The Biomedical Engineer Scaling New Heights – Literally
Photo of Emily Powis rock climbing.
Class of 2022 USC Viterbi Biomedical Engineering graduate Emily Powis climbing at Tick Rock in Pacific Palisades, California. (Image / Jack Green).

“I’ve talked to a lot of people about it and people think that engineers and STEM-related people enjoy climbing because it’s a high failure sport. I think that’s very similar to engineering and research because you’re constantly making very incremental progress towards your goal, and I think it takes a special person to want to do that.”

Kailey Breyer Brings Joy – and a Little Coding – to Girls
Photo of Kailey Breyer and girls from Kailey's Queens.
In August 2019, Kailey Breyer (center) created Kailey's Queens, an in-person and now online "safe space for girls between 9 and 16 to disconnect from social media to create genuine connections, build leadership skills, and discover lifelong confidence." (Photo/ Courtesy of Kailey Breyer)

“I want to offer a creative and educational mix of activities to help expand girls’ minds and help them discover their interests. I want to show young girls how much beauty and strength we all have inside of us. I care deeply about their mental health, which is suffering.”

Two USC Rossier grads partner to reimagine military training
Photo of Victor Castro MEd ’19 and Richard DiNinni EdD ’22.
Richard DiNinni EdD ’22 (left) and Victor Castro MEd ’19 (right), have spearheaded programs that blend virtual reality and game-based training technologies with research-based pedagogy to transform how U.S. Military Academy cadets are taught. (Photo courtesy of Richard DiNinni and Victor Castro)

“It’s been a great partnership, in that we bring different strengths and experiences to the table but are both passionate about the same thing—developing new ideas and technologies to improve the learning outcomes for these cadets.”

A mental health superhero takes the White House
Photo of Carla Ibarra
Carla Ibarra, MPH candidate, at the White House. (Photo courtesy / Carla Ibarra)

“If this is a way for me to hold space for my community, I will do it. Any chance to be able to talk about my experience with the hopes of helping another person who may be going through a similar thing… I hope that helps them.”

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.”