President John Brooks Slaughter in 1988
The Journey of John Brooks Slaughter
Occidental's 11th president arrived on campus in 1988 amid national fanfare and great expectations—and in the 11 years to follow, John Brooks Slaughter brought out the best in Oxy

Occidental magazine brings you campus news, in-depth features, and profiles of exceptional alumni. For the 2023-24 academic year, the magazine will publish two print and digital issues (Fall 2023 and Spring 2024) and two digital-only issues (Summer 2023 and Winter 2024). 

Catherine Haight ’98 balances a thriving Hollywood career as a TV and film editor with a commitment to empowering women and children in Congo
Oxy military veterans
Half a century after their time in Vietnam, a dozen alumni share their war stories—the camaraderie, the challenges, and how their Oxy education readied them for combat
Capt. Jon M. Speer '54
A tribute to 14 "Occidental sons" who perished during Vietnam
Building on the College’s proximity to three distinctive ecosystems, its commitment to cutting-edge genomics research, and its emphasis on experiential learning, Oxy embraces an...
Professor Dale Wright’s journey to Buddhist enlightenment began when he was a teenager—and he’s spent the last four decades inspiring students to expand their thinking
As their golden anniversary fast approaches, members of the Class of 1968 refllect on four years that changed the world and shaped their Oxy experience
John Stephens
Favorite Oxy memories from the Class of '68
Five student playwrights—and dozens of alumni professionals—bring the party to Keck Theater for the platinum anniversary of Oxy’s New Play Festival
20 Tiny Plays by 20 Big Alums close out the New Play Festival
From sarcastic teens to dinosaur-fighting warriors, voice actor Ashly Burch ’12 brings video game heroines to life
A new species of scorpion named after Occidental College, a new role for adjunct professor Christopher Hawthorne, and a new study by assistant professor Bhavna Shamasunder
New books and music from Oxy alumni and faculty
Three Oxy women set out to change children’s mindsets about science—and scientists—by bringing the laboratory experience to elementary schools
Led by Mayor Eric Garcetti and Professor Sanjeev Khagram, L.A. and Oxy team up for a global initiative to accelerate Sustainable Development Goals
Four-time Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding sparkled in the classroom and on stage, coaching student singers to be storytellers and showing them how it’s done

Features

Lori Howard ’81 of Pinch Me Provence
A Pinch of Provence
Lori Howard ’81 kept a place in her heart for France following her study abroad experience at Oxy. Now she’s curating custom holiday experiences for a growing clientele in the French...
Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Keala Ede
Longboard of the Law
As the first Native Hawaiian judge in Minnesota history, Keala Ede ’00 brings a commitment to justice to his courtroom—and a taste of surf culture to the shores of Lake Superior
Members of the Occidental Class of 2027
New Faces of 2027
Occidental’s 140th-anniversary class is among its most diverse—and they have a lot to say about everything from activism and athletics to culture and chocolates
Roland Griffiths '68
The Other Side of Roland Griffiths
The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor, who died in October, was lauded for his ‘mind-blowing’ studies of psychedelics. But Barry Sears ’68 remembers his ‘wicked sense of humor’

First Word

From the Quad

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
Adam Kinzinger, 2023 Jack Kemp ’57 Distinguished Lecturer at Occidental College
Making the Case for Democracy
Jack Kemp ’57 Distinguished Lecturer and former Congressman Adam Kinzinger has a message for students: “You will be the generation that changes everything”

Mixed Media

A performance of Fetch Clay, Make Man featuring four Black actors onstage
Power Dynamics
Exploring the unlikely friendship between two Black cultural icons—Muhammad Ali and Stepin Fetchit—professor and playwright Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man packs a punch with L.A...

Oxy Talk

Professor of History Emeritus Wellington Chan
One for the History Books
An estate commitment from Gary Kaplan ’71 honors Professor Emeritus Wellington Chan—whom he helped bring to Occidental more than 50 years ago
Assistant professors Sohaib Khan (religious studies), Season Blake (philosophy), Jamie Amemiya (psychology), and Zachary Silver (psychology).
Thinking Globally
Occidental’s largest-ever cohort of new tenure-track faculty brings a world of ideas to the classroom

Last Page

Dean of Students Emerita Brig Knauer
Flowers for Brig Knauer
Over 25 years of leadership in Occidental’s Office of Student Affairs, Brigida Knauer (1935-2023) shepherded residential life into the modern era
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