#ambassaintros

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Pug Life - Claire Mauss

Hello! My name is Claire Mauss, and I am a sophomore studying Environmental Science and Health. My hometown is Irvine, California, which is about an hour away from campus. Growing up so close to USC, it has always been my dream school. Needless to say, I love it here and feel exactly at home.

In addition to being a die-hard Trojan, I am also a huge environmentalist. Currently I am involved in several environmental clubs on campus. The first is through Undergraduate Student Government, where I serve as the Assistant Director of the Environmental Student Assembly. ESA is a branch of Program Board, which houses multiple cultural and interest assemblies as well as several event programming committees. I am also involved in Environmental Core, an environmental activism club on campus. Through these two clubs, my peers and I work to drive forward environmental efforts on campus! Even though USC is a large school, I really do feel like I am able to make a difference here.

I am also minoring in Spanish. I really love the Spanish Program at USC; the professors are amazing, and the classes are fantastic. Studying a language at USC is especially awesome because you can earn credits toward your language major or minor (as well as with many other programs of study) abroad! Next year I am planning to travel to Bilbao, Spain to finish up my Spanish minor. I am also hoping to take a Maymester in Oaxaca, Mexico called “Food Activism and Food Culture” that would count towards my minor as well!

When I’m not out hugging trees or learning a foreign language, you can find me spending time with the amazing friends that I have made here, scoping out LA’s best eats, and thrifting in the fashion district. Not to mention, I am also a huge fan of pugs! On the weekends I volunteer with Pug Nation Rescue of Los Angeles, an organization that helps pugs find homes, and go to Pug Meetups with my pug! I love living in the heart of LA because it allows me access to tons of other cool activities outside of campus.

I decided to become a Dornsife Ambassador because I have such a strong love for USC, and I can’t wait to share more of my journey here with you all so that you too can fall in love with this great school! Fight on!

[uscdornsifeadmission]

Very Much A City Kid - Rocco Blum

Hi everyone! My name is Rocco Blum, and I’m a freshman majoring in Political Science with a minor in French. I’m originally from Brooklyn, NYC, so I’m very much a city kid, and I was thrilled at the chance to spend my four years of college in a big and bustling city like Los Angeles. Despite the fact that LA is thousands of miles away from my family, I already feel at home here with my fellow Trojans!

Ever since I spent a semester of high school studying away from home at a political program in Washington D.C., I’ve had a deep and intense passion from everything politics-related; in addition to studying political science, I love discussing hot-button issues in an informal setting with my peers and professors. My interest in French is equally important to me; over the course of seven years of studying the language and two trips to different parts of France, I have discovered my affinity for the French language and culture. I also love to sing and play the piano, and love venturing into the city to see the hottest plays and musicals.

Outside of the classroom, I’ve become involved in several extracurricular organizations that I have immensely enjoyed so far. In my first semester, I joined the Dornsife Ambassador program because I love meeting prospective students and families, and bring several years of experience working in admissions from high school. I have also become a proud member of USC’s Apollo Men’s Chorus, an all-male choral ensemble open to anyone in the Trojan family who’s interested in singing. We perform for the community both on and off campus numerous times during the semester. Whenever I have the chance, I love to get off campus and try different restaurants; I’m a total foodie, and I’ve found that LA is the perfect place to sample cuisine from every corner of this country and the world.

If you’d asked me a year ago where I saw myself going to college, USC was not even on my radar. It wasn’t until my college counselor, believing it would be a good fit for me, suggested that I apply. Looking back on that conversation, I’m so glad she did. USC is where I belong, and I look forward to continuing to carve out my place in this rigorous and dynamic community. I’m so excited to be here, and I want to share that excitement with you—so please feel free to ask me any questions, and welcome to the Trojan family!

[uscdornsifeadmission]

The Place I Never Expected to Call Home - Amanda San Nicolas

 Hey y’all. My name is Amanda San Nicolas, and I’m a junior majoring in Human Biology with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy. I’m from San Dimas, California and I’m living it up at USC.

So, unlike most students, I never had an interest in USC. I didn’t apply right out of high school; I didn’t even visit the school, despite it basically being in my backyard. I didn’t like the feeling of such a huge university, and I was under the assumption that I wouldn’t feel “at home.” I would just be another student at a prestigious university that the faculty didn’t actually care about.

My college experience has gone on a path that I never expected to take. Out of high school I went to the only college I applied to in California because at the last minute, I was too scared to move across the country. After being at Biola University for a short amount of time, I realized it wasn’t the place I wanted to grow and learn at for four years. So, I went to a community college to earn enough credits to transfer. As I was applying to various schools, I decided to take a look at old USC. I learned that it’s number one in the country for my major, and it’s number one for the physical therapy program. It obviously has amazing rankings in sports (I’m a HUGE sports fan), and it’s close to just about anything I could think of doing. So, after my stubbornness subsided, I decided to apply.

On May 27th, 2016, I received the big yellow package that held my fate. I opened the envelope with my mom next to me and read the acceptance letter. I was admitted for Spring 2017. After a few days of contemplation, I decided to commit to USC. After researching the pros and cons of all the universities, USC just stood out to me. When I came for orientation, I was immediately won over by the traditional brick buildings and the array of cardinal and gold flowers. I knew this was where I was going to thrive and push myself to reach my future endeavors.

Choosing USC was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has challenged me and pushed me to limits I never thought I could reach. It has taught me to never give up, especially on myself. It has provided me the opportunity to join organizations such as: Alpha Phi Omega, Kid City, Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity, the Pre-PT Club, and Dornsife Ambassadors. I get to study the things I’m passionate about while helping members of our community in any way possible.

I found myself in a place I never expected to look. I hope I can help you discover what USC has to offer and all the adventures it will bring! Feel free to reach out to me and ask me questions about USC, living in LA, or life in general!

[uscdornsifeadmission]

Time Is A Flat Circle - Alan Shi

Hi! I’m Alan, a freshman from Irvine, CA, majoring in Biological Sciences on the pre-med track.

When I first visited USC in 10th grade, the first thing that struck me was how beautiful the campus was. Everywhere I looked, I saw buildings clad in majestic red brick and tan stone, flanked with palm trees, welcoming me to life in Los Angeles. As the tour guide led me around, enthusiastic cries of “Fight On!” from passing students gave me a taste of the incredible school spirit that is a hallmark of the USC experience.

Looking back, I’m amazed at how my life has come full circle from a prospective high school applicant visiting USC for the first time to a full-fledged student and Dornsife Ambassador. I can’t wait to show the next class of students how great it is to be a student here! 

One of the things that I like most is how there are seemingly infinite ways to get involved, from clubs, to intramural sports, to pre-professional organizations, and much more. Currently, I’m in Science Outreach, a club that volunteers at local elementary schools to spark the students’ interests in science by enriching their curriculum with hands-on experiments and demonstrations. Watching second-graders play with gooey oobleck while discovering the properties of non-Newtonian fluids is an experience that I will treasure forever, warming my heart and leaving me amazed at the students’ natural curiosity. I’ve also co-founded Neurosurgery Abroad with upperclassman friends, and we hope to improve access to critical neurosurgery in impoverished areas through our fundraising efforts.

Outside of class, I love exploring around campus and the city for great places to eat! I’ll happily admit that I am a foodie. On campus, Baked Bear at the USC Village has the best ice cream sandwiches I’ve ever tasted! In the city, I’ve had delicious dim sum in Chinatown and soondubu in Koreatown, and on my bucket list is the authentic Mexican food on LA’s historic Olvera Street.

With my stomach satisfied, my eyes are free to feast on the many museums LA has to offer. I love how LACMA, with its famous Urban Light landmark, as well as The Broad, with Jeff Koons’ neon-bright balloon sculptures, are just a short drive from campus. Even closer is the LA Museum of Natural History, chock-full of larger-than-life dinosaur fossils and countless interactive exhibits featuring everything from live butterflies to mummies.

The abundance of extracurricular activities on campus and world-famous attractions in the city have made my time at USC a blast, while thankfully keeping my mind off my GPA (the bane of all pre-med students)! The great friends and memories I’ve made here remind me every day that I’m part of a special type of family found nowhere else in the world – the Trojan Family.

[uscdornsifeadmission]

USC A Year Early - Abby Song

Hey! My name is Abby Song, and I’m one of the new freshmen Dornsife Ambassadors! I’m from one of the safest cities in LA, a coastal city in the South Bay called Torrance, just 20 minutes south of USC. Fun Fact: I skipped my senior year of high school and was admitted to USC through the Resident Honors Program! So, although I’m a freshman now, I really should be a senior sitting at my desk back home struggling with college apps and AP classes. I’m studying Human Biology with a minor in Health Care Studies, with my sights set on med school. After that, I want to pursue Emergency Medicine or Pediatrics! In 10 years, I see myself working at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, LAC+USC Medical Center, Torrance Memorial Hospital, or Little Company of Mary (in Torrance).

USC offers a variety of ways to get involved such that each and every student can find their niche and feel at home! My short time at USC has been a blur with activities like WorldMed, RSG, Dornsife Ambassadors, InterVarsity, and volunteering in the Office of Admissions, not to mention academic cohorts like Freshman Science Honors and Thematic Option. Off campus, I’ve been exposed to amazing opportunities as a Research Assistant in the Spina Bifida Clinic at CHLA and an EMS project at LAC+USC, and a volunteer in the Alliance of Jamaican and American Humanitarians with which I’ll go on a week-long medical mission trip this summer. I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time in college has in store for me!

[uscdornsifeadmission]

All This And More - Lily Vaughan

Hey all! I’m Lily, and I’m a sophomore studying Political Science and History, concentrating my studies in comparative politics and early modern European state-building. When I’m not in class, I’m enjoying a game at Chess Club, hosting political speakers as the Vice President of the USC College Democrats, or (more likely) eating some dinner during the long evening hours in the Daily Trojan office, where I serve as the Editorial Director. However, I do save at least an hour a day to re-watch some House of Cards. This coming semester I’m happy to say I’ll be interning with the Unruh Institute of Politics and resuming my Opinion column, Playing Politics (all, of course, to pass the time until the next season of House of Cards.)

I grew up in Austin, Texas, but I’ve also lived in San Francisco and Sacramento, spent summers on the central coast, and become a lifelong fan of my family’s hometowns of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. This aside, I think I can comfortably say Los Angeles is one of the most incredible cities I’ve ever lived in. Whether it’s brunch downtown, gallivanting around West Hollywood, spending hot days on rooftop pools or paddleboarding in Marina del Rey and grabbing dinner on the Santa Monica beach, this city’s always got something to accommodate your tastes. It’s also home to the University of Southern California — a place where I can safely say I’ve never been happier.

The best thing about USC is that it creates an academic and social environment conducive to whatever your ambitions may be; this is a university of driven, intelligent, self-directed people — not all of whom know what they want to do, but who all know that it better be something meaningful. When I signed onto the Daily Trojan during the fall of my freshman year and walked into my first meeting of the College Democrats, I began the story of what my undergraduate career would consist of; if you put in work for the organizations you believe in, I can guarantee you that they will pay you back — in experience, support, leadership, sponsorship, and connection.

The Dornsife College does that for you, too. I’ve never been in a class where the professor did not know me by name. The research opportunities for students are virtually unparalleled anywhere else — even outside the hard sciences. I also have the pleasure of being a member of the Thematic Option Honors Program, an interdisciplinary approach to the General Education requirements offered through Dornsife, and the Trojan Scholars Society for merit scholarship recipients. All of this is made possible through the administration, expertise, faculty and funding of the Dornsife College.

My interests are almost all political, but the best thing about the Dornsife college is that whatever you love to do, there’s a place for you. Part of being the biggest college, and offering the most majors and minors, is that you’re among a wonderfully diverse company of interests. My closest friends are studying Biological Sciences and Japanese Studies, interns for NASA and child psychology clinics alike, and everyone always has something new and totally interesting to tell us about. There’s nothing like being at USC, that’s for sure — but if an experience like that could be any greater, it’s made possible by Dornsife.

[uscdornsifeadmission]

The Decision That Changed My Life – Clifton Martin

Hi there! My name is Clifton Martin, and I am a sophomore studying International Relations with a double minor in French and Dance! I come all the way from Nashville, Tennessee; however, my path to USC does not begin in Nashville, but instead in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Last year, I began my freshman year at Purdue University, and I would say that I had the typical freshman experience: nerves before leaving home, several cases of home sickness, many laughs and memories with great people, and a great curriculum! However, something was missing at Purdue for me. It is truly a wonderful university, but my experience did not feel whole. I felt like although I had established an amazing student life at the university, I wasn’t completely connected to Purdue, and this was extremely important for me since it was supposed to be my home for four years. By the end of my first semester, I came home with the plan to transfer to another university, and little did I know I was in for a treat.

After weeks of research, I narrowed down my list, and low and behold, USC was fighting for the top spot. Even though I was 2,000 miles away, I was able to get a sense of the beautiful Trojan community and truly feel the notorious Trojan Fight On school spirit. I saw that the University of Southern California offered its community not only a vibrant student life but also a renowned academic experience. Through Youtube videos, Tumblr posts, and blog spots, I got a small taste of the many resources that USC offers its students, and this turned out to be something I longed for. On January 31st, 2016 I sent my application in with the hopes that I would eventually be able to call myself a Trojan and be a part of the unique Trojan Family.

On June 15th, 2016 my life changed when I read “Congratulations! I am pleased to offer you admission to the University of Southern California as part of the entering class of 2016.” As cliché as this may sound, I immediately went numb. I was in utter awe that I had done it. I made it into my dream school, and this was an opportunity I was not going to allow to slip away. I fought long and hard with my parents, and after a week and half, I was set to pack my bags for Los Angeles!

After only a semester, I can confidently say coming to USC was the greatest decision of my life. I have met such a diverse group of people whether it be a friend that is local and only 45 minutes away from campus, or a friend from London or Singapore. I have also quickly found my place through the many clubs and organizations that USC has to offer. I have found an amazing community of people in the Office of Admission, Dornsife Ambassadors, and my research lab, the Security and Political Economy Lab. I have already made so many amazing gameday memories, and I genuinely bleed that USC Cardinal and Gold.

The moral of my story is if you are thinking of transferring to USC, do it! Act on it, and chase your dreams, because I am so glad I did. My life has truly changed all because of the special day I chose to Fight On. And maybe yours will to!

[uscdornsifeadmission]

After a Twelve Hour Flight - Jenny Zhu

Hi! I’m Jenny Zhu, and I’m so excited to be here at USC. I flew into Los Angeles from Shanghai, which was where I went to high school, but I was born and lived in Singapore for 15 years. I love how winter here in California is somewhat tolerable since I’ve never experienced cold weather ever in Singapore, and I cried a little inside whenever winter came in Shanghai. I’m a freshman studying Economics, but I’m pretty positive I’ll also be adding an International Relations and a Consumer Behavior minor.

Not a day goes by where I don’t find myself constantly being engaged in numerous activities. After finishing my classes, I will go to my Dornsife Ambassador meeting (which always makes my day so much better). On other days, I work at the admission center as an admission ambassador and hope I don’t trip walking backwards. And for a portion of my remaining time, I meet with my fam at InterVarsity Trojan Christian Fellowship. I also try to keep fit by participating in intramurals (Freshman 15 is real). Lastly, what is college without football?

I could have stayed in the comfort of my home in Singapore, but I found so many reasons to attend USC. I really look forward to learning more about different cultures in our increasingly globalized world, and the strong international community here allows me to do just that. USC’s breadth with depth philosophy, where I can explore many different fields through General Education classes, will supplement my learning in my classes for my major or minor. Another reason is that USC really is in the heart of LA. I love living in cities, and I can find things to do and never be bored. Also, the abundant career opportunities in LA is always a plus.

Some random facts about me: My personal goal is to take a fun 2-unit elective every single semester (I am currently taking International Ballroom Dance, and I am absolutely in love with the class!) I never knew I sleep talk until my roommate told me. I have really big feet, and I could never find shoes when I was in Shanghai. I love desserts. I play the piano. I hate horror movies.  

I look forward to sharing more about my life at USC in upcoming posts, but until next time, fight on!