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.

Dugout Renovations Continue on Clothier Baseball Field

by Charlie Watson

September 17, 2026

Swarthmore baseball players returned to campus this August to find their dugouts entirely gone, with construction fences taking their place. While potentially shocking to some, the sight was neither unwelcome nor a surprise to the team. The baseball program has been aiming

Spoiler Alert: “Hope” is Ridiculous (In a Good Way!)

by Ben Waters

September 17, 2026

Check out our new column 'Spoiler Alert'! This time on the highs and lows of "Hope" (2026).

“Get In Loser, We’re Going to the Movies”

by Olivia Huang

September 17, 2026

2026 was the highest-grossing summer box office on record, indicating a resurgence of moviegoing habits.

You Belong in the Audience of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Opera

by Maya Bundy

September 17, 2026

Philadelphia Orchestra and Opera are more accessible to students than you think.

Athlete of the Week: Libby Castle ’30

by Aimee Lee

September 17, 2026

Libby Castle ’30 is a first-year field hockey player from Marvin, North Carolina. This past Wednesday against York College of Pennsylvania, Castle scored her first collegiate goal to tie the score 2-2 in the third quarter. Less than a minute later, the

Oh, OneCard

by Paris Kampel

September 17, 2026

Paris Kampel '27 draws a comic about being locked out of the dorm.

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

by Ella Walker

May 2, 2026

"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.