This year’s gala honors a class of scholars who bonded during trying times to help one another succeed as they progressed through the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative.
TITLE IX: Kim Thomas-Barrios’ career has been dedicated to helping students pursue a college education and achieve their dreams.
Strong representation in STEM majors and continued support for transfer students are hallmarks of the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative.
Through 12 years of hard work — first as a participant in USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative, then as a USC Roski art student — Dayanara Saucedo kept one special person in mind.
The university’s signature college prep program celebrates its graduates in person for the first time since 2019.
Ricky Ramiro Jr. — a new graduate of USC’s signature college prep program, the Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative — says his parents’ hard work and sacrifices helped him become a Trojan.
COMMENCEMENT 2022: Alyssa Young found support from USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative and the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund. She, in turn, helped others find their way.
Close to 60 grads from the initiative’s Class of 2021 are going from Saturday Academy attendees to full-time Trojans.
Tracy Nguyen, who is headed to Johns Hopkins University, is one of the 83 graduating high school seniors who will be attending college this fall — a perfect 100% of the class.
Emmely Cáceres will become the last of four daughters to graduate from USC’s premier college prep program, and she credits her sisters and parents with putting her on the path to success.
Shandela Contreras would not have graduated from USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative without her mom’s hard work and sacrifice, virtues she’ll carry with her as a USC student.
A cavalcade of Star Wars legends — including Luke Skywalker himself — delighted fans while recognizing the efforts of the university’s signature college prep program.
Five years ago, Christopher Chavez and his family committed to the university’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative, a decision that transformed their future.
As the pandemic began to threaten people’s lives and their livelihoods, USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative staff stepped in to help.
The Neighborhood Academic Initiative realized early in the pandemic that innovative learning tools would be needed to educate its scholars, leading a new team of “tech innovators” to make lightboards a top priority.
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.
This year’s graduates of USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative were recognized for their perseverance during uncertain times; all 94 scholars will be attending college in the fall.
Through laptops, tablets and instruction from savvy teachers, the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative strives to keep its local scholars engaged and educated during this unprecedented period.
Emily Suarez decided in fourth grade that she wanted to attend USC. After seven years of hard work and sacrifice in the Neighborhood Academic Initiative program, her plan is becoming a reality.
Even a global pandemic could not stop the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative’s class of 2020 from gathering online to rejoice in their successes.
Nelson Henriquez Jr., who will graduate from the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative this month, has medicine on his mind.
Parents and graduating students from South and East L.A. shared breakfast and reminisced about their seven-year path through USC’s premier college prep program.
To show their appreciation for families in the nearby community, the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative partnered with USC Hospitality to provide a warm holiday dinner.
The Discovery Project at USC encourages aspiring young scholars to think outside their comfort zone and engage with topics they wouldn’t normally tackle in their teens.