March closed with President Folt’s annual State of the University address, a yearly speech addressed to the USC community. President Folt focused on the vital role USC and our alumni play in the world. Trojans on and off campus serve in so many ways, she said, emphasizing how we all collaborate to improve society and create joy, making USC a most “public” private university.
USC’s commitment to the five “moonshots” and its international outreach will make the university an even greater force for good. Pursuing continued excellence in the health sciences, computing, sustainability, athletics and the arts, as well as the recruitment of the best students, faculty and administrators—including the next Alumni Association leader—are top priorities, and much progress is already being made.
Folt also shared highlights from the recent “Partner the Future” trip to three cities in India, and reminded audiences of how worldwide and accomplished our Trojan Family is. This tradition of Trojan accomplishment will continue if the incoming first-year undergraduate class is any indication: Nearly 1 in 4 students is first-generation, a similar number are international students, and 39% are from California high schools. Their median, unadjusted GPA is an impressive 3.95!
Meanwhile, at the Alumni Association, we’re looking forward to celebrating outstanding alumni at this year’s 90th Annual USC Alumni Awards gala on Saturday, April 20. And a big thanks to all those who participated in our recent USC Alumni Day of SCervice—one of the many ways Trojans around the world change the world. We hope to connect with many of you as we continue with our cross-country listening tour!
And one last thing—a shout-out to the USC Women’s Basketball team for reaching the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years. Despite their loss to UConn, their valiant and inspiring performance during March Madness 2024 will be remembered for years to come!
Thank you, and Fight On!