— Alissa Stedman
Special words for special times
“
I certainly turned to him many times,
arriving five years ago as a new college
president and a new Californian. I
appreciated his clear and articulate
guidance, his marvelous wit, and, most
certainly, his love of Claremont McKenna
College. He nurtured CMC like the
gardens he tended at home….
”
— FROM A 2003 MEMORIAL SERVICE IN HONOR OF PROFESSOR
EMERITUS ORME PHELPS
47
48
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
Brush
Destiny
COMMISSIONED BY CMC to paint the official portrait
of President Pamela Gann, esteemed artist Ronald N. Sherr
made the long trip from Hong Kong to Claremont this past
October for face-to-face sittings. Having painted presidents
and politicians such as George H. W. Bush, Gerald Ford,
and Colin Powell, Sherr was no less eager for the opportunity
to paint Gann and, as with all portraits created for leaders
around the globe, contribute to her legacy. “If I can leave
behind images which people value over time, then I feel I will
have genuinely achieved something…both for me, and for my
portrait subjects,” he said.
SPRING 2013
49
What will distinguish this oil portrait from a simple, framed photograph of Gann is the care taken to capture
her true personality. Although a photograph can have a powerful initial impact, a portrait, Sherr explains,
is a more subtle exploration of both physical likeness and personal character. The size of the piece alone is
said to be striking, but beyond that, Sherr believes he has captured Pamela Gann’s persona as President.
His process, he says, is typically the same for all of his subjects. In order to get to know them as well as
possible, he arranges as many sittings as their schedules afford. With Gann, he was able to schedule three
sessions—with each more than two hours long (which also allowed time for conversation). During those
meetings Sherr photographed and sketched various aspects of her physical features and recorded notes
intended to help capture her character, such as a particular arch to her eyebrow or penetrating gaze. Back
at his studio in Hong Kong, the sketches were invaluable in the painting process, making up for inherent
distortions of photography (something he explains in the following Q&A). Deliberately meeting Gann in
a variety of settings also allowed him to observe various moods and physical appearances. Sherr explains
that each day revealed something new about her, which helped him create an image not just reflecting her
physical appearance, but achieving a depth to her character as well.
The three-quarter view of Gann in her CMC robes was painted in the Athenaeum. Sherr says choosing
her attire was not difficult; academic robes were the obvious choice, befitting not only her position but
imparting a timeless quality to the image—a critical aspect in ensuring her portrait, and the view it provides
of her legacy, will live on with strength and dignity.
Here, the award-winning artist reveals details of his process, his inspiration, the connection he feels to his
paintings, and how he is able to imbue his portraits with the strength of character he sees in each sitter, just
as he did with CMC’s President Gann.
CMC: You’ve previously mentioned that you don’t
show photos you take of your subjects to them at the
beginning of the process, as one’s preferences tend to
be unreliable- that it’s impossible to see ourselves as
others see us. Given that, how would you describe
Pamela Gann? What are a few of the qualities about
her which you wanted to be sure to reflect in her
portrait?
Sherr: The reason I don’t tend to show photographs
to clients, is that what makes a good photo, may not
make a good painting. I am the one who has to be
able to read between the lines (no pun intended) and
pull out information that will help me to create a
portrait that feels like the subject. I think we know all
too well how people often post a photo of themselves
on a social networking site like Facebook, which
doesn’t accurately represent them in any way. It’s the
same when I show photos to a client; they may pick
one that makes them look younger or better, but
is not an accurate representation. As for President
Gann, she is a very attractive subject, and although
she is petite, she exudes great strength and confidence
50
in her manner. She is a world traveler with knowledge
and experience I find truly impressive, and she was
more than happy to share her experiences in an
unpretentious way. On top of that, she has a beautiful
smile, although big, smiling portraits generally do not
make for great portraiture.
CMC: Is there a difference in the level of pressure or
responsibility you feel when you’re creating a portrait,
whether it’s for the president of the United States, or
the president of a college?
Sherr: There is greater pressure on me when trying to anticipate how people may react to a portrait
of a public figure; especially if I know that up to a
million people a year (as in the case of the National
Portrait Gallery) may be viewing my work. In general, the public develops a picture of “celebrities” in
their mind, which may be formed by years of seeing
images on TV, in print, in movies, etc. For me, the
difficult part is how to depict someone who is so well
known from photographs, and has been in the public
eye for an extended period of time. As a hypothetical
example, imagine the difficulties of painting someone
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
like Elizabeth Taylor late in her life––such a beauty
when she was young, such a caricature as she aged.
What could a portrait painter possibly have done of
her later in life that would have been meaningful or
true, that would also have been accepted by the public
(or Ms. Taylor for that matter)? A good illustration of
this is Paul Emsley’s recently unveiled portrait of Kate
Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge. Obviously his vision of her is not one shared by the public; unfortunate
for both artist and sitter.
I must also add that, by contrast, I find all of my portrait commissions equally important. I give them my
best shot regardless of the sitter. Why? Because they
are mine, and even though they leave my studio when
finished and become someone else’s possession, they
will always be mine.
CMC: At what point in your life did you know that
you wanted to be a portrait artist? And, what kind of
art is personally pleasing to you? (Paintings, architecture, photography, books, music, theater? Any form
that’s particularly inspirational?)
Sherr: I started painting at the prompting of my Dad,
who suggested I look at a small art school in New Jersey, as I was not happy with the college I was attending. It’s a long story but to make him happy, I went to
see the school— at which I was given an aptitude test
of sorts (I was required to sketch something for the
director) and was summarily told after I had finished
that I had incredible talent and that art was beyond
a doubt, my calling in life. What I didn’t realize at
the time was that it was also a calling in life for virtually anyone who could sign a check for tuition. I was
bamboozled.
My Dad remembered well that I had had a real
obsession with drawing when I was very young. An
interesting story: About nine or 10 years ago I was interviewed by the National Portrait Gallery for a video
regarding my portrait of George H. W. Bush, which
they commissioned me to paint for their Presidential
Collection. Before they began filming, the NPG’s
Carol Wyrick (education program director) asked me
if I had ever had a passion for drawing when I was very
young––a surprising question that I am rarely asked. I
told her a story about a drawing I did in kindergarten,
which I worked on for over a week (most 5-year-olds
don’t have the attention span to work on a piece for
SPRING 2013
more than 30 seconds). I said I remembered sitting at a
long desk the last day I was working on it, and the next
thing I knew, a group of well-dressed grownups came
in and stood behind me––all talking, not to me, but to
my teacher. I was so engrossed in the drawing that I
never stopped and barely glanced at them. Out of the
blue my teacher reached down and took my drawing
away, and that was the last I ever saw of it. I learned
much later that it had won some national award, but
my family was never told anything about it at the time.
Carol was quite intrigued and asked if I remembered
what I had drawn. I said absolutely: a portrait of President Abraham Lincoln. How incredible it felt to be at
the National Gallery so many years later talking about
my official painting of another President!
As far as art that I find pleasing, I enjoy pretty much
all of the categories you’ve mentioned, especially music, books and movies!
— B e nn e t t J on e s ’14
RONALD N. SHERR’s portraits of General Colin Powell and
of President George H. W. Bush, commissioned by the National
Portrait Gallery, were presented to the public in December
2012 and in November 1995, respectively. His portrait of Justice
Anthony M. Kennedy will hang in the Supreme Court, upon
Kennedy’s retirement. Sherr’s historic double portrait of the Bush
Presidents 41 and 43 (who posed for him at Camp David) hangs at
the George H. W. Bush Library in College Station, Texas.
In 1991, he won the Hubbard Art Award (worth $250,000) from
the Hubbard Art Museum in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Other
awards include an Allied Artists of America Gold Medal of Honor,
1986; International Editorial Design Competition; cover art for
Time Magazine (a portrait of Andreas Papandreou); Benjamin
Altman Figure Prize, National Academy of Design; the Henry
Ward Ranger Purchase Prize, National Academy of Design;
Greenshields Foundation Grants and a Stacey Foundation Grant.
Among the institutions representing Sherr are the National
Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC;
Supreme Court of the United States, Washington, DC; US
Department of the Treasury, US Department of Energy and US
House of Representatives, all in Washington, DC; Yale University;
Princeton University; Duke University; Dartmouth College,
University of Michigan, Gerald Ford School of Public Policy;
Pomona College; The State House, Trenton, New Jersey (official
portrait of former Governor J. Florio); The State House, Boston,
Massachusetts (official portrait of Governor Celluci) . He is also
represented in private collections throughout the US, Europe,
and Asia. His teaching career spanned twenty-five years, with long
tenures at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students
League of New York.
Sherr was born in New Jersey in 1952. He studied at the DuCret
School of Art in New Jersey and at the National Academy of
Design with Daniel E. Greene, Harvey Dinnerstein, and privately
with Burton Silverman.
Sherr currently splits his time between his studios in Hong Kong
and New York City.
51
REGALIA AT REST: THE
DOORWAY OF THE
PRESIDENT’S HOUSE ON
COLLEGE AVENUE.
52
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
Alumni Notes Inside cover
Carol (Oliver) Hartman ’86 offers a
brief reflection on CMC’s continued,
evolving growth under the direction of
President Pamela Gann: “When I was an
undergraduate, there weren’t many cash
prizes and a passport wasn’t necessary.
Not true today.”
Class Notes
Page 1
Ok, no more stalling. Book yourself that
well-deserved vacay in early May, so that
you can take advantage of all the activities
that have been cooked up for Alumni
Weekend at CMC. Then dive into Class
Notes and see what your friends have
been up to––it’s loaded with potential icebreakers.
In Memoriam
Page 23
President Gann (presenting a
Campaign update, last year) has
been an anchor at Alumni Weekend
activities throughout her 14 years
at CMC. Alumni Weekend 2013
happens May 3-5, and will include
these activities and much more: a
4-College wine tasting, numerous
receptions, campus tours, reunion
dinners, and the 22nd Annual Clif
MacLeod Golf Classic.
PROFILE • SPRING 2013
WILLIAM VASTA
The College mourns the loss of nearly a
dozen alumni, as well as the recent death
of junior Tamar Kaplan ’14, following a
car accident while traveling in Bolivia.
(see page 22)
CMCAA President’s Message
WILLIAM VASTA
CMC’s transformation during the past 14 years has been obvious. There are hundreds of colleges trying to differentiate themselves, but
our opportunity has been beyond the usual curriculum shift or evolution of admission choices. Claremont McKenna College has been
transformed because our leaders—our President and our community—are not limited to the established trails made by others, but are
willing to explore and embrace fresh, innovative ideas.
As time has passed, the best parts of CMC have been enhanced. Our Athenaeum, research institutes, and even the decidedly humble
appearance of our campus have all gotten better. Students still pond each other—but they have so many more choices about where
to do the deed! Some events are enduring, too: Monte Carlo Night, Thesis Party, Homecoming, and CMS basketball vs. Pomona-Pitzer
have continued to be lasting favorites.
A pioneering spirit has been part of our culture from the beginning, and President Pamela Gann has been as visionary as our founders and
enhanced who we are during her presidency. When I was an undergraduate, there weren’t many cash prizes and a passport wasn’t necessary.
Not true today.
President Gann has led us all to think bigger. No one has been immune to her influence. Trustees Henry R. Kravis ’67, George R. Roberts ’66
P’93, Robert A. Day ’65 P’12, and thousands of other alumni have provided important support for shaping academics, the campus, and the
student experience through the Campaign for Claremont McKenna. We have been challenged by President Gann to participate, too.
A wonderful example of her leadership is her collaboration with Trustee Bart Evans ’70. Bart conceived of exposing CMCers to Silicon Valley
opportunities by establishing the Information Technology Advisory Board (ITAB). The success of the ITAB networking trip led during the current
school year to the Silicon Valley Program, a semester-long internship at leading employers with full academic credit. This is the sort of genius
that plays to our strength and our mission. This is true innovation that enhances the student experience and literally will change the course of
their lives.
CMC has had a remarkable journey since 1946. I believe the past 14 years will prove to be a pivotal era for the College. President Gann and
our alumni leaders have taken on big projects and exceeded the record-breaking capital campaign goals…and yet, with all the changes, we
still feel at home.
Best Wishes,
Carol (Oliver) Hartman ’86
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=3056137
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
In Memoriam
Editor’s Note: The winter 2013 issue of CMC magazine featured an obituary on beloved Pomona-Claremont football line coach
Jesse Cone. It should have been noted that Cone also was the first football coach for Claremont-Mudd athletics.
COOK
FARRAND
MCCOY
SMITH
RICHARD “DICK” C. FARRAND ’50 of Glendora, Calif., passed away on Sept. 5, 2012. A beloved father and husband for more
than 60 years, Farrand was a member of the Pacesetters of Claremont Men’s College. Farrand began his college education
at the University of Southern California before he was drafted into the Army in 1945. He came to CMC in 1946 after an
honorable discharge from the Army with the rank of sergeant. Following his graduation, he pursued a career that took
him to Bank of America, United States National Bank, and Crocker National Bank, where he served as assistant vice
president. Upon retirement, he and his wife, Virginia (“Ginny,” POM ’50), enjoyed traveling, and reported in the fall
1998 issue of CMC’s Class Notes that the two “have taken some 19 elderhostel tours/classes in the U.S. and abroad––
more recently a Mississippi River cruise from New Orleans to Natchez––and those adventures followed trips to China,
the Soviet Union, and other exotic destinations that they had taken in connection with Ginny’s former concert tours with
the Orange County Master Chorale.” In addition to traveling, Farrand was active in many groups including the Rotary
Club, the Glendora Unified School District, and Pilgrim Congressional Church. He is survived by two brothers, three
children, and seven grandchildren.
of Seattle, Wash., died on July 20, 2009, at the age of 80. Born in Akron, Ohio, on July 15,
1929, Smith attended John Muir College in Pasadena before transferring to CMC as a sophomore. While at Claremont
McKenna, he studied political economy and played football. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy
during the Korean War before settling down in San Gabriel, Calif., where he raised a family with his wife, Marcia. Smith
moved to Seattle in 1978, and furthered his career before settling into a retirement full of boating, camping, and playing
bridge. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Marcia; his son, Geoff, and his wife, Laura Ann Smith-Moritz; his daughter
Janet; his sister Jane Tiffany; and his nieces and nephews.
CLYDE L. “CORKY” SMITH ’51
WILLIAM B. COOK, JR. ’52,
of Beaverton, Ore., passed away on Thanksgiving Day 2012. Cook’s brother-in-law, Larry
Wormser ’58, reports that, “he had been in poor health for quite some time, but was able to attend and participate in
his 60th class reunion” last spring. Cook was a lifelong supporter of the College, as he was a member of the Alumni
Association’s Board of Directors from 1961-63, served as the Class Director from 1960-63, and was an ardent supporter
of the Annual Fund. He was active with the Alumni Association and held the position of the President of the Bay Area
chapter, and contributed to the founding of the Orange County chapter. After graduating from CMC, he earned a
master’s degree in industrial relations at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1956, and went on to work for U.S.
Steel Supply, where he stayed for 30 years. Cook served in the Army during the Korean War and met his wife, Beatrice
“Bea” Dodge, also a Berkeley graduate, while stationed in Fort Ord, Calif. He was known to say that his life truly started
after his retirement, and previous editions of CMC Class Notes reflected that. In 2006, it was reported that, “Bill Cook
and wife, Bea, live in Beaverton, Ore., and remain active in the United Methodist Church. They visited Seoul, Korea,
for the World Methodist Council Meeting recently, and spent two weeks in Maui for a little R&R. Bill assists the local
Korean Methodist Church, (founded in 1980), advises the high school Key Club as it solicits Christmas food for 75
families, is active in the local Kiwanis club, and serves as president of the Children’s Hospital Affiliates, where he was
volunteered since 1987. He participated in a recent telethon that raised $230,000.” Cook will be remembered for his
service to others, his quick wit, and his love of family. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Bea; children, William B. III,
Thomas, and Jennifer Loney; two sisters, Barbara Wormser and Nancy Aldrich; eight grandchildren; and many cousins,
nieces, and nephews.
JAMES O. MCCOY ’53,
of Santa Barbara, died peacefully in his sleep on Jan. 8, 2013. McCoy graduated from CMC after
studying political science, and was a vibrant, active member of the CMC community. While at CMC, he was student body
president, took part in the ROTC program, and was a member of the skiing and football teams. After graduating, McCoy
was a member of the Res Publica Society and served as a co-chair for his alumni reunion. McCoy perhaps is best known
in the Santa Barbara community as the president of McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams of Santa Barbara, which he owned
for nearly 50 years. Under his supervision, McConnell’s Ice Creams production boomed, and even gained a celebrity
following, with fans including Barbra Streisand (who wished for McConnells’ Vanilla Bean flavor during a Rosie O’Donnell
Show appearance), Kelsey Grammer, and even Fantasy Island’s suave host Ricardo Montalban. During an interview for
CMC in 2005, McCoy’s wife, Jeney, said that anyone who’d gone through second grade in Santa Barbara over the past
35-plus years had probably seen the inside of their ice cream factory. “Jim’s really silly giving tours. He’ll walk into the
freezer and pretend the door closed. The kids all laugh,” she said. McCoy’s Mitsubishi 3000 GT’s personalized plates
at the time described his personality: 2BHape. Today, pints of McConnell’s can be purchased in grocery stores across
California. Beyond his ice cream business, McCoy was an avid member of many local groups, including the Pescatores
and Rancheros, and enjoyed going to dance classes with his wife, Jeney. McCoy is survived by his wife, Jeney; son Mike;
stepsons Andy, Kevin, and Jimmy Young (who now runs the McConnell’s Ventura shop); and granddaughter Kimberley
Young. He was preceded in death by his son Robert, and his daughter, Monika.
PROFILE • SPRING 2013
23
In Memoriam
BARNARD
ISAACSON
FRAME
JORGENSEN
EARLE M. JORGENSEN JR. ’58, of Mariposa, Calif., died on June 22, 2011. At CMC, the Appleby resident studied business
administration, which led to a career at Brea-based Earle M. Jorgensen Co., the steel-products business started by his
father which, according to the Los Angeles Times in 1999, “fortified Southern California’s economic boom.” It was the
country’s largest independent metal distributor. Jorgensen’s love of the outdoors and machinery later led him to later
spend many years as an alfalfa rancher in Cuyama, and then as owner of Central California Equipment Company in
Delano. Jorgensen loved to collect and restore cars, and was an avid outdoorsman. He eventually retired at his Brookelake
Ranch, where he lived out the rest of his days. He is survived by his children, Jeannie (and wife, Denni), Charlie, and
Todd (and wife, Lisa); eight grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. His also is survived by his wife, Anna Mae, and
her three children: Michelle (and husband, Chris), Sheri (and husband, Steve), and Craig.
BRIAN M. BARNARD ’66, of Los Angeles, Calif., died peacefully in his sleep on Sept. 1, 2012. Barnard was an econaccounting major at CMC and was also dorm president and participated in dorm football. After graduation, he went on to
Loyola Law School, then moved to Utah to start his own firm, Utah Legal Clinic. Through his practice of over 40 years,
he spent his life protecting the civil rights and freedoms of those who were unable to do so themselves. After an 18-year
suit, he won a $33 million settlement in favor of Utah’s Navajos. He also won settlements advocating for women in gender
discrimination suits, and fought for rights of polygamists and Mormons. For all of this work and more, he was frequently
described as the “Godfather of Civil Rights in Utah.” When he wasn’t working, Barnard enjoyed gardening, often sharing
his crops with his friends, coworkers, and family. He also supported local arts in Utah, and held season tickets for several
Utah dance and acting companies. He is survived by his brother, John Perry Barnard; his nieces Heather Rando (Chris)
and Marissa Noriega (Marcos); and his great nieces and nephews, Eva, Daniel, Nina, and Lucas.
ROBERT A. “BOB” ISAACSON ’70, of Lompoc, Calif., died peacefully on Sept. 25, 2012, of prostate cancer, with his wife,
Sally, and daughter Katie by his side. A literature major at CMC, he went on to earn his master’s degree and teaching
credential at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In addition to teaching English for 32 years at Allan Hancock
College, he wrote two textbooks and published a collection of his own poems, titled Unconsecrated Ground. He also served
as poet laureate for the Society of Los Alamos for 10 years. Isaacson was an active proponent of both education and
land conservation in California, and was a board member of the Vista Del Mar School Board, the Land Trust for Santa
Barbara County, and the Vista Del Mar School Foundation. For his work to promote land conservation, he was named
2011 Conservationist of the Year by the California Rangeland Trust. Isaacson was also very interested in the history of the
West, which led to his authoring, co-authoring, and editing a number of books, including Cattle Upon A Thousand Hills:
Ranch Life in Santa Barbara County in the Twentieth Century As Recorded in Family Albums and The Muleshoe Cattle Company:
An Anthology of Memories of Life on an Arizona Cow Ranch, 1906-1928. Isaacson was a lover of horses, cattle, dogs, and cats,
and ran a beef cattle herd with his wife, Sara, for 35 years. He is survived by his wife; his daughter Katie and her husband,
Will; his mother Esther; his brothers Dem and Bill; and his niece and nephews.
ANDREW R. FRAME ’99 of Glenview, Ill., died on Jan. 29, 2013, following a long illness. During his time at CMC, he
participated in the Claremont Accounting Association and the Student Investment Fund, and was named a Distinguished
Scholar as well as a member of the Dean’s List. Frame was very interested in money and banking, and graduated from
CMC summa cum laude with a degree in economics-accounting. When not studying, Frame could often be found in the
gym lifting weights or on the field throwing the javelin. He also took several music-related courses at Scripps and was
known to spend hours in the neighboring college’s studios. Following graduation, Frame worked for Transamerica Life,
which, in his words, was “an opportunity I would be without, were it not for the preparation CMC has given me.” He
continued his career at the CPA firm Sikich, where he worked for many years. Frame was the beloved son of Robert and
Bonnie, and was a loving brother to siblings Elizabeth and William.
24
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE