Skip to main content
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).

Eleanor Helin
More than 75 years ago, Barbara (Wylie) Canright ’40 helped lift the Jet Propulsion Laboratory off the ground. Half a century later, Eleanor Helin ’54 discovered a staggering number of...
When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Occidental was a small college struggling to survive in its new home. With a new president and a renewed sense of urgency, how did...
Chris Varelas '85 has a passion for sports, a knack for structuring complex technology deals, a loyalty to his Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµfamily—and the uncanny ability of being at the nexus of history
Decades before they joined the diplomacy and world affairs faculty at Oxy, Sophal Ear, Lan Chu, and Sanjeev Khagram immigrated to the United States as refugees. How have their journeys...
Addie McMenamin '40: Alumni's First Lady
mag-sp17-JV
Faith in Our Mission in Uncertain Times
mag-sp17-readers
The untold story behind a candid cocktail photo and the guy who is missing from this pic
mag-sp17-organ
What's that sweet sound coming out of Herrick? After 15 years of relative quiet, the Mildred Miles Crew '45 Memorial Organ is making music again
mag-sp17-new-kid
Charlie Cardillo's road to college began behind the wheel of a 1969 Olds 98. Now he's steering Oxy's fundraising efforts as a campaign revs up
Taking a flyer on a trip to Cuba with his wife and a cargo full of Tigers, Andrew Louie '95 reflects on the country's treasures and unexpected pleasures
After years (and years and years) of promises, a new aquatic center finally breaks ground this summer—and two additional tennis courts will bring athletes home to Occidental as well
Fifty years after Martin Luther King spoke at Oxy, activist Rev. Dr. William Barber preaches a message of resistance and resolution in the face of racism
mag-sp17-admit
Two high-profile college surveys suggest that the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµexperience is both enriching and rewarding
How should colleges and universities respond to sweeping changes in immigration policy? A daylong symposium hosted by Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµsparks a dialogue
mag-sp17-scienceblind
New additions to the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµbookshelf

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
Contact Occidental Magazine
Arthur G. Coons Administrative Center


Office of Communications F-36
1600 Campus Road
Los Angeles CA 90041-3314