Students in the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative receive a warm welcome on the University Park Campus. (USC Photo/Sean Dube)
‘Red carpet’ welcome greets newest Neighborhood Academic Initiative students
The program — USC’s signature college preparatory effort — gives students who live near USC’s campuses the skills to succeed in college and beyond.
Teachers, friends and other supporters waved cardinal and gold pompoms on Saturday as the newest members of the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative arrived at the University Park Campus for their first Saturday session.
NAI, USC’s signature college preparatory program, gives students in the neighborhoods near USC’s University Park and Health Sciences campuses skills to succeed in college and beyond. From the sixth grade until they graduate from high school, participants receive special instruction on school days and attend classes on the USC University Park Campus every other Saturday.
NAI also provides parents and caregivers with a range of programming to assist them in building a culture of academic excellence at home. Parents attend workshops focused on topics including wellness, financial literacy, communication and strategies for fostering a supportive learning environment. They also learn about the college application process and get help filling out financial aid forms.
“You are here because you’ve already shown so much promise, curiosity, determination — and you belong here. You’ve earned it,” USC Interim President Beong-Soo Kim told the students. “And yet this is just the first step in what’s going to be an amazing journey for all of you.”
NAI has a 100% high school graduation rate and a 99% college graduation rate. Nearly 1,700 seniors have completed the program and attended college since the first graduating class in 1997; 487 of them are now USC alumni.
Saturday’s event was designed as a “red carpet” event to mark the official start of these incoming students’ participation in NAI. The event serves as a rite of passage that many graduates of the program fondly recall.
Speakers reminded the students that they have full support to ensure a smooth academic career.
“You’re not going to be alone. You’re going to have each other,” Kim said. “You’re also going to have the support of the teachers, of your families, of your tutors. They’re going to be with you every step of the way rooting for you to succeed and you know what else is going to be behind you? USC and the Trojan Family.”
USC’s Jania Palacios Azami contributed to this report.
Scenes from the ‘red carpet’
