Trojan Athletes Turned Kappa Brothers
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
Last week saw the resurgence of not only the Alphas on USC’s campus, but also the Kappas! Officially recognized as Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Beta Omega Chapter), USC’s chapter, integrated with LMU and Pepperdine, gained five Trojan members.
USC Women Volleyball’s Valiant Efforts
By: Jamie Wu ‘18
It was November 25th, 2017 and the USC Women’s Volleyball team was against our blue and yellow crosstown rivals. This whole season, the valiant team lead USC into the Pac-12 conference with a score of 14-6. Earlier in the season, USC beat UCLA in a stunning 3-2 match on 9/21. Before the season’s final game at the Galen Center, USC ranked 13th with an overall score of 22-9.
My KASA Freshmen Dance-off 2017 Experience
By: Amy Wang ‘21
I joined KASA Freshmen Dance-off as someone who has never really danced before unless you count high school prom (plus, I’m also extremely clumsy and uncoordinated). Nevertheless, deciding to join was one of the best decisions I made my first semester freshman year.
A Freshman Perspective: USC vs. UCLA Game Day
By: Amy Wang ‘21
Before attending USC, and even before I was officially accepted as a student, there was a piece of advice I got from upperclassmen that was constantly restated: get a football student season ticket. As someone who knew nothing about football, I hesitated. Two-hundred dollars was a lot of money to ask for considering how much I already had to spend in preparation for college itself. I continued to ask upperclassmen for their input and was told the same. Ultimately, I bought the pass and have no regrets for doing so.
Best Flicks: Conquest 2017
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
Every year, during rivalry week, McCarthy Quad transforms to create the Conquest experience: One night of a joint, rallied war cry against the Bruins that ultimately proved fruitful for our team!
Best Flicks: Guarding USC’s Icons
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
One of our most mysterious rivalry traditions of our annual Troy Week is the ritualistic guarding of USC’s most prominent statues and icons on campus, namely Tommy Trojan, Traveler, George Tirebiter, and Hecuba (the newest addition to the USC Village and icon family).
Events You Can’t Miss Before The Semester Ends
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
As we inch towards the end of the semester there is so much to be done. Between exams, papers, projects, and even moving out for some students; enjoying LA and everything USC has to offer before the semester ends can be hard. To give you some events to put on your calendar; here are some events you must go to before the semester ends.
Talking Kaepernick: Where USC Lies in the Activism in Sports Debate
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
The first round of College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, USC debuted at No. 17. Our nationally recognized team and school spirit, although very popular and high ranking, has yet to see any national anthem protests.
Project Playlist - New Music from Black SC
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
The Thornton kids aren’t the only ones producing music; various members of USC’s Black Student Assembly (affectionately nicknamed Black SC) have created enough bangers and slow jams to last you all Fall ‘17! Whether you’re warming up your dance moves for the last few ragers or trying to stay warm during cuddle season, these projects definitely belong on your playlist:
USC Capture the Flag Recap
By: Ayman Siraj ‘18 and Nathaniel Diakun
On the weekend of the 15th – 17th September, the Cyber Security & Forensics Organization at USC hosted its first Cyber Security Awareness Week Capture the Flag (CSAW CTF) event. CSAW is the largest student-run cyber security event in the world, featuring international competitions, workshops, and industry events. It was founded by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at New York University. A CTF is an ethical hacking competition where players solve cyber security challenges of various difficulties with the harder challenges assigned more points. The challenges are segmented by Binary Exploitation, Cryptography, Forensics, Reverse Engineering & Web Hacking.
5 Things I Learned Last Year as A Freshman
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
Hi, all! I hope classes are going well. And I hope you’re taking self care procedures to make sure your well-being is at its greatest. I figured that since I started my sophomore year at SC, I’d let the freshmen know what I learned as a freshman last year (hence the title). So, let’s get into it!
Tales of a Money-$mart Trojan
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
It’s said college is the best time of your life. When else can you party on Thursday, have 24-hour access to a library and, if you have a meal plan, eat unlimited food with one swipe of a card? Despite the luxuries and freedoms of being a full-time college student, there is nothing quite like being ‘college broke.’
Tailgates, cornholes, and 100°F weather
By: Jonathon Xue ‘19
You wouldn’t believe how hot it was that day.
My Experience Traveling to China as a First-Year Business Student
By: Adriana Bernal Martinez ‘20
I remember the day I got this little red and yellow box in the mail. It was in late March of my Senior year of high school. I was coming back home from Debate practice at around 6 and at the sight of two little boxes just chillin’ on my doorstep, my breath caught in my throat. I wasn’t really sure what they were about whatsoever, but they seemed rather important and they had the colors of the school I had just committed to on them, so. I was anxious and excited and maybe a little teensy bitsy sweaty but upon opening them, I learned one thing and one thing only: I was going to China.
Jazz Appreciation Month
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
I can probably spend hours, days, and even years (as I’m sure many other musicians and educators of jazz have spent) describing and defining what “Jazz” is. I found this really great clip and the people who are interviewed describe jazz and what it is to them (and its origins). All of their definitions, in my opinion, are correct!
Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Denim Day
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
Did you know that in the United States, April is Sexual Assault Awareness month? Spread awareness by participating on Denim Day (April 26th, 2017).
You Stay Classy, #USCGrads
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Between you and me, I’ve had a pretty rough day. This morning my laptop refused to turn on and since then, I’ve been rather bitter. (Please learn from my mistakes and back up your computers!) Also, s/o to the Laptop Loaner Program for enabling me to write this post. There’s one person who is getting me through these dark and stress-filled times. No, not my mom. Although she’s a constant source of comfort. It’s John William “Will” Ferrell. With Springfest shut down before the headliners and the USC administration forcing Lil Bill’s Bike Shop to move off campus, many USC students, myself included, have been feeling disappointed and frustrated as of late. (Sign the petition to show how much Lil Bill and his shop mean to this campus)! There’s one person who won’t let us down, one person who will always be our ‘Buddy,’ one person willing to be our Anchor(man) when our metaphorical ship veers off course. And that person is Will Ferrell: USC’s 2017 commencement speaker!
ISA Globefest Recap
By: Anna Lipscomb ‘19
Did you miss this year’s Globefest? Here’s a recap of the event.
Celebrating Feminist Accomplishments in Music: FemFest 2017
By: Terry Nguyen ‘20
On Friday, April 5, USC hosted its fifth annual FemFest, a festival dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and promoting women within the music industry. The event was made possible through the joined efforts of various feminist organizations on campus, including the Undergraduate Student Government, USC’s Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment, and MUSE at USC. On the Facebook page, USG Program Board and USC FemFest also contributed to hosting the event. FemFest 2017 was a six-and-a-half hour event that took place in Founder’s Park, starting at 5 p.m. with a variety of female musicians headlining the show. The event was free and open to the public, featuring local community vendors, musicians, and even members of the Trojan family.
Meet Joy
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
Hi, I’m Joy! It’s a wonder that anyone would want to read my fanatic raving (or hot tea) about USC. Anyone who knows me will tell you I bleed cardinal & gold like it’s my job (and as a product of Admissions, I suppose it is).