Inside the 100 Years of CGU Exhibition

Claremont Graduate University’s yearlong Centennial Celebration in 2025 unfolded across lectures, symposiums, community gatherings, and a steady stream of storytelling on 100.cgu.edu.

But one of the most direct and tangible connections to the university’s past, however, did not take place online or on stage. The 100 Years of CGU exhibition offered the community a chance to engage with the physical materials that documented CGU’s first century in the same halls where much of that history unfolded.

Many of the materials that became 100 Years of CGU were found almost by accident. Stored in the lower levels of Harper Hall were dozens of boxes filled with photographs, film reels, documents, and publications — materials that had gone untouched for decades. What began as a routine look through storage quickly revealed a much larger record of the university’s past.

As the materials were reviewed, clear connections emerged. Faces in photographs matched names appearing in CGU’s 100 for 100 profiles. Film footage documented events that had previously been referenced only in print. Publications and records filled in gaps, adding detail and texture to a history that had largely been reconstructed through secondary sources.

While 100 Years of CGU was a late addition to the centennial celebration, it became a focused effort to translate years of research and storytelling into a physical experience. The exhibition did not replace or revise the centennial narrative already underway; it expanded it and offered the community another way to tangibly engage with the same history.

A Voice from 1953

Among the materials uncovered, one artifact stands out for both its rarity and historical weight: an audio reel containing James A. Blaisdell’s final address to the boards of the Claremont Colleges in 1953.

Blaisdell, then president of Pomona College, partnered with philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps to establish what would become The Claremont Colleges. His Oxford-inspired “group plan” laid the foundation for CGU’s eventual creation. The reel is believed to be the only known recording of Blaisdell’s voice.

“It’s easy to talk about legacy in the abstract,” said Christian Shepherd, Content Marketing Strategist, who helped lead the exhibition. “But hearing Blaisdell speak makes that history immediate. These artifacts — seals, books, recordings, photographs — are physical evidence of ideas that are still shaping the university.”

A Magazine Cover and a Partnership

Another notable artifact is a 1927 Time magazine featuring Ellen Browning Scripps on its cover. Preserved in remarkable condition, the issue depicted Scripps at age 90 and underscored her national influence as a philanthropist.

Placed in the context of CGU’s origin story, the magazine highlights the partnership between Scripps and Blaisdell — a collaboration rooted not only in financial support, but in a shared belief in an educational model built on cooperation across institutions.

Publications, Film, and Campus Life

In addition to the origin story posters lining Harper Hall’s entry corridor and the 100 for 100 profiles scattered throughout the exhibition, several other important materials help document the day-to-day life of the university across decades.

Issues of the Claremont College Bulletin offer a snapshot of daily life at CGU across different decades. Published quarterly, the Bulletin documented academic developments, campus events, and institutional milestones, serving as an early record of how the university understood and presented itself over time. It later gave way to The Flame, another now-retired CGU publication.

Film materials add another layer to the exhibition. Original reels and recordings are displayed in their physical form, while QR codes allow visitors to view digitized versions of the content. Together, they document how CGU presented itself and preserved its history during the mid-20th century.

Among the materials are 1960s promotional commercials for the university, recordings from the Oral History Program inaugurated in 1962, and an episode titled Claremont Graduate School – Graduate School of the World, produced as part of the On Campus TV series by the Independent Colleges of Southern California. Also included is A Continuing Vision of Greatness, a short film about CGU narrated by Ronald Reagan in the early 1960s, before his political career began.

Symbols and Identity

Not all of the exhibition’s key objects were discovered in storage. Some were included because of what they represent institutionally.

The Presidential Medallion, worn by CGU presidents during ceremonial occasions, is displayed as a symbol of leadership and continuity. Nearby, the University Mace — carved from wood and carried during commencement — represents academic authority and tradition, offering visitors a closer look at an object typically seen only from a distance.

Other displays focused on the university’s evolving visual identity. A handwoven tapestry featuring CGU’s owl mascot was shown alongside earlier and later depictions of the owl found in bulletins and other publications.

While the owl’s appearance has shifted over time, its recurrence reflects a long-standing, if unofficial, part of CGU’s character. A regalia display traced the evolution of commencement attire, highlighting how academic dress has changed while remaining central to university ritual.

Making Choices

Not every item uncovered in Harper Hall could be included. Space limitations required careful selection, prioritizing materials that could communicate clearly in a public setting.

“The hardest part was deciding what not to show,” said Brian Elliott, Associate Vice President of Marketing. “There were many compelling materials that tell important stories, but they don’t always translate visually in an exhibition.”

The goal was to balance depth with accessibility. “Some visitors want to spend time with the origin story and the 100 for 100 profiles,” said Elliott. “Others may only have a few minutes. We wanted the exhibition to work for both.”

Together, the materials in 100 Years of CGU do not attempt to tell every story. Instead, they offer points of entry into CGU’s institutional memory, including its founding ideas, daily life, symbols, and self-representation, adding texture and dimension to the university’s centennial narrative.

“Every decade has been shaped by the people who were here at the time,” said Silvia Liu, Director of Integrated Marketing. “This exhibition reflects that continuity and the shared spirit that has carried CGU forward.”

The exhibition is open to the public and free to visit in Harper Hall. Members of the CGU community are encouraged to stop by and experience these materials firsthand, seeing how the university’s first century is reflected not only in research and storytelling, but in the physical objects that recorded it.