Former Sprinter Discovers the Physical Aspects of Aging In MSG Program
Photo of Krystal Walden

“The best thing about a degree in gerontology is that you can tailor it to whatever you’re passionate about. For me, that’s the physical and emotional aspects of aging, but others might lean toward advocacy, policy or politics. Either way, you’re changing lives and helping people age more joyfully.”

Chris Birmingham, The Robot Whisperer
Photo of Chris Birmingham and robots
Chris Birmingham is developing robotic technologies to support people coping with difficult health conditions, such as cancer. (Photo / Keith Wang)

“I had a pressing need to do something now, in the short term. That really sparked my interest in building social robots or socially assistive robots that could help people.”

The High-Flying Frisbee Ace on a Materials Research Path
Photo of Hari Sridhara playing frisbee with teammates.
Hari Sridhara catching during a USC Ultimate Frisbee game. (Image / Meg Hofner)

“There are lots of things across the board that I find myself dabbling in to give myself a holistic college experience, and I have really enjoyed the four years I spent here.”

The Trojan Empowering Student Entrepreneurs
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Sarah Hakim - graduating senior in the Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. (Image / Lee Hernandez)

“I feel like it was amazing to have an event for students by students. An event that just uplifts the community that’s usually not represented.”

Omar Uraimov’s Love Letter to Central Asia Makes You the Hero of Kyrgyzstan
Photo of Omar Uraimov and the Legend of Manas
Omar Uraimov created a video game called Manas, based on the Kyrgyzstan legend, The Epic of Manas, the country’s most treasured cultural artifact. (Photo / Gloria Jin)

“It seemed like a perfect opportunity to both explore my own heritage and introduce it to so many people who probably have never heard of Kyrgyzstan.”

Salutatorian Carina Robles embraces interdisciplinary opportunities as a transfer student
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2023 Salutatorian Carina Robles, 22 , poses for a photograph in front of Doheny Memorial Library, May 3, 2023. (Photo/Gus Ruelas)

“USC has so many options,” Robles said. “There’s such an emphasis on the interdisciplinary aspect of the different colleges that inspires you to really try everything.”

Salutatorian Liam Tsao continues branching out of his comfort zone to take on new challenges
Photo of Liam Tsao
2023 Salutatorian, Liam Tsao, 21 poses for a picture in front of Doheny Memorial Library, May 3, 2023. (Photo/Gus Ruelas)

“One thing that I really valued about my USC experience is that I’ve gotten to take classes all over the place,” Tsao said. “USC makes it really easy for that to happen.”

Valedictorian Isha Sanghvi targets health inequity post-commencement
Photo of Isha Sanghvi
2023 Valedictorian Isha Sanghvi, 22, poses for a photograph in front of Doheny Memorial Library, May 3, 2023. (Photo / Gus Ruelas)

“The fact that I didn’t have to pigeonhole myself into this one discipline and feel really committed to it, but rather explore and then find how these interests can intersect, was really awesome.”

Just Like Dad’s White T-Shirt: Trojan Engineer Unlocks Memories with Fragrance
Photo of Aidan Niswender
Industrial and System Engineering Senior Aidan Niswender is hoping to launch a career in perfumery. (Photo / Akash Sareen)

“It’s much more about telling a story, as you would with a painting or a photograph. You can really transport people to a certain time and a place. It’s about bringing the science into that.”

“Everything Full Force:” USC Viterbi Senior Shines On The Track

“I wanted to go somewhere where I was going to be pushed academically and in sports but taken care of. USC was kind of like the perfect place, the best of both worlds, basically.”