USC announces speakers for commencement satellite ceremonies
Contact: USC Media Relations, uscnews@usc.edu, (213) 740-2215
ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, Saturday Night Live cast member Ego Nwodim and former National Security Council director Alex Vindman are among featured speakers.
Contact: USC Media Relations, uscnews@usc.edu or (213) 740-2215
The University Park Campus will be filled with more than 60,000 Trojan Family members when USC’s 139th commencement ceremony is held Friday, May 13.
Degree candidates, Half Century Trojans, faculty and distinguished guests will form a processional leaving Bovard Auditorium at 8 a.m. USC President Carol L. Folt will preside over the main ceremony at 9 a.m. at Alumni Park.
Allyson Felix BS ’08, seven-time Olympic champion and the most decorated U.S. track and field athlete in history, will deliver the commencement address.
Six honorary degree recipients will be recognized for their contributions to philanthropy, entertainment, sports and journalism. The honorary degree recipients are Felix, philanthropist and technology entrepreneur David Bohnett ’78, Academy Award-winning filmmakers Brian Grazer ’74 and Ron Howard, producer Frank Price and science journalist and policy expert Bina Venkataraman.
More than 19,000 degrees will be conferred during USC’s commencement, either at the main ceremony in Alumni Park or one of the satellite ceremonies across campus.
On Saturday, May 14, the Keck School of Medicine of USC will hold its satellite ceremony for its Doctor of Medicine Program. The speaker will be veteran television journalist Ann Curry.
The Keck School’s PhD, DNAP, MS and MPH ceremony, also May 14, will feature punk rocker Dexter Holland who earned a PhD in molecular biology from USC in 2017.
The baccalaureate ceremony for USC degree candidates and their families will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 12, at Bovard Auditorium. Maya Soetoro-Ng, peace-builder, educator and author will be the featured speaker.
On Friday, May 13, diplomas will be presented at satellite ceremonies for individual schools and will feature the following speakers:
USC School of Architecture
Earl Lewis, inaugural director of the Center for Social Solutions at the University of Michigan
USC Roski School of Art and Design
Charles Gaines, artist
USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy
Jorge Orozco, CEO at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center
USC Marshall School of Business (Graduate)
Glenda McNeal, president, Enterprise Strategic Partnerships for American Express
USC Marshall School of Business (Undergraduate)
Kevin Aluwi, BS ’09, co-founder and CEO of Gojek
USC School of Cinematic Arts
Matt Reeves, director and producer
USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Rachel Scott ’15, ABC News congressional correspondent
USC Kaufman School of Dance
Nigel Lythgoe, director and producer
Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC
Andrew I. Spielman, professor of molecular pathobiology at New York University
USC School of Dramatic Arts (Undergraduate)
BD Wong, actor and author
USC School of Dramatic Arts (Graduate)
Charlayne Woodard, playwright and actress
USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
Jacqueline DuPont, gerontologist and founder, Assured In-Home Care
USC Rossier School of Education
Christopher Emdin, scholar, author and educational equity advocate
USC Viterbi School of Engineering (Graduate)
(Ret.) General Ellen Pawlikowski, Judge Widney Professor
USC Viterbi School of Engineering (Graduate, Computer Science)
Guru Gowrappan, tech leader, entrepreneur and investor
USC Viterbi School of Engineering (Undergraduate)
Christina Smolke, CEO and co-founder of Antheia, Inc.
USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy
Jason Mayden, CEO and founder of Trillicon Valley and president of Fear of God Athletics
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Ego Nwodim ’10, Saturday Night Live cast member
USC Gould School of Law, (JD graduates)
Constance “Connie” Rice, civil rights attorney and author
USC Gould School of Law (Graduate and International Programs)
John Iino, chief diversity officer, Reed Smith LLP
Keck School of Medicine of USC, Health Promotion and Global Health Programs
Grace Boyd, PT, DPT, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
Keck School of Medicine of USC, Physician Assistant Program
Kevin Lohenry, PhD, PA-C, professor of medicine and assistant vice president for interprofessional education at University of Arizona
USC Thornton School of Music
Lori Custodero DMA ’97, associate professor of music education at Columbia University Teachers College
USC School of Pharmacy
George Scangos, biotechnology and business leader
USC Price School of Public Policy
Alex Vindman, former National Security Council director for European affairs
USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work
Dana Suskind, pediatric surgeon and author
USC Bovard College
Isaiah Jewett, Olympic track and field athlete
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Lela Llorens, Professor Emerita at San Jose State University and Core Faculty Emerita of the Stanford Geriatric Education Center
The Navy and Marines ROTC commissioning ceremony will be held in Hahn Plaza on Saturday, May 14 at 9:30 am. The Navy and Marines reception will be held in South Associates Park following the ceremony.
The Air Force ROTC commissioning ceremony will be held in Hahn Plaza in front of Tommy Trojan on Saturday, May 14 at 12:00 pm. The Air Force reception will be held in North Associates Park following the ceremony.
The Army ROTC ceremony will be held Saturday, May 14, at Fort MacArthur parade field in San Pedro.
Other satellite ceremony speakers will be posted on individual schools’ websites.
For more information about USC commencement, visit commencement.usc.edu.
