
2017 USC Commencement Speakers Salute Grads with Lessons and Laughs
From architects to actors, visiting luminaries had memorable words to share.
From architects to actors, visiting luminaries had memorable words to share.
The USC alumnus and commencement speaker gave the Class of 2017 insights and laughs.
While trying to figure out her late father’s “dangerous secrets,” new graduate Betty Stearns discovered a world of endless possibilities.
Top thinkers are acknowledged at ceremonies honoring Phi Kappa Phi initiates, Polymathic Academy fellows and the newest names on Leavey Library’s Wall of Scholars.
From the family that flew in from Japan to the first-generation graduate whose girlfriend had to work, there were plenty of stories to share Friday. Here are a few of them.
Enjoy the sights as more than 60,000 people gather at the University Park Campus to congratulate the Class of 2017.
With expected humor and surprising insight, the featured commencement speaker keeps the crowd laughing.
The valedictorian’s commencement address looks at her classmates with admiration, and ahead to the future with wonder.
The university’s 134th commencement draws more than 60,000 people to the University Park Campus.
The comedian, a 1990 USC graduate, keeps the audience laughing but has some thoughtful observations, too.
✌ Class of 2017: The university is a key partner in the national scholarship program, which has awarded more than $1 billion to 20,000 students since 1999.
Don’t worry about the weather this year. Traffic? That’s a different story, especially because of road projects around the University Park Campus.
✌ Class of 2017: Brynn Evans is graduating Friday, and her grandfather won’t be far away: As a Half Century Trojan, he’s walking in the ceremony, too.
✌ Class of 2017: Her USC adventure has stretched from cinema to history, with a little Voltron and Bigfoot thrown in for good measure.
✌ Class of 2017: The daughter of migrant farm workers is opening a company aimed at helping the underserved.
✌ Class of 2017: Her home state of Minnesota is about as far from the ocean as you can get, but her experiences at USC showed the sea was her true calling.
✌ Class of 2017: He says USC’s interdisciplinary outlook and short-term international programs changed his entire career trajectory.
✌ Class of 2017: After almost three decades of military service, a Navy commander focuses on entrepreneurship.
✌ Class of 2017: Johanna Reyes is making an impact from Mexico to Cuba, and intends to do even more.
✌ Class of 2017: Jack Huebner aims to advance medicine in sub-Saharan Africa.
The medical pioneer and best-selling author will deliver the keynote at the nondenominational interfaith celebration.
Recipients include a social work visionary, a leading researcher in the fight against AIDS, a spinal surgery innovator, an award-winning actress, the chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and a popular comedy star.
Actor, producer, internet pioneer and USC alum returns to his ‘old school’ to regale this year’s graduating class.