Vivian Monteiro ’23 holding a bottle of Scripps 2023 olive oil with her award-winning label design
On November 10, 2023, Scripps held its biannual Olive Harvest event, a sustainability tradition dating back to 2012. Every harvest, olives from Scripps’ beloved trees are gathered by the community and processed into olive oil. During 2023’s event, nearly 200 members of the Scripps, Claremont Colleges, and wider Claremont community came together to pick around 1,200 pounds of olives. On the afternoon following the harvest, the olives were taken to a mill in Ojai to begin the olive oil production process.
November’s olive haul produced 15 gallons of award-winning oil. The olive oil was submitted to the 2024 Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition, where it earned two medals: a gold medal for taste in the category of medium olive oils made from Mission-variety olives and a bronze medal for art and illustration. Scripps’ olive oil previously won a silver medal in 2022 from the same competition, as well as two bronze medals in 2020.
The Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition judges oils on a 100-point scale based on fruitiness, intensity, complexity, and harmony. The 2024 competition featured entries from 198 producers in 19 different countries, including Algeria, Chile, France, Italy, Japan, and Turkey. “Considering the high level of competition, recognition at the Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition is a significant and special accomplishment for our entire community. It is a true testament to what we can accomplish when we come together, a demonstration of our unique combination of strength and spirit. The fruit from our Mission olive trees is a product of its environment, and given our extraordinary campus culture, I am not surprised in the least that our olives would produce fantastic oil,” says Landscape Operations Manager Joya Salas, who submitted the olive oil for consideration in the competition.
“The harvest is a welcome celebration of tradition and connection for students, staff, faculty, and community members who look forward to sitting under the trees to enjoy the relaxing, meditative act of picking olives. It’s an opportunity to have fun working toward a common goal, which strengthens our community bonds as many Scripps traditions have a way of doing,” she continues. “I always look forward to seeing everyone sitting together chatting during the harvest. We are often bustling from one place to another and don’t always allow ourselves time to stop and enjoy our stunning campus and dynamic community. The harvest also fortifies our connection with and respect for our environment and its natural resources.”
In addition to its importance in emphasizing sustainability at Scripps, the Olive Harvest also serves to highlight the talented artists and designers in the community. Scripps holds a label design contest for each harvest, and 2023’s contest received entries from 20 students, alums, and staff members. The winning design, which earned the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition’s bronze medal, was contributed by artist and graphic designer Vivian Monteiro ’23. The illustration depicts a Scripps student harvesting olives.
“Through this design,” Vivian says, “I wanted to acknowledge the special tradition of students harvesting olives. It’s a well-loved tradition, and I haven’t seen that process illustrated on any of our labels before! The student pictured wears a cap and gown and climbs a ladder, letting all those who see this bottle understand that purchasing Scripps College olive oil is a contribution toward a haven of learning and growth.”
The Scripps 2023 olive oil has a refined golden color and a delicate, complex, but still distinctive flavor. Limited quantities of the oil will be sold in 200ml bottles on Friday, March 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Scripps’ Bowling Green.