Members of the USC Trojan Marching Band play at the USC Capital Campus event. (USC Photo/Dan Swartz)
Hundreds of alumni gather at USC Capital Campus
The event marked the launch of new programs and spaces at the university’s hub in the nation’s capital.
USC President Carol Folt joined Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, the USC Trojan Marching Band, senior university leaders and hundreds of alumni, friends and local partners at the USC Capital Campus for a Trojan Family reception.
The Oct. 18 reception, which celebrated new event, lounge and classroom spaces built since the building’s grand opening in April 2023, drew more than 400 people. The event also included a pop-up USC Bookstore, which sold Trojan merchandise.
“Dupont Circle is vibrant, and our Capital Campus is right here in the heart of it all,” Folt said. “With more than 175 classes and events since our grand opening last year, and even more to come, it’s a big era for USC in D.C.”
“The USC Capital Campus is a highly anticipated addition to D.C.’s vibrant tapestry of academic excellence, cultural diversity and groundbreaking innovation,” Bowser wrote in a letter presented to the university. “As the USC community plugs into D.C.’s robust network of trailblazing journalists, diplomats, educators, policymakers, researchers and more, our city will be equally enriched by this exciting bi-coastal partnership.”
Folt and Erika Jordan, USC associate senior vice president of alumni relations, spoke about the many programs at the Capital Campus, including student and alumni offerings that will launch in January, as well as the presence of the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service and USC Shoah Foundation — The Institute for Visual History and Education.
“We’re often asked why we chose to establish a new campus for USC in D.C.,” Folt said. “The answer is: There is no substitute for being in person. There are so many examples of Trojans doing important work in D.C. Here, our opportunities are truly endless.”
Building on USC’s strengths as one of the nation’s leading universities, the Capital Campus significantly expands opportunities for experts, thought leaders, faculty, students and nearly 11,000 local alumni to serve the public good.
“This event gave us the opportunity to show off USC’s beautiful Capital Campus and all the work we have done over the past year and a half to build out our programs and spaces,” said Elyse Levine, Capital Campus executive director. “The goal was to demonstrate to our Trojan community across D.C., Maryland and Virginia not only how far we have come, but also what’s ahead as we realize our incredible potential in D.C.”
