I can't begin with anyone other than Prof. Edray Goins. I took Linear Algebra, Group Theory, and Galois Theory with him. It was in these classes where I gained a newfound appreciation for math, as well as confidence that I could succeed in studying it after being a mediocre math student in high school. I also TA'd several semesters for Prof. Goins, which helped me find community and purpose throughout college. And, between his brilliant mind and passion for helping others through projects such as updating the MAD database of black mathematicians and hosting summer REU's for undergraduate mathematicians, he has been a tremendous inspiration to me. His impact on my college trajectory and outlook on life is hard to overstate.
Next comes Prof. Janice Hudgings. I took one and a half classes with her -- an intro physics lab section in my first semester, and foundations of modern physics (Physics 101) in my third. But I mostly remember her for Physics 101, one of the best classes I ever took in college. It was a LOT of work, but I learned so much -- thanks to Prof. Hudgings, not only about Quantum Mechanics, but about building lasers, staying persistent in the lab, writing scientific reports, and fostering community and equity in STEM. Quantum Mechanics is hard stuff, but she always went out of her way to make it less intimidating, from not being afraid to point out her own mistakes in class, to making exams collaborative. I didn't end up majoring in physics, but I look very fondly on my time with Prof. Hudgings.
The COVID pandemic came right in the middle of my college experience. In the fall of 2021, classes were online, and I generally felt quite despondent about things. Upon recommendation from my friend Nathalie, I enrolled in an Environmental History course with Prof. Pey-Yi Chu. Needless to say, this was one of the best decisions I ever made in college. Prof. Chu is whip smart, oozes energy and enthusiasm, and pours 110% into her teaching. She ran the class like a book club, choosing a diverse selection of readings, all of which I found fascinating. Additionally, it was through her class that I made great strides in communicating my thoughts with clarity, which directly led to me passing interviews and landing job opportunities. She is a gem of Pomona College.
Prof. Goins is the math professor who has had the biggest impact on me, but Prof. Mark Huber of CMC is outstanding as well. I took his Monte Carlo Methods class virtually in Spring 2021. From the very first Zoom class, which exhibited his nifty camera setup and crystal clear lecturing style, I knew I was in for a treat. We ended up covering a wide swath of topics in simulation theory, randomization, Markov Chains, random walks, measure theory, derivative pricing, and cryptography. His homework assignments and tests were straightforward, reinforcing the concepts well. He also weaved an R programming component into the course, which helped me improve a lot at the language. If I ever become a math professor one day, I'd aspire to be as organized and clear as him.
One more outstanding professor I studied with was Prof. Minxin Pei, also of CMC. At the recommendation of my friend Kristine, I took his Chinese Politics class in Fall 2021. It was an instant hit. Prof. Pei is one of the most prominent China experts out there, having written many influential books, held positions at top universities and think tanks, and regularly published op-eds in popular media outlets. However, being an expert is one thing, and being a good teacher is another. Fortunately, Prof. Pei was not only a good teacher, but a legendary one. He'd come to class with detailed sets of slides that broke down the notoriously complex and opaque Chinese political system in a logical, digestible fashion. He'd assign lots of readings for each class, but each one would be insightful and informative. The questions he posed sparked some really interesting discussions that regularly drew participation from the entire class of around 20 people. While he had high standards in grading (he absolutely shredded my second essay), I felt so honored that he read my work and took it seriously. It was a dream come true to learn from him twice a week, and be able to tap into a tiny fraction of his massive reserve of knowledge. Even many months later, I still look out for his op-eds and analyses.
Of course, I'm also thankful for so many other professors and staff members at Pomona. Just to name a few more: Prof. Adolfo Rumbos, who let me into his Vector Calculus class midway into my fall sophomore semester, became my advisor, and is one of the funniest, sweetest teachers I have had; invaluable research mentors like the brilliant Prof. Ami Radunskaya and Prof. Emiliano Huet-Vaughn, who taught me so much; my senior thesis advisor Prof. Sherilyn Tamagawa; Prof. Darryl Yong, who was a shining light to me during my first COVID summmer; Mike M-P and Sena Filihia, the tremendously supportive staff at the AARC, who helped me grow in my identity and find community; other engaging and caring teachers like Prof. Pierre Englebert from politics, Prof. Robin Melnick from linguistics, Prof. Pierangelo De Pace from economics, and Prof. Michael Orrison from math.