José Clemente Orozco (November 23, 1883 – September 7, 1949) was a Mexican painter and leader of the Mexican muralist movement. His Prometheus fresco was painted at Pomona College’s Frary Hall in 1930 and was the first mural painted in the United States by Orozco. Depicting the Greek myth of Prometheus stealing fire from the gods, the fresco marked the launching of the Mexican mural movement in the United States, and following Pomona, Orozco would go on to create commissions for the New School for Social Research in New York City and Dartmouth College.

Dorothy Titus Merritt (1898-1989) graduated from Pomona College in 1924 and earned her M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate School in 1925. Dorothy Merritt taught for 44 years at the University of La Verne, teaching English literature, English drama, and art history. During her tenure, she also served as chairperson on the humanities division and dean of women. Earl “Fuzz” Merritt (1896-1996) graduated from Pomona College in 1925, later joining the football coaching staff, where he served as head football coach from 1935 to 1958.