Moments like these make me realize what an incredible experience I had during my four years at the University of Southern California.
May 1 is the deadline for high school seniors to inform several colleges in the U.S., including USC, whether they wish to matriculate to that particular institution.
Since sending in my deposit back in 2004, I have often been asked “Why USC?” It is a question I kept answering through college and continue to respond to today.
I quickly learned why USC was my first and only choice. In high school I never had an expansive college search but I never desired one. The combination of professional programs, location, school spirit, and strong alumni convinced me that the university was where I wanted to spend those crucial four years of my life. Like so many other alumni, I walked away with a clear view of what I wanted to do in the world.
“I discovered my passion for film and making movies when I was a student at USC in the 1960s, and my experiences there shaped the rest of my career.”
Those were the words of George Lucas when he announced that he would make the single largest donation to USC in the history of the university.
I haven’t had quite so much time to reflect as he did nor am I able to make that kind of a donation but the feeling is the same. I have always loved journalism and wanted to purse a career in that field, but USC helped me to appreciate that craft at a level I would not have otherwise imagined before starting there as a student.
Discovering USC
You would think my love affair with USC started at childhood and that I was destined to attend the school. While that is the story for many alums, my arrival to the school was by chance and a little luck. In fact, had you asked me before my junior year about USC, I would say I don’t know much about the University of South Carolina. While taking the PSAT my junior year, I remember checking “business” as an interest and requesting colleges contact me in the months ahead. I still don’t believe I would have been under USC’s radar but I am so thankful they sent me a flyer in the mail. Instantly, I was intrigued about a school that offered degrees in broadcast journalism and business while located in Los Angeles.
I still remember the night I found out I got into to USC. I had called the Office of Admission about my application and someone told me that a decision had been made but that they could not tell me what it was over the phone. I was later informed that even the little information I got was against university protocol. Days later, I remember driving home and speaking to my parents, they called me and asked if I was on my way, as if they were anxious to see me. I assumed the worst and rushed home. I didn’t ask them if they got the mail but feared they had and were waiting with bad news. For some reason, I drove to the mailbox and decided to check, I parked the car in the middle of the street and opened the door. Inside I saw a large white packet with a Trojan head in the corner. Instantly I knew that good news was coming my way and screamed out loud “Yes!” and started to run home. 
Halfway between my house and the mailbox I realized that I had left the car running and parked in the middle of the street. I ran back, got in the car and drove the few feet left. Inside with my parents, I opened the packet to see a folder with “You’re In” on the cover. It was as if the school knew I was still unsure what the decision was on my application, even though I received a large packet.
Professional Programs
It’s Tuesday night and I am inside the Annenberg Auditorium standing on the room’s stage talking one-on-one with former White House counsel John Dean about the upcoming 2006 midterm elections. He had just spent the hour as the guest of hundreds of COMM-310 students discussing the Nixon administration as he does each semester in Robert Scheer’s Media and Society class. But he stayed late and took every question from students who waited to meet him, giving each the chance to learn from his experiences.
That class summarizes so many important aspects of a USC education. Majors at the school are made up primarily of practical courses that are directly related to professional fields of study. Those courses are taught by instructors with extensive experience in their respective fields, often making indelible marks in their industries. They go a step further by introducing you to the people who have made historic contributions to our culture and continue to made a difference in public discourse.
Many USC students start their weekend on Thursday nights but for years, one course has gotten hundreds of students to pack uncomfortable chairs for almost four hours and delay the end of their week. On one particular evening, we all were waiting in line outside just to get into class. It was taking longer than normal because our professor, Leonard Martin, was greeting every student at the door. He was so excited that night for a first in CTCS-466. Each one of us were receiving 3-D classes because we were screening Beauwolf before it hit theatres, something we did every week, but never one that required upgrades to the Norris Cinema Theatre and special eyewear for students. After the film, USC alum and director Robert Zemeckis discussed his latest project, filmmaking in general, and his time at the school.
This class is also an example of that course-professor-guest combination that is often found at USC. It also reflects the strength of the school in a field like film and the chance to have fun in the classroom while at the university.
These courses are just snippets into a college with 17 professional schools and 30 departments in the liberal arts. Most degree-programs on campus allocate one-third to the major itself and another third for school requirements. The final piece is left for a student to spend across the university’s diverse collection of academic units. In all, USC offers 150 majors and 120 minors to create thousands of possible educational experiences with breadth and depth.
Los Angeles
The university is located near the downtown of the second largest city in the country, bringing amazing opportunities to students that can be matched by few other schools. L.A. is the capital for several industries and an important core for many more. Studying in this environment creates the chance for students to supplement their education outside the classroom, like interning for ABC News at the Golden Globes. Time left for fun can be spent in a world of entertainment as well as nearby escapes made by natural beauty.
Almost perfect weather will be your backdrop all year. Whether you want to play in the sand, go skiing, appreciate the arts at concert halls and museums, or spend an evening at a nightclub, it is all there. Plus you are bound to witness a Hollywood moment in the four years at USC. Unique concerts, an advanced film screening, or a TV shoot are happening all around you.
As the only true megalopolis on the west coast, L.A. is one of the most diverse cities in the world. While other international hubs tend to come to mind first, it is the gateway to the Pacific Rim and the city to watch in this century. The Eastern world is reaffirming its place on the global stage and L.A. will take on a more important role nationally. USC and its students will have a front row seat as this change takes place.
School Spirit
The spirit of USC is often best reflected by the Spirit of Troy, the university’s marching band. They are talented and professional but can be obnoxious when the moment allows for it. One of those moments is during finals. Every year, students discover Leavey Library, a building they may not had the chance to use all semester. As the 24-hour library on campus, it can become a temporary home for many students days or just hours before exams. But with that tradition comes another, every night after ten, the Trojan Marching Band comes outside and performs an impromptu concert of USC favorites. It is unlike any other study break because it lets everyone take a breather, love their university, and then get back to finals. Appreciating school spirit can be short and sweet or it can last several hours. The above moment is a simple, casual event that is icing on the cake. But sports are the main course for the Trojan Nation uniting those who follow the team closely and those looking for an afternoon of fun. 
Saturdays in the fall are famous for the experiences they create on college campuses across the country. My most memorable moment was my first. It was yet another beautiful day in southern California with the sun shinning. I remember being in a dark, concrete walkway climbing up large steps by myself. I had been separated from my group and was trying to find some of my roommates. I was in a hurry and constantly calling them on my cell phone but when I got to the top of the steps and into the light I paused. In front of me was a see of red made up of more than 90,000 fans inside the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. It was the first time that I felt like “I had arrived,” like I was a part of something, a member of the Trojan Family.
A Trojan for Life
The network that has been created goes beyond just a club or organization. It’s a bond that makes you proud of your school and excited to become one of its ambassadors. It is a lifelong title and responsibility but most importantly, a family.
A Decade of Dominance
USC has had a long tradition of excellence in several disciplines but it is a recent 10-year run that has brought a transformation of the University Park Campus. The late 1990s created the foundation for the world-class institution that is now garnering attention from all corners of the globe.
The school’s “Master Plan” was already in motion and efforts to improve the university were being noticed. TIME magazine named USC “College of the Year” in 2000 for its emphasis on public service and outreach to the surrounding areas of South L.A. That was just the beginning as the school’s endowment, freshman profile, and student programs became more impressive. Today USC sits comfortably in the Top 30 of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Top Colleges” list and was just named “The Decade’s Hottest School” by TheDailyBeast.
From its humble beginnings in 1880 with just 53 students, the West’s oldest independent teaching and research institution has become a school of 35,000 with an endowment of $2.7 billion. When a student begins at USC, he or she comes from high school with a 3.7 GPA (unweighted) on average. They are the result of a selective process in which only 24 percent of applicants are offered admission.
To those considering the school, keep in mind the unique combination of academics, environment, fun, and community that await you. Best of luck on your college search and hopefully you will be hearing “Welcome to USC” in the fall as one of the newest members of the Trojan Family.
