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USC Price School Celebrates Naming Gift: Confetti shot through the air, the Spirit of Troy played the USC fight song and faculty, staff, students, alumni and university officials lifted two fingers in a victory salute as the university celebrated the newly named USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.
It’s the Smart Thing to Do: In architect Doris Kim Sung’s ideal future, buildings automatically will respond to changes in the environment.
Dauterive’s Gift Names New Social Sciences Building: USC trustee Verna B. Dauterive ME ’49, EdD ’66 has committed her $30 million gift to name the first interdisciplinary social sciences building on the USC campus.
Small Business, Big Plans: Carmen Rad started her business, CRA Custom Banner, out of her home in 1993. By 2009, her banner printing enterprise had grown enough for her move into a 25,000-square-feet building not far from the University Park campus.
Reluctant Hero Steps Into the Spotlight: USC Gould School of Law alumnus Shervin Lalezary ’08 arrested a serial arsonist who had been on a rampage that resulted in millions of dollars in property damage in Los Angeles.
Sugars Donate $5 Million to the USC Libraries: USC trustee Ronald D. Sugar and his wife, Valerie Sugar MS ’72, have endowed the Valerie and Ronald Sugar Dean’s Chair of the USC Libraries.
Trojan Debate Squad Set for Great Debaters Rematch: The Trojan Debate Squad will travel to Texas for a Jan. 27 rematch of a famous 1935 debate between USC and Wiley College that inspired The Great Debaters, the 2007 movie starring Denzel Washington.
Bane Wins Asa V. Call Alumni Achievement Award: Dan Bane ’69 will receive the Asa V. Call Alumni Achievement Award, USC’s highest alumni honor, at the 79th annual USC Alumni Awards on April 28 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Jill Biden Participates in Roundtable on Military Families: A USC School of Social Work forum discusses programs connecting educators with military students and parents.
Giving Money Away Is Not Easy: During the fall, USC students who signed up for the course, "The Nonprofit Sector and the Public Interest," found themselves with $10,000 and a tough assignment. They had to give the money away to up to five deserving Los Angeles-based nonprofits.
USC Conference Examines Keys to Students’ Success: Nine out of every 10 middle school students across the United States said they plan to go to college.
Nikias Examines Role of Universities: USC president C. L. Max Nikias joined higher education chief executives for two major public discussions on the role of universities held earlier this month.
$3.8 Million Gift Funds Full Scholarships: The number of full-tuition scholarships at USC will rise by at least 40 over the next four years.
$15 Million Norris Gift Funds USC Cancer Care: USC has announced an expansion of cancer care facilities made possible by a $15 million donation from the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation.
New Strategic Vision Charts USC’s Continued Ascent: USC has launched a new strategic vision that outlines the leading role the university will play in what it calls “the Age of the Pacific - an environment that is far more global, urban and integrated than ever before.”
Nikias to Attend Two Higher Education Panels: In two upcoming events, USC president C. L. Max Nikias will join his counterparts from other leading universities to answer major concerns currently faced by the administrators.
USC Center Examines High School Curriculum: The USC Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice on Jan. 11 will bring together the nation’s top college admissions deans, education policymakers and administrators to cast a critical eye on the state of the nation’s high school curriculum.
Tears of Joy: For these high school students, the tiny mortarboard pins represented months of hard work and tenacity.
Matt Barkley Will Stay at USC: USC quarterback Matt Barkley announced today that he will return to USC for his senior season.
Former Rep. Jane Harman Elected USC Trustee: Jane Harman, former congresswoman from California and current director, president and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, was elected to the USC Board of Trustees.
Student-Athletes Take Part in Community Bowl: Student-athletes representing 11 of USC's varsity sports came together to participate in the university’s first Community Bowl.
Tinoco Appointed to L.A. Library Board: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has appointed Eduardo Tinoco, associate dean of public services for the USC Libraries, to the Los Angeles Board of Library Commissioners.
LAUSD Grants Charter to USC Hybrid High: The Los Angeles Unified School District granted a charter to USC Hybrid High, paving the way for the school to open near the University Park campus next September.
Serious Students, Offbeat Classes: During the fall semester, aspiring engineers and business majors attended a USC School of Theatre improv class, many describing themselves as introverted or shy.
Behind the Mask: When remembering Shakespeare’s words in Hamlet, “This above all: to thine own self be true,” most don’t consider that the play’s buffoonish Polonius delivers the line.
USC School Receives $50 Million Gift: USC is receiving a $50 million gift from the Price Family Charitable Fund to endow and name the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy (formerly the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development), cementing its standing as one of the most progressive and prestigious American schools of public affairs.
Bartner Celebrates His 250th Home Game: USC Trojan Marching Band director Arthur C. Bartner celebrated a triple-digit milestone at USC’s 50-0 victory over UCLA.
Running Toward Greatness: “Cancer put me through the ringer,” McLaughlin blogs. “I came out of it insecure, anxious and with a major attitude. I wondered, ‘why me?’ 10 out of 24 hours a day. And I will admit to being miserable to be around.”
KUSC Nabs National Awards: Classical KUSC took home two first place national awards at the Los Angeles Press Club’s fourth annual National Entertainment Journalism Awards competition on Nov. 17.
Living the Dream: Is there a general fatigue from an oversaturation of American dream stories? I can’t say (because I don’t know), but I do think we take our parents’ sacrifices and uniquely American opportunities and experiences for granted.
Rwanda Testimony to be Archived at USC: In a significant expansion of its archive, the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education is launching a new effort to preserve and share video testimony from survivors of the 1994 Rwandan Tutsi genocide.
USC Researchers Launch Collaboration on STEM Education: It’s become an urgent mantra: The United States must produce more scientists and engineers to maintain its edge in an increasingly competitive global economy.
USC Leads the Nation in International Students: For the 10th year in a row, USC counted more international students than any other American institution of higher education, according to the annual Open Doors report released by the Institute of International Education.
U.S. Air Force Vet Turned Trojan Honors Fallen Soldiers: One of more than 500 student veterans at USC, airwoman turned Trojan Monica Valencia participates in a nationwide remembrance on Veterans Day.
Follow the Leaders: Learning to lead while sea kayaking, hot air ballooning and hiking has been quite an adventure for USC students.
In Memoriam: Harry Pachon: Harry Pachon, professor of public policy at USC and president of the nation’s oldest and most recognized think tank on Latino issues, died Nov. 4 following an extended illness.
Documentary Captures Challenges of First-Year Teachers: For the past two months, filmmakers have been following two USC Rossier School of Education graduates in their first semester of teaching at Crenshaw High School.
A New Name for World-Class Medicine: The University of Southern California’s renowned doctors and nationally ranked private hospitals have a new name: Keck Medical Center of USC.
Trojan Family Weekend Draws Thousands to Campus: Trojan Family Weekend 2011 gave USC parents from all over the country a glimpse into the full scope of academic and social activities that students enjoy on campus.
USC Launches ‘We Are Considerate’ Campaign: Five traits are etched on Tommy Trojan's pedestal: faithful, scholarly, skillful, courageous and ambitious.
Local Residents Learn About The Village at USC: It was standing room only as more than 500 community residents came to USC to learn about The Village at USC, the largest development of its kind in the history of South Los Angeles.
USC Sends Silence Packing: On a sunny Friday afternoon in October, the donated backpacks of 1,100 college students who died by their own hands were scattered on the grass of USC's Alumni Park.
2011 ShakeOut a Success: At 10:20 a.m. on Oct. 20, more than 8.6 million participants enacted the lifesaving earthquake-response procedure of “drop, cover and hold on."
USC School of Pharmacy Commits to Safety-Net Clinics: The USC School of Pharmacy plans to double its presence in clinics and medical homes that deliver health care services to the uninsured, the poor and the homeless.
Provost Named Fellow of Prestigious Academy: Elizabeth Garrett has been elected to The American Academy of Political and Social Science, a prestigious honor shared by only three other USC scholars, and will be inducted as a Harold Lasswell Fellow.
A Look Ahead at Supreme Court Term: Three of the nation’s top constitutional law scholars - Michael McConnell and Jeffrey Fisher of Stanford Law School and Rebecca Brown of the USC Gould School of Law - offered insights on some of the most important cases before the U.S. Supreme Court at a recent event on the University Park campus.
Gruber Named Director of USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center: Stephen B. Gruber, a renowned physician-scientist from the University of Michigan, has been named director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, effective Dec. 1.
Nazi Hunter Traces His Cases: Eli Rosenbaum has dedicated his career to pursuing Nazi war criminals and other violators of human rights living and hiding in the United States.
Leaders With Posse-bility: A few thousand miles from home, a dozen freshmen from New York City can’t picture themselves at USC without their posse.
USC Global Conference to Examine a Changing World: On-site preparations are under way for the 2011 USC Global Conference in Hong Kong, a three-day event that brings together academic and business experts from both sides of the Pacific to exchange ideas, renew connections and forge new relationships.
Soon-Shiong Foundation Endows a New Chair at USC Viterbi: The Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation, funded by philanthropist and surgeon Patrick Soon-Shiong and his wife, Michele B. Chan, has made a donation to the USC Viterbi School of Engineering to endow a new chair.
History Buffs to Meet at L.A. Archives Bazaar: History will come alive once again on Oct. 22 as dozens of Southern California’s rare and archival materials come together at the sixth annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar.
USC Alum Recounts the Fall of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: More than 150 USC law students vied for seats at “Conversations With the Dean,” a lunchtime event on Sept. 28 featuring Dan Woods ’74 JD ’77, the lead attorney who represented the Log Cabin Republicans in the successful federal court challenge to “Don’t ask, don’t tell."
Stipends Support USC Dornsife Courses: The USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education awarded stipends to three professors at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences to support the integration of video testimony from Holocaust survivors and other witnesses into their courses during the academic year.
Green Addresses Impact of Housing Market on Elections: Does the economy need to rebound to repair the housing market or does the housing market need to be fixed to improve the economy? It's the sort of chicken-or-egg scenario that keeps policymakers up at night.
Bringing Out Your Best: Incoming undergraduates, would you like an engraved invitation to visit your professors during their office hours?
Good Neighbors Campaign Hosts Kickoff Celebration: Now in its 18th year, the USC Good Neighbors Campaign kicked off Sept. 28 with a celebration at Alumni Park.
USC Undergraduates: Diverse and Upwardly Mobile: USC’s entering undergraduate student body is among the most diverse, upwardly mobile and academically talented in the university’s 131-year history, with a record proportion of students who are the first in their families to go to college.
Holder Installed as USC Leventhal Dean: William W. Holder was installed as the fifth dean of the USC Leventhal School of Accounting at Town & Gown.
Repetition Does Not Add Up for Math Students: What are children being taught in math classes today? According to a new paper by USC Rossier School of Education assistant professor Morgan Polikoff, the answer is a whole lot of what they were taught last year.
USC Libraries Host German Exile Scholars: During the 1930s and ’40s, as the horrors of Nazi Germany engulfed the European continent, Los Angeles became a sanctuary for some of Europe’s most celebrated artists and intellectuals.
SPPD Fellows Make Their Marks as Education Pioneers: When it comes to education, there actually are four Rs - reading, writing, arithmetic and reform.
USC Family Celebrates Campaign: The Trojan Family cheered the launch of the biggest fundraising campaign in the history of USC, and of American higher education, at a celebration Friday, Sept. 16, in Bovard Auditorium.
Kleinbard Testifies Before Senate Committee on Finance: Outlining his proposals for tax reform on Sept. 13, USC Gould School of Law professor Edward Kleinbard testified before a subcommittee of the United States Senate Committee on Finance.
USC Olympians Saluted at Coliseum: On Sept. 10 at the USC-Utah football game, fans received an extra treat - an on-field salute to four of the university’s Olympians.
Trojans Remember 9/11, Pledge Service to Interfaith Education: Hundreds came to Bovard Auditorium in the heart of the USC campus to remember 9/11 on Sunday. But USC president C.L. Max Nikias asked everyone to also honor the spirit of 9/12.
USC Alumna Selected U.S. Magistrate Judge: USC Gould School of Law clinical professor Jean Rosenbluth ’93 has been named a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Central District of California.
Letter to USC Community: During this past weekend, three serious incidents took place involving members of our community.
USC to Hold 9/11 Remembrance Sunday: The university community will remember the victims of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 in a service at Bovard Auditorium on Sunday at noon.
Maya Angelou to Speak at USC Wednesday: It's a rock, it's a river … it's Maya Angelou! The legendary poet and author will lend her distinctive voice to USC Program Board's Fall Speaker Series on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in Bovard Auditorium.
USC to Launch Largest Fundraising Campaign in Higher Education History: With the goal of advancing its academic vision and priorities, USC on Sept. 15 will announce the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of higher education.
Giving Back to the Community: Four hundred USC students headed to campus early on the last Saturday before classes, grabbed tools and headed into the community to make a difference. The event was the 16th annual Friends and Neighbors Day sponsored by the university’s Volunteer Center.
In Memoriam: USC President Emeritus John Randolph ‘Jack’ Hubbard, 92: John Randolph “Jack” Hubbard, U.S. ambassador to India from 1988 to 1989 and the eighth president of USC, died Aug. 21 at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif., following an extended illness. He was 92.
USC Celebrates New Students at Convocation: At USC's New Student Convocation, President C. L. Max Nikias welcomed more than 4,300 incoming freshmen and transfer students to the Trojan Family and encouraged them to become literate in imagination, the world, the arts, the great literary works and ethics.
Cycling Comes First for the Nikiases on Vacation: President C. L. Max Nikias says that when he was selected as USC’s 11th president last spring, several people urged him to balance the grueling pace of the job with regular exercise.
Politics, Norman Mailer Style: After Ronald Reagan’s victory in the 1966 California gubernatorial election opened doors for celebrities with political aspirations, the late award-winning novelist and essayist Norman Mailer launched his bid to be the 104th mayor of New York City in 1969.
Saltzman to Join Commission on Presidential Scholars: President Barack Obama announced that USC Gould School of Law associate dean Robert M. Saltzman will be appointed to the Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of distinguished citizens charged with selecting and honoring the nation’s top graduating high school seniors.
Tapestry Adds Twist to Ronald Tutor Campus Center: USC's busy master's and Ph.D. students might see something familiar in the new "Head Spin" tapestry hanging in the Graduate Student Lounge at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center.
USC Excels in Annual ‘Great Colleges’ Survey: For the fourth year in a row, The Chronicle of Higher Education has included USC in its Honor Roll of "Great Colleges to Work For."
Future Trojan Travels Near and Far to Help Others: Whether visiting an orphanage in Tanzania, counseling children at a Malibu summer camp or lobbying for asbestos awareness in Washington, D.C., Emily Reinstein thrives on helping others.
USC Trustee Benioff Lands Cover of Forbes: USC trustee Marc R. Benioff ’86 was featured on the latest cover of Forbes for his work in leading the world’s most innovative company, beating out Amazon, Google and Apple.
Set a Precedent, Save a Life: The young attorney might have been standing solo before the omnipotent Wizard of Oz. No small and meek here before the great and powerful.
A Trail-Blazing Summer Internship: Two students and two recent graduates of the Environmental Studies Program at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences have started a trail-blazing summer as interns with the Catalina Island Conservancy, where they are spending eight weeks assisting with conservation and education programs.
SummerTIME Program Preps College-bound Students: Oswaldo Reza’s voice cracks as he recounts how his aunt and cousin were gunned down in July on their way to a Mexican medical clinic, victims of the country’s drug-related violence. But the recent Manual Arts High School graduate is determined not to let these events derail his dream of attending College of the Holy Cross this fall.
USC Makes a Game of Getting More Students to College: For many with college aspirations, navigating the dizzying world of applications and financial forms may seem like a maze. So why not turn it into a game?
Education Consultant Carol Fox Named New USC Trustee: Carol Campbell Fox MS ’62, an independent educational consultant and outgoing president of the USC Alumni Association, has been elected to a five-year term on the USC Board of Trustees.
Tavaré Elected to the Royal Society: Simon Tavaré, holder of the George and Louise Kawamoto Chair in Biological Sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, has been named a fellow of the Royal Society.
California Census Shows Housing Swap: The latest California census data show the state’s oldest residents fled the housing market in greater numbers between 2000 and 2010 than during the previous two decades, according to a USC analysis.
Writing and Redemption: Mark Richard didn’t intend to write his latest book. He originally set out to explore the death of Nat Turner, an early 19th-century slave insurrectionist in Southampton County, Va., where Richard lived as a boy.
USC Dornsife Alum Leads National Security Conference: In a recent conference held at USC, United States Air Force secretary Michael Donley MA ’78 said that today’s military must integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines and called for help from academia.
(Air) Force of Nature: The blindingly shiny floors and fluorescent lights overhead seemed to go on forever in the long walk through the jagged corridors of the Pentagon.
He's Put His Pencils Down: Hudhail Al-Amir often gets stopped in grocery stores, in line at the movies, even on the beach in Hawaii by USC students and alumni who think he looks very familiar.
Rubén Salazar Archives Placed in USC Libraries: The family of the late journalist Rubén Salazar has donated his archives to the USC Libraries. The collection - a gift from Salazar’s children Lisa Salazar Johnson, Stephanie Salazar Cook and John Salazar - includes personal and professional artifacts that document Salazar’s life from his birth in Mexico to his 1970 death in Los Angeles.
Maceo Named Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing: Brenda Maceo ’86 has been named USC vice president of public relations and marketing, effective Aug. 8.
Orientation Teaches the Traits of a Trojan: What are the five traits of a Trojan? It may sound like a trivia question, but to USC Orientation Programs, it's a campaign to welcome new members of the Trojan Family.
Bridging the Gap Brings Minorities to Keck School: A new effort to attract top minority students to the Keck School of Medicine of USC brought 12 undergraduate students to the Health Sciences campus this summer.
Gallagher to Take Part in First Clinton Global Initiative America: Karen Symms Gallagher, dean of the USC Rossier School of Education, was invited to participate in the inaugural Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America, the first CGI meeting to focus solely on the United States.
Pillar of Empowerment: In 1968, Mark Ridley-Thomas ’89 PhD was a seventh-grader at George Washington Carver Middle School in southeast Los Angeles. At Victory Baptist Church near his school campus, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often preached and organized.
Troy Camp Provides 'Nonstop Fun' for Children: Students who want summer camp to last all year are getting their wish through Troy Camp, USC's oldest, most active and most diverse philanthropy organization.
SPPD Students Awarded Clinton-Orfalea Fellowships: Helping Americans lead healthier and wealthier lives - that’s how USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development graduates Brooke Lykins and Mary Kuhn plan to spend their upcoming year courtesy of the Clinton-Orfalea Fellowships.
Keeper of the Wild: Ann Muscat ’83 walks up the sun-dappled path of Catalina Island’s Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden, the sand crunching beneath the heels of her hiking boots.
Four SPPD Graduates Garner Presidential Management Fellowships: The nation’s biggest employer - the federal government - already has snapped up four members of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development’s Class of 2011.
USC Report Names Top 10 California Charter Schools: A USC report issued to strengthen accountability among California charter schools includes for the first time a list of the state’s top 10 charter campuses. The fifth annual “USC School Performance Dashboard” was released by the Center on Educational Governance at the USC Rossier School of Education.
USC Receives $150 Million Naming Gift From W. M. Keck Foundation: The University of Southern California has received a $150 million naming gift from the W. M. Keck Foundation to accelerate groundbreaking medical, clinical and translational research and education.
Robles Appointed to Commission on Educational Excellence: Darline Robles, professor of clinical education at the USC Rossier School of Education, was sworn in at an official ceremony with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on May 26 as a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.
New Crop of Fulbright Fellowships: To date, 10 current and recently graduated Trojans have received the Fulbright Fellowship to study, conduct research or teach abroad.
Applicant Numbers for Fall Released: More than 37,000 accomplished high school seniors from all 50 of the United States and 108 other countries have applied for an estimated 2,650 places in the fall 2011 entering class of USC.
USCNow Brands Online Education: In 1972, USC was a pioneer of distance learning, using microwave technology to beam courses to engineers across Southern California.
Larry Lim Receives Staff Achievement Award: Larry Lim is a teacher, not a locksmith, but there’s no denying that he’s unlocked the worlds of science, math, robotics and technology for thousands of underserved students in the communities surrounding both USC campuses.
L.A. Is ‘Ground Zero’ for Shrinking Child Population: Los Angeles County is now the epicenter of California’s shrinking population of young children as families are driven away by stressful economic conditions, according to a USC analysis of census data.
Student Affairs Rocks Around the Clock: Student Affairs celebrated the 2010-11 academic year with lunch, hula hoops and a juke box at a 1950s-themed end-of-year party. Held in the Grand Ballroom of the Ronald Tutor Campus Center, the event also featured an inspirational speech by Michael L. Jackson, vice president for Student Affairs.
USC’s Minority Business Center Receives $1.8 Million: In an effort to boost job creation and foster economic growth, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency awarded $1.8 million over five years to the MBDA Business Center at USC.
Nikias Receives Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters: USC president C.L. Max Nikias received the Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the graduation of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.
Pendakur Wins Dissertation of the Year Award: At the age of 4, Sumun "Sumi" Pendakur played dress up in her father's academic regalia with dreams of someday wearing her own doctoral robe.
Student Awards Have Special Meaning for Nikias: On May 12 in Bovard Auditorium, USC president C. L. Max Nikias began the Student Recognition Awards on a personal note.
A Senator and a Trojan: Dean Heller ’85, a USC Marshall School of Business alum and former U.S. representative from Nevada, became a United States senator on May 9, filling a vacancy caused by the resignation of John E. Ensign.
Wall of Scholars Recognizes Academic Achievements: The names of nearly five dozen exceptional students will be added to the USC Wall of Scholars housed in the Weingart Reading Room of Leavey Library.
Trojans at Commencement Urged to Find Their Passion: Microsoft chief executive officer Steven A. Ballmer urged USC graduates to face the world with tenacity and find their passion at USC’s 128th Commencement.
Jubilant Grads, Compelling Tales: Every USC graduate has a story of hurdles overcome and triumphs, small and large. Here are a few of the stories from the Class of 2011.
Moreton Fig Solves the Dining Dilemma: It’s an age-old problem. You come to a nighttime event at USC - to hear a concert or a distinguished lecturer, to see a play or an opera. You put on nice clothes, make plans to meet friends and then, the nagging question arises: Where to dine?
USC Names Two New Provost Professors: Kate Flint has been named Provost Professor of English and Art History at the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and Lee Epstein has been named Provost Professor of Law and Political Science, with appointments at the USC Gould School of Law and USC Dornsife College.
USC Names Six Provost’s Postdoctoral Scholars: The USC Provost's Postdoctoral Scholars Program in the Humanities, established last fall, is designed to foster strength in a broad array of humanities disciplines across the university.
Martin Krieger Shoots Slices of Life in L.A.: Martin Krieger peered at the screen and saw 20 to 30 images of his heart from all different angles. It was three years ago during an echocardiogram.
Music Meshed With Science: Meet this year’s poster child for the joys of intellectual exploration. Samantha Ancona is graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA biological sciences and oboe performance.
Appetite for Life: With a stellar 3.99 GPA and his long list of achievements, mechanical engineering student Craig Western of Peachtree City, Ga., was more than qualified to be chosen as a 2011 salutatorian.
USC Commencement Satellite Ceremonies: Commencement 2011 will offer a range of speakers at satellite ceremonies held by schools and academic units.
Faith Makes All Things Possible: USC Dornsife’s Sarrah Shahawy, president of the USC Student Interfaith Council, is valedictorian for Commencement.
Dalai Lama of Tibet Speaks at USC for First Time: Happiness - the basic human goal - depends upon good ethical conduct, regardless of one’s religious beliefs, said the 14th Dalai Lama during his first visit to USC.
Festival of Books a Success: At the opening of the 16th Festival of Books on the University Park campus this past weekend, USC president C. L. Max Nikias and Los Angeles Times publisher Eddy Hartenstein said it was fitting that the two institutions had joined forces for the sprawling, well-loved event.
Politics, Punk Rock and The Lie: The 16th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books took place at USC with readers of all ages meandering around University Park campus learning about children’s literature from Hugo and the Really, Really, Really Long String to more adult faire like Hot X: Algebra Exposed.
Drumming Up Winners: It was the sound of women’s hands pounding on makeshift drums - pum-pum-pum-pum - from overturned washing basins that first caught Jordan Vieira’s attention.
What’s Hot in Aging Research at USC?: USC’s academic all-stars in the field of aging research united April 20 to pool their collective intelligence for a day of panels and poster sessions.
Summer Reading List From President Nikias: Dear USC Students: As we welcome the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books to our University Park campus this weekend, I want to encourage you to be an active participant in the weekend’s activities.
Higginbotham Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences: James Higginbotham, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Linguistics, has been named a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the world’s most prestigious honorary societies.
Mellon Mentoring Awards Given to Faculty: One school and 23 individual faculty members received USC Mellon Mentoring Awards at an April 19 ceremony that highlighted the awardees’ thoughts on the idea of mentoring.
The Book Is Not Dead: Despite hectic lives and competition from other forms of media, Californians are voracious readers and steadfast book lovers, according to results from the latest USC Dornsife College/Los Angeles Times Poll.
Mork Family Gives Historic Gift of $110 Million to Undergraduate Scholarships: USC has received $110 million - the single largest gift in the university’s history for undergraduate scholarships and one of only seven gifts to USC of $100 million or more - from USC supporters Julie and John Mork.
Students Explore Careers Through Externship Program: Instead of working on their tans, 79 students from the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development (SPPD) spent spring break working with government agencies, nonprofits or consulting firms through the school’s Externship Program.
Music Student Hits All the Right Notes: The works of Lewis Carroll have inspired generations of writers, artists and musicians. Walt Disney, Tom Petty, Jim Henson, Grace Slick, Clive Barker, Dave Fleischer and the Beatles are among the many who have reinterpreted Carroll’s work.
Lord and Lady Eatwell to Join USC Faculty: Lord John Eatwell, a well-known British economist, member of the House of Lords and president of Queens’ College, Cambridge, and Lady Eatwell (known professionally as Suzi Digby), an acclaimed choral conductor and recipient of the Order of the British Empire for services to music education, have been appointed to the USC faculty for the fall semester.
Innovation Celebrated at USC’s TEDx Event: What do you get when you mix 1,200 curious audience members, 18 insightful orators, a poet, a DJ, a rock band and a circus? You get the explosion of sight, sound and thought that is TEDxUSC.
Equity Initiative Making Progress: A multidisciplinary group at Los Medanos College is involved in a comprehensive equity initiative expected to improve retention and transfer rates for students of color attending the East Bay campus about 40 miles northeast of San Francisco.
As Commencement Nears, USC Celebrates Success of Online MAT@USC Program: Enrollment in the online offspring of the USC Master of Arts in Teaching - MAT@USC - has jumped more than tenfold since it kicked off two years ago.
To PROTECT and Serve: What began as a way to randomize airport security police patrol routines while simultaneously maintaining the same level of protection at Los Angeles International Airport has now moved on to encompass ocean protection.
Aesthetic Packaging: Good-looking packaging design - such as the curvy Coca-Cola bottles or the Altoids mints tins - significantly increases the likelihood that a consumer will choose the product even if it is more expensive and an unfamiliar brand, a USC study has found.
A Presidential Tour: Nine cities. Three months. More than 4,000 members of the Trojan Family.
USC Sets Commencement Speaker, Honorary Degree Recipients: USC’s 128th Commencement on May 13 will feature an address by Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp. It will be the first Commencement presided over by USC president C. L. Max Nikias.
In Memoriam: Sidney Harman, 92: Sidney Harman, philanthropist, audio pioneer, husband of former Democratic congresswoman Jane Harman and business tycoon who purchased Newsweek from The Washington Post Co. last year, died in Washington, D.C., on April 12 of complications from leukemia.
President Nikias Wraps Up Trojan Family Reception Tour: USC president C. L. Max Nikias and first lady Niki C. Nikias will conclude their special Trojan Family Reception tour with stops in Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago April 13-15.
Student Athletes Tour Fisher Museum Exhibition: From the day Pat Haden accepted the job as USC’s athletic director last summer, he has talked about creating well-rounded student athletes who experience all that the university has to offer.
Sayles to Succeed Harris in University Relations: Martha Harris, USC’s senior vice president for University Relations, is retiring on June 30 after 32 years at the university, during which she has served four presidents. USC president C. L. Max Nikias shared the news in a letter to faculty and staff, where he also announced the promotion of Tom Sayles to the position Harris held, effective July 1.
Convocation Honors Students, Faculty and Administrators: The 30th annual USC Academic Honors Convocation was held on April 6 at Town & Gown. Students, faculty members and administrators were honored for a wide range of intellectual and leadership achievements, including the university's first Churchill Scholar.
Freeway Air Damages Brains of Mice: If mice commuted, their brains might find it progressively harder to navigate the maze of Los Angeles freeways.
USC Opens New York City Office: USC has opened a regional office in New York City and hired Maria Watson as executive director to oversee the team of three who will work there.
USC Breaks Ground for Student Health Center: Under a shower of cardinal and gold confetti, Michele Dedeaux Engemann pumped her spirited fingers to the beat of the Trojan Marching Band as she helped break ground April 4 on USC’s new student health center.
School of Social Work Honors Trio for Humanitarian Efforts: The USC School of Social Work honored actor Gary Sinise for his humanitarian efforts on behalf of the U.S. military, scholar Fred H. Wulczyn for his commitment to the profession of social work and Stephen Peck MSW ’97 for his dedication to veterans’ causes at the school’s scholarship gala, “A Celebration of the Heart,” on April 2 at Town & Gown.
USC Receives $15 Million Naming Gift: The University of Southern California has received $15 million from longtime supporters Roger and Michele Dedeaux Engemann. Michele is a trustee and alumna of the university, and she and Roger are USC parents.
20th Century Fox Dedicates Campus Soundstage: On March 30, 20th Century Fox added its name to the list of iconic institutions and artists affiliated with the USC School of Cinematic Arts at the dedication of the 20th Century Fox Soundstage.
SPPD Ushers in New Era in Undergraduate Education: The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development (SPPD) has hit the refresh button with its new Bachelor of Science in Policy, Planning, and Development, which will replace the Bachelor of Science in Public Policy, Management and Planning.
Weaving a Portrait of the University: When USC President Emeritus Steven B. Sample once was asked if he recognized his likeness in artist John Nava's "The Trojan Family Tapestry," he replied, "I recognize the university."
Do Children Benefit From Full Day of Kindergarten?: A longer kindergarten day offers few educational benefits for most students learning English as a second language, a new USC study shows, despite a broad national push toward an extended day to help at-risk children.
Dana and David Dornsife Honored for Their Gift: USC president C. L. Max Nikias on Wednesday held up two engraved, long golden chains - an honor presented to only one other person in USC’s 131-year-history.
New Development Operations Leader Joins University Advancement: Tracey L. Vranich has joined USC’s advancement division as associate senior vice president for development operations.
James Paul Gee to Deliver Pullias Lecture: The 33rd Pullias Lecture, the oldest endowed lecture series on higher education in the country, is taking a detour from its traditional course of lectures by university presidents and institutional leaders.
USC Report Examines Future Demand for Educated Workforce: California must turn to nonprofit and for-profit private colleges and universities to meet the future demand for a more educated workforce, a new USC report urges.
USC Appoints Its First Chief Investment Officer: Lisa Mazzocco has been appointed USC’s first chief investment officer, effective April 18.
A New Campus Clubhouse: Situated between Town & Gown and Popovich Hall, the University Club has been a steady presence in its mid-century modern facility for the last 50 years.
Letter From USC President About Japan: The USC community wishes to express its deep concern and sympathy for those affected by the tragic events in Japan.
USC Architecture Students Have Designs on Facebook: Facebook recently sent a friend request to the City of Menlo Park - eight students from the USC School of Architecture helped deliver the message.
USC Delegation Meets With Congressional Leaders: A delegation of USC administrators and trustees led by President C. L. Max Nikias met with congressional leaders March 15 to discuss the importance of federal research funding in education, innovation and job creation.
Light Rail Track Testing: The Expo Line light rail won’t begin service until the fall, but the track likely will be sporting some vehicles by the end of March. So the message is safety first.
Valter Longo Receives $11.5 Million NIH Award: USC Davis School of Gerontology cell biologist Valter Longo received an $11.5 million award from the National Institute of Health for a research program focusing on dietary restriction and mechanisms of differential cellular protection.
USC Receives Largest Single Gift in Its History: USC has received $200 million - the largest single gift in its history - from longtime supporters and international philanthropists Dana and David Dornsife.
Charter School to Link With USC Rossier: A high school unlike any other is coming to Los Angeles in the fall of 2012 and is designed for local students who are most at risk for dropping out.
Bound for Success: The only person with Los Angeles native Maria Garcia when she left for college 10 years ago was a trusted USC counselor.
MAT@USC Wins 2011 Innovation Award: MAT@USC, the USC Rossier School of Education’s online master of arts in teaching program, was honored with a 2011 International Award for Innovative Practices in Higher Education in Washington, D.C., for melding new technologies with hands-on classroom teaching experience.
USC Rossier Professor to Lead Research Organization: USC University Professor William G. Tierney has been elected to serve as 2012-13 president of the American Educational Research Association.
USC’s Game Design Program Earns Top Ranking: For the second year in a row, GamePro magazine and The Princeton Review have designated USC as the school with the top game design program in North America.
USC Forges Bonds With India: A USC leadership delegation led by president C. L. Max Nikias, first lady Niki Nikias, Board of Trustees chairman Edward P. Roski, Jr. and Gayle Garner Roski traveled across India Feb. 20-27.
Which PTSD Symptoms Do the Most Damage?: In the case of post-traumatic stress disorder, not all symptoms are created equal.
USC Economist: California Superstorm Would be Costliest U.S. Disaster: A hurricane-like superstorm expected to hit California once every 200 years would cause devastation to the state’s businesses unheard of even in the Great Recession, a USC economist warns.
USC Seeks Input on Strategic Plan: As the strategic planning process enters a critical phase, the university is seeking input from all its members - students, staff, faculty and alumni - to answer a fundamental question: What is the way forward for USC?
USC Hosts NAE Meeting on Megacities: Engineering and managing large urban centers was the focus of the National Academy of Engineering’s 2011 national meeting hosted by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
The Power of Change: When Divinity Matovu ’08 chose Kenya as her study abroad destination during her senior year in USC College, she had no idea that this one decision dramatically would alter countless lives in addition to her own.
Record-breaking Year for Good Neighbors Campaign: A record-number of USC staff and faculty donated more money than years past to ring up the most successful Good Neighbors Campaign to date.
Social Work Celebrates Freedom Riders: It was 1961 when a courageous band of activists challenged segregation laws in the South, forever transforming the civil rights movement.
Picture Your Relationship to the Boss: Who do you look at in a group photo? If you’re like most adults, you’ll look at yourself first - unless your boss also is in the picture.
USC President Visits Health Sciences Campus: In his inaugural annual faculty address on the Health Sciences campus Feb. 9, USC President C. L. Max Nikias affirmed that faculty members are the foundation of all academic excellence and the cornerstone of the university’s aspirations.
NIH-Funded Study Widens Recovery Window From Brain Injury: In the largest stroke rehabilitation study ever conducted in the United States, stroke patients who had physical therapy at home improved their ability to walk just as well as those who were treated in a training program that requires the use of a body-weight supported treadmill device followed by walking practice.
California Pharmacists Association Honors Dean Vanderveen: USC School of Pharmacy dean R. Pete Vanderveen received the 2011 Bowl of Hygeia at the California Pharmacists Association annual meeting awards ceremony on Feb. 11 in Palm Springs.
SPPD Students Learn by Giving: Students at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development chose seven nonprofit organizations to give a total of $10,000 as part of the Learning by Giving program sponsored by the Sunshine Lady Foundation.
Reagan Centennial Academic Symposium Recap: Ronald Reagan's life, leadership and legacy were analyzed at USC by former members of the Reagan administration, journalists who covered the Reagan era, political scholars and historians.
Creating His Own Path: It’s Monday at 6 a.m. and Arin Ghosh’s phone is already ringing. After all, while the day is just beginning in Los Angeles, for his business contacts in New Delhi, it’s 7:30 p.m., and they are eager for updates.
Sarah Shourd Fights for Freedom of Loved Ones: Sarah Shourd, who was captured and imprisoned in Iran for 410 days while hiking in the Kurdistan region, recently spoke at USC about the quest to free fellow American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal.
USC Viterbi Professor Receives Presidential Mentoring Award: USC Viterbi School of Engineering professor Maja J. Matarić was among the scholars who received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring at a White House ceremony Jan. 27.
USC Prepares for Festival of Books: Ambitious - the fifth quality of the ideal Trojan - pretty well describes USC president C. L. Max Nikias’ decision to bring the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books to USC this spring.
Supreme Court Justice Visits USC: On Jan. 31, USC hosted United States Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy.
President Nikias Speaks to Students: President C. L. Max Nikias celebrated the USC community and invited students to celebrate the richness and diversity of Los Angeles in a speech at Bovard Auditorium Feb. 1.
New Appointments for Five Trojans: USC President C. L. Max Nikias has appointed three new University Professors, Antonio Damasio, Hanna Damasio and Steven B. Sample, and two new Distinguished Professors, Scott Soames and Arieh Warshel. 
Empowering the Community: More than 1,200 residents gave up a part of their weekend to participate in the democratic process at the 19th Annual Empowerment Congress Summit hosted by USC.
President Nikias to Address Students: President C. L. Max Nikias will address the USC student body in Bovard Auditorium at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
USC Viterbi Professor Receives Presidential Mentoring Award: USC Viterbi School of Engineering professor Maja J. Matarić was among the scholars who received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring at a White House ceremony.
USC Team Takes It to the (Food) Bank: A national enterprise we all take for granted - food banks - is getting a lot of attention these days, as a record recession straps home grocery budgets and the numbers of low-income families increase.
Father James Heft Receives Leadership Award: Father James Heft, the Alton M. Brooks Professor of Religion and president of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at USC, received the IAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence.
USC Security to Jump Vermont: If eyes on the street deter crime, the USC neighborhood west of Vermont Avenue is about to become a lot less friendly to criminals.
Steve Poizner Joins Two USC Boards: Steve Poizner, a successful technology entrepreneur who recently finished a four-year term as state insurance commissioner of California, has joined the boards of councilors of two schools at USC.
U.S.-Canadian Forces Team Up to Help War Veterans: Lt. Col. Stéphane Grenier and other veterans relayed their war stories Jan. 18 at “Wounded Warriors: Healing the Mind, Body and Soul.”
USC and Reagan Foundation to Host Academic Symposium: Feb. 6, 2011 would have been former President and California Gov. Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday — an occasion prompting many events and tributes across the nation and around the world.
A Crossing Guard Lives the Golden Rule: Sherrie Coleman’s official job is to shepherd grade school students across the multiple lanes of Exposition Boulevard on school mornings for the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Transportation.
USC College Offers New Pre-Law Major: As the USC Trojans prepared to play the California Bears at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum last fall, there was another showdown on campus: Weston Rowland versus Ronald Dworkin.
First USC Student to Receive Churchill Scholarship: Daniel J. Strouse, one of 14 students from U.S. universities chosen to receive the prestigious Churchill Scholarship, is the first at USC.
Detainees Focus of USC Gould Event Jan. 27: Sarah Shourd, who was captured and imprisoned in Iran for 410 days after straying across the border while hiking, will be on the University Park campus Thursday with the families of fellow American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal.
Architect Frank Gehry Named Judge Widney Professor: Frank Gehry, who is among the world’s most prominent and innovative architects, has been named the Judge Widney Professor of Architecture by USC President C. L. Max Nikias.
Reading, Writing and Gardening: Anne McKnight’s class of 25 students took the idea of farm-to-table cuisine literally when they prepared lunch to mark the end of the fall semester.
Officials Attend McKay Center Groundbreaking: In front of a festive crowd of more than 400 people, USC officially broke ground today on the new John McKay Center.
Elizabeth Garrett Formally Installed as USC Provost: Elizabeth Garrett formally was installed as USC provost Jan. 11 at a Town & Gown ceremony attended by friends, family and colleagues.
Rare Aphrodite Sculpture in Tutor Campus Center: What does the Ronald Tutor Campus Center have in common with the Musée du Louvre? More than you might think.
Nobel Laureate Appointed Presidential Professor: Nobel Prize-winning economist Daniel McFadden has been appointed the Presidential Professor of Health Economics at USC by President C. L. Max Nikias.
How Do Data Exclusivity Periods Affect Pharmaceutical Innovation?: Pharmaceutical companies and generic drug manufacturers have long been at odds over regulations about data exclusivity, the period of time before generic manufacturers can make use of valuable clinical trial data.
SPPD to Offer Online MPA Degree: Beginning this fall, one of the top five master of public administration degree programs in the nation will be offered remotely.
USC Names First Coach of Women’s Lacrosse: Lindsey Munday, an All-World member of the U.S. lacrosse women’s national team who helped lead Northwestern to five NCAA championships as a player and assistant coach, has been named the head coach of the new USC women’s lacrosse team.
Double the Education: Wearing white cowgirl boots, Cynthia and Jazmin Vidana skipped into kindergarten in red cotton dresses trimmed with lace. Petite, they had the same slightly crooked smile, doe eyes framed with bangs and flowing russet tresses.
High-Flying Project Gets Off the Ground: Southern California, a place of sunbeams, major motion picture companies, pricey real estate, Disneyland - and the aerospace industry.
A New Way to Fight Gangs With Jobs: Armed with a plan of action and a stack of job applications, Caitlin Smith enters the Los Angeles home of 19-year-old gang member Edgar*.
Demo Day Showers Attention on New Games: More than 70 game industry representatives joined a crowd of 200 students, faculty members and spectators in the Ronald Tutor Campus Center Dec. 14 for the 11th semiannual GamePipe Laboratory Demo Day.
Lighting the Way: At first glance, the project almost looks like a small-scale playground. One of the structures resembles a jungle gym. The other looks like a cross between an igloo and an inflatable jumper.
A Starr-Studded Affair: USC College historian Kevin Starr was among the legends inducted into the 2010 California Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Sacramento Dec. 14.
Teachable Moments: So the United States government wants to read your private e-mails and texts. Not too hypothetical after the Patriot Act was signed into law in 2001, easing restrictions on intelligence gathering within the U.S.
USC Vocalists Make the Finals on NBC's Sing-Off: A cappella has proven to be more than an extracurricular activity for the group of USC students and young alumni performing on NBC's five-episode special The Sing-Off.
Over Long Haul, Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness: A new collaborative paper by economist and University Professor Richard Easterlin offers the broadest range of evidence to date demonstrating that a higher rate of economic growth does not result in a greater increase of happiness.
Katzenberg Honored by Shoah Foundation institute: Stars and supporters of the USC Shoah Foundation Institute came together Dec. 9 in Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre to honor American film producer, CEO of DreamWorks Animation, philanthropist and humanitarian Jeffrey Katzenberg.
USC Gives Peace a Chance: On a recent Saturday afternoon at the United University Church on USC's University Park campus, a child asked a group of freshmen how to stay focused despite gangs and drugs at his middle school.
Stephan Haas Appointed Vice Dean for Research: USC professor Stephan Haas has been named vice dean for research, effective Jan. 1, it was announced by USC College Dean Howard Gillman.
Water Polo Team Wins Third Straight NCAA Title: The USC men’s water polo team won its third straight national championship, defeating the California Golden Bears in Berkeley.
USC Ponders Purchase of Land in Exposition Park: The state of California, through the Governor’s Office, has approached USC about the university purchasing some of the land in Exposition Park.
Conference to Reform College Admissions: Every year, leading U.S. universities publicize their selectivity by announcing low admission rates, and high-achieving students battle to secure a coveted spot at an exclusive, top-tier college.
Cooper Named to National Academy of Public Administration: USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development professor Terry Cooper was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.
Reaching Toward the Fountain of Youth: To understand the promise and pitfalls of anti-aging therapies, start with the research and lifestyles of anti-aging scholars.
Oldest Alumnus Revisits His Korean Experience: Victor Wellington Peters '24, USC’s oldest alumnus, returned to his alma mater in mid-November for a special tour of the USC Libraries’ Korean Heritage Library.
Art Is in the Eye of the Beholder: Although artists have been involved in the illustration, design and printing of books for centuries, it wasn’t until the late 20th century that the artist’s book began to be regarded as a distinct genre.
New Lauridsen Scholarship Announced: USC Thornton School of Music faculty member and Grammy nominated composer Morten Lauridsen gave the school an early holiday present by establishing a prestigious new endowed scholarship in his name.
A Wonder of the Modern World: Joseph Strauss’ audacity to try out for football as a spare 5-foot-3 undergraduate at the University of Cincinnati led to the creation of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Secretary of the Air Force Visits School of Social Work: The USC School of Social Work hosted a visit from Michael B. Donley, Secretary of the U.S. Air Force.
Roithmayr Named George T. and Harriet E. Pfleger Chair in Law: USC Gould School of Law professor Daria Roithmayr was named the holder of the George T. and Harriet E. Pfleger Chair in Law.
Five New Members Inducted Into Hall of Fame: The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC has honored five faculty members with induction into the school’s Hall of Fame.
All the Ingredients for a Cool Career: Todd Koenigsberg, head chef of Moreton Fig, USC’s new full-service restaurant in the Ronald Tutor Campus Center, is an advocate of simplicity.
First Saks Institute Symposium Targets Restraints: Three nationally respected authorities on mental illness - hailing from academia, advocacy and the legal arena - spoke at the inaugural symposium of the USC Gould School of Law’s Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy, and Ethics.
USC to Add Women’s Lacrosse in 2012-13: Women’s lacrosse will be added to USC’s athletic program in the 2012-13 season, Trojan athletic director Pat Haden announced.
SPPD Alumna Hilda Solis Receives Biller Award: When U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis MPA ’81 looked for internship opportunities after her first semester in USC’s Master of Public Administration program, a Trojan alumnus pulled out his Rolodex and gave her names to contact.
Faith, Hope and Charity: When it comes to the Catholic tradition, the believer must also be the thinker. "If you're going to be a believer, no one should ever suggest that you check your brain in at the entrance of the church," said Father James Heft, the Alton M. Brooks Professor of Religion at USC College.
Local Students Get Excited About Higher Ed: On Nov. 5, more than 100 students from Southeast High School, New Designs Charter School and Dorsey High School gathered at the USC Gould School of Law for Mentor Day.
Pass It Forward: The left forearm of Keary Colbert ’06 bears an "SC" tattoo, his right shirt sleeve, the clasped hands logo of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He is a man who takes pride in his history and his alliances.
Quick Named Executive Vice Provost: USC College professor Michael Quick has been appointed executive vice provost.
Gillman Appoints First Vice Dean of Students for USC College: Dean Howard Gillman announced that he has appointed Donal Manahan, professor of biological sciences, as the first vice dean of students at USC College.
New USC Center for Students With Learning Differences Dedicated: A standing-room-only audience of Trojans learned that dyslexics share their learning difference with good company, including author John Irving and entrepreneur Charles Schwab.
A Walk to Remember: Students, staff and faculty from the USC Davis School of Gerontology and the USC Memory and Aging Center participated in the Los Angeles branch of The Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk in Century City.
Jumping Right Into the Fire: After only two weeks on his job, chef Eric Ernest already had some major additions to his résumé.
Intellectual Fellowship Continues at Villa Aurora: USC students attended a special tour and performance at Villa Aurora, the former house of the exiled Jewish-German novelist Lion Feuchtwanger and his wife Marta.
Poet Dana Gioia Joins USC: Dana Gioia, an acclaimed poet and essayist who served two terms as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), has been appointed the Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture.
USC Aims to Reduce Bicycle Collisions: In 2009, the USC Undergraduate Student Government polled undergraduates and found that 80 percent use bikes on campus, 63 percent reported having been hit by a bicycle, 96 percent have almost been hit and 35 percent felt bicycle traffic was out of control.
He Makes a Point With His Athletes: If you’ve ever taken the cardboard tube from the inside of a roll of gift wrap and played Robin Hood with your little brother or cousin who wielded a curtain rod while you both exchanged spirited repartee, you understand the inherent joy of fencing.
New Athletic Building Planned: A new 110,000-square-foot building that will house all of USC’s 21 sports will be built directly west of Heritage Hall, Trojan athletic director Pat Haden announced.
Elizabeth Garrett Named USC Provost: USC President C. L. Max Nikias today announced the appointment of legal scholar and interim provost Elizabeth Garrett to the post of provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
Memorial Symposium Celebrates USC Researcher’s Legacy: In memory of Teh Fu (Dave) Yen (1927-2010), the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering hosted an International Symposium on Advances in Sustainable Environment at USC.
Archives Assemble at Los Angeles Bazaar: Exhibitions from nearly 80 local archives and collections related to Los Angeles history were on display at the fifth annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar.
Social Work Pioneers Honored: The California Social Work Hall of Distinction inducted seven new members, five posthumously, in a ceremony recognizing their unique contributions to improving social and human conditions.
Groundbreaking Paves Way for New Parish: With fundraising topping $32 million and architectural plans finalized, Our Savior Parish at the USC Catholic Center on the University Park campus held the final Mass and formal church decommission service in the quaint, original parish on Oct. 17.
Dean Yortsos to Serve a Second Term: USC Viterbi School of Engineering Dean Yannis C. Yortsos has accepted a second five-year term in his post offered by USC President C. L. Max Nikias.
President Obama Speaks at USC: The 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, spoke before an estimated 37,500 people at a political rally in front of Doheny Memorial Library on the University Park campus.
Dramatic Results in Latest USC-Los Angeles Times Poll on Political Races: The latest USC College/Los Angeles Times Poll, conducted Oct. 13-20, shows that in the race for California governor, Democrat Jerry Brown has expanded his lead over Republican Meg Whitman into double digits.
A Student Volunteer's Epic Night and Day: Wearing his USC sweatshirt in the pre-dawn drizzle, Micah Scheindlin was working on three hours sleep and a cereal bar. The USC College senior was among hundreds of students volunteering for the rally on campus Friday attended by the 44th...
Knight Luce Fellowship Set for Reporting on Religion: Applications are now being accepted for the Knight Luce Fellowship for Reporting on Global Religion, it was announced by the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.
USC Students to Host President Obama: President Barack Obama will speak at a political rally Friday at USC on the University Park campus.
A Path to Health Goes Through Fit Families: How do you instill a healthy lifestyle in a child? How do you get children to enjoy a workout? How do you help youngsters at least consider choosing an apple over a Twinkie?
USC Spectrum Design Nabs ‘Steal This Idea’ Awards: In 2010, USC Spectrum Design Studio came up with 10 ideas that were not just good — they were good enough to steal.
USC Parents Association Earns Volunteer Award: The USC Parents Association serves parents even as it helps them serve.
Hidden L.A. Stories: Los Angeles history will come alive Oct. 23 at the fifth annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar.
Ready for This Week’s Great ShakeOut?: A handful of temblors have shaken California in recent months, and many worry that the long-anticipated “big one” in California may just be around the corner.
Los Angeles' 8.8 Wake-Up Call: "We live in earthquake country, and every day is earthquake season." This is Tom Jordan's mantra.
USC Spreads Good Karma: In a lush, sheltered courtyard beside the United University Church, carnivores and vegans alike gather for the Good Karma Café, an all-you-can-eat vegetarian lunch service hosted by the Office of Religious Life every Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 2 p.m.
President Nikias Sets Lofty Goal at His Inauguration: Achieving “undisputed status as one of the great universities of the world” - that is the audacious goal C. L. Max Nikias set for USC before an audience of 7,500 assembled in Alumni Park to witness his installation as the 11th president of the university.
Annenberg Foundation Commits $50 Million to USC: USC President C. L. Max Nikias announced a leadership gift of $50 million from the Annenberg Foundation to the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.
Cogent Founder Ming Hsieh Donates $50 Million to USC: USC President C. L. Max Nikias announced the university has made a bold advance in cancer research thanks to a gift of $50 million from USC trustee Ming Hsieh MS ’84.
Turning Data Into Information: For Today's Graduate, Just One Word: Statistics. That headline in The New York Times says it best. Internet-age statisticians are finding themselves increasingly in demand, according to the recent article.
Great Minds Grasp Grand Challenges: At the national Grand Challenges summit held at USC Oct. 6-8, the issue of improving education and attracting more bright people to technical careers was a continuing theme.
USC Libraries Become Home to Largest LGBT Research Collection: The ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives has donated the world’s largest research collection related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history to the USC Libraries.
USC Rossier Hosts Screening of Education Documentary: Nearly 150 USC Rossier School of Education faculty members and students, as well as education advocates, attended a private screening of the new documentary Waiting for Superman in Hollywood.
Hanging Out With Friends and Neighbors: More than 100 members of the USC Trojan Family came out to meet their neighbors and tour the University Park neighborhood at the invitation of USC government and civic engagement.
Let the Presidential Celebrations Begin: The wait is over. After months of planning and weeks of emotional buildup, C. L. Max Nikias will be installed Friday as the 11th president of USC.
Student Showcase Offers Forum for Innovation: The 2010 USC Student Innovator Showcase and Competition again has provided an advance look at tomorrow’s ideas, inventions, social activism and businesses.
Grand Opening for Tutor Campus Center Art: At USC, art isn't something that remains tucked away in museum basements or locked in storage.
If at First You Don’t Shake …: A few months ago, USC sophomore Maria Stan experienced her first earthquake. She was in her dorm room when she began to feel light-headed.
Adventures Ahead: A Good Neighbors Project: Seven-year-old Nancy Robles isn’t yet sure what a tutor is, but she knows she has a reading buddy.
USC a Top Choice for Jewish Students: USC has been named among the leading U.S. higher education institutions chosen by Jewish students, according to a new ranking from Reform Judaism magazine.
Medvedev Awards Friendship Order to John Bowlt: John Bowlt, professor of Slavic languages and literatures at USC College, has been awarded the prestigious Russian Federation Order of Friendship.
A Look Ahead at Supreme Court Term: USC Gould School of Law and the student chapters of the Federalist Society and American Constitution Society presented the third annual U.S. Supreme Court preview.
USC Researchers Receive MTA Grant: Researchers at the USC METRANS Transportation Center and the USC Integrated Media Systems Center have received a three-year, $1.8 million grant from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority.
Trojan Parents Weekend Cuts Across Borders: Nearly 4,000 parents from around the world attended the annual Trojan Parents Weekend, a three-day event packed with informational sessions, breakfasts, campus tours, tailgate picnics and a football game.
Practice Makes Perfect: One look around Carmen Frierson’s office, and it’s obvious that she takes her role seriously as emergency preparedness coordinator of facilities for the USC School of Social Work.
Good Neighbors Campaign Sets $1.3 Million Goal: In these tough economic times, USC’s Good Neighbors Campaign is needed more than ever. Accordingly, the goal for this year’s campaign, which kicked off Oct. 1, is $1.3 million - an increase over last year’s record-setting $1.2 million raised.
20 Days Until the Great ShakeOut: A handful of temblors have shaken California in recent months, and many worry that the long-anticipated “big one” in California may just be around the corner.
For New Human Rights Direction, Try North: As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Rebecca Wertman feels a deep connection to the study of human rights policy.
In Memoriam: David S. Tappan Jr.: USC life trustee David S. Tappan Jr. died Sept. 27 at his home in Newport Beach. He was 88.
USC’s Fountains and Flourishes on Display: A just-published book of photographs, Fountains and Flourishes of the University of Southern California, spotlights the many architectural and landscape embellishments across campus.
Memorable Lessons From Haiti: On Jan. 12, Haiti was struck with a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Two strong aftershocks followed.
L.A. Times Festival of Books Comes to USC: The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will kick off its 16th storied year in a new home at USC's University Park campus from April 30 to May 1, 2011.
Boxer Lauds USC’s Military Social Work Program: U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) delivered high praise for the USC School of Social Work’s military social work program and its students now preparing to serve the nation’s war veterans.
Climbing the Ladder of Success: It would take a very big book to illustrate all the highlights of Arthur C. Bartner’s 40 years leading the USC Trojan Marching Band.
Two USC Groups Collaborate on Research Initiative: The USC Libraries has partnered with the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture to collect, catalogue and digitize documents on the global growth of Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity.
USC Named a Safe Community by World Health Organization: USC was named an International Safe Community by the World Health Organization on Sept. 15.
Checcio Named Senior VP for University Advancement: Albert R. Checcio has been named senior vice president for university advancement.
USC Freshman Class Gets High Marks: The entering undergraduate student body at USC is the most academically talented in the university’s 130-year history.
SPPD Students Serve as Education Pioneers: Over the summer, seven USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development students blazed trails of reform as fellows for Education Pioneers.
USC Auxiliary Services Preps for Emergencies: It’s 10:21 a.m. You’re sitting in your office, enjoying a cup of joe. Suddenly, you feel a shake.
USC Fisher Museum Receives Reaccreditation: The USC Fisher Museum of Art has announced its reaccreditation by the American Association of Museums.
Chicano Festival, Reprised: In 1973, USC hosted the Festival de Flor y Canto (festival of flower and song, named after the Aztec word for poetry), a three-day event that featured dozens of emerging Mexican-American poets and writers. Materializing out of the nascent Chicano...
Retired Faculty Lunch With Caldwell Scholars: The USC Retired Faculty Association board of directors hosted a welcome luncheon for this year’s Caldwell Scholarship winners at the Emeriti Center on Sept. 10.
New Fund Builds Research Communities: There are two ways to foster cross-disciplinary projects: Choose the project and form the community, or form the community and let them choose the project.
USC Division Unveils New Clinical Research Center: The USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC held a series of events Sept. 10 to mark the dedication of the Bice Clinical Research Center.
Call to Action on Childhood Obesity: A call to action on childhood obesity drew a standing-room-only crowd and six U.S. Congress members to Town & Gown on Sept. 10.
Nobel Prize Winner Appointed Presidential Professor at USC: Murray Gell-Mann, a renowned physicist and Nobel laureate, has been appointed Presidential Professor of Physics and Medicine.
A Tart Slice of Literature: Even a cognoscente of the written word like Aimee Bender admits the difficulty in communicating feelings.
USC Joins Collaboration for Charles R. Drew University: USC is among six California-based institutions that have joined together in an effort to rescue, restructure, reinvigorate and guide Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science toward a new, resurgent and financially viable future.
Extreme Makeover for Childs Way: By the end of September, the finishing touches will be put upon $2 million worth of capital improvements along Childs Way, from Watt Way to the Widney Alumni House.
USC to Host National Engineering Summit: For three days in October, USC will be host to the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges summit.
Pilot Program Aims to Boost College Access Programs: A new initiative launched over the summer by the National College Access Network and the Center for Urban Education has been working to improve the quality and reach of college access programs to minority high school students.
History in the Making: Sitting on a park bench outside Leavey Library, USC College undergraduate Caitlin Chang confidently recites the mission statement of the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education.
Two New Trojan Traditions: On the morning of Aug. 19, the new student convocation was held in Alumni Park, as it is at the beginning of every academic year. But this year, everything was bigger.
In Memoriam: Robert P. Biller, 73: Professor emeritus of public administration and longtime USC administrator Robert P. Biller died Aug. 29 at his home in La Cañada, Calif., following a difficult illness. He was 73.
New York Times Turns to USC for Katrina Feature: The New York Times marked the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans with an extensive video package drawn from the work and words of USC College geographer Andrew Curtis.
Trojans Celebrate Tutor Campus Center in Grand Style: USC President C. L. Max Nikias invoked the words of Winston Churchill as he reflected on the future impact of the new Ronald Tutor Campus Center at the building's grand opening celebration on Aug. 26.
Povinelli Lauded as a Top Innovator: USC Viterbi School of Engineering assistant professor Michelle Povinelli has been recognized by Technology Review magazine as one of the world’s top innovators under the age of 35.
USC Center for Applied Math Sciences Turns 20: The USC Center for Applied Mathematical Sciences, a research unit housed in the Department of Mathematics at USC College, marks its 20th anniversary this year.
USC Named an International Safe Community: USC has become the first academic institution in the world to be designated as an International Safe Community by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion.
USC Rossier Faculty Offer Specialized Development: Nearly 80 teachers from nearby Crenshaw High School are the recipients of specialized professional development from members of the USC Rossier faculty experts organized by the school’s Office of Professional Development Programs.
Algebra Project Equates Knowledge With Excellence: For the last year, the USC Rossier School of Education has been providing a unique form of professional development to teachers in high-need Los Angeles schools.
Pharmacy’s Class of 2014 Suits Up: For the 189 students entering the USC School of Pharmacy’s Doctor of Pharmacy program this year, putting on their traditional pharmacy garb at the White Coat Ceremony was their first step toward becoming a pharmacist.
President Welcomes New Trojans at Convocation: A mother spotted her daughter in the procession of incoming freshmen at the New Student Convocation held in Alumni Park on Aug. 19.
USC Launches Official Facebook Page: USC has launched its official Facebook page to connect with the university’s students, alumni, faculty, staff and fans.
Center for Urban Education Promotes Equity for Latinos: The Center for Urban Education organized a workshop on Aug. 13 between faculty and administrators to promote greater equity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for Latinos.
Moving In, Moving On: It was 8:45 a.m. on Move-In Day, which had just begun, and emotions already were running high.
Gateway to Convenient Living: University Gateway, a 421-unit apartment community across from USC’s University Park campus, has begun filling up with students.
U.S. News Ranks USC No. 23 in Nation: USC continues its historic rise in national academic rankings, with U.S. News & World Report this year naming the university No. 23 in the nation for the “best national universities” category.
Provost Announces New Appointments: Jean Morrison was named executive vice provost of academic affairs on Aug. 10 by Elizabeth Garrett, interim senior vice president for academic affairs.
A Floral Fascination, in Full Bloom: The origin of Joseph Arditti’s orchid fascination is a simple one. It all began when he was an undergraduate and found a job helping a wealthy Bel Air resident cultivate his orchids.
President Nikias Announces Leadership Team: USC President C. L. Max Nikias has announced his executive team, selecting a group of experienced leaders to oversee the university.
Roberta Diaz Brinton Honored at White House: Roberta Diaz Brinton, director of the USC Science Technolgy and Research Program, was presented with the prestigious 2010 Presidential Citizens Medal by President Barack Obama in a ceremony at the White House on Aug. 4.
Accolades Aplenty for USC’s Health Sciences Marketing Team: From billboards to radio spots to digital banner ads, USC’s Health Sciences Public Relations and Marketing team has been moving at full speed in its effort to increase awareness of and preference for the university’s two private hospitals.
New President Emphasizes Character: On Aug. 3, his first day in office, USC President C. L. Max Nikias greeted the young men of the USC Trojans football team at Heritage Hall and stressed that they have joined a long-standing tradition of excellence both in and out of the classroom.
She Fell for Ranch Dressing: If you asked Ree Drummond ’91 in 1991 where she was headed in life, chances are she wouldn’t have said a ranch outside of Pawhuska, Okla.
A Letter From Athletic Director Pat Haden: On his first day in office as USC's athletic director, Pat Haden ’75 pledged a "culture of compliance" in USC intercollegiate athletics in an open letter to the Trojan Family.
More Trojans Certified in Emergency Response: USC’s Community Emergency Response Team recently welcomed its newest class of trained and certified Volunteer Emergency Response Team members.
New Dean of Students at USC Law: Priya Sridharan has been appointed assistant dean and dean of students at the USC Gould School of Law.
Summer Institute Explores Cultural Diplomacy: Thirty public diplomacy practitioners from around the world gathered on July 20 at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism as part of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy's annual Summer Institute.
Orientation Opens Doors for New Students: "You're about to learn one of our favorite Trojan traditions," announced an orientation adviser on the stage of Bing Theatre. "Everyone get ready for the SoCal spell-out!"
Pharmacy Taps Record Number of Students: Thirty-eight of the students who will begin their USC School of Pharmacy doctor of pharmacy studies in the fall have completed the Trojan Admission Pre-pharmacy (TAP) program - the highest number to date.
Pat Haden Named New Athletic Director: Members of the Trojan Family might best remember Pat Haden as the famed USC quarterback who was part of two national championships under coaching legend John McKay and later went on to call signals for the Los Angeles Rams.
USC to Lead Prostate Cancer Study: Researchers at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have received a $12 million National Cancer Institute grant to lead an international project aimed at identifying new biological pathways critical to the development and potential treatment of prostate cancer.
USC Awarded $56.8 Million Grant for Clinical Research: USC has received a prestigious $56.8 million Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health to support and promote scientific discoveries and their application in real-life settings to health and health care.
Hooked on Art History: Amy Von Lintel believes art history goes beyond what hangs on the walls of museums or fills the pages of textbooks.
Kenneth McGillivray Named Vice Provost: Kenneth J. McGillivray has been appointed vice provost of global initiatives, effective Sept. 1.
Big Night in the Big Apple: Nearly 600 Trojans and friends attended the second annual Tommy Awards June 28 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.
USC Outreach Donates Record $1.06 Million: As budgets are slashed and layoffs increase, business courses for high school students are not often a priority.
And the Leadership Award Goes to …: The USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education received the 2010 Walter Cronkite Civic Engagement Leadership Award.
A Focus on Foster Care: While many 18-year-olds spent the summer happily selecting the perfect sheet sets and shower caddies to brighten college dorm rooms, Jessica Chandler was homeless, hopeless and “waiting for the next bad thing to happen.”
Board of Trustees Elects Three Members: Tamara Hughes Gustavson ’83, William Keck II ’64, MBA ’66 and Robert Padgett ’68 have been elected to the USC Board of Trustees.
Conti Named President of Academic Senate: For the first time in university history, the president of USC’s Academic Senate will be an M.D.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Two actors wrapped in motion sensors circle each other as engineering researchers take note while standing at the perimeter of a USC Viterbi School of Engineering laboratory.
More Access for Exemplary Student Papers: The USC School of Social Work has partnered with USC Libraries to publish the university’s inaugural collection of Outstanding Academic Papers by Students.
USC College Senior Interns at U.N.: "Mr. President, U.N. Watch welcomes the draft resolution concerning Kyrgyzstan.”
USC Libraries to Uncover Hidden California History: Researchers soon will have more resources for probing the causes of the 1992 L.A. riots and the history of climate change in California.
A Change of Climate: Days after graduating from USC College in May, David Livingston flew to Honduras and spent a week in a small mountain community, his second trip to the region for outreach work.
Women Play Sports but Not on TV: Even the ESPN Ticker gives women short shrift - 96.4 percent of the information scrolling along the bottom of the screen was dedicated to men’s sports.
More Than Five Decades and Counting: Addie Taylor of Inglewood always gets a lot of attention from faculty, students and residents when she comes for her appointments at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.
USC to Appeal NCAA Ruling: The University of Southern California announced that, after reviewing the NCAA Committee on Infractions report, it will accept some of the penalties imposed by the Committee and it will appeal those penalties it believes are excessive.
President Sample Addresses NCAA Sanctions: The NCAA has notified us of its findings and sanctions regarding the investigation of USC’s athletic program.
Catching Up to a Man on the Run: When injuries prevented Greg Woodburn from continuing to run track during high school, he never lost his passion for the sport.
Recruiting Engineers at Sea: The difference between submerging at a 20-degree versus a 25-degree angle? Keeping your shoes on deck and falling flat on your face.
Dental School Receives Ethics Award: The USC Office of Compliance has recognized individuals from the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC with the first annual USC Ethical Leadership Award.
USC Joins Alcohol Prevention Coalition: Every undergraduate at USC is familiar with AlcoholEdu, the interactive online program incoming students must complete before their first week of classes.
Yang Chai Honored for Outstanding Research: The Method to Extend Research in Time Award of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has been given to Yang Chai.
McKenna to Develop Contraceptive Drug: Charles McKenna has received a Partner University Fund award enabling him to develop a new type of male contraceptive drug with researchers in France.
Distance Learning in a War Zone: Capt. Matt Smith spent parts of the last five semesters hunkered down at bases in Kuwait and Afghanistan.
Shook, Narayanan Lauded for Faculty Service: Doug Shook and Shrikanth Narayanan have received the Distinguished Faculty Service Award, one of the highest honors bestowed upon USC faculty.
Environmental Impact Report Issued for USC Plan: The City of Los Angeles has released the notice of completion of a draft Environmental Impact Report for a USC development project that would create a mixed-use housing, retail, academic and entertainment complex adjacent to the University Park campus.
Working Toward a Better Community: The Community Service Awards recently recognized more than 30 people for their exemplary volunteer work.
Kathryn Sample Meets the Pope in Rome: USC trustees, alumni, donors and friends from Our Savior Parish and the USC Caruso Catholic Center watched Pope Benedict XVI bless the cornerstone for the new Our Savior Parish.
Mobile Dental Clinic Travels to San Diego: The American Association of Endodontists held its first “Access to Care Project” in conjunction with its recent annual session in San Diego on April 17.
Six Fulbright Scholars to Date: Six Trojans awarded Fulbright Fellowships this year will be traveling to various corners of the world, including South America, South Korea and Germany.
Path to USC Begins in Elementary School: “Lock the door when you leave.” Those were the last words Jesse heard when she was kicked out of her house.
USC Wins NCAA Championship: The USC women's water polo team captured its third national title by defeating top-seeded Stanford 10-9 in the NCAA championship in San Diego on May 16.
A USC Entrepreneur at Age 13: Business opportunities strike at unexpected times and to unlikely people.
USC Celebrates 127th Commencement: With many cheers - and a few tears - more than 10,000 graduating Trojans celebrated Commencement today.
Stories From 2010 Commencement: Every USC graduate is extraordinary in some way. Each Commencement season reveals compelling stories of graduates who overcame obstacles and mastered astounding achievements.
Student Athlete's Commencement Address: When Kenechi Udeze joined the USC Trojan football team as a redshirt freshman in 2001, he was a 340-pound, fledgling defensive end.
Engineering a Good Life: Liana Ching is a big Law & Order fan. That is, when she has time. The San Diego native has a lot of logs on the fire these days.
Meet Lisa Werth, a Grade-A Trojan: Getting straight A’s is nothing special for Lisa Werth. The last time she didn’t get one was back in third grade. One of this year’s two salutatorians, she leaves USC with a perfect 4.0 grade point average - though she isn’t really leaving.
Have Spanish, Will Travel: Natasha Naik is going places. Her first stop: Buenos Aires, where she will volunteer in a local hospital this summer, shadowing doctors and learning the basics of medical Spanish, while also learning about hospital systems in other countries.
Military Official Visits School of Social Work: After returning from a particularly violent tour of duty in Iraq, Col. David Sutherland caught himself scanning the lakes and canals scattered across his Texas town.
Getting Into College Can be a Game Changer: Getting into college may not seem like much of a game, but researchers at USC have turned the process into just that by creating a role-playing game designed to teach students how to better prepare for the college application process.
Weighing the Politics of Disaster: The last decade has been punctuated by a seemingly endless stream of tragedies, from the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to this year’s earthquake in Haiti to the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Students to Explore Social Work in Europe and India: The USC School of Social Work will expand its international footprint this summer with the addition of new global immersion programs in Western Europe and India.
School Namesake Flora L. Thornton Dies: Flora Laney Thornton, a philanthropist with a lifelong interest in higher education, the arts, preventive medicine and numerous charities, died May 7 of pulmonary disease. She was 96.
In Memoriam: John M. Peters, 75: John M. Peters, the Hastings Professor of Preventive Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and a renowned authority on the effects of air pollution on health, died of pancreatic cancer May 6 at his home in San Marino.
Alums' Meals on Wheels: If you’ve spent any time on the north side of University Park campus, you’ve probably seen them lining the streets around University Village: gourmet food trucks that serve up everything from French crepes to Chinese dim sum.
More Grants for Military Social Work Program: The USC School of Social Work has been awarded two new grants totaling $6.5 million for its military social work and veteran services teaching and research activities.
Facilities Management Wins Innovation Award: When Facilities Management Services moved from its longtime home at the corner of 34th Street and McClintock Avenue to a renovated shipping warehouse at 3434 Grand Ave. in September 2009, the logistics involved more than relocating 250 employees one-quarter mile to the east.
A Life-Size Surprise at USC: USC President Steven B. Sample and his wife Kathryn have given immeasurably through their professional effort and personal service to the university over nearly two decades in Los Angeles.
Kevin Starr Awarded L.A. Times Book Prize: Kevin Starr won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in history for his book Golden Dreams: California in an Age of Abundance 1950-1963.
Potential Bummer for Baby Boomers: There was no faulting the consistency of the message at a USC conference on aging - just its unwelcome content for U.S. baby boomers.
Leaders Address Future of Higher Education: Four high-profile university leaders converged at the USC Davidson Center for a discussion about the future of higher education during the 32nd Earl V. Pullias Lecture.
They're a Rare Breed Indeed: We know that the extinction of species is irreversible and geographically concentrated. We know that tropical deforestation is the main driver of terrestrial extinctions.
Rochelle Steiner Named Dean of USC Roski School of Fine Arts: Noted curator, writer and contemporary art leader Rochelle Steiner has been named dean of the USC Roski School of Fine Arts, effective Aug. 1.
Swanson Elected to National Academy of Sciences: Larry Swanson has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his excellence in original scientific research.
New USC Center for Learning Support: USC parents Walter G. and Marcia B. Kortschak have made a historic gift commitment of $10 million to establish an endowment for the creation of the USC Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity in Student Affairs at USC.
77th Annual USC Alumni Awards: The Trojan Family was out in force for the 77th Annual USC Alumni Awards at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on April 24.
Ciolek Named to Presidential Fellows Program: Public diplomacy graduate student Melanie Ciolek earned USC's only spot in the Presidential Fellows Program.
Network Launches Chapter in D.C.: Twenty-four new fellows in Washington, D.C., have been selected to join the fellowship program in the Network of Korean American Leaders based at the USC School of Social Work.
Presidential Medallion Goes to George Lucas: USC alumnus, filmmaker and benefactor George Lucas ’66 was awarded the USC Presidential Medallion, the university's highest honor, by President Steven B. Sample on April 26 at the annual Academic Honors Convocation.
USC College Alum Wins Asa V. Call Award: Most people think alumnus and Academy Award-winning director Taylor Hackford is a product of USC's School of Cinematic Arts.
USC College Senior Bound for Germany: As an intern with the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Helen Moser researched pros and cons for a proposed law that would ban tobacco displays in stores.
USC College 2020 — Now, for the Future: Creating the college of the future is the impetus behind College 2020.
Social Work Sets Virtual MSW Program: USC has announced a second virtual master’s degree program, this time at the School of Social Work.
Lowenthal Wins Stanley T. Olafson Award: Abe Lowenthal has been chosen to receive the World Trade Week 2010 Stanley T. Olafson Bronze Plaque Award to recognize his accomplishments in international trade.
Top Fellowships for Braudy and Soames: University Professor Leo Braudy and philosophy professor Scott Soames have been named fellows of the 230-year-old American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
USC Showcases the Best in Innovation: Students and faculty demonstrate the fresh thinking taking place in technology, entertainment and design at the second TEDxUSC Ideas Empowered conference.
Dornsifes Provide Lead Gift for Institute: David and Dana Dornsife have provided a lead gift of $6 million for the new Brain and Creativity Institute to be housed in USC College.
A Boost for Brain and Creativity Institute: Joyce J. Cammilleri’s $2 million gift to the institute will support ongoing research.
Three Decades of Leadership and Service: The USC Center for Work & Family Life marks 30 years as an "investment in the human infrastructure."
Don Ludwig Earns Staff Achievement Award: The annual presidential honor goes to a person who exemplifies the Trojan tradition and spirit in his daily duties.
In Memoriam: William G. Spitzer, 82: William G. Spitzer, 82, professor emeritus of electrical engineering, materials science and physics at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, died April 14 in Oceanside, Calif.
Keck School Advances in Best Grad Schools List: The Keck School of Medicine of USC improved its ranking by five places in the 2011 U.S. News & World Report annual guide to best graduate schools.
Students Design Possible Housing for Faculty: The room is focused on graduate architecture student Melissa Stinar - or, more accurately, on the sprawling design occupying the wall behind her.
Rivera Institute Contributes to Federal Investigation: U.S. Department of Education asks if LAUSD students are denied equal opportunities.
A Clash Between Reality and Fantasy: Commanding, evocative and unmistakable. With nine white steel and concrete letters standing 30 feet wide and 45 feet tall, the Hollywood Sign is one of the most recognized symbols in the world.
Professor Writes 2009’s Most Downloaded Article: More than 3,500 people downloaded a Pharmacotherapy article by USC School of Pharmacy professor Julie Dopheide, making it the publication’s most viewed article of 2009.
Study Finds Decline in Foreign-born Residents: For the first time in half a century, the percentage of foreign-born residents in the state of California is actually declining, according to a recent study in which the lead author was USC demographics professor Dowell Myers.
USC Viterbi School Salutes the Samples: USC President Steven B. Sample received a lifetime achievement award from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering at the school's annual honors banquet on April 7.
When Creativity Meets Collaboration: Collaborative studies fill reams of scholarly journals, but studies of collaboration could fit in a single issue.
Summer Courses Open to Prep Students: USC College is offering an expanded array of summer courses for high school students through the USC Office of Continuing Education & Summer Programs.
Steven Sample Named Commencement Speaker: USC’s 127th annual commencement on May 14 will feature an address by USC President Steven B. Sample on the occasion of his retirement.
Looking Back to Move Forward: Testimonies should be considered with equal validity to other forms of documentation when writing the history of the Holocaust, said Omer Bartov, a leading historian on genocide.
USC Center Funds Global Religion Study: The Center for Religion and Civic Culture at USC is funding research in 23 countries on one of the world’s fastest-growing religious movements: charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity.
USC Annenberg Makes Strong Push for Sustainability: With the support of leaders and students, the communications school advances its program to go green.
Annenberg Foundation Establishes Scholarship Fund: The Annenberg Foundation has donated $10 million to establish the Wallis Annenberg Endowed Scholarship Fund to support students at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.
First Recipients of USC Africa Fund Named: Three USC undergraduates were chosen as the inaugural recipients of the new USC Africa Student Fund.
Trojans Mentor Teens With Rites of Sisterhood: High school students learn about self-esteem and identity during teaching sessions on campus.
Public Safety Dept. Invites Comment: The step is part of the procedure to seek accreditation from law enforcement.
Trojan League of Los Angeles Showcases SPPD: The Trojan League of Los Angeles showcased the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development on Feb. 27 at its annual benefit, which featured the theme “Creating Ideas That Shape the World.” Each year, the alumnae group selects a distinguished...
New Media Workshop Spurs Call for Collaborations: Gathering of new media and health researchers confirms heavy interest in joint projects as the provost’s office announces a fund to help develop new research communities.
C. L. Max Nikias Named 11th President of USC: C. L. Max Nikias will become the 11th president of USC on Aug. 3. His appointment was announced by Edward P. Roski, Jr., chairman of the USC Board of Trustees.
Center for Sustainable Cities Moves to SPPD: The center will launch a series of seminars this month that will analyze emerging policies on sustainability.
Ahead of His Years and Peers: Ryan Kramer was done with high school at 13 and college at 18. Soon after, he was helping Boeing develop mission concepts for planetary exploration on a part-time basis.
Graduates Take Career Path Less Traveled: As the senior specialist of government and community partnerships in the assets protection division of Target Corp., Florence Chung MSW ’04 has a high-pressure job.
A Future Free of Boundaries: It’s a special moment when a former student sends a postcard from Sweden, an e-mail from Egypt or a text from Brazil.
ROTC Dinner Salutes Military Service: Steven B. Sample and Edward P. Roski Jr. saluted the more than 700 USC students, faculty and staff members associated with the U.S. armed forces at a gala dinner at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel.
Job Interviews in Unexpected Places: The USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s civil engineering students were prepared to shine this year at the Sparks Construction Competition near Reno, Nev.
Qingyun Ma Receives a Global Honor: Of the planet’s 27 most influential designers, one is a Trojan dean.
Oakes Named Director of Joint Replacement Program: Daniel A. Oakes has been named director of the USC Joint Replacement Program and associate professor of clinical orthopaedics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Sam Lopez Joins University Advancement Staff: Sam Lopez has joined USC as assistant vice president for advancement communications.
Native American Workshops Begin March 5: A series of upcoming workshops spearheaded by USC College professors Tok Thompson and Jon Berliner will revive intellectual discussions of essays on Native American history and culture.
Alumni Attitudes Gauged in New Survey: In the fall of 2009, nearly 7,500 alumni representing different generations, ethnicities, regions and USC schools participated in an online survey commissioned by the USC Alumni Association.
Keck School Students to Pursue Research: Fourth-year medical student Ashanti Franklin is not just absorbing medical knowledge this year — she’s adding to it.
USC Social Work Awards Pearmain Prize: USC Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias presented the inaugural Pearmain Prize in Research on Aging to Kyriakos S. Markides — a leading scholar on aging and health issues.
USC Institute to Target Diesel Emissions: A Hong Kong shipping executive has pledged up to $4.1 million to fund a research program at USC to reduce emissions and improve combustion efficiency in marine diesel engines.
USC, NSF to Inspire Science Literacy: The USC School of Cinematic Arts and the National Science Foundation will combine the talents of researchers and entertainment scholars to inspire mass media audiences about science and engineering concepts, the two institutions announced Feb. 19.
Workforce Grows at USC Hospitals: Despite bleak employment figures across the United States, USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital are experiencing a substantial hiring boom, with more growth projected for the future.
USC Awarded $25 Million NSF Grant: The National Science Foundation support will establish a new center to study the biosphere beneath the oceans.
Transit Tales: Everyone has a story about driving in L.A., but the tale of the passenger goes largely untold.
Good Listener, Great Mentor: A decade ago, USC College professor of chemistry Hanna Reisler started a monthly brownbag lunch for women in sciences across departments, providing a place to relax and air issues.
An Artful Accomplishment: Shifting on the stool in his studio as a Telemundo news anchor secured his microphone, USC Roski School of Fine Arts associate professor Robert Alderette never dreamed he would be interviewed for a feature on his life story.
Textbook Lists Added to Class Schedules: The new textbook icons on the spring Schedule of Classes add more than a splash of color. They mean that, prior to registration, textbook information for the majority of USC students’ courses is only a click away.
Study Links Religious Groups and Racial Bias: In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus warned religious listeners against what today would be called “ingroup prejudice”: the tendency to think less of outsiders, especially those of another race.
Retirement Needs of Latino Baby Boomers: Latino baby boomers in the United States make up a population group so diverse and heterogeneous that the common practice of lumping them into a disadvantaged underclass is entirely inappropriate, according to a new report.
X Prize Lab Starts Up at USC: The X Prize Foundation, the nonprofit organization that offers large prizes as incentives for talented researchers who tackle big problems, has come to USC.
Fall Applications Up Slightly at USC: A total of 35,630 accomplished high school seniors from all 50 states in the U.S. and more than 125 countries have applied for admission to the fall entering class of USC.
For-Profit Colleges Focus of New Book: For-profit colleges such as the University of Phoenix and Capella University have expanded rapidly in recent years amid questions about their educational quality and student loan default rates.
William Vega Directs Roybal Institute: William Vega, one of the nation’s leading experts on health disparities that affect aging ethnic minority populations, has been named executive director of the Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging.
Record-Setting Good Neighbors Campaign: The 2009 USC Good Neighbors Campaign, launched in October in tough recessionary times, exceeded its goal with a record $1.2 million given by USC faculty and staff.
USC, Korea Create an Exchange Program: The USC Korean Studies Institute, based at USC College, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean National Assembly to establish an exchange program between USC and the South Korea equivalent of Congress.
Officials Discuss Philanthropic Leadership: With the going getting tough, the tough headed to USC for the Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy’s 10th Anniversary Forum.
Steven Sample and Cindy McCain Saluted at Gala: About 350 guests attended the USC Rossier School of Education Centennial Gala on Feb. 1 to honor alumna Cindy Hensley McCain MA ’78 and USC President Steven B. Sample at Town & Gown.
Conference Focuses on Education Reform: A conference hosted by the USC Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice brought together college enrollment and admissions experts to outline ways of remaking the nation’s educational system.
Not Taking Education for Granted: The USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative was awarded a $250,000 grant from the Kresge Foundation, a private foundation that “seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations.”
Warren Bennis Receives Leadership Award: University Professor Warren Bennis received the inaugural FrED Leadership Award in December.
USC President Gives Final Faculty Address: USC President Steven B. Sample’s last address to the faculty at Town & Gown was marked with warm and poignant moments.
Experts Discuss Economy at USC Law: Some of the nation’s leading economists gathered at the USC Gould School of Law to assess the looming fiscal crisis.
Coach Cooper Teaches Life Lessons: For Michael Cooper, former NBA star and head coach of the USC women’s basketball team, “being part of the USC family is exactly that - a family.”
Prop. 8 Trial Reenacted by USC Law: On Jan. 11, a highly anticipated federal trial on same-sex couples’ marriage rights began in a San Francisco courtroom.
John Brooks Slaughter Joins USC: John Brooks Slaughter has joined USC as professor of education and engineering with a joint appointment at the USC Rossier School of Education and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
Haiti Quake Provides Lessons for USC: The recent Haiti earthquake offers lessons in survival for USC students, faculty and staff.
Grant Goes to Early Childhood Education: The USC School for Early Childhood Education will be able to reach nearly 100 more needy parents and children through the Early Head Start program.
Dialed Into the New Campus Directory: Typographically chaste, the just-published 2010 Campus Directory is an inspiration.
Herman Ostrow Donates $35 Million to USC Dentistry: Herman Ostrow, a USC trustee, alumnus and lifelong Southern Californian, has donated $35 million to USC for its School of Dentistry.
USC Law Launches Lunchtime Series: The USC Gould School of Law will launch “CEOs and Their General Counsels,” a new lunchtime series offering discussions with high-profile chief executive officers and their top legal counsels.
The Living University Comes to Life: When University Professor Alexander Capron took over as president of the faculty on July 1, he decided to make the focus of his one-year tenure a university-wide dialogue to create an engaged, sustainable residential campus. He calls it The Living University.
It’s Time for Mellon Mentoring Nominations: Mentoring at USC is the rare undertaking that rewards everyone: the apprentice, the mentor and the university.
Seven New Faculty Members Join USC Rossier: The new year has begun with growth and change in the faculty at the USC Rossier School of Education.
Two New Degree Programs at USC Rossier: The USC Rossier School of Education this fall is planning to introduce two new degree programs designed to prepare future academic advisers in college settings and future teachers of the English language.
A Prayer Vigil and Teach-In for Haiti: The USC community joins together in voicing its heartfelt sympathy for the victims of the tragic earthquake in Haiti.
Ariela Gross Wins Short Residency in Japan: USC Law professor Ariela Gross is one of three historians nationwide selected by two scholarly organizations for a short-term residence in Japan.
Kiffin Named USC Head Football Coach: Lane Kiffin, the one-time USC offensive coordinator who then became the head coach of the Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Volunteers, has been named the Trojans’ head football coach.
USC Hosts Higher Education Conference: The USC Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice is hosting a conference to initiate debate and discussion on the future of higher education.
In Memoriam: John Cohoon, 66: John Cohoon, who worked for USC as a public relations professional for 34 years, died Jan. 9 in Pasadena. He was 66.
Pete Carroll to Coach Seattle Seahawks: Pete Carroll has resigned to become the head coach of the National Football League’s Seattle Seahawks.
Professors Tapped as Fulbright Scholars: USC professors Allen Azizian, Peter John Robertson and Guilbert C. Hentschke have been selected as Fulbright Scholars for 2009-10.
Bracing for Impact: Brace for Impact, a documentary about the 2009 landing of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, will air Jan. 13 at 10 p.m. on TLC.
USC Law to Host Fiscal Conference: Some of the nation’s leading economists, budget policy experts and tax authorities will meet at the USC Gould School of Law.
Tracing the Roots of Discrimination: Maria Elena Martinez’s book, Genealogical Fictions: Limpieza de Sangre, Religion and Gender in Colonial Mexico, the first in-depth study of the purity of blood concept and repercussions, has won two awards.
USC Hospitals Launch New Ad Campaign: USC has launched a new integrated advertising campaign designed to market its private hospitals to consumers.
USC Announces Sanctions on Men’s Basketball Team: USC announced that it has implemented self-imposed sanctions on its men’s basketball program for violating NCAA rules.
Taking a Poetic Path: The question is often asked: What does one do with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing?
Beware of Manufactured Fears: Plane crashes, road rage, child abductions, unwed mothers, teenage promiscuity and more. When USC sociologist Barry Glassner looked at the American decade of the 1990s, he saw a society reeling from one scare to another — and usually for no reason.
Innovative Surgery Performed in L.A.: A Los Angeles mother recently became the first person on the West Coast to donate a kidney using a pioneering procedure that makes it less challenging for many people to give the gift of life to loved ones by decreasing recovery time and post-surgical pain.
A Sharp Sense for Scents: Ever wondered why incense smells the way it does or why a certain scent was chosen for a specific occasion?
Enhanced Security Measures on Campus: USC soon will institute a new electronic lock system for access to nine classroom and office buildings on the University Park campus.
Inspired by Youth Empowerment Conference: Individuals are not defined by your Zip code. That was the message hundreds of high school students heard at USC’s Youth Empowerment Conference.
Berger Honored by Japanese Government: Gordon Berger, professor emeritus of history at USC College, received the 2009 decoration of The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays With Neck Ribbon, from the government of Japan.
Celebrating a Time for Reflection: Bundled up against the cold, scores of USC students, parents and staff joined members of the surrounding community on Dec. 4 for El Centro Chicano’s 11th annual La Posada.
USC Taps Leading Interdisciplinary Scholar: USC has recruited Mathew D. McCubbins, a nationally recognized interdisciplinary scholar at the University of California, San Diego, to join the faculty in January as a Provost Professor.
In Memoriam: Stephen E. Toulmin, 87: Stephen Edelston Toulmin, University Professor Emeritus and one of the most influential ethical philosophers of the latter half of the 20th century, has died. He was 87.
He Bridges the Gap in Scientific Knowledge: Born decades after the devastating 1940 collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and on the other side of the earth, Omid Nohadani is developing mathematical methodology to ensure such a catastrophe never happens again.
Undergrad Education in 360 Degrees: A comprehensive new Web site designed to capture USC’s vibrant and wide-ranging undergraduate experience has debuted at http://undergrad.usc.edu
New Nanoscience Labs Are Completed: After four years - a blink of an eye in research time - the USC Biomedical Nanoscience Initiative has built out the core laboratories specified in Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias’ original vision.
USC Leads Way in Transformative Grants: USC recently learned that it fared remarkably well in a new grant program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Zumberge Awards Call for Proposals: A call for proposals for USC’s annual faculty research grant programs has been announced by the Office of the Provost.
USC Annenberg Increases Research Funding: Faculty at the USC Annenberg School of Communication & Journalism received a record amount of research funding in the 2009 fiscal year, sparked in part by major health communication grants.
In Memoriam: Linda Dean Maudlin ’61: Former USC Alumni Association president and USC trustee Linda Dean Maudlin died on Nov. 26. She was 70.
Braun to Lead Keck School Development: Ann Braun will join the Keck School of Medicine of USC as executive director of development and senior associate dean for resource development, effective Feb. 1.
Local Nonprofits Compete at Fast Pitch: The second annual Social Innovation Fast Pitch, which builds awareness and visibility for local nonprofits tackling some of the city’s toughest problems, was held Nov. 11 at USC.
Student Finalists in Landscape Competition: Two USC School of Architecture teams from the Master of Landscape Architecture program were among the six finalists in the WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture Student Competition.
Thanksgiving Cast in a New Light: Growing up in the 1950s and 60s, Lawrence Neinstein’s idea of a traditional Thanksgiving was a day with family, parades and Detroit Lions football games on TV.
Beware of Your Bad Behavior: Like it or not, people all have standard patterns of behavior - good and bad habits - that are difficult to change even if they are fortunate enough to recognize them.
USC Student Named to Commission on Aging: Inspiration struck USC gerontology student Lynne Reynolds when she noticed that a large number of seniors living alone in her Berkeley neighborhood were rarely visited by friends or relatives.
USC Heart Transplant Program Receives Award: USC University Hospital received a Heart Transplant Excellence Award from the independent health care ratings organization HealthGrades, ranking among the top 1 percent of hospitals in the United States that perform heart transplants.
Contested Sites Disclosed in Jerusalem: A team of American, Israeli and Palestinian experts has developed the first map detailing 40 years of Israeli archaeological activity in the West Bank and Jerusalem - much of it never publicly disclosed.
Bright Images in the City of Light: We’ve all heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” so often that it has begun to lose its meaning. A single image, according to the saying, can tell a story better than mere text.
Wolf Pack Gathers for 50-Year Celebration: While many things have changed at USC over the last 50 years, professor Walter Wolf has remained a consistent force at the School of Pharmacy.
USC Faculty to Help Paramount School District: A multidisciplinary collaboration aims to transform middle school science and math education in the Paramount Unified School District by harnessing the expertise of USC faculty.
Dinner Salute to the Samples, Marilyn Horne: The USC Thornton School of Music’s 23rd Annual Charles Dickens Dinner, to be held on Dec. 11 at The Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, will herald two turning points in the university’s history.
Improving End-of-Life Care for African Americans: Since hospice care became a Medicare benefit nearly 25 years ago, terminally ill minorities have encountered numerous barriers in accessing its services.
Brain Has an Innate Sense of Geometry: Despite minimal exposure to the regular geometric objects found in developed countries, African tribal people perceive shapes as well as westerners, according to a new study.
USC Leads in Enrollment of International Students: USC enrolled more international students than any other American institution of higher education. according to the annual Open Doors report issued today by the Institute of International Education.
A New Generation of Visual Anthropologists: Twenty-six years ago, the first visual research center at USC was founded by Academy Award winner Barbara Myerhoff (Number Our Days).
Blazing a Trail to Education Innovation: David Dwyer is serious about change. It’s a focus that has grown out of a distinguished, decades-long career as an entrepreneur, educator, researcher and technologist, and one he brings with him to his new position as the USC Rossier School...
Grants to USC Faculty Top $100 Million: When Congress enacted the economic stimulus package, or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), universities around the country cheered the government’s reinvestment in science and the opportunities it presented to advance human knowledge.
USC Students Engage Children Every Week: Two days before Halloween, the lounge of USC’s Centennial apartments looked like a cross between a pumpkin patch and an art supply store.
Are There Answers for the Big Questions?: While working on Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century, Volumes 1 and 2, a definitive two-volume history of analytic philosophy, Scott Soames came to a conclusion that a less-reasoned mind might consider rather bleak: There will never be another philosopher in quite the vein of Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume or Kant.
Culture Classes Explain Yankeedom: The day’s topic was “History, Values and Religion.” On the chalkboard a professor wrote: “Please describe one major difference you have noticed between Americans and people from your home country.”
Seeking the Truth of the Khmer Rouge: Born and raised in Prasat, a small village in Cambodia, Kosal Path was a child when the radical Communist Khmer Rouge came into power, igniting a genocide that would end in the massacre of nearly two million citizens.
Reunion Weekend Triple Feature: More than 860 alumni and friends returned to USC to evoke fond memories, create new ones and renew support for their alma mater during Reunion Weekend 2009.
President Steven B. Sample to Retire in August: Steven B. Sample, president of the University of Southern California since 1991, announced on Nov. 2 that he will retire in August 2010.
Innovator Students Sweep Parents Weekend: In the not-so-distant future, the world may have a new model for carbon offsetting, inexpensive emergency shelters based on the principles of origami and robotic assistants for people with disabilities.
Higher Education Group Honors Sanchez: USC College professor George Sanchez has been selected as the outstanding Latino/a faculty in higher education research institutions by the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education Inc.
Political Lobbying Guidelines Offered: Each year, USC interacts with hundreds of elected officials at the national, state and local levels.
A Memorable Weekend for Trojan Parents: A record-breaking crowd of 5,000 parents signed up for the three-day Trojan Parens Weekend, 4,800 attended a pregame tailgate picnic and 7,000 cheered on the team at the USC vs. Oregon State football game.
Memory Center Launches New Web Site: The USC Memory and Aging Center, a pioneer in research and treatment for dementia and Alzheimer disease, launched its new Web site this month aimed at expanding collaborative research and increasing referrals of older adults with age-related cognitive disorders.
USC Rossier to Salute McCain and Sample: In celebration of its 100th anniversary, the USC Rossier School of Education will host a Centennial Gala fund-raiser on Feb 1 honoring alumna Cindy Hensley McCain BA ’76, MA ’78, the wife of Sen. John McCain, and USC President Steven B. Sample.
New Cancer Research Center to be Based at USC: USC has been selected to establish a $16 million cancer research center as part of a new strategy against the disease by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and its National Cancer Institute.
Good Neighbors Nearing Its Oct. 31 Deadline: Stay active and stay healthy - that important message has been delivered to hundreds of children as part of the Fit Families Program from the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy.
USC Students Hit the Storybooks: The students in Ray Wong’s first-grade class at Weemes Elementary School were working quietly until they noticed the arrival of the USC students that read to them weekly.
Keck School Wins $34 Million in Stimulus Funds: Faculty researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have won a total of $34 million in grants as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
New Web Site Targets USC’s Outreach: It’s no secret that USC, which recently was named tops in community engagement among all colleges and universities, has a multitude of flourishing programs and projects in the neighborhoods surrounding its campuses.
ShakeOut Drill a Success at USC: Approximately 300 volunteers participated in a USC earthquake drill held on the Health Sciences campus on Oct. 15.
Megacities Center to Study Water Main Breaks: A recent rash of well-publicized breaks in Southern California water mains disrupted commutes and destroyed streets. Now, USC Viterbi School of Engineering professor Jean-Pierre Bardet, director of the USC Center on Megacities, will lead an effort to find causes.
Two Elected to the Institute of Medicine: USC professors Mark Humayun and Dana Goldman have been named to the Institute of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.
USC Again Tops Saviors of Our Cities List: USC is the most neighborly college in the country, according to Evan S. Dobelle, president of Westfield State College.
Farmers Markets Dot USC Neighborhood: A cornucopia of fresh produce and vegetables awaits shoppers at the Adams/Vermont Farmers Market, one of at least seven open throughout the week in the neighborhoods surrounding USC.
Jane Goodall Spreads Message of Hope: Jane Goodall, internationally renowned anthropologist and world conservationist, filled Bovard Auditorium on Oct. 6 with both a capacity crowd and, more importantly, a renewed sense of hope for a world in need.
Undergrad Research a Priority at College: As a creative writing major, Schaeffer Nelson ’10 did not know what a research project would look like for him and so he sought the advice of his professors before applying for a research grant.
Lasher Joins University Advancement Staff: Pete Lasher, whose fund-raising experience spans 17 years at three top-tier universities, has joined USC as associate senior vice president for university advancement.
New Name for USC Annenberg School: The USC Board of Trustees has voted to change the name of the USC Annenberg School for Communication to the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.
A Brand of Complex Research: Traveling 7,600 miles to Jordan, Laurie Brand began her massive research project that also will take her to Algeria, Egypt and Lebanon before the end of 2010.
D.C. Research Office Honored: Provost C. L. Max Nikias honored the achievements of the USC D.C. Office of Research Advancement and its executive director Steven Moldin at a Town & Gown ceremony.
A Conversation With Arthur C. Bartner: “I’m married to this job. You can’t separate the band from me, me from the band.” So said Arthur C. Bartner after four decades leading the Spirit of Troy.
Celebrating 15 Years of Helping Others: Fifteen years ago, USC President Steven B. Sample had a vision.
Kevin Starr Examines Postwar California: The eighth volume of historian Kevin Starr’s omnibus look at California, detailing the ascendency of the state in the post-World War II era, had the exquisite timing of appearing in July, at the very moment the Golden State was bankrupt.
Preparing for a Major ShakeOut: As USC gets ready to take part in the Great California ShakeOut at 10:15 a.m. on Oct. 15, some university divisions are proving to be star pupils in the preparedness department.
Panel to Preview Supreme Court Term: The USC Gould School of Law will present the second annual “U.S. Supreme Court: A Preview."
Fossils Fuel Their Imagination: David Bottjer and Luis Chiappe have established the College’s Center for Chinese Fossil Discoveries.
Dana Goldman to Head Schaeffer Center: Dana Goldman, a widely respected expert in health economics, has been named director of the new Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC.
USC Freshman Class Gets High Marks: USC’s entering undergraduate student body is the most academically talented in the university’s 129-year history.
New Health Policy and Economics Center at USC: A major new research center focused on health policy and economics has been established at USC, USC Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias announced.
Elyn Saks Wins MacArthur Foundation Award: USC Gould School of Law professor and Associate Dean Elyn Saks has been selected as a 2009 fellow of the MacArthur Foundation. Saks is the first fellow selected from the faculty of USC and one of only 24 selected for this year’s awards.
New Hope in Old Hawaii: At principal Tim Lino’s Hawaiian school, each day starts with “wa oli.”
Neighborhood Restaurants Strike Gold: Every year Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold releases his list of 99 “Essential L.A. Restaurants” in LA Weekly.
Great ShakeOut Drill’s Ties to USC: Want to find out who’s responsible for making you squat under your desk at 10:15 a.m. on 10/15?
Old Secrets to a Long, Healthy Life: Analysis of ancient texts by USC Davis School of Gerontology professor Caleb Finch reveals that some ancient writers believed the diet influenced longevity.
Get Hands-on Emergency Training: Are you prepared for an earthquake or fire in your office or home? Specifically, do you know how to use a fire extinguisher? Have fully-stocked disaster survival kits where you work and sleep?
USC Thornton Toasts 125 Melodious Years: The USC Thornton School of Music, one of the oldest and most illustrious music schools in the country, celebrated its 125th anniversary in grand style at Town & Gown on Sept. 10.
Aggressive Hiring Planned at Hospitals: Matthew F. McElrath, the new chief human resources officer at the USC hospitals, faces a tough challenge.
A Hard-Fought Battle: When Paul Roybal began his Ph.D. work at the Keck School of Medicine of USC in 2003, he had the world at his fingertips.
USC Orientation, Welcome Week a Big Draw: As the school year shifts into gear, USC’s two signature transition programs for new students, Orientation and Welcome Week, have come to an end after setting record attendance numbers.
A Dual Labor of Love: USC College lecturer Vicki Forman’s new book, This Lovely Life, is a personal story that explains the conflicting emotions the author went through after going into labor prematurely in 2000 and giving birth to twins.
Historic First for Social Work: On Aug. 24, USC School of Social Work graduate students Cassandra Rush and Jason Imhoof took their first steps toward becoming among the first students nationwide to earn a master’s degree in social work with a specialization in military and veteran services.
Freshmen Give Back to the Community: During their first weekend as Trojans, hundreds of USC freshmen chose to volunteer their time and services in the community they just started calling home.
Sampling a Slice of College Life: Inside a science lab at USC, two high school students stared at a preserved sheep kidney on a tray. Looking like a giant chili bean, the organ is roughly the size of a computer mouse.
Silverstein Named Social Sciences Editor: The Gerontological Society of America — the country’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — has named Merril Silverstein editor of the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences.
The Power of Attorneys: A hushed gallery watches as the defense attorney, dapper in a navy pants suit and rectangular glasses, gestures dramatically with her hands.
Renowned Breast Surgeon Joins USC Faculty: Stephen Sener has been named professor of clinical surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Medal of Freedom Goes to Medicine Crow: Joseph Medicine Crow MA ’39, who received an honorary doctor of humane letters from USC in 2003, was awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Harold Slavkin Hailed for His Research: The American Dental Association has named Harold Slavkin, professor and former dean of the USC School of Dentistry, winner of the 2009 Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Research.
Pharmacy School Welcomes Class of 2013: The USC School of Pharmacy greeted 187 students to the four-year, postgraduate program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Walking in the Shoes of Elders: Students at the USC Davis School of Gerontology celebrated the new academic year by “becoming senior citizens” thanks to Trading Ages, an interactive senior sensitivity training program sponsored by SCAN Health Plan.
In Memoriam: Arts Patron Virginia Ramo, 93: Virginia Ramo, a USC alumna, life trustee and 2002 recipient of the university’s highest honor, the Presidential Medallion, died Aug. 19. She was 93.
Trojans to Volunteer for Service Day: Before classes even start, USC students are already hard at work - in the community.
Virtual Worlds May Act Like Developing Economies: How would a massive multiplayer game respond to an economic collapse?
USC Awarded $2.4M Grant to Study Autism: Researchers at the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute have been awarded a $2.4 million grant to conduct research on the effects of gene mutation and pollution on autism spectrum disorder.
A Future in Wellness Awaits: For the past three years, the USC School of Dentistry has helped several underrepresented minority students make their way to dental school.
Adlai Wertman Named to L.A. Commission: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has appointed USC Marshall School of Business professor Adlai Wertman as a commissioner of the Los Angeles Police and Fire Pension Fund, which oversees the $11.9 billion uniformed employee pension portfolio.
Forum Filled With Fresh Smiles: The USC School of Dentistry’s Mobile Dental Clinic has joined forces with other Southern California health care providers to provide free health services at the Forum in Inglewood through Aug. 18.
Advantage Goes to Three-Generation Households: Living in a three-generation household can enhance the economic well-being of children, according to a new study from researchers at USC and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
USC Hospitals Rank High in New Report: USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital ranked first and second among Los Angeles hospitals in new ratings by Consumer Reports of more than 3,400 hospitals nationwide.
Don’t Stop Believing: Curled in a blanket, Kristin Hanggi was in her Manhattan apartment writing a journal and anxiously listening to the Tony Award nominations.
A Novel Way to Work With Youngsters: Fourth grader Alex Flores clamps down hard on a pencil to finish his story that begins “One day I came to school and no one was there.”
A Summer Program Well Worth the Time: Victor Cruz Jr. admitted he had reservations about forgoing summertime indulgences such as sleeping in late for a month of intensive writing and college preparation at USC.
John Schulman to Head New Law Program: Former Warner Bros. executive John Schulman has been recruited by the USC Gould School of Law to head its new entertainment law program.
A Tribute to U.S. Resilience: A comprehensive study spearheaded by the USC-based Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE) has determined that the economic impacts of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack were actually less severe than previously estimated.
True Colors Shine Through Golden Years: The cadre of USC alumni who had earned their bachelor’s degrees at least 50 years earlier met for the first time the morning of June 11, 1949. Sixty years later, the group’s mission remains the same.
Their Future Is Now: Alexa Sieracki is one of 33 incoming freshmen in the Resident Honors Program. Each year, the program offers approximately 30 students the opportunity to enter USC College after their junior year of high school.
50 Jobs, 50 States, 50 Weeks: In the fall of 2008, USC College alum Daniel Seddiqui embarked on an unusual career path — working 50 jobs, each for one week, in 50 states. He’s experiencing 50 first days on the job. And he’s doing this on purpose.
USC Hospitals Ranked Among Best in the Nation: USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital placed among the best hospitals in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report magazine’s 20th annual rankings of “America’s Best Hospitals,” published in the July 21 issue.
Tutor Center Earns Green Building Award: With its doors yet to open to the public, the new Ronald Tutor Campus Center has already won an award.
Quartet Credits USC Trio Program: One by one, Blanca Martinez prepared her daughters for success. She gave up her job and essentially her life to drive them six days a week to the 32nd Street/USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School and to special afternoon and Saturday classes at USC Trio.
Royalty Honors David Warburton: USC professor David Warburton received the insignia of an officer in the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace.
A Marriage of Two Minds: Peter Mancall and Lisa Bitel enjoy more in common than many married couples. Both are historians at USC College. Both are Harvard University grads. And both have written newly released books.
In Memoriam: Raymond A. Watt, 90: Raymond A. Watt, a USC trustee and a prominent Southern California real estate developer who has been credited as being among the first in California to develop condominiums and timeshares, died of natural causes in Rancho Mirage on July 7. He was 90.
Start Spreading the NYC News: Nearly 400 people gathered at New World Stages theatre in New York City on June 29 for the inaugural Tommy Awards honoring five USC alumni for their contributions to the business, arts and sports communities in New York.
USC Awards $850,000 to Community Programs: USC Neighborhood Outreach awarded $850,000 to nearly 40 neighborhood programs at ceremonies on the University Park and Health Sciences campuses during the week of June 8.
Ken Taylor Retires After Long Career: Leaving a legacy as long as his list of admirers, Ken Taylor, assistant vice president for student affairs, retired in May after nearly 25 years of service.
In Memoriam: Herbert G. Klein, 91: Herbert G. Klein, a veteran journalist and the White House’s first director of communications, died on July 2. He was 91.
USC Rossier Kicks Off Its Centennial: Family and friends of the USC Rossier School of Education throughout the last century joined in celebration on June 29 as the school kicked off its 100th-year anniversary.
Meshkati Named Jefferson Science Fellow: The National Academies have selected USC systems safety expert Najmedin Meshkati to serve as a 2009 Jefferson Science fellow.
Jamie McCourt Joins USC Board of Trustees: Jamie McCourt, chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been elected to the USC Board of Trustees.
In Memoriam: Montgomery Ross Fisher, 88: Montgomery Ross Fisher, USC alumnus, former trustee and respected Southern California engineering and building contractor, died on June 10. He was 88.
Kenneth R. Klein Is New USC Trustee: Kenneth R. Klein, chairman of the board, chief executive officer and president of Wind River Systems Inc., has been elected to the USC Board of Trustees.
USC Has Nearly $5 Billion Economic Impact: A new report shows that USC generates $4.9 billion annually in economic activity in the Los Angeles region and beyond.
DeBeikes Jr. Named to USC Board of Trustees: Richard DeBeikes Jr., president of the diversified real estate corporation DeBeikes Investment Co., has been elected to a five-year term on the USC Board of Trustees.
Dowell Myers Tapped for Census Committee: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzennegger appointed Dowell Myers of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development to be part of a newly created census panel that will oversee the upcoming federal census in California. The California Complete Count Committee is...
Coach Carroll Connects With Kids: USC Coach Pete Carroll has created www.CampPete.com, a Web site that allows him to interact with children across the country.
Digital Expert to Join USC Marshall: Innovative digital entertainment industry leader Lucy Hood has been appointed executive director of the Institute for Communication Technology Management (CTM) and assistant professor of clinical management and organization at the USC Marshall School of Business.
Biologist Brings Hands-on Science to Kids: According to the National Science Foundation, 80 percent of jobs in the future will require some math and science skills. “Math and science are the new foundational literacy for everyone,” said Tom Luce, chief executive officer of the Math and Science Initiative.
USC Gave Him Words to Live By: Born in Romania, Alexandru “Alex” Iftimie was a child during the Romanian Revolution of 1989 when citizens overthrew the country’s communist regime.
Does She Have the Recipe for Success?: When Southern soul food comes to mind, flavors of Eastern cuisine are not usually part of the picture. For restaurant consultant and chef Debbie Lee, however, the two go together like a hot summer night and a glass of sweet tea.
School District Runs on Trojan Power: The doctorate of education program at the USC Rossier School of Education has been transforming one Southern California school district - administrator by administrator and teacher by teacher - into a success story for urban public education.
An Interactive Map for Teachers: An interactive and comprehensive map that details the certification requirements for every state in the country has gained traction among teachers.
Pete Carroll Inspires the Armed Forces: Sports and the military have always had a uniquely rewarding relationship, perhaps summarized best by legendary World War II Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
New Shoah Foundation Institute Team: Howard Gillman, dean of USC College, has appointed a new leadership team for the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education.
USC Trustee Tapped to Lead NASA: President Barack Obama has announced his intent to nominate USC trustee Charles F. Bolden Jr. MS ’77to serve as the space agency’s next administrator.
USC to Hold Pink Slip Networking Event: The USC Marshall School of Business and the USC Alumni Association are responding to the widespread job anxiety caused by the current recession by co-hosting a “Pink Slip” networking mixer from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on June 3 at The Lab restaurant/pub.
In Memoriam: Thomas P. Nickell Jr., 88: Thomas P. Nickell Jr., former USC vice president for university affairs, died in San Diego on May 25. He was 88.
International Administrators Converge at USC: With USC playing host to the most international students of any U.S. university, it is only fitting that the home of the Trojans has a major profile in NAFSA, the Association of International Educators.
Evolution in Teacher Education: Graduating USC Rossier School of Education undergraduate and graduate teacher credential candidates filled the courtyard of Mudd Hall on May 13 to celebrate the master teachers who took them into their classrooms and under their wing over the past year.
Pharmacists and Physicians Team Up at Clinic: “Patients don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” advised USC School of Pharmacy commencement speaker Paul Gregerson at the ceremony held at the Health Sciences Campus Quad.
Elepa�o Earns Staff Achievement Award: Some suspect that Mariano Elepa�o moves at superhuman speed. Others are convinced he has clones.
New Survey of State Charter Schools: Many of California’s 600-plus charter schools in the past year strengthened their fiscal stability and academic progress.
Save Those Commencement Photos! The University Archives Collects Them: Although unofficial USC mascot George Tirebiter remains top dog, a German Shepherd named Joker was nipping at his heels in the early 1970s.
Multimedia Journalists to Join USC Annenberg: Seattle Times director of development Robert Hernandez and new media researcher Andrew Lih will begin teaching at the USC Annenberg School for Communication this fall.
USC Marks 126th Commencement: Surprised and delighted by the pealing chimes of a newly restored university landmark, more than 8,000 graduating Trojans cheered commencement today for the 126th time in USC history.
Pomp and Unusual Circumstance: USC College issued more than 2,200 degrees during commencement 2009: 1,800 undergraduate; 245 master’s and 170 Ph.D. Here are tales from a few exceptional graduates.
Like Father, Like Son: May 15 was a big day for the Gibson family - both father, Michael, and son, David, donned their caps and gowns to receive their USC diplomas after nine collective years of hard work and long nights of studying.
Three Decades of Advancement by Women: USC’s Women in Management turns 30 this year. Founding member Carolyn Heine of Academic Records & Registrar recalled how the organization helped mobilize change for women staff at the university.
Adventurer by Bus, Bike and Foot: When you finish four years of a demanding major with an unblemished record of A’s, it might be time for some self-congratulation. But that’s not the style of USC’s 2009 valedictorian, Paul VanWieren.
Posthumous Honor for Gifted Scholar: “It was unfortunate that to learn how to live, I had to learn how to die,” USC student William Zarifi wrote in a class paper shortly before his death.
Promoter Plans to Rock On: Sara Schlievert is either always working or never working. It’s tough to tell. Her days and nights consist of going to concerts, listening to music and introducing people to up-and-coming bands. And she gets paid for it.
A White Coat Is in Her Future: This summer, salutatorian Brenda Nuyen wants to learn how to surf. By recently mastering skateboarding, she feels up to the challenge.
What I Will Do on My Summer Vacation: Four students from USC College's Master of Professional Writing earn scholarships to attend the New York State Summer Writers Institute program.
Taking a Stand for People and the Planet: Green for All founding president Van Jones was honored with USC College’s second annual Sustainability Champion Award.
Warshel Elected to the National Academy of Sciences: Arieh Warshel, a pioneer in the field of computational biophysics and USC College veteran of more than 30 years, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
New USC College Web Site Shines Brightly: If USC were a solar system, USC College would be the sun. Now there is a new way to view this sun — through the College’s redesigned Web site.
USC’s 2009-10 Budget Guided by Prudence: USC’s 2009-10 budget, excluding health care services, will be $1.92 billion, pending approval by the Board of Trustees in June.
First Fulbright Scholars Announced: USC has 13 finalists for Fulbright scholarships this year, and seven students already have received acceptance letters. The students are headed to Laos, Spain, Thailand, India, Mexico, Austria and France.
USC Commencement to be Held May 15: More than 40,000 graduates and their families are expected to fill Alumni Park and the sites of 34 satellite ceremonies for USC’s 126th annual commencement on May 15.
A Conversation With Phil Ethington: If you want to see an example of an original, restless intellect, go to Phil Ethington’s Web site at www-rcf.usc.edu/~philipje.
Brown, Cowan Named Academy Fellows: The American Academy of Arts & Sciences announced on April 20 that University Professor Geoffrey Cowan and John Seely Brown, formerly of the USC Annenberg Center, are its newest fellows.
From Russia With Love: Opening in 1926, the historic Shrine Auditorium building with its Moroccan architecture and golden dome cupolas has been most famously a venue for the Oscars.
From Diaper Bag to Briefcase: Becoming a new mom is hard. Becoming a new working mom is harder and can throw even the most confident, successful woman for a loop.
Trojan Fleet Doubles in Size: Travel to the USC campus on Catalina Island became much easier when the U.S. Coast Guard approved passenger travel on a boat operated by the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies.
USC Thornton to Celebrate 125 Years: On April 2, the USC Thornton School of Music previewed its 125th anniversary with the news that its physical size will increase by 50 percent over the next two years as it takes over and renovates three buildings from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Speed Dating a Hit With Faculty: Speed dating without romance is like a presentation without Powerpoint: unusual, but not without potential.
Stirred Up by a Souljourn: Dafer M. Dakhil had an interesting question for the USC students sitting across from him in the basement of the Omar Mosque directly across the street from USC’s International Residential College at Parkside.
Interdisciplinary Scholars to Join USC: USC has recruited five leading interdisciplinary scholars as part of its ongoing initiative to attract a dozen accomplished researchers, it was announced by Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias on behalf of President Steven B. Sample.
Estela Mara Bensimon: A True Mentor: The USC Rossier School of Education professor was selected as a recipient of the USC Mellon Faculty-to-Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring.
USC Celebrates Purchase of Two Hospitals: USC’s newest employees got a taste of Trojan hospitality at picnic celebrations welcoming USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital into the family.
New Models for K-12 Teacher Pay Cited: School union members and administrators discuss how other districts across the country are redefining teacher compensation.
In Memoriam: Diane Ainsworth, 56: Diane Ainsworth, a science writer for the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, died of an aneurysm on March 29 in her Altadena home, according to her father Donald Ainsworth. She was 56.
Dentistry Marks End of Harold Slavkin Era: Eight-year deanship saw the development of innovative learning philosophies, influential research and cutting-edge facilities.
Update: USC Hit-and-Run Incident: Los Angeles City Council, USC, L.A. County Offer Rewards Totaling $135,000
Bringing Down the Wall: Facebook helps a former Weemes Elementary student say thanks to a USC mentor who changed his life.
Social Work Adds Fun to Emergency Prep: Mixing business with pleasure, the school’s staff members take part in exercises that demonstrate the importance of being prepared for unexpected trouble.
Law Student Wins Campaign to Free Woman: After nearly 30 years in prison, Connie Keel will be released thanks to the efforts of USC Law student Adam Reich and his professors.
In Memoriam: Timothy M. Doheny, 83: The rancher and advocate for California’s land and wildlife helped to lay the cornerstone for USC’s landmark library.
In Memoriam: Emery Stoops, 106: The university’s oldest alumnus was a longtime supporter of education at USC whose ‘legacy was an inspiration.’
Time for Them to Look Into Mirror: Entertainment management expert’s new book explores celebrity narcissism and its effects on youth and popular culture.
Two New B.A. Degrees Set by USC College: Students can broaden their liberal arts education by pursuing courses in narrative studies and human performance.
Avishai Sadan Named Dentistry Dean: Coming to USC this summer from Case Western Reserve University, Sadan brings a strong background in clinical, curricular and research.
New Eateries for Trojan Family: Two coffee cafes, a pizza place and a pub offering small plates and large tables expand food options.
Prep Students Get Into the GameDesk: Inspired by a USC Viterbi curriculum, high schoolers hone their math skills and learn how to build complex computer games.
Coach Carroll Scores at Town & Gown: ‘Celebration of the Heart,’ a scholarship gala held by the School of Social Work, salutes Pete Carroll’s community service.
Get in the Running for Grant Money: Community members and university volunteers can team up to apply for funds supplied by USC Neighborhood Outreach. At stake is $1.1 million raised by the Good Neighbors Campaign.
Can Optimism Lead to Action?: Hundreds of high school students attend the Young Scholars Forum at USC, an event that asks teenagers to examine their role in society.
Pharm School Hailed for Community Work: National award recognizes transformative efforts at seven safety-net clinics providing quality health care to uninsured and underserved residents.
Singing the Praises of a Long Partnership: A USC gathering unites the participants of a documentary about a mentor and his students who joined a choir and changed their lives.
Hollins Gets Lifetime Achievement Award: USC Rossier professor nets this year’s honor for her distinguished contributions to education research over four decades.
Sustainability Expert Joins USC: New program manager Matthew Oden was trained by Al Gore, served the United Nations and earned a master’s in environmental management from Yale.
USC Launches Public Diplomacy Magazine: PD unites scholarship and practice in the first publication dedicated to the emerging field.
Educational Visit From Across the Pond: USC Rossier leaders swap strategies with U.K. educators regarding the growth and treatment of college-bound students.
Sample Upbeat in Annual Faculty Address: USC president lauds purchase agreement for hospitals and says that ‘difficult times often bring out the best in us.’
SPPD, USC Annenberg Host Holt Lecture: NYU social sciences professor Craig Calhoun reflects on innovation and a commitment to informing the public through teaching.
Doctoral Students and Dissertations: Education and engineering students attend the first retreat organized by USC Rossier’s Doctoral Support Center. The goal: to help students focus on the daunting task at hand.
Social Work Acquires 3 Academic Journals: The publications, housed at the school's Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services, link academic disciplines, present innovative research and provide new insights.
Violence Against Women Day Hits Home: Social work students are surprised to discover that men must get professional help before the women they know can receive their own.
Trojans Lend a Helping Hand: The USC Alumni Association and the USC Volunteer Center partner at five L.A. social service sites on “Friends & Neighbors Service Day.”
Psychology Students Visit USC Rossier: The school offers Schurr High School students a behind-the-scenes look at current brain research in their field.
USC to Purchase Two Private Hospitals: The deal to acquire the USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital is expected to close March 31.
Looking Forward to the Sound of Music: Grammy Career Day gives hundreds of students the chance to start thinking about a college education and the music business.
That’s How They (Honor) Roll: Thousands of hours contributed by volunteers leads to the Presidential Honor Roll for Community Service.
Children With a Reason to Smile: Dentistry students and faculty provide oral health education, screenings and care referrals to youngsters at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary.
SPPD Signs Pact With World Bank: The memorandum of understanding is signed during a conference focusing on challenges facing megacities in the developing world.
Lessons Learned in the Great ShakeOut: New plans for 2009 include better transportation for victims, more information for families and improved communications.
Olah, Scholtz Named to National Academy: The USC Viterbi School is one of only six schools in the nation with two or more elected members in the National Academy of Engineering.
Lincoln Artifacts on Display by USC Law: In honor of his 200th birthday, the school’s library features its unique collection of books, pennies and stamps.
So You Want to be a Professor?: Ambitious USC College graduate students try to move ahead of the competition through special projects, workshops and symposia.
Honors for University Professor Jean Shih: The School of Pharmacy scientist wins a National Institutes of Health grant topping $1 million and will be honored this summer by the Society of Chinese Bioscientists.
SPPD Helps City Officials Face Challenges: Faculty and students take part in a three-day leadership training conference seeking solutions for thousands of U.S. cities and townships.
Key Education Leader Joins USC Rossier: Rudolph Crew, a former head of the New York City Public School system, will recruit students and develop new partnerships in the community.
Castells Named USC University Professor: In social sciences, USC Annenberg’s Manuel Castells is among the top five most cited scholars around the world.
City, USC Move Forward on Campus Plan: The City of Los Angeles issues a Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report. A public scoping meeting is set for Feb. 18.
A Capitalist Ahead of Her Time: New research answers a longtime question of how Lucrezia Borgia boosted her personal wealth when times were tough.
Provost Offers a Vision for Future: In the 31st Pullias Lecture on higher education, C. L. Max Nikias reflects on risk-taking, discovery and Promethean universities.
KUSC Transmitting Antenna Damaged: GM Eric DeWeese says the station is working to fix the problem caused by a recent hailstorm.
Carroll to be Honored for Community Work: Coach will be recognized at USC School of Social Work’s gala in March.
IEEE Elects Three New Fellows From USC: President Sample, Shri Narayanan and Timothy Pinkston earn the distinction among the nation’s top engineers.
Calling All Teachers of the Future: USC Rossier invites applicants to participate in a new online masters program.
Financial Aid Faces an ‘Uncertain Future’: Two-day enrollment conference at USC attempts to develop strategies for greater access to higher education.
SPPD Celebrates Its 80th Anniversary: Dean Jack H. Knott says the School of Policy, Planning, and Development remains dedicated to advancing academic theory and making an impact in the world.
Rossier Alum to Head Calif. Education: Glen Thomas, whom colleagues say has a passion for curriculum and instruction, is appointed to the post by Gov. Schwarzenegger.
USC Financial Aid Expected to Increase: Pool of applicants for the fall semester represents a highly diverse group of students from around the world.
Financial Aid Faces an ‘Uncertain Future’: Two-day enrollment conference at USC attempts to develop strategies for greater access to higher education.
Plans Announced for College Commons: Signature programs are designed to engage faculty, students.
USC Housing to Manage 7 Student Rentals: University Park tenants will have access to a support staff and 24-hour hotline.
Pharmacy Student Claims National Kudo: Bonnie Hui receives an honor recognizing her contributions to community service.
Robert Abeles Named a Senior VP: Margo Steurbaut and Courtney Surls are appointed vice presidents of finance and development, respectively.
Lawmakers Laud USC Rossier Professor’s Study: Dominic Brewer’s findings on student performance data lead to a call for reform by Oklahoma senators.
Humayun Holds Chair in Biomed Sciences: USC engineer and physician Mark Humayun accepts the newly created professorship named in honor of former provost Cornelius J. Pings.
Meter Rates Going Up on Jefferson: Starting Tuesday, new Park & Pay stations installed by the city's Department of Transportation will cost $1 per hour.
USC Enrollment Center Hosts Symposium: Leading financial aid practitioners to attend two-day conference focusing on student aid in uncertain times.
What Does It Take to Walk on Water?: Freshman Academy students dive into basic concepts involving engineering and applied sciences.
Legal Innovations in a Complex World: Business and legal scholars explore reform in increasingly competitive markets during an event sponsored by USC Law.
Charter Schools Can Measure Success: USC surveys allow parents, teachers and students to eliminate guesswork when key decisions must be made.
CREATE Appoints Interim Director: Isaac Maya is serving as head of the National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis during the search for a replacement.
Good Neighbors Campaign Reaches Goal: USC College also doubles its participation rate, meeting a donor’s $1 million challenge for the Joint Educational Project.
Meet the Class of 2012: USC College student standouts join the Trojan Family.

For Journalists »
USC in the News
for 2/8/2012 »
- The Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned USC’s $6 billion fundraising campaign. The story noted that USC had already raised $1 billion in a “quiet phase,” including the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College.
  
  The Guardian (U.K.) highlighted two major gifts to USC in a list of the 10 biggest philanthropic benefactors in America. The list included the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
  
  The New York Times featured the USC U.S.-China Institute documentary “Assignment: China — The Week that Changed the World.” The documentary, part of a series, examines media coverage of the 1972 Nixon trip that reshaped U.S.-China relations after a quarter century of isolation and hostility. “People look back now and take it for granted that the outcome was preordained,” said the institute’s Mike Chinoy, who produced the documentary. Voice of America also featured the story.
  
  Los Angeles Times featured the Oscar Senti-meter, a tool developed by the USC Annenberg School, Los Angeles Times and IBM that analyzes thousands of tweets about the Academy Awards nominees. The story noted that Mexican actor Demian Bechir received an enormous boost on Twitter the day of the nominations, with a total of 6,893 tweets mentioning him, a 47-fold increase from the day before. The story noted the tool uses language-recognition technology developed in collaboration with USC Viterbi School’s Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab.
  
  The Times of India (India) featured a three-day medical emergency training workshop organized in association with USC. At the workshop, held at GCS Medical College in India, 50 doctors and more than 100 paramedics learned how to improve emergency support systems. William Mallon of the Keck School of USC said that discussion topics included the use of portable ultrasonic devices to scan patients. “The ultrasound applications help physicians make accurate and timely decisions,” he noted. Daily News & Analysis (India) also featured the workshop.
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