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Occidental alumni Eric Chen, Tammy Bird, Mike Schmidt, and Jenny Dean Schmidt
Catalysts for the Public Good
From uplifting inner-city scholars in South Central L.A. to prison moms in Colorado to a Monterey Park community in need, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµalumni embrace the College's mission

Occidental magazine brings you campus news, in-depth features, and profiles of exceptional alumni. For the 2025-26 academic year, the magazine will publish one digital-only issue (Summer 2025) and two print and digital issues (Fall 2025 and Spring 2026).

Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµFootball
Amid a reevaluation of College priorities triggered by the pandemic’s impact, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµfootball is discontinued
President Harry J. Elam, Jr.
Opening Conversations and Common Threads
Occidental Alumnus, June 1922
A warm welcome for President Elam, and what to expect from Occidental magazine in our centennial year
Miss America, Margot Mifflin
From swimsuit competition to social platform, Margot Mifflin ’82 goes Looking for Miss America
1971 Sylmar Earthquake
A Class Notes extra: As the 50th anniversary of the Sylmar earthquake rumbles near, members of the Class of ’74 remember the moment that shook Oxy
Karen and Steve Casner
Steve Casner ’73 and wife Karen ’74 share a love for Occidental—and have endowed a computer science professorship to build on that protocol
Harry J. Elam Jr., Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ President
Harry J. Elam, Jr. prepares to take center stage as Oxy’s 16th president as the College faces a new set of challenges—and he’s ready
Thorne Hall, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµCampus
As the novel coronavirus brings campus life to a standstill, Occidental soldiers on
COVID-19
In a race against two calendars—academic and pandemic—how did Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµtransform in less than two weeks from a high-touch curriculum to a remote learning model?
Emily Jo Wharry '20
Many special senior moments have been upended by COVID-19—and a traditional Commencement will have to wait. But the Class of 2020 has made memories that no virus can destroy
Jack Kemp Stadium, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµAthletics
The SCIAC spring sports season ended abruptly—and these senior student-athletes will miss their Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµfamilies almost as much as the thrill of victory
President Jonathan Veitch and his senior leadership team
When the pandemic turned the College’s operations upside down in March, President Veitch had to throw out the script for his final days in office—but he and his team responded with...
Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµSquirrels
From the biology department shipping PPE to hospitals to Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµArts making art kits to students in Highland Park, here are nine snapshots of the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµfamily coming together in a time of need
President Jonathan Veitch
Stay Close—Your Alma Mater Needs You
De Mandel Aquatics Center
Alumni feedback on the Winter magazine, the new pool, and Oxy's next president. Also: How did we put this issue together?

Features

Bryan Scott ’17 at Jack Kemp Stadium in February 2026.
Out of the Foxhole
After smashing multiple records at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµand gutting out an eight-year career in professional football, what’s next for Bryan Scott ’17?
Occidental biology major Hannah Tawadrous '26
Lessons in Biology
Oxy’s biology program blends exploration and experimentation, empowering students to uncover and explain life’s diverse ecosystems
Members of Delta Omicron Tau spannng five decades raise a glass at the Delta House one last time on October 19.
Change Comes to Delta House
After 124 years, Delta Omicron Tau raises a glass to its history with a farewell toast—but its legacy will continue as a cornerstone of the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµcommunity
Occidental alumni Eric Chen, Tammy Bird, Mike Schmidt, and Jenny Dean Schmidt
Catalysts for the Public Good
From uplifting inner-city scholars in South Central L.A. to prison moms in Colorado to a Monterey Park community in need, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµalumni embrace the College's mission
Two-time Emmy winner Emma Choate ’20 with her 2-year-old Irish wolfhound, George.
When Emmy Met Oxy
From casting to costumes to music direction and composition, three Occidental alumni live out their Hollywood dreams while being honored by their peers
Overcoming Every Hurdle
First-generation college student and Obama Scholar Derek Jimenez ’27 is reshaping the intersection of community, culture, and affordable housing

First Word

From the Quad

From left, Lizzie Friedrich ’25, Lily Calvert ’25, and Hayden Jennings ’25 share a red-carpet moment during the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival.
A Ticket to Slamdance
Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµstudents and alumni find pathways into the Slamdance Film Festival, gaining industry exposure and experience following its move to Los Angeles
Occidental's men's soccer team celebrated on Patterson Field on November 8 after their 1-0 victory over the University of Redlands.
Oxy’s Fall Three-Feat
Men’s soccer nets its second SCIAC title in three years, while women’s soccer and men’s water polo return to postseason play after sensational seasons

Mixed Media

Filmmaker Thom Harp '92
Fertile Imagination
Thom Harp ’92 waited for years to direct his first movie—and after a long birthing process, he’s the proud father of two features
Detail from The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter
Mixed Media
This roundup has everything: a pair of memoirs, a literary farce, a coming-of-age story, a writer’s guide to romantasy, and the legendary Miss Britney Spears

Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµTalk

2025-26 Kemp Lecturer Tim Miller with Occidental Professor Caroline Heldman.
Miller’s Crossing
Former GOP operative Tim Miller recounts his own political reckoning—and offers pearls of hope in the face of despair—as the 2025-26 Jack Kemp '57 Distinguished Lecturer
Occidental Board of Trustees Chair Art Peck '77
The Occidental Imperative
Business veteran Art Peck ’77 brings his leadership acumen to the Board of Trustees at a critical juncture in higher education when the College’s mission—and messaging—are more important...

Last Page

Dale and Shirley Morter photographed on January 1, 2000.
A Couple’s Legacy
A scholarship gift honoring Shirley and Dale Morter ’56 will bring students from southwestern Pennsylvania to Occidental
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