More than 150 alumni celebrated their Poet pride—in person—at the annual Whittier College Homecoming.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the College organized a virtual Homecoming event last year. However, with eased Los Angeles County restrictions, this year’s event convened (with masks and health screenings) for a special afternoon in Uptown Whittier.
Poet Gardens served as home base for the day. Founded and owned by chef and entrepreneur Ricardo Diaz ’93, Poet Gardens transformed the first floor of Uptown’s historic Nixon Building into an exciting food hall. As alumni arrived Saturday afternoon, they were met with a venue full of music, an engaging array of dining options, a brewery, photo ops—and familiar faces. Among the meet-ups, the Alianza de los Amigos Latinx Alumni Association and Black Alumni Association held special welcome gatherings.
From Poet Gardens, attendees could stroll Uptown Whittier—made all the more walkable thanks to its conversion into a promenade—to check the 29 other businesses participating in Homecoming. At check-in, alumni received a Poet Uptown Experience passport to guide them to stores, businesses, and restaurants offering exclusives, discounts, and more.
Meanwhile, the men’s water polo team went up against Pomona-Pitzer, while men’s soccer and football each played Claremont Mudd Scripps in their Homecoming match-ups.
The evning concluded with a virtual music party hosted by Leda (Mintzer) Muller ’88.
