We are SC Stories
We Seek Collaboration. We Solve Challenges. We Support our Community. We Spark Creation. We Spur Curiosity. We Shatter Conventions. We Secure Championships. We are Sustainability Conscious. We are Student Centered. We Are SC.
And here are our stories.
- From student to science communicator
USC Dornsife graduating senior Srikar Kolluru spent his undergraduate years translating scientific research into compelling stories — and inspiring his peers to do the same. - The biomedical engineer inspired by her grandfather to make a difference
Class of 2025 graduate Lauren Tomita is driven to support others, taking on a student leadership role as president of the Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering. - How Alex Gasca went from building islands on earth to infrastructure for space
Gasca recognized that the construction industry was comparatively slow to integrate new technology, and he knew he had to sharpen his skillset if he planned to enter a new field. - MASM graduate is part of a transformation in senior living
With undergraduate and graduate degrees from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Lourdes Bustamante is on track to become a senior living leader. - The USC sophomore whose algorithm is helping pediatric cancer patients
Arjun Karnwal, an undergraduate student in the Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, developed a software script that can significantly improve the way radiation treatments are conducted. - Four USC students receive CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Awards
The CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award is one of the most prestigious recognitions for undergraduate computing research in North America. The award spotlights students who demonstrate exceptional potential in computing research fields. - USC Dornsife honors scholars with 2024 Communicator of the Year Award
The prestigious award recognizes individuals who excel as “public scholars,” sharing their expertise to benefit society. - Marine microbiologist awarded prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship
USC Dornsife scholar Julia Schwartzman joins a select group of science luminaries that includes nearly 60 Nobel laureates. - When words fail, she just builds
“I have really bad dyslexia,” she said, “and have struggled with that for a long time – ever since elementary school. Words don’t do a good job of conveying anything, really. And so I’ve kind of switched to physical things because I feel like I can convey and understand a lot more from looking, feeling and making.” - Alumni providing care and pursuing change
Three USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology master’s graduates use their expertise and leadership not only to care for older adults but also to advocate for better aging policies. - An unforgettable moment
Andrea Woywitka DDS ’26 has earned the top Friends of Dentistry Scholarship — an award of $50,000 that will help her realize her dreams of giving back to underserved populations. - Three families, one mission
With a passion for USC and a shared commitment to education, these families are ensuring future teachers feel the Trojan spirit. - Lifting others as she climbs
Guided by a deep commitment to community and family, PASA graduate Ella Rae Bautista Columbres ME ’24 is helping students realize their full potential. - 2 prestigious grants fund PhD research in marine and molecular biology
Research on neurogenerative disorders and the capacity for marine life to withstand warmer temperatures has gotten a boost, thanks to a grant and fellowship awarded to PhD students. - First-Gen Student Leads the USC Liquid Propulsion Lab
Soon to launch into a career at one of the nation’s top space companies, graduating student Danetti Martino has already gained ground as lead engineer of one of the nation’s top student rocketry labs. - Sticking the Landing: Marta Davila Mateu
Graduating computer science master’s student Marta Davila Mateu on mastering skating, surfing and theoretical computer science at USC - No More Burnout: Mohamad Awada Wants to Optimize your Workspace
Mohamad Awada, a graduating Ph.D. student in USC Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, reflects on five years of research developing dynamic environments for modern workspaces. - Social work doctoral graduates awarded prestigious postdoc fellowships for novel research approaches
Academia can be a competitive landscape, but for two doctoral candidates completing their PhD studies in May 2024 at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, it has been an opportunity to lift each other up. The educational journeys of Adriane Clomax (she/her) and Rory O’Brien (they/them) mirrored each other as recipients of the Oakley Fellowship endowed by the USC Provost. - Price student and Air Force vet begins new real estate career
Ever since she was seven years old, Keshia Albrecht seemed destined to work in real estate. Growing up in the Florida panhandle, Albrecht remembers “For Sale” signs sparking her curiosity as she wondered who was buying and selling the vacant swamp lands. - From the Maker Space to SpaceX: Why Engineering is Far More than Fundamentals
Victoria Pinkett, hands-on learner and student leader, shares how she’s made the most of her USC experience. - ‘You don’t have to fit in the box that society puts you in’
USC Rossier alum Mariah Lora MAT ’24 shares her academic journey from the basketball court and pageant stage to the classroom and commencement podium. - Propelled by Mentorship, an Astronautical Engineer’s Path To Success
For graduating student Brooke Rios, the path to engineering excellence was discovered in the powerful alliances she forged along the way. - The USC Viterbi ISE Graduate Weaving Words and Limbs
A poet who recently published her first two collections, Class of 2024 graduate Meredith Lapidas also has a background as a contortion artist. - Social work graduate determined to help fellow veterans thrive in rural communities
For Alyssa Warburton, life is a dedication to service for her country. First, serving five years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and now advocating for veterans in rural Washington state who are struggling to transition to civilian life and at risk for suicide. - Once unhoused and despite a family loss, USC Dornsife senior graduates and heads to Yale law school
Political science major Sophia Perez, fueled by personal experience with housing insecurity, advocates for tenants’ rights.