Office of Community Engagement

Student Led Projects

Occidental College has a rich tradition of student engaging in the community around them. From tutoring and mentoring to preparing meals those with limited food security, Oxy students embody the college's mission of excellence, equity, community and service.

Happily Engaging the Arts Together (HEARTs)

Oxy students introduce children to a world of performance art through this collaboration with LA's Best at Garvanza Elementary School in Highland Park. Volunteers teach classes in dance, visual arts, and music. This project has been in existence for about five years. The project was originally named Arts Appreciation and Achievement (AAA).

Asian American Tutorial Project (AATP)

AATP is a joint (UCLA, USC, Oxy) student organization that encourages children to pursue higher education through tutoring and mentoring. This project is concentrated at Castelar Elementary School in Chinatown, and has been in existence for about 40 years.

Delevan Drive

Oxy students work one-on-one, twice a week with Special Education students at Delevan Drive Elementary School. Activities include mentoring and supervision of art projects and educational activities.

More MOSTE

This program is in collaboration with More MOSTE, a program of the community organizationMOSTE (Motivating Our Students Through Experience). MOSTE works with underrepresented high school girls to help get them into college, assist with the application process, mentor, and expose students to college life. Oxy students assist in planning two all-day workshops for young high school women per semester. These workshops are focused on college prep and service to the community.

Encouraging Distribution to End Need (EDEN)

Oxy students cook and serve meals at a nearby church for the homeless and food insecure in the Eagle Rock community. Usual activities include food preparation, setting tables, serving food and drinks, eating and talking with guests, and after-dinner clean up.

Great Strides

Oxy students work with 4th and 5th graders at Garvanza Elementary School. The goal of the program is to educate children about healthy eating patterns and exercise in order to prevent the growing rate of childhood obesity and dietary related diseases.

Olive Branches

Oxy students work with 5th grade students from Yorkdale Elementary School to provide exposure to college, role models and instill strong social skills. Activities include arts and crafts, leadership-building games, and educational fieldtrips. This project has been in existence for a decade.

Play, Leadership, and Youth (PLAY)

Oxy students spend Saturday afternoons with abused or neglected boys at Hathaway-Sycamore Residential Facility, providing stress-reducing physical activities that promote teamwork and encouragement in a supportive and relaxed environment. This project has been in existence for over a decade.

Additional Student Service Organizations

Circle K
Colleges Against Cancer
Crossing Oceans
FEAST
Impact Fund
Knitting Club
Livability Society
Microfinance Club
Outreach
Peer Health Exchange
Promoting Achievement in Underrepresented Youth
Rotaract
Social Change Club
Student Labour Action Coalition
UNCEF @ Occidental
Vagina Monologues
Women and Youth Supporting Each Other
Youth Coalition for Community Action

  • Office: Temporarily in the trailers next to Bell Young at South Swan C
  • Email: communityengagement @oxy.edu
  • Phone: (323) 341-4692
  • Follow us on : twitter