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Some advice on applying to USC

If I were a prospective student applying to USC, there would be numerous thoughts and questions swirling around my mind. Perhaps the most pressing question I’d seek answers for is how to approach my USC application and how to make it “stand out.” After having applied to USC alongside other institutions, I have found that the key to success is being yourself - even when that might seem risky. I’ve heard this advice numerous times at colleges by admissions staff, but never really bought into it. When it came time to put pen-to-paper, I realized that simple questions like “what’s your favorite movie” did not have ulterior motives and that I would be presented with a unique opportunity to differentiate myself from the rest. For example, when presented with the same “what’s your favorite movie” question from USC, I struggled not because I didn’t have a favorite movie in mind, but because of apprehension that I might be viewed one way or another based on my movie choice. Yes, it might seem a bit paranoid, but after all, in my mind, any one answer may sway an admission officer's decision one way or another. After some thought and counsel, I went for it - I wrote down my favorite movie, Airplane, knowing that I would probably be of a very small minority who would most likely reference such a film. To me, it was an embodiment of my sarcastic, dry-humor side  that I saw full-blown in Airplane. I was aware that there might be some questionable humor, but in the end, I knew that it was a timeless classic and one that I could relate with. While this example might seem basic and non-consequential, it gets to the heart of a unique application - one that is not like the rest. I encourage all potential applicants, wherever you may apply, to ensure that there is a sense of authenticity in your written work, because in doing so, you will most likely be remembered amongst a large applicant pool, and specifically, remembered as a unique and authentic individual.

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How Did I Decide on My Major?

Picking a specific major to apply to on your college application can be a very difficult and nerve-racking process. When I was applying to schools I remember thinking, how can a teenage high school senior be asked to choose an area of study that will shape their career path for the rest of their life? This question was tormenting me, because I equated my major with my direct career path. I was talking with my parents, my teachers, and my college advisors about what subject I would possibly be passionate about it for my entire life. After exhausting the ears of all of my closest academic advisors and friends on the subject of my specified major, I had a new perspective thrust upon me by my older brother. He framed college majors as an acquired skill set rather direct career path. The area of study you major in gives you a certain toolkit of expertise and abilities that you can then apply to any job or path you take. Obviously, your major should be something that you are interested in or passionate about, but it really doesn’t lock you down to a certain job or life path. What you do with your degree is entirely up to you. In my personal experience, I was torn on whether to major in neuroscience or not. Eventually, I ended up settling on this path because I knew it was a subject I was highly interested in, but also because it gave me a skill set that I could apply to many different careers. I knew that coming out with this major I would be a critical thinker, I would know how to problem solve, I would know how to understand the intricacies of a highly complex systems within their greater higher order functions. These are broad skills I can apply as doctor, or as a consultant, or as a teacher, or as a head of a non-profit. I also decided to major in neuroscience because I knew that I could always switch if I wanted to. Choosing your major on your application is not as big of a deal as we make it up to be. Going into USC, I was registered to be receiving a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience while also being on the pre-med path. At USC I explored different interests, met new people and heard about their passions, and learned more about the field of Neuroscience and more about myself. Now, I am registered to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience as well as a minor in Archeology and Education with no pre-med emphasis. I’m sure next year, or even next semester, I will change my mind again. As I grow, I know I will change my mind, and especially in Dornsife at USC it is particularly easy to take new classes and switch your majors and minors. We’re all about the interdisciplinary lifestyle here. Now, I know after reading this you may be still stressing out about what to list as your specified major, but I hope to leave you with these two simple facts to hopefully ease your mind; your major is not a direct correlate with your career and you can, and most likely will, change your major in college. 

Good luck and best wishes! 

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What to look forward to at USC

Now that everything is virtual, it could feel like zoom and online learning are becoming the norm and that in-person learning is way in the future. However, here are a few things to look forward to when you eventually return to campus. 

1. Farmer’s Market 

Every Wednesday, there is a Farmer’s Market at the McCarthy Quad. There are booths to buy fresh produce and stylish jewelries, as well as food trucks such as Hawaiian food, Pad Thai and Waffle Chicken. It was a weekly tradition between my friends and I where we would all get food and sit on the little hill next to the Quad, catch up with each other and run into many of our other friends coming and going. 

2. The Village

The Village is definitely one of my favorite places at USC. Whether it’s a quick coffee at Dulce or some delicious fried chicken at Honey Bird, the Village is my go-to place. Even if you are not in the mood for food, simply studying (read: relaxing) in the Village is also very enjoyable. There is a very high chance that you will run into someone you know, and I definitely like to take advantage of the SoCal weather and get some Vitamin D in. Of course, how can I ignore Trader Joe’s? Sometimes even when I don’t need to buy groceries I would still walk around TJs, try some samples and look for any new products. It seems like I am always walking away with more items that I needed but I am definitely not complaining. 

3. Gamedays

And finally, what is USC without football? Gameday is the iconic experience for any Trojan. Before the games, everyone dresses up and takes pictures in their USC gears. There are many events on campus, including tents set up by different student organizations where you could share these memories with your friends. The band will also be performing and rallying up the Trojan Family. And finally, when it is the time for the game, everyone walks toward the Memorial Coliseum together, kicking the light poles for good luck as a tradition. Once you make it into the Coliseum, you get to cheer on the team in a sea of Cardinal and Gold. It is truly one of the moments where you really feel like you are part of the Trojan Family.

Of course, now the safety of you and all the fellow Trojans are a top priority. So until it is safe for us to reunite again, we will all fight on together in spirit! 

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Tips for you College Application Journey!

It's daunting. It's hard. I’ve been there and trust me, I know what it's like. But I’m here to tell you, things will work out. The college application process is a tricky path to navigate, but it teaches you so much about yourself and where you want to take your career. There is so much I wish I knew as a high school senior applying to college, and I’m here to answer some of your questions and debunk the myths of the application process. Here are some tips I have for all applicants, especially those interested in attending USC:

Do not try to be the textbook applicant.  Let’s be real. We’ve all heard about the perfect applicant with a 4.0 GPA, high SAT/ACT test scores, is in five clubs, and plays a sport. And while we hear that this is what gets you into college, this could not be farther from the truth. Yes, universities look at your GPA, course rigor level, and your standardized test scores (though this has changed in the pandemic). They also look at your extracurriculars, true. But these are all just pieces of the pie. Most importantly, they want to see your passions. What motivates you every day? What do you love to do? These are the areas they want to see shine in your application. So, from this first point, I leave you with this recommendation: find something you’re passionate about and continue to pursue that. Tie it to your major if you want, or make it something completely different. The world is your oyster, and you should do what you love. 

Make your passions stand out in your personal statement. Tell a story. A common misconception that I’ve heard about the college essay writing process is that a sob story is the best story. This is not true. While some applicants do have a moving story that has shaped their life, others’ stories lie in something they pursued throughout their high school career, something simple in their life that has strong value, or anything in between. The simplest experience could be transformational or serve as an allegory for something bigger. Let me give you an example: I wrote my personal statement about a train ride, one that took me a few hours up the West Coast. I then tied this back into my previous work in environmental policy, and where I want to take my career at USC. So no, there was no monumental inflection point in my life that changed everything for me. But there were these cumulative experiences that shaped my outlook and career aspirations, which in turn came together in my essay with a metaphor. As long as your personality shines through, you’re guaranteed to impress! 

Do not treat your personal statement as a school essay. When writing your essay, tell that story in a way that gives the admissions officers more insight into you as a person. Do not focus on elevated language, fancy prose, or elaborately constructed sentences. Make your essay organic, as if you were there telling the conversation in person. Share your voice. I, for example, talk in a good mix of long and shorter sentences. I also love short phrases with lots of meaning. When composing my essay, I had many shorter paragraphs and single line phrases to really make my voice shine through. One of the greatest tips I received was from a USC Admissions Officer that visited my high school––he said, “Make your essay pop off the page. No block paragraphs. Make the page work for you.” This line resonated with me, and it reshaped the way that I framed my personal statement and supplementary essays. Don’t get me wrong, it took many drafts to finally get it to where I wanted it to be. It was a bit of a pivot to transition out of the academic writing mindset that we had ingrained in our minds from high school into a more personal and conversational way of writing. So, I urge you, put thought into the composition of your essay and the way that it's structured. It’ll be a small task for you, but it will make a world of difference to the admission officer reading your story. 

I hope these tips will help you on your college application journey. These are simply some of the things I wish that I knew when I was applying, and I’m sharing them with you so you can be your best self in your application. All the best with the application process, and as always, Fight On

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How to decide your Common Application major!

Picking a major on your college applications can seem daunting - there are majors at USC that you would never encounter in a traditional high school academic setting (Global Geodesign? NGOs & Social Change?), and if you’re a generally indecisive person like me, it can be scary to commit to something that you might be studying for the next four years and shape your future career! 

The bright side is that your Common Application major is never a permanent commitment, but rather an opportunity to demonstrate your unique interests and fit at a school. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your Common App major: 

1. Encapsulate your high school experiences. Keep in mind that your indicated choice of major is used for putting your application in context - try to think of a couple of the classes or activities in high school that you most enjoyed, and shape your dream major based on those experiences! For me, my favorite subject in high school was always Spanish, and I wanted to pursue a career in government, so a major like International Relations seemed like a perfect fit. 

2. Do your research. Each school has its own unique programs and departments, and your major choice should definitely reflect this! As a high schooler, I knew that I enjoyed the social sciences, but loved numbers as well. After doing research on the School of International Relations at USC, I learned that there is an International Relations Global Economy major, which lies at the intersection of global affairs and quantitative analysis! Familiarizing yourself with the programs and fields of study at each university on your Common Application is definitely valuable in both demonstrating your passion for a particular school, as well as finding a major that is unique to your interests. 

3. Know that you can change your mind! Still don’t feel 100% confident about your major choice? That’s totally fine! At USC, switching majors in Dornsife is as easy as one appointment with your advisor. After arriving at USC, I kept my International Relations Global Economy major, but fell in love with math classes as well. I ended up declaring a double major in Applied Mathematics! Switching majors or adding various double-majors and minors is a seamless process, and you will never find yourself forced to pursue a major that you don’t love!

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Attention, high school seniors!

If you’re reading this post, you are probably considering USC as one of your options. I was in your shoes 4 years ago and looking back, I remember feeling nervous and uncertain about choosing my major and writing my personal statement. Do you feel the same way now? That’s completely fine and normal! I want to help you out by sharing some of my tips I used during my college application process. 

Tip #1: Know what you love doing right now.

When I was a high school senior, I absolutely had no idea about what I wanted to study in college. However, I knew what I enjoyed doing, such as learning foreign languages. After scrolling through the extensive list of majors in the USC Catalogue, analyzing what each major offered, I chose Linguistics. Honestly, I had never heard of it until then but it seemed quite interesting so I decided to give it a shot. After choosing my potential major, writing my personal statement regarding my academic interest wasn’t as daunting as I thought it was going to be, because I was simply elaborating on my passion and interests.

Tip #2: Be honest. (I know it’s cliché)

Please don’t try to portray yourself as someone you think the admissions office wants to hear. Talk about something that is not on your list of accomplishments. If you feel comfortable, I highly encourage you to share something personal about yourself, perhaps an experience that shaped you to become who you are today. Remember, your experience doesn’t have to be a happy, positive moment. For my USC application, I wrote about my childhood trauma, what I learned from it and how I overcame. If USC encourages you to talk about yourself in one of their prompts for the writing supplement, take this opportunity seriously and think hard about what kinds of events influenced your life. You can let other people read your story for proofread purposes, but even if they think it might sound too negative, just like how people who read mine told me, don’t ever feel pressured to modify your story. Don’t try to make it pretty. Proudly expose your jagged edges and rough surfaces. It’s way more interesting that way. In other words, be honest. 

I hope this helped and wish you all the best in your college application process! Fight on! 

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Dornsife Advisement

One of the hardest aspects of college life is often the task of picking out your class schedule and charting your own personalized four-year academic path. The long list of available courses alone can seem daunting and even overwhelming, especially for a freshman experiencing the process for the first time. Luckily, as a student at USC Dornsife, you have access to a great team of academic advisors who are ready to work with you and develop a plan that fits your personal goals. Dornsife students are assigned an advisor for each major and minor they declare; as a double major in political science and French, I got to work with two advisors, each of whom specialized in offering advice and support in their respective departments. Before registering for classes each semester, I scheduled a meeting with my advisors to examine class options, to review my degree progress, or even simply to discuss any concerns I had about my academic experience thus far.

The Dornsife Overseas Studies Office also provides excellent advising services for those students who are planning on participating in one of Dornsife’s numerous study abroad opportunities. Before I left for USC Paris during the fall of my junior year, I met several times with Vito Grillo, my study abroad advisor, who walked me through course registration for the program, provided detailed guidance on navigating the visa process, and connected me with USC Paris alumni who gave me valuable advice about what to expect when I arrived. Being able to meet with Vito and email him at any time with questions or problems gave me the confidence I needed to fully enjoy my time abroad. Whether you’re heading overseas for the semester or simply trying to pick your classes on campus, Dornsife’s advisors are a great resource for students seeking to make the most of their undergraduate academic experience.

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Perks of living in Los Angeles

My first time going to a taping I remember standing and waiting outside the studio for 2 hours until we were finally let inside and able to take our seats. Worst part is no food and no bathroom :( You’re in these studios for maybe 5-7 hours for a taping and I know that sounds awful but in the end it's an amazing experience. You don’t get many opportunities to see how these shows are filmed and it's one of the perks of being in the entertainment capital of the world :)

Living in LA I’ve gotten the opportunity to go to fun tapings of shows like So you think you can dance, The Voice and Jimmy Kimmel! I remember wondering how people get to be in the audience for these shows and after googling it I found out that it's completely FREE and you just have to sign up to be a part of the mailing list. I’ve never typed my email in a box faster..

Going to these tapings was so cool and getting to see how they film these shows that I’ve been watching for years, it was like a dream!

At "So you think you can dance", I was about 2 feet away from the stage and got to see all the dancers up close. At "the Voice" I got to see the judges expressions in real time as the singers blew them away. Also got to see Nick Jonas and that was AMAZING!!

It was funny how all these stages and sets look so big on TV and in videos but in real life they were actually super small and kinda crammed. It's all about those camera angles!! 

Photo 1: A friend and I outside the Jimmy Kimmel taping!

Photo 2: Us outside the studio for So you think you can dance!

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How to navigate the college application process as a first-generation college student!

Navigating the college application process as a first-generation college student is daunting! Reflecting on my experience, there was so much that I was taking into consideration: the prestige of a college, the resources offered to students, as well as the pride I would bring to my family and community. While it was an enjoyable experience there is no denying that mass amounts of stress were there.

If you’re a senior preparing yourself for the college application process and you will be the first in your family to do so, please be kind to yourself! Do not be afraid to reach out to your counselors, mentors, family, friends, and your USC counselor that is available for your region. There are an abundance of resources available at your fingertips.

As you prepare to write your Common App essay, make sure you outline what you would like to talk about. Make sure the focus of the essay stays on you. For example, if you are writing about how a specific person has influenced or inspired you, make sure you highlight the results of their influence on you rather than just mentioning their achievements. It can be hard sometimes to keep an entire essay just about you, but this is your moment to express yourself and allow your admissions officer to get to know you on a personal level.

Next, you want to make sure that you are telling your story in a very sincere way. There is no need to write a really dramatic story (I have heard this advice countless times over the years and it is not helpful) but do portray raw emotion through your writing. If you have a witty personality, let that show. If you love creative writing, let that show. If you have a fascination with certain subjects, let that show. This is like a written version of show and tell, so “wow” your reader with your true personality because it can be felt through your writing.

After you have outlined and revised your essay numerous times, you want to get it peer-reviewed! There is no right or wrong amount of people who can read your essay. Share with everyone you would be comfortable reading your story. Have your English teachers read over it, your counselors, tutors, anyone you know whose input would be invaluable for you. Allow your readers to have ample time to read and provide feedback. As you meet with them, ask them questions like “What stood out to you?” or “What are some key takeaways from my story?”. By asking them these questions, you can take note of what is highlighted in your essay. Did they align with what you hoped would be the takeaways? Were there some comments that you didn’t expect? These are all good questions to keep in mind when writing.

As I mentioned before, this can be a long, tiring, and stressful process but you can do it! Be patient with yourself and do everything in steps. If you need a break from writing, take that break (but not for too long)! Just know that when you hit that submit button, you will sigh from relief, happiness, and pride. Good luck to you and fight on!

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How I decided on my two Dornsife majors

Some students know exactly what they want to study in college as they’re applying… and that’s awesome! This was not the case for me, though. I had (and still have!) a wide range of academic interests, and it was tough to choose just one. 

I chose Dornsife for exactly this reason— Dornsife not only allows students to be initially indecisive, Dornsife encourages students to explore a diverse array of subjects. I was accepted to Dornsife as a math major. I have loved math my entire life, and was genuinely interested in pursuing it as a major. At the same time, I was interested in International Relations, and moreover, I was curious if I could combine both Math and International Relations in a tangible way. 

Within my first week at USC, my Math major advisor recommended that I look into the Intelligence and Cyber Operations major, which pairs International Relations, Economics, and cultural studies courses in Dornsife with Computer Science and Information Technology courses in the Viterbi School of Engineering. 

I glanced at the course requirements and was immediately hooked— this major packaged so many of my interests, and offered an interdisciplinary program that I hadn’t come across before when looking at other schools. 

I officially switched my major the next day, and haven’t looked back since. The Intelligence and Cyber Operations satisfies my passion for mathematical thinking and applies it to real world issues. 

That being said— I still wanted to explore the humanities courses that Dornsife offers. In my second semester, I took a Philosophy course and was eager to see if I could incorporate the discipline into my course plan. 

While I initially intended to pursue a minor in Philosophy, I quickly added my second major— Philosophy, Politics, and Law. I made this decision not out of a desire to expand my resume or sound “impressive”; moreso, I was eager to take all of the courses required by the major. I predicted that I would likely take several of these courses as electives regardless. Though I was nervous about the challenges I might face pursuing a double major, I took a leap of faith. 

Even despite their apparent differences, my courses are all interconnected. Dornsife’s emphasis on interdisciplinary studies is evident in the classroom. Whether I decide to work in government, national security, law, or journalism, I am confident it will be equally applicable as I continue down my uncertain but exciting academic path.

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How to Explore LA During COVID

I’ve lived in Los Angeles for over two years now, but I still feel like a tourist. I had big plans for returning to campus this year -- museums I was going to visit, concerts I wanted to go to, restaurants I planned to try. Of course, Covid-19 threw a pretty major wrench in all of these plans. My roommate and I had to adapt, and we managed to find a number of fun, socially distanced things to explore in LA.

The first thing we learned is that food trucks are your best friends. Many of the food trucks around USC have stayed open through the pandemic, and they have some of the best food I’ve tried so far in the city for super reasonable prices. One of my new favorites is Taco Zone, a food truck near the Autozone on South Vermont that sells tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. They cook all of their food on a stove right in front of you, and everything on their menu is in the range of $1-5 (cash only). My all time favorite food truck, though, is still Mariscos Jalisco. This truck sells absolutely the best shrimp tacos I have ever had, for only $1.50 each. They’ve been reviewed and recommended by famous LA food critic Jonathan Gold, so you know they have to be good. The Kogi food truck is also a classic, serving Korean-Mexican fusion food (although more expensive than the other options). 

We also recently discovered Zipcar, a service that allows you to rent cars by the hour as long as you are over 18, unlike most car rentals. We’ve used it to go to the Griffith Observatory (the outdoor part is still open), drive up Mulholland Drive, visit the Hollywood walk of fame, and to explore some of the beaches near campus. Our favorite covid-safe trip so far has been one to the Arts District, a neighborhood right outside of DTLA that has a bunch of outdoor art installations (mainly graffiti art). The great thing about living in LA is that the weather is always good enough to do things outside, which means that even during Covid there is no shortage of safe places to visit and activities to partake in.

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What does it mean to be pre-law at USC?

Before coming to USC, I applied as pre-law with the ideas that law school was my logical next step after my undergraduate studies. Adding a pre-law emphasis, however, is different than being pre-law at other universities as well as different from adding a different pre-professional emphasis. Adding a pre-law emphasis does not require specific courses that must be taken or any other specific requirements. Instead, declaring a pre-law status is an opportunity and door-opening aspect you can add to have access to resources revolving around applying and going to law school after graduation.

As a pre-law student, the main factor for me is the easy access to pre-law advisors. In addition to your major advisor, there is an entire pre-law department that is readily available to set up meetings with you and walk you through the process of law school. Again, this is not mandatory. However, it has been beneficial over the years to set up meetings to check in with what internships and activities set me up for a better application. I’ve also had advisory meetings about when to take the LSAT, how to study for it, how studying abroad would affect my law school application, and what it looks like to take a gap year before going to law school.

Beyond one-on-one advising, the pre-law department hosts a Law School College Fair annually, holds pre-law workshops, and offers law school personal statements and resume review.

Coming into freshman year and even later in your college career, it is okay to not know whether you want to pursue a higher degree afterwards - in law or another profession. Nonetheless, there are only positive effects of adding a pre-law emphasis if you are considering attending law school after college. 

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USC On-campus Dining Halls

Humans (including USC students) require sustenance to maintain a healthy mind and body. Luckily enough for us, there are plenty of excellent dining options in and around USC’s campus! Today, I’ll give you a brief guide to our three on-campus dining halls: The Village, Everybody’s Kitchen, and Parkside.

The Village Dining Hall (surprisingly enough) is located in the USC village, just to the north of campus. This is the newest of the three dining halls, and it looks a heck of a lot like it’s from Harry Potter. Some tips for you: sit outside! There’s a lovely outdoor seating area that doesn’t get used too often. Make sure to get a scoop of ice cream on top of your crepe (there’s a crepe station there which is so sick). When the left side food line has Mac and cheese, make sure to put some extra shredded cheese on top for extra flavor. My favorite meals here are the vegetarian noodles, the ribs, the chicken wings, the ravioli, and the Bahn Mi!

Next up, we have Everybody’s Kitchen (also known as EVK). This location is centrally located just off of McCarthy quad, and (in my opinion) has the best places to sit. There are long tables both inside and out to eat, chat with your friends, and meet new people! Pro tip: make sure to go eat there every other Friday - they have amazing orange chicken. Like, for real. This is my favorite meal in any dining hall. If you are willing/able to consume meat, then please eat the orange chicken. Other good things at EVK are the veggie burgers, the hash browns (at breakfast), and the soft-serve ice cream (with sprinkles!)

Finally, we have Parkside dining hall, which is located on the southwest side of campus. Parkside, in my opinion, symbolizes comfort. Anytime I want some pizza, a burger, a really dense salad, or anything else that makes me feel REALLY good when I eat it, I walk down to Parkside. Pro tip: if you're super stressed out about a test, go through a breakup, or suffer any other sort of annoyance, treat yourself a bit at Parkside (and also access our on-campus counseling resources if you need!) My favorite meals here are Pho, tacos, sautéed veggies (sounds kinda basic I know, but they’re really rad), cereal (they have the widest selection of any dining hall), and shrimp pizza. I hope that this guide helps prepare you a bit for the dining scene on campus; feast on!

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What You Should Know: Student Assemblies

Are student assemblies clubs on campus? Are they run by USC staff or students? What even are they? These are questions you might have as a first-semester student at USC. I also had these questions but did not discover the answers until much later -- when I was a junior in fact! From this short blog, I hope to introduce you to student assemblies so that hopefully you can make the most of these amazing groups on campus and find a new way to get involved in our student community. 

Student assemblies are actually a part of Undergraduate Student Government (USG). In USG, there is a programming branch that contains all 12 student assemblies. These assemblies, run by students, aim to represent and serve the interest of students of certain groups or specific interests. Each assembly hosts events and activities, and there are often a lot of collaboration between assemblies to host events. Assemblies also have member organizations, which are registered student organizations (RSOs) (aka clubs) that have similar interests and goals as the assembly it is housed in. These RSOs can receive funding and advisement from their assembly. Student assemblies are also involved in USG planning and decision-making, so they represent the interests of their members.

USG now has 12 student assemblies. Here is the list: Academic Culture Assembly, Environmental Student Assembly, Native American Student Assembly, Political Student Assembly, Service Student Assembly, Asian Pacific American Student Assembly, International Student Assembly, Queer & Ally Student Assembly, Student Assembly for Accessibility, Black Student Assembly, Latinx Student Assembly, and last but not least the Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment. Whew! That was a long list, but this just shows how these different assemblies are created to serve a diverse need and interest of the USC student community. You can find more information at https://usg.usc.edu/branches/programming/. 

How can you get involved in student assemblies? You can become a member of a student assembly, just email them and tell them you are interested; that is how I became involved in the Student Assembly for Accessibility and I am now its Co-Executive Director! You can attend their meetings, sign up for their newsletters, attend their events, register an RSO with them, apply for an executive-board position… there is really so much to do through student assemblies and they are a great way for you to get involved in USG as well. And if you think there is an assembly missing from USG, you can always collaborate with other USC students to form a new assembly. 

I hope that this blog excites you about becoming involved with student assemblies. Good luck, have fun, and fight on!

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Humanities Research During COVID

In early March of the Spring 2020 Semester, students were sent home from campus with very little knowledge or hope that we would be able to return sometime soon. This threw a lot of plans up into the air for students all across campus, including myself. I had been planning to attend a humanities conference at Johns Hopkins University in April to present my research, travel to Cuba for a Maymester, and study abroad in Madrid, Spain in the fall semester. Obviously, these plans fell through after we were sent home, if we were even able to return home. Although this has been disappointing for my meticulous plans of travel and study to be cancelled, I have been able to engage in remote research through the Provost Fellowship in Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 to fill spare time in quarantine life.

Even though this doesn’t seem like the most exciting or fun thing to do during quarantine — read — there isn’t much else to do so why not? Funding from the USC Provost Office has allowed me to live vicariously through the archive and historical scholarship on Cuba in the nineteenth century. As an added bonus it allows me to stay in close Zoom contact with my faculty mentor in the History department and to continue to grow in my research skills and experience. It wasn’t what I was expecting for my spring, summer, or fall plans, but honestly it’s better than nothing and the funding has been good source of income during the tough financial times of COVID. Getting compensated for academic research is a worthwhile investment and is something to add to your resume.

Through the Provost Fellowship, I have been able to engage in novels, secondary source historical material, and primary sources in online archives while at home and enjoying the different phases of lockdown. As a Mellon Mays Fellow, the production of humanities research is expected of me every semester, but further support from the university in a time where I don’t feel like doing anything has helped occupy my time and fan the flame of my interest in historical research.

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Dornsife - What YOU Can Look Forward To

As a senior at USC Dornsife, I can truly say that Dornsife is one of the most special and rewarding communities to be part of. Being the largest academic department of campus definitely comes with lots of perks and opportunities that my peers and I are able to take advantage of. 

Of course, Dornsife’s sheer size allows it to hold about 180 majors and minors, which gives rise to a plethora of interdisciplinary studies that make learning new things and exploring interests incredibly accessible. For instance, my major, economics/mathematics, allows me to take a glimpse into both the social and natural sciences while also giving me perspectives about how these two disciplines are related. Pairing this with my psychology minor has given me a distinct way of learning about various economic systems in both quantitative and qualitative terms while analyzing how humans think about and engage with these systems. 

Perhaps the most advantageous aspect of Dornsife is that it teaches students beyond the classroom, and Dornsife exists not just at USC. For instance, we boast a “Dornsife Washington, D.C. Program” through which any Dornsife student can spend a semester in the nation’s capital and take courses taught by USC faculty with immense real-world experience. Simultaneously, students complete an internship with government agencies, think tanks, consulting firms, and more, with housing locations at walking distances from classes and internships! Our Dornsife Office of Overseas Studies can help students find the perfect study abroad opportunity. 

Along with study abroad and out-of-classroom learning advantages, Dornsife also offers great career development resources. One of these resources is Dornsife Career Pathways which offers services like career planning, pitching and resume review, networking tactics, and internship connections. One of my favorite services is the Dornsife Gateway Internship Program, which grants students the chance to complete a paid summer internship with partner organizations in addition to being mentored by a professional in a field related to the internship. 

Beyond the academic and professional aspects of Dornsife and despite its large size, I have always felt like I belonged to a tight-knit community. Whenever I meet someone new, there is a good chance they are a Dornsife student and that we will have some common ground to connect over. This has led to some of my most outstanding friendships and connections that I am sure will carry on for years to come. Fight on forever!