Celebrating the Class of 2026
The Trojan Family fills the Coliseum to congratulate USC’s newest alumni in a main ceremony filled with inspiration, music and tradition. It’s just one part of a four-day celebration that the new grads won’t forget.
(USC Photo/Brian van der Brug)
The President’s Words for USC’s Newest Graduates
In his first commencement address as USC president, Beong-Soo Kim shared words of inspiration for the university’s newest graduates. He praised their tenacity, encouraged them to make a difference in the world — and brought laughs as he demonstrated a keen understanding of student life. Click below to watch the video.
A commencement photo gallery
Our photographers have been everywhere during commencement. Take a look at some of our favorite pictures of a week to remember.
The New Grads: Stories of Success
Academic Excellence … and Big Dreams
The Trojan Family honors the university’s latest graduates with a week of tradition. Here, meet some of those Trojans who are ready to head out and change the world.
New USC Mann grad builds a biopharmaceutical industry career
COMMENCEMENT: Rahinatou Sawadogo has charted a career path at the intersection of biopharmaceutical science and business.
After facing challenges as a youngster and a teen, social work grad comes full circle
COMMENCEMENT: Christian Gudiel is dedicated to helping system-impacted youth choose a different path for their lives.
USC Price doctoral grad develops new way to measure urban accessibility
COMMENCEMENT: Yuquan “Wendy” Zhou’s introduced a novel, “people-based” approach that measures when and where essential services are accessible in daily life.
How COVID-19 pushed this USC Price grad to pursue a career in public health
Alex Gramajo experienced firsthand the barriers faced by minority communities in his historically working-class community, from language gaps to under-resourced clinics.
Gerontology graduate finds belonging, then embraces research and leadership
COMMENCEMENT: A first-generation college student, Tiffany Wang treasures the support and opportunities for growth she found at the USC Leonard Davis School.
Student commencement speaker ready to show his ‘superpower’: ‘Making other people happy and bringing in the energy’
COMMENCEMENT: Football helped USC Annenberg senior transfer student Malique “Kash” Amos become a charismatic leader.
New graduate started helping with USC research as a freshman — in high school
COMMENCEMENT: Eleanor Love — USC Price’s undergraduate commencement speaker — is hardly the first Trojan to help conduct research for USC’s Center for Inclusive Democracy. But she’s the first to start at age 14.
How early health challenges fueled two graduating seniors’ passion for medicine
COMMENCEMENT: Driven by their own experiences with childhood illness — along with breakthrough research experience and service to the community — Taylor Renneker and Jason Toliao are looking forward to medical school.
Love of language and community — and AI safety — fuel graduate’s USC experience
USC Dornsife computational linguistics major Kyle Ng explores ways to make large language models safer while also helping his fellow students feel at home on campus.
Veteran shares journey to USC master’s in nutrition, healthspan and longevity
COMMENCEMENT: Faith Huss, who served in the U.S. Army for 10 years prior to attending USC, will use her nutrition and dietetics expertise to serve patients at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Long Beach.
New graduate is motivated by his Peruvian heritage to pursue career in international policy
COMMENCEMENT: Alexander Ryan will share his thoughts as the graduate speaker for the USC Price School ceremony.
USC Marshall commencement student speakers are ready for their moment
Melissa Soong and Elechi Iroaga will address their classmates during the school’s ceremony Friday.
Top Headlines
PODCAST: The president sits down with Assal Habibi, USC associate research professor of psychology and director of the USC Center for Music, Brain and Society, to discuss how music — something deeply woven into society and the human experience — helps shape the brain.
For the third year, the hospital received the highest rating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services report.
COMMENCEMENT: Football helped USC Annenberg senior transfer student Malique “Kash” Amos become a charismatic leader.
COMMENCEMENT: Thousands are expected on the University Park Campus for USC’s 143rd commencement celebrations this week. You’ll want to plan accordingly.
USC united against Alzheimer’s: Collaborating in research and care
Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 7 million Americans, a number projected to nearly double by 2060. USC researchers and clinicians are working across disciplines to advance prevention, treatment and care, bringing new insight to one of the nation’s greatest health care challenges.
Spotlight: USC Leventhal School of Accounting
A global leader in accounting education, the USC Leventhal School of Accounting combines academic excellence with a forward-looking, industry-connected approach. With top-ranked programs, a close-knit learning environment and deep ties to the business community, Leventhal prepares students with the technical expertise, critical thinking and an ethical foundation to lead across accounting, finance and data-driven industries.
