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.
Wafa Abedin Student Diplomacy & World Affairs Diving into opportunities on campus since her first year at Oxy is giving Wafa Abedin a new perspective on how the College runs, as well as a chance to be a voice in steering its future.
Dire Ezeh Student Diplomacy & World Affairs Being raised in Kenya, coupled with exposure to international relations from an early age, made DWA an appealing course of study for Dire Ezeh. “Exposure to the diverse population living within Nairobi cultivated my interest in the topic; I continue to learn more and more about the world’s troubled past and present.”
Audrey Shawley Student Biochemistry As a biochemistry major, Audrey Shawley took advantage of global opportunities, including a summer conducting graduate-level research in Thailand.
Jade Thurnham Student Biology As a biology major, Jade has enjoyed classes such as Biodiversity in Marine Ecosystems and Flora of Southern California, but the variety afforded by a liberal arts education is not lost on her.
Jordan Walker Student Economics Jordan Walker’s personal connection to the campus community was strengthened during his first year at Oxy, through rigorous academic courses and an array of engaging extracurricular activities.
Ian Van Dusen Student Geology Geology major Ian Van Dusen is always seeking hands-on opportunities to learn and do research. And to him, the traditional classroom only takes you so far.
Ashly Burch ’12 Alumni Media Arts & Culture From sarcastic teens to dinosaur-fighting warriors, voice actor Ashly Burch brings video game heroines to life.
Catherine Haight ’98 Alumni Media Arts & Culture While enjoying a thriving Hollywood career as a TV and film editor, Catherine Haight is also committed to empowering women and children in Congo.
Emmanuelle Despagnet-Ayoub Faculty Chemistry In conjunction with Oxy, Emmanuelle Despagnet-Ayoub is working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a technologist.
Aleem Hossain Faculty Media Arts & Culture A filmmaker and AR/VR creator, Aleem Hossain was selected for the initial Oculus Launchpad program, a virtual reality incubator run by Facebook/Oculus.
Kevin M. Williams Faculty Economics Kevin M. Williams studies the economics of higher education and tries to understand how changing demographics impact student attainment.
Patricia Cabral Faculty Psychology Patricia Cabral's research interests are centered on health-risk behaviors among adolescents and young adults, and how they contribute to differences in health outcomes across racial/ethnic groups.
