It may sound cliché, but it’s hard to really believe that I’ll be graduating from Viterbi in just two weeks. Freshman year seems so recent and yet so far away at the same time. I’ve learned so much in my time at USC both in my classes and through my extracurricular experiences. This semester has been a very interesting one. In …
This past weekend, I took a trip with my a cappella group Troy Tones. We went to one of our member’s houses in Malibu, just a short 45 minute drive from USC. Despite being so close to USC, I am always astounded by how different the terrain is in Malibu! A few of us left early on Friday before the official …
When I was a freshman here at USC, I received a lot of advice from parents and upperclassmen encouraging me to get involved and seek out new experiences in college. I definitely took this advice to heart and threw myself into all types of experiences in college. During my first semester at USC, I got involved in research, a cappella, …
This past weekend, I went to the opening showcase for a dance company my friend Kelly started called Ellipses Dance Company. I’ve seen Kelly dance all throughout my time at USC and now that she has graduated, she decided to start a company with some friends to continue sharing her dancing and choreography. The showcase was held in a small …
This semester, as a part of my environmental emphasis within Chemical Engineering, I am taking a course in Sustainable Design and Construction. The course essentially prepares students to take the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification exam by the end of the semester. Many people in the class are taking it primarily for this purpose as some of them are …
When I try to think of one word to describe USC and Viterbi in particular, the most prominent thing that comes to mind is that my education and experience at USC has been global. When I was visiting engineering schools as a high school senior, I heard a lot of “no’s.” You can’t minor, you can’t study abroad if you want …
Last week, my a cappella group Troy Tones performed in a competition held at USC called Absolut A Cappella. This competition brings in a cappella groups from USC and the surrounding LA area to compete for a coveted prize. This year, the first prize was five free hours in a recording studio and the second prize was two free hours. …
One of the things I most remember about USC from my visits as a high school senior was learning about the Renaissance Scholars program. The staff and students I met described it as a way to honor students pursuing a combination of studies in widely separated fields. This intrigued me because although I was visiting USC as a prospective engineering …
Picking a freshman dorm is one of the most exciting parts of coming to college. Your dorm is where you will interact with students of all different majors, where you’ll meet your first college friends, and where you’ll spend the majority of your time as a freshman. In picking my freshman dorm, I decided that location and living style were …
Over the past several months, everyday Monday through Saturday, I’ve been rehearsing for “Chicago” the musical. After months of preparation, we’ve finally reached opening night! While I’m thrilled to be playing the part of Billy Flynn and to perform the show seven times this weekend, it’s going to be a lot of work! The show is being produced by Cardinal …
Yesterday, I moderated a panel for an event hosted by Trojan Alliance and USC Career Fest. The panel, called “Coming OUT in the Workplace” featured LGBT professionals from Yahoo, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and NASA who talked about their experiences being out and open in the workplace and how that can be a benefit in a work environment. I was pleased that around …
I can’t believe it, but it’s finally here: my final semester at USC. I’ve had a great four years in Viterbi and I’m definitely looking forward to the the final push! I have a number of exciting things planned for the semester including interesting classes, fun extracurriculars, and hopefully a healthy amount of social events! I’m taking six classes this semester: four …
Well this semester has certainly flown by! It feels like just yesterday I was moving into my apartment for my final fall semester at USC. This fall has certainly been a busy one. Besides taking 19 units, I’ve served as president of Mortar Board, founded a pre-professional LGBT student organization on campus, sung in multiple concerts with my a cappella group, …
This year I am serving as President of the USC Chapter of Mortar Board. Mortar Board is a organization that recognizes scholarship, leadership, and service on campus. Check out my blog post about Mortar Board from a few weeks ago. Each semester, Mortar Board recognizes a distinguished member of the USC faculty or staff for their achievement and embodiment of the pillars …
As I am now in the midst of my senior year of college, it’s nice to reflect back on my years at USC and how I came to choose engineering and Chemical Engineering specifically. I decided to major in engineering after talking to my brother who graduated college with a Mechanical Engineering degree. Hearing about his coursework and his experience made me …
Following Melanie’s post last week about the School of Dramatic Arts’ production of “Top Girls,” I decided to write about some of the USC theatrical productions I’ve seen in the past few weeks that were entirely student run. Each semester there are a multitude of plays put on at USC. Some are produced by the School of Dramatic Arts and …
Once a semester, my a cappella group the USC Troy Tones goes on a weekend retreat. The main purpose is to get the newbies acquainted to the group, but it’s really a lot of fun for everyone! The retreat is always held at a secret location, known only to the social events coordinators until the day we leave. This semester’s retreat was …
One of the best things about majoring in engineering at USC is that you have the option to choose a specific emphasis that allows you to take more specialized courses. Just within Chemical Engineering there are five different emphases to choose from: Biochemical Environmental Nanotechnology Polymers/Material Science Petroleum Not to mention there is a straight ChemE track where you don’t …
At the end of last year, I applied for and was accepted into the Torch and Tassel Chapter of Mortar Board. Nationally, Mortar Board is the premiere honor society recognizing college seniors for superior achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service. At USC, Mortar Board is simply a group of driven individuals who give back to the alma mater and local community as well …
This weekend I am headed to New York City for the 9th annual Out For Undergraduate Business Conference (OUBC). OUBC is a conference for LGBT undergraduates who are interested in pursuing careers in the fields of business, consulting, and finance. The purpose of the conference is two-fold: to educate students about inclusion and diversity in the corporate business world and …