One by one, Blanca Martinez prepared her daughters for success. She gave up her job and essentially her life to drive them six days a week to the 32nd Street/USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School and to special afternoon and Saturday classes at USC Trio.
Keck School Dean Carmen Puliafito honors his father-in-law, a World War II veteran, and addresses the challenges and opportunities in health care in this — his second — commencement address to Keck School of Medicine graduates.
Fernando Campos’ interest in business developed at an early age. “I remember running a small, out-of-the-backpack business in middle school and high school, selling candy I had bought at Costco to my friends,” he said.
Hae Eun Chun came to the USC Marshall School of Business from her native Korea to pursue a Ph.D. in marketing, with an emphasis in consumer behavior, after earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the subject. She said she chose the school primarily because of its outstanding research faculty.
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Although unofficial USC mascot George Tirebiter remains top dog, a German Shepherd named Joker was nipping at his heels in the early 1970s.
Surprised and delighted by the pealing chimes of a newly restored university landmark, and inspired by honorary degree recipient Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “six rules of success,” more than 8,000 graduating Trojans cheered commencement today for the 126th time in USC history.
Apollo Emeka
May 15 was a big day for the Gibson family – both father, Michael, and son, David, donned their caps and gowns to receive their USC diplomas after nine collective years of hard work and long nights of studying.
A lifetime of dedication and perseverance finally paid off when Angela Cholakyan earned her doctorate in musical arts from the USC Thornton School of Music.
Eric Zuniga’s defining moment in college occurred just a few days after he arrived here in 2004. During his first chemistry lab, the fledgling engineer discovered just how seriously behind he was. Despite having taken Advanced Placement chemistry in high school, he had never been in a chemistry lab. His high school, Foshay Learning Center, did not have one. He – like everyone else in his high school chemistry class – received a one, the lowest grade, on the AP exam. “It’s the grade you get just for signing your name,” Zuniga said.
When you finish four years of a demanding major with an unblemished record of A’s, it might be time for some self-congratulation. But that’s not the style of USC’s 2009 valedictorian, Paul VanWieren.
“It was unfortunate that to learn how to live, I had to learn how to die,” USC student William Zarifi wrote in a class paper shortly before his death.
Sara Schlievert is either always working or never working. It’s tough to tell. Her days and nights consist of going to concerts, listening to music and introducing people to up-and-coming bands. And she gets paid for it.
This summer, salutatorian Brenda Nuyen wants to learn how to surf. By recently mastering skateboarding, she feels up to the challenge.
More than 40,000 graduates and their families are expected to fill Alumni Park and the sites of 34 satellite ceremonies for USC’s 126th annual commencement on May 15.