With this month’s letter, I’m delighted to share the wonderful news that USC formally signed its new lease agreement with the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, following the unanimous approval by the governing board of the California Science Center. This agreement ensures that USC will operate and restore the Coliseum over the coming century, and that this beloved landmark will remain a community treasure for generations to come, as USC has committed to at least $70 million in renovations. The governing board’s vote represents an outstanding milestone for USC—one that resonates particularly strongly with our devoted alumni and friends, so many of whom have formed very special memories in the Coliseum. The truly historic Coliseum has been the home of Trojan football since it opened in 1923, and hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics, two Super Bowls, and one World Series.
This vote came the same week that the Los Angeles Times published an excellent story on USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative (NAI). You are most likely familiar with this stellar program, which dates back to 1989 and prepares low-income students from our surrounding neighborhoods for college admission. Students begin the program in sixth grade and commit to after-school tutoring and Saturday classes, in addition to their regular course work. Those who meet USC’s competitive admission standards when they graduate receive a full financial package from the university.
More recently, NAI expanded to schools surrounding our Health Sciences Campus. The program now has a 99 percent graduation rate, with 83 percent enrolling at four-year colleges or universities, and 35 percent coming to USC. Our community takes tremendous pride in NAI’s work—and in the 745 students it has graduated. For this reason, we ask that you please share the Los Angeles Times piece with your friends and family, particularly those who may not be aware of the scope of NAI’s success.
This academic year, USC also welcomes its inaugural group of International Artist Fellows. Through this program, emerging artists receive fellowship awards to pursue graduate study and work with the world-renowned faculty at USC’s six preeminent arts schools—Architecture, Cinematic Arts, Dance, Dramatic Arts, Fine Arts, and Music—and the director and curators at the USC Fisher Museum of Art. The fellowship covers tuition, travel, and living expenses, allowing fellows to focus on creativity and producing new work, while learning from USC’s exceptional arts faculty.
Fellows are drawn from around the world, including the Pacific Rim, Latin America, and southeast Asia, and have regular opportunities to interact with their peers, as well as with local artists working in Los Angeles’ downtown arts corridor. This year’s class includes Jacinto Astiazarán, who plans to produce videos that explore social issues between the United States and his home country, Mexico; Frederico Fernandez, a Brazilian who creates street art and animated films; Vladimir Gorbach, a classical guitarist from Russia; and Fei Kayser, from Beijing, who writes plays about contemporary life in China.
At USC, these talented fellows will join an already-dynamic arts community, one that—at any given moment—bustles with creative expression. As an example, music icon Elton John recently contacted USC, requesting the opportunity to work with and perform a special concert with our Thornton School of Music students. Seeking to advance music education, he was referred to our internationally acclaimed Thornton School, and was pleased to learn of the caliber of students with which he would interact. As a result, earlier this month, he and our students performed before a full house in Bovard Auditorium.
Also this year, Gimel Keaton, who is known professionally as Young Guru, joined the faculty of our Thornton School as an artist-in-residence. Young Guru is a Grammy-nominated engineer, disc jockey, and music producer, having worked extensively with the rapper Jay-Z. He also helped shape some of the brightest stars in hip-hop, and has collaborated with a number of music luminaries, including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Rihanna.
In addition, during the first week of classes, celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma participated in a special educational demonstration at USC, organized by the Brain and Creativity Institute (BCI), which is based at our Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Mr. Ma, who has earned numerous Grammy awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, used his cello to explore the vast array of emotions that musicians can communicate to listeners. Hosted by BCI’s director, University Professor Antonio Damasio, this event typifies the innovative collaborations between the arts and sciences that take place at USC.
For photos from these recent arts events, please visit: http://bit.ly/ArtsatUSC. As always, thank you for serving as a USC Ambassador, and for sharing the university’s news with a wider community.
Yours truly,
C. L. Max Nikias
President