Sometimes the tender expression in the eyes of a cow is simply too much to ignore.
And so, behold the cow who visited the campus in the dead of January. Unsurprisingly, a chance for students to touch and connect with this regal, relaxed, slightly aloof visitor was not to be missed. They lined up. They waited for her arrival. They were not disappointed by Daisy’s detached acceptance.
The start of a new year hauled along with it the extreme and enormous challenges of a frenzied nation. Any fleeting moment to measure our humanity and connectedness is prized. They seem fleeting. Even petting a cow.
In this issue, we celebrate Nobel Prize winner John Hopfield ’54, H ’92, for his discoveries in physics in an article written by Phoenix Editor Katherine Kihiczak ’25. Hopfield shares the prize with Jeffrey Hinton of the University of Toronto.
For more inspiration, read about Claire O'Brien’18’s path to becoming a firefighter. And for a dash of time travel, learn how Assistant Professor of Theater Isaiah Matthew Wooden is cultivating creativity in the classroom.
In these pages we rally around a dramatic rise in the success of Swarthmore athletics. Sports, for the student-athletes, offer a sense of purpose, instilling discipline as well as belonging. A team becomes family. Sports for the spectators (families, friends, and coaches who guide and cheer and, yes, sometimes console) offer a release from the magnitude of expectations of life off of the playing field.
The competitive nature of sports sometimes demands more than what we think we are capable of doing. Hall of Fame Athlete Travis Pollen ’12 explains that brilliantly in Navigation. Many alumni who have made careers in athletics say Swarthmore gave them that early opportunity to think about how sports create, build, and lift community. From analysts and coaches to firefighters and runners, we hope you enjoy the stories championing the competitive spirit of Swarthmore on and off the field. Go Garnet!
Kate Campbell
Editor/ Editorial Director
