USC Trojan Junior Auxiliary

Trojan SCupper Success!

2012-03-05T09:00:00.001-08:00

Last month marked an exciting new experience for TJA; our first opportunity to participate in Trojan SCuppers!

Organized by Society 53, the student outreach program of the USC Alumni Association, SCuppers are an annual series of dinner parties that match current students with alumni volunteer hosts. Dinners usually include 10-15 students and have grown since their inaugural year in 2009 to now include 41 locations and and over 650 students in attendance.

Since this was our first one, we opted to partner the USC Alumni Association's Young Alumni Council, which was established in 2008 to keep alumni connected, engaged and involved in their first 10 years after graduation through sponsoring programs and events that promote interaction with other alumni and the wider university community. Together with the Young Alumni Council, we hosted a group of current USC students for dinner at the beautiful Widney Alumni House on Sunday, February 12. Twenty-five current USC students joined with 5 TJA members and 10 representatives of the Young Alumni Council for a wonderful evening of networking, conversation, italian food and cardinal and gold cupcakes!

TJA members Carina Jacob, Ashley Cooper, Megan Scott, Katie Kramer and Jaymie Robinson enjoyed participating and getting to know the current students. Carina shared that many of the students were seeking career advice and really wanted to know how to maximize the Trojan network to secure a job upon graduating. Megan felt that it was a great way to stay connected to the university by knowing what current students were involved in, and to be accessible as a future resource. All of us shared our unique experiences as USC alumnae and of course conveyed our enthusiasm for Trojan Junior Auxiliary!

We all agreed that it was a wonderful event and that Trojan Junior Auxiliary should host our own SCupper for 2013. We're looking forward to it already!

Get Ready For a Closeup!

2012-02-22T21:04:00.000-08:00

Smile! Photographer Charity Neeper of Liola Photography has offered her services and several TJA members are looking forward to a mini professional headshot session this weekend.

To prepare, here are several tips from Charity.

Do's
-DO make sure to get a good night's sleep the night before your shoot.
-DO drink a ton of water the week leading up to your shoot. It makes skin glow in photographs!
-DO get your clothes pressed. So many people worry so much about what to wear they forget to iron out all the wrinkles.
-DO bring options for clothes and accessories. If something isn't working in the photo we can switch it up a bit plus it will give you a bit of variety

Don'ts
-DONT forget to eat the night before and the day of your shoot. It gives you energy and that will show in your photos
-DONT get a facial the week of your shoot. Skin sometimes freaks out after a facial and breaks out or gets too dry and makeup can't always hide this.
-DONT try a new haircut the week before your shoot. You may hate it and end up with photos reminding you of a haircut that wasn't great.
-DONT stress. So many people are nervous to be in front of the camera but I promise it will be so much fun, you will want to shoot for hours.

Fashion Suggestions:
-Try to stay away from white, if possible. If your all-time favorite sweater is white, then by all means wear it, but otherwise, move on to something with a little color. If you want white as a base color, that's great just bring a sweater or jacket to go with it. White can sometimes wash people out.

-Pick a color palette of 2-3 colors and stay within those shades. Do over do it with too many colors or patterns.

-Think about your background. You don't want to clash with your surroundings.

-Try not to get too trendy. Don't get me wrong - I'm all about some trend but think stylish rather than trendy. You can always add some flair later on in the session towards the end.

-Keep it comfortable. It has been my experience that when people are comfortable, they take better pictures.

-Bring options. We can go through all of them before we start shooting and choose what will work best.

For more info on Lilola Photography like fb.com/lilolaphoto.

Fabulous February

2012-02-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

Wellness was on the agenda for the TJA February meeting this week. At least 30 members attended to hear the featured guest speaker Camille Dieterle, Assistant Professor for Clinical Occupational Therapy in the USC Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. Professor Dieterle shared a number of tips for healthy eating, life balance and stress management. Here are some of her suggestions.

Eating for Energy

The best breakfast choice includes a protein and a complex carbohydrate
It's important to eat regularly and generally that means every three hours so plan ahead.
Avoid eating before bed. During sleep the body is in "maintenance mode" and eating a heavy meal before bed shifts energy to digestion.

Dealing with Stress

Focus only on what you can control
Look to social support, talk it out with a friend or family member.
Learn to relax. Try deep breathing for a few minutes.
Get moving. Exercise or just take a short walk.

Thank you Professor Dieterle!

Bliss-ful Beauty

2012-02-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

Last week's spa night at Bliss Spa Hollywood was a real treat for several of the ladies of TJA. Mini manicures, massages and skin care consultations were topped off with conversation, champagne and some tips from the experts at Bliss, including Lindsay Stuart, manager Los Angeles Spas - retail, marketing, promotions. Here are a few ... also check out these other tips from Bliss professionals.

To make a traditional polish manicure last longer, use a high quality top coat.

To prepare for a profesional facial, it's best not alter your skin regimen in any way. Use the same products you would normally, avoid excess sun exposure, and make sure you don't use a heavy exfoliation product beforehand. Leave that to the pros. :)

To prevent premature signs of aging, use a daily sunscreen and look for products that will keep your skin moisturized and hydrated. Vitamin C and antioxidant ingredients can also be beneficial.

Looking Bliss-Ful Ladies!

The Campaign to Support USC

2012-02-02T22:48:00.000-08:00

Have you heard the latest on the Campaign to Support USC? The University has announced several generous gifts since the start of 2012. Here are some of the exciting highlights

Members of the Trojan Family gathered earlier this week to celebrate the W. M. Keck Foundation’s recent $150 million donation. The gift serves as the lead for the Keck Medicine Initiative.

USC Libraries received a gift of $5 million by USC trustee Ronald D. Sugar and his wife, Valerie Sugar MS ’72. The donation is the largest endow a dean’s chair in the history of USC.

A $3.8 million gift by the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation will establish new scholarships with the same standing as the Trustee, Presidential and Mork scholars.

USC will expand cancer care facilities thanks to a $15 million donation from the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation. The gift will help fund construction of a new state-of-the-art outpatient clinic building to be named the Norris Healthcare Consultation Center.

About the Coliseum

2012-01-31T00:17:00.000-08:00

The Coliseum is a rich part of both USC and Los Angeles history and tradition, and on February 1, the Coliseum Commission will meet to decicde the future of the stadium. USC has been a tenant for almost 90 years and the commission will be considering the University's master lease proposal. The master lease would enable USC to take on responsibility for necessary repair and renovation work that will move the faciltiy into the future.

Here's what ESPN reported about the negotiations, and below is the official word from Scott M. Mory, Esq. , Associate Senior Vice President and CEO, USC Alumni Association.

Dear Fellow Trojan:

One of the most frequent questions I get when I am visiting with USC alumni and friends has to do with the status of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. As the Coliseum Commission is at a critical moment in deciding the future of this historical landmark we all treasure, I wanted to take this opportunity to bring you up to speed on where things stand.

USC has been a tenant of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for close to 90 years. In recent years, the Coliseum Commission has been unable to fulfill its obligations under the current lease to make much-needed repairs to the aging facility. As such, USC is seeking to amend its lease. Under the proposed new lease agreement, USC would manage daily operations of the Coliseum, allow continued community access and make the necessary investments to repair and restore the historic stadium.

This proposed modified lease is an opportunity to restore a historic gem that is part of the fabric of the city. USC is willing and able to take on the financial responsibility of improving the Coliseum for future generations of Angelenos and Californians. USC will remain a tenant, but with greater ability to make improvements for the benefit of all.

USC has a proven track record of opening up its campus facilities to its surrounding neighbors, as well as the general public. Currently, the Coliseum only hosts a few public events a year. Under the proposed new lease, the number of public events would increase significantly.

As a member of the Trojan Family, your support of the proposed amended lease for USC is crucial. Please take a moment to e-mail the Coliseum Commission and let them know that you support the amended lease. You can e-mail the Commission at comments@lacoliseum.com.

A suggested message of support is:

"I am a resident of California and proud alum of the University of Southern California. I am writing to express my support for a modified lease for USC that would allow the university to make the needed improvements to preserve the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the community and region for generations to come."

Please be sure to indicate your name and the city you live in in your e-mail. The Commission is meeting on February 1 to consider the proposed amended lease, so please submit your comment before then.

If you have any questions about USC and the Coliseum, please contact David Galaviz, executive director of Local Government Relations.

On behalf of all my colleagues at USC and the USC Alumni Association, thank you for your support.

Fight On!

Scott M. Mory, Esq.
Associate Senior Vice President and
CEO, USC Alumni Association

Members Only!

2012-01-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

Get 'em while you can ladies! Thanks to the creative talents of our Parlimentarian, Janine Coleman, TJA has a brand new, cute and comfy, v-neck t-shirt, created exclusively for members. Janine describes the process of bringing the shirts to life here.

"The inspiration for the creating the 'members only' t-shirts came from the Helenes. I've always liked the idea of having 'special' low-cost merchandize that only our members could wear, and so I brought it up with Randyn [Special Projects] and Ashley [TJA President], both of whom were on board. We then polled the general membership to make sure that the rest of TJA was interested- luckily, they were!

"The design phase started by searching the internet for women's shirts affiliated with USC, to get an idea of what was already out there. I designed about six differing logos for the general membership to vote on, all incorporating our group name, the Trojan Head and a heart, playing off of our "Trojan Sweetheart" theme that we've used in the past.

"The chosen design went back and forth between us and USC's trademarks, who were worried that it resembled a retired Victoria's Secret shirt design a little too much. The final logo was a compromise of sorts, but came out beautifully on our v-neck tees in dark grey. I'm very pleased with how they look!"

TJA member t-shrits - "Love" em!

Upcoming Events

2012-01-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

There's a lot going on for TJA members and USC Alumni in the next few weeks. Here's a look.

USC IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD-ORANGE COUNTY
January 24, 2012
Pacific Club
Get the latest on the state of the university and learn about the world of ultar-realistic digital animation from guest speaker Paul Debevec, associate director for graphics research at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies. Click here for details.

USC AISIAN PACIFIC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION THEATER NIGHT
January 25, 2012
Pantages Theater
Join the APAA for "Wicked." Click here for tickets and details.

DOWNTOWN LA TROJANS BAR REVIEW: PERCH
February 2, 2012, 6 PM
Perch
Join the USC Alumni Club of Downtown Los Angeles for the kick-off of its new series of monthly bar socials. RSVP here.

ALUMNI NIGHT AT USC THORNTON SYMPHONY
February 9, 2012, 6 PM
Bovard Auditorium
Admission includes reception and concert. Click here for tickets and details.

TROJAN SCUPPER
February 12, 2012, 6 PM
Alumni House
TJA will be co-hosting the event with the Young Alumni Council. Stay tuned for details!

FEBRUARY TJA MEETING
February 13, 2012, 5 PM
Regular monthly meeting with early start time for scholarship application review

USC SINGLES CONNECTION
February 19, 2012
Ozumo-Santa Monica Place, 6:30 PM
Join fellow USC alumni for a professional singles-only mixer. More details are available here.

SFV WINE MIXER
February 22, 2012, 6 PM
Left Coast Wine Bar & Gallery
The USC Alumni Association of the San Fernando Valley is hosting an evening of wine and good times. Register here.

USC WOMEN'S CONFERENCE
March 1, 2012, 8:00AM – 5:00PM
The third annual Women's Conference will include speakers and discussions to empower and inspire. Register here by February 24.

MARCH TJA MEETING
March 12, 2012, 6:30 PM
Regular monthly meeting

USC ALUMNI DAY OF SCERVICE
March 24, 2012
TJA will be participating ... more details to come!

Scholarships 2012-2013 ... It's on!

2012-01-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

At the end of the semester six ladies will receive undergraduate degrees from USC, thanks, in part, to the scholarships they received from Trojan Junior Auxiliary. Each young woman is extraordinary in her own way, and each is sure to carry on the values of both the Trojan Family and TJA.

Now it's time to look ahead, and the search has begun for the next group of stellar scholarship recipients. Once again, TJA will award outstanding Junior and Senior women from Southern California who exemplify the Trojan spirit and our motto of Friendship Scholarship, Leadership.

Each year, TJA receives applications from a number of well-qualified applicants and the selection process is tough. All TJA members have the opportunity to take an active role in choosing the recipients and it's always a rewarding experience for all.

To apply for the scholarship, eligible candidates must complete the online application form. Applications for 2012-2013 must be submitted by February 1, 2012. Once applications have been reviewed, top contenders will be contacted for in-person interviews.

If you know any stellar Trojans who fit the bill, encourage them to apply today! Good luck to all the candidates!

Meet the TJA Scholarship Recipients 2011-2012

2012-01-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

Each year TJA honors outstanding USC junior and senior women with scholarships. Here's a look at the ladies who have received this year's awards.

Marissa Fuhrer

Marissa is a senior, majoring in communication with a minor in management consulting. She is currently the director of the Annenberg Ambassadors, director of Client Contact in Marshall's Trojan Consulting Group, and a residential advisor. During her time as a student, Marissa has interned at NBC Universal in recruiting, Nordstrom as a sales management intern, and Slate Professional Resources as a recruiting/ business development intern. After graduation, she plans to pursue either recruiting or business development.

Minnie Jan
Minnie is a senior, double majoring in Neuroscience and Kinesiology. Originally from Orange County, Calif., she began as a pre-medicine student. However, her fascination in kinesiology led her to physical therapy. She is heavily involved in several service organizations on campus, including Interaxon, an educational outreach program geared toward instigating curiosity of the sciences in students in the Compton area, and Global Water Brigades, an organization that gives students hands-on experience planning, developing, and building sustainable irrigation systems in rural areas of Honduras and Ghana. "My experience at USC has been a great opportunity that has inspired me to give back to the community and use my talents, skills, and knowledge in the field of physical therapy to benefit those around me," she says.

Alyson Keller
Alyson is a senior, pursuing a degree in communication with a double-minor in marketing and communication design. She serves as the president of her sorority, Delta Delta Delta, and has held an array of internships since coming to USC. She is currently employed as a sales assistant at Conde Nast Publications. "I come from a Trojan family and I am so grateful that scholarship organizations such as TJA have allowed me to continue my family's legacy," she says.

Sabha Salamah

Sabha is a senior and will be receiving a Bachelors of Science in Policy, Management, and Planning. She is also minoring in English and serves as an ambassador to the School of Policy, Planning, and Development. As a member of the Senior Advisory Board to the USC Office of Annual Giving, she helps raise funds for the senior gift and stresses the importance of giving back to the university. She also work in the USC Office of Admission as an intern. Upon graduation, Sabha hopes to pursue a career in policy and law that will enable her to serve communities which cannot help themselves in addressing civil rights matters. "It is because of my Trojan Junior Auxiliary Scholarship that I am able to aspire to all these things, and for that I am grateful to all the TJA ladies," she says.

Jackie Siegle

Jackie is a senior in the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences studying psychology. She is active in various community service projects on campus including the Joint Educational Project, where she tutors children living in low-poverty areas in LA, and USC's Alternative Spring Break Program. While at USC, Jackie has held the positions of orientation advisor, resident advisor, and vice-president for the Psychology Honors Society. She recently returned from studying abroad in London.

Annie Wang

Annie is a senior, double majoring in neuroscience and biological sciences. At USC she has been actively involved in serving the Los Angeles community by providing blood glucose and blood pressure screenings to the underprivileged, teaching biology to disadvantaged high school students, and raising awareness of treatable eye diseases to at-risk groups. "I greatly enjoy conducting scientific research at USC," she says. Annie is also a part of various academic honor societies, including Alpha Lambda Delta (previously serving as Academic Chair), Alpha Epsilon Delta, and Phi Beta Kappa. Other activities she enjoys include playing taiko drums as a part of USC Kazan Taiko, playing violin, running, and cooking.

Fight on ladies!

January Meeting Recap

2012-01-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

Last night was the first meeting of 2012 and it was a busy one! More than 30 ladies attended and dinner was sub sandwiches and chips. Benefit planning got underway and board members shared a number of exciting announcements.

Members who are interested in a professional photo session should contact TJA President Ashley and those ladies who want to help in a spring recruitment should speak with membership chair Michelle.

All told, the highlight of the evening was meeting three of the 2011-2012 TJA scholarship recipients. Check out the photo below and stay tuned for more details on these fabulous women!

Scholarship Chair 2010-2011 Dawn S., with scholarship recipients Sabha Salama, Jackie Siegle, and Minnie Jan, and Scholarship Chair 2011-2012 Katie K. (left to right)

A Season of Celebrations

2012-01-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

The cookies have been eaten and the presents opened. All told there was lots of holiday cheer to go around for TJA.

In November, several ladies gave Betty Crocker and Martha Stewart a challenge, at the first TJA cookie exchange. Hosted by new member Trisha Ashford and her parents it was a fun chance to sample a delicious assortment of cookies and traded recipe ideas. Cookies ranged from classic peanut butter to unusually delicious lentil cookies and even a pumpkin twist on classic chocolate chip. Everyone left with a plateful of treats to keep the sugar rush going long after the party ended!

In December, there was a record turnout for the annual holiday social. Even after wind knocked out power for several days, hostess Mary Jayne was determined to make the party a success. Fortunately the lights came back on just in time, and everyone enjoyed the potluck dinner and deserts.

Of course, no TJA holiday party is complete without the white elephant gift exchange. Popular items this year included a donut maker, Snuggie, popcorn set, and super cute cleaning/dish gloves.

Give the Gift of Scholarship Through TJA

2011-12-29T11:49:00.000-08:00

Season’s Greetings!

As the year winds to a close, consider Trojan Junior Auxiliary when making your last minute
charitable contributions.

Because of our affiliation with USC, donations to TJA are considered tax-deductible—and your gift will have even more impact, as every dollar we allocate to scholarships for deserving Trojans is matched by the University, times two! So a $100 donation actually means $300 in scholarship funds for a deserving student.

Also available to amplify your contribution is USC’s Matching Gift program, where your donation to support the university is matched by your employer. Please consider the Matching Gift program as an easy way to make the most of your donation! To find out whether your company has a matching gift policy, please go to: http://www.matchinggifts.com/usc/.

Remember that any gift, no matter the amount, helps us fulfill our mission of Friendship, Leadership and Scholarship. If you would like to make a gift to TJA, donations can be accepted via check or credit card. Contact Patrons Chair Logielyn Wasan for more details at patrons@usctja.com.

USC Hoops!

2011-11-11T12:26:00.001-08:00

The USC basketball season has begun. Here's a note from Pat Haden, Charles Griffin Cale Director of Athletics' Chair outlining some exciting updates for the 2011-2012 year. For more info and a schedule, also check out the following links.

Dear Trojan Fans,

I am excited to begin another greatyear of basketball for USC! ...

Men’s coach Kevin O’Neill has his team vying for their 5th NCAA Tournament berth in 6th years, while Women’s coach Michael Cooper has his team ranked #23 heading into the season. It’s going to be an exciting yearfor hoops fans at Galen Center!

Just as you’ve seen with our improvements to football game day at the Coliseum, we’ve also been hard at work to improveyour Galen Center experience as well. Here are just a few of the items you’ll notice at our basketball games this year:

1. Reduced Ticket Prices and Fees

We have reduced ticketprices across the board for both our men’s and women’s basketball games. In addition, for men’s games we have added threepricing tiers for each game to allow you to have more selection and value when you choose to bring your family or friends to a game. We’ve also cut print-at-home fees in half and eliminated others all together. We want our basketball programs to be a terrific value for yourentertainment dollar.

2. ImprovedConcessions

Working in conjunction with our Galen Center concessionaire, we’ve pledged to improve food variety and quality while reducing the averagewait time at each concession stand. You’ll see these improvements unveiled throughout the early season, culminating with a test of in-seat ordering by season’s end.

3. Kennedy Founders' Room Improvements

For our support group members with access to the Kennedy Founders' Room, we’ve made significant changes this year. For the first time we’re serving both food and drinks in the bar area of the Founders' Room, as well as our traditional full buffet dinner option. We’ve also increased the size of the barservice areas to reduce lines and wait time. In addition, Head Coach Kevin O’Neill will be speaking in the Founders' Room one hour prior to tipoff at each men’s game to give a preview of what to expect in that night’s game.

4. Pregame and Postgame Activities

Based on positive feedback from last season, we’re adding pregame FanFest as a regular event at all men’s games and select women’s games this year. In the Hall of Fame area on the lower levelyou will find a variety of fun activities including face painting by the Helenes, sign making, pictures with the Song Girls and Dance Force, pop-a-shot, arcade games, and novelty concessions.

After men’s games Coach Kevin O’Neill will go live on the ESPN 710 postgame radio show and we’ll broadcast the audio throughout the Galen Center.

5. Student Attendance

We all know that nothing impacts the atmosphere at gameslike a loud and rambunctious student section. This year we are doing more than ever to engage our students to get them to support all our Galen Center sports. We’re working closely with studentgroups to promote games, developed a loyalty points program, delivering free student section pizza at all games, planning more studentgiveaways, and more.

6. Parking

To help ensure parking access to our games is easy for you, our staff has worked with University Parking and LA Department of Transportationto increase staffing and traffic control to minimize delays. We will have all entrances and exits open at the Galen Center garage, as well as traffic control officers in place for our larger crowds.

7. Game Day App

Coming off the heels of our incredibly popular football Game Day App, we’re in the process of developing a similar app for Galen Center events. We anticipate this being ready in December and if you’ve downloaded the Football App no further download will berequired as an app update will be available.

8. Arena Improvements

You will notice cosmetic improvements throughout Galen Center. Similar to the new painting of the Coliseum tunnel,we’ve painted all four entry tunnels cardinal and gold and decorated each with logos and Trojan imagery. We’ve also painted or decorated significant portions of the grey concrete visible from your seats. Further improvements to the concourses are in the planningstages.

9. Ticket Transfer andTurnback

Finally, with 17 home men’s basketball games this year it’s likely you won’t be able to attend every singlegame. For those nights when other commitments keep you from Galen Center, we have new free online services for you to email your ticketsto a friend or even give them back to USC Basketball.

It’s critical for our teams to have a home court advantage caused by a full crowd of Trojanfans. When you can’t make it to a game, please do all you can to find a fan to use your tickets. If you prefer, you can use our “TicketTurnback” webpage to send the tickets back to us and we’ll find a local organization or other deserving fans to give your tickets to.

We hopethat these improvements lead to a better game day experience for all our fans. We are working hard to make USC known as a perennial basketball power, and we can only do it with the support of great fans like you. I look forward to seeing you at Galen Center thisseason.

Fight On!

Pat Haden
Charles Griffin Cale Director of Athletics' Chair

Homecoming 2011

2011-11-10T23:02:00.000-08:00

Fight On! The USC Homecoming is Nov. 12 and TJA will be a part of the Pre-game tailgating festivities. Look for the TJA Merchandise Booth in the Gold Marketplace on Trousdale in front of the Pharmacy. and stop by to check out some super cute baby, toddler and pet items.

Here's a preview of what will be for sale and you can check out more great products on our Facebook page. All proceeds go toward Trojan Junior Auxiliary Scholarships for Junior and Senior students and money raised is matched by the University. For 2011-2012 TJA awarded 6 scholarships of $3000.

See you Saturday!

Decal, 5X6" Removable, reusable -$5

Garden Gnome - $35

white maternity T-Shirt w/ "Future Trojan On Board" logo

available in medium, large, and XL

$26

Metal pail w/ handle

USC Trojans logo (on front and back)

17 Qt size - $30 or 5 Qt size - $20

"This is how I roll." text

USC stroller w/ baby "fight on" symbol.

Available in red onesie with a white logo. or white with a red logo,

sizes 6 mos, 12 mos, and 18 mos.

$20

"Future Trojan" text with USC Rocking Horse logo

ORGANIC heather grey Toddler Shirt

available in sizes 2T, 3T and 4T.

$20

red bandana, yellow bone logo w/ "Trojan Pup" text

available in size Small and Large

$15

Trojan Sweetheart Tank Top w/ cardinal & gold "Trojan Sweetheart" logo

available in size large and XL

Heather Grey T-Shirt with cardinal & gold "Trojan Sweetheart" logo

available in size large

$24

Homecoming 2011 with George C. Tirebiter!

2011-11-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

And for those Tirebiters in your life, TJA will be selling pet bandanas. Come stop by our booth and pick one up for your little or big Trojan Pup!

red bandana, yellow bone logo w/ "Trojan Pup" text

available in size Small and Large
$15 + shipping

If you're interested in purchasing one ahead of the big day, please email our Products Chair Randyn at specialprojects@usctja.com.

And stay tuned for even more products showing up in TJA's blog!

USC's New Graphic Identity Launch

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

From the desk of President C.L. Max Nikias:

I am pleased to announce the official launch of USC’s new graphic identity, a system that provides a strong, consistent look for the university across a range of media and materials. This program includes a redesigned USC logo and monogram, as well as updated typefaces, and comes with the enthusiastic approval of the university’s Board of Trustees.

Our new look and design reflect many elements of our previous graphic identity, including the use of the university shield, taken directly from our historic seal. As a community, we endeavor to integrate this new system into all USC materials within one year.

This change signals USC’s continued evolution and ascent. As USC assumes its place among the world’s leading research universities, and as we launch our historic fundraising campaign and a new strategic vision for the university, we must strengthen and align our graphic identity to reflect the exceptional caliber of our students, faculty, academic units, and programs. It is vital that all schools and units fully embrace this change; as a community, we must present ourselves in a bold, clear, and consistent manner.

USC’s previous graphic identity—produced by Saul Bass of Bass Yager Associates in 1994— was extremely successful, having significantly increased awareness and recognition of USC throughout the world. However, given the dramatic proliferation of digital media with various internet, mobile, and electronic platforms, as well as the tremendous growth of named entities within the university, the time had come for us to reimagine our graphic identity system. To this end, USC partnered with the venerable design firm Pentagram, which has a solid track record with our peer institutions and a range of corporations, to produce a graphic identity system that works across a range of media, while ensuring that USC regains a cohesive look.

Throughout this process, University Communications consulted with groups across our campuses, including several schools and academic departments; Admissions and Planning; University Advancement; USC Purchasing; and USC Trademarks and Licensing. Additional information regarding the new graphic identity system, including a style guide and a list of contacts, is available at: http://identity.usc.edu/.

Today we turn a page in USC’s long and storied narrative, and begin a fresh chapter in our university’s celebrated history. In a very literal sense, we will write our story with new tools, ones that reflect our community’s collective ambition, optimism, and creativity. We all look forward to writing that story together, and to producing our shared story as a strongly unified community.

USC to add Sixth Trait of a Trojan

2011-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Trojans,

Every member of the USC community is familiar with the five “Traits of a Trojan” that we hold dear: Faithful, Scholarly, Skillful, Courageous, and Ambitious. These are the characteristics that distinguish USC students, faculty, and staff and are core values that bring us together as a community.

This year, we propose the adoption of a sixth trait into our Trojan lexicon: Considerate. While we aren’t suggesting that we carve this word into the base of the Tommy Trojan statue, let’s etch it in our minds as we teach and learn from one another, as we connect with Trojans and friends across the globe, and as we traverse our campuses.

To reflect this, on behalf of the collective university leadership, we announce the launch of a new We are Considerate. We are USC. campaign this fall. This campaign will encompass various initiatives over the course of the next few years, but our initial foray will focus on safety and consideration of one another as we navigate our University Park Campus, particularly on bikes and skateboards.

As you know, USC has experienced a remarkable transformation into a residential university within the last decade, which has resulted in an enormous increase in the number of Trojans who bike, skateboard, and use other wheeled transportation on our campus pathways.

We have engaged in a multi-year discussion regarding how to preserve a safer and user-friendly setting for everyone, including pedestrians, riders, and drivers. This process has included the creation of several university committees, work with campus engineers to address short and intermediate-term fixes, and the commission of traffic and transportation experts to define and assess various long-term options. We have made significant changes to our policies for cars, trucks, and carts on campus, which has resulted in notable improvements related to safety and access, especially in the center of campus. To culminate our work this year, we have hired consultants who are well-versed in developing broad-based university solutions—working with faculty, staff, and students—to guide our efforts in creating a comprehensive plan that addresses pedestrians and riders.

In the meantime, effective this month, the university will adopt the following guidelines, which will be posted throughout campus.

Share the Pathways and Yield to Pedestrians. On all walkways throughout the university, bikers should use the right side and foot traffic should use the left side.
Walk your Bikes. In heavily-trafficked areas and crosswalks, dismount and walk your bike. This includes Trousdale Parkway, Childs Way, and near the Lyon Recreation Center.
Encourage Safety. Model safe and courteous bike/rider behavior and remind offenders that Trojans are considerate.
Park It. Bikes should be parked in designated parking racks. Parking your bike in front of a building entrance/exit or a handicap ramp will result in impounding.
Watch the Road. When riding your bike, focus on riding. Distractions such as cell phones, headphones, or riding “hands-free” increase accidents.

We know that consideration of other riders and pedestrians is essential to our safety and to ensuring the safety of those around us. But, as Trojans, we know it’s also the right thing to do. We welcome your feedback in this effort. Send us an email with your questions, thoughts, and suggestions: bikesafe@usc.edu.

Join us in launching our We are Considerate. We are USC. campaign at a campus-wide rally in front of Tommy Trojan next month: November 7, 2011, at 12 p.m. We will unveil our sixth “Trait of a Trojan,” give away t-shirts, and celebrate our Trojan spirit. We hope to see you there!

Fight on!

Homecoming 2011

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here's more details on the festivities ...

Homecoming 2011

November 12, 2011
8:30AM-12:30PM

USC Trojans vs. Washington Huskies
Los Angeles Coliseum
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m.

About 100,000 alumni are expected to attend and official information is available from the USC Alumni Association here.

Are you on Twitter? Follow USC Alumni Assoc. and participate in the Homecoming Challenge. You could win some cool prizes, including a weekend stay at the Westin Bonaventure and a free course from USC Marshall Executive Education.

Here's more info on the challenge and other giveaway opportunities.

Stay tuned for more info on TJAs Homecoming plans!

Alumni Leadership Conference Recap (part two)

2011-11-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

To figure out what we're talking about, go to Part One.

As promised, this is the post detailing the breakout sessions featured at the 2011 Alumni Leadership Conference. TJA Members decided to split up and each attend a different session so that everything would be covered adequately.

Parliamentarian Janine attended the session entitled "Personalizing Communications in the Internet Era", which featured four panelists:

Dr. Mitchell Lew (President-Elect, USC Alumni Association and Past President, USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association)
Suzzanna Martinez (VP of Communications, USC Alumni Club of Colorado)
Meribeth Farmer (Regional Board Chair, USC Alumni Clubs of the Bay Area, Past President, USC Alumni Club of the East Bay)
Cheryl Collier (Senior Director, Alumni Communications and Marketing of the USC Alumni Association)

The panelists talked mainly about utilizing techniques such as e-newsletters, website enhancement and signature events to increase awareness of their clubs, which then translated into higher membership and attendance.

Highly stressed was the person-to-person aspect of the clubs- meeting and thanking each and every person that attended an event, phone calls and personal emails. This face-to-face contact was also mentioned as important to gain sponsorship from companies. Beth Garrett also touched on this during her presentation at the beginning of the conference.

Finally, a string of links were handed out to enhance our online resources:

http://alumni.usc.edu - Fight On!line, the USC online community

http://alumni.usc.edu/groups/us - US Regional Clubs

http://alumni.usc.edu/graphicresources - online repository of template, samples and logos

http://alumnigroups.usc.edu/harris - online Harris training materials

http://alumni.usc.edu/news/newsletters.html - enhanced USConnection

And from our President, Ashley, the following:

I attended the "Sustaining Success" workshop led by Rick Culley. It was an interesting, engaging session that I really enjoyed! Mr. Culley provides consulting services in Leadership Development, Strategic Planning and Executive Coaching, and shared some of his collective expertise with the audience.

His number one tip for sustaining success, was to be strategic, and have a big picture view of your organization. This should include a vision, mission and goals, as vision is what inspires people. He also emphasized some qualities of effective leaders, which includes having integrity, first and foremost. A leader is someone who has followers, and once you are a leader, you must also focus on developing the people who work with and for you.

We concluded the session with some great networking tips called the "three cards". The three cards are comprised of the Greeting, Business and Playing cards. When in a networking situation, you should lead with your Greeting card (who you are), follow with the Business card (what you do) and then the Playing card (why you are there, what you have to offer). The audience practiced these tips, and it really worked!

Overall it was a very engaging and informative discussion led by a dynamic USC alumnus.

Trojan League Happenings

2011-11-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

Two events from Trojan Leagues:

Bosko's Band Barbeque

before the UCLA game

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

Located at the Coliseum Opposite Tunnel 2 in the fenced area (Gates open at 2pm / kickoff at 7pm)

Great food, including "Top Secret Trojan Tri Tip" a la Johnston / Casa Herrera / Norton

Farmer John's Official Hot Dog of LA - bacon wrapped or naked

Bartner's Brats, Barbara's Baked Beans and Kiffin's Koleslaw

Chicken and vegan requests are available!

Includes...a FULL OPEN BAR serving Bottomless Booze!

A Special Appearance by the Trojan Marching Band and the Song Girls for a 15-minute Concert to get us in the mood for the Game!

Minimum donation is $40 per person (Children under 10 are $10 and under 5 are free)

For information: Directors Rex and Sandy Johnston at (562) 628-9948 and rexsr@aa1services.com

and

Trojan League Associates of San Diego County Annual Day Trip to

Bowers Museum in Santa Ana

"Terra Cotta Warriors"

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

8:15 am - board bus at La Costa Park N Ride

4:40 pm - approximate return to San Diego

Cost Per Person: $85.00

Includes transportation by luxurious bus, elegant lunch and guided tour of the museum.

Reservation must be received by November 30th, 2011

Send check made out to TLASDC to:

Kathy Strumm

P.O. Box 244

Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067

November Events

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

There's lots going on for USC alumni this month. Here's a closer look.

November 2 - Ronald Tutor Campus Center Ballroom, University Park Campus
A WOUNDED WARRIOR'S EXPERIENCE AND PHYSICAL REHABILITATION
Join members of the community and USC veterans for a colloquium featuring Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) Leroy Petry and his physician, Dr. James Ficke.

November 3 – Bovard Auditorium, University Park Campus
LINES Ballet
The Bay Area's celebrated contemporary dance company presents two signature works, Rasa and Refraction.

November 6 – San Antonio Winery, Los Angeles
THE BUSINESS OF WINE IN CALIFORNIA
Enjoy a tour, tasting and panel discussion with Trojans who grow, make and market world-class wines.

November 2 – 23 - Online
WEBINAR: CREATING SUCCESS IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE
Learn about doing business globally and update your best practices through this USC Marshall Executive Education online seminar.

November 17 – Student Union, University Park Campus
LEVERAGING YOUR SKILLS AS A CONSULTANT
Learn how to create a steady stream of entrepreneurial income and establish your brand as an independent consultant.

Fight On! with the Weekenders!

2011-10-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

Looking to cheer on 'SC at our away game? Look no further, because the Alumni Association brings you:

To purchase complete 2011 Weekender travel and event packages through our Weekender travel partner, Pleasant Holidays, CLICK HERE

For event information and to purchase a-la-carte event tickets, CLICK HERE

Fight On, 'SC!

TGJAOC WIne SCocial!

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

USC Town & Gown Junior Auxiliary of Orange County

cordially invites you to attend its

Wine SCocial

Saturday, November 5, 2011
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

OC Wine Mart

2272 Michelson Drive #100

Irvine, CA 92612

$40 per person includes wine tasting card and heavy appetizers.

All proceeds benefit the TGJAOC Scholarship Fund which provides USC scholarships to students from Orange County.

RSVP today at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=bwv8jddab&et=1108128991699&s=8125&e=001ikThoGKr6MmABg4sbYGUAd-y1Z8f6ZZQYd5KavFh6s8eBFtlzzAsmbFCQNW20QI9sa548ws_qmCYNqVoESDuRLOXOwm_-vcmzlqs1sY5EQ4K7Yjmq9nnTOGJBlVMLTnvEp_s94v9UFw=.

For questions or more information, email membership@usctgjaoc.org.

USC Football plays on Friday, November 4, but college football will be on at the event.

USC Town & Gown Junior Auxiliary of OC is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.

About USCTGJAOC

TGJAOC is a women's group of alumnae and supporters of USC who make a difference in the life of the university and its students through annual scholarships while forming lifelong friendships and benefitting from professional networking. TGJAOC has raised and awarded over a half-million scholarship dollars since 1969 through our annual benefit. Come to one of our great events to see what we're all about, meet our members and learn why we have such a great Trojan network!

E-mail us

Visit us online

Find us on Facebook

Join us on LinkedIn

USCTGJAOC Wants YOU!

TGJAOC has been giving back to USC while bringing together OC women for over 40 years. Give back, get connected, with TGJAOC.

Here's why you want to be a part of TGJAOC:

Give back to the university you love
Support current and future OC students at USC
Meet like-minded Trojan women near you in all stages of life

(new grads, just married, first-time moms, new jobs and more!)

Network with a young group of OC professionals
...and have FUN doing it!

Email membership@usctgjaoc.org for more information
on joining our group.

Trojan Club of San Pedro-Peninsula Band Dinner‏

2011-10-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Come support the Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe, The Spirit of Troy, The University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band.

WHAT: 18th Annual Trojan Club "Beat The Bruins" Dinner

WHEN: Monday, November 21, 2011 (Monday before UCLA football game)

TIME: 6:00 p.m. Cocktails and Holiday Boutique, 7:00 p.m. Dinner

WHERE: Fort MacArthur, San Pedro

HOW MUCH: $55 per person for members of USC Athletic Support Groups ($65 for non-members)

IMPORTANT: All attendees must be pre-registered and on the admission list at the Fort MacArthur base gate. Government issued photo ID is required for everyone entering the base, so please come prepared.

Join the Trojan Club of San Pedro-Peninsula for a night of fun and excitement as we prepare to BEAT The bRuins!!!

Once again the Trojan Club is hosting a fun filled evening in support of the Trojan Marching Band, this year in the elegant ballroom at historic Fort MacArthur in San Pedro.

Enjoy the entertainment of Art Bartner, the Spirit of Troy and the world famous USC Song Leaders as we get ready to CRUSH ucla once again on Saturday the 26th.

Our holiday boutique will feature band merchandise including Barbara Bartner's Spirit of Troy jewelry line, as well as collections from selected USC Alumnae groups. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to get an early start on shopping for your favorite Trojans this holiday season.

Dinner proceeds will support the Trojan Marching Band and USC Athletics.

We look forward to seeing you as we get ready to BEAT the bRuins for the fifth straight year!!!

FIGHT ON!!!

The Third Annual TJA Pumpkin Carving 2011

2011-10-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hi ladies! It's that time again when the weather goes slightly insane and the ladies of TJA get together to carve pumpkins!! Lucky for us we had plenty of sunshine and cool weather to get our pumpkin on.

Nine lovely ladies (plus one cute pup) got together at Roxbury Park in Beverly Hills, snacked on Halloween-themed Oreos and cupcakes (and some fruit to be healthy, of course) and carved some pumpkins!

Member Meredith and Secretary Charlotte got there early thanks to carpooling (way to save the Earth, ladies!) and promptly started on their pumpkins.

Charlotte proceeds to Vaseline her pumpkin in an effort to stave off the rotting process.

Members Janel and Stephanie also carpooled with Parliamentarian Janine to the event, also helping in saving the Earth. They had a great time carving spooky and/or cute pumpkins. With jagged teeth, which was a big theme this year, by the way. That and the classic jack-o-lantern shape was very popular with the ladies.

Obligatory pumpkin portraits:

A few girls showed up a little later, but still got in on the fun with the cutest, tiniest pumpkins ever! We were all having flashbacks to the First Annual Pumpkin carving, with Dawn's petit pumpkin amongst the rest of our monster-sized ones. We've wised up since then.

New Member Christina free-handed stars all over her pumpkin.

More pumpkin portraits (and Dawn in her signature orange apron)!

And, don't worry, we wouldn't leave you without the infamous line-up!

Patrons Chair Logielyn art directing the scene, making sure all pumpkins look their best.

The triumphant ladies with their perfect pumpkins!

Beat the Ducks Rally

2011-10-21T15:53:00.001-07:00

Personalizing Breast Cancer Care

2011-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

USC Norris Women’s Cancer Event:

Personalizing Breast Cancer Care

Saturday, October 22, 2011

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

USC Health Sciences Campus - Mayer Auditorium

1975 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033

This special day will begin with a breakfast reception and end with tours of screening, patient care and research facilities. Please join the USC Norris family of cancer survivors and friends, women committed to the cancer cause, physicians and staff for an exciting day of education and fellowship.

This multi-disciplinary half-day conference will update you on personalized approaches for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. USC experts will discuss:

Topic	Presenter
Patient Experience	Diana Chingos; Patient Advocate and Breast Cancer Survivor
Personalized Screening	Pulin Sheth, MD; Director of Breast Imaging
I have Cancer: What is Next?	Stephen Sener, MD; Chief of Surgical Oncology
State-of-the-Art Tailored Genetic Risk Assessment, Prevention and Medical Treatment	Debu Tripathy, MD; Co-Leader of the Women’s Cancer Research Program
Survivorship – What are the Best Surveillance, Nutrition, and Exercise Approaches	Christy Russell, MD; Co-Director of Norris Breast Center / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Research: Contributions to Current and Future Breast Cancer Treatments	Michael Press, MD, PhD; Co-Leader of the Women’s Cancer Research Program

Hosted parking available at the Biggy Lot at Zonal Avenue and Biggy Street.

Networking Madness

2011-10-18T21:38:00.001-07:00

At the October meeting it was all about networking. Programs Chair Mary Jayne organized a speed networking exercise that was all about encouraging the ladies of TJA to practice networking by getting to know each other. Girls sat around the large board meeting table at the USC Widney Alumni House and proceeded to ask each other questions carefully prepared by our Programs Chair. After three minutes, every other person rotated around the room. Ladies were encouraged to bring and share business cards to help us get to know each other.

Here are some photos and a few top networking tips:

5 Networking Tips

Ask open-ended questions
Follow up with contacts by connecting on LinkedIn
Write thank you notes!
Remember that networking is a 2-way street. It's about what you can do for those you meet, as much as it is about what they can do for you.
Pay attention to body language and make eye contact.

Career Management Webinar

2011-10-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Innovation at USC

2011-10-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

-----------------------------

NEWSBITES

-----------------------------

USC Innovation was Featured on the Cover of Los Angeles Business Journal
The LA Business Journal published a special report on Innovation and Technology Transfer, featuring USC, Caltech, and UCLA. The article highlighted the history of USC Stevens Institute for Innovation and featured three USC startups: Guide Vest, Cred.fm and Ninja Metrics.

USC Joins Universities in Southern California to Produce Cleantech Businesses
USC, Caltech and UCLA partnered to receive a $360,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a national business plan competition for young cleantech entrepreneurs. The winning proposal is one of six awarded regionally as part of a three-year, $2 million program. First Look West (FLoW) will also include Chapman University, the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, energy company OnGreen, Inc. and student leaders from campus groups to introduce research and innovation to investors. FLoW will engage student groups in all aspects of the business plan competition, from creating, managing and participating in the competition to potentially screening and assessing future opportunities.

USC Represented at LA Cleantech Incubator Launch
Six professors from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering represented USC at the LA Cleantech Incubator Launch early this month. The Cleantech Incubator Launch was created to accelerate the development of cleantech start-ups and to help build a stronger green economy in Los Angeles. Find out more about the LA CleanTech Incubator Launch here.

USC Student Wins Biggest Scholarship in Science and Engineering
Simca Bouma, a USC senior majoring in mathematics and physics, won the Astronaut Scholarship, the biggest monetary award given in the United States to science and engineering undergraduates merely on merit. Simca was presented with the award by USC alumus and US Astronaut Hall of Fame inductee, Jerry Carr.

USC Dornsife Professor Nominated as Candidate for the Nobel Prize
Richard Easterlin of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & Scienes is a candidate for the Nobel Prize based on his economics of happiness. Easterlin is a pioneer in this new type of economics, having discovered what is known as the "Easterlin paradox," that when examined over a period of time an increase in income does not bring an increase in happiness.

Obama Administration Announced Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge Winners
The Obama administration announced the winners of the $37 million Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, a multi-agency competition launched in May to support the advancement of 20 high-growth regional industry clusters. These partnerships are expected to create more than 4,800 jobs and 300 new businesses. Learn more here.

Research at USC Studies the Competitve Natures of Groups
Giorgio Coricelli of the USC Dornsife College featured his research which monitored brain activitiy as test subjects won and lost lotteries. The research showed more activity when a subject beat a peer than when they won on their own, showing that social reasoning causes people to take more risks when in groups and fewer when alone.

--------------------------------------

KEEP UP WITH TEDxUSC

--------------------------------------

TWO MORE TEDxUSC TALKS AVAILABLE NOW!

Dale Dougherty - Do-it-Yourself
Make is one of the simplest verbs. Dale Dougherty, the editor and publisher of MAKE magazine, demonstrates just how basic creations can be and encourages the viewers to "do-it-yourself" by walking them through basic innovations. Watch Dales' talk from TEDxUSC here.

Andrew McGregor - Citizen Journalism
Andrew McGregor talks about his not-for-profit The Tiziano Project, which brings teachers into developing countries to teach citizens basic journalism skills. The Tiziano Project has encouraged these people to become reporters for news sources such as Reuters and share their stories from a grassroots level. The Tiziano Project was recently awarded the 2011 Online Journalism Award for Community Collaboration. Watch the video here.

USC Alum's Tiziano Project Chosen Over CNN and NPR For Excellence Community Collaboration
The Tiziano Project, started by USC Alum Andrew McGregor, won the 2011 Online Journalism Award for "Community Collaboration," over CNN Digital and NPR's Andy Carvin. The Tiziano Project is an all-volunteer organization that strives to develop and encourage collaborative journalism on a global scale. Learn more about the Tiziano Project here.

TEDxUSC 2011 Speaker Selected as TEDxTalks Editor's Pick
Jose Antonio Rosa, who presented in TEDxUSC 2011, was selected as one of the TEDxTalks Editor's Pick for a week. Rosa explains his experiences living with communities that live on less than $2 a day and the innovative practices these communities use to survive. Watch the video here.

TEDxManhattan Beach "Transforming Learning" October 22
TEDxMB will host a conference on "Transforming Learning" to explore the future, explain the need for installing updated laboratories in middle schools, and present the case for a hybrid high school that is open 7 days a week. There will also be sixteen breakout activities focused on innovative ideas in education. Buy your tickets here.

TEDxLAMiracleMile "Fabric As a Medium For Beauty" October 22
TEDxLAMiracleMile will take place in Venice, CA on October 22. It will examine the way we express beauty in different ways, through different fabrics. Click here for tickets.

TEDxSummit to Take Place in Qatar in April
TEDxWWW is now TEDxSummit, a week-long event exclusively for TEDx Organizers, and will take place April 16-20, 2012 in Doha, Qatar. TEDxSummit will consist of workshops, TEDTalks, brainstorming, special events, collaborative projects and more! Learn more here.

---------------------------------------------

INNOVATOR OPPORTUNITIES

---------------------------------------------

Below is a selection of grants and other opportunities for USC innovators. To find more programs, check out: http://stevens.usc.edu/be_opportunities.php

2011 USC Student Innovator Showcase - Call for Applications Open Deadline to Apply - October 16 at 11:59PM
Experience cutting-edge innovation at the 2011 USC Student Innovator Showcase and Competition! Hosted each year on the opening day of Trojan Family Weekend, this celebration of creativity gives parents and students alike a highly interactive glimpse into the imaginations of USC student innovators and a sneak peak at tomorrow's world. Apply today!

Kauffman Foundation Expands Global Scholars Program Deadline Oct 17
Do you have an innovative business idea in a science, technology or engineering field? The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is expanding its Global Scholars Program to include up to 10 recent graduates from US colleges and universities. Apply here!

----------------------------------------

INNOVATION EVENTS

----------------------------------------

For more innovation events, check out the USC Stevens' event calendar: http://stevens.usc.edu/calendar.php

CRUNCH Workshop October 13
CRUNCH workshops, hosted by the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, are collaborative, interactive, and fun events designed to inspire you! This month's CRUNCH workshop is "Buring the Midnight Oil." Learn how to develop in iOS for iPhone and iPad apps. Find out more about CRUNCH here.

Los Angeles Premeire of Short Film Written and Directed By USC Alumnus October 16
USC alumnus Andrew McGregor is premiering the short film "Playing with Dolls," that he wrote and directed, at the Silent Movie Theatre in Hollywood. Join the cast and crew, including Daniel Franzese of "Mean Girls, for a BBQ and film festivity! "Mean Girls" and "Bully" will also be screened.

LES 2011 Annual Meeting October 16-19
The Licensing Executive Society will host their annual event at the Grand Hyatt in San Diego to exchange best practices and hands-on experience with thought leaders and professionals. Over 1,000 intellectual property, licensing, strategy, technology transfer and business development professionals will attend from all industries to discuss LES's 2011 theme of creating opportunities in turbulent business and legal environments.

The Atlantic Meets the Pacific: At the Horizon of Technology, Energy and Health October 17-19
This three-day forum in La Jolla at the Scripps Seaside Forum focuses on cutting-edge ideas shaping our future with a special emphasis on three topic terrains: technology in the globalizing world, energy, and health. The event features interaction between business and thought leaders, exclusive visits to groundbreaking research labs and interactive laboratories at the Salk Institute, the Scripps Research Institute, the Sanford-Burnham Institute, UC San Diego's Moores Cancer Center, and new media and science centers at CalIT2 and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. To register, click here.

Mindshare Los Angeles Movie Screening October 26
Join Mindshare LA for a screening of Magic Trip: Ken Kesey's Search for a Kool Place by Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood. The film will reveal real life footage of Ken Kesey's legendary cross-country trip on the Magic Bus in 1964, which inspired the novel The Eclectic Kool-Aid Acid Trip by Tom Wolfe.

USC Student Innovator Showcase October 28
The annual USC Student Innovator Showcase, hosted by the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation, demonstrates the creative thinking and pragmatic solutions to everyday issues that students are creating at USC. The showcase has featured students from 16 different schools at USC, from cinematic arts to engineering. Find out more about the USC Student Innovator Showcase here.

Sustainability & the Global Clean-Tech November 3
Join the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Young Professionals in a riveting panel discussion with many of clean tech industry's leaders. Sarah Backhouse, the TV host of Future 360, will moderate the event. Find out more and purchase tickets here.

Apply Now for Trojan Hack – The First 24 Hour Hackathon At USC February 4
Students from any university in the Los Angeles area can team up and compete to see which school really has the best programmers and entrepreneurs at the first ever Trojan Hackathon! The event is hosted by the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation. Find out more here.

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FEATURED INNOVATORS

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USC Stevens Ideas Empowered Member Selected by Innovator Corps
Ellis Meng of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering was selected as one of 21 teams by the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps to receive $50,000 to assess the commercial readiness of their technology concepts. Meng's research focuses on "Establishing an innovation ecosystem for technology transition of MEMS-based drug infusion pumps." Meng was a member of the Class of 2010 of the Ideas Empowered program by the USC Stevens Institute of Innovation. Learn more about Ellis Meng here.

USC Alumnus Launches MyCourthouse
USC Gould alumnus, Mitch Spierer, is launching MyCourthouse, a professional network for law schools & students. MyCourthouse provides a number of tools specifically for the legal profession – document sharing, event scheduling, and secure messaging – so that law students can leverage the benefits of social networking in a professional environment with tools made specifically for them. Learn more about MyCourthouse here.

Ready, Set, Pink!

2011-10-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Meet the Doctors of the
Lee Breast Center of the
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Debasish Tripathy, MD
Co-Leader, Women's Cancer Program

Christy A. Russell, MD
Director of USC Norris Breast Center

Stephen F. Sener, MD
Chief, Breast & Soft Tissue Surgery Division,
Department of Surgery

This Thursday, October 20
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Bloomingdale’s in Century City
59th & Lex Restaurant on 2
10250 Santa Monica Boulevard

Please RSVP to:
deriane@usc.edu or (323) 865-0700

Enjoy a breakfast reception with our special guest doctors followed by an exclusive presentation by jewelry designer Coralia Leets featuring a preview of her Fall-Holiday Collection Trunk Show.

Through this event Bloomingdale’s is celebrating the work of breast cancer researcher, Michael Press, MD, PhD of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center who was selected as the recipient of a grant made possible by the generosity of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Bloomingdale’s customers nationwide.

USC Global Conference

2011-10-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

The 2011 USC Global Conference in Hong Kong starts tomorrow. This sold-out event from October 13-15, will gather leading experts from USC and throughout Asia to examine global challenges and potential opportunities due to our increasingly interconnected world. Conference themes include global technology, the economy, health and the environment. It promises to be an exciting, relevant and thought-provoking meeting.

Click here to follow news and events from the USC Global Conference.

Work It

2011-10-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

The USC Career Center, in partnership with the USC Alumni Association, is offering a number of professional development opportunities this fall. Here's a look at what's coming up.

MyWorkster Multi-University Career Fair

October 14, 2011

11:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Loyola Marymount University, University Hall, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045

For more information and to register, please visit the following website:

http://www.myworkster.com/myworkster/

Orange County Alumni Employer Mixer

November 9, 2011

6:00- 8:00 p.m.

USC Orange County Center, Irvine, CA

For more information and to register, please visit the following website:

http://careers.usc.edu/alumni

Leveraging Your Skills as a Consultant

November 17, 2011

6:00-8:00 p.m

USC University Park Campus Student Union Room B3

http://careers.usc.edu/eventcalendar/events/index.php

RSVP today! For more info contact the USC Career Center at 213.740-9111.

Welcome ladies!

2011-10-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

TJA welcomes more than 15 new members for the 2011-2012 year and we've gotten a chance to know several ladies at our fall meetings. Some of the new members (pictured above) include:

Leslie, '08, an amateur cake decorator with a degree in architecture

Heather, '07, who graduated with an MA in architecture and is a proud member of the Trojan Family and Red Sox nation

Danielle, '07, a BFA Theater grad who recently returned from a trip to Fiji

Emily, '10, who holds a BA in communication and has lived in more than 10 cities

Christina, '04, a former ballet dancer with a BA in IR/business

Sadef, '08, who recently took the California Bar Exam and graduated with degrees in English and biology

Mei, '08/'09, who holds both a BS and an MA in mechanical engineering from USC

Megan, '08, a graduate of the cinematic arts program who spent time last year in Africa caring for injured animals.

More Great Alumni Benefits!

2011-10-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

USC alumni can now get two world-class products at a special discount from Experian®, a global leader in credit and identity protection. ProtectMyID™ includes daily credit monitoring, scanning of the Internet for fraudulent use of your information, dedicated Fraud Resolution Agents and more. FreeCreditScore.com™ provides access to your Experian PLUS Score, Score Monitoring and Alerts to see how your score changes and understand how your score works and more.

Celebrating the enduring legacies of more than 160 musical genres, the GRAMMY Museum has partnered with the USC Alumni Association to offer Trojans a backstage pass to a world of intimate performances, fascinating lectures and special events — at 20% off select membership packages. Enjoy a range of great benefits, including free admission to the GRAMMY Museum for one year; preferred ticketing to museum-hosted programs, events and performances; a free subscription to the member e-zine On The Record; and much more! Click here for details!

Featured Partners

What are you paying for insurance? Liberty Mutual offers USC alumni special discounted rates. Find out more about Liberty Mutual home and auto insurance here.

Marsh offers USC alumni a wide range of group insurance plans, including term life, short-term medical, catastrophe major medical and even pet insurance. Details here.

Check Out More Great Alumni Offers

	Thinking about graduate school? Stop thinking and start doing! The new GRE began August 1, so be prepared. Kaplan will make your application stand out with the best graduate school test preparation available. Discounts available here.
	Hey, Trojan football fans, we make it easy to attend the USC Weekenders! As the official travel provider for all the 2011 away games, we’ve tailored great event packages, including transfers, pep rallies, tailgate parties and more. We can also book your air and arrange additional hotel nights to stretch your Weekender into a great vacation. Just click here!
	With our great deals and low rates for USC alums, Trojans save big when they hit the road! Visit us either online or on campus at our new desk in the Trojan Transportation office.
	USC alumni enjoy special rates with K, a hand-picked collection of one-of-a-kind hotels worldwide. Grab your friends and experience a fun weekend getaway in Las Vegas, San Francisco, South Beach, Anaheim or Los Angeles. Or take a trip of a lifetime to one of our captivating hotels in Hawaii, Costa Rica or Europe. For availability, special offers and other participating locations, visit us online!
	You deserve peace of mind when you travel; fortunately, USI Travel Insurance Services offers a flexible insurance plan to Trojan travelers. With benefits like trip cancellation, medical evacuation and baggage loss or delay, Travel Insurance Select® has you covered. Visit us online today!
	University Gateway offers luxurious student housing just steps from the USC campus and is the premier housing choice for your Trojan! Refer a student who signs a lease and receive a FREE CRUISE FOR TWO! Fight On!
	Trojan alums, start your engines! USC Credit Union makes it easy and convenient to upgrade to a new, fuel-efficient car, get a good pre-owned model or refinance the vehicle you already own! With no application fee and rates as low as 2.49%, if you can find a better deal... take it! Apply online for the fastest loan! Not a member? Not a problem. Click here.
	Choose the USC Visa® WorldPoints® credit card. Learn more details about this offer or apply now for the USC Visa credit card.
	USC Hospitality offers USC alumni an exclusive discount on our new Wedding Collection Portfolio. For more information on Weddings at USC and our other full-service catering options, please call (213) 740-5956 or visit us online.
	Mortgage rates have fallen to all-time lows! Shea Mortgage's "Friends & Family" promotion offers USC alumni the opportunity to save $1,500-$2,000 in closing costs and access today's historic low rates (on a purchase or refinance). For straightforward and honest mortgage advice, call your Shea Mortgage loan representative at (866) 755-7002 or contact us online.
	Looking for career development? Gain new skills through USC Marshall Executive Education courses. Instantly useful and applicable, the courses run two to four days, in-person or online. Details here.
	USC Norris Cancer Hospital celebrates breast cancer awareness month in October. Join us by purchasing specially designed t-shirts to support breast cancer research at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. You can also make a donation here. For a breast cancer cure – Fight On!
	The Episcopal Home Communities (TEHC) understands the importance of continuing to grow, learn and flourish, regardless of age. TEHC is one of the premier providers of an active, engaged retirement lifestyle in Southern California, with two established communities — The Canterbury in Rancho Palos Verdes and The Covington in Aliso Viejo — and a third, Monte Cedro, currently being developed in Altadena. For special USC alumni discounts, click here!
	The next generation of USC Trojans will be in college before you know it. This fall, start saving for their future with ScholarShare, California’s 529 College Savings Plan. It's a simple, smart and flexible way to save for a child's education, and you can begin with as little as $15 a month. Learn more about how to open your ScholarShare account today.

Uncommon Conversations at Dornsife Commons

2011-10-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

Since 2009, The Dornsife Commons has been fostering conversations across disciplinary boundaries with series including The Darwin Revolution, 1859-2059; Maps and Measures: On the Boundaries of What We Know and Rethinking the Human. Each of these series explored ways of redefining our modern world and asked what it means to be human.

This year’s theme, Brilliant Mistakes: Or, The Uses of Failure, Wandering, and Experimentation, allows us to explore what nobody ever talks explicitly about: how fruitful mistakes are, and how results that are disastrous can be so thought-provoking. From the rise and fall of empires to the reprogramming of the human memory to what could be our greatest failure yet, death — these events permit us to analyze what we don’t know, what we get wrong, and how productive errors can be.

USC Dornsife faculty and The Dornsife Commons committee have organized a series of conversations and events that will challenge and provoke. We encourage all members of the USC community, the Trojan Family and the greater Los Angeles community to come together to push forward the boundaries of knowledge.

Please join us at the events that are centered on this year’s theme of Brilliant Mistakes.

Facing our Final Failure: How to Talk About Death and Dying
October 4, 2011, 4-6 p.m.
Dohney Memorial Library 240

Signs of Life: Decoding the Dead Body
October 11, 2011, 4-6 p.m.
Doheny Memorial Library

Empires of the World
November 29, 2011, 4-6 p.m.
Doheny Memorial Library 240

The Arts of Resistance
January 31, 2012, 4-6 p.m.
Doheny Memorial Library 240

(Re)collections: Trauma, Collective Memory, and the Archive
February 10, 2012, 3-5 p.m.
Shoah Foundation Institute and Leavey Library Learning Rooms A and B
February 11, 2011, 10-4 p.m.
Doheny Memorial Library 240

The Disciplines of Empire
March 6, 2012, 4 – 6 p.m.
Doheny Memorial Library 240

In addition to the above mentioned events, there are even more discussions that take place. For instance, October 20th and 25th will both feature discussions on the 2011 Nobel Awards. Field trips are also included: the Getty Villa on January 26th, 2012 and Mount Wilson Observatory on April 20th, 2012.

Be sure to go to dornsife.usc.edu/tdc for more information and an updated schedule of events!

Bliss!

2011-09-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

More than 20 TJA ladies invaded Bliss Spa Hollywood Tuesday for an evening of pampering. Although no one opted for a cardinal and gold look, the $10 mini manicures were a hit. Almost every spot for the $10 massages was filled and the complimentary oxygen blasts and skin care consultations were also popular.

Champagne, infused water, and an assortment of goodies including cheese and crackers and the famous Bliss brownies helped make the evening a real treat. More than one member walked out with product or an appointment to come back for another service.

Bliss Spa Hollywood is located at the W Hotel in Hollywood and includes more than 6,000 square feet of treatment and boutique space.

Thanks to Social Chair Dawn for organizing a wonderful event! To see more photos check out TJA on Facebook!

The Campaign for USC

2011-09-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed the Celebration for the Campaign for the University of Southern Califonira, you can view a video of the presentation right here!

The Campaign for the University of Southern California is a multi-year effort to secure $6 billion or more in private support from individual donors, foundations and corporations. This campaign is the largest and most important in USC's history—one that will touch and transform every aspect of the university. Achieving our ambitious goals will require unprecedented support from donors at all levels throughout the entire Trojan Family.

Learn more about the campaign: http://campaign.usc.edu/

Game Watching with SGV

2011-09-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hi gang! In advance of tonight's game watching party with the USC Alumni Club of San Gabriel Valley, here are some photos from last week's game against Syracuse.

Over 60 people came to watch the game at El Cholo's Cafe in Paseo Colorado (that's Pasadena, btw). We took over one of the patios and the inside room, both equipped with large flat screen TVs. The special margaritas were a hit, too!

TJA was fortune enough to have a products display table and we sold a few items during the game! Thanks to Randyn and the SGV club for letting us sell there, and thanks to El Cholo's for letting 'SC take over their restaurant for a couple of hours.

Check out tonight's game watching party at El Cholo's Cafe with our USC Trojans versus the ASU Sun Devils! More information in the post below and we hope to see you there!

USC vs ASU Game Watching Party!

2011-09-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

This will be the first game watching party where the USC Trojans will be playing away from home. We expect to see everyone not traveling to Tempe to come out to El Cholo for our game watching party! teh USC Alumni Club of San Gabriel Valley be there starting at 6:30 p.m. Seating is first come, first served, but TJA members will have reserved seating with a response on the Evite. We've got two large areas reserved, so there should be plenty of space for everyone.

As usual, El Cholo will graciously be donating10% of proceeds from dinner and drinks to our SCholarship Fund! We will also be selling some of our products to raise additional funds. Grab a mug, koozie, keychain or grocery tote! Trojan Junior Auxiliary will also be there selling items such as their ever-popular garden gnomes, dog bandanas and infant onesies! So cute!

Located in the Paseo Colorado
260 East Colorado Blvd., Suite 203
Pasadena, CA 91101

Try the Trojan Margarita created by El Cholo specially for us!
Half mango, half strawberry-- only $5.50 (regular $8.50)

RSVP not necessary, but very much appreciated so we can reserve enough space. Those who RSVP will have guaranteed seating. Let us know how many are in your party!

TJA members can RSVP on the Evite that was sent out earlier. For all other RSVP's: via phone/text (626) 872-5184 or e-mail fighton@uscclubsgv.org

Innovation at USC

2011-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

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KEEP UP WITH TEDxUSC
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TWO MORE TEDxUSC TALKS AVAILABLE NOW!

Sleeper: Video Jockey Extraordinaire
DJ Sleeper, Video Jockey Extraordinaire, combines new visuals and classic movie scenes to his original rhythms and beats to create an incredibly unique performance. Sleeper was named one of the Top 8 DJs on the planet in the 2006 World Turntable Championship for his ability to remix live and incorporate turntablism into his music. Watch Sleeper TEDxUSC performance here.

Dr. Jill Tarter: The Search for Cosmic Company
Dr. Jill Tarter, Astronomer and Director of the Center for SETI Research at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, explains the technology and significance of NASA's Kepler, which detects when stars "blink" or a planet passes in front of it, and her role in SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. With the use of Kepler, Tarter tells us that there are probably about 50 billion planets in the Milky Way galaxy, of which 500 million are potentially habitable. So, she asks, are we alone? Tarter explains her research with SETI involving new ways to search for biosignatures around these planets that indicate extraterrestrial life. Watch Dr. Tarter's talk here.

TEDxManhattanBeach: September Social September 15
"Ideas worth sharing" is the theme for TEDxMB on September 15th from 6pm to 9pm. Find out how to be more innovative and creative, hear from top innovation thinkers and share your perspective in this fun and inspiring evening. Paul Stromgen, EdD, a retired educator and corporate trainer, Leadership Manhattan Beach alum and TEDxMB volunteer will curate the event. Find out more and sign up here.

TEDxYOUTH Santa Monica September 24
TEDxSantaMonica is partnering with Santa Monica High School to create a TED-like experience for local high school students and adults in the community. The theme of the day is "Define Yourself".

TEDxSAArtists Village in Santa Ana October 1
Santa Ana will host the TEDxSAArtists Village at the historic Yost Theater on October 1 from 9am to 5pm. Curated and produced by Creative Orange County, TEDxAArtistsVillage will examine the meaning and interpretation of "EXTRAordinary," be it unusual, remarkable, common, ordinary, or other. Click here to purchase tickets.

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INNOVATOR OPPORTUNITIES

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Below is a selection of grants and other opportunities for USC innovators. To find more programs, check out: http://stevens.usc.edu/be_opportunities.php

2011 USC Student Innovator Showcase - Call for Applications Open Deadline to Apply - October 11
Experience cutting-edge innovation at the 2011 USC Student Innovator Showcase and Competition! Hosted each year on the opening day of Trojan Family Weekend, this celebration of creativity gives parents and students alike a highly interactive glimpse into the imaginations of USC student innovators and a sneak peak at tomorrow's world. Apply today!

Startup Weekend September 23-25
Startup Weekend is an intense 54-hour event, which focuses on building a web or mobile application that could form the basis of a credible business over the course of a weekend. The weekend brings together people with different skill sets - primarily software developers, graphics designers and business people - to build applications and develop a commercial case around them.

New Film Competition to Link Arts and Sciences at USC
Clifford Johnson, a USC professor of physics and astronomy, developed a new film competition to promote student collaboration across disciplines in order to communicate complex science concepts through different means. With the National Science Foundation grant Johnson received in 2008, the competition will launch this Fall, and the final screening and awards will take place in January. Teams must include one student from a science department, or the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, or the USC Keck School of Medicine, and at least one student from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Small Business Development Center Offers Workshops on Business Skills Next Event - September 22
The Small Business Development Center, hosted by the College of the Canyons, helps prospective and existing small business owners start new businesses, tackle current business challenges, and develop tools and methodologies to successfully manage and grow their business. This month, the SBDC is offering a hands-on workshop to help business owners increase their sales and implement a powerful selling program. Learn more about the Effective Selling workshop and SBDC events here.

Enter the AWS Start-Up Challenge Applications Due - October 2
The annual Amazon Web Services (AWS) Start-Up Challenge is currently accepting entries until October 2, 2011. Eligible start-ups that are using the AWS cloud computing platform can submit an entry which describes their business plan and use of AWS paid services, and could potentially win up to $100,000 in cash and AWS credits. Learn more about the AWS Start-Up Challenge here.

Startup America Announces Launch of New Platform Applications Available Now
Startup America, an organization working to help young companies grow in order to create jobs in America, announced that young companies can now register to become verified Startup American Firms and gain access to resources from more than 35 leading companies. Fourteen new partners, including Dell and LeadMaster, have added another $330 million of private-sector commitments offered by the Partnership. Find out how to become a Startup American Firm here.

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INNOVATION EVENTS
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For more innovation events, check out the USC Stevens' event calendar: http://stevens.usc.edu/calendar.php

USC Body Computing Conference September 23
The Conference will be held on September 23rd, 2011 at the Town & Gown banquet hall on the main USC campus and features the most influential figures in wireless health. The conference is run by USC's Center for Body Computing, a leading center for wireless medicine. The CBC's initiatives include working with the Institute for Communication Technology Management at the USC Marshall School of Business to study how mobile phones can be used in the prevention of illnesses and epidemics; studying the role of social media in healthcare; medical research (the CBC recently authored a study which followed more than 100,000 patients across the United States which found increased survival rates among remotely monitored patients with wireless-enabled devices); and sports (the National Football League has given an award to the Center for Body Computing to study the dynamic heart rate in NFL players).

Lunch & Learn: USC Marshall Society and Business Lab September 27
USC Marshall Society and Business Lab welcomes Mr. Shaheen Sadeghi, CEO of LAB Holding and developer of The Camp, to discuss the business model behind Alternative Retail Development. The meeting is from 12:30p.m. to 1:50p.m. at USC. Lunch will be served. Please RSVP for the event.

NOBE Networking Event October 10
The USC National Organization for Business and Engineering are hosting a networking event on October 10th at the University of Southern California in TCC Room 450 (The Forum). The event will include a 45-minute networking session followed by a 25 minute discussion panel with venture capitalists, Bill Edwards and Pitch Johnson. The event will end with an 80 minute screening of the documentary film, "Something Ventured," which focuses on the venture capital industry in the 1960's and 70's.

Accelerate Global Cleantech Coference October 11-12
Be a part of the two-day conference on October 11-12, the Accelerate Global Cleantech Conference which will inspire entrepreneurs, captivate policymakers, and attract the eyes of the venture capital industry and some of the largest companies in the world. Join the USC Stevens Institute at the world-renowned California Academy of Sciences for two days of entrepreneur showcases, dynamic panels, and keynotes addressing energy, water, food, smart grid, transportation, and waste management at the Accelerate Global CleanTech Conference. Click here to register.

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FEATURED INNOVATORS

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Two USC Students Launch TrueRSVP.com
TrueRSVP, started by two USC undergraduate students, launched this month at DEMO, one of the most noted innovation conferences. Anna Sergeeva and Fei Xiao created this new reservation platform that gives event planners the most accurate estimate of potential attendees. trueRSVP helps event planners save money, find and reward loyal attendees, and decrease stress on the event date. Find out more about the founders of trueRSVP here.

Vote for USC Alumna in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge
Cardborigami, Inc., a non-profit start-up headed by USC Alumna Tina Hovsepian is a finalist in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. Hovsepian was the 2nd place winner of the 2009 Undergraduate Research Symposium presented by the USC Stevens Institute, Cardborigami, Inc. aims to provide portable shelter for the homeless and disaster victims with treated cardboard that is both water and fire-proof. The Pepsi Refresh Challenge allows innovators to submit their ideas with a complete budget and plan in Arts & Music, Communities or Education for a chance to win a grant to fund their innovation. Click here to see Hovsepian's Innovator Profile.

Sanguine Biosciences Started by Two USC Alums
Sanguine Biosciences, started by USC alums Brian Neman and Sascha Hasan, is developing a proprietary DNA database providing researchers with immediate access to DNA sequences and associated medical records through a web-based, pay-to-access DNA and health record library. The company also provides high quality patient biospecimens that are collected through a new, multifaceted collection platform, used to develop biomarkers and biological drugs. Learn more about Sanguine Biosciences and its founders here.

Alumni Leadership Conference Recap (part one)

2011-09-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

This year, the Alumni Leadership Conference featured fellow USC volunteers and alumni group leaders, when hundreds from across the nation and around the world return to campus to fortify their leadership skills, exchange ideas and strengthen their Trojan Family ties. The USC Alumni Association again welcomes volunteer leaders and staff from the university's alumni organizations -- including regional clubs; women's, generational and multicultural groups; school-based organizations; and athletic groups.

Trojan Junior Auxiliary was lucky enough to have remarkable representation at the Conference this year. Current President Ashley lead a group including Past-Presidents Carina and Janine, Special Project Chair Randyn (also attending as the President of the USC Alumni Club of San Gabriel Valley) and new member Megan!

After introductions and presentations by Elizabeth Garrett, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, and Albert R. Checcio, senior vice president for university advancement, the whole conference headed to Bovard Auditorium to celebrate the University Campaign announcement of six billion dollars!

The celebration featured a convocation with USC President C. L. Max Nikias, a message from campaign volunteer leadership, and student and faculty presentations and performances, which were wonderful and awe-inspiring. Musical interludes were performed by the USC Big Band, featuring the significant other of one of our own TJAers! It is a great time to be a Trojan!

For a special treat to cap off the celebration, the Trojan Marching Band entertained the crowd. Then it was time for a picnic lunch in Alumni Park.

The lines of course were very long, but people were eager to get to the hamburgers, greek salad, macaroni and beans provided by USC. There were even ice cream freezers scattered about so everyone could enjoy a treat after lunch!

Finally, the Alumni Leadership Conference continued it's programming with afternoon breakout sessions. Members of TJA split up to experience different ones to report back- those reports will be added later to this blog. They included:

Personalizing Communications in the Internet Era
Events Showcase: Learn How Events Can Maximize Your Mission
Sustaining Success: How to Keep Successful Events and Organizations Fresh and Interesting Year after Year
Leveraging Social Media to enhance Your Communications Strategy

Finally, the afternoon concluded with a Leadership Master Class before guests were excused to leave or join the USC Alumni Association at the Volunteer Recognition Dinner Cocktail Reception located in Town and Gown.

The conference was a great chance to meet other leaders from across the country and see how they handled common problems such as membership retention, fundraising and social events. The members of TJA had a wonderful and informative time and hopefully will be able to implement much of the information we received!

Innovation NewsBites from USC

2011-09-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Two Professors from USC Viterbi School of Engineering Featured on 2011 List of the World's Top Young Innovators
Associate Professor Jernej Barbic and Assistant Professor Bhaskar Krishnamachari of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering were named as two of the World's Top 35 Innovators Under 35 by MIT Technology Review Magazine. USC is one of the only universities with more than one professor featured. Barnic has developed computer simulations that allow users to literally feel what is happening in the virtual world, and Krishnamachari is currently creating smarter wireless networks that can handle mobile devices and interference more efficiently than today's Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Learn more about these top innovators here.

USC Partners with Johnson & Johnson on New Innovation Program
The Johnson & Johnson - USC Translational Innovation Program is kicking off this Fall! This new program was designed to rapidly develop early stage health science and medical technologies through collaborations between academic and industry peers. Johnson & Johnson's Corporate Office of Science and Technology will provide $250,000 over two years to a chosen program developed by USC faculty.

USC Innovation Spurs Economic Growth and Prepares Next Generation of Scientists, Engineers, and Entrepreneurs
The Obama administration's commitment to cross-sector innovation supports USC Stevens Institute for Innovation, a university - wide resource that promotes the development of unique relationships with industry, government, and nonprofits to spur economic development and encourage innovation. During his speech announcing the America Invents Act, President Obama recognized USC as one of the top innovative universities. Through numerous events, grants and programs, USC Stevens is paving the way for innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization of research in a wide array of industries, both on and off campus and for students and professors.

USC Launches Unprecedented Fundraising Campaign
USC President C.L. Max Nikias announced August 28 the university's fundraising campaign, aimed at $5 billion in donations by 2018, on top of the $1 billion given to the school in the last year. The campaign is said to be the largest fundraising goal in American academia. The donations will be used to increase the university's endowment for faculty hiring and student financial aid as well as the construction and improvement of buildings, labs, and research projects.

Impact of US Patent Reform on USC Innovation
President Obama signed into law the most expansive patent reform legislation since 1952. To help clarify how this legislation might affect you, the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation prepared the following summary of highlights of the new law. To read the summary, click here.

Audio Firm Founded by USC Professor Uses Psychoacoustics to Increase Sound Quality
USC Viterbi School of Engineering Professor, and founder and chief technical officer of Audyssey Laboratories, Dr. Chris Kyriakakis, is shaping the sound of music to conform to the space in which it is played. Using psychoacoustics, the study of sound perception by the human auditory system, Dr. Kyriakakis is creating an amplified music experience. Learn more about Audyssey Laboratories here.

Opportunity for Public Comment: NIST Releases Request for Information on AMTech Program Structure COMMENTS DUE September 20
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is soliciting input from the research community through a Request for Information (RFI) on structural recommendations for a new program, the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia Program (AMTech). AMTech is a new public-private initiative proposal intended to increase investments in manufacturing research and development. AMTech aims to address long-term industrial manufacturing needs by supporting industry-led consortia focused on early stage technology development in manufacturing and more efficient technology transfer methods. The Administration requested $12.3 million for AMTech for FY 2012. Learn more and submit comments here.

USC Scientists Probe Connection Between Sight and Touch in the Brain
USC scientists Antonio and Hanna Damasio have discovered that as you look at an object, your brain not only processes what the object looks like, but remembers what it feels like to touch it as well. This connection is so strong that a computer examining data coming only from the part of your brain that processes touch can predict the object at which you are actually looking. Using their research group at the USC Dornsife Brain and Creativity Institute, the Damasios used magnetic resonance brain scans and specially programmed computers to explore how memory and sense interact.

USC Scientists Generate First Detailed Map of Human Neuroreceptor
Making a scientific breakthrough, USC scientists have mapped out the first high-resolution neuroreceptor with the ability to revolutionize the engineering of drugs used to treat ailments such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. The neuroreceptor image shows signals between neurons, particularly in regions of the brain believed to be associated with learning and memory. The images will allow scientists to design specific pharmaceuticals to interact with the receptor instead of using trial-and-error.

USC Marshall's Theresa Welbourne Named New Entrepreneurship Director
Theresa Welbourne, of USC Marshall School's Center for Effective Organizations, was named the Director of the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Administration.

Graphation Film Festival Inspired by Event Hosted By USC Alums
The Graphation Film Festival in Oakland, CA was inspired by a similar event held by USC Alums Andrew McGregor and Josiah Golojuh. The idea of the film festival is to promote new filmmakers and adapt their films into comic books. Find out more about the film festival here.

USC Alumni Association Volunteer Talking Points

2011-09-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

Launch of the Campaign for the University of Southern California

On September 15, USC President C. L. Max Nikias launched the largest fundraising campaign in the history of American higher education. The Campaign for the University of Southern California seeks to raise $6 billion: $3 billion to augment USC's endowment in support of faculty and students and $3 billion to provide immediate support for academic priorities, capital projects and infrastructure.

During his first year as president, C. L. Nikias worked with the Trojan Family to raise a total of $1 billion for the university, including three transformative gifts of more than $100 million each: $200 million from Dana and David Dornsife for the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences; $110 million from Julie and John Mork to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program; and $150 million from the W. M. Keck Foundation to accelerate medical research and education.

General University News

In U.S. News and World Report's 2012 edition of America's Best Colleges, USC is ranked No. 23 overall- up three places from 2009. Several of USC's 18 schools are ranked nationally, like the Rossier School of Education, which just received its highest ranking ever from U.S. News and World Report (14th among best graduate schools), and the Viterbi School of Engineering, which U.S. News and World Report named the 11th best graduate school in engineering.

USC is among the top one percent of all colleges and universities in terms of selectivity- and is becoming increasingly more selective every year. For the fall 2011 semester, USC received nearly 38,000 freshman applications- only 8,450 were admitted. USC enrolls more international students than any other American university.

For the third time in four years (beginning in 2008), USC was named one of 10 "dream colleges" in a Princeton Review survey of students and parents.

Our scholar athletes continue to excel- the USC men's tennis team won the 2011 NCAA championship and our men's water polo team won it's third consecutive national title.

USC Alumni Association News

The USC Alumni Association supports the overall advancement of the university by engaging all alumni for life, building a culture of philanthropy among the Trojan Family, and being the representative voice for all USC alumni.

The USC Alumni Association has made a major investment in reunions programming, adding two more class reunions- 30th year and 40th year- and hiring four dedicated reunion staff to ensure the success of this initiative.

For information on all the programs, benefits and services offered by USC and the USC Alumni Association, please visit http://alumni.usc.edu.

The next installment of Talking Points will be updated November 14th, 2011.

Spirit of Troy Special Events

2011-09-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

The 300 Club

Join The Spirit of Troy this Saturday for a special tailgate celebrating the band's 300th consecutive Trojan Football game attended. To mark the occasion, there will be a special menu and each guest will receive a commemorative pin. This week, the tailgate will be in Associates Park.

RSVP | More Information

To RSVP, download the attached form and fax it to 213.740.7209 or email it to tmb@usc.edu.

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Up Close and Personal with Dr. Bartner

Friday, September 23, 2011
The Clayton on the Park
7343 Scottsdale Mall
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

You're invited to meet the man behind "The Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe," Dr. Art Bartner. With a career spanning more than four decades, this USC legend will share some of the greatest moments in The Spirit of Troy's history.

Featuring a special performance by a select group from the Trojan Marching Band, this musical tribute to Dr. Bartner's career will highlight some of the band's most memorable moments.

$35 admission includes presentation and hosted hors d'oeuvres (cash bar will be available)

RSVP Here

See you soon!

Valley Girls Tupperware Party!

2011-09-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

Trojan League Associates of the Valleys presents for one night only the one and only

DEE W. Ieye

The only drag queen Tupperware Specialist

Direct from her white trailer trash community in Tennessee

Join us for an evening of laughter til you fall off your seat!

Yes, this is a Tupperware party but not your Grandmother’s Tupperware party!

It’s ladies night!!

Monday, October 17th

6:00p.m. General Membership Meeting/Light fare and dessert

7:00p.m. A rip roaring good time at a Tupperware party

Proceeds from the evening sales will benefit our scholarship program (this is a fundraising event so buy buy buy!!). Evening includes 50/50 opportunity drawing and other surprises.

Who to invite? Everyone you have ever known (ex. Mother, daughter, grandmother, daughter in law, sister, neighbor, friend, business associate, prospective new members, anyone else you can think of).

This is not for the blushing bride or the faint of heart (0k it’s not PG-13). But! If you miss this meeting you’ll be sorry, because we’ll be talking about it for the next ten years or more (I’m not kidding!!!!)

Where: Viole Residence 16466 Refugio Rd., Encino 91436

RSVP a must, girl, we need to know how many seats and tasty treats we need! Karen Schiffman E-mail Schiffamily@usa.com or (818) 996-4130 by Oct. 10th

USC Family Day at the Muth

2011-09-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

Click Here to Download PDF and Register

Countdown to Kickoff!

2011-09-01T00:04:00.000-07:00

Raise your 'fight on" if you're ready for Trojan football season. The fun begins this weekend and there will some exciting changes to make game days even better this year. Here's what USC Athletic Director Pat Haden had to say about what's new:

1. Transportation

We have worked to improve traffic flow around Exposition Park and the USC campus on game day. In conjunction with city leaders, the Department of Transportation and a professional traffic consultant, we have developed an integrated traffic plan that will improve traffic flow and ease entry and exit from Coliseum parking lots. You will see more traffic control officers in the streets, improved and increased signage, and a united approach to traffic management.

2. Parking

All parking around the Coliseum is now reserved on a lot-by-lot basis. Each of our support group members have been assigned to a specific lot for the entire season. You will notice more visible parking permits, improved training of parking lot attendants and new lighting and re-surfacing in many of the Coliseum parking lots.

For those fans without an assigned parking lot, we encourage you to park in any USC campus lot or structure.

3. Security

We want your experience at USC football games to be safe and enjoyable. We ask that all of our patrons follow the Trojan Spirit Code, which is based on the simple principle of treating all fans with respect. We will be increasing security patrols in Exposition Park, on campus and in the surrounding community. We also have improved integration between law enforcement agencies, and this year the Coliseum has installed cameras that allow security officers to better monitor the entire venue.

4. Guest Services

We have instituted a new staff training program for our ushers and ticket takers, purchased new uniforms for staff, added guest service booths around the Coliseum, and launched a program that will have game day Ambassadors in Exposition Park. There will be food vendor maps and new gate signs.

5. iPhone App

Prior to the first game we will launch a free iPhone game day application that will provide live stats, traffic feeds and updates, maps, concession information, and other great features. Look for it in the App Store before you head in for the first game.

6. Ticket Transfer

We know sometimes you have schedule conflicts that preclude you from attending every game. When that happens, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to get your tickets to friends or family. Our new Trojan Ticket Transfer program will allow you to electronically send your tickets to whomever will be using your seats that game. They print out new tickets, your old tickets are automatically canceled, and all with no fee. We want all our sold seats used to help create a better home field advantage.

7. Reduced Ticketing Fees and Improved Online Purchasing

We have reduced or eliminated many ticketing fees. Printing tickets at home has been reduced 50% to only $1.50 to encourage you to skip the will call lines. Our ticketing website has been improved with better seat maps, easier navigation, and personalized content based on your ticket purchasing history.

Innovation at USC

2011-08-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

INNOVATION EVENTS
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Accelerate Global Cleantech Summit October 11-12
Be a part of the two-day summit on October 11-12 which will inspire entrepreneurs, captivate policymakers, and attract the eyes of venture capital industry and some of the largest companies in the world.Join the USC Stevens Institute at the world-renowned California Academy of Sciences for two days of entrepreneur showcases, dynamic panels, and keynotes addressing energy, water, food, smart grid, transportation, and waste management at the Accelerate Global Cleantech Summit. Click here to register before August 31 to receive Early Bird Pricing.

USC Body Computing Conference September 23
Registration for the University of Southern California's Fifth Annual Body Computing Conference is now open! The Conference will be held on September 23rd, 2011 at the Town & Gown banquet hall on the main USC campus and features the most influential figures in wireless health. The conference is run by USC's Center for Body Computing, a leading center for wireless medicine. Headquartered at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, the Center for Body Computing works with the School of Cinematic Arts, the Marshall School of Business, the Viterbi School of Engineering and other USC schools to think about, study, and create the future of healthcare. To register for the conference, click here.

Robot-Constructed Cities: USC American Academy in China Hosts DigitalFUTURE Robotics Exhibition in Shanghai August 15 – September 11
How will cities be built in the future? A new exhibition in Shanghai, one of the world's densest cities, offers a tantalizing window into the future of building construction, showcasing robotically fabricated work by international architectural innovators. Using the rapidly developing city of Shanghai as a prototype, the DigitalFUTURE exhibition, designed by USC faculty member Kris Mun, elaborates how digital methods in design and construction have transformed the way cities are built, while also providing an environmentally-friendly, economic and efficient method of construction. Find out more about this exhibition by clicking here.

The Atlantic Meets the Pacific: At the Horizon of Technology, Energy, and Health October 17-19
This three-day forum in La Jolla at the Scripps Seaside Forum focuses on cutting-edge ideas shaping our future with a special emphasis on three topic terrains: technology in the globalizing world, energy, and health. The event features interaction between business and thought leaders, exclusive visits to groundbreaking research labs and interactive laboratories at the Salk Institute, the Scripps Research Institute, the Sanford-Burnham Institute, UC San Diego’s Moores Cancer Center, and new media and science centers at CalIT2 and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. These off-site visits will punctuate two days of one-on-one interviews by Atlantic Senior Editors followed by panel discussions among scholars, reacting to the interviews and engaging questions from the audience. Speakers include Evan Williams and Deepak Chopra. To register, click here.

Step Out Los Angeles – Walk to Fight Diabetes October 2
Join the American Diabetes Association, celebrities, and thousands of walkers at the annual "STEP OUT: WALK TO FIGHT DIABETES" 5k event at the Culver City Media District on Sunday, October 2, 2011. The walk is for the whole family, or for anyone who enjoys the feeling of being part of a community and making a positive difference in the lives of many. To sign up and begin fundraising, click here.

NOBE Networking Event October 10
National Organization for Business and Engineering (NOBE) are hosting a networking event on October 10th at the University of Southern California! The event will include a 45 minute networking session followed by a 25 minute panel discussion with two Silicon Valley venture capitalists, Bill Edwards and Pitch Johnson. This will then be followed by an 80 minute screening of the documentary film, Something Ventured, which details the development of the venture capital industry through the 1960s and 1970s. For more information on the student group, click here.

KEEP UP WITH TEDxUSC
--------------------------------------

TEDxUSC 2011: Jose Antonio Rosa - Hope and Innovation Among the Next Four Billion
Psychologist Jose Antonio Rosa seeks to understand innovation in its purest form. In his research, he lived amongst the four billion people who sustain on less than $2 a day, communities we know little about, and witnessed the way these people make being innovative, experimental, and creative a way of life and incorporate modern market practices into the business of scavenging, whether its testing products or coming up with guarantees. Rosa explains where hope, healthy delusion, and creative deviance come into play when innovating by hand.

TEDxUSC 2011: Josh Kun - Music as Social Action

Professor, author, and music critic Josh Kun is looking at music as a form of social action, particularly for the world’s 213 million migrants alienated by militarized borders. To him, the U.S.-Mexico border is not just a fence or a line on a map, but a sonic structure flooded with messages in music. From sound artists who release the border fences’ acoustic properties to music artists writing songs about migrating to a better world, Kun seeks to explain how music and borders are an opportunity for transnational messaging.

TEDxManhattanBeach August 25
Sign up to attend the August TEDxManhattanBeach, themed Could Computer Games Actually Bring Us a Better Tomorrow? Click here to sign up.

TEDx Southern California Organizer’s Meeting at USC Saturday, September 10
We will join together with local TEDx Organizer’s to share information and insights on hosting a TEDx event. If you have hosted a TEDx event in the past and are interesting in attending this meeting, please email Erin Stumpf at erin@stevens.usc.edu.

Why I joined TJA ...

2011-08-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

USC's Widney Alumni House was the place to be Monday night as dozens of ladies attended the TJA mixer and found out a little bit about what we're all about. The evening was a wonderful chance to meet some new faces and whether or not you were able to join us, watch this space for photos. To find out more about how to join us, contact Membership Chair Michelle Maestas at membership@usctja.com.

Here are a few resons why some of our board members decided to get involved ...

"I joined TJA because it's a great way to stay connected to campus, give back and network with other fabulous alumni."

“After graduating from USC all of my friends moved from Southern California to other parts of the country. I wanted to join TJA to make new friends who were around my age, shared similar interests, and were still in the Los Angeles area. I got everything I wanted! :-)”

"I joined TJA because I wanted a chance to make more girl-friends."

"My No. 1 reason for joining TJA was to connect with awesome fellow Trojans, and I have!"

Mark Your Calendar

2011-08-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

What's on your schedule in the coming months? TJA has a lot planned for the 2011-2012 year. Here's a preview ...

2011-12 Calendar of Events
Membership Mixer - USC Widney Alumni House - August 8, 2011
General Meeting - Tutor Campus Center, USC Main Campus - September 12, 2011
USC Alumni Leadership Conference - USC Main Campus - September 16, 2011
General Meeting - Tutor Campus Center, USC Main Campus - October 10
General Meeting - Tutor Campus Center, USC Main Campus - November 14
TJA Holiday Party - Location TBD - December - December 2011 (date TBD)
Scholarship Application Review and Interviews to select TJA Scholarship Recipients - TBD - USC Main Campus - January, 2012
General Meeting - Tutor Campus Center, USC Main Campus - January 9, 2012
General Meeting - Tutor Campus Center, USC Main Campus - February 13, 2012
USC Women's Conference - USC Main Campus - March 1, 2012
General Meeting - Tutor Campus Center, USC Main Campus - March 12, 2012
General Meeting - Tutor Campus Center, USC Main Campus - April 9, 2012
Spring Benefit - Location TBD - May 2012 (date TBD)
Election Meeting - Off-campus location TBD - May 14, 2012

USC Football Schedule for the 2011-2012 Year!

2011-07-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

KICKOFF TIMES, TV PLANS SET FOR 5 MORE USC FOOTBALL GAMES IN 2011 LA

The kickoff times and television plans for 5 more of USC’s 2011 football games have been determined.

USC’s Sept. 3 season opener against Minnesota in the Coliseum will kick off at 12:30 p.m. PT and will be shown live on ABC.

The Sept. 24 game at Arizona State will kick at 7:15 p.m. MT/PT and will air live on ESPN or ESPN2.

The Oct. 29 home game against Stanford will start at 5 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

USC’s Nov. 12 Homecoming game against Washington in the Coliseum will kick off at 12:30 p.m. PT and will be shown live by either ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or FSN.

USC’s Nov. 19 contest at Oregon will begin at 5 p.m. PT and will be shown live on ABC.

USC previously announced the start times and television information for 3 nationally-televised road games in 2011: the Oct. 13 Thursday night game at California will be shown live on ESPN at 6 p.m. PT, the following week’s Oct. 22 game at Notre Dame will air live on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT and the Nov. 4 Friday night game at Colorado will be televised live on ESPN2 at 7 p.m MT/6 p.m. PT.

Kickoff times and television plans for USC’s 4 remaining 2011 contests, all home games (Sept. 10 vs. Utah, Sept. 17 vs. Syracuse, Oct. 1 vs. Arizona and Nov. 26 vs. UCLA), could be announced in early June.

2011 USC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DATE             OPPONENT                           PLACE                      TIME/TV*Sept. 3            Minnesota                       L.A. Coliseum          12:30 p.m. (ABC)
Sept. 10          Utah                                        L.A. Coliseum          TBA
Sept. 17          Syracuse                                 L.A. Coliseum          TBA
Sept. 24          at Arizona State                      Tempe, Ariz.            7:15 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
Oct. 1             Arizona                                 L.A. Coliseum          TBA
Oct. 13 (Th.) at California                            Berkeley, Calif.        6 p.m. (ESPN)
Oct. 22           at Notre Dame                        South Bend, Ind.       7:30 p.m. (NBC)
Oct. 29           Stanford (Parent’s Weekend) L.A. Coliseum         5 p.m. (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2)
Nov. 4 (Fr.)    at Colorado                             Boulder, Colo.          7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Nov. 12          Washington (Homecoming)   L.A. Coliseum          12:30 p.m. (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/FSN)
Nov. 19          at Oregon                      Eugene, Ore.             5 p.m. (ABC)
Nov. 26          UCLA                                 L.A. Coliseum          TBA

*Game times are subject to change
All times are local to game site

Save the Date!

2011-07-07T12:10:00.001-07:00

2011 USC Alumni Leadership Conference

Save the Date!

Friday, September 16

Join fellow USC volunteers and alumni group leaders for the 2011 USC Alumni Leadership Conference, when hundreds of alumni leaders from across the nation and around the world return to campus to fortify their leadership skills, exchange ideas and strengthen their Trojan Family ties. This year’s ALC includes:

Convocation with USC President C. L. Max Nikias
Briefings from Elizabeth Garrett, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Albert R. Checcio, Senior Vice President, University Advancement
Workshops on communications, sustaining success, promoting a culture of philanthropy and leadership development
Pep Rally and Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner on Friday night

A pre-conference networking opportunity will be available for alumni and volunteer organization leaders on Thursday, September 15.

Online registration will open August 1, 2011.

For additional details, visit http://alumni.usc.edu/leadership
or call Erin Williams at (213) 740-6274.

Photo Flashback: The Diamond Jubilee in Pictures

2011-06-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

The Diamond Jubilee evening celebrated our 75th Anniversary in style and we raised thousands of dollars which will go toward scholarships. Check out the photos and stay tuned for details on all the big plans for the coming year.

Setting up for the Benefit:

Members arrived as early as two hours beforehand in order to get a jump on the preparations.

Member Nancy bought orchids earlier in the day to turn into corsages for TJA members to wear.

Finding enough tables to hold our silent auction items was a challenge!

And, of course, we sold our TJA product at the Benefit.

Our 75th Anniversary's Diamond Jubilee:

All girls held down shifts at the check-in, product and token tables.

Patrons Chair Katie is clearly enjoying her job!

The gaming tables were once again a big hit with the crowd.

President-Elect Ashley and superstar Benefit Chair Maggie pose for a picture!

Members Meredith, Jaymie and Jodie taking their shift at check-in.

New Members Ashley and Janel pose for a picture.

The fabulous ladies of TJA:

TJA's membership for the 2010-2011 year.

And don't forget the Officers too!

Membership Mixer

2011-06-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

Want to get involved as a USC alum, but not sure how?

Check out Trojan Junior Auxiliary!

We invite you to connect with current members

and USC alumnae celebrating Trojan Junior

Auxiliary’s 75th Anniversary. Join our casual

conversation to learn more about TJA’s mission of

Friendship, Scholarship and Leadership.

Trojan Junior Auxiliary Membership Mixer

Monday, August 8, 2011

Check-in begins at 6:30pm

7pm – 9pm

Location: USC Widney Alumni House
**Hosted parking in PSX for those who RSVP**

Please RSVP to Michelle Maestas:

membership@usctja.com

Want to learn more? Check us out on our website, facebook page, blog and twitter pages!

Benefit Success!

2011-06-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

Yamashiro in Hollywood was the place to be for TJA members and friends on Friday, April 29. The Diamond Jubilee evening was a celebration of Trojan Junior Auxiliary's 75th anniversary and approximately 115 guests helped us fulfill our primary mission of Scholarship. The final numbers are still being tallied, but it's clear that the evening raised thousands dollars for the TJA Scholarship fund, providing financial support through scholarships to deserving USC Junior and Senior women. Scholarship recipients exemplify what TJA is all about.

While attendees came to give back, at Yamashiro's that evening it was all about the casino games including back jack and roulette, hors d'oeuvres and the silent auction. The two highest ticket items vacation packages to the Caribbean and to Hawaii, sold for $800 each. Other hot items included: a stay at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, a CSI ultimate fan package including an autographed script and a number of gift certificates to top LA eateries.

Making the most of the stunning Yamashiro location, TJA ladies also showed their flair for fashion. Flashy red heels were a popular choice for more than one member.

All told, the evening was a wonderful capstone to a great year for TJA. Kudos to Benefit Chair Maggie Habib and thanks to all of those who helped make this year's event a stellar one.

Stay tuned for more memorable moments and photos of the event!

USC's Strategic Plan

2011-05-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

What is the way forward for USC? Since 1994, USC's growth has been guided by a series of strategic plans. Each new plan outlined a vision of the university's future and became a focal point for conversations within the university and alumni organizations.

As the current strategic process enters a critical phase, the university is seeking input form all members of the Trojan Family. Please join us at these two upcoming forums to share your thoughts and opinions with our special guest Michael Quick, USC's executive vice provost, and members of the university's strategic planning committee.

You can learn more about USC Strategic Planning at http://strategic.usc.edu

TONIGHT (RSVP here):

May 2, 2011
Time:	6:00PM - 8:00PM PT
Location:	USC Orange County Center 2300 Michelson Drive Irvine, CA 92612

WEDNESDAY (RSVP here):

May 4, 2011
Time:	6:00PM - 8:00PM PT
Location:	The USC University Club 645 West Exposition Boulevard University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 90089-1161

Past Benefits

2011-04-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

Continuing with our jaunt into TJA's past, I now would like to present all of you with a selection of invitations to past Benefits thanks to recent digging in our archives:

1990: A Day at the Races was a common fundraising event for TJA - the group spent at day at Santa Anita Park, complete with a luncheon and watching horse racing.

1995: This Benefit featured raffle prizes such as Claim Jumper and Olive Garden gift certificates, a one-year family membership to the Museum of Science & Industry, LA Kings tickets and a home video of Blown Away. Some of the auction items included a beeper(!), a USC lithograph and a gift certificate to Peron Antiques.

1995: Fall Fashion Previews were also very popular as fundraising events. This one featured the fall collection from Linda Allard for Ellen Tracy. Hors d'oeuvres were served and a personal shopper was made available to help guests with any purchasing.

1996: A Casino Night at the Jonathan Club, complete with a buffet, gaming and a silent auction at $40 a ticket!

2000: This Benefit featured a Wine, Food and Beer Tasting at the Hillmont House. While tickets were $25, sponsors at the Alumni Level ($100) received a personal tour of Hillmont House and a "sip of sherry" before the tasting began.

2000: Another Benefit for this year featured a jazzy invitation with the event being held at the Los Angeles Central Public Library!

2001: Another Casino Night, with dancing, gaming and "savories & sweets".

2003: This Benefit included a group dance lesson in addition to gaming tables and their silent auction!

There you have it! A (very) brief collection of Benefit invitations put on by Trojan Junior Auxiliary in our recent past. Our 2011 Diamond Jubilee Benefit and Fundraiser is less than a week away- but did you know that this is not the first time TJA's put on a Diamond Jubilee? In 1997, the group held a black-tie affair at the Stadium Club at Dodger Stadium by the same name. It, too, was a Casino Night!

xo,

Janine

Some History of TJA

2011-04-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Because this year Trojan Junior Auxiliary is celebrating our 75th Anniversary, we'd like to take some time to show you the past of our group. Mary Welsh was a member of TJA in the 1950's and she took the time to send over some newspaper clippings featuring members of that time.

As President this year, I think it's important to keep the past in mind as we're celebrating this terrific milestone. Especially when the past involves awesome dresses and hairstyles!

What a treasure she sent us! Mary, we cannot thank you enough!

The bottom reads: LOOKING AS YOUNG and pretty as springtime, Mmes. Dixon Young, Lou Welsh and Jack A. Colton, from left, visited Miracle Mile for preview of fashions to be presented by Miracle Mile Association at the Trojan Junior Auxiliary's "Inside U.S.A." fashion luncheon March 7 in Statler Hilton. Mrs. Colton is chairman of [unintelligible] that will raise funds for full-tuition one-year scholarship for SC senior women.

Those dresses are to die for! Hats as well!

I love Mrs. Ratigan's hair too, in the bottom picture. Very Jackie O.

I hope these pictures inspire and excite you as much as they did to me!

xo,

Janine

Final Preparations

2011-04-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

They say the devil is in the details and the last minute details for the Diamond Jubilee are coming together. Last weekend a number of members gathered at Benefit Chair Maggie's house to put together gift baskets for the silent auction and they look spectacular.

Meredith poses amidst a large amount of Benefit-related items.

We had packaging galore!

We set up an assembly line so each basket was carefully staged, wrapped and then sent to Ashley for recording.

Our finished products, ready for the Benefit!

Jubilee attendees will have the chance to bid on spa treatments, wine and dining, movie baskets, health and fitness baskets, and that's just the beginning!

One of the most fun parts of the evening for many members is the fact that it gives us a chance to dress up and this year's event is no different. The dress code: think sophisticated elegance, a la Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Since it's Trojan Junior Auxiliary's 75th Anniversary, and the 75th is usually in celebration of the Diamond, feel free to deck yourself in your finest jewels as well.

Finally, do you want to advertise in the program? There's still time to get your message in if you act fast! Email benefit@usctja.com to receive a submission form and directions on how to expose your business to over 100 people for next to nothing.

With two weeks to go, our members are so excited for our Diamond Jubilee! We hope to see you there with diamonds on!

Rhythms and Visions: Expanded and Live!

2011-04-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

The USC School of Cinematic Arts and Visions and Voices: The USC Arts & Humanities Initiative invite you to experience a live visual music sensation on Friday, April 22nd!

The School of Cinematic Arts Complex will be taken over and transformed by Rhythms and Visions: Expanded and Live! a spectacular outdoor live-cinema event merging animation and visual media with live acoustic and electronic music.

Exciting and innovative UK audio-visual collective D-Fuse and Los Angeles artist Scott Pagano will perform to music by notable musicians Brian King, Trifonic, Brian LeBarton and MB Gordy. These cutting-edge performances will span animation, experimental documentary and abstract visual music. The School of Cinema Arts complex will come alive with large animation and 3-D stereoscopic projections by faculty and students. 3-D glasses will be provided.

Admission is free.

A lively panel discussion will follow the performance.

Facebook Event page: www.tinyurl.com/eyemusic

Related Event: VJ Workshops on Saturday, April 23, 2011

Location: IML Blue Lab 746 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, 90089

Come to a day of hands-on VJ Workshops with D-Fuse and members of the LA-VA Los Angeles Video Artists. Learn about Visual Music, the best VJ software and more.

To RSVP for the VJ workshop: www.tinyurl.com/eyemusic

Or email us at: dalitdiva@gmail.com

Rhythms and Visions: Expanded and Live! is presented by Visions and Voices: The USC Arts & Humanities Initiative. Organized by Mike Patterson (Animation), Candace Reckinger (Animation), Eric Hanson (Animation), Brian King (Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television) and Perry Hoberman (Cinematic Arts).

Contact Information

Name: Mike Patterson
Email: patte1@usc.edu

Getting to Know U: TJA Treasurer Jodie Boytos

2011-04-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

Jodie Boytos

HOMETOWN: Claremont, CA

USC GRAD YEAR/MAJOR: 2004/Spanish

WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS? Run my company, but seeing as how that means moving to Bloomington, Ill., I'll settle for running California :-)

DESCRIBE YOUR BEST USC MEMORY. Football games, football games, football games!

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE LA HOT SPOT: Bottega Louie in downtown...fantastic for brunch, lunch or dinner!

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?. You mean four-legged kids...yes, Reece and Ben my bully babies

FINISH THIS STATEMENT: I'D RATHER BE ... Retired early, living in Europe and baking my days away :-)

TJA'S MOTTO IS FRIENDSHIP, LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP ... HOW ARE THESE IDEALS A PART OF YOUR LIFE? I believe in work/life balance as much as possible, so I always try to balance my hectic work schedule with plenty of time spent with friends. As far as leadership I am constantly trying to improve myself and challenge myself with new responsibilities at work. I've also recently been promoted into a position where I provide sales and business coaching to people that are opening their own businesses. I try to emphasize to them the important role leadership plays for them in their businesses and provide them training and coaching to improve their own leadership qualities.

As far as scholarship I'm always trying to participate in addtional training and education programs. In preparation for getting my MBA in the next few years I'm enrolling in some certification programs in my industry. I hope this will keep my studying skills honed so when I return to school for my MBA I'll be ready.

You're Invited!

2011-03-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

The benefit is the biggest TJA event of the year and it's the one chance for members to show friends and family what the group is all about. Here's who some of the ladies have invited ...

"I’ll be inviting all of my close family and friends, who have been converted to Trojans for life. They are always so supportive of TJA and the wonderful things we do for USC.”

- Mary Jayne

"I've invited a group of friends from USC, including six of my sorority sisters and their significant others. They've all come in years past and had a great time. Looking forward to another fun evening this year!"
-Brenda

"Every year, my invite list shows the breadth of the Trojan family. Friends of USC in my life include family, colleagues, friends and my husband's colleagues. It's always fun to bring everyone together on this night! I'm hoping to get a few Bruins there this year too!"- Maggie

"Each year, I invite friends from college, past and present co-workers and family. Even though some of them live far away, they appreciate the invitation and often buy opportunity drawing tickets so that they can still contribute to the event! My parents and brother are steadfast supporters, having attended the Benefit for the past six years. They enjoy being able to support an organization that I care so much about, and always end up walking away with a few awesome silent auction items!"- Ashley

"Every year I invite my core group of friends (all 'SC alums) and they always make it to the event. It's nice being able to rely on the Trojan Family (and friends!) to support you and your causes."

- Janine

Upcoming Young Alumni Events!

2011-03-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

March 24th, 2011

BevHo Mixer at The Newly Renovated Les Deux
Sponsored by USC Alumni Club of Beverly Hills- Hollywood

7:00PM - 10:00PM PT

Les Deux
1638 N Las Palmas Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 462-7674
Les Deux

Come check out the reopened and new Leux Deux.
Drink specials and happy hour food all evening!

Drink specials include:

$5 beer
$5 wine
$5 specialty Trojan drink

And there's a DJ! - KCRW's Dan Wilcox will be spinning in the courtyard from 9pm to 1am

Here's what's on the menu:

$4 Soup du Jour
$4 Fresh California Roasted Almonds
$4 Spicy Jalapeno Hummus (Fresh Cut Vegetables/Herb Grilled Bread)
$4 Grilled Cheese
$6 Honey Fried Chicken Wings
$6 Macaroni and Cheese (Artisan Cheeses/Tomato Fondue)

RSVP here

______________________________________________________________________

April 6th, 2011

The Secrets of Self-Starters
How Their Personal Traits and Attitudes Led Them to Greatness in Business and Helping Others

6:00PM - 8:30PM PT

La Jolla Country Club
7301 High Avenue
La Jolla, California 92037
(Business Casual/No denim please)

A Panel Discussion

Moderated by Dr. Julie Miller

Author, The Secrets of Self-Starters
Served with distinction for 8 years on USC Board of Governors

The Panel

Rob Ukropina
Founder Overnight Express, Principal Black Diamond Ventures and USC Marshall School graduate

Jeffrey Sapp
Navy Captain, co-captain of the Naval Academy Football Team and member NCAA Hall of Fame

Sunny Kobe Cook
Founder of Sleep Country, USA and Inc. Magazine’s Northwest Woman Entrepreneur of the Year

$25.00 per person

Dessert hosted by Marshall Partners, San Diego.

Wine hosted by Northern Trust.

RSVP by April 2. Send a check for $25 per person made payable to TLASDC.

Attn: Jenn Buckner, P.O. Box 7250, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067

Please enclose attendee name(s) for check-in.

For more information contact: Jenn at 858-756-7819 or jhbuckner@gmail.com

___________________________________________________________________

April 14th, 2011:

Young Alumni Series Part 2: Employer Networking Mixer
Presented by the USC Career Planning & Placement Center and the USC Alumni Association
6:00PM - 8:00PM PT

USC Career Planning & Placement Center

Student Union 110

The USC Career Planning & Placement Center in partnership with the USC Alumni Association is pleased to host: Young Alumni Series Part 2: Networking Mixer.

Please join us for an exclusive Trojan networking reception with employers and fellow Trojans.

Price: $10

For more information about the event and to register, click here

Getting to Know U: TJA Membership Chair Michelle Ann Maestas

2011-03-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

Michelle Ann Maestas

NAME: Michelle Ann Maestas

HOMETOWN: Wasilla, Alaska (I'm asked 'is it cold/what’s it like?' And 'Do you know Sarah Palin?' in that order, all the time.)

USC GRAD YEAR/MAJOR: 2006, Bachelor of Music, Saxophone Performance; expected 2012 Master of Communication Management, Entertainment

WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS? My whole life I’ve wanted to work in music. Particularly, live music. I’ve been a performer and a producer. I have an amazing job at present, living every part of live music production for the USC Thornton School of Music as the concert manager. I know that I love live performance and working in a live entertainment environment. I’m always working to develop new skills and I am currently pursuing a Master’s Degree at USC Annenberg School. I’m not sure what is next, but I’m always looking and I’m always ready for an adventure.

DESCRIBE YOUR BEST USC MEMORY: The first football game I stayed all the way through to the end. I went to school during the majority of the Bush-Leinart years and winning by more than 25 points was the style – most people left at half-time or just after. I had just met this guy who played trumpet and he told me I should stay and watch the half time show. I actually told him I never did and I had no interest in staying. He said you should really stay. So, I did stay. At the top of the half time show he was introduced by Dennis Packard (voice of the Coliseum) as the featured soloist with the Trojan Marching Band. It was quite a shock! I stayed for the whole thing. We’ve been together 6 years since – he is now Dr. Walt Simonsen, an Assistant Director for the Trojan Marching Band, Music Faculty at East LA College, and is still a world class trumpet player (he’s played everywhere and still does). After the game I was on the field to see the post game show up close near Dr. Bartner.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE LA HOT SPOT? Urth Caffee, Inteligensia, Jones Coffee, The Counter, Whole Foods, Wurstkuche, La Grande Orange, Café Linda’s, Russell’s, Dish, Marston’s, Dumpling House, Full House, Verdugo Bar (my last 3 birthdays were spent here), Lucky Baldwins, Library Bar, Varnish, Wine Detective, and the Staples Center (for Lakers' games).

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? Yes! I have an adorable pup named Duple (short for Duple-Meter). For all of the music nerds out there – it’s funny, right? His name is a musical term. We adopted him from the Pasadena Humane Society, which I can’t say enough good things about as we had an amazing experience there.

FINISH THIS STATEMENT: I'D RATHER BE ... golfing, performing, sailing, wine tasting, traveling and seeing the world.

TJA'S MOTTO IS FRIENDSHIP, LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP ... HOW ARE THESE IDEALS A PART OF YOUR LIFE? I spend time helping students I meet at USC work on their resumes, and give career advice. Some of my concert assistants have gone on to be producers for local music festivals and others have followed their passion for teaching. One is teaching AIDS education in Tanzania.

Women Dominated at the 2011 Women's Conference

2011-03-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, March 11th marked the 3rd Annual Women's Conference held at USC. A whole day dedicated to expressing, encouraging and inspiring the women who attended, Trojan Junior Auxiliary was lucky enough to have several ladies participate in it's message.

The day started off with check-in and a very well-stocked breakfast in front of Bovard Auditorium. Ladies were treated to a gift-bag featuring a Trader's Joe bag made up in USC colours, a bottle of water, a beautifully bound journal, pens, mints and an assortment of other coupons, flyers and pamphlets. TJA was able to secure a place in those gift bags too, with a flyer detailing our group, and more importantly, our Benefit coming up on April 29th.

TJA President Janine was asked to be on the host committee for the Women's Conference this year and as a result, she got to work behind the scenes and help plan the event. Above, you can see her working the gift-bag table with a fellow host committee member.

The event began with a wonderful key-note speaker, Janet Evans. Janet, an Olympian long-distance swimmer, gave a compelling and inspirational speech on her time at the Olympics and what it took to become a champion. Her speech was very well-received by the 700+ women attending the event and started off the day on a great note.

Attendees of the conference then attended one workshop session during the morning. Sessions included topics like Leadership, Career Development, Women's Health, Financial Strategies, and Beauty, Nutrition and Wellness. After a healthy lunch at Town and Gown (where attendees were presented with a super-cute bracelet courtesy of Cookie Lee), it was time for the afternoon session of workshops. Finally the day ended with an inspiration panel followed by a champagne reception.

Above are just a few of TJA's attendees enjoying the lush dessert buffet and drinks as well as a beauty station featuring product from L'Oreal and a live band. Then came the highlight of the reception, the raffle. Women could fill out a survey on the details of the conference or a networking Bingo sheet and were rewarded with a raffle ticket in which they could try and win items such as a leather handbag, an eBook, or an HD Flip Camera.

Well. Needless to say, TJA cleaned up:

TJA Member Nancy was the first to win the coveted HD Flip Camera, which was beyond awesome!

And Membership Chair Michelle managed to snag an awesome makeup kit with a Mardi Gras theme!

All in all, the Women's Conference was a very memorable time and the ladies that participated deemed it a good experience. Thanks to Danielle and the entire staff at the Alumni Association for pulling off what was an extraordinary task! We hope that you'll join TJA again next year in attending this event!

The USC Alumni Career Fair

2011-03-14T15:20:00.001-07:00

The USC Career Planning & Placement Center and the USC Alumni Association, in partnership with MyWorkster, a national collegiate networking firm, are proud to host the very first alumni career fair at USC, designed to place you face-to-face with nearly 50 top employers.

Friday, March 18, 2011 • 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

USC Ronald Tutor Campus Center, Grand Ballroom (lower level)

3607 Trousdale Parkway • Los Angeles, CA 90089

Click here to register.