Walton was hired by Pomona College, the founding member of the Claremont Colleges consortium, in 1949 as the dean of women on the recommendation of Swarthmore president John W. Mason. In her early years, she sought to expand her role beyond its disciplinary aspects and to help women navigate the marriage vs. career conflict by providing them with a broad liberal arts education. Over time, she grew concerned by the sexism she witnessed and the low expectations for female students.
