The Phoenix

College Data Reveals Rise in Average Grades Over Past Two Decades

April 9, 2026

News

Data on students’ average grades over the past two decades show that the average grade given at Swarthmore has risen across all divisions.

Ask The Phoenix: Who’s On the Committee to Choose Swarthmore’s Next President?

by Zephyr Weinreich

April 9, 2026

Some analysis, takeaways, and biography of who is on the committee to

Letter From Faculty and Staff In Defense of Students’ Freedom of Expression

by Undersigned Faculty

April 9, 2026

79 members of Swarthmore's faculty and staff condemn the college's recent disciplinary

Students on Their Hopes for the College’s Next President

Rafi KarpowitzandNasrin Ahmed

April 9, 2026

A wide range of students on campus tell The Phoenix what they

Chris Van Hollen ’83 H’14 On His Fiery Year in the Senate

by Daniel Perrin

April 9, 2026

Senator Chris Van Hollen ’83 discusses his political approach to an increasingly

Latest Stories

The Phoenix in Conversation with Sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild ’62 H’93

by Daniel Perrin

April 9, 2026

The Fleeting Nature of the Human Experience: ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’

by Nasrin Ahmed

April 9, 2026

History on Trial: A Review of ‘The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington’

by Yijia (Jessica) Qin

April 9, 2026

Campus Survey Results Reveal Concerns About Religious Discrimination, Ableism, Other Issues

by Xinto Xu

April 2, 2026

The DEI office released the Campus Culture & Climate Survey Report, which both showed a general satisfaction with the campus climate but raised potential

Memorial Bike Ride and Dedication Ceremony Honor Late Swarthmore Professor

by Zephyr Weinreich

April 2, 2026

Philadelphia cyclists memorialize former Swarthmore professor killed in bicycle-automobile collision.

The Phoenix in Conversation with Prof. Daniel Laurison on Political Disconnection

by Xinto Xu

April 2, 2026

Prof. Daniel Laurison talks about his research on political disconnection among working-class people and shares his insights on election, political (non)participation, and democracy.

‘Get in Loser, We’re Going Whaling’: Swarthmore’s Moby Dick Readathon

by Ellen Stewart

April 2, 2026

Swarthmore students come together in Upper Tarble to read all of "Moby Dick" in 25 hours.

Iyad Hmidat and Heba Alsaidi on Their Experience With Mutual Aid in Gaza

by Beika Lyu

April 2, 2026

Palestinian mutual aid workers Iyad Hmidat and Heba Alsaidi share about their life and work in Gaza during the war and after the ceasefire

Opinions

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Rafi KarpowitzandNasrin Ahmed

April 9, 2026

In this edition of Swat Says, students share their favorite outdoor study spots, discuss how to deal with academic burnout, and pitch some alternative songs for the Clothier bell tower's quarter-hourly toll.

Office Hours: Faculty on Their Hopes for the College’s Next President

Rafi KarpowitzandNasrin Ahmed

April 2, 2026

In this edition of Office Hours, Swarthmore faculty share what they would like to see from the next president.

Friction Makes Us Human; We Need More of It

by Erin Picken

April 2, 2026

Erin Picken '27 criticizes the embrace of tools and technology that seek to remove any difficulty — or friction — from daily life.

Arts

Artist of the Week Simone Gingerich-Boberg ’26: Finding Meaning In Performance

by Jeremy Weinstein-Sears

April 9, 2026

Simone Gingerich-Boberg ’26 on their experiences with dance and the ways their practice has evolved during their time at Swarthmore.

Recommendations From the Editorial Board Vol 3.

Megumi JindoandKelan SatoandIvy Lin

April 9, 2026

Read about Layout and Features Editors' Arts Recommendations

Queeries: The Corpse in the Closet

by Ari Froehlich

April 9, 2026

Check out our ‘Queeries’ column! This time on Mart Crowley’s 1968 play-adapted film “The Boys in the Band.”

Sports

Athlete of the Week: Aubree Daugherty ’26

by Aimee Lee

April 9, 2026

Aubree Daughtery '26 reflects on her four years playing women's lacrosse at Swarthmore.

A New Era of March Madness

by Claire Mathews

April 9, 2026

The Women's Basketball March Madness tournament has taken strides towards increased viewership.

Reflections from a Doubles Specialist

by Riya Rao

April 2, 2026

Riya Rao '26 reflects on her journey as a tennis player, from the stress and intensity of youth sports and her early college career to finding a more healthy dynamic in doubles play.

Features

A Ranked Guide to the Hobbs Spring Menu

by Cameron Alleyne

April 9, 2026

Cameron Alleyne '29 reviews Hobbs Spring Menu.

Crumb Cafe Secret Menu

by Charlotte Hall

April 9, 2026

Charlotte Hall '28 reviews Crumb Cafe's menu.

The Love Song of C. Anne Lafont

by Corinne Lafont

April 2, 2026

Corinne Lafont '26 reflects on her four years at Swarthmore.

Board, President Smith commit to sanctuary campus

by Ryan Stanton

January 26, 2017

The commitment from the college’s Board of Managers and President Valerie Smith to make Swarthmore a sanctuary campus is moving forward through the effort of the Sanctuary Campus Working Group. To some community members, this action is an important step to protecting

Editorial: We won’t be fake news

by The Phoenix

January 26, 2017

Browsing the news and current events this past week, it was nearly impossible not to cringe at the many comments and actions made by our new president. In less than a week in office, he has managed to issue executive orders stopping

Help! I dated Kellyanne Conway, get me out of here

by Tom Corbani

January 26, 2017

Welcome back to London Calling. How were your breaks? Did a relative get a bit too sloppy when they were knocking back bottom shelf whiskey? Did an ex text you “HNY” out of the blue at 4 a.m. on Jan. 1? Did

Ian Anderson '13 performs at Paces CafePhoto by Rachel Berger '16

Students, faculty attend walk-out and teach-in for climate justice

by Joy George

January 26, 2017

There is no shortage of public outcry across the country in protest of the newly established Trump administration. As recently as Monday, January 23rd, members of Swarthmore Mountain Justice, in collaboration with over 50 other colleges across the country, organized a walk-out

Divestment and the need for moral leadership on climate

by Stephen O'Hanlon

January 26, 2017

On Monday, thousands of students and faculty at colleges, high schools, and even two middle schools across the nation walked out of class to reject the deadly climate denialism of the Trump administration and demand moral leadership from our institutions. Tuesday, the

Before It’s Too Late

by Vanessa Meng

January 26, 2017

It’s time sustainability stopped being “just green,” because it’s not going to be enough. The idea of this column, “Let’s Give a Damn,” actually came from one of the Environmental Services tech whom my partner — Adina Spertus-Melhus ’17 — and I

Women’s March Floods Capitol with those who Refuse to be Silenced

by Sydney Covitz

January 26, 2017

On Saturday morning, I woke up to a blaring iPhone alarm and a pitch-black sky that stretched over campus. Ambling down the Wharton stairs, I made my way to Magill Walk where a smattering of stars was more visible than the thinning

A Silent, but Present, Creator: Martin Scorsese’s Silence

by George Menz

January 26, 2017

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG. Martin Scorsese