Lifting Up Unheard Voices
Photo of Michelle Maestas Simonsen
Photo by Dario Griffin.

“They are the heart of the Thornton community, and I am continually amazed by the incredible talent and dedication of everyone involved. Giving back to the school that gave me my start has been my greatest joy…”

Students improve mobile app accessibility for people with disabilities
Photo of Paul and Ali, Viterbi PhD students
Paul Chiou (left) and Ali Alotaibi.

“Sometimes people don’t appreciate the difficulty some people have with using apps, and developers don’t understand the impact small changes can have.”

From LASIK to Telemedicine: How a USC Ophthalmologist is Revolutionizing Vision Care in Guam
Photo of Dr. Charles Flowers, MD
Charles W. Flowers, MD, Ophthalmology (Photo/Ricardo Carrasco)

“Before I began to offer laser vision correction procedures in Guam, anyone who wanted laser vision correction either had to travel to the Philippines or the United States – a thirteen-hour flight. You couldn’t get care if you didn’t have the means to get off the island.”

Jennifer Wheeler Kahn BFA ’04 breathes new life into old theatre materials as sustainable fashion goods
Photo of Jennifer Wheeler Kahn
Jennifer Wheeler Kahn BFA '04 and a Scenery Bags purse that was recycled from retired theatre material. (Photo courtesy of Scenery Bags)

“Especially for all of us who work in this very finite industry, these beautiful stories about what it means to hold a tangible piece of it are really special.”

Playing Trojans football is a dream come true for USC Price student
Photo of USC Football Team at the LA Memorial Coliseum
Vincent Ragsdale (No. 82) made the USC football team as a walk on. (Photo courtesy of Vincent Ragsdale)

“My classmates push me and I push my classmates – we help each other out in any way we can. That’s a hallmark of Price that you can’t find anywhere else.”

A Warrior for Equal Rights
Photo of Rob Parke
Rob Parke (Photo / Courtesy of Rob Parke)

“I hope people think that when I had interactions with them they felt heard, included, and encouraged. And in a small way, I got to be part of their journey.”

From Disney to Startups and AI, a Designer Makes Her Mark
Photo of Sydney Loew

“I still have that entrepreneurial spirit that I want to unleash. And I’m trying to look at the ‘why’ of what I’m doing and how I can be of service to the utmost point.”

USC Price student is the youngest American woman to summit Everest
Photo of Lucy Westlake with her hands raised
Westlake at the summit (Photo: Lucy Westlake)

“After that mountain, I definitely had a crisis of purpose because I felt I worked so hard for nothing. Life is about the journey, not the destination.”

USC Race and Equity Center seeks to ‘illuminate, disrupt and dismantle’ racism
Photo of Shaun Harper
Shaun Harper, founder and executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center, speaks at the LAUSD Racial Equity Leadership Academy Kick-Off at the Galen Center in 2020. (Photo/Steve Cohn)

“Equality is giving everybody the exact same thing in equal shares, in equal amounts. Equity is giving people what they need and customizing it to meet their needs. It’s understanding the unique context of everyone we work with.”

Trailblazer Julia Ritter strives to make dance a safe space
Photo of USC Dean Julia Ritter
Julia M. Ritter is the dean of the USC Kaufman School of Dance. (Photo/Sandra Nissen)

“It’s incredible to see something have continued relevance, even if there’s still work to do. For me, the arts have always been about progress. The same goes for Title IX.”