Giving Initiatives
Academics
When the Norris Hall of Chemistry opened in 1960, it was considered state-of-the art. Today, six decades later, its mid-century labs are prime candidates for renovation to meet the needs of our ambitious, hands-on teaching and research program. On the other end of the Academic Quad, innovations in music and media production require new space and new equipment for our popular Music and Media Arts & Culture programs. Modern education requires more than desks, chairs and a chalkboard. Technology for the classroom and the lab are essential for today’s teachers and students. Learn more.
The Student Experience
At Occidental, we believe that what happens outside the classroom can be as important as what happens inside the classroom. Enhancing the student experience can take a variety of forms. The College’s newest athletics complex—anchored by the De Mandel Aquatics Center, McKinnon Family Tennis Center and Robinson Family Terrace—enables Oxy’s swimming, diving, water polo and tennis teams to train and compete in NCAA- and SCIAC-regulation facilities on campus for the first time in decades. Oxy's historic Taylor Pool has been transformed into Cannon Plaza, a multipurpose outdoor space for the Oxy community.
Reimagining Space
Meeting current needs at Oxy has not meant discarding the old for the new. Oxy has a long-standing policy of reimagining and repurposing historic buildings to meet the demands of an evolving curriculum. Consider the new Anderson Center for Environmental Sciences, which includes a renovated Moore Laboratory and a renewed portion of the adjacent Bioscience Building, providing enhanced interdisciplinary teaching, research and exhibition space. As well as the Choi Family Music Production Center, which gives music majors and faculty access to a state-of-the-art facility that takes their artistry to the next level.
A More Sustainable Oxy
The progressive spirit of the Occidental community has laid solid foundations for sustainability, on campus and off. Efforts such as our 1-megawatt hillside solar array, Campus Dining’s ongoing commitment to the Real Food Challenge and the student-run FEAST organic garden not only reduce the College’s environmental footprint but can also help keep Oxy’s costs down.
