The Vision of USC Did You Know? · The USC School of Cinematic Arts (above) was proud to both celebrate its 80th anniversary during the 2009-10 academic year, and open the doors on the first two buildings in its new Cinematic Arts complex, which pays homage to the cinematic history of Southern California and USC. The new Cinematic Arts complex was built, thanks to a $175 million donation by USC alumnus George Lucas. The now-completed complex includes an animation building, soundstages and a production center. · In February 2010, the Princeton Review ranked USC's Interactive Media division as the No. 1 video-game design program in North America. Game design formally got its start at USC in 2002, when the USC School of Cinematic Arts launched its MFA in interactive media, although a core game-design workshop had been in place since 1999. In 2004, the school unveiled the Game Innovation Lab, a state-of-the-art research space and think tank for game design and creation. A B.A. in interactive entertainment was first offered in 2005. Today, USC offers four degrees in video-game development at the undergraduate and graduate levels. For the game-play design-focused, the USC School of Cinematic Arts offers the Master of Fine Arts in interactive media and the Bachelor of Arts in interactive entertainment. For the more engineering-oriented, the USC Viterbi School offers the Bachelor of Science in computer science (games) and the Master of Science in computer science (game development). The Vision of USC for TF.indd 102 2/7/2013 11:47:28 AM The University of Southern California is a private research institution of international distinction. It is distinguished by renowned faculty, highly competitive admission standards, an appreciation of the arts and an innovative community service outreach program that was recognized by Time Princeton Review when USC was named College of the Year in 2000 and Newsweek/Kaplan College Guide's "Hot School of 2001." Founded in 1880, it enrolls about 38,000 students annually on two campuses, the 235-acre University Park Campus in Exposition Park and the 50-acre Health Sciences Campus, three miles to the northeast of downtown Los Angeles. USC is a unique and distinguished university with a proud tradition of achievement and unheralded success in all areas of study: USC is a member of the Association of American Universities, a select group of 62 elite public and private universities in the United States and Canada that, together, do about two-thirds of all federally funded research and development. USC has 63 faculty members who are members of national academies. Membership in these prestigious academies, created by Congress, is by election only and is based on a faculty member's distinguished and continuous achievements. The University is the home of 17 professional schools, in addition to the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. These schools train specialists in fields ranging from medicine and law to architecture, theatre, education and business. USC undergraduates can design degrees from 77 major and 101 minors available in the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences, the Graduate School and Professional Schools. • More than 233,000 living alumni in the Trojan Family • 40 housing facilities available both on and off campus • More than 300 clubs and student organizations • Many of USC's undergraduate/graduate programs rank in the top 10 nationally • 46 fraternities and sororities • One of the nation's best academic reputations. The Vision of USC for TF.indd 103 2/7/2013 11:47:31 AM The Vision of USC Did You Know? · USC was named No. 23 in the nation for the “best national universities” category U.S.by News & World Report in 2010. At 23rd, USC was tied with Carnegie Mellon University. U.S. News listed USC among only five institutions in the American West in the top 25; it also included Stanford (No. 5), the California Institute of Technology (No. 7), the University of California, Berkeley (No. 22) and UCLA (No. 25). From 1991 to date, USC has risen 28 places in the U.S. News rankings. Moreover, the university also was rated as having the third most economically diverse student body among top schools. Two USC schools were singled out in the rankings for quality: The USC Marshall School of Business was ranked No. 10 nationally and was listed as No. 4 in entrepreneurship and No. 5 in real estate. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering was rated 26th overall. · USC’s 2009 entering class is the most academically talented in the university’s 129-year history. Despite a difficult economic environment, demand remained high, with 35,753 applications for 2,869 places in the class. Students’ average standardized test scores are in the 94th percentile as compared to all students in the United States, and their average grade point average is 3.7. USC offers admission without regard to ability to pay, and the university meets 100 percent of the demonstrated need of on-time financial aid applicants. USC has the largest university-funded financial aid budget of any university in the country, providing more than $180 million each year of university funds to undergraduates. Almost 60 percent of USC’s undergraduate students receive some sort of university aid. This represents more than 9,000 students – more than the total undergraduate population of most highly selective private research universities. · USC is one of only two Los Angeles universities to own its own hospital after the university spent $275 million in 2009 to acquire the USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Center. With other hospitals comprising the university's Health Science campus (located east of downtown Los Angeles), the acquisition ensures USC's position among the nation's top-ranked integrated academic medical centers. · USC is the largest private-sector employer in Los Angeles and one of the largest economic engines for the state of California. USC's academic spending alone generates $4.9 billion annually in economic activity in the Los Angeles region and beyond. · With the opening of a new international office in Shanghai, USC has increased its number of Asia offices to four: Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo. USC is the nation’s leader in international education, with over 7,000 international students, more than any other U.S. university. Academically, USC’s ties to Shanghai include partnerships with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the College of Civil Engineering at Shanghai-based Tongji University. In the summer of 2010, the $100 million Ronald Tutor Campus Center opened at the center of the USC campus. The complex includes a new admission office, alumni center and general meeting space for student groups. The Vision of USC for TF.indd 104 2/7/2013 11:47:34 AM USC Undergraduate Profile African American 5.5% Asian 23.5% Caucasian 44.3% Hispanic/Latino 13.4% Native American 0.9% International Students 10.6% Female 50.2% Male 49.8% USC undergraduates come from all 50 states and about 115 countries. Total Enrollment 38,000 Undergraduate Students 17,500 Graduate/Professional Students 20,500 Student/Faculty Ratio 10:1 School with the largest undergraduate enrollment is the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (37.4%). Average class size for the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is 26 students. Financial aid expenditures totalled $343 million. 95% of students participate in extracurricular activities. The Vision of USC for TF.indd 105 2/7/2013 11:47:38 AM The Trojan Family The extended family of USC is a global network made up of thousands of alumni, students, faculty, and staff, as well as parents of students, SCions (children and grandchildren of alumni), the Board of Trustees, the boards of councilors, donors, athletic fans, and neighborhood partners. But the uniqueness of the Trojan Family isn’t due to its vast numbers. Rather, it’s the extraordinary closeness and solidarity that is found in this genuinely supportive community. To its members, the term “Trojan Family” is more than a phrase: it represents a promise, a commitment to support that is lifelong and worldwide. Students Faculty USC’s diverse student body is a strength and USC’s faculty members aren’t just teachers source of pride. From its earliest days, USC aspired of others’ works, but active contributors to what USC ALMA MATER to diversity by instituting policies that assured is taught, thought, and practiced throughout the “All Hail” no student would be denied admission because world. The university’s faculty includes Nobel Prize of race, color, religion, or gender. The university laureate George A. Olah and 63 members of the has attracted more international students over National Academy of Sciences, National Academy “All Hail to Alma Mater the years than any other American university. of Engineering, and, Institute of Medicine. Currently, 11 percent of USC’s students represent More than 200 faculty members have received To thy glory we sing; over 110 countries. prestigious academic and professional awards from All Hail to Southern California Equally important is the academic excellence organizations as varied as National Institutes of that today’s USC students bring. USC accepted Health, the National Science Foundation, the Alfred Loud let thy praises ring; 80 percent of applicants from the top 10 percent P. Sloan Foundation, the National Endowment of their high schools. The 2009 entering class’ for the Humanities, the John Simon Guggenheim Where Western sky meets SAT score average between 1930-2150 and GPA Foundation, and the Academy of Motion Pictures Western sea average is 3.7. But USC students are more than Arts and Sciences. academic high-achievers. There have been more Our college stands in majesty; Trojans in the Olympics than any American university, and over 60 percent of the university’s Alumni Sing our love to Alma Mater, students volunteer in community-service programs USC’s first alumni association was founded in in neighborhoods around campus and throughout Hail, all hail to thee!” 1885, just a year after the university graduated its LA.