Word from Widney

Celebrating the bonds and blessings of family has long been a holiday season tradition. As we prepare to say goodbye to another remarkable year in the life of the Trojan Family, I want to thank our university partners for their enthusiastic participation and dedicated support of our programs and events this year.

2011 marked another exciting chapter in the distinguished history of the university and the Trojan Family. More . . .


Alumni Headlines
TROJAN FAMILY PHILANTHROPY
Honoring the legacy of the late Sol Price '36, JD '38, Price Club founder and social justice advocate, the Price Family Charitable Fund is giving $50 million to USC to endow and name the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy (formerly SPPD) and the USC Sol Price Center for Social Innovation.


CELEBRATING ALL THINGS 'SC
More than a thousand alumni, some from as far away as Japan and Saudi Arabia, returned to campus for the 2011 Reunion Weekend celebrations. Click here to view photo galleries of the five class reunion events and Homecoming festivities before USC's 40-17 defeat of Washington.


NEW YORK TROJANS GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF AVATAR
On November 22, New York Trojans took a fascinating journey into the world of digital animation with USC professor/Oscar-winning visual effects innovator Paul Debevec (Avatar). USC Provost Beth Garrett joins Debevec for the next “USC in Your Neighborhood” Dec. 8 in San José.



MEET SOCIETY 53's NEW MEMBERS
Congratulations to the 18 newest members of Society 53, the USC Alumni Association's student outreach program. Representing a broad cross-section of USC students, they will serve as USC Alumni Ambassadors to enhance Trojan Family ties between students and alumni.


APPLY NOW FOR A 2012-2013 USCAA SCHOLARSHIP
Calling all continuing ‘SC students (and their parents) — applications are now available for 2012-2013 scholarships awarded by the USC Alumni Association and its affiliated groups. Click here for more information and to apply; the application deadline is February 1, 2012.





SAVE THE DATE! 2012 USC WOMEN'S CONFERENCE
Get ready to be "Inspired, Empowered and Move Forward" at the 2012 USC Women's Conference, March 1, 2012. Early bird registration is now available for this daylong program of presentations and panel discussions featuring leaders in business, medicine, public service and more!


TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK: 2011 ALUMNI ATTITUDE SURVEY
You should have recently received an e-mail from us regarding the 2011 Alumni Attitude Survey. As members of USC's alumni community, your opinions are very important to us. So please help us build a better alumni relations program by taking the 2011 Alumni Attitude Survey. We look forward to hearing your valuable feedback!


RED HOT PLAYWRIGHT
Don't miss Kathleen Turner in Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins at LA's Geffen Playhouse, January 3-February 12, 2012. This critically praised one-woman show was co-written by longtime USC employee and former journalist Allison Engel MPW '09 and her twin sister Margaret.


NEW TITLES BY USC ALUMNI AUTHORS!
Feel like curling up with a good book over the holidays? Then check out the new titles by our alumni authors - you'll find everything from a biography of baseball great Tom Seaver to the acclaimed novel Lamb, which Publishers Weekly calls "as accomplished as it is unsettling."




Trojan Alum-inaries


Jeff Jackel  
Stephen P. Rader
Parita Shah

Jeff Jackel '02 is the founder and CEO of BuzzMob, a growing location-based mobile platform that brings social media to real-world places and events.
Stephen P. Rader '77, JD '81 celebrates the installation of the inaugural holder of the USC Gould School of Law's Rader Family Trustee Chair in Law. Parita Shah '99 has been named the deputy director of public affairs for the U.S. Commerce Department.



Young Alumni Spotlight
A SON'S TRIBUTE TO HIS FATHER
After he lost his father to prostate cancer in 2009, Jake Henning '05 founded the non-profit organization Craig's Cure to increase awareness of and support research on this deadly disease. To date, Craig's Cure has raised thousands of dollars for prostate cancer research.




Alma Matters
KUSC Nabs National Awards
Classical KUSC took home two first-place national awards at the Los Angeles Press Club's fourth annual National Entertainment Journalism Awards competition on Nov. 17.

Bartner Celebrates His 250th Home Game
USC Trojan Marching Band director Arthur C. Bartner celebrated a triple-digit milestone at USC's 50-0 victory over UCLA - 250 home games at the helm of The Spirit of Troy. During this span, the Trojans won 186 times and had a record of 24-16-2 against the Bruins.

USC Leads the Nation in International Students
For the 10th year in a row, USC counted more international students than any other American institution of higher education, according to the annual Open Doors report released on Nov. 14 by the Institute of International Education.

Seven Trojans Make All-Pac-12 First Team
Seven USC football players — more than from any other school — were named to the 2011 All-Pac-12 first team, while wide receiver Marqise Lee and linebacker Dion Bailey were named Pac-12 Offensive and Defensive Freshmen of the Year.