We are family … literally

Thayer made his decision soon thereafter, based on his interest in the Athenaeum and the PPE major.

“Jeff and I were excited when Thayer and Anderson both decided to go to CMC,” said their mother, Tracey. “Thayer has a strong interest in law, politics, and social justice and the PPE program provided a unique opportunity to study these topics with a small cohort of students. Anderson is drawn to business, finance, and economics. Of course, we were also thrilled that they would be able to experience this next stage of life together!”

As members of the CMS swim and diving team, the brothers swam together before campus closed in March 2020. They also ate together and hung out together with mutual friends. “It would be a rare day for us not to see each other,” Thayer said.

“We know and are friendly with many of the same people because Thayer and I are so close,” Anderson said. “However, both of us have unique individual relationships with these people, that are independent of our own connection with each other.”

With CMC classrooms virtual, Thayer and Anderson are based in their family home in Wayzata, Minnesota, adhering to a busy schedule. Their most reliable times to spend together, Thayer said, are when they drive to their club team’s swim practice — plus family dinners.

In addition to swimming, Thayer is a First Year Guide and a member of CMC Advocates. Anderson, who is currently taking a gap year, has a marketing internship with gaming equipment company, X Rocker.

Thayer said he admires Anderson’s self-assuredness. “He figures out what he wants, figures out what he needs to do to achieve that goal, dedicates himself to it, and achieves it,” he said. “I’m glad to share my college life with him and be creating new memories together.”

Of Thayer, Anderson shared: “I most admire how well Thayer can balance, and be very good at, many things. He swims at a high level, his academic achievements are top-notch, and he still finds time to get involved with clubs and events that he is passionate about. Most of all, even with all these activities going on, I admire how he still finds energy to be emotionally supportive and available to everyone he is close to.”

In the future, CMC may also see two more Breazeale siblings, Madry and Ballard, whom Thayer described as “enthusiastic about the school” based on their brothers’ experiences.

Do the brothers have any advice to share for siblings considering CMC? “For any siblings considering CMC, it is a great place to stay close to your sibling and still find your own independence,” Anderson said.

Fortunately for us, dreams do come true especially when you work hard and have a clear vision for your future. I was the first in my family to attend CMC, so you could consider me a trailblazer. The moment I set foot on campus in 1989 and learned about the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) program, I knew I belonged there. I was Class of 1993.

My brother Luan Lai ’98 was recruited for the CMS Stag soccer team by Coach Steve Davis. Besides the awesome soccer program, CMC stood above the rest for Luan because of the specialized individual attention each student receives in class from esteemed and caring professors.

My brother Dinh Lai ’01 was lucky to have had the opportunity to get a first-hand preview, experiencing the CMC community and culture while on campus visiting his siblings. Like all of us, he was drawn to the strong sense of community, commitment to leadership and public service, and the focus on student athletes. We all agree that CMC provides the best of both worlds — strong community of a liberal arts college and the opportunities of a large university with access across the Claremont Colleges.

It was very special to have both my brothers attend the same school, even though Luan and Dinh were the only ones on campus at the same time. We have always been close growing up so having shared our college experience made our bond even stronger. While on campus, we supported each other and we gave each other the autonomy to develop as individuals.

Luan went on to study International Relations, ran track and played soccer. Luan was an All-American and 1998 SCIAC Player of the Year. Dinh went on to study Economics and International Relations. My dad was especially proud to have both of his sons play on the same field for the CMS Stag soccer team for one year and was a regular at all the games.

For my part, I don’t think I missed a single home game when my brothers played together. I believe they both came on campus to cheer me on when I played tennis for CMS Athenas. Sport was a constant in our family. As student athletes, both my brothers received Best Thesis honors for their work in Asian and International studies.

Since graduation from CMC, Luan and I pursued Management Consulting and Information Technology careers in Southern California. Kathlina initially pursued a corporate career and is now an entrepreneur. Luan established the Vietnamese American Athletic Development Inc., a nonprofit operating in local Vietnamese-American communities to help underprivileged youth through athletics, and is working at Fox Corp.

Dinh is the only one among the siblings who pursued a career in what he studied at CMC, entering federal government service through the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) program, eventually serving in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon and as Director for East Asian Security Affairs on the National Security Council in the White House (during the Obama administration). Following his public service in national security affairs, Dinh and his family moved to Tokyo to begin their international adventure as expats. He’s currently living in Singapore with his family, working at an international insurtech startup.

Our CMC degrees helped to validate the sacrifices our parents made to bring us to the United States. Looking back, our experience at CMC significantly shaped our future and contributed to our success. We are eternally grateful to the professors who guided, encouraged, and nurtured our early development. We are also thankful for the lifelong friendships we developed with our classmates and the phenomenal network of CMC alumni. The American Dream is alive and well for the Lai siblings. Thank you for the experience and the memories, CMC!

— Kathlina Lai ’93

Amjad: I applied first in 1996. To be honest, I didn't know too much about the College, only that there were a few small private colleges nearby nestled in the mountains that emphasized the "liberal arts" -- a term that sounded cool to me.  I ended up visiting the campus and attending a "prospective student" talk by Professor [Jack] Pitney, who flipped the script on everything I had been told about what higher education should be.  After 30 minutes, I didn't need to hear much more. I knew I had found my tribe.

What have you accomplished that’s different and similar to one another?

Ata: Amjad and I took wildly different paths with our CMC education but that’s what’s kind of fun and interesting about it. We both took deep dives into government, but Amjad focused on international law and human rights, while I focused on city governance and local land use issues. Amjad was able to rely upon a more traditional pre-law route. Mine was more of a pinball experience that started pre-med and ultimately led me to the EEP (Environment, Economics, and Politics) major. I still regret that I couldn’t wrap my head around organic chemistry (apologies to Professor Black and my dad).

It was actually a conversation with an urban planner at a FEMA site during a relief trip organized by CMC students in Kiln, Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina that started me on the path to pursue urban planning. He showed me a zoning map and explained how the tragedy was preventable with better land use planning. Amjad and I both did take a lot of Literature courses, and I think I vividly remember Professor [Nicholas] Warner saying I was the superior writer. Vividly, I think.

Amjad: Ata was valedictorian in his high school and could have studied anything.  I'm glad he found the EEP major at CMC because that's probably the only degree that could contain his curiosity!  My first love was political science, but I enjoyed math and philosophy during my first semester more than I ever thought I would.  But it was Professor Warner's introductory literature course that just blew me away -- he expanded my analytical mind in ways that still benefit me in profound ways.  I now practice as a commercial litigator and teach law while also maintaining an extensive pro bono practice for causes that deeply matter to me.  Ata and I could not be any different in what we do professionally, and yet we are bound by a singular love of writing that we credit to our CMC education.      

What did your family think when you both started attending college at CMC?

Ata: Our parents were thrilled that we wouldn’t be living far from their reach and available to pick up milk at Stater Bros in a pinch. They thought the school seemed nice, too. 

Amjad: I credit my parents for wholly supporting my decision go to a liberal arts college over a large university -- they became my chief lobbyists for Ata to follow my lead, and I will always tell anyone who can listen that Ata once listened to my advice.    

What’s the best and worst part about having a sibling on campus?

Ata: The best thing about a sibling who attended CMC recently before you, is that you can draft off their experience on course recommendations and financial aid nuances. The worst thing is knowing what grades he got and what grades I got. 

Amjad: The best thing about Ata having attended CMC is being able to reflect on our great love for freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and brownies, as well as iced tea at the Athenaeum. The worst thing is knowing that I drove an old boxy van for most of my years there while he sported a brand-new truck.  

What do you like most about your brother?

Ata: There’s nobody I’d rather have fighting an intellectual fight for me than Amjad. I know I'm making him sound like Larry H. Parker [the personal injury attorney], but he’s competitive as heck but also compassionate and it’s quite inspiring. He’ll fight for you! 

Amjad: Ata's creative energy is infectious; he's always the smartest person in the room but also the funniest and most humble.  

Where are you from?

Ata: We both grew up in Chino Hills, just a 20-minute drive south on Towne Avenue. 

Amjad: Born in the San Fernando Valley (Canoga Park), raised in the Inland Empire (Chino Hills)

What have you been doing since graduating?

Ata: I attended UC Irvine for the Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning, consulted for the Long Beach Unified School District on school site planning, managed a community mitigation trust fund with the Port of Los Angeles, and then formally entered government city planning, first with the City of Los Angeles, and now with the City of Pomona next door to CMC. 

Amjad: I attended Harvard Law School (J.D. in 2004), clerked for the late Judge Warren J. Ferguson at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, worked as a litigator at two prominent global law firms (Latham & Watkins LLP and Akin Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP) for a decade before founding my own litigation firm with some former colleagues, Brown, Neri, Smith & Khan LLP in Los Angeles.  I also teach contract law at UCLA Law School and help run a nonprofit I recently co-founded, Global Lawyers for Refugees.

Katie paved the way through high school, taking advantage of the small student population to participate in nearly every available activity and organization. Ultimately, she stumbled upon CMC through an online search for colleges offering joint majors in science and management. When she discovered that CMC offered a Science Management major, she felt that it was tailored to suit her interests. Katie was accepted into CMC and awarded the Interdisciplinary Science Scholarship (ISS).

Chad pursued much the same path as Katie, following his older sister to CMC and accepting the same ISS scholarship to study as an Environment, Economics, and Politics major.

During her first year at CMC, Katie played basketball as part of the Athenas team, maintaining excellent grades. She graduated magna cum laude.

Chad spent four years with CMS track and field, helping the team win multiple SCIAC championships, though he said that he “lost the sibling rivalry for best academics.” Both the siblings loved their time at CMC and the “diversity of their incredible peers.” They both still maintain some of their closest friendships from their college days.

After graduating, Katie became a management consultant in Los Angeles for a few years before continuing her studies at the University of Michigan - Ross School of Business. Now equipped with her MBA, Katie tackles tough manufacturing strategy challenges at Life Fitness in Chicago.

Meanwhile, Chad moved on from CMC to San Francisco, where he worked in R&D for an electric motorcycle company. Three years later, he moved back home to Palouse, where he has taken the reins of the Redman family farm. Chad enjoys the complexity and diversity of challenges that running an agricultural business offers, and the quiet lifestyle farming affords.

How did your brothers influence your decision to attend CMC?

Richard and Robert would talk about how exciting it was to be at a newly established school, which nevertheless already had a reputation for being intellectually rigorous. In addition, they each developed close friendships at CMC, and they enjoyed the dorm structure, how it was like a fraternity, without the baggage.

My brothers also developed friendships with their professors. I recall my parents (who lived in Claremont) hosting two parties that professors attended, and I got to meet them and to know a few of them.

Did your brothers offer you any tips for navigating campus life? Did you share any interests?

I followed my brothers by a few years, so we didn’t overlap. We were all interested in business and getting a well-rounded education.

Although my oldest brother graduated eight years before I did, and the other six, there were some professors they were able to recommend to me, such as Prof. Quinones [Ricardo J. Quinones P’88, professor of comparative literature from 1963-2002 and founding director of the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies].

They basically advised me to take advantage of all that CMC had to offer. I tried to pass that along to my kids [Sarah ’10, Riley ’11, and Rosie ’13]. When they were students at CMC, I told them to get out of their dorm rooms and explore.

Where are you from?

All three of us were born in Los Angeles – at Queen of Angels Hospital – but we moved to Claremont in the 50s and were raised here.

CMC was eight minutes from my family home, so it was a surprise that when I was on campus, I still felt like I was in a different world, I could have been two hours away. I think that was a strength about the College, its vitality.

What were each of your majors?

We each majored in economics. I finished my major almost entirely in the first two years, so I was able to take a significant number of psychology courses, as well as classes from Peter Drucker at the graduate school on innovation and entrepreneurship.

What have you accomplished that’s different and similar to one another?

All of us were fortunate to go into the family business [The Lewis Group], but we were all able to follow different directions within the business. Richard oversees our business in California, Robert in Nevada, and I handle marketing.

We have worked hard in our careers, and all share an understanding of economics and politics and government and the relationships between them. At CMC we gained an ability to communicate both orally and in writing. Also, as a family and a company, we try to give back, which aligns with the College’s mission, how business and society thrive together, and are mutually supportive.

What did your family think when you each started attending college at CMC?

Our parents were big believers in higher education, it was ingrained in us that we would go to college, although it wasn’t forced. They were very happy that I could attend CMC because of the great experience my brothers had. And they would have been very happy to learn that their grandchildren also attended CMC. They both believed in the mission of the school, and its emphasis on leadership. It’s a school for doers.

I can’t stress enough: CMC was a fantastic experience and it thrilled me that my children independently decided to go there too – not as a legacy decision but because of all that the College has to offer.

When campus was open, the sisters would support each other by attending basketball and lacrosse games when the other was playing. They also both worked at Roberts Pavilion at the front desk, “Because we thought that we already spend so much time there, what’s a few more hours?” the sisters said.

Academically, they have taken different paths. Kate is double majoring in Psychology and Media Studies, and will work for Dell Technologies post-graduation. Abby is on the pre-med track as a Biology major with an Ethics sequence.

The best part about having your sibling on campus, the Parrish sisters said, is that “your built-in best friend is always there as a support system. We have great friends, but having a family member with you at college is especially comforting.”

“Kate is so well-rounded and well-regarded that I don’t even mind being known as ‘Kate’s sister’ around campus,” Abby said.

With two more years of experience at CMC, Kate is able to provide honest and personalized advice to Abby. “Kate has been my rock these past two years,” Abby said. “As a freshman, I really relied on her to help me navigate CMC. Once we were sent home, I felt like I always had a little bit of CMC with me.

Acknowledging that Abby is more extroverted, Kate explained that her friends would often gravitate toward her younger sister.

“Abby is like a ray of sunshine when she enters a room, and can instantly change the energy of the people around her because it’s contagious.,” Kate said. “She has such a radiant personality and sense of humor, it’s no wonder that my friends have adopted her into their circles as well. I often brag about her accomplishments to people at school because I am so proud of her—not because of her countless hours studying to become a doctor, but for the amazing person she is and will continue to become. I couldn’t imagine not having her with me as a part of my CMC journey.”

The Parrish sisters hail from Medina, Wash., which is located across Lake Washington from Seattle. They described their family as being “ecstatic to have us together at an amazing school like CMC.”

In addition, the sisters feel fortunate to have Abby’s twin sister, Mia, only 45 minutes away at USC. “It’s great for our family to have the three girls together,” they said, adding that younger brother, Mark, a “computer science whiz” is hoping to attend Harvey Mudd when he graduates from high school this year. “Then we could have four out of four Parrish kids in SoCal!” they said.

As Kate prepares to graduate, heading to Austin, Texas to work for Dell, the sisters are preparing to be separated.

“Kate has made an incredible mark on CMC and it’s going to be hard to live up to her,” Abby said.  “I’m going to miss her so much when she graduates, but she has already promised me that she’ll come visit me for the legendary CMC events!”

Erik: Definitely, it was my father who was pushing hard for CMC. For me, it was also about the opportunity to be a student athlete and have the opportunity to play high-level college tennis. I developed a good relationship with Coach Krieger and I wanted to play for the Stags. 

How often did the two of you interact on campus? Do you have different or the same friend groups, or were you on any of the same teams or in the same clubs?

Emily: We would see each other in Collins and sometimes at parties. Erik was co-captain of the CMS Men’s Tennis Team in his senior year. I enjoyed watching his tennis matches, even when some were nail-biters. 

Erik: Yes, Emily was a great supporter at the matches! I always appreciated that. Even though I was a senior when she was a freshman, some of my friends were her friends. I liked that part of being in college together at the same time. 

What have you accomplished that’s different and similar to one another?

Emily: Erik was an Economics and Philosophy major, now working in finance. I was an Economics-Accounting major, but ended up working in higher education. However, we are both immersed in innovation and entrepreneurship to create positive environmental impact. Erik works in Southeast Asia doing renewable energy project development, primarily with solar and battery storage. Currently I’m the director of Eco-Entrepreneurship at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara, where I teach and advise graduate students who are developing environmental and social ventures.

Erik: Wow, we have more in common with our careers that I thought. We should do a brother-sister partnership one of these days!

What did your family think when you both started attending college at CMC?

Emily: For our dad, it was a dream come true because he thought so highly of CMC graduates. Both of our parents encouraged us to go to a liberal arts college and really appreciated the culture at CMC. Our mom was probably relieved to have Erik there to look after me in my first year of college.

Erik: I’m sure our parents were happy to have us both staying nearby to our home in L.A. while also being close to each other at such an excellent school.

What’s the best and worst part about having a sibling on campus?

Emily: The best is getting to see each other and feeling like CMC is home. It was nice to have my brother and all of his friends looking out for me. The worst is when your brother’s new friend who just transferred to CMC points out a girl at a party, and it’s your sister.

Erik: Funny! I remember that exact moment. Totally agree on the “best” part — having my friends being ready to be her friends as soon as she stepped on to campus.

What do you like most about your brother/sister?

Emily: Being able to reminisce and laugh about fun childhood memories. We don’t see each other often, since we are on opposite sides of the world. But, when we do, it is like we are kids again.

Erik has always been the best big brother, even letting me play or tag along with him and his friends when we were kids. He invited me for a weekend at CMC, when I was applying to colleges in my senior year of high school. He introduced me to Heather Wheeler ’94, another little sister at CMC. Her brother Doug Wheeler ’92 was Erik’s roommate that year. I had such a great time with Heather that I was sold on CMC and applied Early Decision. It was a done deal by the holidays, and our family celebrated.

Erik: Best Big Brother. Perfectly said.

What have you been doing since graduating?

Erik has been based in Singapore for the past 20 years.  He is deeply involved in the region’s renewable energy markets, covering Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. His big bosses these days are his six and four-year-old daughters. For any CMCers heading out to Singapore, please feel free to reach out.    

Emily started her career at Arthur Andersen in L.A., worked for CMC alumnus Russ Greenberg ’79 at his leveraged buyout fund in NYC, spent five years at Toyota Motor Sales in corporate strategy and product planning, and spent some time in the startup world. She earned her MBA from USC with a concentration in corporate finance and entrepreneurship/venture management. Currently, she is a Continuing Lecturer and Director of Eco-Entrepreneurship at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara.

Emily and her husband Jon have been married for almost 10 years and have two children, Curran (age 7) and Elin (age 4). 

Anything else you want to add?

Erik: Yeah, I wish I could go back in time and do CMC all over again!

Little did they know at the time that Jeff, who accepted CMC’s offer, would eventually be joined at the College by three of his younger siblings, Sandy ’88, Tracy ’90, and Michael ’94.

The following year, when it was Sandy’s turn to head to college, the Sullivan parents were elated when she picked the College – by this time they were personally “quite taken by CMC.”

Next in line, Tracy thought she would break the pattern, but CMC ended up being the best fit academically and athletically as she has the chance to keep playing basketball. For Michael,  the youngest, it was his first choice after all the years of "growing up" with CMC. 

“Our parents encouraged all four children to seek out the college that best fit us and our goals,” Tracy said. “They are — and were —endlessly supportive and selfless.”

Jeff and Sandy both lived in Boswell during Sandy’s first year at CMC, which was Jeff’s sophomore year.  As a result, Jeff’s friends became Sandy’s friends. When Tracy arrived, the three siblings were together on campus for one year, seeing one another frequently. Meanwhile, Michael visited his older siblings often and connected with many of their friends.

When Michael arrived at CMC as a student, even though he wasn’t there at the same time as his siblings, he felt their presence as fondly remembered alumni.

Throughout the years, the Sullivan siblings shared a friend group, and they also shared activities. Jeff and Tracy both played basketball for CMC, while Jeff and Michael both played football, and Michael played club rugby. Sandy and Jeff were RAs, while Tracy was involved in the performing arts. 

Having siblings on campus could often be helpful, but there was also a feeling that “eyes were on you,” with the siblings keeping tabs on each other. 

Overall, Tracy said, “We are a close, connected family. We love one another dearly, are proud of each other's accomplishments, support one another, enjoy each other's senses of humor, and have a great time together.”

Jeff majored in Economics with an Accounting emphasis. For the past 20 years, he has worked at Microsoft as a Program Manager. He and his wife Cindy have been married 30 years and raised two daughters and a son (ages 21, 23, 26).

Sandy majored in Psychology, completed law school in Chicago and has been a lawyer for nearly 30 years. Currently she is working at Nationwide Children's Hospital providing legal counsel to families in need. Sandy has two sons (21, 23) and a step-daughter (23) with her husband Jeff. 

Tracy dual-majored in Government/Theatre Studies and earned a Master's in Theatre Studies in Australia. She produced TV in L.A., then worked at Microsoft for 10 years. For the past decade she has been focused on raising her daughter (10) and volunteering at her school. Tracy and her husband Eric have been married 12 years and she has two step-sons (ages 21 and 23). 

Michael dual-majored in Government/History. He is a Colonel in the U.S. Army, a Special Forces Officer (Green Beret) with six combat tours to Afghanistan. He is currently serving as the Commander of the 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade. He and his wife Cindy of 26 years have three children (age 31, and twins age 22). 

“CMC holds a special place in our family’s journey,” Tracy said. “Although it was and is an exceptional college, it was the people who made the lasting impression on us. We will be forever grateful for the unforgettable memories created with our friends, teammates and professors. 

In the end, Jeff and Patsy were thrilled their children attended CMC.