international CONNECTION University of Southern California Office of International Services

Spring 2012, Vol. XXVII, No. 2

I N S I D E 3 Loudia Laarman Q & A 4 USC Olympic hopefuls 6 Upcoming OIS events 6 Past USC medal-winners 7 Exchange visitor profile 8 USC photo montage

> (left to right) Chad Bobrosky, Stina Gardell, and Vladimir Morozov, USC swimmers hoping to compete in the 2012 Olympics. Photo: Anna Wierzbowska someday win a gold medal,” says Vladimir Cardinal and Gold Morozov, a sophomore swimmer who will be representing Russia this summer. "I was 8 years USC’s international athletes are old and had no idea what sport I was going to dreaming of Olympic success play, but I always liked racing. I loved winning. After winning small swim meets I began taking on by Oliver Riley-Smith bigger and stronger fields, but my ultimate goal was always to win Olympic gold.” When the 2012 Olympics begin in London this Like Morozov, many other USC athletes had summer, a host of USC international student dreams of competing at the Olympics from an athletes will be chasing medals. For some, it early age. Stina Gardell, a sophomore swimmer will be the pinnacle of their careers and the from Sweden, remembers watching Swedish achievement of a lifelong dream. For others, it will swimmer Lars Frolander win gold at the 2000 be a validation of their decision to travel far from Olympics when she was ten. ”It was the first gold home to train in Los Angeles. For all, it will be an medal for Sweden in a long time," she recalls. unforgettable experience. Chad Bobrosky, a freshman Canadian swimmer, ”While watching the Olympics in 2000 I remembers watching Ian Thorpe dominate the remember telling my grandmother that I would continued on page 2

Film School Confidential: to be doctors, engineers,” he says. “It's so you international alumni makes can tell people in church, ‘My son's in medical movie magic school.'” Oyamendan compromised by channeling his by Trisha Tucker love of storytelling into a career in journalism. By his early twenties, he was working for a host At age 14, Ose Oyamendan had a dream and of media outlets, including a large Nigerian a problem. He knew he wanted to spend his newspaper, the Associated Press, and the BBC. “…it's a pressure cooker.” life making movies, but also that his traditional Still, his passion for film never wavered, and in Nigerian family would never endorse such a career 1999 he decided to apply to USC's graduate path. continued on page 3 “Where I come from, you want your kids Cardinal and Gold continued from page 1 same Olympics. ”It's every little These Olympic hopefuls disrupted his participation at attention and maximize the kid's dream to make it to the have had to make a major the Youth Olympics. Despite experience,” says Bobrosky. Olympics,” says Bobrosky, ”so sacrifice, leaving behind friends their determination, none of the ”The Olympics is the biggest, to know all of those years of and family to travel abroad to three swimmers are guaranteed most competitive event in the training were worth it would America. Gardell admits that a place in the London games sporting world. Even if you change me forever.” although her family ”is happy yet, though all are strongly go to the Olympics once, you These athletes will be for me, I'm sure they miss me expected to make the cut. are regarded as an Olympian looking to follow in the a lot. But my friends are mostly If they get to London, they forever, which motivates me to footsteps of international USC happy about having a free place may find themselves pitted be the best I can be.” alumni who won medals in the to stay when they come to visit against fellow Trojans. Gardell For Morozov, he knows 2008 Beijing Olympics, including Los Angeles!” hopes to be in the same final his family back home will British sprinter, Natasha The journey to the Olympics as Katinka Hosszu, a Hungarian be following the action. Danvers-Smith, who won is not an easy one – years USC senior who has already ”Nationalists watch the bronze in the 400m hurdles, of training and battling to competed at two Olympic Olympics to have a chance to Games, while Bobrosky is be proud of their country for “Even if you go to the Olympics once, you are looking forward to competing every medal won,” he explains. against Dimitri Colupaev, a ”Children watch the Olympics regarded as an Olympian forever, which German sophomore who swims and hope that one day they motivates me to be the best I can be,” says in many of the same events as can stand on the podium Chad Bobrosky. him. And, it could be crushing singing their country's anthem to find that, having travelled so and make their parents proud. far, it is the person they train Athletes watch the Olympics Ilse van der Meijden, who won overcome injuries have left these with on campus who beats because it is a part of their gold with the Dutch water polo athletes hardened. Morozov them to the ultimate prize. lives. Everyone else watches team, and Oussama Mellouli, a remembers his grueling training Whatever the outcome, because it is the most direct Tunisian who won gold in the schedule when he was young: the trio is going to make the representation of success. At the 1500m freestyle. ”Most of my peers would hang most of the experience. ”It is Olympics, there is drama, there USC has long been out, play video games, and do the highest level of competition is glory, and there is so much associated with Olympic nothing. I had to go to bed early and only happens every four action.” success. Student athletes from to wake up for morning practice years,” says Gardell. ”It's the This summer, the whole around the world come to take before school.” best of the best and an honor world will be watching. advantage of the world-class Bobrosky talks about to participate. Of course I'm facilities and training the school the ”stresses associated with going to be nervous, but I hope Good luck Trojans, fight on! offers. swimming at a high level,” my experience at the World and ”I wanted a change in including having to overcome European championships will Oliver Riley-Smith is a third year my swimming and my life,” mononucleosis during the help me.” Film Production MFA student from explains Gardell, ”so when I summer of 2010, which ”I plan to soak up the the U.K. got the opportunity to come to USC and swim with the school team, with so many successful This year's Trojan Olympians swimmers, while simultaneously aim to copy the feats of getting an education at one of Oussama Mellouli (left) and the world's best universities, I Natasha Danvers-Smith didn't need long to decide.” (right), USC alumni who Bobrosky also admits won medals at the Beijing that the ”chance to train and 2008 Olympics. compete in one of the most competitive environments in the world” drew him towards becoming a Trojan, though he admits that ”living away from home most of the year has its hardships.”

2 Film School Confidential Q & A: Olympic hopeful continued from page 1 Loudia Laarman running against the same people, and not a lot of people support track in my province. I came to USC to challenge myself athletically, and getting a scholarship gave me a great opportunity to do that.” Q: What are your chances of qualifying for London 2012? A: ”Going to the Olympics would be more of a privilege

Photo: Anna Wierzbowska then an expectation. I still consider myself to be one of Ose Oyamendan, in the School of Cinematic Arts courtyard. Canada's top female sprinters program in Film and Television advised. He currently has a in the 100m and I believe Production. He says he chose slew of projects in various that with my USC coach, I USC for one simple reason: “If stages of production around have a very good chance of you're Nigerian, you always the world, including a drama qualifying.” want to go and do the best set in apartheid South Africa, Q: What would it mean to you thing. And the film school here a political satire set in Nigeria, to be able to compete at the is the best.” and a documentary about Olympics? Though Oyamendan the relationship between was one of only two African neighboring villages in Gaza and A: ”The thought of competing students in his MFA program, he Israel. Loudia Laarman, a there makes everything I've says, “I never thought of myself His projects span nations, sophomore sprinter from done until now and the as an international student. genres, and time periods, but Canada, hopes to compete at sacrifices I've made seem When you're in film school they are all made possible by the 2012 Olympics. incredibly worthwhile. Not you don't have time to think two things: the skills he honed Q: How did you get into everyone gets the opportunity about where you're from. It's a at USC, and his international sprinting? to be on the world stage at pressure cooker.” perspective that differentiates such a prestigious event and His international status him from other up-and-coming A: ”Growing up my brother was to say that I was there would soon became the focus of some filmmakers. always the track athlete in the prove to everyone what I am very important career advice. Oyamendan stresses that family. I played soccer. I'd go to capable of doing. Not medaling “Two professors pulled me the development of these all his competitions, make him at the 2012 Games wouldn't aside one day and said that, international projects is more lunches and cheer him on. One be upsetting for me, I think just over the next few years, the big than just a savvy career move, day I asked my dad if I could getting to experience it for the directors in this town will not however. These projects give try track, and he threw me into first time would be wonderful.” a 1500m race–I was lapped be American. They may live on him a chance to tell important Q: Why do you think the several times and finished with Sunset Blvd., but they will prove stories that remain largely Olympics are still so special? themselves by making films unfamiliar in the West – tales the pity clap. It wasn't until my in their home countries. And of immigrants searching for elementary school annual sports A: ”We rarely get to see the then they will be able to market a better life, and tales of day that I realized I was any payoff of the hard work that themselves here.” Palestinians and Israelis who good.” athletes put into their sport. The recent success of have “lost property and lost Q: Why did you come to Also, people are drawn towards foreign-born directors with children and still want to make America to continue your competition. In the Olympics Hollywood production deals, peace.” These are stories that training? everyone has a team, so it's including Mexico's Alejandro matter to Oyamendan, and fun to see how your country A: ”I came to America for Iñárritu and Denmark's Nicolas thanks to USC, he's discovered measures up to the rest of the the opportunity to compete Refn, bears out this prediction. that these stories can form the world. Watching someone with and be surrounded by Since graduating in 2002, career of his dreams. from your country medal at people who had the highest Oyamendan has been busy the Olympics gives everyone a expectations and competitive establishing his international Trisha Tucker is an English Literature sense of pride to be a part of drive. In Canada I was always career, just as his professors PhD student from Arizona. that country.” 3 In Pursuit of Glory: USC Athletes going for gold in London

Katinka Hosszu, Hungary, senior swimmer

Jenny Ozorai, Hungary, sophomore hammer thrower

Viktor Fajoyomi, Hungary, sophomore high-jumper Stina Gardell, Sweden, sophomore swimmer

Dimitri Colupaev, Germany, Kristine Busa, Latvia, sophomore swimmer senior javelin thrower

4 OLYMPIC STATS

USC medal count from last five summer Olympics:

08 Beijing 04 Athens 00 Sydney 96 Atlanta 92

Aaron Brown, Canada, Top 5 countries (apart from US) represented sophomore sprinter by USC Olympians (# of athletes):

Vladimir Morozov, Russia, sophomore swimmer

Top 5 sports represented by USC Olympians (# of athletes per sport):

SWIMMING (132) TRACK & FIELD (123) WATER POLO (34) VOLLEYBALL (26)

Stina Gardell, Sweden, DIVING (17) sophomore swimmer

5 Upcoming OIS events by Elise Smith

J-1 Scholar Reception: bringing the scholar community together

Take a short escape from the laboratory or library and join OIS for an afternoon of music, food, and conversation as we celebrate our J-1 scholars. The entire J-1 community (scholars, staff and professors) is invited to attend as we show our appreciation for the scholars' contributions to USC. Please join us on April 5, 2012 from 4:00-6:00pm at the University Club. This annual reception will feature international food from around the world, and also give scholars a chance to socialize with their peers outside of the classroom. Please come and enjoy the company of fellow Trojans! Please email J-1 Student Assistant, Tim McBride at [email protected], with questions.

OIS Graduation Reception: a toast to international graduates

Live music, gourmet food, and good company – the perfect ingredients for a wonderful reception! The Office of International Services will honor and recognize our graduating international students at our annual graduation reception on April 27, 2012 from 3:00-5:00pm at the University Club. Come let us congratulate our graduating students and mingle with supporters of the international student community. Please join us in recognizing the end of a great academic year for our students and our office!

Please email International Program Assistant, Elise Smith at [email protected], with questions.

Elise Smith is an education M.A. student from Texas.

Past Masters: USC international student legends who won Olympic gold by Oliver Riley-Smith Michelle Ford Rafael Osuna (AUS, swimming, 1980) (MEX, tennis, 1968) The only non-Soviet bloc swimmer The most successful Mexican tennis to win an individual swimming gold player of all time, Osuna won doubles at the Moscow Olympics for the and singles gold at the Mexico City 800m butterfly. The Sydney native Olympics. His USC coach said "he accepted a scholarship to study moves on the tennis court like a communications at USC in 1983. god." In 1963, while still a Trojan, he was the number one player in the world. He was killed in a plane crash in 1969 at age 30. 6 Choi explains that the creation of Material Girl: a Virtual Human is an interdisciplinary effort. Psychologists, communication the virtual reality of specialists, computer scientists and other professionals all work together at ICT in Ahyoung Choi four areas: creation of the body and face, language processing (ability to listen), Exchange visitor profile modeling inside the agent (intelligence and cognition), and measurement of effects on humans. by Raquel Orellana Choi works on the measurement of effects on humans. “I'm measuring the human's vital signals, such as heartbeat, As one of the country's top research skin conductance, and temperature. So schools, it is not difficult to believe that USC's from this I'm measuring how people feel Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) is while interacting with the Virtual Human,” developing a Virtual Human. The idea brings to she explains. Her findings are used to mind an image of frenzied scientists in white make improvements to the Virtual Human Photo: Anna Wierzbowska coats, sitting in dark labs crunching numbers all prototype. day. Ahyoung Choi, a J-1 scholar studying at USC's Choi has enjoyed her experience When you meet Ahyoung Choi, however, Institute for Creative Technologies. abroad so far, and wishes her stay in Los it is hard to believe that such a normal looking Angeles were longer. She enjoys having girl, open, friendly, and easy to talk to, is part Experiment with one variation: the prison the opportunity to meet and work with of the ICT team involved in such an innovative, guards were virtual. The purpose was to people with different backgrounds and groundbreaking project. As she carefully explains evaluate whether people assigned the professional interests at ICT. her work, “wow“ is the only word that springs to prisoner role would acquiesce to Virtual She also loves the lifestyle of a USC mind. Humans playing the prison guard role, as visiting scholar in LA. Living next to the Choi is a scholar from South Korea who is had happened in the Stanford experiment beach, with year-round sunshine, and directly involved in ICT's most important project: when the guards were real humans. beautiful scenery, “It feels like I'm on a the Virtual Human. Choi's experience was so rewarding that vacation,” she explains. ICT works on creating “engaging, she vowed to return to Los Angeles after Choi is doing important work for ICT memorable, and effective interactive media graduating to continue where she had left by helping maintain the school's leadership that are revolutionizing learning in the fields of off. in research, and she's enjoying every bit of training, education, and beyond.“ The Virtual Returning to South Korea, she it too. Human is ICT's groundbreaking attempt to make finished her doctoral degree in computer a difference in these fields. Choi explains that ICT science, focusing on affective computing. Raquel Orellana is a first year Strategic Public “eventually wants to make virtual therapists or a As planned, she returned to ICT to apply Relations MA student from El Salvador. virtual training system to train real people.” her expertise, using computers to analyze Two years ago, Choi spent a summer at and interpret human emotional states and ICT, where she recreated the Stanford Prison physiological signs.

Don Quarrie Helene Mayer (JAM, sprinting, 1976) (GER, fencing, 1928) Five time Jamaican Sportsman of Named one of the top 100 female the Year, Quarrie won his only athletes of the 20th century, Mayer Olympic gold in the 200m at was only 17 when she won her , one of four medals he Olympic gold for the individual foil in won over three Olympics. There Amsterdam. She later competed for have been a number of reggae Nazi Germany at the 1936 Olympics, tunes titled 'Tribute to Donald despite having been forced to move to Quarrie' in his honor. America because of her Jewish descent.

7 USC through the lens of photographer, Anna Wierzbowska, a senior International Relations student from Poland.

international CONNECTION Office of International Services Spring 2012 University of Southern California Student Union 300 Oliver Riley-Smith University Park Publications Editor Los Angeles, CA 90089-0899 Anne Kaufman Editorial Advisor Denton Design Associates USC Spectrum Design Studio Graphic Design

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