Claremont McKenna College
Encyclopedia
Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a private, coeducational liberal arts college
and a member of the Claremont Colleges
located in Claremont, California
. The 56 acres (22.7 ha) campus is located 35 miles (56.3 km) east of Downtown Los Angeles
. CMC was founded in 1946 as Claremont Men's College and emphasizes programs in government, economics, and international affairs.
, a founding trustee, in 1981. The college's motto is "Crescit cum commercio civitas," or "Civilization prospers with commerce."
consortium. Students can take classes at any of the member colleges, and the colleges share libraries, a bookstore, athletic facilities, and various student services. The privately-appointed 40 voting member board of trustees elects a president to serve as chief executive officer of the college. Pamela Gann
is CMC's fourth president and has served since July 1999. The president has a senior staff of 13 vice presidents including a Dean of Students and Dean of the Faculty.
Tuition for the 2008–2009 school year was $36,825 (excluding room, board, materials, and fees). CMC admits students on a need-blind basis. Students were awarded $14.1 million in need-based and merit financial aid in 2007, and approximately two-thirds of CMC students receive financial aid. In 2008, the college announced that it would eliminate loans from its financial aid packages, meeting every student's demonstrated need with grants.
Although its specialty is public policy and economics, Claremont McKenna College requires students to complete courses in natural and social sciences, humanities, and foreign language. CMC students are required to take two first year classes in Literature and Civilization. Generally, most CMC students take introductory government and economics courses, calculus or discrete math, a course in both physical and biological science, physical education or participation on a team sport, a third or fourth semester equivalent of a foreign language, and at least several other humanities courses including literature, philosophy and religious studies, as well as other social science classes in psychology and history.
Claremont McKenna's curricular emphasis is on its social sciences, particularly economics, government, international relations, and psychology. About forty percent of CMC students major in either government or economics. CMC also offers an Oxford-style Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
major. Other multi-disciplinary majors include management engineering, philosophy and public affairs, science and management, econ-accounting, biology-chemistry, and environment, economics, and politics (EEP). CMC also offers the Robert A. Day 4+1 BA/MBA, in which students receive both their BA
from Claremont McKenna and their MBA from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University
in 5 years. In September 2007, Claremont McKenna College announced the largest gift ever to a liberal arts college - $200 million - donated by alum Robert A. Day (Chairman, TCW Group
), to create the Robert Day Scholars Program
, which has both an undergraduate and graduate component. Undergraduate Scholars, representing a variety of majors, pursue courses in economics, accounting, finance, and psychology, and upon completion, have the Robert Day Scholars designation noted on their transcript. Graduate Scholars, who already enter the Program with a solid foundation in economics, accounting, finance, and organizational psychology, take one year of advanced courses in corporate finance, econometrics, investments and valuation, culminating in a Master of Arts in Finance. All Robert Day Scholars are provided significant scholarship support and participate in a variety of co-curricular activities, including networking trips and private dinners with prominent guest speakers.
Instead of traditional minors, CMC offers interdisciplinary sequences in Asian-American Studies, computer science
, ethics
, financial economics
, gender studies
, human rights
, genocide
, and holocaust studies, leadership
, and legal studies.
CMC's science program is offered through the Joint Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges. The Joint Science Department has been offering a new double year-long introductory science class http://www.jsd.claremont.edu/step/ to allow more flexibility than the former 3 year-long introductory biology, chemistry, and physics courses that most science majors must complete.
Nearly half of CMC students study abroad. Another popular option for off-campus study is The Washington Program. According to the program's website, "CMC's program is rooted in a full-time internship and a serious discussion of contemporary political issues."
77% percent of CMC students attend graduate school within five years of graduation, and those who choose to go straight to the workforce average a starting salary of $52,115. 80% of CMC graduates applying to medical school get into their first or second choice institutions. http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/admission/ According to a 2009 PayScale report, CMC ranked 1st among all liberal arts colleges in the nation for highest starting salary. http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/news/pressreleases/article.asp?article_id=1277
hosts more than one hundred dinner and lecture events with speakers each year, serving as the college's central intellectual and social hub. Students enjoy getting to know their professors at wine and cheese receptions and formal dinners preceding lectures. The Athenaeum hosts speakers four nights a week, and also serves daily afternoon tea in its library, featuring chocolate-covered strawberries and pastries. Afternoon tea is free to students, faculty, and staff.
The Athenaeum has hosted such speakers as former President Bill Clinton
, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
of South Africa, former Speaker of the House
Newt Gingrich
, authors Gore Vidal
and Salman Rushdie, cybernetics
expert Kevin Warwick
, former Attorney General Janet Reno
, filmmaker Spike Lee
, environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak
, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman
, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
, U2
frontman and activist Bono
, award-winning CNN
journalist Anderson Cooper
, former Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove
, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd
, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
, and former governor of Massachusetts
and 2008 presidential candidate Mitt Romney
.
As a residential community, student life is centered on campus and four years of housing is guaranteed. Claremont's dorms are divided into three regions: North Quad, Mid Quad, and South Quad. In addition, the student apartments sit on the East edge of campus, and are occupied primarily by seniors. All dorm rooms are attended to by housekeeping staff every week.
North Quad comprises Appleby, Boswell, Green, and Wohlford dormitories, which were the campus's first dorms. In north quad, every room opens to the outdoors instead of opening to an interior hallway. North quad rooms are all doubles grouped into suites of four rooms that share a bathroom. North Quad is the center of the social scene at CMC.
CMC's Mid Quad is home to Beckett, Berger and Phillips Halls, which feature long interior corridors, double and single rooms, large shared-bathroom facilities, and all-dorm lounge areas. Claremont Hall, completed in 2008, is the newest dormitory with space for 109 students. The three story modern building is the first LEED
Silver-rated building on campus.
The tallest buildings in Claremont are "The Towers," Auen, Fawcett, and Stark Halls, which make up South Quad with Marks and Benson Halls. Each tower has seven floors with approximately twelve students per floor. Each floor has a common area and a large shared bathroom, and there is an all-dorm lounge area on the ground floor. Stark Hall, the newest of the South Quad dorms, is substance-free. Auen and Fawcett underwent complete interior renovations in the summer of 2008.
Living in the apartments is considered highly desirable amongst CMC's senior class. Seniors get the chance to live with three friends of their choice, and they also have the option to stay on a meal plan and eat at one of the 5-C dining halls, or cook for themselves. Apartment dwellers do not get the maid service of the dorms, but they do get a cable
hookup, which the dorms don't have. Noise levels are more manageable, and tend to be quiet during much of the week and in the days leading up to thesis
, and loud from Thursday to Saturday. Most parties and social events at the apartments take place between buildings 661 and 671 or on the "dunk hoops" (a small basketball court
with hoops that are 7 feet (2.1 m) high).
Several of Claremont McKenna College's traditions are water-related:
, also known as "the 5-Cs." Together the campuses cover over 300 acres (121.4 ha) and enroll 6,000 students. In addition there are over 3,500 faculty and staff and more than 2,500 courses available.
Student life revolves around the five colleges as they interact socially and also share seven dining halls, four main libraries, and other facilities spread throughout the campuses. Notable facilities include:
Students attending Claremont McKenna can enroll in up to 2/3 of their classes at the other four colleges, and can also major at any of the other colleges if the major is not offered at CMC. This is the general academic policy at all five schools, and is meant to give students the resources of a larger university while still maintaining the qualities of a small, liberal-arts college.
, and Scripps College
compete under one program - CMS Athletics. The mascot for the men's team is Stag, and that of the women's teams is Athena. The 19 teams participate in the NCAA
's Division III and in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
. Ducey Gymnasium has been slated for a complete overhaul beginning in 2009, with new fitness facilities including a weight and cardio room overlooking Zinda Field.
The Biszantz Family Tennis Center opened in 2009 and hosted the NCAA Division III Championships. The facility offers locker-rooms, offices, restrooms, an adjacent parking lot and a "championship court". It is located south of Sixth Street at Brooks Avenue.
Over the years, a rivalry has formed between the opposing sports teams CMS (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps) and PP (Pomona-Pitzer). These teams, however, mostly consist of students enrolled at Claremont McKenna and Pomona, which has intensified the rivalry between these particular neighbors. Recently, the rivalry has spread off the field and into classrooms and parties, making the rivalry not just athletic, but social and academic as well.
The Claremont McKenna golf team ranked first among NCAA Division III teams according to Golf Digest, and 17th overall (including Division 1 schools). The rankings are based on the "Balanced" category which is "for students who place equal emphasis on school and sports."http://www.golfdigest.com/rankings/college/2007/09/collegegolfrankings
On July 1, Claremont McKenna issued a press release reporting that Henry Kravis
of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts gave $75 million. The college has named the academic center after him.
• $110 million for students: need-based financial aid and merit scholarships, internships, research, speaker series, and other experiences
• $110 million for faculty: chairs, research, and new curricula
• $100 million for facilities: new buildings, renovations, and master planning projects
• $200 million for the Robert Day Scholars Program
• $80 million for The Fund for CMC: operating costs
'67 and George R. Roberts
'66, CEO and founder of Trust Company of the West, Robert A. Day '65, former President and CEO of Toys "R" Us Robert Nakasone '69, California Congressman David Dreier
'75, "Freeway Killer" Randy Steven Kraft
'68, filmmaker Paul Brickman
'71, and My Lai massacre
whistleblower Ron Ridenhour '72. Claremont McKenna's most famous dropout is Academy Award-winning actor and stand-up comedian Robin Williams
. Notable faculty have included economist Eric Helland
and presidential speechwriter and comedian Mort Sahl
. Political scientist Minxin Pei and author Jamaica Kincaid
currently teach at CMC.
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
and a member of the Claremont Colleges
Claremont Colleges
The Claremont Colleges are a prestigious American consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
located in Claremont, California
Claremont, California
Claremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its...
. The 56 acres (22.7 ha) campus is located 35 miles (56.3 km) east of Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
. CMC was founded in 1946 as Claremont Men's College and emphasizes programs in government, economics, and international affairs.
History
Claremont McKenna College was founded in 1946 soon after World War II ended as Claremont Men's College. Many of its first students were war veterans attending college on the G.I. Bill. CMC was founded with the mission to foster leadership in its students in the fields of government, economics, and international affairs. The school became coeducational in 1976 and was renamed after Donald McKennaDonald McKenna
Donald Carnegie McKenna was an American philanthropist and scholar best remembered for his contributions to the liberal arts college in Claremont, California, which now bears his name: Claremont McKenna College....
, a founding trustee, in 1981. The college's motto is "Crescit cum commercio civitas," or "Civilization prospers with commerce."
Organization and administration
CMC is chartered as a private, non-profit organization and is a member of the seven-institution Claremont CollegesClaremont Colleges
The Claremont Colleges are a prestigious American consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
consortium. Students can take classes at any of the member colleges, and the colleges share libraries, a bookstore, athletic facilities, and various student services. The privately-appointed 40 voting member board of trustees elects a president to serve as chief executive officer of the college. Pamela Gann
Pamela Gann
Pamela Brooks Gann is the fourth and current president of Claremont McKenna College in California.. She became president on July 1, 1999.Born in Monroe, North Carolina, Gann graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 with a degree in mathematics...
is CMC's fourth president and has served since July 1999. The president has a senior staff of 13 vice presidents including a Dean of Students and Dean of the Faculty.
Admission and Financial Aid
Admission to CMC is highly selective. For the class of 2015, CMC admitted 13.8% of applicants, one of the lowest acceptance rates among liberal arts colleges. The class of 2012 has a median SAT score of 1410 (combined critical reading and math sections), and 85% of students were in the top tenth of their high school class.Tuition for the 2008–2009 school year was $36,825 (excluding room, board, materials, and fees). CMC admits students on a need-blind basis. Students were awarded $14.1 million in need-based and merit financial aid in 2007, and approximately two-thirds of CMC students receive financial aid. In 2008, the college announced that it would eliminate loans from its financial aid packages, meeting every student's demonstrated need with grants.
Academics
Claremont McKenna's curricular emphasis is on its social sciences, particularly economics, government, international relations, and psychology. About forty percent of CMC students major in either government or economics. CMC also offers an Oxford-style Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, politics, and economics is a popular interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate degree which combines study from the three disciplines...
major. Other multi-disciplinary majors include management engineering, philosophy and public affairs, science and management, econ-accounting, biology-chemistry, and environment, economics, and politics (EEP). CMC also offers the Robert A. Day 4+1 BA/MBA, in which students receive both their BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Claremont McKenna and their MBA from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University is a private, all-graduate research university located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
in 5 years. In September 2007, Claremont McKenna College announced the largest gift ever to a liberal arts college - $200 million - donated by alum Robert A. Day (Chairman, TCW Group
TCW Group
The TCW Group is an investment management company that offers various equity, fixed income, and alternative strategies to and individual investors. The group operates as a subsidiary of SG Gestion....
), to create the Robert Day Scholars Program
The Robert Day School
The Robert Day School of Economics and Finance at Claremont McKenna College is home to the prestigious Master's Program in Finance, undergraduate programs in Economics and Economics-Accounting, and the Robert Day Scholars Program, which sponsors generous fellowships for both undergraduate and...
, which has both an undergraduate and graduate component. Undergraduate Scholars, representing a variety of majors, pursue courses in economics, accounting, finance, and psychology, and upon completion, have the Robert Day Scholars designation noted on their transcript. Graduate Scholars, who already enter the Program with a solid foundation in economics, accounting, finance, and organizational psychology, take one year of advanced courses in corporate finance, econometrics, investments and valuation, culminating in a Master of Arts in Finance. All Robert Day Scholars are provided significant scholarship support and participate in a variety of co-curricular activities, including networking trips and private dinners with prominent guest speakers.
Instead of traditional minors, CMC offers interdisciplinary sequences in Asian-American Studies, computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
, financial economics
Financial economics
Financial Economics is the branch of economics concerned with "the allocation and deployment of economic resources, both spatially and across time, in an uncertain environment"....
, gender studies
Gender studies
Gender studies is a field of interdisciplinary study which analyses race, ethnicity, sexuality and location.Gender study has many different forms. One view exposed by the philosopher Simone de Beauvoir said: "One is not born a woman, one becomes one"...
, human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
, and holocaust studies, leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
, and legal studies.
Nearly half of CMC students study abroad. Another popular option for off-campus study is The Washington Program. According to the program's website, "CMC's program is rooted in a full-time internship and a serious discussion of contemporary political issues."
77% percent of CMC students attend graduate school within five years of graduation, and those who choose to go straight to the workforce average a starting salary of $52,115. 80% of CMC graduates applying to medical school get into their first or second choice institutions. http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/admission/ According to a 2009 PayScale report, CMC ranked 1st among all liberal arts colleges in the nation for highest starting salary. http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/news/pressreleases/article.asp?article_id=1277
Rankings
- U.S. News and World Report ranked Claremont McKenna as the 9th best liberal arts college in the nation for 2012.
- In 2010, ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
named CMC the 9th best college/ university nationwide and placing it second among all colleges and universities in California .
- The Princeton ReviewThe Princeton ReviewThe Princeton Review is an American-based standardized test preparation and admissions consulting company. The Princeton Review operates in 41 states and 22 countries across the globe. It offers test preparation for standardized aptitude tests such as the SAT and advice regarding college...
2011 Best Colleges lists Claremont McKenna among the nation's top twenty schools for several categories, including: "Happiest Students" (2), "Most Popular Study Abroad Program" (11), "Best Career Services" (7), "Dorms Like Palaces" (8), "Lots of Race/Class Interaction" (16), "Most Politically Active Students" (10), "Most Accessible Professors" (12), "School Runs Like Butter" (7), "Great Financial Aid" (13), "Easiest Campus to Get Around" (8), and "Best Quality of Life" (4).
- In August 2007, NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
ranked CMC as one of the "25 Hottest Colleges" in the nation, naming it "Hottest for Election Year." The Princeton Review named CMC the "Most Politically Active College" in 2005, and in 2010 Unigo.com ranked it the fourth most politically active college.
- The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
listed it as the eighth best liberal arts feeder school into elite graduate universities for law, business and medicine.
- The Princeton ReviewThe Princeton ReviewThe Princeton Review is an American-based standardized test preparation and admissions consulting company. The Princeton Review operates in 41 states and 22 countries across the globe. It offers test preparation for standardized aptitude tests such as the SAT and advice regarding college...
selected CMC among the top 10 colleges for its 2012 Financial Aid Honor Roll.
- CMC ranked 4th on TrendTopper Media Buzz's Top 25 Colleges list for 2012.
- Consumer's Digest ranked it fifth in "Top Value" among private liberal arts colleges. The rankings are based on attributes that validate or define the institutions' academic prowess, factored against annual cost of tuition, fees and room and board.
- NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
ranked it among the top 25 schools in America in several top 25 categories in 2011. It was ranked the 20th "Most Desirable School," 8th "Most Desirable Suburban School," 7th "Most Desirable Small Schools," 24th "Brainiac Schools", 17th "Stocked With Jocks," and 7th "Great Education, Great Tan."
- In 2003, The Atlantic MonthlyThe Atlantic MonthlyThe Atlantic is an American magazine founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1857. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine. It quickly achieved a national reputation, which it held for more than a century. It was important for recognizing and publishing new writers and poets,...
ranked Claremont McKenna as the 22nd best undergraduate college/university in the nation based on admission rate, SAT scores and rank in high-school class.
- The Daily BeastThe Daily BeastThe Daily Beast is an American news reporting and opinion website founded and published by Tina Brown, former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker as well as the short-lived Talk Magazine. The Daily Beast was launched on October 6, 2008, and is owned by IAC...
ranked Claremont McKenna the "Happiest College" in the country in 2010 and 2011.
Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum
The Marian Miner Cook AthenaeumMarian Miner Cook Athenaeum
The Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum is a distinguished speaker series and college club at Claremont McKenna College. The Athenaeum hosts dinner and lecture events four times each week during the academic year, frequently featuring distinguished guest speakers including ambassadors, heads of state,...
hosts more than one hundred dinner and lecture events with speakers each year, serving as the college's central intellectual and social hub. Students enjoy getting to know their professors at wine and cheese receptions and formal dinners preceding lectures. The Athenaeum hosts speakers four nights a week, and also serves daily afternoon tea in its library, featuring chocolate-covered strawberries and pastries. Afternoon tea is free to students, faculty, and staff.
The Athenaeum has hosted such speakers as former President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
of South Africa, former Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
, authors Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
and Salman Rushdie, cybernetics
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
expert Kevin Warwick
Kevin Warwick
Kevin Warwick is a British scientist and professor of cybernetics at the University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom...
, former Attorney General Janet Reno
Janet Reno
Janet Wood Reno is a former Attorney General of the United States . She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993, and confirmed on March 11...
, filmmaker Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
, environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until January 2011 and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government....
, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman
Thomas Friedman
Thomas Lauren Friedman is an American journalist, columnist and author. He writes a twice-weekly column for The New York Times. He has written extensively on foreign affairs including global trade, the Middle East, and environmental issues and has won the Pulitzer Prize three times.-Personal...
, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
Antonin Scalia
Antonin Gregory Scalia is an American jurist who serves as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. As the longest-serving justice on the Court, Scalia is the Senior Associate Justice...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
frontman and activist Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, award-winning CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
journalist Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Hays Cooper is an American journalist, author, and television personality. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360°. The program is normally broadcast live from a New York City studio; however, Cooper often broadcasts live on location for breaking news stories...
, former Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd
Maureen Dowd
Maureen Bridgid Dowd is a Washington D.C.-based columnist for The New York Times and best-selling author. During the 1970s and the early 1980s, she worked for Time magazine and the Washington Star, where she covered news as well as sports and wrote feature articles...
, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
Michael Chertoff
Michael Chertoff was the second United States Secretary of Homeland Security under President George W. Bush and co-author of the USA PATRIOT Act. He previously served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, as a federal prosecutor, and as assistant U.S. Attorney...
, and former governor of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and 2008 presidential candidate Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
.
Housing
North Quad comprises Appleby, Boswell, Green, and Wohlford dormitories, which were the campus's first dorms. In north quad, every room opens to the outdoors instead of opening to an interior hallway. North quad rooms are all doubles grouped into suites of four rooms that share a bathroom. North Quad is the center of the social scene at CMC.
CMC's Mid Quad is home to Beckett, Berger and Phillips Halls, which feature long interior corridors, double and single rooms, large shared-bathroom facilities, and all-dorm lounge areas. Claremont Hall, completed in 2008, is the newest dormitory with space for 109 students. The three story modern building is the first LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
Silver-rated building on campus.
The tallest buildings in Claremont are "The Towers," Auen, Fawcett, and Stark Halls, which make up South Quad with Marks and Benson Halls. Each tower has seven floors with approximately twelve students per floor. Each floor has a common area and a large shared bathroom, and there is an all-dorm lounge area on the ground floor. Stark Hall, the newest of the South Quad dorms, is substance-free. Auen and Fawcett underwent complete interior renovations in the summer of 2008.
Senior Apartments
The Senior Apartments lie to the east of the college's athletic facilities and to the west of Claremont Boulevard, and are divided into four buildings numbered 651, 661, 671 and 681. Each apartment is divided into four bedrooms and two bathrooms, and an apartment application must have four names on it. Until recently, half the apartments were reserved for men and half for women, and apartments were allotted based on credits. However, in 2005 the college abolished the 50/50 male/female ratio and began to assign apartments strictly on credits, which has had the effect of skewing the ratio slightly toward the female side. In any given year, most of CMC's 260 - 300 seniors can live in the apartments, though due to limited space some must live in the dorms.Living in the apartments is considered highly desirable amongst CMC's senior class. Seniors get the chance to live with three friends of their choice, and they also have the option to stay on a meal plan and eat at one of the 5-C dining halls, or cook for themselves. Apartment dwellers do not get the maid service of the dorms, but they do get a cable
Cable
A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...
hookup, which the dorms don't have. Noise levels are more manageable, and tend to be quiet during much of the week and in the days leading up to thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
, and loud from Thursday to Saturday. Most parties and social events at the apartments take place between buildings 661 and 671 or on the "dunk hoops" (a small basketball court
Basketball court
In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor with tiles at either end. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of a wood, often maple, and highly polished...
with hoops that are 7 feet (2.1 m) high).
Student Journalism
CMC attracts many students with an interest in journalism, many of whom go on to careers in professional journalism. Its student publications include the following:- The CMC Forum: The Forum is the official publication of Claremont McKenna College and the oldest newspaper on campus. The Forum was founded to provide affiliates of Claremont McKenna College a medium for the free exchange of ideas. Over the years, the publication has become a source of reliable news and procrastination-friendly entertainment of the CMC variety. It is now solely an online news source funded in part by the Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College. For information on current editors and writers, visit the About Us page.
- The Claremont Independent: Founded in 1996, this magazine of conservative and libertarian writers does investigative reporting and publishes political and social commentary on campus news. It has broken several notable stories, and its writers have won awards for student journalism. It is funded entirely through private donations and refuses money from any of the Claremont Colleges.
- The Claremont Port Side: Founded in 2003, this progressive 5C magazine offers reporting and analysis on everything from global to campus issues. The paper receives funding from both Claremont McKenna College and Campus ProgressCampus ProgressCampus Progress, launched in February 2005, is an American non-profit organization that promotes progressive political and social policy through support for student activists and journalists on college campuses in the United States...
, an affiliate of the Center for American ProgressCenter for American ProgressThe Center for American Progress is a progressive public policy research and advocacy organization. Its website states that the organization is "dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action." It has its headquarters in Washington D.C.Its President and Chief...
. - Good Morning CMC: Founded in 2011, the daily electronic newsletter began at Claremont McKenna but has since expanded to the other campuses. The letter covers daily talks, athletic events, deadlines, and other on campus news.
Traditions
- Many incoming freshmen participate in W.O.A.!, or "Wilderness Orientation Adventure." W.O.A.! is a student-run preorientation program. Options have included backpacking, camping, and rock-climbing at Yosemite, canoeing down the Colorado River, and beach camping at Catalina Island. Each trip is led by current students and a member of the faculty or alumni. W.O.A.! allows incoming students to develop friendships and get a sense for the college community before the formal beginning of their college careers.
- The "Madrigal Feast" was an annual dinner held in the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum. Both current students as well as alumni typically attended. Guests were treated to a medieval-themed feast, complete with wassail, and a spirited musical performance put on by other students in medieval dress. This 26 year tradition was suspended in 2009 but may resume in 2010.
Several of Claremont McKenna College's traditions are water-related:
- It is a tradition for students to get ponded (thrown in to one of the two fountains located on campus) by their peers on their birthday.
- At noon on the due dates of senior theses, the students turn in their theses to the registrar, after which they are given a bottle of champagne by the registrar. In recent years, the class president has provided the champagne. The students spend the remainder of the afternoon in the fountains at the school, drinking, singing, celebrating and enjoying the warm California sun.
The Consortium
All five colleges are part of the Claremont University ConsortiumClaremont University Consortium
The Claremont University Consortium is an organization located in Claremont, California that supports Claremont Colleges, a group of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education. It provides centralized services, such as a library system, student health, campus mail, and other...
, also known as "the 5-Cs." Together the campuses cover over 300 acres (121.4 ha) and enroll 6,000 students. In addition there are over 3,500 faculty and staff and more than 2,500 courses available.
- Honnold/Mudd Library and the Libraries of the Claremont Colleges, the largest collection of any liberal arts college
- Bridges Auditorium and Concert Hall
- Scripps Performing Arts Center and Seaver Theater Complex
- W.M. Keck Science Center
- Monsour Counseling Center
- Huntley Bookstore
Students attending Claremont McKenna can enroll in up to 2/3 of their classes at the other four colleges, and can also major at any of the other colleges if the major is not offered at CMC. This is the general academic policy at all five schools, and is meant to give students the resources of a larger university while still maintaining the qualities of a small, liberal-arts college.
Research institutes
CMC sponsors ten different on-campus research institutes and centers. They seek to produce new research and publications while involving undergraduate students in rigorous academic work. Many are named in honor of the college's donors.- The Berger Institute for Work, Family and Children
- The Financial Economics Institute
- The Center for Human Rights Leadership
- The Family of Benjamin Z. Gould Center for Humanistic Studies
- The Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies
- The Kravis Leadership Institute
- The Lowe Institute of Political Economy
- The Roberts Environmental CenterRoberts Environmental CenterThe Roberts Environmental Center is a research institute affiliated with Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California, United States. It is named after George R. Roberts '66, Founding Partner, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a private equity firm...
- The Rose Institute of State and Local GovernmentRose Institute of State and Local GovernmentThe Rose Institute of State and Local Government is a research institute based out of Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. Founded in 1973 by businesswoman, lawyer, feminist and activist Edessa Rose, the Rose Institute has developed a reputation as one of California's premier...
http://rosereport.org - The Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/salvatori/
Athletics
Athletes from CMC, Harvey Mudd CollegeHarvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College is a private residential liberal arts college of science, engineering, and mathematics, located in Claremont, California. It is one of the institutions of the contiguous Claremont Colleges, which share adjoining campus grounds....
, and Scripps College
Scripps College
Scripps College is a progressive liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California, United States. It is a member of the Claremont Colleges. Scripps ranks 3rd for the nation's best women's college, ahead of Barnard College, Mount Holyoke College, and Bryn Mawr College at 23rd on the list for...
compete under one program - CMS Athletics. The mascot for the men's team is Stag, and that of the women's teams is Athena. The 19 teams participate in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's Division III and in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the NCAA's Division III. The conference was founded in 1915 and it consists of twelve small private schools which are located in Southern California and organized into nine athletic programs...
. Ducey Gymnasium has been slated for a complete overhaul beginning in 2009, with new fitness facilities including a weight and cardio room overlooking Zinda Field.
Over the years, a rivalry has formed between the opposing sports teams CMS (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps) and PP (Pomona-Pitzer). These teams, however, mostly consist of students enrolled at Claremont McKenna and Pomona, which has intensified the rivalry between these particular neighbors. Recently, the rivalry has spread off the field and into classrooms and parties, making the rivalry not just athletic, but social and academic as well.
The Claremont McKenna golf team ranked first among NCAA Division III teams according to Golf Digest, and 17th overall (including Division 1 schools). The rankings are based on the "Balanced" category which is "for students who place equal emphasis on school and sports."http://www.golfdigest.com/rankings/college/2007/09/collegegolfrankings
Campaign for Claremont McKenna
- Claremont McKenna is currently undertaking the largest campaign ever initiated by a liberal arts college. The Campaign, officially announced in March 2008, aims to raise $600 million by 2012. Plans include a 130000 sq ft (12,077.4 m²) academic center designed by Rafael ViñolyRafael ViñolyRafael Viñoly is an Uruguayan architect living in the United States.-Biography:He was born in Montevideo, Uruguay to Román Viñoly Barreto, and Maria Beceiro ....
, as well as renovations to dormitories, new athletic facilities, an expanded faculty and enlarged student body.
On July 1, Claremont McKenna issued a press release reporting that Henry Kravis
Henry Kravis
Henry R. Kravis is an American businessman and private equity investor. He is the co-founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a private equity firm with over $62 billion in assets as of 2011. He has an estimated net worth of $3.7 billion as of September 2011, ranked by Forbes as the 88th richest...
of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts gave $75 million. The college has named the academic center after him.
- The Campaign for Claremont McKenna calls for commitments in five priorities:
• $110 million for students: need-based financial aid and merit scholarships, internships, research, speaker series, and other experiences
• $110 million for faculty: chairs, research, and new curricula
• $100 million for facilities: new buildings, renovations, and master planning projects
• $200 million for the Robert Day Scholars Program
• $80 million for The Fund for CMC: operating costs
Controversies
- On the evening of March 9, 2004, after attending and speaking at a campus forum concerning a recent spate of racially insensitive incidents, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Kerri F. Dunn reported that her car had been vandalized and painted with racist, sexist and anti-semitic slurs. In response the Claremont CollegesClaremont CollegesThe Claremont Colleges are a prestigious American consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
and a series of demonstrations, candlelight vigils and community meetings were called to address the threat posed by an alleged and previously unknown group of violently intolerant students. Subsequent investigation by the City of Claremont's police department and the Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
revealed that Dunn had, in fact, slashed her own tires and applied the insulting phrases to her own vehicle. She was subsequently found guilty of filing a false police report and attempted insurance fraud. She was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay a fine of approximately $19,000 in restitution.
- On September 27, 2007, the College announced a $200 million gift from alumnus and trustee Robert A. Day '65 to create the Robert Day Scholars Program and a masters program in financeFinance"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
. CMC literature professor Robert Faggen sent a letter signed by several other literature professors to President Gann, saying they are concerned that the gift will "distort the college into a single focus trade school."
- Professor Jonathan PetropoulosJonathan PetropoulosJonathan Petropoulos is an American historian who writes about National Socialism and, in particular, the fate of art looted during World War II. He is John V. Croul Professor of European History at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California...
' resignation in April 2008 as director of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Center, amid controversy over the failed restitution of a Pissarro painting looted by the Nazis in 1938.
Presidents
- George C.S. Benson, founding president (1946–1969)
- Howard R. Neville (1969–1970)
- Jack L. StarkJack L. StarkJack L. Stark was president of Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California from 1970 to 1999. He followed the short-lived tenure of CMC's second president, Howard R. Neville , being followed himself by CMC's fourth president,...
(1970–1999) - Pamela Gann (1999–present)
Notable alumni and faculty
Notable alumni of Claremont McKenna College include Chairman & CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Michael S. Jeffries '66, founders of global private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts Henry KravisHenry Kravis
Henry R. Kravis is an American businessman and private equity investor. He is the co-founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a private equity firm with over $62 billion in assets as of 2011. He has an estimated net worth of $3.7 billion as of September 2011, ranked by Forbes as the 88th richest...
'67 and George R. Roberts
George R. Roberts
George R. Roberts is an American financier and was one of the three original partners of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. , which he co-founded alongside Jerome Kohlberg and first cousin Henry Kravis in 1976.-Biography:...
'66, CEO and founder of Trust Company of the West, Robert A. Day '65, former President and CEO of Toys "R" Us Robert Nakasone '69, California Congressman David Dreier
David Dreier
David Timothy Dreier is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and business career:...
'75, "Freeway Killer" Randy Steven Kraft
Randy Steven Kraft
Randy Steven Kraft is an American serial killer. He was convicted of 16 murders and is strongly suspected of committing at least 51 others.-Early life:...
'68, filmmaker Paul Brickman
Paul Brickman
Paul Brickman is an American screenwriter and film director, born in Chicago, Illinois. He is best known for the film Risky Business where he served as director and screenwriter...
'71, and My Lai massacre
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre was the Vietnam War mass murder of 347–504 unarmed civilians in South Vietnam on March 16, 1968, by United States Army soldiers of "Charlie" Company of 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade of the Americal Division. Most of the victims were women, children , and...
whistleblower Ron Ridenhour '72. Claremont McKenna's most famous dropout is Academy Award-winning actor and stand-up comedian Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
. Notable faculty have included economist Eric Helland
Eric Helland
Eric Helland is a Professor, Robert Day School of Economics and Finance, at Claremont McKenna College and Claremont Graduate University, and Senior Economist, Institute for Civil Justice, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA....
and presidential speechwriter and comedian Mort Sahl
Mort Sahl
Morton Lyon "Mort" Sahl is a Canadian-born American comedian and actor. He occasionally wrote jokes for speeches delivered by President John F. Kennedy. He was the first comedian to record a live album and the first to perform on college campuses...
. Political scientist Minxin Pei and author Jamaica Kincaid
Jamaica Kincaid
Jamaica Kincaid is a Caribbean novelist, gardener, and gardening writer. She was born in the city of St. John's on the island of Antigua in the nation of Antigua and Barbuda...
currently teach at CMC.