David Judson, a fourth-generation Trojan, is president of Judson Studios.(Photo/Gus Ruelas)
A Colorful Life
David Judson MA ’96, president of Judson Studios, brings a fresh eye to the centuries-old craft of stained glass.
(Photo/Cody Pickens)
Citizen Architect
For solutions to inequality, marginalization and divisiveness, one of USC’s newest deans wants to tap an unexpected resource: architecture.
USC architecture students will soon see their creativity come to life. They worked with ArtCenter College of Design students to reenvision a plaza and entrance to The Museum of Contemporary Art in L.A. (Photo/Buddy Bleckley)
Citizen Architect
USC architecture students reimagine ways to make the Museum of Contemporary Art even more accessible to visitors.
(USC Photo/Gus Ruelas)
Igniting Imagination
There’s a growing body of research that suggests music and other arts can affect childhood brain development.
(Photo/Chandler Golan)
Attuned to the Arts
From the business of live music to screen scoring, USC Thornton finds niches for music students.
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
If you think arts education has vanished from schools and neighborhoods, these Trojans have some news for you.
The inset photo was taken about two decades after the museum’s 1939 founding.| PHOTO BY DUSTIN SNIPES
Now and Again
Elizabeth Holmes Fisher started from humble beginnings to become a renowned collector of the great masters.
USC's dramatic arts students take on virtual reality, video games, motion capture and more. | Illustrations by GlueKit
Changing Channels
Acting students prep for careers in virtual reality, video games and motion capture—with a firm grounding in classical training.
Grand Park in Los Angeles | PHOTO BY JIM SIMMONS
Design Details
Designers of Grand Park in Los Angeles, including USC alumni, aim to make space for everyone.
The Hecuba statue welcomes visitors to USC Village.
Inside USC Village
The 12-foot-tall bronze Hecuba sculpture welcomes visitors to USC Village.
Stained glass at USC Village was designed at Judson Studios. | Photo by Gus Ruelas
Inside USC Village
The handcrafted windows are the latest chapter in the rich story of Los Angeles and USC.
ILLUSTRATION BY RODERICK MILLS
Sing Their Praises
A USC Thornton student promotes hope and diversity through choral music.
Philanthropist Glorya Kaufman dances with renowned choreographer and artistic advisor William Forsythe. | Photo by Steve Cohn
For the Love of Dance
Glorya Kaufman’s lifelong passion inspires the launch of USC’s newest art school.
The longtime faculty member at the USC Thornton School of Music views himself as a “musical grandchild of the great Russian musical heritage.” | PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL POLLACK
To Russia With Love
The acclaimed pianist reflects on his role as an honorary cultural ambassador.
SUEÑO PHOTO © 2016 BANCO DE MÉXICO DIEGO RIVERA FRIDA KAHLO MUSEUMS TRUST, MEXICO, D.F. / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK
That Latino Connection
From murals to movies, USC museums help celebrate Pacific Standard Time LA/LA.
Courtesy of the USC Thornton School of Music
Harmonious Partnership
The conductor and pianist joins USC Thornton full time this year.
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, leads the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. (Photo/Craig T. Mathew, Mathew Imaging)
Brain Booster
From accordions to xylophones, playing musical instruments seems to jumpstart the brain.
PHOTO BY SARA LEE/EYEVINE/REDUX
Social Change
A USC Roski professor reflects on a lifetime spent at the intersection of community development and visual art.
Photo Courtesy Getty Images/Disney ABC Television Group
'Girl' Meets World
The entertainment legend paved the way for women in Hollywood and beyond.
Photo by Jason Weston of Dirty Sugar Photography
Center Stage
A graduate in industrial and systems engineering follows her passion for performing.
On the Move
Bollywood? Afro-Cuban? Students can dive into these dance forms, and more.
For the Record
Take a musical tour of the Spirit of Troy's discography.
Scholarship Woodwind Quintet members (from left) Anna Lenhart, Sergio Coelho GCRT ’16, Stephanie Bell MM ’16, Sarah Minneman MM ’15 and Emily Schoendorf MM ’15 at Walt Disney Concert Hall. | PHOTOS BY NOÉ MONTES
Music Scene
USC Thornton gives students opportunities as precious as their dreams. (Check out our story in photos, and you’ll see what we mean.)
The New Movement
The Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center opens its doors.
Brock Harris ’97, right, the group’s founder, owns the nine-bedroom house that serves as the hub of activity for current VoCals like Jonathan von Mering, left. | PHOTO BY GUS RUELAS
Sing Their Praises
Tradition-bearers, sponsors, mentors and die-hard fans, SoCal VoCals alumni follow the group from concert to concert.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KAREN HUDSON
Creative Minds
Paul Revere Williams ’19 was California’s first licensed African-American architect.
PHOTO BY STEVE COHN
Preserving the Past
The USC trustee receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
John Knuth at his Los Angeles studio | PHOTO BY DUSTIN SNIPES
The Buzz
John Knuth MFA ’05 disrupts the natural order with flies, snakes and other collaborators from the animal kingdom.
Photo courtesy of Tracy Oliver
Role Model
Tired of waiting for good parts, the Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl co-creator shaped them herself.
Illustration by Chris Gash
Art of Medicine
Specialists keep performing artists in the spotlight.
Photographed by Gus Ruelas, with permission from The USC Cinematic Arts Library
Stuff of Legend
A filmmaking icon brings his collection to the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Photo courtesy of the Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc.
Music That Moves
Evan Pensis aims to offer arts to the imprisoned.
George Lucas '66 photo by Steve Cohen
Diverse Voices
A $10 million gift will establish The George Lucas Foundation Endowed Student Support Fund for Diversity.
Photo by Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times/Redux
Design for Life
Like his life, an artist’s meaningful, dynamic work defies convention.
Illustration by David Plunkert
Well-Read Trojan
A journalist with a love for language helped build one of the largest online communities for readers.
Photo by Alexander Vertikoff from The Gamble House book
Historical House
A new book about the historical landmark is the first published in more than 20 years.
Sound Decisions
Chart-topping sound engineers and DJs help design USC Thornton’s newest major.
Michael Fink introduced a green-screen course at the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2012. “Directing in a Virtual World” was instantly popular and always has a hefty wait list. Photo by Noé Montes
Lights, Camera, Animation
Animators seamlessly meld their work with live action, transporting movie audiences to new worlds.
Remember their names
Meet some of the dancers in USC Kaufman’s historic first class of freshmen.
Counter Culture
USC Annenberg’s Josh Kun showcases LA’s history through its menus.
Illustration by Selcuk Demirel
Write On
As a digital revolution sweeps through the publishing world, storytelling is alive and well—and English is thriving at USC.
Diverse Voices
The USC School of Cinematic Arts wants women to make their mark on the video game design industry.
Photo by Todd Rosenberg Photography 2014.
Standing Ovation
A USC Marshall alumna takes the stage as one of the most prominent and powerful advocates for the arts.
Photo by Gina Sabatella Photography
Visual Mastermind
The USC alumnus left a mark on the Olympics and Los Angeles that lasted beyond his lifetime.
KamranV is a serial entrepreneur who can mash up technology, art and marketing. Photos by Dustin Snipes
Art of Success
At USC, an arts education is more like creative entrepreneurship.
East Meets West
Christina Yu Yu picks four standout pieces from the USC Pacific Asia Museum.
The Ikettes (Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
Pop Secret
What holds the secret to chart-topping musical success? Hint: Don’t go it alone.
Karen Adelman uses visual art, video, music and spoken word in her exhibitions. Photo courtesy of Karen Adelman
Vocal Support
Finding meaning at the intersection of art and sound.
Illustration by Alexandra Compain-Tissier
The Write Stuff
USC Annenberg’s Sasha Anawalt keeps arts journalism alive during turbulent times in media.
Movers and Shakers
The USC Iovine and Young Academy welcomes its first class of innovators, artists and entrepreneurs.
Family in Film
Two decades in, friendships formed through cinema only grow deeper.
Photo by Rosalie O'Connor
Leap Forward
The USC Kaufman School of Dance is poised to transform the world of dance education.
Suemy Gonzalez, left, with Trio Ellas. Photo by Reuters/Radu Sigheti
Top of the Pops
Trio Ellas garnered a 2012 Latin Grammy Award nomination for their first album and they haven’t stopped since.
Photo courtesy of USC Thornton School of Music
Top of the Pops
Meet six artists from the USC Popular Music Program who are shooting for stardom.
Guru Photo by Jared Fullerton
Top of the Pops
Jam with Chaka Khan? Perform with Elton John? It’s part of the USC Thornton popular music program experience.
Trojan Marching Band Director Art Bartner at Dodger Stadium in 1978. Photo courtesy of Trojan Marching Band.
Spirit of Troy
You know the Trojan Marching Band calls the Coliseum its home. But the band and Dodger Stadium also go way back.
Top of the Pops
USC Popular Music Program students and alumni have created an extensive playlist of eclectic songs and albums.
Young Guru
Top of the Pops
A successful sound engineer, music producer and DJ, this music industry veteran has a new handle at USC: “Professor Guru.”
USC Architecture alumnus Anthony Marnell II.
Strong Foundation
Anthony Marnell II’s recent gift to the USC School of Architecture will launch a multidisciplinary design studio to foster design-builders.
Stark Sands, right, is one of the stars of the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots. (Photo/Bill Tucker)
Stage Life
The Tony Award nominee cemented his passion for acting at USC.
Beach Boys photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Defining Los Angeles
USC experts on local lore give their lowdown on Los Angeles culture.
Photo by David Zentz
Cultivating Creativity
Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young (Dr. Dre) invest $70 million to prepare USC students who’ll shape the future.
The Stahl House. Also called Case Study House No. 22, this often-photographed modernist home was designed by Pierre Koenig ’52. Photo by Nicolas de Camaret
Architectural Icons
Did you know these landmarks of Los Angeles were designed by Trojans?
Camptosaurus illustration courtesy of Stephanie Abramowicz and The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Picturing Prehistory
A talented USC Roski alumna brings the prehistoric Mesozoic Era to life.
Students in USC’s Social Innovation Design Lab are learning to use design thinking to solve challenges and find new opportunities. Photo by Alicia Di Rado
Business of Change
Creativity can combine with business principles to solve societal challenges—and turn a profit.
Bryan Singer. (Photo by David James)
Critical Studies
Bryan Singer embraces the division where he made his start in film.
Director Erica Muhl, left, and music industry giants Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre (Andre Young) with USC President C. L. Max Nikias. Photo by Steve Cohn
President's Page
We will prepare stellar artists to be effective entrepreneurs and singular businesspersons to be great artists.
Sumner Redstone. (Photo by Steve Cohn)
Lights, Camera, Action
Sumner Redstone’s $10 million gift supports a creative space for budding filmmakers.
NSQK, a hip-hop dance crew, is one of more than 20 student dance clubs at USC. (Courtesy of NSQK)
Finding Their Rhythm
Students find good vibes and friendships in a vibrant dance community.
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
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.
Untitled (2021) by Listy Gao ’25 portrays her concern over the dismal state of today’s oceans: overfishing, microplastics and waste pollution. The large-scale tuna is composed of recyclable, unrecyclable, and combustible materials: paper, cardboard, and plastics. (Photo courtesy of Listy Gao)
Envisioning the Future
Students from USC Roski School of Art and Design use their creative talents to reflect on nature, how it has endured, how it struggles, and most important, how humankind has used—and misused—it.
The Cicada synthesizer vibrates in the same way that insects produce a loud and recognizable sound in the wild. (Photo/Federico Chiesa)
Ear Bug
Some people have a flair for playing instruments. Ho-Chun “Herbert” Chang PhD ’23 has a knack for inventing them.
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
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.
USC junior Aimee Zhang (Photo courtesy of Aimee Zhang)
Play It Again
A creative junior designs games for all different platforms that are both fun and heart-wrenching.
(Illustration/Jacqui Oakley)
Game Changer
A USC School of Cinematic Arts alumna celebrates the diversity, creativity and artistry of video games.
Dan Smythe (Illustration/Tom Deslongchamp)
Key Change
Daniel Smythe balances his love for music with his career in consulting.
(Photo / Bad Wolf Media)
Trojans Rock
USC students drum up experience in the pop and rock music world before they even graduate.
Photo courtesy of Enrique Martinez Celaya
Art Unbound
The physicist turned artist crosses disciplines — and time periods — with his work.
Tracing Allegory, by Chelle Barbour.
Surreal Journey
A multidisciplinary artist creates portraits that reimagine notions of black women.
(Photo/Rose Eichenbaum)
In the Spotlight
USC’s dance students will leave USC with an impressive slate of performances.
(Photo/Kyle Dubiel/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank Via Getty Images)
Laugh Track
A hefty lineup of comedic Trojans — including Will Ferrell ’90 — have made their mark on the iconic show.
Game capture of Flow.
Screen Legends
These titles garnered awards and industry attention — several before their creators even graduated from USC.
(Illustration/Max-O-Matic; Photo credits/See bottom of text)
Screen Legends
As the school hits 90, it’s about much more than movies.
Elizabeth Daley, right, and Marlene Loadvine (Photo/Cody Pickens)
Screen Legends
A 28-year partnership between Elizabeth Daley and Marlene Loadvine helped shoot the school to the top.
(Photo Courtesy of Netflix)
Screen Legends
Short films made by School of Cinematic Arts moviemakers bookend more than 65 years of Academy Awards.
(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
From Star Wars to The Avengers, USC alumni have created some of the most successful movies in history.
Kevin Kline and Kate Burton in a scene from Broadway's Present Laughter. (Photo/Joan Marcus)
Class Act
“Through the ages, actors have provided entertainment, education and inspiration to the world,” says the Emmy Award-winning actress.
Documentary production workshop participants in Cotonou, Benin. (Photo/Jean-Michel Dissard)
Celluloid Diplomats
How USC and the American Film Showcase are changing the world, one film at a time.
Caffè storyboard (Illustration/Margaret Spencer)
Building Character
Some of the most compelling animated stories on screen start as scribbles in a notebook.
Deborah Harkness, professor of history, is behind A Discovery of Witches. (Photo/AMC)
History, Mystery and Magic
The creator of A Discovery of Witches looks back at her “overnight success” that took a decade.
Richard Bernstein as Zuniga in Carmen. (Photo/Marty Sohl, Courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera)
Center Stage
A USC Thornton alum reflects on the glamour — and hard work — of life as an operatic bass.
The USC Arts in Action program helps students flex their creative skills to advance inclusivity. (Illustration/Antonio Rodriguez)
Arts in Action
USC students use podcasts, performances and workshops to open public platforms for kids and adults.
Interior of the Viterbi Museum (USC Photo/Gus Ruelas)
Art Everywhere
With four museums and 11 galleries, USC offers an unexpectedly diverse look at the history—and future—of art in L.A.
Design concept for the exterior of the Korean American National Museum, which is slated to open in Los Angeles in 2022. (Illustration/Courtesy of Morphosis Architects)
Culture Connection
As project architect for the Korean American National Museum, Paul Choi brings an evolving cultural legacy home.
A woman’s unfulfilled dreams get new life through her daughter in Miss Juneteenth, a film from USC alumna Channing Godfrey Peoples. (Image/Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment)
Power of Story
Channing Godfrey Peoples MFA ’11 talks about the responsibility borne by Black artists, storytellers and creators today and the power of speaking your truth.
Paul Revere Williams (Photo/Julius Shulman, J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, 2004.R.10)
Dream Builder
The archives of the trailblazing USC alumnus will be jointly housed at the Getty Research Institute and his alma mater.
The USC Roski Open Studios in February 2020 in Los Angeles. (Photo/Ryan Miller)
Art and the City
USC art and design students build creative ties in the midst of L.A.’s Arts District.
(Photo/Victoria Will)
Making Their Move
A pair of USC Kaufman School of Dance graduates follow their dreams to Broadway on a journey they never could have anticipated.
USC music students sent in heartwarming videos to lift the spirits of Keck Medicine of USC workers.
Heart Beats
Artists send uplifting tunes that provide moments of relief during the pandemic — and you can watch and hear some of them on video here.
David A. Romero grew up with his working-class Mexican American parents and three siblings in Diamond Bar, California. (Photo/Gus Ruelas)
Born Identity
Thoughts on speaking Spanish and passing as white all come out in a starkly honest Q&A with spoken word artist and USC alum David A. Romero.
Actress and singer Adrienne Visnic offers advice to aspiring entertainers like Ziming Jim Liu as a mentor at USC. (Photo/Gus Ruelas)
Role Model
As an aspiring actor pursues a creative career in entertainment, he can lean on the advice and guidance of a multitalented fellow Trojan.
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
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.
An online anthology showcases student work from a USC comics design course. (Illustrations/Isabella Melendez and Knox Lopez)
Comic Relief
USC art students pen graphic stories during their pandemic time apart that capture adventures in ancient Rome, futuristic robots and more.
Taylor Donsker draws on his architecture background to design furniture inspired by nature. (Photo by Jack Strutz)
Against the Grain
An architect-turned-woodworker draws inspiration from the natural world.
August Wilson is known for his poignant explorations of Black culture and experience. (Photo/Netflix)
Stage Crew
Check out these surprising links between the award-winning playwright and the Trojan Family.
(Illustration/Mary Kate McDevitt)
Creative Climate
See how students use poetry, viola concertos and animated whales to try to wake the world up to climate change.
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
Michael Ausiello wrote a heartbreaking — yet darkly funny — memoir after his husband’s death. It’s now a movie starring Jim Parsons.
