Sustainability activities at Occidental College.
Changing the Climate
Emboldened by a proactive student body, Oxy doubles down on its commitment to a more sustainable campus

Occidental magazine brings you campus news, in-depth features, and profiles of exceptional alumni. For the 2024-25 academic year, the magazine will publish two print and digital issues (Fall 2024 and Spring 2025) and two digital-only issues (Summer 2024 and Winter 2025).

After We Leave, Aleem Hossain
Assistant professor Aleem Hossain realized a dream when his first feature film was released theatrically in February—just before cinemas suddenly closed
Humbug! Wendy Jean Katz
From New York City's "penny" papers to feminist manifestos for the revolution: new books and music by Oxy authors
Alumni Seal Honorees Occidental College
With plans for Alumni Reunion Weekend on ice, this year’s Alumni Seal recipients reflect on their Oxy experience and their daily routine in “the new normal”
President Silas Evans in 1918
The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918–19 claimed the lives of more than 675,000 Americans and shut down the College for seven weeks—but it could have been even worse for Oxy
Day For Oxy
How the inaugural Day For Oxy shattered all expectations—and established "a new tradition for the College"
April Banks, Oxy Arts
With a rich menu of contemporary programming, the College’s Oxy Arts initiative nourishes socially conscious dialogue between the campus and community
Dan Springer DocuSign
At the height of his career in 2014, Dan Springer ’85 stepped away from the daily grind to raise his two sons. Then a dream job with DocuSign lured him back to the office—and personally and...
Kayla Nolan, Girls Gotta Run
Using running as a foundation for a better life, Girls Gotta Run executive director Kayla Nolan ’11 brings hope to school-age girls in Ethiopia one step at a time
De Mandel Aquatics Center
What holds 598,000 gallons, contains 15 lanes, and has a capacity of 188 people? (Hint: It’s not your grandfather’s pool.)
Thorne Hall, Oxy Admission
Oxy’s Doing Fine With a Clear Bright Line
Alumni appreciations of music-minded professors emeriti Allen Gross and Tom Somerville
Veterans housing
A renewed commitment to military veterans—complete with a dedicated housing unit—provides a sense of community to servicemembers making the transition to college life
Jaden Burris
Ilah Richardson ’23 and Jaden Burris ’22 were deeply immersed in the Oxy community—and their deaths three weeks apart left a hole in our hearts
Tom Somerville, Occidental Glee Club
Sharing the joy of performing with generations of students, Thomas Somerville epitomized Glee
Jeff Flake, Grant Woods, Jack Kemp Speakers Series
A Wall Street Journal examination of Oxy’s admission practices rings the bell with Tigers and bulls alike. Also: Former Senator Jeff Flake visits campus at the Kemp Distinguished Speaker...

Features

Campaign Semester participants Cady Carr '27 and Rachel Obbard '27
Ground Game
For Campaign Semester students in battleground Pennsylvania and 13 other states, the road map to Election Day entails knocking on every door
Actor Loren Lester ’83 in Times Square
Broadway Baby
In the third act of a career that spans stage, screen, and television, actor Loren Lester ’83 realizes a lifelong dream of performing on the Great White Way
The Occidental Gospel Choir in 1975.
Precious Memories
Founded by students in 1971, the Occidental Gospel Choir made music for a quarter-century—and a reunion of former members celebrates its nearly forgotten legacy
Sam Rubin '82 and Stacie Roshon '08
The Morning Showman
Sam Rubin ’82 became a fixture of the entertainment journalism landscape over his 33 years with KTLA—and his unexpected death in May resonated well beyond Hollywood's red carpets
Hats Off to Patt!
Patt Morrison ’74 shares a curated collection of books with Special Collections—and 50 years of words and wisdom in conversation with Larry Mantle

First Word

From the Quad

Tylor Lee '26 interned with Healthcare in Action, which provides healthcare and social services to unhoused people.
Summer in the City
A 10-week summer internship program pairs 28 Oxy students with 20 community partners to contribute to the work of advancing social justice in Los Angeles
Occidental’s women's basketball team after winning the 2024 SCIAC Post­season Tournament championship.
Bringing the Heat
Playing through injuries, fatigue, and in front of opposing crowds, Oxy’s ‘relentless’ women’s hoops team wins its way into the NCAA tourney
Coach Rod Lafaurie and members of the 2023 men's soccer team
Kicking and Dreaming
From its first SCIAC championship to a berth in the Sweet 16, Oxy men’s soccer soared to new heights this season. But Coach Rod Lafaurie and his players are hungry for more

Mixed Media

Author Susan Coll '81, photographed at Politics & Prose in Washington, D.C.
Mixed Media
Susan Coll ’81’s latest comic novel, Professor Amy Lyford’s examination of the art and life of Dorothea Tanning, and more

Oxy Talk

Suke Takayuki Kubota in an undated photo.
Oxy’s Samurai Grandmaster
Soke Takayuki Kubota (1934-2024) became a martial arts legend, developing his own karate style and amassing a worldwide following. And for more than 40 years, he taught his methods to the...
Spectators view the OCLAA oral history gallery in the Academic Commons in February 2024.
Voices of OCLAA
Realizing a long-standing goal of Occidental’s Latino Alumni Association, two dozen alumni share their stories with students for an oral history project

Last Page

Journalist Max Chun '19 in the offices of Lookout Santa Cruz.
Local Heroes
When disaster struck his native Santa Cruz last year, reporter Max Chun ’19 and a small team of journalists sprang into action for their community—and pocketed a Pulitzer Prize for their work
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