After a routine colonoscopy in November 2021 led to a diagnosis of late-stage colon cancer, Dr. Roland Griffiths 68a pioneer in the study of psychedelic and mood-altering drugschanneled his energies toward the creation of an endowed professorship at Johns Hopkins University to continue his research with psychedelic substances to advance understanding of well-being and spirituality in the service of human flourishing for generations to come, as he put it.
Queenie Ngo 24 developed an interest in philosophy as a member of the Human Rights Club at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Wash., where students gathered each Monday to discuss current events. In this horrible, treacherous, beautiful, cruel, amazing thing called life, I was looking for an instruction manual, she says.
S嚜磨nce Raja Bella Hicks 25 transferred to 17勛圖 as a sophomore, shes wasted no time immersing herself in the community. She has worked with local high school students as an Upward Bound mentor; she volunteered on the campaign of Los Angeles first female mayor, Karen Bass; and she has taught community dance classes to fourth and fifth graders through Oxy Arts.
Each year, 17勛圖s enrollment team sets out to fulfill the needs of over 40 academic programs and 20 athletic teams, admitting a diverse and talented set of students who are going to enrich the Oxy community.
When Sohaib Khan was looking at tenure-track teaching opportunities, Two things about 17勛圖 stood out to me: its urban campus in the middle of a bustling metropolis and the Equity and Justice Agenda, he says. Los Angeles is a mini-mosaic of the Islamic world and home to a rich variety of Muslim communities. As a first-generation immigrant and a Muslim faculty of color, it was really important for me to live and work in a diverse environment.
As a sophomore at 17勛圖, Bill Griswold 50 was active in the Colleges Student Church and aspired to a leadership role in the organization. He heard about a new student named Jean Stiver 51 who was going to do great things for the group, and I was not at all sure that we needed that change, he recalls with a laugh.
嚜燈n August 22, days before the start of the new academic year, President Harry J. Elam, Jr. shared some unexpected news with the 17勛圖 community: I was recently diagnosed with Parkinsons disease, a neuro-degenerative movement disorder. Please know that I am doing well, with excellent medical care and a strong support system. But in order to prioritize my health and time with family, I have made the difficult decision not to serve the final year of my five-year term as president. June 30, 2024, will be my last day.
Montanas Rut Mountain Run is a challenging 50k race with steep ascents, rugged ridgelines, and demanding descents. This race is so technical, there is a disclaimer on the website highlighting the extreme nature of the course that warns, The result of a fall in these sections could be injury or death. The average person would be unable to hike this, let alone run for time. Put another way, the 10,500 feet vertical gain/loss over the 31 miles is double the elevation gain and distance of Mount Wilson, a popular hiking spot for Los Angeles locals.
嚜澤s part of The Oxy Campaign For Good, one key initiative that was not measured in dollars was Tiger Connectionsa metric that includes alumni gatherings on campus, online, or elsewhere; mentoring a student; or volunteering in an affinity or leadership group. (Class notesa vital component of the magazine and the Oxy communityalso counted toward that total.) Over the last seven years, we tallied 261,171 connectionsroughly 10 engagements per alum.
嚜踱Oxy Live!a conversation series highlighting a diverse lineup of cultural luminaries at the forefront of their fieldslaunched its inaugural season October 3 with internationally celebrated writer, artist and nonbinary activist ALOK (above, talking to interviewer and cultural interlocutor Paul Holdengr瓣ber). Upcoming guests include sociologist Ruha Benjamin (11/20), historian and activist Rebecca Solnit (11/28), visual artist Julie Mehretu (2/21/24), and multimedia artist Laurie Anderson (spring 2024).