Joel and Jil Sheldon met during their senior year at Occidental College—on the quad in the rain—and later married. Jil, a psychology and education major, became a teacher, while Joel, a Small College All-American in football, pursued sports before focusing on property development and the family business, Vroman’s Bookstore. The couple raised two children, both Occidental graduates.
Joel has devoted much of his life to community service, serving on the Occidental College Board of Trustees, as a former PCF Board member, and now on the Foundation’s Advisory Council. Through Vroman’s Gives Back and his personal philanthropy, Joel continues to support Pasadena. Their endowment, established during PCF’s 60th anniversary, supports PCF’s local grantmaking programs.
