Although the outcomes of November’s elections will impact higher education, Occidental’s mission will not change
The end of the calendar year traditionally is a time for evaluating our accomplishments, planning ahead for changes yet to come, and envisioning the progress we hope to achieve as a community.
Although the outcomes of November’s elections will undoubtedly impact higher education, Occidental’s mission will not change—and neither will our values, our bedrock principles of inclusion and belonging, and our identity as a liberal arts college. The political divisions in this nation—apparent long before this election cycle—demonstrate that institutions such as Oxy, with our commitment to dialogue and pluralism, are more important than ever. We have a responsibility to prepare future leaders who are informed, compassionate, and courageous in addressing societal challenges, opportunities, and inequities.
Occidental students and alumni are no strangers to working toward political change. From Congressman Jack Kemp ’57 to President Barack Obama ’83 to L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez ’96, alumni have served their constituents,
introduced historic policies, and amplified get-out-the-vote efforts. Across the country, students in our Campaign Semester program canvassed voters in tightly contested races. And on Election Day, our students, faculty, and staff made their voices heard on national, state, and local issues that are important to our communities.
But voting is not the only avenue through which to enact change. One of my favorite parts of speaking with Occidental alumni is witnessing your passion, advocacy, and commitment, and understanding how you use your talents and resources to improve your communities—including our community here at Oxy. Across a variety of fields and careers, so many of you are working hard to shape the world into a more just and humane society.
As we head into this next chapter of our nation’s history, I have no doubt that the work we do together will continue to build Occidental into an institution of which we can be proud—a place where we learn from each other, thrive, and create the future we collectively want to see.
Above photo: President Stritikus addresses alumni and parents during Homecoming & Family Weekend on October 19.
