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Writing is a way of drawing for Kenturah Davis ’02, whose art has been exhibited on every continent and is held in more than 25 collections. When she was commissioned to create the official portrait of Occidental’s 16th president, Harry J. Elam Jr., “Without any hesitation I said ‘Yes,’” she recalled.

Thus began a collaboration between the artist and her subject that culminated in the unveiling of the finished portrait, fittingly enough, during a Homecoming & Family Weekend ceremony that brought Elam and his wife, Michele, back to campus October 17.

Nestled in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica, La Selva Research Station spans more than 1,600 hectares of protected primary and secondary rainforest. For over 60 years, it has served as a living laboratory for some of the world’s most impactful tropical biology research, welcoming scientists, students, and conservationists drawn by the chance to explore and contribute to tropical science in the field. 

Growing up in New England, Houston, and San Diego—three disparate regions impacted by segregation, the oil and gas industries, and the low-wage border economy, respectively—Evan Caulfield ’26 observed the results of “toxic” public policies “everywhere, all the time.” Although he and his family were not personally impacted, he says, “It comes to a point where you just can’t look away.”

A native of Oak Creek, Colorado, Tom studied physics at Caltech for three years and received his B.A. (1964), M.A. (1966), and Ph.D. (1968) in mathematics from UCLA. In between studies, he worked for IBM (1961-62) and interned at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (summer 1966). Prior to joining the Occidental faculty in 1971, he was assistant professor of mathematics at Louisiana State University for three years. He retired from ��«Ӱҵ in 2006 after nearly 35 years at the College.

Established in 2012 in conjunction with the College’s 125th anniversary, the Hall of Fame honors outstanding achievement in competition, service, dedication, and commitment to Occidental athletics. The Class of 2025 includes ��«Ӱҵ’s all-time batting leaders in baseball and softball; a two-time All-SCIAC point guard who opened the door for postgraduate success in professional basketball overseas; the best female distance runner in College history; and a beloved administrator who became the face of ��«Ӱҵ athletics.

Daniel Selon ’08 was at a friend’s house on July 15 when his phone started pinging non-stop. One particular text stood out from the rest: “Congratulations, you genius witch!”

Ron Buckmire

Professor of Mathematics | Years at ��«Ӱҵ: 30

“Ron showed me that mathematicians can be cool people with diverse interests who are great teachers and communicators.”
–Jesse Kreger ’15

Read his interview and alumni tribute

Peter Dreier

E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics; Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy | Years at ��«Ӱҵ: 32

As a student at UC Santa Cruz, Margi Rusmore was the youngest member of the first American Women’s Himalayan Expedition, which climbed the 10th-highest mountain in the world in November 1978. “There was a lot of buzz” around the expedition, Rusmore recalls—a New York Times headline read, “Himalayan Scaling Called an Inspiration to Women”—“and I realized early on that I don't take well to talking about myself. Some people are good at it—I’m not.”

Ron Buckmire grew up in a house full of Cap’n Crunch. His father, R.E. Buckmire, a University of Massachusetts Ph.D. turned food scientist for the Quaker Oats Co. in Barrington, Ill., invented the Crunch Berry for the iconic cereal line. “My sister and I had so much Cap’n Crunch as kids,” Ron recalls. “We were testers basically.”

As a student at Palisades High School in 1969, Warren Montag participated in a walkout to protest the Vietnam War. “I wasn't consistently politically active at that time, but looking back, I would say that was an important experience,” he says. After the walkout, he and his classmates went to a demonstration at UCLA—and while they were on campus, “The police attacked the demonstration. I had to run through UCLA, which was like a baptism of fire. It was scary but good.”