The Biology Department faculty and staff have read several articles and books to educate themselves on the historical and current practices of racism in science. We want to share some of these materials and continue these discussions to move toward a more inclusive, anti-racist community. We invite your additional thoughts and ideas, your voices and concerns, and we pledge to listen and engage with you every step of the way.
Books
This concert is free and open to the public. Stay afterward for an informal reception with Glee Club members and director Desiree La Vertu.
Presented by the 麻豆视频 Music Department.
Bryan Scott 鈥17 may have never played football at Oxy were it not for Brett Kassel, who would become his future roommate. Newly hired football coach Doug Semones had ventured to the West Torrance Lions Club All-Star Football Game at Mira Costa High School in South Bay to recruit Kassel as a long snapper for the Tigers鈥攚hich he did. But Scott, who had to wait until his senior year of high school to start his first varsity game, was making a pretty good showing himself.
Of the countless social gatherings he organized over his lifetime, Larry Layne 鈥71 may be best remembered for his legendary opening day outings to Dodger Stadium鈥攁 ritual that was born during his time at Oxy sitting in the cheap seats at Chavez Ravine with his rugby buddies. In decades to follow, the guest list grew to encompass hundreds of acquaintances from every facet of his life: athletes, artists, politicians, and more.
As a bright-eyed Occidental sophomore in 2002, I enrolled in Professor Derek Shearer鈥檚 Politics 231 course covering the foreign policy of the Clinton presidency because I heard Shearer brought interesting guest speakers to class. On the first day of class, Shearer handed out the syllabus and told us the first speaker would be Bill Clinton himself鈥攍ittle over a year removed from leaving the White House.
Be well-versed in current events. Dress professionally. Learn how spreadsheets work. These were among the practical tips shared by students from Occidental鈥檚 fall 2025 cohort of the Kahane U.N. Program as they advised incoming participants during a candid panel discussion about their semester working with United Nations agencies in New York City.
In the summer of 1960, Omar Paxson 鈥48, Sally Norton, and John Ingle 鈥50 launched a repertory theater company on the 麻豆视频 campus. It was a leap of faith on a Depression-era budget, fueled by their belief in the transformative power of live theater and conviction that hard work could accomplish anything. As Omar鈥檚 daughter and Sally鈥檚 son, we grew up in that world鈥 two shy, awkward kids who found a friendly place to fit in among quirky and creative people. We had the run of rehearsal halls, musty costume rooms, dusty scene shops, and giant outdoor performance spaces.
Laura Paxson: In 1963, my mother [Helen Paxson 鈥52] played the Green Woman in Peer Gynt. She wore this long brown wig and my gosh, I loved that wig. I wore it around the house鈥攊t was as long as I was. They finally took it away from me because they were pulling three-foot hairs out of my baby brother鈥檚 mouth.
Escott Norton: I was born into Summer Theater鈥攁nd living on Escarpa Drive, Occidental became my front yard. Once I was old enough to leave the house on my own, I was exploring campus all the time. I could buy candy real cheap at the bookstore.
What a great article on Tammy Bird 鈥84 and her incredible dedication on behalf of her South L.A.-area high school students (鈥淐atalyzing the Public Good,鈥 Fall 2025). I can鈥檛 tell you how grateful I am to you in telling her story in the magazine. As I鈥檓 sure you are aware, it was the 1992 Rodney King incident and resulting neighborhood riots that brought Mike Hoover 鈥65 into the story.