You may have heard about the USC Alumni Association or seen the phrase “Trojan Family” on some t-shirts, and maybe you’ve even heard how USC has great networking. I know I heard these things before I decided to come here and also as an incoming freshman, but I didn’t know what being a part of the “Trojan Family” really meant until my hometown’s SCend Off. At the Bakersfield SCend Off (same hometown as some USC football players like Cody Kessler, REPRESENT), I met more USC alumni than I did students! There were USC grads from the class of 1960-something to the class of 2006, all there to offer advice and connect with new and current SC students. A lot of them gave me their contact info and told me to contact them whenever I needed to. One of them even told me to call him when I graduate so he can help me get a job (he said this jokingly though because every single Viterbi student he knew already had a job waiting for them after graduation). This was where I realized how important networking is and how important it is to use the Trojan Family, because yes it actually is a thing.
Bakersfield SCend Off
Since I’ve been at USC, I’ve really experienced the Trojan Family in full effect. Not only does the campus feel comfortable and welcoming, but it seems like everywhere I go someone strikes up a conversation with me just because I’m wearing SC gear. USC is unlike any other school because we rep this pride for life and it’s infectious even to non-USC grads! I swear everyone either went here or knows someone who went here or is simply just a fan, and all of these connections are really helpful when you’re navigating through internships, research opportunities, jobs and grad school prospects.
One of the MATT Construction interviewers for my internship was a Trojan and the other interviewer’s parents were both Trojans! We immediately connected with all that Trojan common ground and it made the interview a lot more relaxed. They only had one spot left and they gave me (a freshman!) the job. This summer I get to work in North Hollywood as a paid intern for MATT Construction and I couldn’t be more excited! An internship the summer after your first year is pretty rare for most schools, but it’s relatively common for Viterbi undergrads.
The Television Academy Theater and Media Center – the site I’ll be working on this summer!
This is one of the reasons I love ‘SC. The Trojan Family is definitely a real thing and as a USC student, I know that I’m always networking, especially when I’m talking to USC alumn. No matter where you are, remember: you’re a part of the Trojan Family. So when you see someone in ‘SC gear, throw up a Fight On (if they don’t beat you to it), you never know where these connections will take you!
