The University of Southern California, located just southwest of downtown Los Angeles, has come of age with this leading international city. When the university was founded in 1880, its physical site was considered to be “West Los Angeles,” and fifty-three students constituted its entering class. Today, that same campus is very much within the center of town, and 33,000 students make up its enrollment. They are taught by nearly 3,200 full-time faculty members and supported by a staff of 8,000. As such, the university is one of the very largest private universities. Over the last 126 years, more than 250,000 students have received degrees at USC.

Throughout the years, a significant tradition at the university has been that of community service and service learning. Many thousands of students, faculty, and administrators have participated in these activities over the years either as volunteers or through classroom curriculum. One recent instance of this outreach has been the Youth Impact Program, a partnership between USC, the Student Athletic Permanent Impact Foundation, and the National Football League’s Junior Player Development efforts. This Program provides a comprehensive summer experience for local, at-risk, middle-school youth and takes the form of rigorous education both in the classroom and on the football playing field.

The University of Southern California's Faculty Ambassador
Stephan Byars