The Phoenix

New Hall Honoree Morgan Was Denied Tenure in 1976

October 1, 2026

News

The recently renamed Edley-Morgan Hall honors Kathryn L. Morgan, a former professor who was previously denied tenure, which had sparked intense debate on campus.

Survivor’s Collective Secures New CAPS Position

Zephyr WeinreichandVictoria Soto

October 1, 2026

Patricia Quimby ’28 discusses how the Swarthmore Survivors’ Collective advocated for a

Office Hours: Faculty on What Makes a Good Writer

Rafi KarpowitzandNasrin Ahmed

October 1, 2026

Swarthmore faculty share thoughts and advice on writing, and discuss their own

Artist of the Week: Joe Fox ’27 on Actually Being an Athlete, Laughing, and Making Bad Theater

by Ari Froehlich

October 1, 2026

Actor Joe Fox ’27 ties together their love for theater and swim

Introducing Interim Athletic Director Harleigh Chwastyk: A New Role, the Same Values

by Aimee Lee

October 1, 2026

New Interim Athletic Director Harleigh Chwastky sits down with The Phoenix

Latest Stories

Stockholm: January and February in The Water City

by Ava Gizzie

October 1, 2026

Associate Professor of Chinese Qiaomei Tang on Returning to Swarthmore and Timeless Emotions

Yamu XiandEllen Stewart

October 1, 2026

News Brief: Dr. Chyna Hart, New Associate Director in OSE

by Reina Jones

October 1, 2026

Swarthmore College hires Dr. Chyna Hart to succeed Ben Shalk as Associate Director of Student Activities and Leadership.

New Cunningham Revisions Address Sound, Lighting, and Turf Concerns

by Nathan Zhang

September 24, 2026

The college reveals revisions to its Cunningham Fields Development Plan, including a new type of turf and an additional arboretum, and Swarthmore residents respond.

Old Science Hall Renamed to Honor Swarthmore Alum Edley, Professor Emerita Morgan

by Zephyr Weinreich

September 24, 2026

President Val Smith announced that Edley-Morgan Hall will be the new name of the building temporarily termed Old Science Hall.

Swarthmore Announces New Tuition Guarantee for Families Earning $200,000 Or Less With ‘Typical’ Assets

by Marra Irons

September 24, 2026

This May, the college announced its expanded financial aid program: the Swarthmore Tuition Guarantee.

State Representative Chris Rabb on ‘Government and Criminal Justice’ in Pennsylvania, Nationwide

by Alexandra Pryplesh

September 24, 2026

Chris Rabb visited Swarthmore College to discuss his views on the criminal justice system.

Opinions

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Nasrin AhmedandRafi Karpowitz

October 1, 2026

In this edition of Swat Says, students reflect on their personal writing process, discuss their academic direction from years past, and suggest how the school should repurpose Clothier Hall.

The Dining Hall Shows Regime Change Can Be Good

by Arman Hanifpour

September 24, 2026

Arman Hanifpour '27 argues that we should be more less quick to reflexively condemn the idea of regime change, whether it comes to something as mundane as the Swarthmore Dining Hall or as consequential as war in the Middle East.

Stop Asking When Texas Will Turn Blue. Ask What Comes Next on Affordability

by Jacob Velarde

September 24, 2026

Jacob Velarde '27 highlights the often overlooked history of progressive politics in Texas and argues that this legacy of economic populism presents the way forward for Southern Democrats.

Arts

‘Taiwan Travelogue’: Beyond Simple Relationships & ‘Casual’ Dining

by Zuyuan Zhou

October 1, 2026

A review of Yang Shuang-zi’s 2026 International Booker Prize-winning “Taiwan Travelogue”

Spoiler Alert: “Primetime” Is Revolting. You Should Watch It

by Ben Waters

October 1, 2026

This week, “Spoiler Alert” explores Lance Oppenheim’s feature film debut “Primetime.”

Review: Something Newborn Stirs in the Wilma’s ‘Horsegirl and Cowdaddy’

by Yijia (Jessica) Qin

October 1, 2026

A review of DJ Hills’s new play “Horsegirl and Cowdaddy,” launching its world premiere at the Wilma Theater.

Sports

Men’s Basketball Reflects on Asia Trip

by Aaron Weiss

October 1, 2026

College basketball seasons are known for loud gyms, nighttime bus rides, and conference rivalries. Our trip to South Korea and China this August was quite the opposite. Beyond being competitive, it offered a chance to immerse ourselves in the culture and realize

Athlete of the Week: Charlotte Martin ’28

by Charlie Watson

October 1, 2026

Charlotte Martin ’28 is a junior runner for the Swarthmore women’s cross country team. Hailing from Southlake, TX, Martin led the Garnet with a 17th-place finish at the Haverford Main Line Invitational event on Friday, Sept. 18. She ran a personal-record time

A Reflection on the First-Year Student Athlete Experience

by Mailey Wang

October 1, 2026

We often feel like we have no control over our futures. Life happens, and we react day by day. But every so often, we hold a decision in our hands that determines our future, a single decision that has the power to

Features

Clipped Wings: My Experiences of Womanhood

by Maria Victoria Almarza

October 1, 2026

Maria Victoria Almarza ’28 contemplates the distance between the lived experience of a minority woman and that of a “full human.”

The Garnet Letter: Swarthmore Doesn’t Have a Hook-Up Culture — It Has a Rumor Mill

by Lucretia Thott

September 24, 2026

Lucretia investigates the (lack of) sex life at Swarthmore.

The Phoenix in Conversation with Prof. Diane Anderson on Teaching, Learning for Life

by Zoe Baochen Tang

September 24, 2026

Zoe Tang '27 interviews Diane Anderson, a recently retired Professor and Academic Dean, on her teaching experience and pedagogy, the foundation of the Learning for Life program, and what she hopes to continue to accomplish after Swarthmore.

An image of a banner in the Dining and Community Commons that reads "Welcome to the Dining and Community Commons"

Just Say Hi: A Case for Friendliness

by Corinne Lafont

October 2, 2025

Corinne Lafont ’26 makes a case for friendliness in the face of unprecedented levels of isolation among young people.

Author Wyatt Brannon stands on McGill Walk smiling

Being Autistic is Okay, Actually

by Wyatt Brannon

October 2, 2025

Wyatt Brannon ’26 advocates for the centering of autistic voices in the wake of Donald Trump’s and RFK Jr.’s inflammatory statements about supposed causes of autism.

Almost touched the sun

by Megumi Jindo

October 2, 2025

like crystals you touched the glass and it broke your leaves at full bloom but dust covers the path forward why does your heart race leave mine cold i want to talk to you about it about how the rose lost its

Gulping Air

by Megumi Jindo

October 2, 2025

fisting your hair i jumped off the boat ready to float and flee and fly but then you asked if this was what i had always longed for if this was it i didn’t have an answer so i waited for you

renewal

by Megumi Jindo

October 2, 2025

squeezing life out of rustling trees pouring mint tea into birch mugs listening to the birds watching colors of the sky change and change living in an eternity our scribbles are golden inking in barks glimpsing dawn our eyes following the earth

Coming Ages

by Megumi Jindo

October 2, 2025

catching your hands as they fall rose petals glimmering in your eyes as we bike towards the sunset rushing forward into the future not backing it building it sunlight flickering in our path oblique creations we’re molding still and sitting in silence

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Rafi KarpowitzandErin Picken

October 2, 2025

In this edition of Swat Says, students share their favorite dining hall meal, reveal the craziest thing they've heard from a professor in class, and discuss the buildings with the worst vibes on campus.

Russell Wilson: From Super Bowl Star to Benched “Veteran”

by Aimee Lee

October 2, 2025

Russell Wilson, a perennial MVP candidate, has recently experienced a steep performance decline. Read about his journey to the bench.

Athlete of the Week: Melissa Eyer ’28

by Aimee Lee

October 2, 2025

Melissa Eyer '28 runs the volleyball court with her elite ball control and defensive capabilities. Read on to hear more about her fourth Centennial Athlete of the Week selection!