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Life After Fire illustration for Occidental magazine, Spring 2025
Life After Fire
The Eaton and Palisades fires in January took their toll on members of the Occidental family, including students, alumni, faculty, and administrators. With a long rebuilding process ahead, they find strength and support among the...

Occidental magazine brings you campus news, in-depth features, and profiles of exceptional alumni. For the 2024-25 academic year, the magazine published two print and digital issues (Fall 2024 and Spring 2025) and one digital-only issue (Summer 2024).

The Occidental Gospel Choir in 1975.
Founded by students in 1971, the Occidental Gospel Choir made music for a quarter-century—and a reunion of former members celebrates its nearly forgotten legacy
Journalist Max Chun '19 in the offices of Lookout Santa Cruz.
When disaster struck his native Santa Cruz last year, reporter Max Chun ’19 and a small team of journalists sprang into action for their community—and pocketed a Pulitzer Prize for their...
Tylor Lee '26 interned with Healthcare in Action, which provides healthcare and social services to unhoused people.
A 10-week summer internship program pairs 28 Oxy students with 20 community partners to contribute to the work of advancing social justice in Los Angeles
Sam Rubin '82 and Stacie Roshon '08
Sam Rubin ’82 became a fixture of the entertainment journalism landscape over his 33 years with KTLA—and his unexpected death in May resonated well beyond Hollywood's red carpets
ñ President Tom Stritikus at Opening Convocation on August 26, 2024.
As the Oxy community embarks on a new academic year, President Stritikus shares his impressions after two months on the job
Members of Oxy's API alumni community turned out for the A4Oxy Re(Launch) happy hour in April.
Oxy's Alumni Board of Governors is actively working to expand and promote alumni activities not just on campus, but around the world—and you're encouraged to get involved
ñ's 17th president, Tom Stritikus, in April 2024.
Occidental’s president-elect is a first-generation college graduate and a firm believer in the transformative power of a liberal arts education
Vidiots reopened for business in June 2023 at the former home of the Eagle Theatre,
Eagle Rock and Highland Park have become magnets for new businesses, including the resurrected Eagle Theatre (now home to Vidiots). What’s changed—and what’s still in fashion?
Professor of History Maryanne Horowitz in a 1978 photo.
A professor of the history of ideas, Horowitz has encouraged generations of students to pursue fulfilling careers. She may be saying goodbye to Oxy, but she’s not the retiring type
Professor of Biology Roberta Pollock, photographed in her lab in April 2024.
“Mentoring students and making a difference in their lives has been the highlight of my career,” says Pollock, who played a central role in the College's response to the pandemic
Professor of Biology Beth Braker at Eaton Canyon in Altadena.
Over the years, Braker has taken about 200 students to Costa Rica to do research at La Selva—and her work there isn't done yet
Theater and Performance Studies faculty and staff in April 2024.
As its second century dawns, Oxy’s Theater and Performance Studies Department remixes the curriculum with a blend of theory and practice
Occidental Children's Theater performer Amanda Wagner ’16.
Occidental Children’s Theater has delighted audiences of all ages for 29 seasons—but what’s next after Cinderalice in Wonderland? We went to Jamie Angell for answers
President Elam at the podium on May 19, 2024.
As he prepares to depart from Occidental, President Harry J. Elam, Jr. shares three insights into leadership that he will carry away with him
Author Susan Coll '81, photographed at Politics & Prose in Washington, D.C.
Susan Coll ’81’s latest comic novel, Professor Amy Lyford’s examination of the art and life of Dorothea Tanning, and more

Features

Cool Change illustration for Occidental magazine
Cool Change
After years of sleepless nights and hot-weather hacks, every residence hall finally has air conditioning—much to the relief of current and future Tigers
Mast Reforestation CEO Grant Canary '05
Seeding the Forests
Utilizing biomass burial and carbon credits, Mast Reforestation CEO Grant Canary ’05 is on a mission to revive scorched landscapes in the American West
Marcel Ophuls '50 in an undated photo
Contrarian Documentarian
Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Marcel Ophuls ’50, who attended Occidental for three years before dropping out to finish his studies at the Sorbonne, died May 24 at the age of 97...
Life After Fire illustration for Occidental magazine, Spring 2025
Life After Fire
The Eaton and Palisades fires in January took their toll on members of the Occidental family, including students, alumni, faculty, and administrators. With a long rebuilding process ahead...
Assistant Professor Janna Ireland
Advanced Projects in Photography
With two exhibits opening simultaneously and a new teaching space at Oxy, Assistant Professor Janna Ireland navigates her burgeoning career as she parents two growing boys
Eddie Gorton ’01, Paul “PK” Kim ’98, and David Murphy ’02
Sitting Down With the Stand-ups
Paul “PK” Kim ’98, Eddie Gorton ’01, and David Murphy ’02 trace their comic odysseys from talent shows and laundromats to Thorne Hall and the Laugh Factory

First Word

From the Quad

Mariah Rutiaga Amaya ’22 outside the Hameetman Career Center.
Vital Signs
Recent Oxy 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
Oxy professors and students engaged in summer research and internships
How I Spent My Summer Vocation
From artificial intelligence in the classroom to immigrant rights in the city, the Occidental landscape has been abuzz with activity for faculty and students alike

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 Oxy alumni explore explore themes of democracy, resilience, and human connection—as well as our fascination with horses, dragons, and ocean life

Oxy 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 Oxy

Last Page

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