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). 

Fall16_Synch
From the age of 12, Jo Ann Brobst Hirsch '58 dreamed of going to the Olympics. She did that and so much more, traveling the globe as an underwater ambassador
When Bob Gutowski soared his highest, and Oxy's fab four ran their fastest, Chuck Coker's 1957 track team trampled all over the record books
Eduardo Santana '99 and Eve Critton '15 lead the ground force to renew, reinvent, and revivify downtown L.A.'s Pershing Square
Oxy alumni Lindy West
Lindy West ’04 speaks out for millennials with her pointed and frequently funny observations on feminism, social justice, and self-image. Trolls, bullies, and body-shamers, beware.
Oxy Logo
Professor of music emeritus Richard Grayson was quick on his fingers over decades of piano improvs—and an equally supportive mentor
A pair of biographies from Dolores Flamiano '85 and Sally Palmer Thomason '55, new fiction from Morgan Matson '04, new music from Nite Jewel (Ramona Gonzalez '12), and more
Summer16_InternAway
Oxy's InternAway program opens up new ­career paths for undergrads by relieving the financial stress of summer work
Facts and figures pertaining to all things Oxy
Moody's paints a rosy picture of Oxy's financial management—and Forbes and the Department of Education agree
new_thompson2016
Associate professor of biology Kerry Thompson aims to bring creative solutions to the challenges of his new role as interim VP and dean of the College
After decades of promises and planning, Oxy's dream of a new aquatic facility is finally within reach—as well as an expanded McKinnon Tennis Center
Summer16_Hinchliffes
Ann (Hoffmann) '57 and Steve Hinchliffe '55 have quietly supported Oxy for the last 50 years. The secret is out—but their work continues
Summer16_TitleIXB
Three-year investigation concludes that—despite delays in resolving some sexual assault cases—the Occidental campus is "actively engaged in important work to satisfy Title IX...
Weighing in on Catholic scientists, Christians on campus, and Jack Kemp Distinguished Lecturer Condoleezza Rice
A Swan Hall Alumnus Makes Good

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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