To ensure a first-rate student experience, USC ramps up hiring efforts
The university is holding hiring events in an effort to meet the demands of reopening campus and fill more than 200 Care Crew, culinary and hospitality support positions.
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Students flock to new program focused on justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity
The JEDI Peer Educator program is gaining momentum at USC as multiple student groups request workshops to help them implement more inclusive and equitable practices.
Could 3D paper be a sustainable alternative to plastic?
Mechanical engineering student Aidan Leitch hopes his technique of using recycled paper to form solid objects can open doors to environmentally friendly plastic replacements.
ShakeOut gives Trojans a chance to hone their earthquake preparedness skills
The annual drill at USC is meant to remind students, faculty and staff of what to do in the event of an earthquake and encourage them to make their homes and offices earthquake safe.
Celebrate Classical KUSC’s 75th anniversary with a journey through its history
Learn how the radio station grew from a tiny student-run outfit to the nation’s biggest classical station.
Marketplace.org
Climate change is going to make buying a home even more expensive
With the risk of natural disaster seemingly growing, USC Dornsife’s Matthew Kahn wonders: Will banks still be willing to make 30-year fixed-rate mortgages?
Inside Higher Ed
A ‘loud and clear’ call to invest in Black men
College and university leaders are taking steps to counter the sharp decline in enrollment among Black men during the pandemic. Shaun Harper of the USC Race and Equity Center says we shouldn’t strive to get back to ”normal,” though, because “normal failed to deliver to us the kind of diversity we all say we want at our colleges and universities.”
NFL.com
NFL and Pepsi to launch school partnered with USC Iovine and Young Academy
NPR
What top film schools are doing to help diversity Hollywood
Attracting and supporting diverse students is just the start, says Dean Elizabeth Daley of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The school’s efforts include a ”first jobs” program that helps graduates land their first paid jobs in the entertainment industry.
Los Angeles Times
Fed up with TikTok, black creators are moving on
It’s hard to know for sure whether the TikTok algorithm is biased against people of color, USC Marshall’s Kalinda Ukanwa said — but the perception persists.
The Wall Street Journal
Why was China’s biggest movie star was erased from the internet?
Zhao Wei was the Reese Witherspoon of China before she was censored by the Communist Party. “Zhao Wei is like a poster child for what the Communist Party sees as what’s wrong with celebrity culture in China,” USC Dornsife’s Stanley Rosen says. “It’s a demonstration that no one, no matter how wealthy or popular, is too big to pursue.”
The New York Times
One thing we can agree on is that we’re becoming a different country
The early 1990s were a turning point, notes USC Dornsife’s Dennis Chong: In the years since, college-educated and young people have become markedly less tolerant of hate speech pertaining to race, gender and social identity.
The Washington Post
The mystery of 9/11 and dementia
Marketplace.org
Challenges face the world’s largest container-shipping company as it tries to go green
The Danish company Maersk has ordered eight vessels that will run on methanol. But one key to the carbon-neutral strategy is ensuring that the methanol used is sustainable. As USC Dornsife’s Surya Prakash notes, China makes a lot of methanol from coal.
The Washington Post
China’s COVID lockdown led to an earlier, greener spring, study suggests
Vegetation across the country responded immediately to the change in conditions, a study by USC Dornsife’s John P. Wilson and colleagues found. It indicates that short-term changes in human activity can have a rapid ecological impact.
ABC News
California’s wildfires are already erratic, and the worst may be ahead
Los Angeles Times
Imagine an L.A. where the buses and subways are free
The MTA is considering eliminating fares, but would that increase ridership? “Unfortunately there’s not a lot of evidence that people will get out of their cars and into transit even if it were free,” says USC Price’s Genevieve Giuliano. “A trip by car often takes half the time it takes by transit.”
Hospitality director embraces sustainable solutions at USC Bovard College
Heather Heleloa, who is pursuing her online master’s in hospitality and tourism, uses her program knowledge to explore lasting environmental changes in the industry.
Ruben Salazar: the Chicano journalist who paved the way for a new generation of reporters
USC Libraries has the late journalist’s writings, photographs and personal belongings, which researchers use to keep his legacy alive.
Health disparities impact Black and Latino Americans with autoimmune diseases
A review by USC researchers shows that gaps in income, education and access to care contribute to poorer outcomes for people of color with multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
When sudden blindness strikes, this USC ophthalmologist steps in
Through extensive research and cutting-edge clinical techniques, Benjamin Xu develops tools and strategies to help save his patients’ sight.
Supporting the invisible, unpaid army of Alzheimer’s caregivers
More assistance is needed for the estimated 11 million people caring for loved ones with dementia, USC experts say.
A perfect score for joint USC-CHLA research program
The Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute provides funding, expertise, training and facilities to translate science into solutions for better health in diverse L.A. communities.
To ‘build back better,’ new research suggests president must expand tax credits to undocumented immigrants
The move could be a meaningful step toward reducing child poverty, USC Price research finds.
USC’s 2021 entering undergrad class is the most diverse and talented yet
First-generation and students of color set records. The university’s college prep program for neighborhood children and teens leads the way with 57 first-year students. And Southern California public high schools make their strongest showing.
Immigration boosts U.S. life expectancy, according to USC/Princeton study
Life expectancy for immigrants increased while that of the U.S.-born population declined between 2010 and 2017. The mix of immigrants and an increase in American-born overdose deaths each played a role.
USC professor records the Latinx voices missing from the COVID conversation
Laura Isabel Serna is committed to making sure that Latinx stories become part of the pandemic’s historical record.
COVID infection rates rose faster in fully reopened businesses, study finds
The USC study of more than 80 counties nationwide reveals the difference more or less restrictive policies may have had on the spread of COVID-19.
New generation of advocates uses photojournalism to illuminate life in L.A.
The Digital Promotoras program — funded in part by the USC Good Neighbors Campaign — teaches teens how photography can shed light on the unseen issues in their communities.
Enlisting the power of AI to fight California wildfires
USC Viterbi artificial intelligence experts are helping firefighters strategize how best to plan controlled burns and manage unexpected blazes.
Undergrads use sustainability fellowship to improve waste disposal for homeless Angelenos
Though Sandra Maestre and Camila Rojas know they can’t solve all of L.A.’s problems, the juniors from Costa Rica and Venezuela are hoping their project can at least address hygiene concerns on Skid Row.
Want to lose weight? Diet drinks might not be the sweet spot
Artificial sweeteners may increase food cravings and appetite in women and people who are obese, a study led by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC finds.
Transfer program gives prospective Trojans a second chance
Meet a member of USC Marshall’s Pathways Program, a unique recruiting plan specifically designed to increase the number of talented Black students transferring into the business school.
Big fires demand a big response: How 1910’s Big Burn can help us think smarter about fighting wildfires and living with fire
Expensive, militarized fire suppression led the U.S. down a forest management path that neglected more nuanced approaches, two USC experts note.
Undergrad sustainability fellow looks to bring urban agriculture to affordable neighborhoods
Urban studies and planning major Baron Zhu is working to see more urban gardens and green spaces in areas with affordable housing around L.A.
Rino Patti, 85, USC Social Work dean and professor emeritus
The nationally renowned educator and scholar served as dean of USC’s social work school from 1988 to 1997.
Empowerment and community drive USC freshman Laila Ward — Miss Black Pasadena
Biology major Ward wants to be a doctor, but also plans to study Spanish and international relations. And she’s got an eye on the Tournament of Roses’ Royal Court, too.
Trojan’s side hustle — a job-oriented podcast — helps listeners make career connections
As a student, Aaron “A.J.” Eckstein revitalized the Latino Business Student Association. Now the recent graduate is connecting people with their dream jobs through his Final Round interview podcast.
Hunter Brophy’s studies are in the stars, but his heart is in the sea
The first-year astronomy major, lifeguard and Navy cadet has a special connection to the ocean and the environment.
USC Kortschak Center helps students make back-to-school connections
Timely workshops help students brush up on talking with professors, deal with roommate issues — and perhaps make a new friend or two.
USC Gould vice dean shares her election expertise with lawmakers
Franita Tolson testified before Congress on voting rights and access twice in July — and it wasn’t her first time at the Capitol.