New Student Convocation: Fall 2021

August 19, 2021 Good morning and welcome to the University of Southern California’s 2021 Convocation!  And a special shout out to all our new Trojans! It’s wonderful to be together, in person, after so long. More than 20,000 students, faculty, staff, and family members are here for this important and special academic celebration to welcome…

A message from President Folt about the SCOTUS Affirmative Action ruling

June 29, 2023 Today’s decision by the Supreme Court prohibiting holistic, race-conscious admissions practices is very disappointing. USC has long understood that excellence and diversity are inextricably intertwined. We educate innovative, thoughtful students from across the globe, who become leaders in every field. Each of our students, faculty and staff has earned a place here…

Appointment of Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

June 7, 2023 Dear Trojan Community, It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Joel Curran as USC’s senior vice president and chief communications officer. Effective July 10, Joel will lead all of USC’s central communications and events functions. A passionate leader and skilled communicator, Joel brings nearly four decades of public relations expertise earned across…

Trojans Spring Forward: Spring 2023

Thriving in the Diversity of the Trojan Family USC’s many affinity groups offer communities of welcoming and belonging and further our continuing efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion. They offer spaces where there’s always a friend. Many of those affinity groups took advantage of nationally recognized heritage months during the spring to share their unique…

Trojans Spring Forward: Spring 2023

USC and the Community: Working Hand-in-hand USC’s ambitions extend far beyond the perimeter of our campuses; the university is an active partner in each of our neighborhoods. This spring, we joined community leaders to cut the ribbon at Casa de Rosas, the West Adams facility where the Head Start program is one of eight that…

Trojans Spring Forward: Spring 2023

Our Faculty, Students and Alumni: Achievements and Recognitions Across the university, our faculty and students continue to soar across all fields. Faculty are receiving national awards, recognitions and are being inducted into national academies; students are receiving fellowships and scholarships, and our Trojan alums continue to make us proud. We are a powerhouse of talent.…

Trojans Spring Forward: Spring 2023

New Initiatives Expand USC’s Impact A series of exciting new initiatives launched this spring, with an eye toward expanding and enhancing USC’s excellence. Frontiers of Computing is a $1 billion-plus initiative to accelerate advanced computing and harness the power of emerging technologies, guided by ethics. This includes a new School of Advanced Computing to be…

Trojans Spring Forward: Spring 2023

Trojan Student-Athletes Excel in Sports and in the Classroom Our Trojan Athletics teams continued their long history of success throughout the spring semester, culminating with many personal bests, award winners, and conference titles and another national championships. Our student-athletes set a new USC record in the NCAA’s measure of academic performance. We were honored to…

Trojans Spring Forward: Spring 2023

New Faces, New Roles This spring semester saw the leadership team of USC evolve to meet this pivotal moment for both USC and the wider higher education community. Some of these leaders were new to USC: The USC Thornton School of Music welcomed Jason King as its new dean, while University Advancement added Scott Rabenold…

140th Commencement Address

May 12, 2023 Greetings everyone! Welcome to the 2023 Commencement at the University of Southern California. What a perfect day to celebrate the world’s most historic academic pageant – graduation! Just look around – it’s so colorful! Pink trumpet trees, evergreen pear trees with small white flowers, and glorious crape myrtle trees with frilly blooms…