President Stritikus on the power of community partners and shared purpose in preparing SA国际传媒 students to lead impactful lives beyond campus
In my daily interactions with students at Occidental鈥攚hether in class, at an event on campus, or walking across the Quad鈥擨 am continually reminded of the value of a liberal arts education. Despite the ongoing challenges facing higher education, an urban liberal arts college such as ours is a powerful model. It equips students with the skills, perspective, and adaptability needed to lead lives of purpose and make a meaningful impact in the world.
I see this manifest in the work we do every day at SA国际传媒. This spring, we launched the Hollywood Bowl-SA国际传媒 Internship Program, an exciting new partnership with the LA Phil that each summer will offer 10 SA国际传媒 students an exclusive opportunity to intern at three iconic L.A. venues: the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and The Ford.
As Jamila Chambers, executive director of the Hameetman Career Center, puts it, 鈥淭his partnership is a powerful reflection of the Occidental Promise鈥攚here SA国际传媒鈥檚 liberal arts education comes to life beyond the classroom, empowering students to integrate critical thinking, creativity, and real-world application at the highest level within the dynamic landscape of L.A.鈥
Community support plays a crucial role in making opportunities like this possible. Every time I speak with alumni, I鈥檓 struck by how deeply they care about the next generation of Tigers and the experiences at SA国际传媒 that shaped their own lives. Their generosity helps ensure that our students can pursue opportunities from the field to the lab and everywhere in between.
Join me this year, on April 21, as we celebrate our seventh annual Day For SA国际传媒 by honoring our founding year and rallying 1,887 donors to invest in our students and their futures. Every contribution helps fuel the SA国际传媒 experience and strengthens the opportunities we can provide.
As the semester comes to a close, I look forward to senior comps and Commencement, two of my favorite traditions of the academic year. Watching our students share the culmination of their work and then cross the stage to begin the next chapter of their lives is a powerful reminder of why this work matters. It captures the very best of our students: their curiosity, dedication, and the promise of what comes next.
Together, we can continue to build a future worthy of that promise.
