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.

Aflame

by Claire Chin

September 18, 2025

SJP Encampment Ends with Arrest of 9 Protesters, Including 1 Current Swarthmore Student

Ella WalkerandDaniel Perrin

May 7, 2025

Nine protesters, including one Swarthmore student and one student on an extended leave of absence, were arrested last Saturday, May 3, ending the four-day Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) encampment on Trotter Lawn. The seven others arrested were unaffiliated with the

Timeline of the Trotter Lawn Encampment

by The Editorial Board

May 7, 2025

A comprehensive timeline of the Trotter Lawn encampment and subsequent police response.

Faculty Reflect on Encampment, Arrests

by Lucy Tobier

May 7, 2025

As the encampment continued at Swarthmore College, faculty-admin communication on next steps was minimal, with many faculty sharing that there was no communication other than President Smith’s messages to the entire campus. On Friday afternoon, more than 48 hours after the tents

After Encampment, Sympathetic Students Frustrated by “Unambiguously Ineffective” SJP Tactics

by Melanie Zelle

May 7, 2025

The pro-Palestinian encampment constructed on Trotter Lawn on April 30 by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and demolished May 3, 2025, bears many similarities to the encampment the group constructed Spring 2024. However, one of the most striking differences between the

The Dismantling of the Encampment in Photos

James SheltonandZack KreinesandRafi Karpowitz

May 7, 2025

Photography Editor James Shelton '28 and Photographer Zack Kreines '25 capture the encampment and subsequent police response.

Swarthmore Cyberattack: Analysis and Reactions

by Thomas Makin

May 6, 2025

According to Swarthmore Public Safety and Information Technology Services (ITS), the college was likely the target of a cyberattack on Wednesday, April 30, on its network and associated computer systems, resulting in widespread Internet outages. The situation progressed over several days as

Swarthmore Encampment Ends with 9 Arrests; Students and Faculty Rattled

Melanie ZelleandElla WalkerandDaniel PerrinandLucy Tobier

May 3, 2025

This article shows live updates and coverage of the four-day encampment on Trotter Lawn that ended after local law enforcement demolished it and arrested nine protesters, one of which a current Swarthmore student, on Saturday morning.

Inaugural Phoenix Campus Opinions Survey – Spring ’25

Rafi KarpowitzandDaniel Perrin

May 1, 2025

On April 21, The Phoenix sent its inaugural campus opinion survey to 593 randomly selected Swarthmore students, representing 34.8% of the student body. The survey asked students to indicate whether they approved, strongly approved, disapproved, strongly disapproved, felt neutral, or didn’t know