Alumni Life

InSight mission to Mars NASA has set a new launch opportunity, beginning May 5, 2018, for the InSight mission to Mars. InSight is the first mission dedicated to investigating the deep interior of Mars. (Image/Courtesy of NASA, JPL-Caltech) Out of This World

A Trojan Takes the Helm of the Mars InSight Lander Mission

Geophysicist W. Bruce Banerdt of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab embarks on a 300-million mile journey to uncover the secrets of Mars.

3 min readAlumni Life, Science/Technology, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Alumni Life, Geology
Art of the Matter Artists from USC and the community perform as part of Classical KUSC and Classical KDFC Kids Discovery Days. The events introduce children to the arts, including live music. (Photo/Peter Howard) Igniting Imagination

The Trojans Bringing Arts Education Back to Kids and Schools

If you think arts education has vanished from schools and neighborhoods, these Trojans have some news for you.

11 min readAlumni Life, Arts, Arts for Social Change, Community, Community Outreach, Dance, Education, Fine Arts, Music
Jaime Lee and USC Alumni Association Jaime Lee with, from left, Rod Nakamoto, immediate past president of the USCAA Board of Governors; Patrick Auerbach, USC’s associate vice president of alumni relations; and Michael Felix, president-elect of the USCAA Board. | Photo by Josh Krause Trojan Trailblazers

A Third-Generation Trojan Takes the Lead for the USCAA Board of Governors

USC’s alumni association welcomes its first Asian-American female president, Jaime Lee.

3 min readAlumni Life, University, Alumni, Alumni Association
virtual art museum tour of USC Pacific Asia Museum Users can step into the USC Pacific Asia Museum’s galleries with this 3D immersive experience. (Video/USC Pacific Asia Museum) State of the Art

How the Pandemic Changed Museums Forever (or Did It?)

They had to rethink how to connect with the public. Turns out “Botticelli on Zoom” and art talks from the couch might change the way Americans get their culture fix.

12 min readAlumni Life, Arts, Alumni, Alumni Life, COVID-19 Heroes, Digital Arts, Fine Arts, Media Arts, Museums, Visual Arts
1935 USC graduation photo at Coliseum In 1935, faculty and graduating students gathered at the Coliseum to celebrate commencement. (Photo/Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive, Collection 1429. Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.) Pomp and Circumstance

USC Commencement at the Coliseum: Vintage Photos from 1924 to 1950

As Trojan 2020 and 2021 grads get ready to walk at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, join us in our wayback machine. See how decades’ worth of Trojans celebrated at the stadium

4 min readAlumni Life, Photo, Student Life, Commencement 2021, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Students, USC History
Photo of a man sitting on top of a bench at USC. It all started at USC: Michael Ausiello recalls how his days at Annenberg informed his work as a TV journalist. He is portrayed by actor Jim Parsons in the feature film "Spoiler Alert" based on his 2017 memoir. (Photo/Gus Ruelas) Reel Life

From Daily Trojan to Spoiler Alert

Michael Ausiello wrote a heartbreaking — yet darkly funny — memoir after his husband’s death. It’s now a movie starring Jim Parsons.

10 min readAlumni Life, Arts, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
School of Dramatic Arts alumnus and voice actor JP Karliak poses for a photograph outside USC’s Widney Alumni House, where he worked for several years after earning a bachelor's degree in theater from the School of Dramatic Arts at USC, May 4, 2022. (Photo/Gus Ruelas) Loud and Proud

Raising Voices

Actor JP Karliak ’03 founded nonprofit Queer Vox to train LGBTQ+ voiceover actors and help them network and find mainstream roles in animation and video games.

10 min readAlumni Life, Arts, LGBTQ
Japanese American family of USC alumni view a rock garden on campus Niki Kawakami – "Us being here today, it’s a very reflective time. I used to share a lot of stories and I think that’s something that should be emphasized more, that connecting with your history, learning from the lessons and seeing how you can be better." (Photo/Damon Casarez) Peace, Love, and Rocks

‘You Feel Like You’re Connected to Something More’

USC rock garden, opened in April, creates a contemplative space for Trojan family of 1940s dental student Tadashi “Tad” Ochiai.

3 min readAlumni Life, University
12 USC staff and alumni pose for a group photo at the Alumni Awards 2022 event. 2022 Alumni Awards winners pose with USC administrators: (Left to right) Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations Patrick E. Auerbach, Beth Petak-Aaron, Adam Goldston, Alumni Awards Co-Chair Mary Tee, Ryan Goldston, Ramona Cappello, Mike Nyeholt, Alumni Awards Co-Chair Kevork Zoryan, President Carol Folt, Mary Bono, Jules Buenabenta, President, USC Alumni Association President John Iino. (Photo/Steve Cohn) Top Trojans

Exemplary Trojans Honored at 2022 USC Alumni Awards

At the 88th annual Alumni Awards gala in April, the Trojan Family celebrated notable leaders who showcase the best of the Trojan spirit. The 2022 USC alumni awards recipients were recognized for bringing distinction to the university.

7 min readAlumni Life, Athletics, Business, University, Alumni, Awards
Hunter playing piano at Playa in Summer Lake, Oregon In a Landscape concerts have taken place largely in Oregon and the West, but Noack hopes to expand his geographic boundaries. “I get so excited and want to go everywhere,” he says. (Photo/ Ed Schmidt) MOVING TO A DIFFERENT BEAT

Getting in Tune With Nature Around the West

USC alum and classical pianist Hunter Noack performs BYOS—bring your own Steinway—concerts at some of the most stunning outdoor sites in the U.S. The results? Pure magic.

3 min readAlumni Life, Arts, University
USC alumni films collage (Illustration/Max-O-Matic) (Copyright By A.M.P.A.S. (Douglas Fairbanks); Twentieth Century Fox (Star Wars); Columbia Pictures Corp./Photofest (Boyz N The Hood); Hugh M. Hefner Moving Image Archive (Merrell Gage);Morningside Productions (Jason And The Argonauts); United Artists (Charlie Chaplin); Nbc/Photofest (Johnny Carson); Milestone Film & Video (Mary Pickford); Paramount Pictures (Titanic).) Screen Legends

Top Hollywood Blockbusters With Trojan Ties

From Star Wars to The Avengers, USC alumni have created some of the most successful movies in history.

1 min readAlumni Life, Arts, Alumni, Cinema, Cinematic Arts
USC Alumni Entrepreneurs Network members USC Alumni Association’s Patrick Auerbach (far left) and Danielle Harvey Stinson (far right) join AEN members (left to right) Adam Mendler, Taryn Rose, Mark Friedman and Dee Murthy at a panel. (Photo/ Will Chiang) Taking Care of Business

USC Alumni Entrepreneurs Tap into Trojan Family Network

The USC Alumni Entrepreneurs Network offers social, educational and career-oriented events for enterprising Trojans.

5 min readAlumni Life, Business, Alumni, Alumni Association, Entrepreneurship