The Phoenix

‘Hundreds’ of Acts of Graffiti Spray-Painted Across Campus, Extensive Cleaning Work Ensues

May 2, 2026

News

"Hundreds of acts of vandalism" occurred early morning Friday May 1. The Phoenix captured the before-and-after as a significant cleaning effort rolled out.

Val Smith Sits Down for Spring Interview with The Phoenix

by Daniel Perrin

April 30, 2026

President Val Smith reflects on her presidency, her goals for the rest

Spring ’26 Student Body Poll Results

Rafi KarpowitzandDaniel Perrin

April 30, 2026

The Phoenix releases the results of its third semesterly survey of the

Spring ’26 Faculty Poll Results

Daniel PerrinandRafi Karpowitz

April 30, 2026

The Phoenix releases the results of its second semesterly poll of the

The Phoenix in Conversation with Robert Putnam ’63

by Zephyr Weinreich

April 30, 2026

Robert Putnam '63 charts his evolution from aspiring engineer to political scientist

Latest Stories

Swarthmore Needs a CCTV Committee

by The Editorial Board

April 30, 2026

Ask The Phoenix: What’s The Status of Current Campus Construction Projects?

by Xinto Xu

April 30, 2026

College Data Reveals Seven-Fold Increase in Disability Accommodations Since 2011

by Daniel Perrin

April 30, 2026

News

Generative AI Pervades Higher Education: Here’s How Three Institutions Responded

Zephyr WeinreichandThe Collegiate Journalism Network (TCJN)

April 30, 2026

Zephyr Weinreich joins journalists from Emporia State University and Oberlin College to report on AI usage and policy across institutions.

Campus Discussions: How Swarthmore is Thinking About AI

by Nina Sablan

April 30, 2026

Nina Sablan conveys wide-ranging campus opinions on AI usage.

A Look Inside Swarthmore’s 350+ Camera Surveillance Network

Ella WalkerandDaniel Perrin

April 23, 2026

A map of the 350+ accessible CCTV cameras on campus and an investigation into who decides to install them, how they're used, and how

Swarthmore Borough Passes Sanctuary and Welcoming Resolution

by Xinto Xu

April 23, 2026

Swarthmore Borough adopted a welcoming resolution the week after college student groups organized "No ICE Week" events.

SEPTA and Swarthmore Borough Begin Discussing Commuter Lot Development

by Lucy Tobier

April 23, 2026

SEPTA, the borough, and the college discuss urban development plan in Swarthmore Town.

Opinions

The College Needs a Reset: A Letter From Faculty

by Undersigned Faculty

April 30, 2026

A collection of faculty reflect on the college’s repression of student activism.

Seniors Reflect: ‘There Can and Must Be a Better Swarthmore College’

by Anonymous Students

April 30, 2026

A group of anonymous seniors reflect on the failings they've witnessed and been affected by during their time at Swarthmore and provide a vision and imperative for a better future.

Genocide and What’s Left of ‘Faith in the Institution’

by Lucas Meyer-Lee

April 30, 2026

Lucas Meyer-Lee '23 reflects on the college's changing response to student activism on campus.

Arts

‘Wilderness Generation’ Review: A Family Reunion That Doesn’t Quite Hit Home

by Alissa Lopes

April 30, 2026

A review of James Ijames' new play "Wilderness Generation," including commentary from the playwright.

Where Does Acting End And Begin? — A Review of ‘Circle Mirror Transformation’

by Joanna Hong

April 30, 2026

A review of Kana Nagata '26's Senior Honors Directing Thesis, "Circle Mirror Transformation"

Recommendations From the Editorial Board Vol 5.

Daniel PerrinandElla WalkerandMaya LevineandSarah Cymrot

April 30, 2026

Read about Copy and Upper Editors' recommendations!

Sports

Athlete of the Week: Lola Diaz ’26

by Katherine Kerman

April 30, 2026

Lola Diaz ’26, hailing from Portland, OR, and Marbella, Spain, has been an integral part of the Swarthmore women’s tennis team for the past four years. She has been awarded All-Centennial First Team Singles (2024) and All-Centennial First-Team Doubles (2024) and has

Some Thoughts I Had While Running the Wilmington, DE, Half-Marathon

by Katherine Kerman

April 30, 2026

As I turned the corner and entered the underpass around mile three of the Wilmington Marathon, the road became dark and wet, and a runner behind me shouted, trying to be witty, “beware of the needles.” But as you can imagine, this

Athlete of the Week: Lydia Morris-Kliment ’27

by Aimee Lee

April 23, 2026

Aimee Ross, co-editor of the Sports Section, in conversation with Lydia Morris-Kliment '27, the outstanding thrower from the Swarthmore Track and Field team.

Features

In Defense of Hobbs

by Kush Kaur

April 30, 2026

Kush Kaur '29 reflects on experience at Hobbs Cafe.

Reflections from a Graduating Senior

by Maya Levine

April 30, 2026

Maya Levine '26 reflects on her years at Swarthmore.

The Moonlit Path

by Megumi Jindo

April 23, 2026

Megumi Jindo '28 reflects on her experience at Swarthmore so far and the passing of the baton in her Kizuna, Japanese club.

The Phoenix in Conversation with Barbara Yelin

by Xinto Xu

November 13, 2025

Barbara Yelin is a German author and graphic artist whose stories traverse the past, the present, and the fictional. In 2016, she was awarded the Max and Moritz Prize for the Best German-Language Comic Artist. On Oct. 29, 2025, she spoke at

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Rafi KarpowitzandErin Picken

November 13, 2025

Swatties share their thoughts on admissions decisions, understaffed departments, and their Swat day from hell.

All Hail “Prince Faggot!”

by Jonas Barr

November 13, 2025

Jonas Barr '27 reviews a play that depicts Prince George of Wales as a dazzlingly queer royal. It's strange! It's sexy! And it's oh so salacious!

Artist of the Week Greta Matthies ’26: How a Dancer Recovers

by Jeremy Weinstein-Sears

November 13, 2025

Jeremy Weinstein-Sears '28 interviews pre-professionally trained dancer and incoming medical school student Greta Matthies '26 for Artist of the Week.

Reflecting on “Familiar Touch”: A Quiet Portrait of Memory and Aging

by Alissa Lopes

November 13, 2025

Alissa Lopes '29 writes on "Familiar Touch," produced by Matthew Thurm '10 that captures memory's tragic, yet poetic beauty.

Swarthmore Women’s Soccer Falls to Hopkins in Conference Final, Prepares for NCAA Tournament

by Katherine Kerman

November 13, 2025

For the fourth-straight year, the Centennial Conference women’s soccer championship ended with Johns Hopkins University lifting the trophy. Unlike recent years, the game was against Swarthmore College’s team at Clothier Field, stinging a bit harder for the regular season champions and No.

Athlete of the Week: Cohen Manges ’27

by Katherine Kerman

November 13, 2025

Cohen Manges ’27 is a junior cross country runner hailing from Mechanicsburg, PA. He graduated from Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School and is a biology and computer science double major. Some of his personal bests include: 20:22.7 (2024, Main Line) in the

Sportswear Brands Battle Heats Up Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

by Aimee Lee

November 13, 2025

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, predicted to draw a staggering 5 billion-person viewership, is set to become the most-watched sporting event in history. With the FIFA Council’s 2023 approval of an expanded 48-team format from the previous 32-team structure, the tournament will