Nikias praises county’s support of the university’s mission and looks ahead to Biotech Park as the next big partnership.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors honored USC President C. L. Max Nikias today with a presentation of a scroll commemorating USC’s most noteworthy accomplishments during the first five years of his administration. Scrolls are awarded to outstanding citizens of Los Angeles County in recognition of their significant contributions to the county.
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas of the Second District (which includes USC’s University Park Campus) and Chair Pro Tempore of the Board of Supervisors, presented Nikias with the scroll signed by all five county supervisors, including Hilda Solis, Sheila Kuehl, Don Knabe and Michael D. Antonovich.
“Under President Nikias, USC has continued its upward trajectory as both an academically elite institution and one that takes its social responsibilities to heart,” Ridley-Thomas said. “USC has no doubt achieved the status of one of the most selective universities in the country. At the same time, it boasts the largest overall student aid in America, enrolls 1,000 service members, veterans or military members and has worked to build pathways for students from challenging socio-economic backgrounds.”
Ridley-Thomas also acknowledged the transformational nature of the $700 million USC Village project, which will enhance campus life for students while opening up an array of new retail and service options for the local community when it opens in 2017. The Village is the largest economic redevelopment project in the history of South Los Angeles.