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

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). 

2022-23 Obama Scholars
Five years after its launch, Oxy’s Obama Scholars Program expands its cohort and doubles down on its mission
Occidental College President Harry J. Elam, Jr.
In a joyous ceremony showcasing the arts and ‘New Harmonies,’ Harry J. Elam, Jr. is inaugurated as Occidental’s 16th president
"New Harmonies" are at the heart of Oxy's Integrated Strategic Plan.
What will the College look like in 2030? Oxy's Integrated Strategic Plan identifies 11 key issues
The Oxy Campaign For Good
With one year remaining, The Oxy Campaign For Good propels past the $225 million mark
Oswald and Elizabeth Benson '02
Alumni Reunion Weekend returns to campus—and Oswald put on a party to remember
Occidental College President Harry J. Elam, Jr.
Following a milestone campaign year, Oxy builds on its values and strengths
Author and Occidental Professor of Politics Peter Dreier
In a pair of new books, Oxy politics professor Peter Dreier tips his cap to the mavericks, iconoclasts, and rebels who have shaped baseball history
Venture capitalist Josh Schlisserman
Josh Schlisserman ’19 helped raise $2.5 million as a summer intern in Silicon Valley—and after Scooter Braun kicked him out of his office, he’d found his calling as a venture capitalist
Professor Woody Studenmund in April 2022.
Economics legend Woody Studenmund closes the textbook on a 52-year career
Professor Linda Lyke
“Occidental will forever be an indelible part of me," says the professor of art and art history, who is retiring after 46 years at the College
Lynn Mehl, professor of kinesiology and psychology
After 45 years at Oxy, choosing a favorite class is "like choosing your favorite child," says the professor of kinesiology and psychology
Thomas Burkdall, associate professor of writing and rhetoric
“I plan to write a mystery, travel, and read whatever strikes my fancy."
Susan Gratch, Occidental professor of theater and performance studies
Professor of Theater and Performance Studies Susan Gratch brings the curtain down after 37 years at Oxy
Dennis Eggleston, professor of physics
"We’ll see what opportunities present themselves and what life allows."
Oswald celebrates Occidental's 135th birthday
Break out the cake!

Features

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’
Occidental's Philosophy Department faculty
The New Philosophers
Building on an academic legacy as old as the College itself, Occidental’s Philosophy Department has evolved to include a mix of voices far beyond the traditional canon
Dr. Roland Griffiths '68 in 2009.
Into the Mystic
From Spring 2009: After a lifetime of rigorous research on the effects of drugs on animals and humans, neuroscientist Roland Griffiths ’68 meditates on the spiritual powers of hallucinogens
Gay and Lesbian Association members in 1984.
Rainbow Connections
Nearly 40 years after its formation, Out@Oxy has a new name and a renewed mission—to support Occidental’s LGBTQIA+ student community and curate a queer history of the College

First Word

From the Quad

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

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
Keegan McChesney '16 and David Wigglesworth '50 M'53
Dave and Me
Separated by 66 years but drawn together by an Oxy bumper sticker, David Wigglesworth ’50 M’53 and Keegan McChesney ’16 became fast friends a decade ago. Keegan remembers his oldest friend...

Last Page

Anna Dalton '12 competing for Oxy in 2011.
Setting the Pace
Anna Dalton ’12 traded the tracks for the trails and is climbing the ranks of competitive technical runners
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