Megan Maley ’23 (left) is just one of the many ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ Athenas impacted by gifts to CMS Athletics during the 1946 Challenge
When CMS Womenβs Head Golf Coach Jodie Burton saw her student-athletes reunite in person after 18 months apart, she was struck by their emotion. These werenβt polite, workaday hugs, she observedβthey were the embraces of those who know the magic of belonging to a team.
βItβs the relationships that makes athletics special,β she says. βYou get to laugh together, be sad together, journey together, work hard togetherβit was just so joyful to see them all again.β
Burtonβs golfers are just a few of the student-athletes impacted by the , the annual fundraising event taking place this year on October 13β14 in honor of the founding year of Claremont McKenna College. As a member of the Claremont-Mudd-ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ (CMS) athletic alliance, ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ and its athletes also benefit from the campaign, with many parents, alums, and friends giving to CMS in celebration of the incredible contributions of our womenβs team, the Athenas.
βYear in and year out, weβre tops in the conferences and NCAAβIβm not sure most people are aware of that,β Burton says. βThe talent we have is extraordinary, with some exceptional athletes from ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄.β
CMS Athletics Make a Difference for Students at ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄
Computer science major Megan Maley β23 is among these talented students. A runner since middle school, Maley has competed on the CMS track and cross country teams, and credits athletics for keeping her happy and motivated to excel in the classroom and on the field. Especially through the pandemic, she says, CMS has been a source of hope and encouragementβand the overall highlight of her time at ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄.
βAs a woman in sport, the relationships I’ve made with the strong group of Athenas have been the backbone of my college experience. I am inspired by each one of my teammates and I know I can rely on them and they can rely on me,β she says. βHavingΒ such an extensive support system and the opportunity to be a team leader is incredibly important for women in college, and athletics provide a perfect environment for that.β
Although athletics were part of the consortiumβs history almost from the very beginning, the Claremont-Mudd-ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ womenβs teams werenβt officially introduced until 1976. Burtonβa gifted multi-sport athlete who was βready to compete from birthββjoined the coaching staff a couple of years later, eager to provide other women with the opportunity to train and compete. But more could be done for student-athletes like Maley, and donors have played a significant role in making that possible.
βDonations enhance my programs tremendously,β Burton says, noting how donor funding has helped expand CMS womenβs athletics over her 43-year tenure by adding teams for soccer, softball, water polo, lacrosse, golf, and more. Gifts also help cover everything from bringing a greater number of students to elite competitions to grabbing an ice cream cone together as a team.
βThatβs not in the ordinary budget,β she adds. βDonor gifts allow me to decide where we need more support and pick whatβs important for each yearβs team.β
By giving, supporters of CMS have also stoked the local rivalry in college sports between CMS and Pomona-Pitzer, adding something intangible to the ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ experience: intercollegiate pride.
βRunning for a nationally ranked team so deeply rooted in tradition, boasting over 10 straight Southern California Intercollege Athletic Conference (SCIAC) titlesβit forges a strong sense of pride and community,β says Maley. βCMS athletics builds bridges in and outside of the classroom to make the 5C bond even stronger.β
Burton agreesβand knows the broader Claremont Colleges community is part of that shared magic.
βAll three schools have been tremendous in their support and have encouraged us to be competitiveβto be outstanding and high achieving. I am so appreciative of the gifts that have helped make CMS what it is today,β she says. βAlumnae and parents make our programs better.β
Athletics help create an exceptional ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ experience for all students. To support ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄β student-athletes with a gift during the CMS 1946 Challenge, please click .