The Phoenix

What to Expect from the Midterm Elections Next Week

October 29, 2026

News

Millions of Americans will go to the polls next Tuesday amidst rising political dissatisfaction. Here’s what Swatties will see on their ballots, as well as the races and trends they should know going into it.

Swarthmore Adds Three Alumni to Board of Managers

by Alissa Lopes

October 29, 2026

Jeremy Brest ’90 and Colin Convey ’97, and Tom Hartnett ’94, P’26

Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens on Harriet Tubman as a Medical and Intellectual Pioneer

by James Lewis

October 29, 2026

Dr. Deidre Cooper Owens gives the 2026 James A. Field Endowed Lecture

Science Center Cafe Cuts Down on Outside Catering, Updates Hot Meal Options

by Cameron Alleyne

October 29, 2026

Science Center Cafe no longer offers Chinese food from Yangtze Inn every

The Most Obnoxious Blowhards in America

by Teddy King-Pollet

October 29, 2026

Teddy King-Pollet '28 criticizes a recent deplorable ad campaign and the broad

Latest Stories

The Process of Constantly Reinventing Myself

by Tyler Li

October 29, 2026

Eyes Wide Open: A Review of ‘You Can See Everything’

by Harper Gowen

October 29, 2026

LeBron James: The 76ers’ New Addition

by Andrew Lufrano

October 29, 2026

News

Ask the Phoenix: What’s the Status of the Academic Freedom Policy?

by Alexandra Pryplesh

October 29, 2026

A look back at changes to Swarthmore’s Academic Freedom Policy in recent years.

DOE Expands Title VI Antisemitism Investigation into the College

by Kush Kaur

October 22, 2026

The Department of Education expands its Title VI investigation into alleged antisemitism at the college in response to a video posted on a former

Governor Shapiro Announced a $97 Million Investment in Chester. How Much Will It Help?

by Daniel Perrin

October 22, 2026

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced plans to invest $97 million in the city of Chester, most of which will provide infrastructure support. Urban economics

A Local Preschool May Partner with the College to Open New Childcare Center

by Ellen Stewart

October 22, 2026

Trinity Cooperative Day Nursery is exploring a partnership with Swarthmore College to build a new childcare center.

Five Local Municipalities Establish EMS Authority in Wake of Crozer Closure

by Grace Chen

October 22, 2026

Five local municipalities, including Swarthmore, recently established an EMS authority to mitigate strain from Crozer Health closure.

Opinions

Garment of Destiny

by Maria Victoria Almarza

October 29, 2026

Maria Victoria Almarza '28 describes the origins of her personal conception of justice and argues that we must work collectively, at Swarthmore and beyond, to reconcile our views of inmates as “outsiders.”

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Nasrin AhmedandRafi Karpowitz

October 29, 2026

In this edition of Swat Says, students rank Tri-Co mascots, weigh in on the Garnet Weekend and Halloween overlap, and reflect on their caffeine habits.

Should Pennsylvania be more like Mississippi?

by Trajan Finarelli

October 29, 2026

Trajan Finarelli '30 argues that Pennsylvania may have something to learn from Mississippi's recent success in education policy, funding, and support.

Arts

Artist of the Week: Lucia Pachynski-Hoopes ’27 Lets Her Walls Down

by Yijia (Jessica) Qin

October 29, 2026

Actor Lucia Pachynski-Hoopes ’27 on rediscovering the joy of theater through improv and finding balance between embodying characters and being herself.

Shared Space: A Review of ‘What’s the Time Back Home’

by Ari Froehlich

October 29, 2026

A review of “What’s the Time Back Home,” a devised theater performance that looked into the shared experience of international students, featuring Swarthmore students on campus.

‘Why Haven’t You Blown up a Pipeline Yet?’

by Ellie Dowek

October 22, 2026

A review of Daniel Goldhaber’s 2023 film “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” and 2026 director Q&A at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute.

Sports

Athlete of the Week: Joost Almekinders ’27

by Aimee Lee

October 29, 2026

Joost Almekinders ’27 is a senior captain on the Swarthmore men’s soccer team, capping off his collegiate career with a dominant final season after injuries limited him to just three games during his junior year. Hailing from Arlington, VA, he has tallied

USWNT Wins Friendly Against Spain in Chester, PA

by Ava Gizzie

October 29, 2026

A crowd of 18,000 chants in unison to the beat of the fan section drums. It’s the 86th minute of the match, and the U.S. Women’s National Team is down 2-1 to reigning World Cup Champions, Spain. The beat continues. The left

Athlete of the Week: Avery Bloom ’27

by Charlie Watson

October 22, 2026

Senior midfielder Avery Bloom ’27 has been on a roll for Swarthmore field hockey in her final season on the turf. After earning consistent playing time her sophomore year and pushing into the starting lineup as a junior, Bloom has continued her

Features

An Empty-Headed Escape

by Paris Kampel

October 29, 2026

Paris Kampel '27 draws a comic in reflection of her recent escape room experience.

On Dying as an Atheist

by Xinto Xu

October 29, 2026

Xinto Xu '28 shares her reflections on her grandparents' lives and deaths as atheists.

Life at the Edge: Bridge Day, West Virginia

by Ella Walker

October 29, 2026

Ella Walker '28 reflects on her experience at 2026 Bridge Day.

Finally breaking the silence on justice

by The Phoenix

December 4, 2014

Our college constantly touts its commitment to social justice, and though we often fall short in our actions, both as individuals and as an institution, the last two weeks have proven that it’s not an entirely empty commitment. Students organized a moment

Electricity isn’t costless; do your part to reduce carbon load

by Ralph Thayer

December 4, 2014

When you think of what services today are indispensable, electricity is at the top of the list. The simple movement of electrons through wire enables us to power large machines and provide communications — it seems inexhaustible! It works 24 hours a

Kakkar competes in NCAA championships

by Henry Cappel

December 4, 2014

Sid Kakkar ’17 recently competed in the NCAA cross-country championships held in Mason, Ohio. The journey did not come without struggle, as he worked day after day to represent Swarthmore in the biggest Division III race in the country. Kakkar has an

“Define Your Terms:” in this case, “Divestment”

by Edith and Jeb Eddy

December 4, 2014

To the Editor: Our experience at Swarthmore five decades ago imprinted on us the value and importance of the first three words above. We wonder if there are some significant differences in what parties in the discussion really mean by the term

Why denouncing baseball’s steroid era is a mistake

by Muhaiminul Haque

December 4, 2014

This month, the 2015 selection process for the Baseball Hall of Fame will begin. In the past, this was quite a straightforward occasion; it was normal to pleasantly ponder over the players on the ballot, allowing the nostalgia to take control of

Weekend roundup & the week ahead

by Scoop Ruxin

December 4, 2014

Women’s basketball slips past Neumann Swarthmore’s women’s basketball team bounced back from a disappointing beginning to the conference season by defeating Neumann College 62-55. Elle Larsen ’15 led the team with 25 points. The Garnet suffered two Centennial Conference losses in the

Wallace dominates court in freshman season

by Emma Keefe

December 4, 2014

Freshman Sarah Wallace’s performance this season for the women’s volleyball team has been incredible, to say the least. Her debut this past fall shattered three of the program’s records and earned her a total of eight awards, one of which was the

After Lengthy Renovations, Clothier Bells Ring Again

by Kyungchan Min

December 4, 2014

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG. Clothier Tower