A Long Tradition

Founded in 1887, Occidental is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast. Our rich traditions include:

Academic Excellence

We were one of the first liberal arts colleges in the west to establish a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Our Delta chapter was chartered in 1926.

Athletic Excellence

One of the founders of intercollegiate athletics in Southern California, we have produced 21 Olympic athletes since 1904. The Occidental-Pomona football game was first played in 1895, more than 30 years before the first USC-UCLA game.

Community Service

Our Upward Bound program for low-income high school students was one of the first in the nation. Today, it is one of the largest and most successful programs in California.

Entrepreneurship

Our alumni have headed Pacific Telephone, American Express International Banking, Weyerhauser Corp., and created their own successful businesses, including Simple Green.

Screen Stardom

Our beautiful campus has been a movie location for more than 80 years, playing host to such stars as Katharine Hepburn, Judy Garland, Jimmy Stewart, Val Kilmer, Alicia Silverstone, and Jack Black.