From academics to real-world impact, explore stories from our community that highlight the people and experiences making Occidental College a place of opportunity, discovery, and success.
Tye Hernandez Student Politics Urban & Environmental Policy Economics Tye Hernandez ’23 knew that he wanted a strong sense of community in the undergraduate institution he decided to attend and was surprised to find that at a college with fewer than 2,000 students.
Kendall Kitahara Student Sociology The best piece of advice Kendall Kitahara has received at Occidental College? To trust her instincts. And trusting her instinct is exactly what led her to Oxy.
Collrane Frivold ’15 Alumni Biochemistry Public Health After building a solid foundation at Oxy, Collrane Frivold ’15 completed her Master of Science in Public Health degree, served as a technical officer at PATH, and entered an epidemiology Ph.D. program—all within 5 years.
Gavin Griswold Student Diplomacy & World Affairs Gavin Griswold ’23 is a third-generation Oxy student who looks forward to working internationally with a purpose after graduation. Oxy is helping him pave that path.
Timothy Ma ’02 Alumni Economics As technology giant Tencent expands its international footprint, Timothy Ma ’02 keeps an eye on global privacy and data protection. He says that his Oxy education has enabled him to achieve what he has achieved today.
Enrique López ’89 Alumni Psychology Spanish Studies From immigrant to psychology major, from circus performer to neuropsychologist, Enrique López researches the impact of HIV on the human brain. He also advocates worldwide against the stigma of HIV-AIDS in Spanish-speaking communities.
Radha Arora Student Economics When Radha Arora began her college search, she knew she wanted to stay in California and study economics at a liberal arts college. But what brought her to Oxy was something less tangible.
Sam Sharp ’96 Alumni Politics Biology Sam Sharp was drawn to Occidental for its diversity and the political energy he experienced on campus. It was the origin of a passion for equity and justice work that continues today.
Kristin Oberiano ’16 Alumni History American Studies At Occidental, Kristin Oberiano found an invaluable group of faculty mentors that supported her as she delved into American history—as well as her own. As a professor, she aims to provide similar mentorship in her classrooms.
Dan Springer ’85 Alumni Economics Mathematics At the height of his career in 2014, Dan Springer 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 professionally, he’s never been happier.
Shanna Devine ’08 Alumni Critical Theory & Social Justice Shanna’s academic experiences in the Critical Theory & Social Justice major and social justice work in post-Katrina New Orleans laid the foundation for a career dedicated to service.
Igor Logvinenko Faculty Diplomacy & World Affairs Meet Igor Logvinenko of Diplomacy & World Affairs, whose teaching and research examines global political economy and its relationship to politics and policymaking in low/middle-income countries.
