Centennial Celebration Programming
May 2026–May 2027 Programming
Join us for Scripps College Centennial-themed exhibitions, presentations, events, and historical observations of the past 100 years.
Friday, October 9: Ellen Browning Scripps Medal Honor
The College will honor Simone Biles with the Ellen Browning Scripps Medal—its highest distinction. The Medal recognizes women whose achievements reflect the vision and values of the College’s founder, celebrating confidence, courage, and hope in action.
Saturday, October 10: Women’s Leadership Summit
Bold Legacy, Boundless Future
Be part of the momentum that’s redefining what women leaders can achieve in today’s world—a fitting launch to our year-long centennial celebration. The day is designed to expand your thinking and strengthen your network through influential speakers, collaborative tracks, and focused professional development opportunities. The summit promises to be an enriching experience, where women leaders come together to inspire, learn, and create lasting impact.
Scripps Faculty and Department Programming
Stay tuned for more information about faculty and department programming, including exhibitions, forums, symposiums, concerts, guest lecturers, and opportunities for public engagement and community-driven experiences. Dates to be announced.
The Ellen Browning Scripps American Women’s History Forum and Retrospective: 1926 to 2026
Westenley Alcenat, Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies
A centennial initiative of the Scripps College Department of History, the Ellen Browning Scripps American Women’s History Forum and Retrospective honors the College’s storied Black alumnae, advancing women’s empowerment and leadership in the liberal arts through public humanities, archival storytelling, and intergenerational dialogue inspired by Ellen Browning Scripps’ values.
Symposium for Women and Gender Minorities in Mathematics in Southern California
Christina Edholm, Associate Professor of Mathematics
WiMSoCal’s aim is to create a network of mathematicians in Southern California to nurture collaborations and provide a framework for mentoring. These relationships can help mathematicians branch into new disciplines and areas of mathematics, explore varied ways to contribute to society and the profession, and maintain a healthy, balanced life.
The symposium will feature support from current Scripps students, including Ava Tse ’28, Maya McClain ’27, May Edmonds ’28, Sitara Putrevu ’28, Kate Larson ’27, Sammy Bio ’28, and Jimena Sanchez ’27.
Concert
Anne Harley, Professor of Music
Advanced vocalists from the last 15 years of Scripps College return to join Professor Anne Harley for a National Endowment of the Arts (NEA)-commissioned song cycle. Performing works inspired by the poems of former Los Angeles Poet Laureate Lynne Thompson ’72 and leading artists of the last 100 years, the concert will also reprise the NEA-commissioned Miracles of Thekla by Scripps’ first composition music major, Marjorie Merryman ’72. Merryman will also contribute to classes and public lectures during her five-day residency.
Scripps’ Centennial Dance History
Abdiel Jacobsen, Assistant Professor of Dance
Celebrate Scripps’ centennial through living, breathing dance history. This four-part community series brings Southern California Latin Hustle elders, artists, and students together through storytelling, archival research, and dance, including intimate community convenings and a joyful public celebration. Born in 1970s New York disco clubs, Latin Hustle is a social partner dance shaped by Afro-Latinx, Black, and queer communities. Come listen, learn, and move alongside the people who shaped this vibrant culture—a party where everyone belongs! Program will run from fall 2026 through summer 2027.
Scripps Art History and Beyond: Art History Alumnae Residency
Julia Lum, Assistant Professor of Art History
Come connect with three distinguished alums to discover how they turned their Scripps degree into groundbreaking work in arts and culture. We’re delighted to welcome back to Claremont Lara M. Evans ’94, vice president of programs at the First Peoples Fund; Leah Pualahaʻole Caldeira ’00, curator and director of the Library and Archives at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum; and Susanna Ferrell ’15, Wynn Resorts associate curator of Chinese art at LACMA.
Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble
Tessie Prakas, Associate Professor of English
In collaboration with the Joint Music Program of The Claremont Colleges, Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble will present a concert celebrating racial, ethnic, and gender diversity. Featuring artist-educators with global performing careers, Kaleidoscope is committed to social justice and to the principle that classical music should be available to all. Befitting Scripps’s centennial, the program will look both to the past and future in a beautiful juxtaposition of early and contemporary music.
Team Bronze: 100 Years of Care
Katie Purvis-Roberts, Professor of Chemistry and Environmental Science
Be part of the story—help preserve the art on campus! This yearlong conservation project will professionally clean, stabilize, and protect Scripps College’s outdoor bronze sculptures while giving students and the community hands-on learning and behind-the-scenes access. The work strengthens stewardship of our art collection through improved signage, documentation, and public engagement, leaving a lasting centennial legacy of collaboration, education, and care for generations to come.
The Evolution of Fiber Arts at Scripps College
Kim-Trang Tran, Professor of Art
The Evolution of Fiber Arts exhibition plumbs the Denison Library archives to trace the history of weaving since the founding of Scripps’ Department of Art. Through its mid-century heyday to its resurgence today, contemporary fiber arts practices increasingly combine ancient techniques with digital processes. The show will feature five artists working at the conjunction of textiles and technology to reflect the current fiber arts curriculum at Scripps College.
Pixel Palettes: 40 Years of Digital Art at Scripps
Zsofi Valyi-Nagy, Visiting Assistant Professor of Art History and Nancy Macko, Professor of Art
Pixel Palettes: 40 Years of Digital Art at Scripps’ Clark Humanities Museum explores the College’s innovative role incorporating computing technology into visual arts education and practice from 1987 to 2027. The six-week exhibition features student work from the 1990s and 2000s mined from the hard drives of Professor of Art Nancy Macko alongside digital art by alums and current faculty. Guest curator Zsofi Valyi-Nagy will also lead interactive workshops with vintage Apple Macintosh computers.
Mujeres Crean (Women Create)
Martín Vega, Associate Professor of Spanish, Latin American, and Caribbean Literatures and Cultures
The Spanish, Latin American, and Caribbean Literatures and Cultures department invites all members of the community to celebrate Scripps’ centennial at the Mujeres Crean (Women Create) workshop and film series! The events will be bilingual, with interpretation available in English and Spanish.
Reunion Weekend 2027
- Scripps Community Awards: recognition of individuals who have made an impact on the College
- Centennial Celebration event