Word from Widney


Every spring, we honor our most accomplished and loyal alumni at our Annual Alumni Awards Gala. We honor them for their tireless service on behalf of their alma mater. We honor them for the light their extraordinary accomplishments shine on USC. And we honor them for the example they set — for us and our students — of the limitless potential of each member of the Trojan Family.

At the 76th Annual Alumni Awards Gala on May 2, we will salute eight alumni who hail from different backgrounds, professions and eras. Yet all exhibit the five qualities of the ideal Trojan: faithful, scholarly, skillful, courageous and ambitious. To that list I would add a sixth attribute — altruistic — for these honorees have been unfailingly generous in giving back to USC. Their achievements have set a standard for hundreds of thousands of Trojans worldwide to emulate.

This year, we are proud to recognize Ronnie C. Chan MBA '76, one of Hong Kong and mainland China's most established property developers, as the 2009 recipient of the Asa V. Call Achievement Award, USC's highest alumni honor. In addition to Chan, we will also pay tribute to seven distinguished alumni. Mark A. Stevens '81, MS '84, managing partner of Sequoia Capital and Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Frances C. Wilson EdD '80 will receive Alumni Merit Awards. Dr. David M. Breslow PharmD '71, CEO of United Pharmacists Network, Inc.; Alexander L. Cappello '77, chairman/CEO of Cappello Group, Inc.; and James A. Eddy '52 and Dr. Janet Eddy '54, MS '78, PhD '91, of the Half Century Trojans will receive Alumni Service Awards. And Ron Orr '79, associate athletic director of USC Athletics, will receive the Fred B. Olds Award. Through their many accomplishments and acts of service, these eight alumni have proven themselves to be exemplary members of the Trojan Family.

Our annual spring celebration of the Trojan Family is made possible by the dedicated efforts of many alumni volunteers, who have devoted their time and energy to making this year's gala a truly unforgettable evening for all alumni. I am deeply grateful for their invaluable contributions — and for the part each of you play in helping the USC Alumni Association connect Trojans lifelong and worldwide. I sincerely hope you will join us on May 2.

Fight On!

Scott M. Mory
Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations
  In This Issue
Alumni Headlines
Celebrate the Trojan Family at the 76th Annual Alumni Awards; Swim with Mike April 18

Trojan Alum-inaries
Shannon Capps, Ann Hill and Mark Rios

Travel Trojan-style
Enjoy plush accomodations on a cruise down the Rhine; announcing the 2009 Young Alumni trips

Make the 'SCene
Get medical news you can use from The Doctors of USC and cheer 2009's Asian Pacific grads

Alma Matters
School of Cinematic Arts unveils its new campus and two 'SC professors join the Obama administration

Trojan Family Values
Check out our new deal with T-Mobile and get a special USC alumni rate at Starwood Hotels & Resorts.



Alumni Headlines

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE 76TH ANNUAL ALUMNI AWARDS GALA!
Space is limited, so please RSVP


Accolades from APAA and BAA
Community and university leaders are among the honorees at two upcoming spring galas.
The Honorable Mark Ridley-Thomas PhD '89, Los Angeles County Supervisor, 2nd District, receives the Outstanding Alumnus Award at the 31st Annual Black Alumni Association Gala on April 16 . And the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association presents its President's Award to USC President Steven B. Sample at the APAA Scholarship and Awards Gala April 17 .

Trojan Travel Announces Its 2009 Young Alumni Trips
This year, young alumni head off to sunny Greece and the summit of Kilimanjaro. Full details in our Travel Trojan-style section below.


Swim with Mike
Bring the entire family to this annual fundraising swim-a-thon benefitting the USC Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund, April 18 at USC McDonald's Swim Stadium. Join Society 53, the USC Student Alumni Association, in supporting the event by swimming or sponsoring a swimmer; for details, email Sophie Thacher, Society 53's director of philanthropy.

Lavender Commencement
Amy Ross Ph.D.' 86, a founding member of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Scientists, will deliver the keynote address at the 15th Annual Lavender Commencement May 3 in Argue Plaza, adjacent to the Widney Alumni House. First held in 1995, the event is co-sponsored by the USC Lambda Gay + Lesbian Alumni Association, the LGBT Resource Center and the GLBT Assembly.

'SC in DC: Obama's First 100 Days
Dan Schnur, director of USC's Jesse Unruh Institute of Politics, and Susan Estrich, USC Gould School of Law professor, are the featured panelists for "A Look at the First 100 Days of the New President and Congress," May 21 at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. Catalina Camia '86, political editor of USA Today, moderates the panel discussion. The program also includes a reception with the deans of the Annenberg School for Communication, the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences, Gould School of Law and the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. Space is limited, so please RSVP .

USC Alumni Association Welcomes the Class of 2009
The USC Alumni Association invites our newest alumni and their families to the Widney Alumni House on Commencement Day 2009. Enjoy some refreshments and learn about the benefits of your free Alumni Association membership.

USC Women's Conference a Big Hit
Hats off to the volunteers, guest speakers and attendees who made the inaugural USC Women's Conference a resounding success! Nearly 400 women of all ages and backgrounds came to campus March 13 for the half-day forum. View and download free photos from the conference .





Trojan Alum-inaries
Shannon Capps '87 is a quarterfinalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards for his second novel Trains in the Distance.

Ann L. Hill '71, former Alumni Association president (2003-04), was named one of the "2009 Women of Dedication" by The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary of San Diego County.

Mark Rios '78 received the 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Architectural Guild of the USC School of Architecture.

Shannon Capps

Ann L. Hill

Mark Rios


Travel Trojan-style
Rhine Cruise and Two Young Alumni Adventures
Explore one of Europe's most fabled rivers on a luxurious, seven-night cruise down The Romantic Rhine (departs October 3). You'll sail through the breathtaking Rhine Gorge, enjoy excursions to the Black Forest and Heidelberg, a guided tour of Cologne and much more!

USC eSCapes: Specialty Travel for Trojans invites alumni ages 25 to 40 to experience a Greek Island Sojourn or Kilimanjaro and Beyond this summer. Explore Athens and the Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini July 17-26, or climb "Kili," Africa's highest peak, August 30 – September 13. For details and reservations, e-mail Kayla Wolonsky or call her at (213) 821-6010.








Make the 'SCene
Reunion Weekend 2009
Save the date — October 23-24, 2009 — for the 50 and 25-year reunions (Classes of 1959 and 1984) as well as the all-new Young Alumni Reunion for the undergrad classes of 1999-2009. Don't miss your chance to reunite with old 'SC classmates for two days of fun and football, as USC takes on Oregon State at the Coliseum!

Becoming an Entrepreneur
Presented by the MIT Club of Southern California
Wednesday: April 15: 7:30-9:30 p.m. – Le Merigot Hotel, Santa Monica
Network with USC and MIT alumni and enjoy a panel discussion featuring Krisztina "Z" Holly, vice provost for innovation and executive director of the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation, and Brad Hines, vice president of engineering for Idealab in Pasadena.

USC Medicine: News You Can Use
Presented by The Doctors of USC and the USC Alumni Association
Wednesday: April 22: 6:00-8:00 p.m. – The Westin Pasadena, Pasadena
Join physicians Steven L. Giannotta, Heinz-Josef Lenz and Ray V. Matthews for a special presentation on various health-related topics.

USC Jewish Alumni Association Mixer and Speaker
Presented by the USC Jewish Alumni Association
Tuesday: April 28: 6:00-8:00 p.m. – USC Hillel, University Park Campus
Connect with fellow Jewish alumni and hear guest speaker Frances Dinkelspiel, author of a new book on Isaias Hellman, one of the USC's original land donors.

Distinguished Speaker Series: Krisztina "Z" Holly
Presented by the USC Alumni Club of Newport Beach/Irvine
Wednesday: April 29: 7:00-9:00 p.m. – USC Orange County Center, Irvine
The vice provost for innovation and executive director of the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation concludes the 2009 speaker series with "A Contrarian's Approach to Innovation."

3rd Annual San Diego Connection Dinner
Presented by the USC Alumni Club of San Diego County and the Trojan League of San Diego
Thursday: April 30: 6:30-9:30 p.m. – Qualcomm, San Diego
Join special guests Tim Collins, COO of Scripps Health, and Dean Jack Knott from the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, for an evening benefitting San Diego-area scholarships.

USC Asian Pacific Graduate Celebration
Presented by the Asian Pacific Alumni Association, the Asian Pacific American Student Assembly and Asian Pacific American Student Services
Thursday: May 14: 8:00-9:30 p.m. – USC Roski School of Fine Arts, University Park Campus
Join students, alumni and friends as we celebrate the Asian Pacific graduates of the class of 2009! The event features special student performances, guest speakers and a reception with complimentary refreshments.





Alma Matters
Cinematic Arts Unveils New Digs
The 80-year-old USC School of Cinematic Arts launched itself into the future with the unveiling of its new campus at a March 29 gala.

USC Celebrates Purchase of Two Hospitals
USC's newest employees got a taste of Trojan hospitality at picnic celebrations welcoming the USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital into the family.

Two Professors Tapped for D.C. Posts
Law Professor Elizabeth Garrett, USC's vice president for academic planning and budget, and Professor Raphael Bostic of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, have been asked to join the Obama administration in Washington, D.C.

Interdisciplinary Scholars to Join USC
USC has recruited five leading interdisciplinary scholars as part of its ongoing initiative to attract a dozen accomplished researchers.

USC Launches Public Diplomacy Magazine
USC has launched PD, the world's first publication devoted exclusively to the field of public diplomacy.

USC Team Takes Trophy in Montreal
In what is believed an unprecedented achievement, the USC Marshall School of Business won its third international case competition this academic year at McGill University in Montreal.

USC Wins Series at Arizona with 7-3 Victory
Robert Stock goes the distance for the Trojans.

White Breaks Pac-10 Javelin Record at Texas Relays
Trojans enjoy strong day in Texas and at Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.


Trojan Family Values
USC Marshall Executive Education
Continue your USC learning experience by receiving 10% off the registration costs of most executive and management education programs provided by USC Marshall Executive Education. For details, visit online or call (213) 740-8990.

T-Mobile
NEW promotion available just for USC alumni! Join T-Mobile and receive a free BlackBerry Curve 8320 after mail-in rebate! This is on top of receiving 12% off your monthly qualifying rate plans, as well as no activation fees and other special equipment discounts. And if you're already a T-Mobile customer, you're still eligible to receive the 12% discount off your qualifying recurring charges.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Receive a special USC alumni rate at some of the greatest hotels in Southern California. From The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa to The Westin Mammoth and Sheraton Carlsbad, plan a relaxing getaway and save. When you book at any participating Starwood hotel you will receive 5% off our best available rates — and 5% will go to supporting the programs and scholarships of the USC Alumni Association.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car
With our 5% discount for USC alums, Trojans save big when they hit the road. Visit online for details.

Trojan Alumni Wine Club
Enjoy wine produced by Trojans for Trojans! Over the course of a year, you'll receive four shipments of artisan-crafted, hard-to-fine wines from wineries owned or operated by USC alumni. Do you know a winery owned or operated by a USC alumni? If so, join our winery connection!