Nine Claremont McKenna students (and one recent alumna) are practicing their smiles and waves over winter break, getting ready to take their places on Claremont McKenna’s Rose Parade float as it glides down Colorado Boulevard on January 2, 2023.
These exemplary CMCers will ride the float and represent Claremont McKenna, which celebrates its 75th Anniversary and “bright future” in line with the parade’s theme, “Turning the Corner.”
Meet Oluwatimilehin “Timi” Balogun ’24, from Houston, Texas.
From the moment Oluwatimilehin “Timi” Balogun ’24 viewed Claremont McKenna College’s float design, he was enchanted by “its accurate reflection of some of the things we love to see here on campus”—not just the public art and architecture, but the surrounding scenery.
“As a student, you look at the mountains every day. When you wake up, and if you’re lucky enough to have classes at Kravis, you get an amazing view of them. Sometimes I wander off and just stare. They’re so beautiful,” he said.
Balogun, who plans to work in investment banking after graduating, feels particularly honored to be an ambassador for the Claremont McKenna organizations he’s involved with, such as the Black Student Association and SOURCE, the student-run nonprofit consulting service.
“It’s an honor to represent my school on the world stage,” he said.
Balogun said his family—who live in Houston, Texas—will be glued to their screens on January 2, when he ascends the flower-festooned CMC float.
“I’ve been to a ton of parades in Houston, but never actually been in one,” said the 20-year-old CMC financial economics major and Stags track athlete. “It’s a completely new experience. I’m so excited to see what it looks like.”
Favorite Class: “Accounting” with Professor Marc Massoud P’89.
Favorite Campus Hangout: The Dean of Students Office
Favorite Flower: Bluebonnet. “That’s the Texas state flower.”