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National Public Radio correspondent Kat Lonsdorf ’09 at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Kat Meets World
From Tel Aviv and Beirut to Minneapolis and Washington, NPR reporter Kat Lonsdorf ’09 follows the news wherever it leads, covering some of the defining stories of our time

Occidental Magazine

Occidental magazine brings you campus news, in-depth features, and profiles of exceptional alumni. For the 2026-27 academic year, the magazine will publish one digital-only issue (Summer 2026) and two print and digital issues (Fall 2026 and Spring 2027).

Bob Winter, Occidental College
Bob Winter cements his Oxy legacy posthumously with an endowed faculty fund in history and art
Academic Quad, Fall 2020
As COVID-19 lingers on, Oxy leadership addresses the economic fallout of a remote fall semester
Oxy Football
Amid a reevaluation of College priorities triggered by the pandemic’s impact, Oxy football 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., Occidental College 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, Oxy Campus
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 Oxy transform 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, Oxy Athletics
The SCIAC spring sports season ended abruptly—and these senior student-athletes will miss their Oxy families 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...
Oxy Squirrels
From the biology department shipping PPE to hospitals to Oxy Arts making art kits to students in Highland Park, here are nine snapshots of the Oxy family coming together in a time of need

Features

Professor of Art and Art History Amy Lyford in October 2021.
Postcards From Amy Lyford
After the Eaton Fire upended her life, the longtime Occidental professor reflects on finding a new home, returning to her research, and reconnecting with her community through art
National Public Radio correspondent Kat Lonsdorf ’09 at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Kat Meets World
From Tel Aviv and Beirut to Minneapolis and Washington, NPR reporter Kat Lonsdorf ’09 follows the news wherever it leads, covering some of the defining stories of our time
Professor of Sociology Emeritus Jan Lin, photographed in June 2026.
Jan Lin’s Street Stories
For 28 years, Occidental’s renowned urban and community sociologist has connected the College with its surrounding neighborhoods through research, teaching, and thoughtful partnerships
Joy Shigaki ’94, president and CEO of Friends of Waterfront Park in Seattle.
Bringing Joy to Her Community
Joy Shigaki ’94 turned her lifelong commitment to social justice and community building into a career dedicated to creating inclusive public spaces—and Seattle’s Waterfront Park is her most...

First Word

From the Quad

Shane Kawakami-Williams ’27
Brewing Up a Comeback
A $1 million gift from Doug Odell ’75 is giving Occidental track and field a boost as it improves its facilities, strengthens its roster, and aims to compete at a higher level
Curb Visiting Fellow Michael Lloyd, far right, and Resident Assistant Professor Max Foreman with Oxy students in the Choi Family Music Production Center.
Accelerating the Tempo
New industry partnerships, expanded course offerings, and a reimagined Booth Hall are positioning the Music Department for its second century
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
Oxy students and alumni find pathways into the Slamdance Film Festival, gaining industry exposure and experience following its move to Los Angeles

Mixed Media

Blue Film director Elliot Tuttle '22, second from left, with the film's stars.
Rhapsody in Blue
Elliot Tuttle ’22’s microbudget debut feature is one of the year’s breakout indie films—but getting there was its own odyssey

Oxy Talk

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

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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