Word from Widney

This semester, the USC Alumni Association will proudly introduce a new signature event — and also mark the 79th anniversary of our gala tribute to extraordinary Trojans.
On March 24, USC alumni around the world will come together in their respective cities and regions to participate in our inaugural Alumni Day of SCervice. More . . .


Alumni Headlines
AND THE 2012 USC ALUMNI AWARD HONOREES ARE...
Congratulations to Trader Joe's chairman and CEO Dan Bane '69, the 2012 recipient of USC's highest alumni honor, the Asa V. Call Alumni Achievement Award. He's one of seven outstanding Trojans being honored at the 79th Annual USC Alumni Awards on April 28. Purchase tickets here.



BE OF SCERVICE
Want to make a positive difference in the world and enjoy Trojan Family camaraderie? Then sign up for our first-ever Alumni Day of SCervice on March 24, when Trojans around the world perform community service projects ranging from feeding the needy to cleaning public spaces.


INSPIRED, EMPOWERED AND MOVING FORWARD
An impressive line-up of featured speakers, including USC Provost Elizabeth Garrett, fitness expert Denise Austin and WNBA great Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, headlines the 2012 USC Women's Conference March 1 on the University Park campus. Registration closes February 24, so don't delay — register now.




YOUNG OF HEART AND MIND
Enhance your Trojan Family ties to your alma mater and join fellow senior alums for engaging lectures and panel discussions showcasing the best of USC at the 2012 Half Century Trojans Going Back to College Day February 16 on campus. Click here for details and to download a registration form.



USC IN YOUR (SOCAL) NEIGHBORHOOD
Our popular "USC in Your Neighborhood" lecture series brings USC dean of admission Tim Brunold to Irvine February 22, and USC vice president of admissions and planning Katharine Harrington to Beverly Hills March 7, to discuss "National College Enrollment Trends."



BREAKING NEW GROUND
Please join us in welcoming our newest alumni club – and the first in the Middle East: The USC Alumni Club of Saudi
Arabia. For more information or to volunteer for an event, e-mail the club's core team.






GOING FOR OSCAR GOLD
Five USC alums are among the nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards, scheduled for February 26. Click here to view the list of 'SC's 2012 Oscar contenders.  


'SC AT SUNDANCE 2012
Thirty-two USC alumni, including SCA senior director of alumni relations Justin Wilson MFA '98, had projects accepted at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where Raphael Swann '09 won the Grand Jury Prize for his short film Fishing Without Nets. Kudos to all!


ALUMNI AUTHORS: THEIR FIVE "MUST-READS"
As we count down to the April 21-22 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC, we're asking our alumni authors to pick their five "must-read" books. Click here to read the picks of Bonnie Nadzam MA' 07, PhD '11, author of the acclaimed novel Lamb. And check out new titles by Trojan writers.



USC SUMMER PROGRAM
Earn college credit and be a summer Trojan! This college immersion program offers 2-week and 4-week courses that engage high school students through lectures, hands-on workshops/labs, guest speakers and academic field trips. The application deadline is May 1, 2012.





Trojan Alum-inaries


Andrew M. Apfelberg  
Dana Walden
R. Barrie Walkley

Greenberg Glusker corporate attorney Andrew M. Apfelberg '93 has been elected president and chairman of the Association for Corporate Growth-Los Angeles.
20th Century Fox Television chairman Dana Walden '86 was named one of The Hollywood Reporter's “Top 100 Power Women in Entertainment.”
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has appointed diplomat R. Barrie Walkley MA '75 Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region of Africa.



Young Alumni Spotlight
A CAPITAL IDEA
Focusing on taking a small business to the next level, Tom Tzakis MBA '11 (on the left) and Chris Lueck MBA '11 co-founded Pylon Capital, an entrepreneurial investment fund seeking to acquire and actively manage a single middle-market service company.






Alma Matters
Sugars Donate $5 Million to the USC Libraries
USC trustee Ronald D. Sugar and his wife, Valerie Sugar MS '72, have endowed the Valerie and Ronald Sugar Dean's Chair of the USC Libraries.

$3.8 Million Gift Funds Full Scholarships
The number of full-tuition scholarships at USC will rise by at least 40 over the next four years, bringing the total number of fully funded USC undergraduates to more than 180 annually, or a record 6 percent of each entering class.

Reluctant Hero Steps into the Spotlight
USC Gould School of Law alumnus Shervin Lalezary '08 arrested a serial arsonist who had been on a rampage that resulted in millions of dollars in property damage in Los Angeles.

USC Football Announces 2012 Signing Class
Eleven high school players and one junior college player sign with the Trojans, joining five players who were enrolled in January.