Grayson Schmidt
Grayson Schmidt is a writer and multimedia journalist with USC News. He comes to USC with news experience in print, radio and television. He also worked as a crime reporter for three years in Iowa, and is well aware of the irony.
Stories by Grayson Schmidt:
USC beach volleyball star primed for Olympics breakout
Kelly Claes and her partner, Sarah Sponcil, have already made history as the youngest duo to represent the U.S. in beach volleyball. Now, they’re ready to show the world why they deserve their spot.
Two years later, young girl’s family and USC doctor look back on groundbreaking fetal surgery
When Abby Giron was diagnosed with in utero spina bifida, her family was distraught. Then Ramen Chmait’s innovative surgery changed everything.
How a student project led to autism training at USC’s Department of Public Safety
Master’s students Monica Caris and Riley McGuire just wanted to educate people about autism, but already their capstone project has become part of yearly officer training.
USC community stepping up to support vaccination
From Mark and Marilou Hamill to quarterback Kedon Slovis, the message is clear: Getting vaccinated helps the whole Trojan Family — and a raffle offers new incentives, too.
USC to host online event to commemorate Juneteenth
The event on Saturday will reflect on and celebrate Black heritage through student tributes, artistic performances and various speakers.
Honoring LGBTQ+ achievements: USC kicks off Pride Month with virtual event
The Pride Month Celebration will feature a variety of speakers sharing personal stories of inspirational LGBTQ+ people in their lives or careers.
A commencement two years in the making begins: Classes of 2020 and 2021 walk the Coliseum stage
Friday’s commencement events kicked off a week of ceremonies recognizing USC’s graduating students for their achievements and — most importantly — their perseverance.
Valedictorian Tianna Shaw-Wakeman hopes to leave a lasting impact of sustainability at USC
Though she didn’t set foot on campus until orientation, Shaw-Wakeman quickly got involved in causes aimed at leaving the university — and the world — a little better for the next generation and beyond.
Salutatorian Jake Bubman following family footsteps into legal career
From assisting in immigrant courtrooms to singing with the SoCal VoCals, Bubman has grown into himself during his Trojan tenure — and he’s looking forward to saying goodbye to his peers in person.
Salutatorian Ashwin Bhumbla wants to use his engineering and tech background to make an impact
Through student organizations like Code the Change and Engineers Without Borders, Bhumbla assists underserved communities at home and abroad. He’s also a proud member of the Trojan Marching Band.
2 USC grads named Knight-Hennessy Scholars
Alums Jeremy Pathmanabhan and Héctor Reyes were awarded full-tuition scholarships to Stanford graduate programs. They’re the first Trojans to be named Knight-Hennessy Scholars.
May the 4th event brings in more than $1 million for USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative
A cavalcade of Star Wars legends — including Luke Skywalker himself — delighted fans while recognizing the efforts of the university’s signature college prep program.
New career tools boost workplace readiness for USC grads
The “Ready, Set, Career!” and “Skill Boosters” sections will accompany the Trojan Network to offer students and alumni new training and mentorship opportunities.
Festival of Books to feature Zooey Deschanel, Don Lemon and USC authors including Viet Thanh Nguyen
The nation’s largest literary festival — sponsored by USC and the Los Angeles Times — will be held online for the second year in a row due to COVID-19.
Live from … their homes: USC sketch comedy group preps for biggest online show yet
For the first time, a sketch show will be featured in the USC School of Dramatic Arts’ spring lineup. And no, it won’t be full of jokes about Zoom.
Student helps teens build relationships with their grandparents — by documenting them on film
After seeing the distance between kids and their elders in his own Jewish community, Ethan Kurzrock developed the Haggadah Project for L.A. middle schoolers.
‘It was just the right thing to do’: USC geriatrics physician brings vaccines to the most vulnerable
Laura Mosqueda knows that many of her older patients can’t make the trek to mass vaccination sites. That’s why she’s administering at-home COVID-19 vaccines.
USC pharmacy students share stories from the vaccination clinic front lines
What were once tears of disappointment have become tears of gratitude as COVID-19 vaccine stockpiles finally begin to swell. USC’s student pharmacists describe how it feels to help restore much-needed optimism.
🎧 Meet the students who fight COVID-19 through research
They span from passionate future physicians to first-gen students who translated for Spanish-speaking patients. Hear from some of the Trojans who jumped into the race against COVID-19.
Why does L.A. have so many COVID-19 cases?
A lack of affordable housing and the resulting crowded apartments play a major role in L.A. County’s nearly 1.2 million confirmed coronavirus cases, USC experts say.
Student intellectual society doesn’t just discuss big ideas; it makes a big impact
The Philologos Society started as a way for USC students to share knowledge, but its members also make a point to give back to people in need throughout Los Angeles.
Keck Medicine of USC vaccinates elderly relatives of hospital staff
Roughly 300 family members of Keck Medicine’s environmental services, cafeteria and warehouse workers were vaccinated over the weekend in an effort to further combat COVID-19 disparities in L.A.
A sequel 17 years in the making: How a USC staffer’s side project became the perfect follow-up to his cult hit
Though Patricio Ginelsa only makes films in his spare time, his recent passion project, Lumpia with a Vengeance, is winning awards and charming audiences.
‘Studio buddies’ help architecture students create digital camaraderie
There’s nothing like the collaborative magic of the architecture studio. That’s why the graduate student leaders at the USC School of Architecture found a way to recreate it online.