Fight On!

My prestigious alma mater, the University of Southern California, is celebrating its 125th birthday this year. Under the aegis of President Steven Sample, the school has begun to shed its reputation as the "University of Spoiled Children" and ascend to the upper echelon of major research universities in this country. USC continues to be an athletic powerhouse as well -- the Trojan football team is the current national champion. I am certainly a proud alumnus.

After the 1965 Watts Riots, USC was tempted to move its campus from South Los Angeles to Malibu. The university's decision to stay put has benefited students, faculty, and staff by giving them immediate access to one of the world's greatest cities and all its resources. Of course, USC brings many benefits to the entire city as well.

Last Friday was declared "USC Day" in the City of Los Angeles. The following is a news release from the USC Web Site:

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City Hall Proclaims USC Day

Mayor Villaraigosa lauds the university as a world-class institution that sees its destiny as an integral part of the city.

City Hall was filled with Trojan spirit – as well as the triumphant sounds of the Trojan Marching Band – as the Los Angeles City Council proclaimed Sept. 23 to be USC Day.

As the university’s 125th birthday draws near, the city honored USC for its dramatic growth – from a 53-student enrollment in 1880 to its current 32,000 students – and as one of the oldest continuing academic and cultural institutions in the region.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council District 8 representative Bernard Parks, whose district includes the area south of USC, described the university in glowing terms.

“What distinguishes USC is not just that it is a world-class institution, but that it is a world-class institution in Los Angeles, and one that sees its destiny as an integral part of the city,” Villaraigosa said.

Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs C. L. Max Nikias, standing in for USC President Steven B. Sample, said, “USC and Los Angeles have experienced a remarkable 125 years together.”

“We grew up together and as USC prospered, many people urged the Board of Trustees to relocate to the countryside. But USC reaffirmed its commitment to be an institution in the heart of the city,” he added.

The City Council’s proclamation, read by Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents the 9th district north of USC, cited the university’s “exemplary public service through academic, service learning and community outreach contributions fostering a tradition of sharing with the neighborhoods immediately surrounding the two campuses.”

Parks and Perry are alumni of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development.

The proclamation also noted USC’s economic impact on the region with its 3,000 faculty, 14,400 staff members and 32,000 students, making it the largest private-sector employer in the city and a powerful economic engine with a budget of $1.5 billion.

Sample was lauded in the proclamation as the president who “has steered this great institution into an era of unprecedented national and international recognition in academics and athletics, has solidified its status as one of the nation’s leading research universities and has led its innovative community outreach and service-learning programs.”

Other Trojans also attracted their share of limelight. Athletes past and present were honored for their skill, commitment and teamwork, bringing fame to the university and the City of Los Angeles, including their gridiron success as two-time national champions and triumphs in producing 357 Olympians.

L to R: Councilwoman Jan Perry, Provost C. L. Max Nikias, Councilman Bernard Parks, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (photo by Lee Salem)

USC Festival 125 -- October 6-9, 2005