Honorary Degree Recipient and Keynote Speaker 2023
Aldon Morris
Aldon Morris is the Leon Forrest Emeritus Professor of Sociology and African American Studies at Northwestern University. Morris is the author of the award-winning book, The Origins of the Civil rights Movement and the winner of the Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Award from the American Sociological Association. He is co-editor of both Frontiers in Social Movement Theory and Opposition Consciousness. Morris’ 2015 book, The Scholar Denied: W. E. B. Du Bois and the Birth of Modern Sociology, won numerous awards including the Prose Award from The American Publishing Association. Morris has won over a dozen awards for his scholarship, teaching, and mentoring. He was elected and served as the 2020 President of the American Sociological Association. Morris’s life and work were chronicled in the award-winning film, “Aldon Morris: The Scholar Affirmed.” Morris has appeared in documentaries, television and radio programs, and his work has been published in magazines and social media outlets. Morris is former Chair of Sociology, Director of Asian American Studies, and Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University. Morris is committed to an emancipatory scholarship that addresses social inequality and points to solutions to achieve human freedom.
Student Speaker 2023
Holly Eva Allen
Holly Eva Allen is graduating with an MA in English with a concentration in American Studies. Holly also received the Women’s & Gender Studies and PFF College Teaching Certificates from CGU. She served as secretary for the Graduate Student Council in 2021-2022 and is currently serving as president of the Queer Graduate Union. Holly is a CAFÉ fellow and PFF course instructor at CGU and an intern in the Disability Studies division of the University of Michigan 1Cademy education project. She is the founder of Horned Things Literary Journal, the co-Editor in Chief of CGU’s Foothill Poetry Journal, and an assistant prose editor for Passengers Journal. Holly’s academic writing has appeared in journals such as Women’s Studies, Interdisciplinary Literary Studies, and Intersections. Additionally, her creative writing has been published in magazines, books, and sites such as Hare’s Paw Literary Journal, Farside Review, and On the Run Fiction. Some of her research interests include queer theory, American literature, horror, and disability studies. Holly aims to be a scholar and educator who centers accessibility and inclusivity in all things.
Alumni Board Speaker 2023
Liron Marks
Liron Marks earned her PhD in Organizational Behavior from the School of Social Science, Policy, and Evaluation at Claremont Graduate University in 2016. She is currently the Human Resources Director of Berg Mill Supply, USA and Classic Fibres, International, global waste management companies, where she has worked for the past three years. Prior to her current position, Liron was a key principal in the development and launch of the Certificate Program in Organization Development and Change Leadership, at the Peter Drucker School of Management. The expertise Liron developed while at CGU prepared her for her future as an organizational development consultant; a position she has held for over a decade. She is still actively consulting and currently focusing on the non-profit sector. Liron’s past consulting work across different industries includes education, waste management, nonprofits, country clubs, marketing firms, and entertainment. Liron has certifications and designations in SHRM-CP, Knoleskape Master Facilitator, DISC Certified Trainer, Life/Executive Coach, and Polaris 360 Competency Modeling. She is a fellow at the Kravis Leadership Institute and the Vice President of the Executive Committee of the Claremont Graduate University Alumni Association Board. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children, and their puppy.