January 29, 2016
The spring semester always signals a time of beginnings and renewed energy at USC, as we induct hundreds of young scholars into our academic community. At this year’s spring convocation, we welcomed new students from 37 states and 23 different countries to the Trojan Family. Our spring admission freshmen and transfer students stood shoulder to shoulder in Bovard Auditorium—appropriately so, given that both groups boasted an average 3.6 GPA, which would make them eligible for the Dean’s List at USC.
As we celebrate our students, we also celebrate our faculty. And perhaps no announcement inspired more pride than the wonderful news that University Professor Mark Humayun received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Obama. Along with his team, Professor Humayun, who holds joint appointments at our Keck School of Medicine and Viterbi School of Engineering, developed a retinal prosthesis that helps individuals with a certain type of blindness to see. Two years ago, an iteration of that technology, known as the Argus II, became the first retinal implant to receive FDA approval. This exceptionally prestigious award—which was presented at an august White House ceremony—honors individuals who have made enduring contributions to our nation’s competitiveness and quality of life, and who helped strengthen our society’s technological workforce. Dr. Humayun is indeed a tremendously deserving recipient; with profound imagination, inspired leadership, and vast biomedical expertise, he dreamed and achieved the impossible: to help the blind see.
Among other faculty accolades, Dana Gioia, who is the Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture at USC, was recently appointed California Poet Laureate. “I believe that poetry is for everyone,” Professor Gioia has said. “It is not a remote or intellectual art. Poetry is our most concise, expressive, and memorable way of using words, and it can play a powerful role in schools and civic life.” His thought-provoking essay, “Can Poetry Matter?”—which was first published in a 1991 issue of Atlantic Monthly—remains widely read and widely discussed. Professor Gioia formerly directed the National Endowment of the Arts, where he established a national program for high schools known as Poetry Out Loud. After learning of his appointment, Professor Gioia said, “I’d like to try to bring the gifts of poetry to the broadest audience possible.”
UNICEF honors USC’s outreach programs
Earlier this month, I was deeply honored to receive UNICEF’s Spirit of Compassion Award, which I accepted on behalf of the entire USC community, as the award speaks to our commitment to educational access and our collective effort to encourage USC students to be philanthropic and globally minded. Fittingly, Marvin Arias—who graduated from our Neighborhood Academic Initiative (NAI) program and received his undergraduate degree from USC in 2010—presented the award, surrounded on stage by current NAI students. UNICEF praised our university’s efforts to expand our youth outreach and education programs: currently, nearly 350 NAI graduates attend college—many are at USC on a full scholarship, while others attend Harvard, Yale, MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, and West Point. My co-honoree was David Beckham, the internationally celebrated soccer player, who received the organization’s Humanitarian Leadership Award, recognizing his outstanding efforts to help children.
Before closing, I would like to share some additional accolades for the Trojan Family. The National Academy of Engineering recently awarded USC Trustee Andrew Viterbi its illustrious Charles Draper Prize for Engineering. Dr. Viterbi—the namesake of our engineering school—stands among USC’s most distinguished alumni, and his extraordinary innovations have touched countless lives all over the world. Indeed, his Viterbi algorithm revolutionized how we communicate with one another, whether at home talking on a cellphone or at NASA tracking a spacecraft. This award speaks to his myriad contributions over the last half-century and builds on an already stellar legacy in engineering and communications. He remains such an inspiring role model for our students—and will continue to be so for generations to come.
Among our talented students, USC senior Samantha Bricio was named the Honda Sport Award winner for women’s volleyball. Ms. Bricio is the fourth Trojan volleyball player to win the coveted award, and the third under head coach Mick Haley. The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) has presented the Honda Sport Award annually for the past 40 years, saluting the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports.
Niki joins me in sending you our best wishes for the new year. We hope it’s off to a great start!
Yours truly,
C. L. Max Nikias
President