A Cardinal and Gold Rite of Passage
You can feel the anticipation building on University Park Campus, as we prepare for USC’s 139th Annual Commencement on May 13. Several notable USC alumni, including Olympic icon Allyson Felix ’08, this year’s keynote speaker, will take part in the celebration, which marks an important rite of passage for the 15,000 members of the Class of 2022, as well as their families and friends. For USC alumni, commencement evokes great pride and fond memories. Who doesn’t remember the excitement of this life-changing day, when you closed one chapter and began another?
As we gather on campus and online to watch and applaud the Class of 2022 receive their degrees, let’s take a moment to reflect on our own graduation experiences. Whether it’s been a few years or several decades since you donned your cap and gown, that day is probably still fresh in your mind. Think of the joy and sense of accomplishment you felt—the deep feeling of camaraderie with your fellow classmates. Yes, it was also bittersweet and maybe a little unnerving to think about what lay ahead. But it was also comforting to know that you were now a member of a close-knit alumni community; that there were hundreds of thousands of fellow Trojans you could turn to for professional advice and emotional support. Remember all of that while you watch the Class of 2022 throw their caps in the air in celebration of graduating. And join us in welcoming them to our 450,000-member alumni community.
Happy Graduation and Fight On!
Patrick E. Auerbach EdD ’08
Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations