Student Perspectives: USC's Vibrant Campus Life
Welcome to USC, where so much creativity, culture and community thrive.
No matter how niche your interests are, you will find your people. On campus, there are hundreds of clubs and organizations of all types: volunteer, social, pre-professional, cultural, recreational and many more. During your time at USC, you’ll be able to explore all your different passions.
My name is Heejae Sofia and I’m a rising senior, double majoring in Theatre and Public Relations and Advertising. I joined organizations and attended events to find many communities of individuals that shared my interests.
Let me tell you a little more about them…
Professional Organizations: Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
USC has the second largest PRSSA organization in the nation, supporting students interested in PR and communications to navigate various industries across tech, entertainment, sports, beauty, etc. They organize PR agency tours to companies such as Allison Agency, Weber Shandwick, and Small Girls PR agency and have guest speakers from companies like Julie, NFL, Variety and Disney+. They also have mentor and mentee matchmaking to connect students with PR professionals in their area of interest. Aside from professional workshops, they also host social events such as trivia nights, dog yoga, vision board nights, bonfires and more. My friend Martina, PRSSA President for this academic year shares “Joining PRSSA my freshman year was one of the best decisions I made at USC! During my four years in this organization, I’ve gotten to network with incredible professionals and alumni, explore my career interests further, contribute to building the safe and supportive community that is the PRSSA family, and meet some of my best friends. PRSSA has played an absolutely integral role in my personal, academic and professional growth at USC, and I’m forever grateful to have been a part of it!”
While I’m highlighting PRSSA, know that there are professional organizations for just about every possible career out there at USC—from business to engineering to law.
Club Sports: Women’s Ice Hockey
If you're not a Division I athlete, that's totally okay! Neither am I. You can still get involved in sports at USC through intramural or club sports. And USC has a variety of intramural and club sports, including basketball, softball, soccer, frisbee, and many more. We also have a women's ice hockey team. I never played ice hockey before coming to USC, but they take all levels (whether you are a beginner or a pro). We practice with USC alumni as well. Joining this group has given me an opportunity to meet students from different majors—and also learn how to ice skate! With over 50 club sports and intramural leagues, you’re sure to find your team too—and maybe pick up some extra skills.
Events: Concert Committee
USC has tons of FREE events for students every year—from our arts and humanities initiative, Visions and Voices, to student productions and exhibitions, from our visual and performing arts schools. We also have several student-produced concerts. In the fall, we have the Welcome Back Concert and Conquest. In the spring, we have Springfest, which is like our mini version of Coachella. This spring semester, Don Toliver headlined Springest. The Concert Committee, which is a student organization, helps to organize concerts. You do everything from the business side to setting up the stage. If you’re interested in the music industry and what it takes to put on a concert, you can get hands-on experience. I was on the production team and met amazing people throughout the process. You also get to suggest who you want to bring to campus for upcoming concerts.
Volunteer Activities: USC Dornsife Prison Education Project (PEP)
USC students are very active in the local community and greater Los Angeles area, through various organizations. the USC Dornsife Prison Education Project or “PEP” offers college-level courses and creative writing workshops to systems-impacted students both on USC’s campus and in custody within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. PEP classes include subjects like film, astronomy, and debate, as well as programs like Writing 320. The project also supports writers through publishing opportunities, speaker events, national writing contests and scholarships– with the goal of expanding access to education and uplifting underrepresented voices.
My friend Vanessa says “PEP has been an amazing experience. Not only is it a great opportunity to develop your teaching skills, but you get to meet and build relationships with your students. The check-ins and share-outs are a great opportunity to get to know them. One of my favorite experiences during PEP was from my time teaching "Intro to Theatre". In the second half of the course, we asked students to improvise or write and perform each week. Our students were so creative and talented; seeing them put themselves out there was amazing. In "Intro to Public Health", our students were very engaged in discussions and forthcoming about their perspectives on public health and their relationships to medicine and healthcare. We learn just as much from our students as they learn from us.”
Check out our upcoming blog posts on specific USC volunteer organizations such as JEP and Troy Camp.
Just For Fun (and for roller coaster enthusiasts): Scream
Sometimes you just want to find people who share a random hobby or silly interest. We’ve got those clubs and organizations too! For example, do you like the thrill of roller coasters? My friend Olivia co-founded the club Scream, motivated by her interest in roller coaster mechanics and how they are operated. Scream members regularly visit Six Flag Magic Mountain for weekend excursions. They also visit the backstage of Six Flags Magic Mountain, Universal Studio Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, etc. and learn how the machines are maintained and work throughout the season.
Culture and Community: USC Speakers Committee
USC has various Student Culture and Community programs open to all students, including Asian Pacific American Student Services, the Center for Black Cultural Student Affairs, the Latinx/Chicanx Center for Advocacy and Student Affairs, and many more. These programs have student hubs located in the Student Union, which I love to visit to study or grab some snacks.
With culture and community in mind, the USC Speakers Committee brings notable speakers promoting cultural awareness across a variety of fields. This spring, APASS collaborated with the Speakers Committee for a discussion with Charithra Chandran, also known as Edwina Sharma from Bridgerton. She spoke to USC students about her experiences as a Tamil in the entertainment industry. Previous guest speakers have included Lana Condor, an actress known for her role in To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Sean Rad, founder of Tinder, and singer Laufey. The USC Speakers Committee bring people with unique backgrounds and insights, and I love going to the events because you get to ask questions after the interview.
USC Residential Education Events
If you live in USC housing, USC Residential Education provides students with fun activities throughout the year. This is a great way to meet with other students who live in your building. Residential Advisors (RAs) host Sip and paint night, Boba stops, egg hunts during Easter, and more. All the events they host are free for USC housing students and they provide food, goodie bags, raffle prizes, etc. One of my favorite memories is the Skate into the Season event, which helps students recharge after midterms. When I attended, they had a photobooth, food trucks, bouquet making stations, and even an ice rink!
Student Performances: Sketchella
There are so many talented students in our performing art schools or in other majors at USC. If you have a major FOMO missing out on Coachella… don’t worry! USC has Sketchella, its very own sketch comedy festival. They have annual speaker events as a part of Sketchella, with guests such as Ben Schwartz, known for his voice for Sonic the Hedgehog, Paul F. Tompkins, known for his voice for Mr. Peanutbutter in Bojack Horseman, and Scott Aukerman.
My friends Vanessa and Alabama are in The Fourth Quarter All-Stars, one of USC’s sketch comedy groups. Vanessa shares that, “In addition to writing for, performing in, and producing original sketch comedy shows every semester as a part of the team, we also host the largest collegiate sketch comedy festival on the West Coast: "Sketchella". I've been a part of three Sketchellas so far during my time as a student, and it's a unique and challenging experience every time. We put in a lot of work to make sure it runs smoothly, because we can have over 10 troupes performing in a given weekend. These include groups not only from USC but also from colleges as far away as Emerson in Boston. The best part is getting to have friends come back to Sketchella year after year and getting to see some hilarious and imaginative sketches throughout the weekend.”
On-Campus Hangout: Tommy’s Place
Tommy’s Place is a hidden gem and home to many performances. It’s located underground, in the Ronald Tutor Campus Center. The events are open to all USC students free of charge. The venue serves various organizations by hosting karaoke nights, comedy groups, concerts, trivia and endless fun activities.
My friend Valentina is in an improv group called SpoilerAlert, which performs every Tuesday night. And the last Tuesdays of the month, they do an improv musical!I think it’s fascinating that they can make up songs in the spur of the moment. Valentina says, “It’s the best thing I ever stumbled across. A true blessing to be able to be on a stage and act in a play every week. Spoiler Alert has made me smarter and a better actor.”
USC Athletics: Attending Sporting Events
You will truly feel USC’s spirit during home games, when USC students unite and cheer for our athletic teams. All sports games, except football, are free for students. (You have to buy an annual pass for football games.) I love going to our home games, especially women's basketball and water polo. This semester, I got to see the Women of Troy win against an undefeated water polo team. And, whenever we win, which happens most of the time, they throw t-shirts and goodies to the fans. I can’t even count the number of USC shirts I have from going to sports games!
If you end up at USC, I hope you take full advantage of the many opportunities that await you. One of the best pieces of advice I received during my first week was “read poster boards as you walk by. You never know when you will discover an event, club, internship, or even study abroad program that sparks your interest.” In that spirit, make it a habit to check your emails, read flyers, listen to word-of-mouth tips, and peruse the EngageSC app. With so much at fingertips, USC is truly a place where you can explore, grow, and thrive. Look forward to the journey ahead, make the most of every moment, and Fight On!