Word from Widney

Dear Fellow Trojan:

As we close the 2012-13 chapter in the life of our great university, I am proud to share with you the latest USC Alumni Association Annual Report, which highlights the many ways thousands of USC alumni made lasting and profound contributions to the advancement of our alma mater during this past year. The USC Alumni Association is honored to have played a key role in facilitating this level of engagement, which is helping propel USC to new heights of excellence. More . . .


Alumni Headlines
MADAME PRESIDENT
On May 30, Ramona Cappello '81 began her tenure as the 2013-14 president of the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors. She was formally installed at the 2013 USC Alumni Association Board of Governors Annual Meeting on the University Park campus. You can view photos from the meeting here.



CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
John Mork '70, MS '12, founder and CEO of Denver-based Energy Corporation of America (ECA), has been elected chair of the USC Board of Trustees. He succeeds Edward P. Roski Jr. '62, who has chaired the board since June 2008.



MEET THE NEWEST TRUSTEE
Kudos to Mitchell Lew '83, MD '87, who has been elected to the USC Board of Trustees. A physician and entrepreneur, Lew served as the 2012-13 USC Alumni Association Board of Governors president.



WEEKENDERS 2013
Get out your cardinal and gold jerseys — our 2013 Weekenders kick off August 28-30, when the Trojans take on the University of Hawaii Warriors in Honolulu!



SUMMER SCEND OFFS 2013
Join fellow Trojans in welcoming freshmen to the Trojan Family at a SCend Off reception near you. These informal get-togethers connect new students and their families to local alumni and alumni groups. Click here for a list of 2013 SCend Off locations.



VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AWARD NOMINATIONS DUE JUNE 24
Help us recognize outstanding alumni and alumni organizations for their dedicated service to USC and the Trojan Family. Submit your nomination(s) for the 2013 USC Alumni Association Volunteer Recognition Awards to be presented September 19; submission deadline is June 24.



FORGING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Alumni leaders from China, Mexico, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Thailand gathered to network and share best practices at the USC Alumni Association's Second Annual International Alumni Leaders Symposium in Seoul on May 22, the day before the start of the 2013 USC Global Conference.



LAMBDA GOES LAVENDER
On May 4, the USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association, in cooperation with campus LGBT groups, recognized Class of 2013 grads at the 19th Annual Lavender Celebration in Argue Plaza, next to Widney Alumni House. View photos here.



CROOD AWAKENING
In DreamWorks Animation's box office smash The Croods, USC Dornsife alum Kirk DeMicco '91 has created an endearingly dysfunctional prehistoric family who must learn to evolve ... or die.



A BROTHERLY BOND SPANNING 88 YEARS
In a Des Moines Register series profiling Iowa's surviving World War II heroes, reporter Mike Kilien spoke with 88-year-old twins and USC alums (pictured left to right) Vergil '49 and Verle Lubberden '48, MS '49, who have "led uncannily parallel lives." (Photo Credit: Christopher Gannon)



REUNION WEEKEND 2013
Calling all undergrads from the classes of 1963, 1973, 1983, 1988 and 2003: "Save the Date" for Reunion Weekend 2013, November 15-16. Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your classmates and the Trojan Family; rediscover what USC means to you and reunite for your reunion! Registration opens in early July.




ALUMNI AUTHORS: MUST READS
This month, we're featuring the five "must-reads" of bestselling novelist Reece Hirsch JD '90, whose 2010 debut novel The Insider was a finalist for the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel; and check out the new titles in fiction and nonfiction.





Trojan Alum-inaries


Martha Escutia
Kristin Kavanaugh
Anthony Marnell II

Former California State Senator Martha Escutia '79 has been named vice president of USC Government Relations.

Kristin Kavanaugh MSW '12 has been chosen to serve on the Truman National Security Project's 2013 Defense Council.

Anthony Marnell II '72 has contributed $1 million to the USC School of Architecture to establish a unique multidisciplinary design studio for upper-level undergraduates to foster design-builders.




Young Alumni Spotlight
LABORS OF LOVE
Emmy Award-winning actress America Ferrera '13 will need to make space on her mantle for her USC diploma. Ten years after she enrolled at 'SC, the Ugly Betty star earned her bachelor's degree in international relations on May 17.






Alma Matters
Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre Give $70 Million to Create New Academy at USC
Entrepreneurs and music industry icons Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre (Andre Young), already known as forward-thinking visionaries in music and business, have given $70 million to USC to create a unique undergraduate experience.

Wall of Scholars Recognizes USC’s Top Graduates
The academic achievements of more than 60 exceptional USC students took center stage at the annual Wall of Scholars recognition ceremony on May 16. The names of these high-achieving Trojans will soon be added to the wall in Leavey Library.

New Partnerships Formed in Seoul
USC President C. L. Max Nikias and Dean Yannis C. Yortsos of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering on May 23 signed an agreement formalizing a partnership — the Airbus Institute for Engineering Research (AIER) — between USC Viterbi, aircraft manufacturer Airbus, Inha University and Korea Aerospace University (KAU).

Park Wins Honda Sports Award for Golf
Annie Park becomes USC's 15th winner and third for golf.