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School of Dramatic Arts alumnus and voice actor JP Karliak poses for a photograph outside USC’s Widney Alumni House, where he worked for several years after earning a bachelor's degree in theater from the School of Dramatic Arts at USC, May 4, 2022. (Photo/Gus Ruelas) Loud and Proud

Raising Voices

Actor JP Karliak ’03 founded nonprofit Queer Vox to train LGBTQ+ voiceover actors and help them network and find mainstream roles in animation and video games.

10 min readAlumni Life, Arts, LGBTQ
Japanese American family of USC alumni view a rock garden on campus Niki Kawakami – "Us being here today, it’s a very reflective time. I used to share a lot of stories and I think that’s something that should be emphasized more, that connecting with your history, learning from the lessons and seeing how you can be better." (Photo/Damon Casarez) Peace, Love, and Rocks

‘You Feel Like You’re Connected to Something More’

USC rock garden, opened in April, creates a contemplative space for Trojan family of 1940s dental student Tadashi “Tad” Ochiai.

3 min readAlumni Life, University, Japanese American, Nisei
Illustration by Jason Holley of a jogger running in smog 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.

11 min readHealth, Social Impact
Woman stands before cameras preparing for a newscast in a pink dress. Stephens stands before the camera at the White House as an intern for CBS News in July 2019. (Photo/Courtesy of Morgan Stephens) Healing from long COVID

From Student to Patient: How Keck Medicine of USC Brought Me Back to Life

Morgan Stephens was on track to a dream career in journalism—and then she got COVID.

10 min readAlumni Life, Health, Health Care, Keck Medicine
Documentary production workshop participants in Cotonou, Benin. (Photo/Jean-Michel Dissard) Celluloid Diplomats

Lights, Camera … Travel!

How USC and the American Film Showcase are changing the world, one film at a time.

7 min readArts, University, Cinematic Arts, Community Outreach, Globalization
Who Run the World?

Changing the Playing Field

When Title IX—the landmark legislation that prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding—was signed into law in 1972, it had an immediate impact at USC. Here, we celebrate the progress USC has made and the women who’ve helped pave the way for gender equity in all aspects of USC’s programming, from education to employment and extracurricular opportunities.

3 min readAlumni Life, Athletics, University, Alumni, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Faculty
Signage of the Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Center for International and Public Affaires Building The renamed Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Center for International and Public Affairs Building was unveiled on April 11, 2022. (Photo/Steve Cohn) Righting History

Photos: Alum Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow is Namesake of USC Building

Renaming a landmark for historian and war chief of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation portends a new age for Trojans.

2 min readUniversity, Alumni, History
12 USC staff and alumni pose for a group photo at the Alumni Awards 2022 event. 2022 Alumni Awards winners pose with USC administrators: (Left to right) Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations Patrick E. Auerbach, Beth Petak-Aaron, Adam Goldston, Alumni Awards Co-Chair Mary Tee, Ryan Goldston, Ramona Cappello, Mike Nyeholt, Alumni Awards Co-Chair Kevork Zoryan, President Carol Folt, Mary Bono, Jules Buenabenta, President, USC Alumni Association President John Iino. (Photo/Steve Cohn) Top Trojans

Exemplary Trojans Honored at 2022 USC Alumni Awards

At the 88th annual Alumni Awards gala in April, the Trojan Family celebrated notable leaders who showcase the best of the Trojan spirit. The 2022 USC alumni awards recipients were recognized for bringing distinction to the university.

7 min readAlumni Life, Athletics, Business, University, Alumni, Awards
Japanese American family of USC alumni view a rock garden on campus Niki Kawakami – "Us being here today, it’s a very reflective time. I used to share a lot of stories and I think that’s something that should be emphasized more, that connecting with your history, learning from the lessons and seeing how you can be better." (Photo/Damon Casarez) Peace, Love, and Rocks

‘You Feel Like You’re Connected to Something More’

USC rock garden, opened in April, creates a contemplative space for Trojan family of 1940s dental student Tadashi “Tad” Ochiai.

3 min readAlumni Life, University, Japanese American, Nisei
Illustration by Jason Holley of a jogger running in smog 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.

11 min readHealth, Social Impact
School of Dramatic Arts alumnus and voice actor JP Karliak poses for a photograph outside USC’s Widney Alumni House, where he worked for several years after earning a bachelor's degree in theater from the School of Dramatic Arts at USC, May 4, 2022. (Photo/Gus Ruelas) Loud and Proud

Raising Voices

Actor JP Karliak ’03 founded nonprofit Queer Vox to train LGBTQ+ voiceover actors and help them network and find mainstream roles in animation and video games.

10 min readAlumni Life, Arts, LGBTQ
Black-haired woman poses for a photograph at USC Tassel Worth The Hassle

Four Years Later: New Graduates Reflect on USC Experience

Four years ago, Nadia Filanovsky, Lauren Gilmour, Anthony Llamas, Neysa Sanghavi, Meg Schwartz and Leily Zhu were new Trojans. Now, these members of the Class of 2022 talk about how USC lived up to their expectations.

8 min readAlumni Life, Student Life, University, Commencement 2022
The Cicada synthesizer vibrates in the same way that insects produce a loud and recognizable sound in the wild. (Photo/Federico Chiesa) Ear Bug

Cicada Creates a Buzz

Some people have a flair for playing instruments. Ho-Chun “Herbert” Chang PhD ’23 has a knack for inventing them.

4 min readArts, Humanities, Science/Technology, Student Life, Video, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Illustration of a map of the United States made up of images of people of different ethnicities With the help of USC law students, a woman wins a 16-year case to remain in the U.S. (Illustration/iStock/SiberianArt) A Wait Rewarded

At Last, This Single Mom Wins Her Case, Thanks to Gould Students

Pro bono teaching clinics like the USC Immigration Clinic are a lifeline for people without resources to navigate America’s complex legal system; it also gives USC Gould students real-world experience working with clients who have undergone trauma.

3 min readPolicy/Law, University
Just as Gale Sinatra handed her publisher the © rst draft of her book, COVID-19 struck. Science Denial: Why It Happens and What to Do About It would turn out to be more timely than she ever imagined. Science denial isn't new - but we may have new ways to tackle it. (Photo/© M. Cody Pickens Photography) What to do About Science Denial

Bridging the Great Science Divide

Professor Gale Sinatra, an expert on climate science education, explains the divide between belief and doubt and answers the question: Is it possible for us to come together on science education?

3 min readHealth, Science/Technology
Najuma Smith-Pollard wears a black jacket and jeans as she sits in a red pew inside the Word of Encouragement Community Church in Los Angeles. 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.

12 min readSocial Impact, Black History Month, Civic Engagement, Community, Religion
Students line up to enlist at USC in World War II In this picture taken on Dec. 17, 1941, USC students volunteered to support the war effort 10 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Photo/Courtesy of USC University Archives) A Call to Duty

World War II Shaped USC History — and the Face of the University

Nearly every corner of campus life transformed as students joined the war effort at home and abroad.

2 min readStudent Life, University, Military, Student Life, Students, USC History
At Keck Medicine of USC, keeping both organ transplant recipients and their donors healthy is all part of the plan. 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.

7 min readHealth, Social Impact, Health Care, Innovation, Keck Medicine, Keck School of Medicine
Cities are getting hotter, and that means dire consequences for our physical and mental well-being— more so for some. Trojan experts respond with community collaboration, climate curricula and cooling strategies. Cities are getting hotter, and that means dire consequences for our physical and mental well-being— more so for some. Trojan experts respond with community collaboration, climate curricula and cooling strategies. (Illustration/Kathleen Fu) Throw Shade

Hot Enough for You? Why City Dwellers Say Yes—and What They Can Do About It

Cities are getting hotter, and that has dire consequences for our physical and mental well-being. The solutions? Community awareness and cooling strategies.

11 min readHealth, Science/Technology
South side of Leavey Library USC student study area (Photo/Ed Carreon) Chill Out

We Asked for Your Top USC Campus Spots. Here Are Your Faves

The Trojan Family shares favorite hidden gems and secret study nooks on the University Park Campus.

7 min readAlumni Life, Student Life, Alumni, Buildings, Students, USC History
Solar panels atop Galen Center at USC Solar panels atop Galen Center are a big step in USC’s move toward sustainability. (USC Photo/Gus Ruelas) ASSIGNMENT EARTH

5 Ways USC Is Going Green

Little things can make a big difference — especially when they’re done on a grand scale. Check out these ways USC is working toward a sustainable tomorrow.

2 min readUniversity
Animation of a neon sign to flashes between the words "Bar" and "Lab Bar Exam

Wait. It’s a Bar and It’s a Lab? Yes, and It May Help Unravel the Riddle of Problem Drinking

COVID-19 got people drinking — a lot. USC experts are looking for solutions to the long-term effects of alcohol and their harmful impact.

11 min readHealth, Addiction
Emily Hsu finds that violin and business are in harmony with each other. Emily Hsu finds that business and music are in harmony. Doubling Up

Art or Science? Dance or Math? USC Students Can — and Do — Choose Both

Trojans embrace a Renaissance mindset, blending their creative and artistic passions with entrepreneurship, medicine and more.

10 min readStudent Life, Education, Students
lIlustration of COVID-19 viruses on a green circuit board. (Illustrations/Josh Cochran) Marvelous Machines

Five Ways Artificial Intelligence Promises to Change Our Lives

USC scientists use smart machines to treat and cure disease, build safer cars and much more.

2 min readScience/Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technology, Research, Technology
Class of 2021 students of Helenes yearbook photo A century of service: The Helenes have a proud history of volunteering their time for the betterment of the university and the community. UNBROKEN BONDS

USC’s Helenes Mark a Century of Service, Spirit and Sisterhood

The group supports all manner of initiatives that improve life on campus and off, but its members also benefit, often establishing lifelong friendships that continue long after they have graduated.

5 min readStudent Life, University, Alumni, Community Outreach, Student Life
a large - scale tuna sculpture on a chopping board, composed out of recyclable, unrecyclable, and combustible mat erials: paper, cardboard, and plastics. It is being prepared, chopped, and consumed by anonymous, grey human hands coming off from the floor: one hand holding chopsticks, another holding forks Untitled (2021) by Listy Gao ’25 portrays her concern over the dismal state of today’s oceans: overfishing, microplastics and waste pollution. The large-scale tuna is composed of recyclable, unrecyclable, and combustible materials: paper, cardboard, and plastics. (Photo courtesy of Listy Gao) Envisioning the Future

Art Reflects Two Worlds: One of Peril, One of Possibilities

Students from USC Roski School of Art and Design use their creative talents to reflect on nature, how it has endured, how it struggles, and most important, how humankind has used—and misused—it.