(Photo courtesy of USC University Archives)
From Love Ins to Single-sex Dorms, USC Student Life Has Come a Long Way Since ’69
USC life has changed in the 50 years since man first walked on the moon.
It was the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. In 1969, unrest hit many university campuses as students protested the Vietnam War. At USC, students organized events and talks on racism and civil rights but steered clear of violence as they awaited the military draft. Here’s a look at USC student life in 1969 and 2019 (with a hat tip to the Daily Trojan).
To browse some of the Daily Trojan’s archival stories yourself, visit the paper’s archives at the USC Digital Libraries.
Set in Stone
1969
Students hold a love in at Alumni Park. As the crowd sings “Let the Sunshine In,” a student climbs onto the statue atop the Youth Triumphant fountain and pronounces, “We are beautiful!”
2019
A new statue of a woman reigns tall over USC. Hecuba at USC Village has become a symbol for female Trojans, a meeting spot and the namesake of the Daily Trojan’s “Ask Hecuba” advice column.
Home Away from Home
1969
The university announces a new dormitory for more than 300 male students at 34th and McClintock streets. It would become Fluor Tower, completed in 1971.
2019
Fluor Tower is open to mostly first-year students regardless of gender. The residence hall, part of West Residential College, also hosts communities for Latino students and students focused on black culture.
Up and Away
1969
USC garners its first Marshall Scholar. The scholarships enable high-achieving U.S. students to attain graduate degrees at prestigious colleges in the United Kingdom.
2019
Twelve USC students now have earned Marshall Scholarships. The most recent, Jamie Kwong ’18, MPD ’18, went to King’s College London to further her studies on nuclear disarmament.
Cultural Context
1969
Echoing moves at colleges nationwide, USC launches its first ethnic studies program. Students focus on either African American, Mexican American or Asian American studies.
2019
USC Dornsife’s robust Department of American Studies and Ethnicity investigates issues of race, immigration, urban geography, culture, power, gender, sexuality and social justice.
