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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, ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë alumni 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).

Spring15Mag_Deardorff
"We three are living proof that, when you look at what you put into teaching and what you get out of it, we have gotten so much more than we have put in."
SpringMag15_Todd
ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë's purchase of a retail space in Highland Park creates an opportunity to raise its local visibility
Spring15Mag_Carawan
When Guy Carawan '49 returned to campus in 2003 after more than half a century away, he had changed the world through the power of song. Professor Peter Dreier remembers the folk musician...
Spring15Mag_Bob&Omar
Bob and Omar: Masters of Lifelong Learning
SpringMag15_Beneath
Whether it's replacing pipes, roofs, boilers, or cooling systems, there's nothing sexy about deferred maintenance. But proactive measures now can save a mountain of heartache later
Overlooked athletes from a century of SCIAC, and other reactions to ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë's plans to revive athletics
Spring15Mag_Veitch
Lessons of the Third L.A.
Spring15Mag_Washington
With Gerald Washington '04 in the role of corporate matchmaker, Steve Harvey's global visibility is spreading faster than kudzu. And Washington's personal journey from financial ruin to the...
Spring15Mag_Phoebe
One of ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë's most decorated and beloved faculty is calling it a career after 22 years in the chemistry department. But Phoebe Dea isn't packing up her things just yet
Professor Bob Gottlieb was a champion of environmental and social justice causes long before they became fashionable. Students and colleagues celebrate his influence and impact
Spring15Mag_Kantor
Psychotherapist Julia Postolov Kantor '96 began a love affair with French music through ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë's study abroad program. Now she's the toast of Francophiles on L.A.'s cabaret scene
Spring15Mag_Ebola
Associate professor Mary Beth Heffernan saw a problem with Ebola care in Africa—personal protection equipment suits that made the medical workers wearing them appear frightening and...
Winter15_Somabar
Dylan Purcell-Lowe '12 taps into the ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë network to kickstart the ultimate home bartending device
Winter15_Greenlight
Independent filmmaker Julien Lasseur '11 had never heard of Project Greenlight before his girlfriend told him about the contest. But a smart superhero parody took him into the top 10
Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne brings the city's future into focus in a series of public talks

Features

Occidental biology major Hannah Tawadrous '26
Lessons in Biology
ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë’s biology program blends exploration and experimentation, empowering students to uncover and explain life’s diverse ecosystems
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, ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë alumni embrace the College's mission
Two-time Emmy winner Emma Choate ’20 with her 2-year-old Irish wolfhound, George.
When Emmy Met ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë
From casting to costumes to music direction and composition, three Occidental alumni live out their Hollywood dreams while being honored by their peers
Gibby Professor of Science Margi Rusmore
Margi Rusmore Reaches the Apex
ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë's inaugural Gibby Professor of Science may be exiting the classroom, but there are still mountains to climb—as well as prepping her data (and her extensive rock collection) for future...

First Word

From the Quad

Current year scholarship recipients Alyssa Zatarain '29 and Sunny Tuazon '29
Unlocking the Future
For first-generation college students Alyssa Zatarain ’29 and Sunny Tuazon ’29, current-year scholarship support opened the doors to an ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë education
Bob Johnson '77, Kenturah Davis '02, and President Harry Elam Jr.
A Portrait Worth a Thousand Words
Harry J. Elam Jr. takes his place among the gallery of ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë presidents in the Academic Commons—and artist Kenturah Davis ’02 reveals how she captured his dreams on canvas
Claire Wilson-Black ’26, Talia Goddard ’27, and Brandon Kim ’27
Carrying the Torch
As planning heats up for the 2028 Summer Olympics, ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë students are doing their part to ensure a just and sustainable Games
Mariah Rutiaga Amaya ’22 outside the Hameetman Career Center.
Vital Signs
Recent ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë grads from a variety of disciplines are enrolling in top-tier medical schools in unprecedented numbers, applying their own life experiences to the future of healthcare

Mixed Media

Detail from Turtle Walker poster
Much Ado About Turtles (and Keanu)
From John Wick to Wittgenstein, and a sea turtle mystery to an underwater thriller, there's something for everyone in our summer reading (and viewing) roundup
Terry Kitchen '81 performs "We All Dream."
Mixed Media
A host of new works by ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë alumni explore explore themes of democracy, resilience, and human connection—as well as our fascination with horses, dragons, and ocean life

ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë Talk

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...
Administrative Law Judge Brian Gee ’87
Judgment Calls
Separated by 2,700 miles, National Labor Relations Board administrative law judges Brian Gee ’87 and Ira Sandron ’71 find common ground in ÈÕ±¾ÎÞÂë

Last Page

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