A welcome letter from President Stritikus to newly admitted students and their families.
March 31, 2025
Dear students and families:
At this very time two years ago, my wife, Debbie, and I and our twin sons were wrapped up in the final phases of the college admissions process. It was a stressful and exhilarating time, full of great discussions, and ultimately the right choices (though different in the end) for both boys. Ultimately, it was an incredible journey for them and I find myself personally nostalgic for the incredible maturity I’ve seen grow in them.
Whether you are part of a family who has been through this process over generations or, like me, the first in your family to attend college, I wanted to let you know how excited I am for your student and your family.
I truly love being part of the Occidental family. Living on campus and amongst our students helps me see firsthand how the combination of a caring community and a rigorous and supportive academic environment fosters the development of leaders who are able to thrive in a complex, interconnected, and pluralistic world.
Many students and their families—past, current, and future—have asked me how the current set of executive actions and potential congressional actions will impact Â鶹ÊÓƵ. Our leadership, along with our Board of Trustees, remains committed to our mission and our core values of academic excellence, equity, community, and service which underpin our work. That has not changed. We are dedicated to having the types of discussions and debates on campus that foster curiosity, empathy, and analytical skills.
Our faculty are committed to teaching and serving students, and while the current environment certainly presents some challenges, we will deliver our mission and engage with our community around issues that are central to a liberal arts education. We aim to introduce students to a broad range of ideas and issues and equip them with critical thinking, communication, and problem solving skills. And while I am concerned about what I personally see as an attack on higher education, I am optimistic because of the passion of Occidental students with whom I have the privilege of interacting with on a daily basis.
I invite you to visit campus to attend our admitted student events and hope that I’ll be able to meet you in person soon.
Best,
Tom