Macki Alvarez-Mena, Arjun Mehta, Nathan Wallace, Serene Boachie and Jared Bass, from left.  (Photo/Cody Pickens) Class of 2018

USC Iovine and Young Academy’s First Graduates Defy the Status Quo

Innovators, thinkers, disruptors and problem solvers: The academy’s inaugural class heads into the world ready to tackle its challenges.

(Photo/Cintascotch/Room Collection/Getty Images) The Pursuit of Happiness

The Surprising Impact Happiness Has on Health, Relationships and Even the Economy

Researchers across disciplines at USC turn a scientific eye on happiness and its complex connection to our health, relationships and economy.

The Pursuit of Happiness

How to Be Happy? It May Be About Finding Purpose

Over time, many of us come to realize that we seek something beyond happiness in our lives. USC’s Varun Soni, dean of religious life, talks about the quest for meaning.

(Photo/Cody Pickens) Citizen Architect

Milton Curry Looks to Architecture for Answers to Societal Challenges

For solutions to inequality, marginalization and divisiveness, one of USC’s newest deans wants to tap an unexpected resource: architecture.

(Photo/Courtesy of the Los Angeles Police Department) Street Smarts

USC-LAPD Community Policing Training Aims to Reduce Use of Force

Lessons from social work and public policy can help law enforcement officers build bridges with their communities.

Chris Ah San (Illustration/Jacqui Oakley) Policy of Change

Trojan Goes Behind the Scenes at the L.A. Board of Supervisors

To help the community’s most vulnerable, Chris Ah San learns to navigate the world of policymaking.

(Photo Courtesy of Gina Clayton) The Advocate

She Empowers Women with Loved Ones in Prison

Essie Justice Group helps launch community leaders ready to advocate for and support other women.

Nakea Brown previously lived at the Rolland Curtis Gardens apartment complex, which is being redeveloped. She found affordable housing elsewhere with help from the USC Housing Law Clinic. (USC Photo/Ron Mackovich) Good Neighbors

USC Housing Law Clinic Protects L.A. Renters’ Rights

Renters living near the university’s campuses have a lifeline when they need help.

Share a Meal volunteers deliver food throughout L.A. twice a week. | PHOTO BY GUS RUELAS Street Smarts

Combating Homelessness With Creativity and Compassion

Calling it a “moral imperative,” Trojans tackle homelessness across disciplines.

Kinder2College student Bryan Merino reads a super hero book while Cesar Padillo chows on some pizza during the unveiling of a "Little Free Library" in the University Gardens housing complex. | PHOTO BY DAVID SPRAGUE Ready to Read

Local Kids Improve Reading Skills Through Kinder 2 College

A $1 million gift from Pamela Buffett boosts the afterschool reading program for children ages 5 and up.

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Photo by John McGillen/USC Athletics) Field Goals

The Coliseum’s Game Plan for Sustainability

The Los Angeles Coliseum ranks as one of the country’s most sustainable stadiums.

USC Price alumna Meg Barclay is Los Angeles' first coordinator on homelessness issues. (Illustration by Jacqui Oakley) Street Smarts

Q&A: L.A. Homeless Coordinator On New Approaches to a Growing Crisis

A USC Price alumna searches for solutions to combat homelessness in Los Angeles.

Alejandra Franco had college in her sights since childhood. | PHOTO BY NOÉ MONTES The Way Up

First-Generation College Students Transform the Face of USC

About one of every five USC undergraduates has parents who didn’t go to college. And these first-generation Trojans are some of the university’s top students.

Jung Kian Ng is one of 96 Rhodes Scholars chosen from around the world. (Photo/Nadila Nordin) Traveling Trojan

USC alumnus heads to Oxford as a 2017 Rhodes Scholar

Jung Kian Ng ’14, MS ’14 aims to bring new-found expertise back to Malaysia.

Oscar De Los Santos sits beside former President Obama. | PHOTO COURTESY OF OSCAR DE LOS SANTOS The Way Up

The Trojan Rhodes Scholar Who Helps the Marginalized

First-generation college graduate Oscar De Los Santos ’15 heads to Oxford.

ILLUSTRATION BY DAN PAGE Navigating the Divide

How Parents Can Help Kids Deal with Divorce

David Kuroda MSW ’72 has spent his career advocating for children—and healthy divorces.

ILLUSTRATION BY LAURINDO FELICIANO Trojan Leaders

USC Rossier Student Opens First Women’s School in Afghanistan

A USC Rossier doctoral student opens the first educational institute for women, by women.

ILLUSTRATION BY THE HEADS OF STATE The Truth Squad

Can Journalists Help Readers Navigate the Changing Media Landscape?

As the media industry copes with fake news, journalists still relish the chance to tell stories that matter.

Provost Quick's with military high-school students attending USC's pre-college summer program School’s In

Teens (and More) Get a Taste of the USC College Experience

USC’s specialized summer classes make high schoolers’ and veterans’ transition to higher education a little easier.

Barbara Solomon, left, and Dean Marilyn Flynn | PHOTO BY STEVE COHN Pillars of Strength

Barbara Solomon’s Inspiring Career as a Social Change-maker

Today an endowed scholarship in Solomon’s name supports minority students studying social work.

At Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab, students tackle global challenges. | ILLUSTRATION BY JOE CARDELLO Point of Impact

Students Tackle Global Challenges Through Business

Students improve lives through sustainability and profitability at the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab.

Pillars of Strength

USC Empowers a New Generation of Social Workers

A $60 million naming gift from USC Trustee Suzanne Dworak-Peck supports USC’s drive to transform the profession of social work.

Lesley Adams Williams | PHOTO BY GUS RUELAS Pillars of Strength

Student, Servicewoman and Social Worker

Lesley Adams Williams earns her master’s degree in the online degree program.

Eric Chastain | PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC CHASTAIN Pillars of Strength

From U.S. Soldier to USC Social Worker

U.S. Army Battalion Sgt. Maj. Eric Chastain watched 22 of his friends die. Then came a death he wasn’t prepared for.

At Potter’s Lane, repurposed steel shipping containers were converted to energy-efficient, sustainable housing units on a formerly vacant lot. | RENDERING BY SVA ARCHITECTS Home Front

Housing for Homeless Vets—in Transformed Shipping Containers

A USC Rossier graduate student builds a community through her housing nonprofit.

With the help of USC Gould students, the Mashamba sisters have found safety and a new home in California. | PHOTO BY BRIAN VAN DER BRUG/LOS ANGELES TIMES Against the Odds

USC Gould Students Help Bring Tanzanian Sisters to Safety

USC’s Immigration Clinic wins asylum for two persecuted girls born with albinism.

Pillars of Strength

Meet the Social Work Students

These are some of the new faces who will make a difference in the lives of others.

USC COLLEGE PREP PHOTO BY MARGARET MOLLOY Countdown to College

New USC High School Preps Future First-Generation College Students

USC's newest prep school steers students towards college admission.

Jeanie Buss at the NAI gala | PHOTO BY SUSANICA TAM Rewarding Reading

Lakers’ Jeanie Buss Recognized for Community Outreach

The USC trustee supports education initiatives in Los Angeles.

Our Town

Trojans Dedicated to Public Service Work to Improve Life in Los Angeles

USC alumni are woven throughout the fabric of Southern California civic life.

Photo by Susanica Tam Healthy Smiles

USC Puts Dental Care Within Reach for Underserved Families

Dentists travel to patients thanks to the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC’s mobile clinics.

PHOTO BY SARA LEE/EYEVINE/REDUX Social Change

Activism as Art Form: USC Roski’s Suzanne Lacy

A USC Roski professor reflects on a lifetime spent at the intersection of community development and visual art.

Chase Millsap and The Captain | Photo by Spencer Millsap The Promise

Marine Veteran Strives to Bring Wartime Allies to Safety

Brothers in arms, they're now a world apart.

USC Trustee David C. Bohnett | PHOTO BY SUSANA CAPRA FOR MILLENNIAL MAGAZINE Champion for Change

Service-Minded Students Will Find a Home at USC Village

David Bohnett ’78 endows a living-learning space for students committed to social justice and service.

Jon Pynoos | ILLUSTRATION BY LAURINDO FELICIANO Coming of Age

The Cross-Generational Friendship That Inspired a Life’s Work

A decades-long friendship taught a gerontologist that independence and dignity are worth fighting for.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE HEADS OF STATE The High Ground

How Did American Politics Lose Its Civility?

Researchers look at the road to rudeness and chart a path to more respectful discourse.

Strong Support

Veterans Get Mental Health Services They Deserve at Cohen Clinic

The Cohen family partners with USC to serve families in Los Angeles.

Members of the USC Real Estate Network, accompanied by LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, planted trees at Loren Miller Elementary School in South Los Angeles. | PHOTO COURTESY OF USC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Volunteers at Work

Community Spirit at the 2016 USC Day of SCervice

Trojans volunteer and reach out worldwide.

PHOTO BY STEPHEN MORTON/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES Global Security

Meet the Pacific Rim’s Disaster Patrol

Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Cybercrime. USC researchers seek out threats to public safety in the Pacific Rim.

Jody Armour | PHOTO BY CODY PICKENS Life Lessons

Four Professors Find Purpose After Difficult Pasts

Meet four USC educators and researchers whose pasts motivate them to make a difference for others.

Photo by Matt Gainer Street Smart

Children Identify the Perils of Walking to School

An award-winning paper authored at USC Price reveals that students favor busy streets over low-key locations.

Photo courtesy of the USC Freehand Project Life in 3-D

USC Students Create Prosthetics with 3-D Printers

USC students create hand prosthetics for children in war-torn areas.

Photo by Armando Brown Power of Giving

Here Comes the USC Day of SCupport

The event taps into a network of 377,000 alumni — and the entire Trojan Family

Photo by Buck Lewis Resourceful Resilience

Recycling E-Waste to Rebuild Lives

A public policy expert gives people—and digital debris—a second chance at life.

Think Thanks

Neuroscientists Track the Power of Gratitude

The testimonies of Holocaust survivors help scientists map the brain circuitry of their subjects.

Photo courtesy of the Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. Music That Moves

USC Student Brings Music to Prisons

Evan Pensis aims to offer arts to the imprisoned.

The Next MacGyver

Holding Out for a Hero(ine)

Which one the five finalists in ‘The Next MacGyver’ competition do you want to see on TV?

Photo by Meiko Takechi Aquillos Waste Not

A Sustainable USC

The university takes big strides in sustainability across the campus.

Illustration by Carlo Giambarresi Respect Our Elders

A Geriatrician’s Mission to End Elder Abuse

Meet the doctor who’s on a mission to change how Americans care for seniors.

Rick Caruso with C. L. Max Nikias. Photo by Gus Ruelas. President's Page

Partners for Profound Change

USC takes a giant step toward finding answers for hearing loss.

Like his siblings, Jesus Jr. mentors students going through the Neighborhood Academic Initiative. (Garcia Photo by Gus Ruelas) The Trojan Ticket

Payoff for LA Teens’ Hard Work: Scholarships to USC

The Neighborhood Academic Initiative brings college-prep classes to kids and teens around USC’s campuses.

If your child screams, "I hate you," this USC School of Social Work expert has an approach that may help. Straight Talk

How to Raise a Teen—the Right Way

If your child screams, “I hate you,” this USC School of Social Work expert has an approach that may help.

The USC Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., sorted food at the Capital Area Food Bank. (Photos by Bill Denison; Joy Albritten; Nuttapon Kongkitimanon; Armando Brown) Alumni Worldwide

USC Alumni Day of SCervice 2015

A global network of Trojans pitched in to help communities around the world.

Photo by Ana Beatriz Cholo Getting In

A Pipeline for First-generation College Students

USC Rossier’s near-peer advising program puts first-generation high school seniors on track for college.

Photo by Gus Ruelas Those Who Serve

Alumni Veterans, We’ve Got Your Back

From career contacts to making new friends, USCAA connects Trojan military members.

Vote of Confidence

A Winning Proposition to Increase Voter Participation

USC Price grad uses quirky characters to educate voters on key issues.

Illustration by Wayne Brezinka Legal Practice

Long Journey to Justice

The Post-Conviction Justice Project leads a nationwide movement for juveniles serving life sentences without parole.

Photo courtesy of Allie Harrison Give and Go

A Trojan Finds a New Path – and Purpose – After Being Sidelined

A soccer career cut short opens doors to a creative life serving others.

Photo by Scot Obler Sport Support

USC Empowers Student-Athletes for Success In the Classroom and Beyond

It’s all about building the complete student-athlete at USC.

Neighborhood Academic Initiative scholars Jessica Alcazar and Tristan Baizar talk with Thomas S. Sayles, senior vice president for University Relations during the NAI Annual Gala and Awards Ceremony on May 9. Photo by Gus Ruelas Good Neighbors

Neighborhood Academic Initiative Adds Two Elementary Schools

USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative expands beyond South Los Angeles to include more than 100 sixth-graders in East Los Angeles.

Top Trojans

Thanks for Serving

The USC Alumni Association recognizes volunteers who keep the Trojan spirit alive.

Photos by Gus Ruelas Smiles for Success

Tooth Squad Brings Vital Dental Checkups to L.A. Kids

Studies link oral health to school success, and USC dentists aim to keep children smiling.

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

Designs on Social Change

Creativity can combine with business principles to solve societal challenges—and turn a profit.

The story behind Hortensia Amaro informed her lifelong dedication to the underserved. (Photo/Dietmar Quistorf) Community Health

Hortensia Amaro, Academic Activist

Hortensia Amaro’s immigrant experience spurs a devotion to solving public health problems of the disenfranchised.

Piccolo Lewis promotes literacy the best way he knows how: Giving away thousands of books for children. Photo by Dietmar Quistorf Read On

A Passion for Poetry, Prose and Paperbacks

Piccolo Lewis donates more than nine tons of books to encourage young readers.

Jonathan ’02, left, and Jesse Ruiz ’12 hit the books in secondary school and at USC. Photo by Dietmar Quistorf Good Neighbors

All in the Family

The Ruiz Brothers show hard work pays off.

Muralist Paul Botello’s imagery aims to increase vaccination rates among Latinos as part of the “Stay Connected Los Angeles” public health campaign supported by USC. (Illustration/Paul Botello) An Equal Shot

Vulnerable Groups Came First in USC’s COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

When COVID-19 hit Southern California, Keck Medicine of USC mobilized to protect the hardest-hit, highest-risk communities.

At Keck Medicine of USC, keeping both organ transplant recipients and their donors healthy is all part of the plan. (Illustration/Simone Noronha) Medical innovation

Living Donor Program From Keck Medicine of USC Is a Win-Win

The shortage of organs for transplants is an issue for patients. Living donors are one key. Another: Helping them get healthier to ensure successful outcomes for the donor and the patient.

Can virtual reality and interactive media help us find common ground and embrace healthy behaviors? (Painting/Sally Deng) Walk in my Shoes

Tech Can Push Us Apart, but These Games and VR Build Empathy

Meet the digital creators who are using tech to make us feel a little more human.

(Illustration/Mary Kate McDevitt) Creative Climate

These Students Fight Climate Change With Art

See how students use poetry, viola concertos and animated whales to try to wake the world up to climate change.

From left: USC alumni Angelo Reyes, Manuel Carmona, Kellee O'Rourke, Matthew Feaster and Adrienne Kung helped Pasadena achieve one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the state. Their Best Shot

How USC Alumni Led Pasadena to One of California’s Highest COVID Vaccination Rates

Five Trojan public health experts share their personal stories about facing down a global health crisis.

USC's free community programs put Los Angeles students and residents on the path to health care careers. Field Guide

L.A. Residents Get Their Start in Health Careers Through These USC Programs

USC offers workforce development programs to help kids, teens and adults find their future in the medical industry.

The USC Arts in Action program helps students flex their creative skills to advance inclusivity. (Illustration/Antonio Rodriguez) Arts in Action

Inclusive Student Projects Make Space for Marginalized Communities

USC students use podcasts, performances and workshops to open public platforms for kids and adults.

Mike Washington fell into a mental health crisis after the loss of his son, Michael T. Washington, who died in combat at the age of 20. (Photo/ Erika Schultz/The Seattle Times) Call of Duty

Veteran and Firefighter Who Saved Countless Lives Struggled to Save His Own

Burdened by tragedy and pain, USC alumnus Michael Washington almost gave up on life. Now he helps other first responders find hope and healing.

Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, founding pastor of the Word of Encouragement Community Church in Los Angeles, has seen Black churches drive social change in the city. Acts of Faith

Why Activism Thrives in L.A.’s Black Churches

Pastors advocate for their people from the pulpit and on the streets — and training at USC gives them the tools to take their work further.

USC Dornsife student Ryan Melendez (Photo/Courtesy of Ryan Melendez) Ride On

USC Student Helps Children with Cancer Build Healing Bonds with Horses

Ryan Melendez has raised more than $500,000 for pediatric cancer through Warrior Horses for Warrior Kids.

An individual's risk can be a combination of several things, and chemical pollution are high on that list. (Illustration/Jason Holley) Think Clean

Your Brain on Air Pollution

Research at USC is helping define the environment’s impact on the brain. Growing evidence links the long-term effects of dirty air to accelerated cognitive decline and dementia, and USC researchers hope to better understand environmental effects and gene-environment interactions on brain health.

In 2014, Peter Kuhn joined USC to become a founding member of the Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, a 190,000-square-foot interdisciplinary research facility wholly committed to exploring new frontiers in medicine and health. (Illustration/Curt Merlo) Beating the Odds

Finding a Cure

USC researcher Peter Kuhn possesses an unrelenting mission to improve the lives of cancer patients.

USC’s connection to the White House's Cancer Moonshot is just one of the ways the university and the Keck School of Medicine are leading the charge to improve cancer treatment. (Illustration/Curt Merlo) Above and Beyond

USC, Cancer and One Daring Mission

Powered by an energized cancer-fighting ecosystem at USC, Trojan researchers aim to help the nation achieve its Cancer Moonshot

Carpten's mission is to untangle the role of biology in cancer to improve treatment — particularly to help close the gaps where Black people and other understudied, underserved populations face a greater burden of disease. (Illustration/Curt Merlo) Serving the Underserved

Decoding the “C” Word

USC researcher John Carpten strives to decode how genes influence cancer — especially for groups hit hardest by the disease

Both Chloe and I had autistic friends in high school, and we thought that creating a product that could interpret emotions as vibrations could really help them,” Shannon Brownlee says. (Illustration/Weitong Mai) Feeling the Vibes

Good Vibrations

Seniors Shannon Brownlee and Chloe Duckworth’s startup uses software that can detect emotions from speech patterns and translate them into vibrations.

Since 2019, Lauren Klein has been researching computer science and child development at the USC Interaction Lab. She is developing an automated system to model and support infant-caregiver interactions by detecting signs of toxic stress. (Illustration/Mikyung Lee) Tech Talk

Baby Talk

Doctoral student Lauren Klein is working with a local children’s hospital to help clinicians detect signs of toxic stress in infants

Scammers have repeatedly harvested information from unwitting users and created fake profiles of Venmo customers to request money. (Illustration/Josh Cochran) Somebody's Watching Me

I Know What You Did On Venmo

A team led by USC Viterbi researchers has discovered millions of “privacy leaks” on the mobile social payments app.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch consists of 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic and has been the subject of scientific research since the 1970s. (Illustrations by Matt Twombly) Plastic? Fantastic!

A Cure for Plastic Waste

At USC, researchers are turning plastic waste into materials we can use as medicine in the future.

USC experts are using data and findings from their research to press for action on disparities in health and well-being. (Illustration/Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images) Fair Care

As Health Disparities Grow in America, USC Researchers Look for Answers in the Data

With racial and socioeconomic inequality come inequities in well-being.

The changing climate’s effect on caribou comes to life in a unique student-led project. (Photo/Courtesy of Robert Hernandez) Reality Check

Stunning Virtual Reality Project Takes You to the Arctic — and Into Climate Change

Think caribou in the arctic tundra have nothing to do with you? USC students use immersive technology to explain their urgent message for us all.

Workers in critical industries like health care, logistics and agriculture should be rewarded with respect and better pay. (Illustration/Harry Campbell) Future of Work

What’s the Future for Essential Workers After COVID-19?

A sociology professor says the services of grocery store workers, agricultural laborers, caretakers and others need to be prioritized in America.

Bistra Dilkina (Illustration/Israel G. Vargas)  Math on a Mission

From Cambodian Tigers to Cancer Patients, These Numbers Save Lives

These everyday heroes use math and networks to make a difference in the world.

(Photo/ Michiko Tierney) The Builders

Innovative Real Estate Development Projects Tackle L.A.’s Challenges

When it comes to creating a more affordable, livable Southern California, Trojans are rising to the challenge.

Faisal Rashid (Courtesy of Faisal Rashid) Trojan Voice

‘I Became a Cop to Fight Injustice. We Need to Do Better’

The LAPD reserve officer and USC radiation oncology specialist talks about combating racism as a society.

By listening and collaborating with trans communities, Keck Medicine of USC is creating the preeminent gender-affirming care program on the West Coast. (Illustration/Terri Po) Healthcare for All

Care Without Bias

By listening and collaborating with trans communities, Keck Medicine of USC is creating the preeminent gender-affirming care program on the West Coast.

Actor Danny Trejo, left, and USC alum Dimitri Colupaev strive to safely feed hundreds of health care workers during the pandemic. (Photo/Courtesy of Colony Cooks) Comfort Food

Celebs and USC Alums Feed L.A.’s Hospital Heroes

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Trejo join USC alumni and friends to donate meals to health providers at Keck Medicine of USC and other L.A.-area hospitals.

Matt Petersen (Photo/Ken Lee) A Man with a Plan

USC Alum Matt Petersen Believes in a Greener L.A.

The enthusiastic optimist sees opportunities for sustainability around every corner.

(Illustration/ Keith Negley) Teaching Tolerance

How to Teach Against Hate? Lean on Genocide Survivors

Learning from eyewitnesses of some of history’s darkest moments, educators strive to teach the power of decency and respect.

Neftalie Williams with his skateboard (Photo/Kaveh Rezaei/VOA) Skating Between the Lines

Diplomacy through Skateboarding?

USC Annenberg alumnus and lecturer Neftalie Williams uses street culture to break social barriers.

On the Safe Side

Steps for School Violence Prevention, from USC Experts

As elementary and secondary schools grapple with bullying and violence, USC experts help chart a path forward to make classrooms safer.

(Photo / Kirk Mckoy/Los Angeles Times Via Getty Images) Migration Patterns

USC Immigration Expert on the Complex Ties Between Citizens and Noncitizens

An immigration law expert looks at the complex ties that connect citizens and noncitizens in America.

Lt. Justin Lee works in Palm Springs at a tactical operations center, where he oversees platoons on humanitarian missions throughout the region. (USC Photo/Gus Ruelas) Proud to Serve

USC Military Alumni Serve as Heroes in Pandemic

Whether on planes, trucks or ships, Trojans use their training and USC connections to help communities facing COVID-19.

Susana Ruiz (Photo/Huy Truong/Take Action Games) Screen Legends

Creating Video Games for Social Good

Video games can influence society for the better, and these USC game creators are trying to do just that.

(Photo/Elias Marcou) Lives, Not Grades

Your Homework Assignment: Improve Refugees’ Lives

Students get creative with solutions as migrants flee regions in turmoil around the world.

(Photo/iStock) Fueling Change

Hydrogen Fuel is Getting Buzz, But Here’s Why It Hasn’t Gone Mainstream

Is hydrogen the answer to our energy needs? An aerospace and mechanical engineer explains how to bring this fuel down to Earth.

(Photo/Damon Casarez) The Givers

Three Dedicated Trojans Who Will Inspire You

Far from the spotlight, members of the Trojan Family make a big difference in the lives of others.

(Photo/Courtesy of Little Fir Foundation and Ding Qin) Seeds of Change

Alumna Gives Rural Chinese Students a Window to a Wider World

USC Price graduate Jingying Wu started the Little Fir Foundation to help children pursue their dreams for college and beyond.

(Photograph/Darren Braun) (Re)New and Improved

How Trash Turns into Treasure in Labs at USC

Waste salvaged from dumpsters and airplane graveyards finds a sustainable second life.

(Illustration/Edel Rodriguez) Tales of Redemption

Writing Unites USC Students and Ex-Prisoners Seeking a Better Life

Released prisoners share their stories while USC students write their own in an unusual partnership that has changed lives.

(Photo/Gregg Segal) Care Everywhere

USC Street Medicine Team Cares for L.A’s Homeless in a Pandemic

These health care professionals treat some of L.A.’s most vulnerable on the streets they call home.

(Illustration/David Plunkert) Votes of Confidence

Can Policy Reforms Get Young Voters and People of Color to the Polls?

To encourage civic engagement among young adults and minorities, USC’s Mindy Romero aims to make it easier to cast a ballot.

More flexible work arrangements are a likely outcome of COVID-19. (Illustration/ Harry Campbell) Future of Work

The 8 Ways That COVID-19 Will Transform Businesses, Jobs and Our Working Lives

From the gig economy to remote offices, USC business and policy experts imagine the future of work.

Physician Parveen Parmar studies health and human rights violations among refugees and displaced people. (Photo/Courtesy of Physicians for Human Rights) Right to Thrive

Meet 4 Trojans Who Fight for the Health and Dignity of the World’s Most Vulnerable

They advocate for safety, human rights and well-being across the globe, and they’ll come back tomorrow to do it all over again.

(Illustration/Hanna Barczyk) Class Action

“Girls Can’t Do Math”: How Unconscious Bias Leads to Gender Gaps in STEM

How we teach mathematics can discourage women from pursuing computation-heavy fields.

(Illustration/Hanna Barczyk) Class Action

Educators Need to Break the Academic Bias Against Young Men of Color

Studies show that teachers and counselors often hold low expectations of boys from minority communities.

(Illustration/Hanna Barczyk) Class Action

Educational Equity is Good for All Kids— So We Must Do Everything We Can to Advance It

Poverty is not a learning disability. It’s a barrier to education that we can overcome together.

(Illustration/Hanna Barczyk) Class Action

Revitalize Civics Education By Connecting Real-World Action to the Classroom

In an age of disinformation and disaffection, how do we teach the next generation of informed, active citizens?

About 12% of all U.S. parents with children under 18 also care for an adult. (Illustration/Keith Negley) Labor of Love

COVID-19 Made it Clear We Need to Care for Caregivers

The pandemic kept kids home from school and upended the workplace, placing Americans who care for aging family members under even more pressure.

As a college student, Jose Miguel Ruiz dreamed of bringing his passion for gardening into urban life through a community-building model. (Photo/Courtesy of Jose Ruiz) Seeding Change

How to Make Los Angeles Greener? Urban Gardens Could Help

Jose Miguel Ruiz inspires sustainable renewal through onions, celery and Swiss chard — and it’s happening one empty lot at a time.

David Bohnett prioritizes community building in his career and philanthropic work. (Photo/Michael Bulbenko) Stronger Together

Bringing People Together is This USC Trustee’s Driving Principle

Whether he was building one of the internet’s earliest social networks or championing equal rights, David Bohnett has made community a priority.

La Mer Walker launched a startup to connect tech firms with diverse talent. (Photo/Justin Officer) Hire Power

Can’t Find Enough Diverse Job Candidates? This Alum Has an Answer

USC architecture grad La Mer Walker bolsters the hiring of Blacks and people of color in tech by bringing qualified professionals and employers together.

Bovard Scholars Osvaldo Cabrales, Kevin Gomez, Sabrina Pierre and Paola Ruiz, clockwise from top left. (Photos/Courtesy of Osvaldo Cabrales, Kevin Gomez, Sabrina Pierre, Paola Ruiz) Access Granted

High Achievers Get Ready for College as USC Bovard Scholars

USC Bovard Scholars get academic coaching, financial aid guidance and other resources through the yearlong college-prep initiative.

(Illustration/Harry Campbell)

Off the Field, USC and UCLA Make for a Better Los Angeles Together

Bruins and Trojans can all get along when it comes to creating a livable urban future.

Martin Luther King Jr. speaks during a religious rally at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1964. (Photo/Bob Miller, Valley Times Collection/Los Angeles Public Library) Legacy in L.A.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Moments and Mission in Los Angeles

The civil rights leader visited USC and its surrounding neighborhoods throughout the late ’50s and ’60s in his quest to improve the lives of Black Americans.

The Héroe team's health facilities include spaces for critical services like surgeries. (Photo/Courtesy of HLW and Project Héroe) Ready Room

How Hospital Architecture Could Stop the Next Pandemic

Alum David Swartz explains how building modular, pandemic-proof health care sites might isolate future outbreaks.

Charles found purpose in healing traumatized dogs and preparing them for adoption. (Photo/Courtesy of Post-Conviction Justice Project) Road to Redemption

He Was Healed Through a Love of Dogs — and the People Who Believed in Him

Twenty-two years into a life sentence for a crime committed as a teen, a former gang member found hope with the help of USC legal advocates.

Adam Leventhal (Photo/Gregg Segal) Double Jeopardy

When Addiction and COVID-19 Collide

The coronavirus outbreak could worsen America’s substance use crisis. USC addiction expert Adam Leventhal explains why it matters to all of us.

A deputy election registrar registers voters in front of USC’s Student Union in 1960. (Photo/Courtesy of USC University Archives) Vote of Confidence

“I Voted”: Professors and Alums Share Memories of Their First Election Day

Trojans remember casting their first ballot — and the hope and civic pride that still inspires them, even decades later.

Cambria Estrada (right) and Soraya Levy (second from right) co-founded Bloom Boutique. (Photo/Samantha Hardy) Community in Action

Five Ways USC Students are Making the World a Better Place

In a time of great upheaval and need, USC students lead efforts to strengthen and support their communities.

Ivan Garcia was a student at El Sereno Middle School when he joined NAI. (USC Photo/Gus Ruelas) First Class

His Journey to USC Started with a Tough Choice

Ivan Garcia is among the first graduates of USC’s expanded college prep program, and now he’s a first-year Trojan. But he almost missed his chance.

Set hundreds of years in the future, the sentient robot WALL-E develops a personality and works with humans to save Earth. (Photo/Alamy)

Everything You Wanted to Know About AI But Were Afraid to Ask

USC experts on loving, fearing and possibly even merging with AI.