A couple of weeks ago, USC’s Graduate Student Government (GSG) hosted the third annual International Student Appreciation Week (ISAW) on both the University Park Campus and the Health Sciences Campus. Originally established as a response to the travel ban in 2017 (Executive Order 13769), ISAW is a joint initiative between the Vice President of Advocacy and Vice President of Programming … Read More
My Last ARCS Recognition Luncheon
This year, the ladies of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) invited all scholars from the Los Angeles Founder Chapter to a wonderful lunch at the Los Angeles Country Club. Students and faculty from USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering and Keck School of Medicine, CalTech, Harvey Mudd, Pomona, and UCLA’s Brain Research Institute were all in attendance. We started off … Read More
2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count
To kick off the new year, Graduate Student Government (GSG) brought together a cohort of students to participate in the annual Point-in-Time Count hosted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). Spread across three days, this occasion involves thousands of volunteers across LA County who walk every street in the city to tally individuals experiencing homelessness. Accounting for one … Read More
Reenergizing in Austin
Last week, I visited one of my best friends in Austin to take a break before diving back into lab work, grading, and classes. Taking it easy over the weekend, we spent a lot of time catching up, reading, visiting local restaurants, touring whiskey distilleries, and playing with her dog. We even spent time at the University of Texas’ Blanton … Read More
My Last Advocacy Trip of Graduate School!
My fifth and final trip to Washington D.C. on behalf of the USC Graduate Student Government (GSG) was by far the most effective and organized hill visit I have experienced thus far. As a part of the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students’ (NAGPS) Fall Legislative Action Days, we visited the offices of five Californian congresspeople: Kamala Harris, Linda … Read More
Family Time in Aspen
For the first trip of 2020, my entire family flew out to Aspen, Colorado for our annual Family Reunion. Just a few days into the new year, we were able to all come together for a week of skiing, relaxing, and goal setting. With some fresh snow on the slopes, I was able to ski for three straight days. I … Read More
The Trojan Family: USC’s Alumni Associations, Communities, and Networks
Ever thought about how to remain connected to USC after graduating? As I approach the end of my time here, I have been contemplating how best to give back to the Trojan Family and stay involved. As a student, I have benefitted from the USC Alumni Association through various types of support: scholarships, events, mentorship, and more. From my interactions … Read More
The Criminal Justice Initiative at USC
In the recent month, the Neighborhood Data for Social Change (NDSC), a project based in the USC Price Center for Social Innovation, partnered with Microsoft and the USC Safe Communities Institute to announce the NDSC Criminal Justice Data Initiative. This one-year project’s objective is to collect, aggregate, and disseminate data related to criminal justice and public safety across select communities … Read More
Pedaling Swan Boats at Echo Park Lake
About a year ago, swan-shaped pedal boats were introduced to Echo Park Lake, making it a wonderful hidden gem close to DTLA. My cousin, mom, and I took our 2-year-old niece to play on the open water in the last few days of summer and it was so delightfully fun. Open year-round, seven days a week from 9am to sunset … Read More
Women’s Association of Venture and Equity
As a PhD candidate in STEM searching for opportunities in industry, I’m always on the lookout for interesting opportunities to broaden my business sense. At the start of this semester, I noticed an announcement from the Viterbi office about Women’s Association of Venture and Equity, otherwise known as WAVE. WAVE is a non-profit organization that focuses on developing and advancing … Read More