Alumni On-Demand Video

2023 Alumni Seal Awards

2023 Alumni Seal Awards: Darshana Patel '96, Alumna of the Year

Darshana Patel '96 is an elected Trustee of the Poway Unified School District Board of Education (since 2016) and current President of the Board. Through her combined formal educational experience from earning a B.A. in Biochemistry at Occidental College, a Ph.D. in Biophysics from UC Irvine, and working in biotech research at Genentech, she developed a collaborative problem-solving approach. Darshana has been awarded the San Diego County School Boards Association First Term Board Member of the Year in 2019, a 2022 City of San Diego Woman of Distinction, and a 2022 API Leader of Influence by San Diego Business Journal.

2023 Alumni Seal Awards: Dan Karasic, '82, Professional Achievement

Dr. Dan Karasic, M.D. has been an expert and consultant internationally on transgender health, including with the United Nations Development Programme. Recently he has been an expert witness with the ACLU and Lambda Legal in several cases on access to gender-affirming care for transgender people. Dr. Karasic was on the Board of Directors of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), a co-author of WPATH Standards of Care Version 7, and lead author of the Mental Health chapter of the recently released WPATH Standards of Care Version 8. He has been Chair of the American Psychiatric Association Workgroup on Gender Dysphoria and is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

2023 Alumni Seal Awards: Margeau Valteau ’13, Service to the Community

Margeau Valteau '13 serves as the Intergovernmental and Tribal Affairs Specialist supporting tribal, state, and local government coordination for National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs under the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. She oversees consultation, collaboration, and relationship building with tribal nations in support of NNSA’s mission of enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science.

2023 Alumni Seal Awards: Gail Ellen (Schulman) Ginell ’79, Service to the College

Gail has served as secretary for her Oxy class since graduation. Gail also loves her work as the Occidental magazine’s class notes editor, a job she has held since 1998. She has been a member of VISTA (Volunteers in Support of Tiger Admission) since 2018. Over the years, she has served the College on the Alumni Board of Governors (including a term as president), as president and secretary of the Occidental Business Associates, and as a member of the Occidental College Strategic Planning Task Force.

2023 Alumni Seal Awards: Richard Reyes ’12, Erica J. Murray ’01 Young Alumnus of the Year

Richard Reyes '12 is the Founder and Executive Director of The PLUS ME Project. He is a social justice advocate who believes every story matters and has shared his narrative of becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree with over 150,000 students across the country. As a storyteller, entrepreneur, and executive director, Richard finds his passion in connecting and inspiring others through narrative and supporting youth from low-income communities to build confidence as they pursue their college, career, and life goals.

Arts and Culture

Inside Occidental Children's Theater

Enjoy this interview with director Jamie Angell and cast members of the Occidental Children's Theater, featuring wonderful archival footage of past Children's Theater performances.

Oxy Arts: 10 Years of the Wanlass Artist-in-Residence Program

This year marks ten years of the Wanlass residency at Occidental College's OXY ARTS. The Wanlass Artist-in-Residence is a year-long residency program that allows an artist to investigate aspects of their practice and share it with Occidental College and our community. The program encourages thoughtful sustained research, teaching and making. It is an exciting opportunity for our students and community to connect with groundbreaking and visionary artists. The Wanlass residency is the only college residency in the country where the artist teaches an entirely original curriculum based on their interests and artistic practice, with resources to mount a solo show of new work.

Occidental College Glee Club Homecoming Concert 2021

Enjoy this Homecoming and Family Weekend annual tradition as the renowned Occidental Glee Club performs at the beautiful Remsen Bird Hillside Theater during Homecoming and Family Weekend 2021.

Athletics Spotlight

2017 Occidental College Hall of Fame inductee Andy Collins ’07

Andy Collins ’07 led the Occidental College Tigers to a 27–0 SCIAC record during his three-year tenure as quarterback (2004–2006) and is regarded as the most dominant SCIAC football player in the modern era. Collins, who died in 2011, was the SCIAC’s first three-time Offensive Player of the Year and the top quarterback in NCAA Division III as chosen by the American Football Coaches Association.

2017 Occidental College Hall of Fame inductee Blair Slattery ’94

Blair Slattery ’94 is Occidental’s all-time career scoring (1,676 points) and rebounding (1,034) leader in men’s basketball. The 6'7", 225-pound forward later played pro ball for five years in Europe, averaging 22 points and 17 rebounds per game in leading Germany’s Munster Basketball Club to a 34-2 record in his first season.

2017 Occidental College Hall of Fame inductees the 1982 women’s tennis team

The 1982 Occidental College women’s tennis team won the first NCAA Division III championship in the sport, defeating UC San Diego in Jackson, Miss., in May 1982. Coached by Lynn (Pacala) Mehl, the 11-member squad was led by Jean-Marie Sanders ’84, Sue Rene ’82, Kathleen McFadden ’82, and Maria Newton ’85

2016 Occidental College Hall of Fame inductee Jo Ann Hirsch '58

JoAnn (Brobst) Hirsch ’58 was Oxy’s “water queen of the 1950s” and a member of the 1956 U.S. Olympic team in synchronized swimming. As a synchronized swimmer and member of the Athens Athletic Club while at Oxy, Hirsch was a Canadian national team champion (1955), a U.S. national team champion (1956-59), a Pacific Coast solo champion (1957) and a Far West solo champion (1957). Hirsch and her club represented the United States as a demonstration sport at the 1956 Olympics and at the 1959 Pan American Games.

Campus Spotlight

Occidental’s Campus: Beauty, History, and Innovation

On May 7, 2020, Oxy's Associate Vice President of Facilities Tom Polansky presented a webinar exploring the architectural foundations of the campus' design, how and where changes were made, and the philosophy we employ to stay true to this historical vision while meeting modern accessibility and sustainability needs.

Guided Campus Tour

Student tour guides are on-hand to give you a virtual tour around the campus of Occidental College. Hear about student life, get a look at academic buildings and find out more about the opportunities that await students at Oxy.

Oxy in the Movies

Featuring clips you will surely recognize, this video celebrates the campus' starring role in many movies and television productions.

Lucille Y. Gilman Memorial Fountain: Then and Now

Please join us for an in depth look at the newly-remodeled Lucille Y. Gilman Memorial Fountain area and the history of the fountain, including behind-the-scenes footage of the original assembly and installation of the kinetic sculpture created by Art Professor George Baker ’58. This program was presented as part of The Oxy Campaign For Good Virtual Event Series.

Oxy Tunnels and Hidden Spaces

Join former Associate Vice President of Facilities Tom Polansky and Sam Bergen '04 as they take you to see some of the lesser known spaces of Occidental’s campus, including Clancy Morrison's former apartment, the original pipe organ space in Thorne Hall, and maybe even a stop by Oxy’s infamous tunnels.

A Look Inside the FEAST Garden

FEAST (Food, Energy and Sustainability Team) is an Occidental College student-service dedicated to enjoying, studying, and discussing the connection between our food and the environment. Hear from students who are becoming gardeners on campus thanks to FEAST.

Community Programs

Io Triumphe: Oxy Traditions

In the 132 years since Occidental College enrolled its first students, the College has accumulated a unique mix of traditions, rivalries, movie appearances and myths. In a COVID-19 era that is anything but traditional, join Director of Communications Jim Tranquada for an entertaining primer on everything Oxy that has stood the test of time-- from Io Triumphe and senior comps to Olympic medals and the "Oxy statistic."

The Veterans Program at Occidental College

In recognition of the continuing need to support veterans, over the past decade Occidental College has reinvented its programs for students who have served in the military. Learn more about the Veterans Program at Oxy and see the College's newly opened veteran's housing.

Fulfilling Oxy’s Mission: Justice, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity

On March 22, 2023, Denver-area Tigers gathered at the home of Sam Sharp '96 for a panel focused on Oxy's vision for Justice, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity (JEID). The panel was moderated by Director Occidental's Intercultural Community Center Vanessa Gonzalez-Wright. Panelists included Oxy Vice President for Equity and Justice David Carreon Bradley, JEID Education Specialist José Cisneros and alumni Nikki Dedic '10, Elisha Roberts '05 and Sam Sharp.