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.
- USC Bovard College Graduate Makes Lasting Impact on LGBTQ+ Curriculum“It’s so important to remember that as things change, everyone is going to make mistakes…It isn’t about not making mistakes. It’s all about how we recover from them because mistakes are inevitable.”
- USC Price professor launches Hispanic Well-Being Initiative“It’s important to have cross-country comparisons because it allows us to get a better picture. We’re able to observe the whole population and understand their health better.”
- When he’s not helping students spin tales, he’s spinning records“Preparing for a set is almost the same as preparing for writing an essay. You’re auditioning ideas, you’re figuring out what goes in what order, you’re thinking about your audience or your reader.”
- ‘Nowhere better than USC’: New provost given a Trojan welcome at installation ceremony“I see a place that’s at the very front edge of changing the world in which we live for the better — from finding treatments for Alzheimer’s, to innovations in AI, to defending our democracy, to expanding the frontiers of art.”
- Tackling Climate Change with the Help of “Coffee Filters for Molecules”“I love to do research with a reason. I’m passionate about the applications that we are targeting to make a difference and decrease the amount of energy we spend on separations. I’m really happy that I’ll be able to collaborate with experts in both areas to push forward the development of the next-generation membranes that can tackle these challenges.”
- “You’re Never Alone:” Leveraging Technology to Prevent Sexual Assault“We’re trying to prevent all the dangers that could come from being intoxicated and underage at a party, including sexual violence. All students need a way to stay connected and to instantly notify their friends any time they feel vulnerable.”
- Velina Hasu Houston has been carving out her place since she was a girl“With regard to openness and fairness, we must be active and intentional about how we teach, create and indeed live our lives to make sure that students feel comfortable in the room and to ensure equal access to all.”
- Erik Brink named USC senior vice president, finance, and chief financial officer“We have some pretty ambitious goals, and I think we’re doing great things for society. I feel like there’s currently such a spirit of optimism on our campuses, and I look forward to doing everything I can to make sure that my team and I support new developments…”
- Entrepreneur Turns to USC EMHA Program to Help Found Health Care Startup“Listen to yourself first and foremost. Realize that you can write your own story while at USC and take advantage of that. Whatever you choose to do, make sure that it’s something that aligns with you and that you’re following your success and your vision.”
- In Search of Community: An Unconventional Thinker Founds a Space for Creatives“We don’t know what’s going to happen in a few years. COVID showed us that. Now it’s more important than ever to find your people and spend time investing in the ones that matter. That’s the one constant.”
- USC Viterbi-Led Startup Science of Sport Connects Kids to STEM“We’re supporting schools and teachers and giving them the necessary resources to succeed in the classroom, like student activity books and STEM kits.”
- Chris Allen named chief financial officer of Keck Medicine of USC“Chris’ presence is a true source of pride for our entire leadership team, and we are confident that his strategic thinking and business acumen will propel our organization to even greater success.”
- ‘Game’ Changer: IYA Alum Turned PhD Student Explores the Influence of Video Games“[IYA] was that blend of the practice-based making of things, whether that’s designing or programming or actually making something with your hands, but there’s this central interest in information and knowledge and having some sort of impact on our society. I thought it would give me the space to explore myself, and it really did.”
- Gould education, global opportunity“You are more than a law degree…I am now positioning myself more broadly to work in AI, the metaverse, ‘smart cities’ and the Internet of Things, and it’s time to go even bigger. There’s constant growth possible from a legal education, and I’m glad I got it at Gould.”
- New communication major creates fan edits to bring people together“The difference between college and high school is no one’s holding your hand to tell you what to do…Obviously, there are people that guide you on the way, but you have a lot of accountability for your choices and goals.”
- Jennifer Cohen named USC director of athletics“USC is a national powerhouse in every measure of college athletics, and I look forward to honoring the Trojan heritage while working alongside the incredible USC Athletics team as we embrace both the opportunities and challenges of this complex moment.”
- Kaitlyn Yang, USC School of Cinematic Arts alum, encourages Trojans to constantly set new goals“Instead of being enamored with the USC brand, ask what you can accomplish as a Trojan. What’s your next goal? It’s all about collecting your own data, your own trials and errors, to accelerate your life forward.”
- USC Computer Science Student Makes Strides in Queer in AI Movement“Despite the setbacks that often happen, I am hopeful that the future generally gets better. I think it is becoming easier for marginalized communities to participate in AI in general, and I believe that the future will be even more inclusive.”
- USC appoints alumna Melissa Just as new dean of libraries“Not only are we responsible for collections, spaces and services — the things we are traditionally known for — we are now managing those functions in a constantly evolving environment.”
- Stem Cell PhD student Alma Zuniga Munoz wins USC’s first Gilliam Fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute“[My parents] are very supportive of school, which is great because a lot of families are very traditional, as in they expect a woman to get married, have children, take care of the house. But my parents wanted to break that cycle that they grew up in, and they wanted to empower me to chase whatever dream I had.”
- Undergraduate will use rare, prestigious Truman Scholarship to springboard career as civil rights attorney“I’m a firm believer in the potential of scholarship and shared knowledge as vehicles for change…Through my organizing work on the issues of school segregation, gun violence and civic engagement, I’ve come to recognize legal advocacy as an imperative avenue for justice.”
- USC Dornsife scholar Peggy Kamuf elected to the British Academy“I’m proud to be recognized by such a prestigious institution. I hope I’ll have the chance to take part in their activities and contribute my expertise.”
- USC student is youngest elected official in Los Angeles County“[Moving around] gave me a bunch of tools that have helped me get to where I am right now. It’s taught me how to meet new people, how to start conversations, how to be in new environments and speak with people for the first time.”
- USC Viterbi Student and Air Force Officer Makes Plans to Go to Space“It took me a long time to decide to go back to school because I wanted to be sure that I was really doing something that I loved. It’s all too easy to spend a significant portion of your life doing something you only sort-of like, but don’t truly don’t enjoy.”
- First-generation USC student models herself after those who helped her succeed“If I wasn’t involved in a college access program like NAI, I don’t think I’d be where I am today. Most of the students who went to my high school didn’t have those same kinds of resources to get to college.”
- From USC student to the U.S. Foreign Service“I realized there is so much more to this world that I want to see and learn about. And I loved living internationally. What career would help me advocate for others and continue learning about new cultures and lifestyles?”
- Air Force vet takes his math talents to USC Viterbi“I’m a computer science major, and some of those schools can have 1,200 students in some of those classes early on. I didn’t want to deal with that. USC was a better fit in that regard, and the alumni network is strong.”
- The Biomedical Engineer Scaling New Heights – Literally“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“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“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“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“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“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“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“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“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“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“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“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“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“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.”
- After a career in visual arts field, Andrew Freire JD ’23 takes on mantle of immigrant defense“I’m excited to further develop my advocacy in this field, and I also look forward to engaging more with the visual arts communities I worked with before entering law school.”
- Celebrated writer and Distinguished Professor of English elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters“I believe that the arts make us better, smarter. I feel fortunate to be able to make a living as an artist and so participate in this ongoing discourse.”
- Trojan trailblazer lays the bricks for children’s path to college“How great is it to be able to develop an environment in classrooms that is welcoming, creative, open, hopefully safe — where they can explore their dreams.”
- Trojan trailblazer works to make women, LGBTQ+ students feel ‘safe and comfortable’ at veterans center“Being able to explore my gender identity without fear of being othered or fear for my job allows me to focus on the work I’m doing for our student populations.”
- ISE Award Winner a Fierce Advocate for Mental Health“Say yes even when something is uncertain. Some of the best decisions I have made have been the most random. There are so many events and possibilities here, so all you have to do is look for them and give everything a shot to find what you’re truly passionate about.”
- USC Price Graduate Uses Real Estate Expertise to Combat Homelessness“The exposure to the many different things that I could do with that degree beyond just planning, or beyond working specifically in real estate development, set me on a different path. And it can set you on a different path, too, if you’re open and willing to learn and grow.”
- Former Sprinter Discovers the Physical Aspects of Aging In MSG Program“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“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“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.”