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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).

Venture capitalist Josh Schlisserman
Josh Schlisserman ’19 helped raise $2.5 million as a summer intern in Silicon Valley—and after Scooter Braun kicked him out of his office, he’d found his calling as a venture capitalist
Professor Woody Studenmund in April 2022.
Economics legend Woody Studenmund closes the textbook on a 52-year career
Professor Linda Lyke
“Occidental will forever be an indelible part of me," says the professor of art and art history, who is retiring after 46 years at the College
Lynn Mehl, professor of kinesiology and psychology
After 45 years at Oxy, choosing a favorite class is "like choosing your favorite child," says the professor of kinesiology and psychology
Thomas Burkdall, associate professor of writing and rhetoric
“I plan to write a mystery, travel, and read whatever strikes my fancy."
Susan Gratch, Occidental professor of theater and performance studies
Professor of Theater and Performance Studies Susan Gratch brings the curtain down after 37 years at Oxy
Dennis Eggleston, professor of physics
"We’ll see what opportunities present themselves and what life allows."
Oswald celebrates Occidental's 135th birthday
Break out the cake!
Occidental President Harry J. Elam, Jr.
As Inauguration Day draws near, President Harry J. Elam, Jr. reflects on the lessons of the pandemic, the evolution of academic excellence, and the necessity of a culture of care
Professor Linda Lyke
As five retiring faculty take their classroom curtain calls, we asked a few prized pupils to toast their Oxy mentors
Lencia Kebede ’16 performs at Apollo Night in 2016.
Oxy’s music community lifts every voice (and instrument) to celebrate the installation of President Elam
Inside President Elam's office at Occidental College
A look inside President Elam’s office tells his story in five artifacts
Jillian Hopewell '89 of Migrant Clinicians Network
Jillian Hopewell ’89 has spent her career advocating for better care for underserved populations—and a $5 million gift will boost those efforts
Writer-director John Callas M'75
John Callas M’75 built a Hollywood career by saying “Yes” to new opportunities—but he had to overcome trauma to get there
Occidental President Harry J. Elam, Jr.
President Elam reflects on Oxy’s commitment to social justice and the actions that reinforce those words

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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