The Phoenix

Borough Adds New Tax for Swarthmore Workers and Residents

by Zephyr Weinreich

November 12, 2026

News

The Borough Council of Swarthmore will implement an earned income tax for workers and residents on Jan. 1, 2027.

Alumni Win State and National Offices in Democratic Midterm Sweep

by Kush Kaur

November 12, 2026

Josh Green ’92 H’22, Phil Weiser ’90, and Will Lawrence ’13 won

The Victims of the Blue Tsunami

by Ellie Dowek

November 12, 2026

Ellie Dowek ’28 criticizes high-profile Democrats' abandonment of the transgender community during

The Phoenix in Conversation with Colorado Governor-Elect Phil Weiser ’90

by Daniel Perrin

November 12, 2026

Colorado Governor-Elect Phil Weiser ’90 discusses accountability, the attention economy, and the

Artists of the Week: Ellen Stewart ’27 and Reina Jones ’27 on Making Room for Dance

by Sasha Wechsler

November 12, 2026

Dancers Ellen Stewart ’27 and Reina Jones ’27 look back on four

Latest Stories

Swatties Showcase ‘A Room of Their Own’

Xinto XuandMegumi Jindo

November 12, 2026

Interpretation Theory Program to End After 25 Year Run

by Ellen Stewart

November 12, 2026

The Inaugural Season of the Women’s Professional Baseball League

by Ryan Pinkert

November 12, 2026

Democrats Win State Legislative Races, Environmental Referendum Passes

by Amro Samarah

November 12, 2026

Democrat candidates win across the entirety of Delaware County and voters pass an environmental conservation referendum.

Swarthmore Motions to Toss Lawsuit Following U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Trans Athletes

by Ella Walker

November 5, 2026

Swarthmore College has asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit brought against the college by transgender athlete and alumna Evie Parts ’25.

Faculty Votes to Alter Diversity Language in Tenure Allocation Guidelines

by Erin Picken

November 5, 2026

Faculty recently voted to amend guidelines for tenure-track hires.

Swarthmore Embraces Community College Transfer Students in Keeping with ‘Swarthmore Forward’ Strategic Plan

by Zephyr Weinreich

November 5, 2026

Swarthmore College moves to admit more transfer students from community colleges as part of a ‘Swarthmore Forward’ goal.

Dr. Mackensie Alston Explores Artificial Intelligence as a Bias-Detection Tool

by Alexandra Pryplesh

November 5, 2026

Pierson Lecturer Dr. Mackensie Alston discusses her recent research using artificial intelligence to detect bias in the criminal justice system.

Opinions

We Need to Advocate for More Life Skills Education

by James Shelton

November 12, 2026

James Shelton ’28 argues that Swarthmore needs a change to its liberal arts curriculum.

AI Is Not Inevitable

by Olivia Huang

November 12, 2026

Olivia Huang ’29 challenges the popular belief that increasing reliance on artificial intelligence is unavoidable and urges readers to embrace the human spirit.

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Nasrin AhmedandRafi Karpowitz

November 12, 2026

In this edition of Swat Says, students reveal their go-to news sources, share which bad habits they would be willing to give up for a month, and reflect on the 2026 midterm elections.

Arts

Olivia Rodrigo’s Brings the ‘Unraveled’ Tour to Philadelphia

by My Nguyen

November 12, 2026

A review of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Unraveled Tour” which stopped at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia November 7th and 8th.

A Walk Through the Barnes

by Erin Picken

November 12, 2026

A review of the Barnes Foundation and its focus on equalizing art

‘Club Kid’ Dances Its Way into Our Hearts

by Yiğit Doğramacı

November 12, 2026

A review of A24’s new film “Club Kid”

Sports

Athlete of the Week: Dylan Myrick ’30

by Aimee Lee

November 12, 2026

First-year Dylan Myrick is a freestyle, Individual Medley (IM), and breaststroke specialist for the Swarthmore men’s swim team. The Eugene, OR resident swam at his first collegiate meet on Oct. 24, where Swarthmore, Franklin & Marshall College, Ursinus College, and Dickinson College

Fueling the Phoenix: Newly Extended Dining Hall Hours

by Nasif Ataher

November 5, 2026

For much of Swarthmore’s history, students faced the reality of Sharples’ abbreviated hours: if you didn’t make it by the 8 p.m. closing time, you were going into the night without dinner. Student athletes would oftentimes be forced into rushing to the

Athlete of the Week: Isabel Adam ’28

by Charlie Watson

November 5, 2026

Outside hitter Isabel Adam ’28 has been lighting it up for the Swarthmore volleyball team this fall. She came into this season with extensive on-court experience, playing in all but one game in her first two years at Swarthmore, and earning All-Centennial

Features

Inside the Transfer Experience at Swarthmore

by Ellie Dowek

November 12, 2026

Ellie Dowek ’28 reflects on the transfer student experience at Swarthmore.

The German 9.11.

by Trajan Finarelli

November 5, 2026

Trajan Finarelli '30 reflects on the complex implications of Nov. 9 for German history.

Fleeting Sketches

by Alice Yang

November 5, 2026

Alice Yang '29 shares her Procreate sketches of people in New York.

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 charges against student protestors for the distribution of allegedly violent zines.

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 want to see from Swarthmore's next president.

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 progressive and outspoken role in the national scene.

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

by Daniel Perrin

April 9, 2026

Sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild discusses the role emotions played among Trump supporters and how understanding them helps us move forward.

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

by Nasrin Ahmed

April 9, 2026

Opinions Editor Nasrin Ahmed '28 examines the difficulties of reckoning with the passage of time through her analysis of American author James Baldwin's "If Beale Street Could Talk".

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

by Yijia (Jessica) Qin

April 9, 2026

A review of James Ijames's "The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington"

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.