The Phoenix

Nobel Prize Winner in Literature Speaks on Campus

by Zephyr Weinreich

December 11, 2025

News

Abdulrazak Gurnah shares his experience of becoming an author and his insights on complexity in fiction.

College Mourns Former Mathematics Professor Teddy Einstein

Lucy TobierandXinto Xu

December 11, 2025

Former Swarthmore math professor Teddy Einstein was tragically killed on Dec. 3.

Fall ’25 Student Body Poll Reveals Perspectives on Campus Institutions and Issues

Rafi KarpowitzandDaniel Perrin

December 11, 2025

The Phoenix sent its second student poll to 35% of the college

Swarthmore Inn Vandalized in Protest of Board of Managers

by Ella Walker

December 11, 2025

"Board of Butchers" was spray-painted last week in protest of the Board

An End of Semester Reflection from the Opinions Editors

Erin PickenandRafi Karpowitz

December 11, 2025

Opinions section editors reflect on the past semester and discuss the importance

Latest Stories

Cass Sunstein: ‘Nudging Past, Present and Future’

by Marra Irons

December 11, 2025

Marriage Pact Goes for Another Round

by Kush Kaur

December 11, 2025

Past and Future Perfect: Berthe Morisot, Child in a Red Apron

by Alma Greenfield

December 11, 2025

Phoenix Poll Reveals Faculty Perspectives on Campus Issues, Controversies

Daniel PerrinandRafi Karpowitz

December 4, 2025

In the inaugural Phoenix faculty poll, 115 faculty members weigh in on topical campus matters, questions, institutions, and controversies.

SEPTA ADA Renovation Process Raises Accessibility Concerns

by Cameron Alleyne

December 4, 2025

Recent renovations at Swarthmore Station aimed at improving accessibility pose challenges for disabled students.

Jim Bock ’90 Sheds Light on Admissions Process, Early Decision Challenges

by Kush Kaur

December 4, 2025

Dean of Admissions explains how Swarthmore recruits and enrolls students while sustaining its test-optional policy amid national debates over standardized testing.

A Conversation with Swarthmore’s New Title IX Coordinator, Matt Walsh

by Georgianna Harpole

December 4, 2025

New Title IX Coordinator shares vision of building a safe campus and responds to questions about supporting trans students and sexual misconduct.

Uncovered Planetarium Invites New Voices to Physics and Astronomy

by Kelan Sato

December 4, 2025

A 20-year-old planetarium, never used before, rediscovered by accident, now helps students explore constellations from new perspectives.

Opinions

There is No Prince Charming Coming to Save You From Finals

by Nasrin Ahmed

December 11, 2025

Nasrin Ahmed '28 argues that seemingly harmless jokes about marrying rich carry more weight than they seem.

Swat Says: Finals Edition

Rafi KarpowitzandErin Picken

December 11, 2025

In this special Final Exams edition of Swat Says, students discuss their plans for winter break, reveal their most dreaded upcoming finals, and share their thoughts on the Swarthmore Marriage Pact.

“We Need Peaceful People in all Professions”: Reflecting on Middlebury’s Experiential Learning Conference

by Nayla Punjabi

December 11, 2025

Nayla Punjabi '26 shares her experiences at Middlebury's Experiential Learning Conference, where herself and two other Swarthmore students learned about systems mapping, a technique which encourages a holistic and strategic approach to problem-solving.

Arts

Artist of the Week: Noble De Marco ’26 — On Fish, Puzzles, and Creative Persistence

by Emery Dong

December 11, 2025

Emery Dong '27 interviews artist Noble De Marco '26 on fish, Bob Ross, artificial intelligence, and more.

Let’s Talk About “Wicked: For Good” (And The Pursuit of Goodness)

by Neghemi Micah

December 11, 2025

Neghemi Micah '26 reviews "Wicked: For Good," starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

First-Year Scaries (and Movies that Can Help!)

by Olivia Huang

December 11, 2025

Midway into finals? Olivia Huang '29 says you should watch these films to cope!

Sports

Athlete of the Week: Genine Collins ’27

by Aimee Lee

December 11, 2025

Genine Collins ’27 is a force to be reckoned with in the pool. On Nov. 8, the junior swimmer broke Swarthmore and Centennial Conference records in the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.25, beating out her previous 23.30 school record. For

Track and Field Competes in Opening Meet, Swimming Takes on Rowan

by Aimee Lee

December 11, 2025

Track and Field: On Friday, Dec 10., Swarthmore track and field traveled to Lancaster, PA, to compete in the Diplomat Open hosted by Franklin & Marshall College. The Garnet were one of fifteen colleges represented in the indoor meet, the first of

Philly’s Infamous Mascot: Gritty

by Katherine Kerman

December 11, 2025

The National Hockey League’s (NHL) opening day was Oct. 7 this season. As you may know, the NHL sucks the last ounce of consumerism out of sports fans by making their season span six months of 82 games per team. In the

Features

Serenity in Solitude

by Megumi Jindo

December 11, 2025

Recently, I have been conscientious of presence. The way one holds themselves. The way one walks with purpose. The way one eats alone in the glowing sunlight. Before college, I thought if one was by themself, it meant that they were lonely.

Corinne’s Crossword: Swat Spots to Sob

by Corinne Lafont

December 11, 2025

Sara Sargent ’07 on Nonlinearity, Editing, and the Liberal Arts Experience

by Maddy Posner

December 4, 2025

The second in a series of conversations with alumni, Sara Sargent ’07 is currently a senior executive editor at Penguin Random House. Like last week’s Grace Dignazio ’22, she’s pursued a career around writing, though the dates and details differ slightly …

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Rafi KarpowitzandErin Picken

October 23, 2025

In this edition of Swat Says, students reflect on fall break, discuss common stereotypes of Swarthmore students, and reveal their biggest campus pet peeves.

Morning California

by Zuyuan Zhou

October 23, 2025

Before leaving my bedroom that morning, I snapped a quick photo of it — capturing the messy desk, the books on the shelves that I never got to read, and the bed I tidied up for the first time. At the front

Swarthmore’s Post Office to Move to Frat Row

by Annika Petras

October 23, 2025

Swarthmore's post office plans to relocate to Sharples 4 Building at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year.

AOTW: Michael Yuen ’29

by Aimee Lee

October 23, 2025

Rookie golfer Michael Yuen ’29 has swung his collegiate career in the right direction, quickly establishing a feel for the game. His impressive debut in the George Cangero International ended in a first-place finish with a 66 (-6) and a four-stroke lead

Christen Press Announces Retirement, Ending a Career That Redefined the Game

by Sydney Ross

October 23, 2025

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, Christen Press announced that she will retire from professional soccer after her final match in an away game against the Chicago Stars on Nov. 1. The decision marks the end of a remarkable fourteen-year professional career for one

The Seattle Mariners — Black Swans or a Budding Franchise on the Rise?

by Katherine Kerman

October 23, 2025

The Seattle Mariners franchise has had some quietly demoralizing statistics across its shameful 48 years in action. The Mariners held the longest active playoff drought in North American sports history, spanning 21 years, and ended it with a Wild Card playoff berth