Ron Mackovich-Rodriguez
Ron Mackovich-Rodriguez oversees priorities – stories about USC Village, biotech, access and value, among other areas – for USC University Communications. He has a strong background in digital journalism, most recently at KCBS-TV.
Stories by Ron Mackovich-Rodriguez:
Marine Corps veteran and new USC graduate helps convert shipping containers into housing
COMMENCEMENT 2022: J.D. Barba spent five years as an active-duty Marine. His new mission: building modular housing in the Crenshaw District for homeless people.
Author and peace advocate Maya Soetoro-Ng chosen as USC baccalaureate speaker
COMMENCEMENT 2022: The educator and leader aims to bring a message of peace and strength in the pursuit of justice and healthy communities.
Public art exhibit showcases global worldview of climate change
EARTH WEEK: Students are transforming giant globes to communicate abstract ideas about the climate crisis.
USC’s incoming class shows continued progress in diversity, first-gen representation
Admission offers are out to almost 8,200 would-be students around the globe.
Quest for honorary degrees ends as President Folt confers diplomas upon Nisei students
It’s a historic act of atonement, as the university presents families from around the world diplomas in the names of Japanese American USC students who were forced into detention in 1942.
USC celebrates its military, veterans and ROTC — in person, at last
Featured speaker retired Air Force Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski headlined a lively evening of tradition and celebration of USC’s long partnership with the military.
6 distinguished figures to receive honorary degrees at USC’s 2022 commencement
COMMENCEMENT 2022: The well-known names include leaders from the worlds of philanthropy, entertainment, sports and journalism.
Building a peaceful place for reflection and remembrance
Dedicated to Japanese American students forced out of USC during World War II, a rock garden in traditional Japanese style is designed with a spirit of stoic strength and optimism borne of adversity. Read about the project and watch the video.
To increase diversity in architecture, USC’s A-Lab nurtures South L.A. high schoolers
The semesterlong architecture immersion course gives students rare opportunities — and a glimpse into a field that just might be a perfect fit.
USC joins U.S. Space Force’s University Partnership Program
The university’s diversity, commitment to the military and wealth of research made it an ideal fit for this agreement, which begins a formal partnership.
‘Family Reunion’ on McCarthy Quad helps wind down Black History Month celebration
The event with panel discussions, music, food and fun capped USC’s most vibrant celebration of Black History Month yet, a series of events focused on the joy, health and vitality of the Black experience.
A dark anniversary: Japanese Americans exiled to prison camps 80 years ago by FDR’s Executive Order 9066
USC Dornsife experts discuss the legacy of the Feb. 19, 1942, decision that forever changed the lives of many Japanese American families and their descendants.
With mixed emotions, three generations of one Trojan family close a chapter in history
Niki Kawakami will be the fifth in her family to earn an advanced USC degree — but her grandfather was cheated of his during World War II. Eighty years later, a gap in justice is closing.
On National Donor Day, organ recipient breaks down misinformation
Determined to counter misinformation and racial disparities in organ transplants and donations, Trojan Selah Kitchiner takes on her challenge with the restrained strength of a survivor.
Overcoming war, detention and racism, 104-year-old Trojan receives honorary degree
Frank Chuman, who was among the Japanese American students forced to leave USC in 1942 and live in a detention facility, has received an expedited honorary degree and a video greeting from President Folt.
Allyson Felix, a champion on the field and of women’s rights, named USC’s 2022 commencement speaker
COMMENCEMENT 2022: The Trojan Olympian — winner of seven Olympic gold medals and the most decorated U.S. track and field athlete in history — brings a message of empowerment and perseverance.
Imagery and remembrance: photos and artworks that define the Holocaust
USC experts consider the importance of these photographs and paintings — bringing immediacy to history and conveying the human cost.
Drop by drop, water refill stations put plastic bottles in their place
Those single-use bottles are on their way out as water refill stations proliferate on USC’s University Park and Health Sciences campuses.
Coping with COVID: Thanks to omicron, 2022 is off to a painful start
Disruption fatigue, emotional exhaustion and skepticism about public health information are making a bad thing worse, USC experts note. Coping skills and safety measures are critical.
USC partners with College Track to promote school success for first-gen high school students of color
The national nonprofit’s new Crenshaw center is just 1½ miles from USC’s University Park Campus — and Trojan Olympian Allyson Felix has joined its board to boost participation in the neighborhood where she grew up.
USC ‘digital archaeological dig’ seeks families of Nisei students, 80 years after Japanese internment
The university will posthumously honor students banished during wave of anti-Japanese sentiment after Pearl Harbor — but first it has to find them.
Affordable housing solutions are evasive for homeless veterans in Los Angeles
USC/RAND study tracks obstacles for military veterans searching for housing. Los Angeles is home to 10% of the nation’s unhoused veterans.
Bridging cultural gulf and a generation gap, Green Beret veteran stands out in class
Undergraduate students half his age sometimes mistake Orlando Ambriz for a professor. The retired Green Beret flips those mistakes into opportunities.
Continents and cultures converge in USC Veterans Association leadership team
As president and vice president of the USC Veterans Association, Johnny Walker and Seulki Noh make a powerful pair.